It [TV miniseries review]

I always saw images of this creepy ass clown plastered on VHS/DVD covers as I was growing up, but I never knew the story behind it… literally, It. One rainy day, It was on TV and I finally decided to give it a go.

It is a TV miniseries — not a movie, like I originally thought — about a clown who, quite frankly, kills children. It all starts with Bill Denbrough’s little brother, Georgie (Tony Dakota), who was lured into a sewer by Pennywise (Tim Curry), the aforementioned serial killer clown, and is never to be seen again. After the fact, Bill (Richard Thomas) and his group of misfit friends are stalked by Pennywise, but they won’t stand for it. Banning together, Bill and his buddies put an end to the bloodthirsty clown… or so they think. Years later, Pennywise returns and he it means business. Bill and the gang must reunite in order to put an end to Pennywise once and for all.

Image Source: io9.com

I know It is somewhat of a classic, but to be honest, I didn’t enjoy it at all. Definitely a movie miniseries I could’ve passed up. But, now I can say I’ve seen it, right? To start, the acting was scarier than Pennywise… it was actually quite painful to watch. I know this was made in the 90s, but still. Although not extremely scary in my opinion, Pennywise did have some good one-liners. He was undoubtedly the best aspect of the miniseries. Overall, I think It moved way too slow and it didn’t do much to keep my attention.

I give It 1/5 stars solely for the purpose of giving me something to do on a rainy day.

The River [TV review]

I had to watch The River because one of the creators is Oren Peli, the director and writer for Paranormal Activity. If it had any chance of having Paranormal Activity elements to it, I knew I’d enjoy it. And I did.

ABC’s The River is about the disappearance of Dr. Emmet Cole (Bruce Greenwood), the host of a show called The Undiscovered Country, and members of his crew, in the Amazon. Dr. Cole’s wife, Tess (Leslie Hope), is determined to find her husband even though many believe he’s dead. She garners the help of her son, Lincoln (Joe Anderson), and some of the remaining crew members of The Undiscovered Country to assist on this hunt for Emmett. A number of the crew members are documenting this Amazonian adventure and let me tell you, the footage they capture is jaw-dropping. Will Emmett be found? If so, will he be alive? Will everyone survive? Will the footage find its way outside of the Amazon? These are all questions you’ll want to find answers to. If you didn’t get the hint, this is me telling you to watch the show.

The series premiere of The River was two hours long and rightfully so… I couldn’t get enough of it. The show got real spooky real quick, which I love. If you ask me, why wait, right? Might as well get right into the action. The show definitely has a paranormal element to it (i.e. blood-craving spirits, Exorcist-like scenes, creepy dolls hanging in the jungle, etc.), which you can’t seem to get away from these days, but trust me, there are no vampires or werewolves (although, I must say, there were zombie-like creatures in one of the later episodes). Dark magic might be a better phrase than paranormal. Since the first episode, the ah-factor has definitely kept up and, having watched the whole season, I’m still a fan. Each episode felt like a mini horror film. The season was only eight episodes long and I’m really interested to see how the next (hopefully longer) season will play out. After watching the season finale, I’ve decided that I’ve never seen a show like this on TV, which is part of the reason why I like it so much.

Overall, I’m definitely a fan of The River and I’ll definitely be tuning in to future seasons. If you’re a fan of suspense films, I think you’ll like this show. Check it out.

Alcatraz [TV review]

After hearing that Alcatraz would be similar to Lost, I immediately became interested. The series debuted the other night on FOX and, I must say, I wasn’t disappointed.

Alcatraz takes place on, you guessed it, Alcatraz Island. For those of you who don’t know, Alcatraz Island is an island located off the coast of California and it’s home to one of the most notorious prisons in US history. After vanishing years ago, the prisoners of Alcatraz begin to reappear and they’re determined to reek havoc.  Detective Rebecca Madsen (Sarah Jones) and Dr. Diego Soto (Jorge Garcia) partner up on this unique case in an attempt to put an end to the murderous rampages that will inevitably be set forth by these prisoners from the past. We don’t know how these prisoners are coming back or why they’re doing what they’re doing (or even who might behind it), but I’m hoping we get some questions answered sooner than we did in Lost.

So far, I’m a fan of the show. Alcatraz was a little different from what I expected, but then again, I’m not 100% sure what I was expecting in the first place. It appears that each episode will focus on a different prisoner, which I like. There seems to be a certain amount of time in between each prisoner’s reappearance, which puts Rebecca and her crew in a fight against time… and freaky, ageless criminals. Throughout the series, there’s obviously going be some overlap amongst the prisoners in each episode, along with some twists and turns, which we’ve already experienced in the two-hour season premiere.

