December 31st, 2009 by admin
Nominated for 20 Emmys and 6 Golden Globes, including Best TV Series – Drama, CSI (Crime Scene Investigation) quickly rose to become the number one show on television following its Fall 2000 premiere. The brainchild of creator Anthony Zuiker, the show follows the investigations not of traditional TV detectives working the streets, but forensic scientists who unravel complicated crime mysteries in their ultra-modern laboratory. Either the #1 or the #2 Nielsen rated show since the start of its second season, CSI has helped CBS to reemerge as the #1 network television station, spawning (similar to predecessor Law & Order) two series spin-offs CSI: Miami and CSI: New York. Each exciting hour-long episode begins with the theme song “Who Are You” by The Who, a song more than befitting of a show where criminals are aggressively tracked down, sometimes years after committing their crimes…
CSI focuses on the Las Vegas Police Department’s Crime Scene Investigation nightshift unit headed by Gil Grissom (William Petersen), a quirky outsider whose obsessive quest for the facts and dedication to his work dominates his life. The CSI team is composed of a number of individuals with differing backgrounds and personalities – single mother Catherine Willows (Marg Helgenberger) specializes in blood-splatter analysis, the highly competitive Nick Stokes (George Eads) specializes in hair and fiber analysis, recovering gambling addict Warrick Brown (Gary Dourdan) specializes in audio/visual analysis, and the rambunctious Sara Sidle (Jorja Fox) specializes in materials and element analysis. Throw in hard-nosed homicide captain Jim Brass (Paul Guifoyle), CSI understudy Greg Sanders (Eric Szmanda), and lab coroner Al Robbins (Robert David Hall) and all the ingredients are present for a show wrought with suspense, drama, and tension. As transients from all walks of life travel to Las Vegas to enjoy the wonders of its adult playground, increased levels of crime accompany them, and the team at CSI is determined to stay a step ahead of the criminal element…
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December 30th, 2009 by admin
Nominated for six Academy Awards, and winner of Best Picture, Crash is more than deserving of the critical acclaim surrounding its release. Probing the deepest recesses of racism, prejudice, and discrimination in modern day America, the film forces viewers to examine their own tendencies to create and foster stereotypes. More importantly, it does so in a way that doesn’t accuse, blame, or pursue a political agenda. In fact, Crash even touches on the shortcomings of political correctness and how some people have allowed outside perceptions to affect personal judgment, often to their own detriment. Written and directed by Paul Haggis, author of the Million Dollar Baby screenplay, Crash is a thoughtful piece of social commentary wrapped in a storyline ripe with conflict and suspense.
Crash follows numerous characters living in and around Los Angeles as they deal with racial perceptions, prejudices, and stereotypes in their daily lives. Jean Cabot (Sandra Bullock) struggles with her inability to trust her own instincts following a car-jacking which leaves her teetering on the brink of a mental breakdown. Meanwhile, police officer John Ryan (Matt Dillon) harasses African-Americans as a result of the prejudices he developed following his father’s bankruptcy years ago. Lucien (Dato Bakhtadze) and his wife Elizabeth (Karina Arroyave) find their own biases and self-perceptions erupting to the surface of their marriage following a traumatic encounter with Officer Ryan. The consequences of Ryan’s hatred have a rippling effect, a theme which is repeated in countless other social exchanges between store owners, locksmiths, detectives, and hockey enthusiasts. In short, Crash sets out to jar its audience into recognition of the enormous consequences of racial prejudice, no matter how “minor” we may believe those attitudes may be.
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December 29th, 2009 by admin
Nominated for 16 Emmys and 4 Golden Globes, Coach delighted fans of all ages during its celebrated nine-season run. One of the most underrated sitcoms of its era, the series covers the exploits of fictional Minnesota State Screaming Eagles college football coach Hayden Fox (Craig T. Nelson), the quintessential male chauvinist pig. But unlike many of his politically-incorrect brethren, Hayden has a heart of gold. It’s this softer side that appeals to successful anchorwoman and girlfriend Christine Armstrong (Shelley Fabares). In the locker room, Hayden is joined by assistant coaches Luther Van Dam (Jerry Van Dyke) and Dauber Dybinski (Bill Fagerbakke), the perfect compliments to the coach’s oftentimes sketchy logic. Between his estranged daughter Kelly (Clare Carey), her less-than-manly boyfriend Stuart (Kris Kamm), nagging athletic director Howard Burleigh (Kenneth Kimmins), and ladies basketball coach Judy Watkins (Pam Stone), Hayden is always dispensing sarcasm, trading barbs, or being aggravated by someone.
