E3 2009: Hands-on 'Super Mario Bros.' Wii

At this year's E3, Nintendo unveiled its latest console Mario effort -- "Super Mario Bros. Wii." The latest Mario outing comes in the form of a four-player co-op experience, not unlike Media Molecule's 2008 hit, "LittleBigPlanet."

At E3, I had the chance to play a couple of the game's levels. I wasn't blown away, but I did walk away looking forward to getting my hands on the full game.

"Super Mario Bros. Wii," as its title implies, is a 2D sidescroller for the Wii. However, considering that up to four can play together simultaneously, this installment plays a little differently than past Mario Bros. games. The best way to describe the game is that it feels very similar to "LittleBigPlanet" -- only it's a Mario game.

On hand at E3 were 10 different stages. Not all of them employed significant co-op elements, but some did. For instance, in one stage, some players traverse an underwater cave while one player uses a search light to illuminate the area. The level is infested with enemies, so without the light, players won't last long. Obviously, the level requires that players work together to complete it.

However, in other levels, very little co-operative play is required to progress. In these stages, "Super Mario Bros. Wii" feels just like any other Mario Bros. game -- only there are four characters running around. Both in levels where playing cooperatively and levels where there's very little cooperation required, it's often more fun to work against your team mates. While the game is oriented around working together, it definitely has a competitive component to it. After all, the player with the most points at the end of the stage is declared the winner.

As a result, "Super Mario Bros. Wii" features a chaotic but fun combination of cooperative and competitive gameplay. For instance, at one point during my hands-on time with the game, I helped one of my team mates respawn by freeing them from a bubble, only to have that player immediately betray me. While I was jumping over a chasm, he jumped on my head, sending me straight into the pit. Why did he do that? No particular reason, other than it was funny (for him).
While Nintendo's latest Mario Bros. game is admittedly a fun four-player experience, at least some of the Mario Bros. experience doesn't translate to multiplayer. For me, at least part of what made past Mario Bros. games so much fun was trying to speed through levels as quickly as possible. However, that's not something you can really do in "Super Mario Bros. Wii." The Wii version is fundamentally slower, thanks to the addition of other players.

From my playtime with the game, "Super Mario Bros. Wii" seems to be an enjoyable and considerably unique addition to the Mario Bros. series. Essentially, it's a "LittleBigPlanet-style" refresh to the series, and while it's not really a very impressive game, it's hard not to have fun playing the game. I definitely look forward to playing more when it hits store shelves this fall.

Why I love Mark-Paul Gosselaar

Last night on Jimmy Fallon, Mark-Paul Gosselaar was a guest. Since I spent my teen years completely engrossed in "Saved by the Bell," I've never stopped loving Gosselar. I thought he was great on "NYPD Blue" and his current show "Raising the Bar" is just beginning its second season.

I, like most, assumed that Gosselaar would come out, talk about his new show and answer Fallon's questions about the "Bell" reunion Fallon's been trying to get together.

However, Gosselaar surprised all by doing the whole interview as his "Bell" character Zack Morris. He had an awesome blond wig, wore cuffed jeans and made lots of references to classic episodes. At one point he even took a call on his ginormous, early model cell phone and confirmed not only himself, but Elizabeth Berkley for the reunion.

I fell even more in love with Gosselaar when it turned out that he was such a good sport and doesn't take himself too seriously.

The interview is available for viewing at NBC.com and I highly recommend it to anyone who spent at least one Saturday morning hanging out at The Max with the crew from Bayside.

What you missed on The Tonys

I know that outside of New York the only people who care about the Tonys are theater geeks like myself. However, last night's show had enough entertainment and surprises to make the most hardened non-musical fan get up and dance.

The show opened with a number that featured all the nominated shows performing together in the biggest, most expensive opening number ever. With big stars like Sir Elton John, Dolly Parton and Liza Minelli.

Host Neil Patrick Harris was a perfect fit, mixing Broadway showmanship with his hilarious brand of humor.

