TV | The Colony | Pass

Interesting reality show about a group of people dumped into a post-apocalyptic world. Plenty of Survivor-style elements that are purely irritating, but well worth a watch if you're into this genre. The show seems to be getting better and better, too. A Pass!

TV | Covert Affairs | Pass

Plenty of fun action, slightly overly complex plots, unengaged back story and characters and a week lead don't particularly make for a great combo, but this newbie spy show is worth a gander! A Pass.

Movie | Startup.com | Pass

Excellent late 90s documentary about a internet company. Other than some less than stellar camerawork, this is a superb movie and really engrossing. I can't talk too much about it, other than to say see it! Definitely a Pass!

Movie | The Last Man on Earth | Pass

This 1964 movie is the grandpappy to I Am Legend, Night of the Living Dead, The Omega Man (the remake) and others, all based on the original book by Richard Matheson. It stars the uber-cool Vincent Price and it's great or it's hokey, depending on your view. If you like this sort of movie, you've got to see it even if it is rather slow, the production quality is sub-par and much of the acting wooden.

I liked it and a Pass!

Movie | The 2010 Bestys: Sensei's Stories | PASS!!!!!

Hands down the best Besty Awards movie yet!

It's hard to believe that we could top last year's masterpiece, but we did! This year featured the kids exclusively as they told a series of seven tales and a poem, each one with a special message to tell.

Spectacular original music, surprisingly brilliant acting, plenty of laughs and lots of things to think about and discuss afterward! An instant classic that should be on everyone's movie collection shelf.

A most definite PASS and two thumbs waaaaay up!

Movie | The Road | Pass

Being a fan of this genre (the end of the world), I had to see this movie. And, it's excellent. Exquisitely made, unrelentingly depressing and non-stop, gloomy, it's pretty much exactly what you'd imagine it to be. For the lack of imagination (including the cannibalism), it gets demerits. For all else, thumbs up!

Heck of a role for Guy Pearce. Not. Cool director - same as The Proposition (surprise!).

Pass, although now I'm creeped out.

Commercial | Nike Wing Chun | Pass

Movie | The Ladykillers | Pass

Typically wacky (in this case, a remake) Coen brothers about a group of thieves using an old woman's house to tunnel into the vault of a casino. You're gonna like this, or you won't. You will if you like O Brother, Where Art Thou. Otherwise, you won't.

I liked the acting except Wayans, who shoulda/coulda/woulda had better lines. All he does is swear. His facial expressions are funny, though.

Great music and the usual impeccable production values. A pass.

Movie | Surrogates | Pass

Very good but mildly familiar scifi thriller about a not-so distant future where everyone lives their lives through "surrogates" - remote controlled extremely lifelike robots.

Slick and fun action, with enough twists to keep things interesting. It's not earth-shattering, but still very entertaining. A Pass!

Movie | Vantage Point | Pass

A huge, all-star cast happens to work for once in this neat thriller about colliding vantage points during the assassination of the President of the United States that hearkens back to classic cinema.

If you're in the mood for great thriller with good writing, production values and acting, this one's a keeper!

A Pass!

Movie | AVP: Requiem | Fail

This franchise installment succeeds on only one level - making the Predator even cooler. It fails on so many other levels (including the ongoing, criminal, demystification of the Aliens) that it's almost mind boggling. If it was direct to video, then that might explain it. Maybe it was.

The no-name cast is just plain bad. I only recognized one actor (from Battlestar Galactica) and he was dead in under two minutes. I don't even recall if he had any lines.

The plot is a mix of the Alien versus Predator scenario thrown into a small town, mixed with teen slasher (I'll walk backwards into a dark room!) and zombie movie (Here's the plan: get guns, hide in abandoned places until the bad guys get us. Great! Gooooooooo Team Doofus!) cliches.

Like I said, the Predators and their gadgets are cool. All else stinkeroos here. A skipper, Skipper and a Faileroo!

Cars | Chrysler PT Cruiser | RIP

Cheap, affordable, stylish, retro car that Chrysler killed without a second thought or much development whatsoever.

Sure, there was a convertible and a turbo but where was version 2.0 of a car that could have been a franchise unto itself (like the Corvette, Viper, New Beetle, etc.)?

Dumb. Why is Chrysler still in business?

Movie | Arthur and the Revenge of Maltazard | Pass

A delightful sequel to the original children's fantasy movie about a young boy that gets involved in a tiny world that exists invisibly around us. Superb mix of animation and live action from one of my all time favorite directors.

Some people didn't get this movie (or the original) because it's not so much about the destination but the journey.

As a side note, don't expect this sequel to be a complete movie like the original. It's not. Instead, it's an installment. That might some folks, too.

Not me. Loved it. Pass.

TV | Rizzoli & Isles | Fail

Too dark and humorless murder detective show. I suppose if you like Law & Order and CSI, you'll like this show. But, it's not for us, regardless of liking the cast (well, Harmon...).

Fail.

TV | Memphis Beat | Pass-ish

Not terribly interesting or particularly cleverly written standard cop show fare. The twist is that it's in modern day Memphis and the cop sings Elvis tunes to relieve tension. Likeable cast (though some folks might find it hard to look past Lee's Earl character) and excellent usage of blues-rock. Could be better and it might get better.

Until then, a pass-ish. You're not missing a lot by missing this show, but it's not a bad way to spend an hour.

Movie | Bronson | PASS

I've been following Charles Bronson since the late 90's, especially his fitness books. Not to be confused with the famous actor, he's known as the most famous prisoner in all of England, a real psychopath.

This film loosely follows his life and a person could draw parallels to A Clockwork Orange and One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest. Yep, sure enough, it's disturbing, yet you end up so compelled by the Hardy's portrayal of him that he ends up an anti-here extraordinaire as he slams his head against the walls of the world around him over and over again.

For a zero-budget film, they did a fantastic job here. Everything is just top notch and, if you have the stomach for it, a film that I highly recommend. A Pass!

TV | In Plain Sight | Pass

Despite a slightly weak start, this turned into a really entertaining television show.

There are two basic themes going on here - her family and how messed up they are and her job, which is being a US Marshall for the witness protection department. McCormack's character has so much baggage (which makes her about as soft as a thorn bush) that it might turn some people off, but not us.

The dialogue really makes this show. Some of the lines are all time classics, but you've really got to pay attention and focus on what they are saying or you might miss it.

Plus, this show has the real life Buckaroo Banzai's cousin in it! How could you go wrong? Awesome!

A definite Pass!

TV | Louie | Pass

Imagine a grittier, dirtier Seinfeld that's rated a hard R (or even a soft X!) and that's what you've got here. That sort of over the top raunchy humor works for me sometimes and sometimes not. And it's not always so hardcore, this show. But more often than not, it is. There are some truly funny scenes, interspersed with Louie CK doing his standup.

Personally, I like it and other than cringing alot and wishing I could wash out my ears with soap on a regular basis, I'll keep watching.

This is the perfect show for fans of the movie The Aristocrats. Pass.

TV | Huff | Fail

The story of a psychiatrist who has to deal with the suicide of one of his patients, which leads to a examination of his own life. There is some notable acting going on, notably Azaria and Yelchin, but every one else comes across poorly, including the usually marvelous Platt. They should have played up the surreal qualities instead of focusing on the doom and gloom so much.

Just didn't work for me. A Fail.