April things

It's proving to be a pretty good month so far, entertainment-wise...here's what I love lately:

The trailer for Lola Versus, starring the hilarious and utterly relatable Greta Gerwig, as well as ma main man Joel Kinnaman, and the trailer for 6 Month Rule, because I can't wait to see forever-nice guy Patrick J. Adams finally playing an asshole...

The brilliant Liam Cunningham on Game of Thrones, as well as Skins' Joe Dempsie. It's just been a fantastic return -- Dempsie's banter with Arya is like a light in the dark...

Three! New! Green Day albums!...

This fascinating New York Times piece on Jack White. You'll find yourself not wanting it to end; trust me...

Taran Killam finally getting his due (how perfect was that Michael Cera impression?!)...

New Mad Men cast member Ben Feldman, whose Michael Ginsberg is smart, unassuming and more interesting than Don Draper himself just two episodes in. Plus, his line to Peggy -- "I insulted you because I'm honest. I apologized because I'm brave" -- was as real as anything we've ever seen on the show. The cherry on top? He's the same in real life -- funny and informed and incredibly thoughtful. Welcome to the big time, kid...

Another Mad Men goodie -- this Thought Catalog article reveals what your favorite Mad Men character says about you. Love the Harry Crane and Sally bits...

Ashley Judd's fantastic feminist essay on body-shaming and Hollywood...

New Girl's renewal!...

Matt Bomer's performance on Glee, even though I still hate you, Glee, now and forever...

and finally (a favorite of this blog), Joel McHale being his funny, charming, handsome self on Jimmy Fallon last night. Bonus: his impression of Chevy Chase

On a completely non-Mad Men related note

Can I get an amen up in here for Gillian Zisner? 90210 has dealt with a cancer storyline over the last two seasons with surprising aplomb for a teen soap, and Zisner’s character Ivy has been the one to carry said storyline. She's always been fantastic on the show – utterly well-cast – but her combination of fearlessness and vulnerability in the past few episodes has been unexpectedly affecting. Again, it’s just something you just don’t usually see from shows like this, so it takes you by surprise when it happens. I haven’t been this moved by a teen soap since Ryan had to go find Marissa in Chino on the OC.  Just kidding, nothing can top that. Nothing ever again for the rest of my life.

Mad Men thoughts

-First things first: Don is a dirty old man. Since Mad Men’s pilot episode, Matt Weiner has had Don do his fair share of awful things – the cheating and the drinking and what have you – but kept him just on the edge of being an awful person. Somehow, we still liked the guy. We understood why he wanted to escape his old life, and also his new one. And if I’m honest, it’s also because Don is handsome, and smooth, and that completely unfair reason did contribute to us forgiving him for all of his wrongdoings. But on Sunday, he was no longer the youthful and slick ad man we once knew. In fact, he’s quite the opposite. He married a bombshell he can’t even stay awake to have sex with. He doesn’t like his own birthday and he doesn’t like surprises. When Megan says to Don, “I don’t want people to think you’re getting this,” we see where she’s coming from. Don was understandably embarrassed by her song-and-dance at the party, but the thing is – she should be embarrassed by him instead. He’s become just like Roger – and old guy trying to hang on to his youth by marrying a younger girl. At the party, it was the first time I’ve ever felt like they were no longer the cool guys in the room.

-Pete is running the show, both literally and figuratively. Pete has always been my favorite character, but what I loved about this episode was that it highlighted what a 180 he’s done since the pilot. And it’s happened so naturally; there’s never been a moment of forced change – he really has always cared about work and success. That’s why his frustration with his colleague’s work ethic (or lack thereof) is entirely believable. He’s working his ass off; he's a good husband and a new father, and he’s doing better than all of his higher-ups, both morally and at work. Even Roger knows deep down that this is the truth, which is why he swallows his pride and goes to bat to get Pete Harry’s office. (Roger’s one redeeming moment of the episode.)

-Joan’s “ah-llowww me?” after her mom says Joan’s husband might not allow her to go back to work – just amazing. Peggy has rubbed off on Joan and I love it. She wants to work, and it’s just not at all who she thought she’d be, which makes the whole scene even more affecting.

-Matt Weiner loves his musical numbers. Joan on the accordion, Trudy and Pete’s dance number, Roger’s blackface and now Megan’s Zou Bisou. For an AMC drama, it’s nearing some weird, Ryan Murphy-esque territory.