Highlights included Broadway legend Angela Lansbury winning her fifth Tony and the three young actors who play Billy Elliot winning for lead actor in a musical.

Revivals of "West Side Story" and "Hair" made a big splash with fantastic performances that must've helped Broadway's struggling box office.

The night's big winner was "Billy Elliot" which took home 10 awards including best musical. "Hair" was named best revival of a musical.

The Tonys are always a great commercial for why theater is so timeless, unfortunately, the ratings are never what they should be for a show this entertaining.

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I'd like to first apologize for the late update! But I promise to make it up with some rewarding pictures and information straight from the Electronic Entertainment Expo...

Beginning with one of my personal most anticipated releases is Valve's Left 4 Dead 2. From the same company who brought us Portal and Half Life, Valve will have the sequel out later this year. The initial, as well as shocking, difference players will recognize is the bright atmosphere and colorful visuals. Unlike the eerie, dark city-scape of the first Left 4 Dead - L4D 2 is set in the sweltering south of New Orleans... and in the daylight. Along with the new environment, new characters have also been introduced: Nick, Ellis, Coach and Rochelle. A new elite zombie, "charger" who runs into players at full speed to knock them apart, has also made an appearance. Despite the dramatic changes, Left 4 Dead 2 remains loyal to its specialty as a cooperative four-player game.




Halo 3: ODST which was formerly named Halo 3: Recon is Halo 3's standalone expansion that is scheduled to release this September allows the player to play as an Orbital Drop Shock Trooper (ODST) instead of the enhanced super soldier, Master Chief. It features the same story line, but offers a all-new perspective on a subplot. Players cannot jump as high or run as fast as in previous Halo games which offers a more "human" type of outlook.



I'd like to turn your attention towards some less corporate products now: Pluff. Pluff is a fuzzy stuffed... thing. Pluff introduces innovative thinking to virtual pets and Pluff features sensors that are wired to react with players on the screen. Though Pluff was connected by a wire at the convention, he is normally wireless. Pluff reacts when you pet or tickle him, cover his eyes, and turn him on his back or tummy. Someone had unfortunately punched Pluff prior to my visit and harmed the sensors involved with his eyes and tickling - but I was still able to pet him and witness his tricks as I turned him on his head. Since Pluff does not rely on motors, speakers, or batteries which involve clunky hard parts, he is completely plushy and great for smaller kids. Pluff and his maker are part of the indie game convention.



While we are in the area of virtual pets, let's briefly take a look at a fun little game called ant nation for Wii. You, as the player, look over an ant colony. You have a lot of choices like giving and then leading the ants to a delicios piece of cake or cheese or stomping on them or lighting them on fire with a magnifying glass. The ants even have "levels" and the vague objective of the game seems to be to "train" the ants.



E3 consisted of three jammed pack days of walking, looking, lights, and of course: game play. Three days is certainly not enough time to wait in all the lines and play all the games. I hope that you've enjoyed the few highlights this blog has offered - I have included an assortment of photos from inside the convention.

Day 3 of E3

Hey this is Adrian again here for the last and hardest day of E3. It was mostly hard due to the fact all the games Tim wanted me to check out were over an hour wait to play, with lines that wrapped around the back. So the games I really wanted to check out like "Rock Band: Beatles" were out of my reach. Although it speaks volumes about a game when you've got people waiting over an hour in front of a facade of the "Abbey Road" recording studio where the Beatles use to make their record hits. I tried to hit up as many booths as possible, trying to take in as much as I could while playing as much as I could, but in the end there was simply too much see, and way too much to do.

Anyway, moving on, I really got to let loose on the games at the booths today. A few games in particular struck my interests, "R.U.S.E" by Ubisoft was one of those games.