In regards to Lost, I definitely see the similarities already. For starters, we see a familiar face… and name. The first thing I noticed was Jack Sylvane (Jeffrey Pierce). Remember Jack Shepard (Matthew Fox), everyone? The familiar face I’m referring to is Jorge Garcia (Diego Soto). I wonder if we’ll see any other Lost characters reincarnated as Alcatraz characters. Second, the music is very Lost-like, which I enjoy. You know something’s up when that music kicks in. Third, there’s an island. Now, this island may be a lot smaller and easier to get off of, but it’s still mysterious.

Overall, I’m excited to see what J.J. Abrams has up his sleeve for this series… I’ll be tuning in for the rest of the season for sure. Definitely check it out… especially if you’re a Lost fan, like myself.

Suburgatory [TV review]

After seeing commercials for Suburgatory, it didn’t necessarily look like a show I would normally watch. I was waiting for Modern Family to come on the other week and I had some time to kill so I thought I’d give this new show a shot. I’m glad I did because I’ve added Suburgartory to my Fall TV lineup after watching the first episode.

Suburgatory is about a girl, Tessa Altman (Jane Levy), who moved from New York City to a less-than-ideal suburb because her dad, George (Jeremy Sisto), forced her to after a frightening discovery. Tessa is finding it hard to get along with the natives because she, and her dad, couldn’t be more different from them. The town is full of nosey housewives with their  odd family members. None of these suburbanites seem to have any sort of filter, which is something Tessa and George are gonna have to get used to.

Jane Levy plays a great pained high school teen and I love her on-screen relationship with Jeremy Sisto. My favorite housewife so far is Dallas Royce (Cheryl Hines)… she seems to be the most normal out of the women, but she still has her fair share of inappropriate moments. Carly Chaikin (Dalia, Dallas’ daughter) is hilarious… she’s the stereotypical “cool” girl who was assigned as Tessa’s “buddy” to to show her the ropes of the high school, which she doesn’t do a very good job of. I can’t help but laugh at her unintelligent moments throughout each episode.

If you’re looking for another comedy to watch this fall, definitely check out Suburgatory.

New Girl [TV review]

I must admit, I felt a little overwhelmed with the Fall TV lineup this year and I wasn’t too sure if I would be able to take on another new show. That is, until I saw a commercial for New Girl. I had to give it a chance, which happened to be the best decision of my week. Easily one of my new favorite shows this fall.

New Girl began with Jessica Day (Zooey Deschanel) finding out that her boyfriend was cheating on her, leaving her to move into a new apartment with some unfamiliar faces: Schmidt (Max Greenfield), Coach (Damon Wayans Jr.) and Nick (Jake M. Johnson). Jessica and her new pals make for an interesting combination, promising endless laughs for this new, hit show!

New Girl is beyond hysterical. I was laughing out loud within the first five seconds. Zooey Deschanel (for me, best known for her role as Jovie in Elf) was absolutely hilarious. She takes awkward to a whole new level, which is something I truly appreciate. Her roommates were equally as funny; I think my favorite out of the three guys (so far) is Schmidt. I thought his douchebag-ness, hence the Douchebag Jar, was really funny. What the Schmidt!

I give New Girl 5/5 stars. Kristin Dos Santos tweeted it best “Unless you are dead inside, you’ll love it.” Do yourself a favor and watch this show! Check it out on FOX, Wednesdays at 9pm after Glee.

Can You Name the US Big Brother Winners? [game]

As most of you may know, I’m a diehard Big Brother fan. Justin sent me this game from Sporcle: “Can you name the US Big Brother Winners? Well, can you? Click the photo below and you’ll be directed to the game!

Apparently, I can’t name all the winners. I scored 8/12.. not horrible. I couldn’t remember the winners for seasons 1, 3, 6 and, believe it or not, 12. If you’re a BB fan like me, play the game and leave your scores in the comment section! Which BB winners did you fail to name, or did you name them all? No cheating!

Also, who’s everyone pulling for in Big Brother 13? I’m Team Jordan all the way. Not only is she one of my all-time favorite BB players, but she’s also the only remaining house guest that I actually like.

Death Valley [TV review]

Death Valley premiered last night on MTV and I just had to watch it… the network had me at zombies. DV is a dark comedy full of grotesque monsters, bloody fight scenes and par subpar acting (if that makes any sense to you). California’s San Fernando Valley has become infested with zombies, vampires and werewolves and it’s up to the Undead Task Force (UTF) to keep these monsters under control. Cameramen follow the UTF on their outings  to capture these gruesome moments and, judging by the first episode, it looks like this season will be killing off introducing a number of different cameramen.