-#1 reason I liked this episode? No Betty! Just shows how entirely unnecessary she is. The show is better without her.

-Peggy not holding Joan’s baby – such a nice touch.

-Loved the Joan-Lane reunion scene. She’s like the Mrs. Hudson of SCDP. I was really worried that Lane was going to kiss her, but no dice, thank goodness.

That's all for now...

Revenge makes its first misstep

It goes like this: at The Promised Land PaleyFest this past week, Mike Kelley (the creator of Revenge) put to rest the idea that Emily and Nolan might ever become romantically involved. Apparently it was always "meant to be a sibling relationship. It's got a nice, warm beating-heart to the series; otherwise it's just a bunch of nastiness." While I'm in agreement with him that their relationship gives the show the heart it needs, the truth is that Emily Van Camp has far more chemistry with Nolan (played by Gabriel Mann) than she does with either of her two "legitimate" love interests on the show. This is a situation Community handled incredibly well in its first season -- when Jeff and Britta weren't really working together, they paired Jeff (Joel McHale) with the actress he had the most natural chemistry with (Alison Brie) even though they didn't originally plan on the two getting together. It's a swallow-your-pride type of thing. There are Emily-Nolan shippers out there for a reason -- the emotional depth they bring to their scenes together is almost tangible; it's far better acting than anything we see from Emily when she's with Daniel (and although I'm sad to say it, when she's with Jack as well). Plus, Gabriel Mann is for it! That should be reason enough.

If you don't watch Community yet...

this should be reason enough for you to start.

Taylor Momsen at Marchesa

She shut it down. I don't care what anyone says. (Plus, it's a nice change from her usual.)

A good start to the month

February means a multitude of things. Let's start with the fact that this show now premieres in less than a month. How good does that extended preview look? Jason Isaacs breaking his Lucius Malfoy mold in this way? On American television? You can't not fall in love with the whole thing already. What else...

The trailer for The Amazing Spiderman was released today, and it's Garfield, so it's amazing. The title works, you guys. The title works!

Kelly Kapoor is getting a new love interest on The Office, and he happens to be one of my favorite actors. He's entirely under-used in H-Wood, inhumanly handsome, and Kelly + any kind of love interest = comedy gold.

Wired has gifted us with this brilliant diagram of all of the "bed-hopping" that has gone on on Mad Men over the past four seasons. Obviously, spoilers abound, so beware...

And I'm sure you all saw this Superbowl ad, but what you didn't see was Andy Samberg's face at about 3:15, which makes the whole thing. Also, Al Roker kind of forgets to say "Happy Superbowl" at the very end, and it's perfect. But in all seriousness, the ad does point out how many great shows are on NBC. People give the network a lot of crap, but they really do have the best programs on television right now, and they deserve credit for that. (Parks! The Voice! Fallon!) Plus, an appearance from Ken Jeong dancing the cast of Community. My day is made.

Happy February all!

Bon Temps-ing

True Blood: a good summer show that doesn't disappear for multiple years at a time. (Hi, Mad Men!)

I'm crying

This man is my spirit animal. You don't have to even know that much about Samuel L. Jackson to enjoy this one -- plus, the impression itself is flawless.

If Oscar-nominated movie posters told the truth...

These are always a fun perk of awards season. Last year, Black Swan's "truthful" title was simply "Lesbian Sex." Amazing.

Golden Globes 2012 Liveblog!

5:55 Hi all! As usual, a reminder: this isn't an actual "liveblog," so to see updates, you'll have to refresh the page every couple of minutes. It should automatically jump down to where you left off, so you don't need to scroll down and look for where you were. Here we go!

5:56 Just getting a quick head start here -- Giuliana and Kelly -- what is going on with you two? Kelly's dress is beautiful, but her hair is the worst thing I've ever seen. Why is grey hair even a trend? And Giuliana is wearing a sea urchin. (I do have to acknowledge that Giuliana has been through a hell of a lot this year, and you are actually heartless if you haven't gained some kind of respect for her because of it. But it doesn't mean I'm not making fun of her tonight. Is that fair? I think that's fair.) Seacrest, AKA The Sweetest Bitch You'll Ever Meet, takes us to the opening credits. "It is on," he says. Okay?

6:05 Giuliana-George Clooney mention count: 1 so far. (We're five minutes in.)

6:06 Giuliana changed and she looks lovely.

