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October '08
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August '08
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Madness!
By Aaron 11/30/2007
 The episode begins with a Panthers football game. My only question is how the hell could they lose a game 0-37??? That is just RIDICULOUS. This trend continues to decenter the show’s original focus on football, which now takes a back seat to intrigues of murder, passion, family, and jealousy. Structurally, the show maintains SOME of it’s original greatness – amazing camera shots like the ones that give us Saracen’s eyes as he watches his girlfriend, and the dark, prophetic hallway Landry watches. Overall it was a good episode, but it was all over the place and lacks the focus or feel of the concise, sharp editing of the first season. So, what happened in this episode? It was all over the place.
Smash is back to being a douche bag – easily walking off the team’s drubbing in the first few minutes because he thinks he’s going to recruiting heaven. While in the high school recruitment paradise of girls, girls, and girls, Smash chooses poorly and he gets what he deserves, and it is HYSTERICAL. And in the end, he assumes Saracen will come to his rescue despite Smash seemingly reverting back to his conceited Smash-first ways. I guess Smash DOES give Saracen some advice, but it risks turning Saracen into Smash…But will Smash maintain a strong relationship with Saracen? Will he continue to traipse off to these recruitment parties?
While Tyra flashes some serious cleavage in her first scene, she is largely absent. And when she is on screen, as usual, Landry volunteers to protect her from anything and everything, and of course, gets nothing in return. Landry continues his now borrowing melodrama of murder-guilt and Lyla makes a brief cameo to give Landry some advice, despite the fact that she has never talked to him before (meanwhile Street is nowhere to be found). While the previews seem to be preoccupied with the story that captivated us in the beginning of the series, it gets about three minutes of screen time now. What will happen to Landry? Will Tyra finally realize that she belongs with him?
Meanwhile, Riggins’ new living condition is HILARIOUS. The roommate is like a loser version of Riggins, hopefully something that will show Riggins to stop boozing and get his shit together. Hell, his friend manages to stammer, “Roadhouse is the best movie of all time.” My question is when is Riggins going to be back on the team? It seems like Coach is totally mishandling the Riggins situation and being unnecessarily harsh. Will Riggins play football as a Panther again? Is he the missing piece for the Panthers’ title defense? Do we think Riggins can erase 37-point deficits?
In the Taylor household I’m wondering wow long is Tammy’s sister going to stick around? She is really annoying, and seems to enable Julie’s childishness. Thank God Tammy finally put her in her place. It is a little confusing why Tammy hangs out with Glen so much. Even if she doesn’t, it seems like she does ALL the time. Which makes Coach’s character really annoying because he complains SOO much about Glen. Not to lose the race toward annoyance, Tammy is generally a pain in the ass, and it is no wonder Coach is always pissed. In the end, the most frustrating thing is when Tammy lets her sister talk her into thinking she was in the wrong when she is clearly in the right. Will the sister continue to meddle in Tammy’s parenting? Will she ever be a positive influence?
Now, the preeminent question in your mind should be, is Julie SERIOUS? Then followed up by, is Noah SERIOUS? I mean, Noah is clearly flirting with her and pushing the envelope, and he makes no effort to hide it in front of Tammy. Anyways, Julie is taking the stupid teenage girl role way too far – or the writers are. Her character is so STUPID now. What happened to the tender girl who fell in love with my favorite QB1?
Our main protagonist, Saracen is back to screwing himself –way to turn down sleeping with the head cheerleader. It’s hard to tell if he is in love with Carlotta, or just wants to be. Is Carlotta in love with him? I mean, what does she expect, he is a hormonally charged teenage boy. Where is this going? How long term are we talking? Won’t Grandma find out?
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Bob’s October Movie Preview
By Bob 10/2/2008
 Now that we have gotten through the sludge of September movies, it’s time for some Oscar contenders, and movies that think they’re good but not. Halloween is also this month so there is bound to be a lot of random horror movies going on and of course a Saw film to soak in. Whatever happens though, I’m gonna guess that at least one of the following gets some nods come Oscar time. With that, my October Movie Preview:
Cops, Robbers, and Blah
10) Pride and Glory: October 24th
From the director of Miracle comes one of the most clichéd trailers of ALL TIME. Edward Norton as A COP. Colin Farrell as HIMSELF. What more could we want from a movie? I don’t know, and I will likely never find out because this is not one flick I will be seeing.
9) Max Payne: October 17th 
As I feverishly go through my mind trying to think of a video game adaptation that has actually been a good movie, I’m also reminded of all of the bad movies Marky Mark has made over the past ever (excluding The Departed and Boogie Nights of course). I would be shocked if there is anybody who is actually excited for this, as anybody who actually played the game has probably outgrown the genre.
8) Body of Lies: October 10th
Leonardo Dicaprio. Russell Crowe. Ridley Scott. Something about spies. The trailers really tell us nothing about this film except, “How am I supposed to run an operation when you’re running a side operation.” I don’t really know what that means, but Leo says it in the trailer. This film looks like another lame attempt by Ridley Scott and Russell Crowe to win Oscars. I’m not buying it.
7) Flash of Genius: October 3rd
Greg Kinnear stars as an man who invents the intermittent windshield wiper, and then has it stolen from him buy the major auto manufacturers. This just looks like a boring film that will get a lukewarm response. For some reason, however, it has been getting a huge level of marketing with television and even radio advertisements. I doubt people will buy it.
6) RocknRolla: October 10th
Guy Ritchie is back in the genre he knows best, and this appears to be an English gangster film much in the mold of Lock Stock and Snatch. We’ll see if he still has his stuff, but for now, I’ll just pop in my DVDs of the older films that I can trust, and look to be almost identical in plot to this one.
Movies that Intrigue Me
5) Changeling: October 24th 
Angelina Jolie stars in this Clint Eastwood film about a woman whose son goes missing and is returned with something different. Any film that Eastwood directs (that’s not Flags of our Fathers of course) is worth checking out, and this looks to be no different. It got solid reviews with it premiered at Cannes, and Angelina Jolie is ready for a solid role.
4) W.: October 17th
 A film that is certain to be the years most controversial, Oliver Stone directs this biopic about our current president. While I am sure Stone will exaggerate many of the details, there is no denying that he has put together an awesome cast including Josh Broling (as Bush), Elizibeth Banks (as First Lady Laura), James Cromwell (as his father H. W.), Richard Dreyfuss (as Cheney), Thadie Newton (as Condoleezza Rice) and others as the rest of his cabinet. Whatever happens in this film, it will certainly be interesting.
3) Synecdoche, New York: October 24th
A film that I have been awaiting since last year, this is Charlie Kauffman’s directorial debut. I have loved the films he has written (Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Being John Malkovich, Confessions of a Dangerous Mind, and Adaptation. ) and this should prove to be equally compelling. It stars Philip Seymour Hoffman as a playwright who attempts to put on a production in a warehouse that includes a scale model of New York. It will probably boggle our minds, but that is Kauffman, isn’t it?
2) Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist: October 3rd
Michael Cera and Kat Dennings star as the eponymous Nick and Norah who meet each other one night in New York and have adventures. Something about the trailer really brought this movie to my attention, probably the indie style that I love. Cera is always great, and Dennings was really cool in Charlie Bartlett, so I might make my way to a cinema this week to check it out.
1) Zach and Miri Make a Porno: October 31st 
Seth Rogen and Elizibeth Banks star as two best friends who decide to make a porno together. This is Kevin Smith’s first film since Clerks 2, and I can only hope that it matches that film in hilarity. The only thing I don’t understand, is why are they releasing this film on Halloween? I guess there is probably a Saw film being released anyways.
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