Below, if you click the picture (taken from MTV), you’ll be taken to a video that introduces you to Billy (Bryce Johnson) and Stubeck (Charlie Sanders), both members of the UTF. Watch and get a feel for what the crew’s like. Other members of the UTF include Carla (Tania Raymonde), Dashell (Bryan Callen), John-John (Texas Battle) and Kirsten (Caity Lotz).

I wasn’t completely sold by the storyline in the first episode, but I was entertained to say the very least, and I could definitely see it starting to go somewhere. I mean, it is only the first episode. There’s definitely potential. Death Valley definitely had me laughing out loud, especially at the part when the poor, defenseless cameraman started freaking out in the middle of a monster attack. I thought his reaction was great. Without a doubt, I’ll be watching Death Valley again next week… and most likely for the rest of the season. If you like monsters and stupid humor, this is the show for you. Believe me, there’s nothing wrong with that.

Big Brother 13 [TV review]

The best time of the year is upon us! Big Brother time! I’ve been watching this show ever since its very first season and I’ve only become more obsessed with it each year. It truly wouldn’t be summer without Big Brother. For those of you who are unfamiliar with the show, it’s a game hosted by the wonderful Julie Chen. A season usually consists of 12 house guests, who live in a decked out house together, competing for $500,000. House guests are unable to communicate with the outside world and their every move is being recorded, 24/7, by multiple cameras sprawled around the playing grounds.

Big Brother has a different twist to every season, but I’ll explain the basics if you’ve never watched before. The house guests compete in various weekly competitions, which are vital to their survival in the house. There are Head of Household (HoH) competitions, which might be the most crucial. The house guests compete in various physical/mental competitions, until there is one winner. This winner (usually) chooses two other house guests to be nominated for eviction AKA elimination from the competition. The house guests vote for the person they’d like to see walk out the door, and the person with the most votes does just that. The HoH doesn’t vote, but they will cast the deciding vote in the event of a tie. Prior to eviction days, Power of Veto (PoV) competitions are held. The house guest who wins the Golden Power of Veto can choose to take him/herself off the chopping block, saving themselves from eviction. If the PoV winner isn’t nominated for eviction, they can save another house guest. Another option is to simply not use the Power of Veto and leave the nominations unchanged. There are also food competitions in the Big Brother house. House guests who win these competitions are able to eat whatever they’d like for the week (from the food closet). Losers of these competitions are forced to eat Big Brother Slop (I remember past house guests comparing slop to bad tasting oatmeal). In previous years, before Big Brother Slop, the losers of food competitions would only be able to eat peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. Sometimes there are different twists regarding the food that losers are able to eat. Lastly, there are luxury competitions every now and then, where house guests can win trips, shopping sprees, movie screenings, and other luxuries that aren’t available in the Big Brother house.

I don’t remember the exact number, but toward the middle-end of the season, the house guests who are eliminated from the competition are sent to the Jury House. When it comes down to the Final Two, the members of the Jury House case their votes, ultimately choosing the winner of Big Brother.

Ready for the twist this season? Make that plural. First, there were only eight house guests to begin with, when there are usually 12. Julie soon announced to the house guests that they must pair up and play the rest of the game, not as an individual, but as a duo. This changes the rules a little. Now, the winner of the HoH competitions will be safe from eviction (as usual), but their partner (the other half of their duo) will also be safe. The HoH duo will then choose another duo to put on the chopping block. Each member from the nominated duo will have to battle it out, campaigning against one another because one of them will definitely be going home.

Now for the second twist. Big Brother duos from previous seasons enter the house! First, we have Brendon and Rachel (Brenchel), who I highly dislike. They’re engaged now, too (barf). Then, enter Jeff and Jordan… one of my favorite Big Brother duos of all time! They’re still going strong with their relationship and I couldn’t be happier. Lastly, we have (Evil) Dick and Daniele… the estranged father and daughter who were reunited during their original season of Big Brother. At the end of their season, I believe they ended on decent terms, but they entered BB13 on bad terms again. They claim they haven’t spoken in three years. Side note: Jordan and Dick were the winners of their seasons of Big Brother.

You would think two twists would be enough for the first episode, right? Nope. At the end of the season premiere, Julie revealed her spiel about the Golden Key. How does one obtain this key? The first HoH, Rachel, will choose a duo to go up on the chopping block and one of those members will get sent home. The other house guest that gets to stay will receive the Golden Key, which secures them a spot in the Final Ten. This house guest will not be eligible to be nominated for eviction until there are ten house guests remaining in the house. This particular house guest will not compete in HoH competitions, but they will still be able to cast their vote during eviction days. Very interesting.