6:13 Stacey Kiebler and George Clooney interview -- she says that this awards show is "always the best night of the year." Uh, have you been before? Aren't you a female wrestler?

6:14 Giuliana gets to talk to George and it's awkard/creepy/inappropriate. But would you expect anything less?

6:16 EEEEK Alex from Modern Family is there and her dress is giving her cleavage. She's 14.

6:29 The brilliant Jessica Chastain doing old Hollywood right. She looks beyond and is both gracious and graceful while talking to Giuliana. Love her.

6:30 Paula Patton is doing the Lea Michele -- the fake-laughing-posing on the red carpet that exemplifies exactly what is so cringe-inducing about these award shows in general...

6:31 Nicole Richie -- no clue why she's there. Presenting/promoting her new show with Jessica Simpson? We still don't care about either of you!

6:35 Madeleine Stowe pulling up her dress while cameras are on her. Rookie move!

6:37 SMG's dress is bad. She explains that she let her two-year-old daughter pick it. Yikes.

6:38 Aw, I love her though. Giuliana asks her if her husband is here with her and she gives a bitchplease look and is like "he's at home watching football." Then she explains her idea of a date night is IHOP, and as she's leaving, the cameras catch her congratulating Giuliana on her recovery. Class act.

6:46 Rooney! Please eat something!! Please! I worry, you know?

6:47 Aghh, pipe down, Sofia Vergara.

6:48 Julie Bowen is yelling! Sofia Vergara is yelling! Ryan Seacrest is yelling! It's my own personal hell!

6:51 It's Rooney! She admits she's a bit nervous but she looks beautiful and is well-spoken as usual. The dress is to die.

6:58 IT'S CRANSTON! (And he has hair! A rarity.)

7:00 I see Matthew Morrison has toned down the douche factor for the night...

7:01 Zooey Deschanel's hair looks like a wig, doesn't it? 

7:02 Aw, the Deschanel sisters are here together tonight. Very sweet.

7:03 I DON'T CARE ABOUT BRANGELINA. WHERE IS FASSBENDER?

7:04 Jonah Hill says Brad and Angelina are like "real people." Because they are...?

7:11 Hill taking his sister (and saying she looks beautiful) is endearing. Also, ef everyone who says he shouldn't be nominated. That movie was a snooze-fest, and would've been insufferable if not for him.

7:12 Charlize Theron wins the night for me, and I haven't even seen everyone else yet. She just wins it. That dress! That hair! She's looks like royalty.

7:15 And Salma Hayek looks like a modern-day Cleopatra. I love it.

7:16 Giuliana and Mark Salling talk about -- you guessed it! -- George Clooney. Some things never change.

7:18 Julianne Moore is perfect. Mom and I were talking the other day about how she has not made one wrong step as far as the projects she's chosen over her career. And think about how many offers must come at her...per day, even...

7:21 Seacrest is now interviewing Brad and Angelina. Brad looks at Angelina in a very sweet, furtive way. To get weird for a second, it's nice to see those two crazy kids make it.

7:26 Michelle Williams looking demure as usual...

7:27 A WILD MADONNA APPEARS!

7:29 Sara Hyland is the second person of the night to congratulate Giuliana on her recovery. She's lovely.

7:33 Fallon! Hi buddy!

7:39 Why does Dianna Agron always dress like a grandma?

7:40 Leonardo Dicaprio (with some pretty bad highlights) and Mark Wahlberg shake hands. "Hey, man. Isn't it cool how we like, run Hollywood?" "It is. It really is."

7:42 Madonna looks amazing, gives Ryan hell for being a playboy, winks at someone off-screen, and actually seems quite happy (!). The queen reigns still.

7:46 We're wrapping things up...WHERE IS FASS?

7:49 Voluck text: "I just can't with Lea Michele's posing -- like the gig is up, sister." THIS.

7:54 Elle Macpherson on how to get happier every year: "laugh a lot and drink a lot of water." If you thought things maybe had substance for a second there, Giuliana brings them back down to their proper level by asking Elle what her least favorite body part is. She does us all a favor by not answering. And then is the third person of the night to tell Giuliana they're "all so proud of her." Elle for the win!

8:01 Showtime! 

8:03 Are people not laughing at a Kim Kardashian joke? She's not there, you guys. It's okay.

8:04 Amy Poehler looks AMAZING.

8:07 Steve Buscemi is a king. "Oh, hello there, camera."