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December 28th, 2009 by admin
Based on the best-selling John Grisham novel titled Skipping Christmas, Christmas With The Kranks resembles the book in almost every facet save for the title. Starring Tim Allen and Jamie Lee Curtis, Christmas With The Kranks is an instant Christmas holiday classic. Although not in the same league of Yule tide comedy gems Christmas Vacation and A Christmas Story, this film ranks high on my list of holiday laughers. The supporting cast (led by perpetual funnyman Dan Aykroyd) turns in a superb performance, making Christmas With The Kranks an easy film to relate to and one you’ll want to see many times in the years to come…
When the college-age daughter of the Kranks joins the Peace Corps and flies to South America for Christmas, her mother battles with a case of the empty nest blues. But her father, accountant Luther Krank (Tim Allen), takes advantage of the opportunity to shake things up a bit. Tallying all the money he and his wife Nora (Jamie Lee Curtis) spend on Christmas, he determines that if they skip Christmas this year, they can afford to go on a week-long cruise instead and still pocket three thousand dollars in savings at the end of the trip.
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December 27th, 2009 by admin
One of the funniest TV comedies ever produced, Cheers is essential viewing for anyone who’s ever frequented a hangout “where everyone knows your name”. The shows focuses on a friendly neighborhood Boston bar named Cheers (the Bull & Finch Pub in real life). Owned by former Boston Red Sox reliefer Sam Malone (Ted Danson), Cheers has three employees other than Sam: Woody Boyd (Woody Harrelson), Carla Tortelli (Rhea Pearlman), and Diane Chambers (Shelley Long). Celebrated psychiatrist Dr. Frasier Crane (Kelsey Grammar) and his wife Dr. Lilith Sternin Crane (Bebe Neuwirth) are regular customers of the bar (with Dr. Crane later playing the lead role in his own series, Frasier). Norm Peterson (George Wendt) and Cliff Clavin (John Ratzenberger), regular barflies, round out an excellent supporting cast of characters.
The Cheers (Season 5) DVD offers a number of hilarious episodes including the season premiere in which the audience discovers that Sam’s marriage proposal from the previous year’s season finale was directed at Diane. However, Diane feels that Sam is on the rebound from Janet, so she declines – requesting a more romantic setting for their engagement. When Sam proposes on a boat, Diane turns him down again then spends several episodes attempting to get Sam to propose once again. Meanwhile, Carla falls in love with Boston Bruins goalie Eddie LeBec (Jay Thomas) and John Cleese makes a guest appearance as a famous marriage counselor and friend of Frasier Crane. The season ends with Diane leaving Sam at the altar in order to finish a novel a publishing house is interested in…
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December 26th, 2009 by admin
One of the most popular television sitcoms ever, Cheers is the perfect series for anyone who’s ever been to a regular getaway “where everyone knows your name”. The show revolves around a friendly neighborhood Boston bar on Beacon Street named Cheers. Owned by former Red Sox relief pitcher Sam Malone (Ted Danson), the bar is frequented by a host of regular customers and has three employees: bartender Woody Boyd (Woody Harrelson), waitress Carla Tortelli (Rhea Pearlman), and Diane Chambers (Shelley Long). Celebrated psychiatrist Dr. Frasier Crane (Kelsey Grammar) is a common fixture at the bar (and later stars in his own award-winning series, Frasier). Barflies Cliff Clavin (John Ratzenberger) Norm Peterson (George Wendt) finish off a strong supporting cast of zany characters.
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December 25th, 2009 by admin
One of the most beloved TV sitcoms in American history, Cheers is the perfect show for anyone who’s ever frequented a place “where everybody knows your name”. The series follows the lives of the workers and patrons who inhabit a friendly neighborhood Boston bar named Cheers. Cheers is operated by a retired Boston Red Sox relief pitcher named Sam Malone (Ted Danson). Sam has three people on his staff: Ernie “Coach” Pantusso (Nicholas Colasanto), Carla Tortelli (Rhea Pearlman), and Diane Chambers (Shelley Long). Regulars Norm Peterson (George Wendt) and Cliff Clavin (John Ratzenberger) round out a strong supporting cast of eccentric characters. Most notably, season three provides viewers with their first glimpse of Dr. Frasier Crane (Kelsey Grammar), a psychiatrist who would later have his own series, Frasier…
The Cheers (Season 3) DVD offers a number of hilarious episodes and begins the ascent of Dr. Frasier Crane, imminent psychologist, as a television icon. Notably, Dr. Crane’s stint on Cheers was originally intended to last for only a few episodes until his character became a regular cast member (similar to John Ratzenberger’s ascent on the show). Michael Richards (Kramer from the hit show Seinfeld) makes a notable guest appearance in episode # 62. Following her breakup with Sam and abandonment of Cheers, Diane returns to the bar at the request of Coach who feels it will help Sam end his problem drinking. The Sam-Diane-Frasier love triangle lasts for the entirety of the season, culminating in the final episode where Frasier proposes to Diane while the two are on a trip across the European continent…
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December 24th, 2009 by admin
