Happy Birthday Sarah Silverman

Sarah Silverman turns 37 Today

What I've been watching

The Departed (2006) is the latest film from the masterful Martin Scorsese. Of course it's a wonderful piece of cinema, what else would you expect from him?. It is probably his best film for quite some time (that's not discounting his most recent films I'm just saying how much I loved this). The cast are all great but extra word should go out to "mad" Jack Nicholson as the crime boss Frank Costello and Mark Wahlberg (with films like this and I Heart Huckabees) he's more than made up for Planet of the Apes). Highly recommended. Rent (2006) is a limp musical based on the original Broadway production. I don't know something just didn't click for me- the music was bad it sounded like musak-, the performances where pretty good though in places such as Wilson Jermaine Heredia as Angel. I'd never seen the original production so maybe I'm missing something. Give it a miss P.S. any film that features BOTH Rosario Dawson and Sarah Silverman and I'm saying give it a miss, they must be something wrong. Dead and Breakfast (2004) surprised not that it was anything special, in that it surprised me that it was a lot better then I thought it would be. There's enough blood to satisfy the blood lust crowds and actually as some funny little moments. The cast features David Carradine, Erik Palladino (formerly Dr. Dave on ER), Bianca Lawson (formerly Kendra on Buffy. I also remember her from Saved by the Bell: The New Class), Jeremy Sisto (Spoiler: He seems to die in every horror film I see him), Diedrich Bader (The Drew Carey Show) and Oz Perkins (son of Anthony 'Psycho' Perkins). Not groundbreaking or life changing but recommended.

The Hills Have Eyes (1977) is "classic" grindhouse horror - not a piece of art but a piece of enjoyable cinema- Wes Craven as directed some good and some duds in his career and this thankfully falls in the good category, if anybody as seen the remake and not seen this- it pretty much follows the same pattern, including the dogs called Beauty and the Beast and the order of the family's demise. Watch it for Michael Berryman. Watch it for a funny 70s moustache. Watch it to be on edge. Recommended.

THE TV SHELF

What I'm watching at the moment in rotation to each other:

Ali G in the da USA (I believe titled Da Ali G Show in America)

French and Saunders at the Movies

The Addams Family Volume One

Party of Five Season One

My So Called Life: Complete Series

How I Met Your Mother Season One

Bask in the loveliness of...

Sarah Silverman

Top 10 Unfairly Short Lived Shows (One Season Wonders)

Criteria: All shows must have been cancelled within or at the end of the first season, a season usually is around 22 or 24, any show that lasts any longer (or onto a second season) do not count, The Critic lasted 2 seasons but wasn't really given a chance, Arrested Development was mostly unwatched on television but it lasted three seasons so that doesn't count either, also a show like Band of Brothers was originally planned as a mini-series and that doesn't count either, let's star the top 10...

10- Clone High (2002-03)

Clone High was a short lived animated series produced by Bill Lawrence (of Spin City and Scrubs fame) about an high school the clones of lot of famous historical figures attend, such as Joan of Arc, Abraham Lincoln, cleopatra, JFK and Gandhi. The show as a lot of funny moments thanks to the High School horndog Gandhi. Best line of the entire series however goes to jock JFK when he says "Nothing bad ever happens to the Kennedy's!". Working checking out, think it's only available on Canadian R1.

9- Young Americans (2000)

Something of a spin-off to Dawson's Creek, that helped launch the careers of Ian Somerhalder (Lost), Kate Bosworth and Katherine Moennig (The L Word) was I believe debuted on American television in the Summer set around Rawley Summer Academy (an Elite school). Moennig plays a female pretending to be male to get into the school. Apparently it did not bad numbers but was not brought back, shame. Lasted about 8 episodes and not currently available on DVD.

8- Greg the Bunny (2002)

The cast features Eugene Levy, Seth Green, Bob Gunton and Sarah Silverman and guest appearances from Gary Oldman and Corey Feldman was basically Meet the Feebles made for American Network Television. There's enough laughs to be had thanks to some of the great puppet characters such as Count Blah (whose speech impediment means he says Blah at the end of every sentance). One of the things responsible for love of Sarah Silverman. Currently available on R1, as is Greg the Bunny: The Best of Film Parodies. 7- Clerks: The Animated Series (2000)

Only six episodes produced, only two of which aired, the two which aired are probably the better two, straying away from the film it is based somewhat. I truly think Jeff Anderson as Randall came into his own on this show even improving on his performance in the film, his memorable for me for a number of reasons including "Who's driving the car? Bears driving the car, how can that be?" and the entire flashback episode (the second episode). Available on R1. 6- The Ben Stiller Show (1992-93)

Before A-List beckoned, Ben Stiller starred in this short lived sketch show alongside Janeane Garofalo, Bob Oedenkirk and Andy Dick. Unusually recorded without a laugh track, Stiller even cautiously mentions in the first episode that they might get cancelled soon. It's like any sketch show, there's some stinkers to be had however Stiller's Cruise is always good as is Oedenkirk's Charlie Manson, fact: The Do It guy that Stiller does whilst in disguise in Starsky and Hutch orginated here. Worth checking out. Available on R1.

5- Undeclared (2001-02)

It's certainly in the same league as Freaks and Geeks (see below) and is something of a natural follower on dealing with college life as oppose to F&G high school life and even a bunch of actors appear in both. There isn't many college based television comedies out there really (Boy Meets World went to college, as did Saved By the Bell, they where the first two that came to mind), the cast are excellent, a standout being folk singer Loudon Wainwright however the inclusion of Christina Payona's Tina is useless though. Only available on R1.