Check out Big Brother’s Facebook page to view the house guests in more detail, but check them out in the picture above.

So far, I like Kalia, Dominic, Cassi, and maybe Shelly. Then, of course, there’s Jeff and Jordan! I was on and off with Daniele during her original season, but I don’t know how I feel about her in this season. If you watch Big Brother, then you know opinions can change very quickly.

As usual, I am so excited for this season! I hope you all enjoy it as much as do (although I’m not sure if that’s possible because I’m Big Brother‘s #1 fan).

Who are some of your favorite BB13 house guests so far? How about all-time favorite BB house guests?

P.S. Big Brother’s always watching.

Wilfred [TV review]

My friends and I were looking for a movie to watch the other night, but we couldn’t find anything that really caught our attention. Krista recommended that we watch Wilfred on FX Networks, and I’m so glad we did because I now have a new show to watch.

Wilfred follows the story of Ryan (Elijah Wood), who has pretty much hit rock bottom in his life. He can’t seem to find anything that makes him happy… that is, until Jenna (Fiona Gubelmann) moves nextdoor  with her dog, Wilfred. Everyone sees Wilfred as a dog (y’know… animal form), but not Ryan. Ryan sees Wilfred (Jason Gann) as a crude, talking man, dressed in a dog costume. Not only does Wilfred talk and curse, but he smokes, drinks, and is somewhat of a bad influence on Ryan. Wilfred teaches Ryan to let loose and live life in the moment. Watch to see what kind of trouble Wilfred will get Ryan into.

Wilfred is based on an Australian comedy, which was adapted by David Zuckerman into an American series. Wilfred is absolutely hysterical. The episodes are only 30 minutes long, which is perfect for me since I don’t have the best attention span. I watched the first two episode of the series and couldn’t stop laughing. I’m not normally a big fan of Elijah Wood, but I’m enjoying him in this series so far. I also think Jason Gann is a perfect fit for Wilfred’s part. Along with his rude, off-the-wall comments, his Australian accent adds an extra hint of humor. Overall, I give Wilfred 5/5 stars (based on what I’ve seen so far). The episodes kept my attention the whole time and had me laughing nonstop. I would more than recommend Wildfred, which is on Thursdays at 10pm.

Being Human [TV review]

I kept seeing advertisements for Being Human and this new series really caught my attention. Instead of the typical supernatural show where vampires and werewolves are constantly at one other’s throats, Being Human revolves around three roommates — a vampire, a werewolf, and a ghost — trying to live together. I was never a fan of the Syfy channel, so I wasn’t sure what to expect, but I was willing to give it a chance. I finally got around to watching the series premiere last night and I’m still trying to decide whether I truly like it or not.

I wasn’t completely riveted by the series premiere, but it did end with a pretty good cliffhanger, which led me to watch the second episode. I must say, I enjoyed the second episode much more. It went into more depth about each character’s background, still leaving many things left unsaid, which is one reason why I want to keep following the series.

Aidan (Sam Witwer) is the typical vampire… Charming good looks, extremely pale, and quite mysterious. We see Aidan struggling with his monster-like ways, but it’s noticeable that he’s trying his hardest to be as human as possible. We don’t know much about how Aidan was turned into a vampire, but we do know that it was some time around the Revolutionary period (as seen in a flashback during the second episode).

Josh (Sam Huntington), on the other hand, is not your typical werewolf. Sam comes off as paranoid and somewhat wimpy. He ran away from home once he started going through his transformations and hasn’t seen any of his family in about two years… That is, until he is unexpectedly visited by his sister at the hospital where he works. We hardly know anything regarding the origins of Josh’s werewolf ways, but we do know that he absolutely hates living this lifestyle.

Lastly, we have Sally (Meaghan Rath), the ghost who lives with Aidan and Sam in their new home, or should I say Sally’s home. Sally used to live in this house with her fiance, Danny (Gianpaolo Venuta), until she had a tragic accident and died. Unable to deal with the constant reminder of his fiance, Danny sold the house to Aidan and Sam, unknowingly leaving Sally’s spirit trapped there until she figures a way to “move on.”

I like the idea of the show, but I wasn’t completely sold. I’m gonna keep watching until I form a more solid opinion. I was reading an article online the other day and discovered that the series was based off of a series in the United Kingdom, which is most likely a lot better. If the American version continues to disappoint me, I might have to check out the UK version.