"R.U.S.E." is a real time strategy (RTS) game that is World War II based. I don't know if this is true of the actual game, but during the demo the demonstrator was using a 40 in. plasma screen placed on a table, the game was played on a touch screen like the way a commander would see the battlefield. You would think this would make the game more difficult to play, but what if it was played with a touch screen and moved your units like you were able to move chess pieces giving the meaning of real time strategy a whole new meaning. If you find that impressive, then the fact that in "R.U.S.E." you have over 1 billion polygons to make each map will just be a drop in the bucket for you. "R.U.S.E" uses a series of tatics called 'ruses' in order to help find out or hide from your enemy in order to give you the upper hand. This game will include a multi player mode, where you can, hopefully, use your 'ruse' tatics to outsmart your opponent.

While on the subject of RTS games, one that I found highly impressive was "Order of War" by, of all people, Square Enix. The people that brought you "Final Fantasy" now bring you a World War II based game, but more historically accurate than any game of this kind that I've ever seen. When the game was made developers went to WWII history to brush up on their history so as not miss a detail. They got everything, leaving nothing to chance, they even put down the weight of the bullet cartridges. Gamers get the privledge of playing historically accurate missions that let you see their battles like movies. In "cinema mode" you are able watch as you send exchange blows with German soldiers. At times it can get a little confusing because of how the map is set up, but other than that, a solid game. I swear that watching a man blow up, has never looked so good, because even after your men die, their remains still occupy the battlefield.

A first person shooter to look for to this year is "Mag" for the PS3. A massive Multi-Player online otherwise known as MMO (i.e. World of Warcraft). The twist is that you're allowed to fight in almost city sized maps in deathmatches with players from all over the country.

A game I thought was fun for the whole family was "Super Mario Bros." for the Wii. It has a 4 player mode and (from what I saw in the demo) 10 playable levels. Although the game doesn't give you all the classic "Mario Bros." characters, like the Princess or toad, it makes up for in game play. You are allowed to play in a co-op/competition type mode where you are allowed to mess with your friends by using them as weapons and throwing them at your enemies, but if you want to, you can always play nice.

And finally the game I thought was one of the best of E3 was a title by Sega called "Bayonetta." "Bayonetta" is about a witch who has lost her memories in the witch hunts 500 years ago, but it was 20 years after present time that she sets out to recover them. The game is extremely action packed and filled with plenty of "Devil may Cry" type action. You fight off hoards of enemies using plenty of combinations of your sword and bullets, using controls that are easy to use and easy to understand after a few minutes of game play. Hack, slash, and (on many occasions) shoot your way through demonic/angelic beings that are sent to stand in your way. This is definitely a game for hardcore action fan gamers.

There are so many games to look forward to this year, that if I kept blogging I would need another hour to write it all. The games of this year look extremely impressive, for those of you who don't own an X-BOX 360 or a PS3 you need to invest in one immediately.

This concludes the last day of E3. Bye for now!!!1

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Hey everyone! This is Roxann updating with photos from the Electronic Entertainment Expo... E3!

Just click the thumbnails for a full-scale picture.

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Hey this is Adrian reporting today from the first day of E3 at the Los Angles Convention Center. I spent most of the looking around, but spent a little time playing games also. Well ok so I spent a lot of times playing video games, but man was it worth it.

A few that I felt were really strong were "Wet" and "Rouge Warrior" both titles games from a company called Bethesda. First one up was "Wet," a free form fighting game based on a hot chick with guns and a samurai sword. To sum up what free form fighting is think of putting "Kill Bill," "Dynasty Warriors," "Devil may Cry," and "The Matrix" all in one package and you have the game. To put it simply, you get all of the strengths and none of the drawbacks, you use acrobatics, slow mo and use your ability to pull the trigger as fast as you can. The guns at your hips, and the sword on your back are only small part, the entire environment is your weapon, if you can jump it slide on it, climb it or run off of it, use it to your disposal.

"Wet" is the story about Rubi a gun for hire who takes on dirty jobs loads of cash. Specializing in "wet" jobs (jobs that get your hands wet... with blood), she uses all her athletic abilities to either put a bullet in the enemy or put that sword to good use by taking the enemy apart limb from limb (no seriously, limb from limb). If she gets pissed enough, Rubi enters "Rage" mode, after that all bets are off, she enters an animation mode where red is the main theme color and all you see are silhouette of white that become blood smears on the wall.