One of the top-rated sitcoms of the 1980s, Cheers founded the “must see” hours of NBC’s prime time lineup. Following the exploits of a group of bar employees and their customers, Cheers became a regular hangout not just for guys like Norm Peterson and Cliff Clavin, but for all of America as well. Bartender and Cheers owner Sam Malone is a retired pitcher for the Boston Red Sox, while he’s joined by employees Ernie “Coach” Pantusso, Carla Tortelli, and Diane Chambers. A number of recurring characters seated around the bar appear in each episode. Almost every episode takes place entirely in the bar…
The Cheers (Season 2) DVD offers a number of hilarious episodes and ignites Sam and Diane’s long-lasting, on-again/off-again romance. This is also the first season in which Cliff Clavin is an “opening-credits” member of the cast (even though he appeared in most of season one’s episodes). Guest appearances by Fred Dryer (of Hunter fame), Dick Cavett, Harry Anderson (of Night Court fame), and Christopher Lloyd (of Taxi and Back To The Future fame) make for some memorable comic sequences. The season ends with Sam and Diane’s romance on shaky ground…
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December 23rd, 2009 by admin
One of the greatest television comedies in history, Cheers is an absolute must see for anyone who’s ever had a regular hangout “where everybody knows your name”. The shows centers itself around a friendly neighborhood Boston bar named Cheers. The bar is owned by former Boston Red Sox relief pitcher Sam Malone (Ted Danson). Sam has two employees – bartender Ernie “Coach” Pantusso (Nicholas Colasanto) and waitress Carla Tortelli (Rhea Perlman). Things are great for Sam until he hires a jilted graduate student named Diane Chambers (Shelley Long) to waitress in the bar. Regular barflies Norm Peterson (George Wendt) and Cliff Clavin (John Ratzenberger) round out a strong supporting cast…
The Cheers DVD offers a number of hilarious episodes including the season premiere “Give Me A Ring Sometime” in which the gang at Cheers first meets Diane when she spends the day in the bar waiting for her fiancé, distinguished Boston University professor Sumner Sloane, to return from meeting with his ex-wife (where he hopes to retrieve his grandmother’s ring for Diane). Sumner never returns, resulting in Diane accepting a job at the bar… Other notable episodes from Season 1 include “Sam At Eleven” in which Sam’s ex-teammate turned sportscaster Dave Richards (Fred Dryer) arrives at the bar to interview Sam for the eleven o’clock news only to end up ditching him for John McEnroe, and “Pick a Con… Any Con” in which Coach is being played by a conman, prompting Sam to enlist the help of Harry the Conman (Harry Anderson) in order to get Coach’s money back. Only Coach has a few surprises of his own…
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December 22nd, 2009 by admin
Long before Magnum, PI put Tom Selleck on the map, Charlie’s Angels owned the world of TV private eyes. Nominated for 4 Emmys and 7 Golden Globes, including 2 for Best TV Series – Drama, Charlie’s Angels was a truly rare overnight sensation. The forerunner to modern day shows such as La Femme Nikita and Alias, creators Ivan Goff and Ben Roberts capped off long careers as showbiz writers by penning the unforgettable story of three sexy and vivacious private investigators. Executive producer Aaron Spelling (linked to innumerable hit shows such as Beverly Hills 90210, The Love Boat, Melrose Place, Dynasty, 7th Heaven, and Charmed among others) played a prominent role in the pop culture explosion of this series which witnessed the immediate mass marketing of Charlie’s Angels trading cards, posters, lunchboxes, and endless other memorabilia – including a full-length feature film of the same name two decades later (2000). Through the duration of the series (five seasons), the cast changed continuously as Charlie’s angels became media stars in their own right and left to pursue various opportunities in modeling, film, and TV…
Charlie’s Angels centers around a group of gorgeous female ex-police officers hired to work for the Charles Townsend Detective Agency. A mysterious multi-millionaire with seemingly unlimited means, Charles Townsend communicates with his girls via speaker-phone and through the aid of his personal assistant, John Bosley (David Doyle). Charlie sends the girls on various undercover missions and dangerous assignments where they apprehend criminals and pursue justice with a vengeance. The original angels are Sabrina Duncan (Kate Jackson) who plays the role of the “smartest” angel, Kelly Garrett (Jaclyn Smith) who plays the part of the “street-smart” angel, and Jill Munroe (Farrah Fawcett) who plays the role of the “athletic” angel. Together, they unleash their collective talents on the criminal underworld, putting their own lives at risk in process… As the show progressed, Jill Munroe left as a regular on the series and was replaced by her sister Kris (Cheryl Ladd). The following year, Sabrina left the agency to tend to her family and was replaced by Tiffany (Shelley Hack) and later by Julie (Tanya Roberts)…
The Charlie’s Angels DVD features a number of action-packed episodes including the series premiere “Hellride” in which the audience first learns of the mysterious Charles Townsend Detective Agency and the beautiful women who comprise the majority of its agents. When a female racecar driver suffers a questionable death, Charlie sends the girls out to uncover the truth. To get the job done, Sabrina poses as a racecar driver, and the girls discover the existence of a murderous conspiracy… Other notable episodes from Season 1 include “Bullseye” in which the angels uncover a drug-ring owned and operated by two corrupt military officials, and “The Vegas Connection” in which the angels and Bosley travel to Las Vegas in order to catch a deviant con artist…
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