8:08 Johnny Depp with the perfect deadpan -- "oh, boy, he's fun." Also, note to Gervais: Depp hasn't seen The Tourist because he doesn't watch any of his films. So the last laugh, therefore, is not yours.

8:11 Oh, my favorite thing is reaction shots. This is what I missed about awards season. Jonah Hill raises his eyebrows at a big round of applause, Christopher Plummer chuckles at his character's description, Viggo Mortensen gives a humble little wave to the camera.

8:12 Best Supporting Actor goes to Plummer, of course. He calls Ewan a "wily Scot...a scene-stealing swine." I LOVE IT. They're like this year's Geoffrey Rush and Colin Firth. He thanks his wife last, saying "her bravery and beauty haunts me still." Wow.

8:15 God, I would love if this went to Poehler. It goes to Laura Dern instead, which is quite surprising given Enlightened is new and no one watches it. She's already won 2 Globes in her life! Bah! Give the others a chance!

8:20 Rob Lowe, why with the hair? Why? And an awkward unscripted moment...Rob Lowe should never try to be funny off-script. NEVAAAR!

8:23 Downton Abbey wins for Best Miniseries. The Brits always give the most concise, clever speeches. They should win just for that reason alone.

8:25 Kate Winslet wins -- and on her way up, she barely gives an excited-looking Evan Rachel Wood the time of day. Yikes. Fuel to the fire? That rivalry blind item was revealed to be about those two a few weeks ago.

8:28 Freida Pinto holds her own alone on stage. Good for her. Leo's like, "Who's that girl? Oh, right. My next girlfriend."

8:33 Ma main man Jeremy Irons is now on stage. Does anyone look better in a tux?

8:35 Jake Gyllenhaal at awards shows always reminds me of this brillz moment.

8:37 Bryan Crass-ton? Crass-ton? Are you kidding me, Paula Patton? OH MY GOD it goes to Kelsey Grammar instead of Bryan Cranston WHAT IS THIS WHAT IS THIS WHAT IS THIS

8:38 Voluck text: "Ugh my night is ruined." Again, as usual, exactly.

8:47 Best Score, The Artist wins. This was interesting last year when Trent Reznor won...now it's a bore again.

8:51 Madge wins for Best Original Song. Get it, girl.

8:58 Dominic West, you beautiful devil, you. Idris Elba wins for Luther, which is a big deal for the show itself.

8:59 Audience shot of Dustin Hoffman looking bored. Us too, Dustin. Us too.

9:02 Joseph Gordon-Levitt doing the slow clap for Seth Rogen. Cute cute cute.

9:03 Michelle Williams wins, obviously. Look. Right now every single person watching is thinking HEATH LEDGER HEATH LEDGER HEATH LEDGER. It's the elephant in the room. Well, THERE IT IS. I SAID IT. HEATH LEDGER.

9:09 Oh, right, here it is! Best Supporting Actor in a TV Series, the award that should be going to Aaron Paul, who is not even nominated! Good one, Globes!

9:10 Dinklage is classy and thanks the author of Game of Thrones before anyone else.

9:11 What's with the constant Dustin Hoffman reaction shots?

9:12 HAH. Clooney has Pitt's cane. Amazing. 

9:16 How many Globes do you think Steven Spielberg has at this point? His speech is short, to the point, and should be an example to the rest of Hollywood (mere plebeians) for the rest of time.

9:17 A consensus amongst friends and experts that this Globes feels off -- unexciting, but also just...strange. And I've figured out why! There's no this!

9:21 Is there any man more handsome than Ewan McGregor? No. Probably not. 

9:22 Actually, yes. MICHAEL FASSBENDER. Where ARE YOU?

9:23 Trivia time! The Dean (of Community) was one of the screenwriters of The Descendants.

9:24 Hahaa, Felicity Huffman and William H. Macy sing a song. I wonder if they came up with that on their own.

9:25 Jessica Lange wins, which again, is another case of someone who has won a billion things just not needing this. Evan Rachel Wood has gotten nothing for Mildred Pierce, which is criminal. This should have gone to her.

9:32 AND THE BEST LINE OF THE NIGHT GOES TO MADONNA. EVERYTHING IS AS IT SHOULD BE.

9:33 That was the most Globes-y moment of the night. Funny, unfiltered, unexpected... texted Jonathan to say she's still got it, but who am I kidding? Of course she does.