Next up is "Rouge Warrior."

"Rouge Warrior" is set in the cold warrior era of 1986 based on a book by Dick Marcinko. Marcinko is the personality of the game and the director. Specializing in counter-terrorism and a former navy seal all of Marcinko's tatics and training are in this one game. A first person shooter (FPS) that let's you feel what it was like to be the one a real one man army. You use stealth moves that kill your enemies instantly called kill moves. It's not exactly for children as the use of strong language and the fact that watching a knife go through a man's head isn't something you want a child to see. Other than that real time sneaking mission based on real counter-terrorist tatics. For those hardcore "Metal Gear" fans this one is for you, but if you just like being a trigger man don't hold back. "Rouge Warrior" is all about being able to the trigger as it is a FPS. If stealth isn't your style be loud about it, watch enemy after enemy pour in, be ready to pull the trigger and watch them fall at your feet.

That concludes Day one see you tomorrow.

The 2009 MTV Movie Awards Recap

Last night the 2009 MTV Movie Awards aired and in what has to be the biggest non-surprise in the show's short history, "Twilight" won everything.

I get that the MTV audience is the perfect age for the movie, but seriously, everything.

First of all, we all know that "The Dark Knight" and "Iron Man" were the two best films of the year. "Twilight" can't even begin to touch them. However, because the show is really a glorified popularity contest, it was able to win.

Also Kristen Stewart won best female performance over Oscar winners Kate Winslet and Angelina Jolie.

My real problem with all these wins is that most of the cast seemed like they had better things to do. Stewart and co-star Robert Pattinson won best kiss and were completely underwhelmed by the honor.

Also the non-stop screaming every time someone mentioned "Twilight" or "New Moon" got old very quick.

The show was hosted by Andy Samberg of "Saturday Night Live" and The Lonely Island. While he was funny and did a few of his signature digital shorts, he started out nervous and seemed to warmup as the show went along.

The big story is the stunt featuring Sacha Baron Cohen as Bruno and Eminem. Cohen, in character, was flying in from the ceiling with angel wings and his butt hanging out when he suddenly dropped and landed in Eminem's lap.

Eminem's entourage forced Cohen off of him and batted him around as Eminem angrily stormed off.

There are questions this morning of whether or not Eminem was in on the stunt. Because he has a new CD out and the way the stunt happened, it seems to point to him being in on it. However, MTV did have Eminem perform very early in the show, which makes me think that they knew what his reaction would be.

All in all it was an underwhelming, lackluster show, unless you love "Twilight" then it was the greatest night ever.

New episode up...

"Land of the Lost" will suck

It seems that lately I can't turn on my TV without seeing a commercial for the new film, "Land of the Lost."

The movie is a remake of the classic 70s children's show created by children's TV pioneers Sid and Marty Kroft. The show was spectacularly cheesy with the worst effects ever and crazy stories.

The story centered around a family who gets caught in a time tunnel and ends up in prehistoric times.

Well now Will Ferrell is remaking the classic with a giant Hollywood budget and top notch special effects.

The film would seem to have everything a movie needs to be successful, but the way it is being marketed makes me think that it will probably suck.

All the trailers and commercials feature the same few scenes which generally means they're showing you all the funny scenes in the commercials.

Of course it's Will Ferrell so I have to give it the benefit of the doubt, but right now it just seems that "Land of the Lost" will probably suck.

Just one more way Hollywood is mocking my childhood.

Bravo used to be good

Remember a time not long ago when Bravo was good. They had "Queer Eye For the Straight Guy," "Project Runway" and "Top Chef."

Bravo was the groundbreaking channel that had all the most interesting shows and was clearly ahead of its time.

Boy, have times changed. Now it's all "Real Housewives" all the time.

It started with Orange County, then they moved to New York, Atlanta and New Jersey. Well now Bravo has announced that they're casting for "The Real Housewives of DC."