4- Eerie Indiana (1991-92)

Brilliantly crafted and shockingly short lived, I could have sweared there was more than 19 episodes made. Cult enough to gain a sequel series titled Eerie Indiana: The Next Dimension. This was a constant favourite of mine when I was a kid (and it actually features future Spidey Tobey Maguire). With some highly original episodes, the series is truly exceptional. Available everywhere I think.

3- Firefly (2002-03)

Joss Whedon is god alone for creating Buffy the Vampire Slayer and it's spin-off Angel but Firefly is also of genuis. Thankfully the DVD sales where high enough to warrant a feature film titled Serenity. It's kind of the Anti-Star Trek, there's no aliens for one and the story of River Tam (Summer Glau, pictured above) is very intruging and is somewhat addressed in the movie thankfully, Nathan Fillion as Captain Mal Reynolds also deserves to become a star after this.

2- Police Squad (1982)

It's unbelievable that this only lasted six episodes. An argument could be made they are the funniest six epiosdes ever made of anything (a lot of the jokes got repackaged for the movie) and I never tire of it despite how few episodes they are. This along with Airplane basically ended Leslie Nielsen as the serious actor. Best of all unlike the films it's not tainted by the inclusion of O.J. Simpson. Available everywhere it seems.

1- Freaks and Geeks (1999-2000)

Straight in at number one as close as you are going to get to a perfect show. Freaks and Geeks is one of the few teen-aged show that feels so real. Maybe it was just too good too last very long, maybe if it had gone two or three seasons, the magic of it would have gone. Busy Philipps' Kim Kelly is a truly wonderful creation: perfectly bitchy, my best friend Rich also as mucho love for Lindsay (Linda Cardellini) and any show with Joe Flaherty is alright by me. Available on R1 only.

Lazy Monday

I spent the entire day doing nothing, nadda, bugga all, woke up a bit earlier then I wanted to this morning thanks to some drilling outside, then pretty much have done nothing but watch DVDs for the rest of the day.

Firstly watched the first three episodes of The Fast Show Series One, which is brilliantly funny (and I will fight you if you say otherwise). My favourite sketches are the Suit You Sir shop assistants, Arthur Atkinson and the news show. Probably watch the rest of it tonight (3 more to go). Streets of Fire (or Streets of Rage as keep calling it by accident, a game I many hours of playing it on my Megadrive in my childhood), is a Walter Hill movie I'd never seen before and I have to say I was pretty darn impressed, Michael Pare might be a tad bland but Rick Moranis and the spunky Amy Madigan more then make up for that, some good action set pieces, my second Walter Hill movie in as many days aswell there. Terror Trax, I had little hope for to be honest, I brought it cause I was a fan of John Ritter but the film was better then I thought it would be, the segment with Bryan Cranston (Al from Malcolm in the Middle) and Buff Bagwell and a deranged monkey is probably the best of the segments but the Granny Killer one is odd fun aswell. Great, great ending to the entire film aswell, can't believe I am actually recommending this film to be anybody but I am. The Way of the Gun rounded off a suprisingly impressive day of DVD watching so far, directed and written by Christopher McQuarrie (who wrote Usual Suspects) which impressed me enough, strong performances (Benicio Del Toro, James Caan, Juliette Lewis) and cool action also wins points for featuring Sarah Silverman as an obnixious woman who's henpecked her boyfriend and ends up getting punched in the face, again recommended as is everything I've watched today.

Might watch 1 or 2 more DVDs tonight, maybe some TV Series on DVD (Fast Show, ER, MASH or something else) and might write about them later depending on my mood.

Greg the Bunny: Complete Series

Another of those television show, that I love so much that didn't even last a complete season, Greg the Bunny lasted a dozen or so episodes in 2002, and takes the premise of the title character Greg, one of the 3.2 million fabricated Americans ("puppets") living in the US. Wanting a job that doesn't involve working only on Easter, he convinces his roommate Jimmy Bender (Seth Green) to find him a job on the kid's show "Sweetknuckle Junction," which his father Gil directs (Eugene Levy). While Greg thinks he's going in for a backstage office job, he inadvertently bluffs his way into becoming a cast member.

Greg the Bunny instantly in my mind draws comparisons with Peter Jackson's Meet the Feebles both obviously target the Jim Henson creations- but GTB mixes a human cast (in this world both exist remember) and is funnier then Jackson's creations overall- Greg (voiced by Dan Milano) brings the right level of innocence to a cute little bunny (and doesn't always quite understand something sexual) and other brilliant puppet cast members- Count Blah, with a weird speech impedement (he can't help but say blah after everything), Warren, a classically trained actor (even goes for an audition for Gary Oldman at one point), Susan, a giant puppet and the likeable Tardy the Turtle, who is slow. The human cast don't let the side down either you've got Seth Green (always likeable in everything he does), Eugene Levy (the man is seriously funny), Bob Gunton (crossing dressing Sweetknuckle Junction co-star, brilliantly deadpan), Sarah Silverman (The executive, a bit of a bitch- great value) and Dina Waters (as Dottie Sunshine, really likeable, you find out she as the reputation of been a slut) round off a really unique network television show.

There was some neat guest stars during it's short run, I've already mentioned Oldman, but you get Marilu Henner, Lindsay Sloane, Sasha Alexander and a really brilliant turn from Corey Feldman as himself.

I recommend this show, the characters grow on you really quick, the interaction between human and puppet is brilliant, another show it makes you sad to watch the last episode (R1 only)

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