9:36 Best Actress in a Drama goes to Claire Danes, which I can't speak to because I don't watch Homeland (yet -- leave me alone) and I don't really like her. But cheers!

9:46 Matt LeBlanc wins, and everyone does a collective "whaaa?" He admits he's nervous, though, and it's sweet.

9:47 Ah, Bradley Cooper. We were lacking in the handsome for a moment there. You came just in time.

9:48 Octavia Spencer wins Best Supporting for The Help, as many predicted. The HFPA does love their sanctimonious feel-good movies!

9:58 Morgan Freeman tribute time. Sidney Poitier: "In my humble opinion, sir, you are a prince." In our humble opinion, Sidney, you are, too.

10:04 Gerard Butler gives a holler for Morgan Freeman. That is awesome.

10:07 Piper Perabo's dress is my second-favorite of the night, by the way...

10:12 Downey! I'm paying attention again. Wait, did anyone see that serial killer look William H. Macy was giving the camera? Amazing. And there's Charlize Theron, looking bored. AGAIN -- us too.

10:13 Aww, Brad nods in approval and support as Angie comes onstage. You got me, you two. You always get me.

10:14 Marty wins Best Director for Hugo. Lovely, lovely, lovely. Big standing ovation.

10:17 Who invited Glee?

10:26 Ewan McGregor gives a HUGE cheer for Joseph Gordon-Levitt. BE STILL, MY HEART.

10:36 Meryl wins for Best Actress, making pretty clear what's going to go down at the Oscars. 1) I'm thrilled, 2) Rooney was SO CUTE when they said her name and 3) I would never, ever want Colin Firth to tell me we need to talk about anything. He announced We Need To Talk About Kevin, and it was terrifying. 

10:38 They're handing her glasses up front...they finally get to Fincher, who I'm surprised to see there...but he doesn't give them to her. Uh, okay...

10:41 The Artist wins Best Comedy. Bien sur.

10:48 Ugh, Natalie Portman. As if this show could be any slowerrrr...

10:49 Portman seems to be wearing the same dress as Angelina Jolie.

10:50 Finally, finally, finally -- Fassbender. He gives a tip of the hat to the camera. Clooney wins for The Descendants, which I'll take over Brad Pitt, and also -- deserved, because this is one of his best performances ever, and it's a special film.

10:56 Descendants wins Best Picture, which is fantastic. And that's it for me! A long, kind of boring show, but it is what it is -- and it is what we do. See you at the Oscars...

Two perfect people

The incomparable Donald Glover and Mindy Kaling at the Critics Choice Awards last night. Also, as if Mindy wasn't cool enough, she had the unscripted (!) quote of the night:

“I’m sorry, can we just...can we just talk about Michael Fassbender for a second? I don’t care, who is this guy? He’s sexy for every type of woman. If you're old-fashioned he was in Jane Eyre, if you're a huge nerd he was in X-Men, and if you’re a weirdo pervert, he was in Shame as a sex addict. This is why I came here tonight. To meet him.”

(I KNOW this has become a Michael Fassbender Appreciation Blog. I KNOW. And I'm not sorry.)

If this is true...

...I'm going to lose it. Apparently The Killing is not going to reveal who killed Rosie Larsen until the end of Season Two. I'll let that sink in for a moment before you throw a chair across the room. (Side note: it seems this must have been the reason AMC honchos decided to nix showrunner Veena Sud's TCA panel this week -- critics were already going to give her a hard time -- imagine if they found this news out before the panel.) But really, what is this show doing? They already lost a huge percentage of their fans after the disaster that was the Season One finale. I would say myself included...but I just can't not watch Joel Kinnaman. Like a commenter posted at the Vulture link: "Can't they just create a Joel Kinnaman spin-off so that I'm no longer tempted to watch this show?" My thoughts exactly.

Mad Men will be back

on March 25th, according to Jon Hamm. I'd say about time, but I don't think I have to.

Things you need to see

1. Jimmy Fallon's brilliant Russell Brand bit from his talk show last night (first seen on SNL)...



2. How much cooler Johnny Depp's daughter is than you. She's 12...

3. And this New York Times profile of Carey Mulligan and her tour-de-force performance in Shame. (Careful, though -- spoilers abound.) It's surprising to me how little attention she's been getting for the role -- no Oscar buzz at all, really -- when she is more than deserving of it, so here's hoping this profile is a step in the right direction.

9 days...