Hasn't this show run its course yet. I mean by the fifth installment are these women doing anything new.

An average episode consists of them sitting around drinking, maybe shopping and calling each other names. Wow, that sounds like fascinating television.

The real problem is that everytime I go to my channel guide to see what Bravo is showing, it's always a marathon of the stupid "Real Housewives."

With all the shows that NBC has, couldn't they use Bravo as a place for people to catch up on established shows or discover new ones.

This is all just another example of how NBC can't seem to save itself, from itself.

New episode up!

This one is chock full of news about the television network upfronts. Lots to delve into and figure out. Once we see all the previews we'll do a comprehensive roundup of all the new shows.

'Star Trek' set its phasers on kill toward 'Wolverine'

Tuesday marked a big day for the new "Star Trek" film, it blew past "Wolverine" in the box office race for the crown of "Top summer movie."

As of Tuesday evening, "Star Trek" has grossed $155 million dollars compared to "Wolverine" with $153 million.

Now a two million dollar difference might not seem like a big deal, it is important to realize that "Wolverine" has been out for a week longer than "Star Trek" and "Wolverine" had a huge first to second week drop off, while "Star Trek" held on to a good chunk of the box office.

Another huge milestone is that the new version is now the highest grossing "Star Trek" film to date.

The CBS Upfronts

Today it was CBS' turn to announce their fall schedule and they didn't really provide any surprises.

Canceled shows include: "The Unit," "Without A Trace" and "Eleventh Hour." While all these shows are enjoyable, we already heard that they were on the bubble, so no one is really shocked.

CBS did decide to pick up "Medium" from NBC and pair it with "Ghost Whisperer" on Friday nights. You know it's only a matter of time before the inevitable crossover episodes.

Their new shows have already got the hype machine going for various reasons so I know their excited about that. The new schedule includes:

"NCIS: Los Angeles"-The highly anticipated "NCIS" spinoff starring LL Cool J and Chris O'Donnell was already launched with a two-hour pilot early this month during an episode of "NCIS." This looks like an exciting, technologically advanced version of "NCIS," however, it may take them awhile to generate the same team chemistry as the original.
"Three Rivers"-This medical drama about an organ transplant team stars "Moonlight's" Alex O'Loughlin and is set in Pittsburgh, hence the show's title. If O'Loughlin's rabid fanbase follows him to this show then it is guaranteed big numbers.
"The Good Wife"-This drama follows a lawyer's return to the courtroom after her husband is sent to jail. The show is a vehicle for Julianna Margulies return to series television. Margulies has struggled to find a hit since leaving "ER," but I suppose the third time's the charm.
"Miami Trauma"-This midseason replacement is about trauma room set in Miami. Think "ER" with the doctors in bikinis. It is produced by Jerry Bruckheimer which pretty much guarantees success.
"Accidentally on Purpose"-Jenna Elfman returns to comedies as a San Francisco film critic who finds herself pregnant after an affair with a younger man. Apparently hilarity ensues when she decides to keep the baby.

Fans can also look forward to the return of all the "CSIs," "How I Met Your Mother," "Two and a Half Men" and most of CBS' schedule. They renewed the majority of their schedule.

Next up The CW and a NBC recap.

ABC upfronts a little boring

Stephanie and I have been talking about the new ABC drama "Flash Forward" for weeks, so it's only fair that a few other new shows get the spotlight here.

It's too bad that ABC doesn't have a lot of very cool, interesting shows to talk about?

What about "Eastwick?" Yeah, that show is really up my alley. It's more "Desperate Housewives" than "Fringe" I'm sure.

One show that might have some promise is "V," the remake of the original mini-series that spawned a few sequels. It stars Elizabeth Mitchell from "Lost," Scott Wolf from "Party of Five," Joel Gretch from "The 4400" and Morena Baccarin from "Serenity."



While the religious overtones are a little heavy handed, it still looks like a great Sci-Fi thriller. And a little creepy, which is a good thing.

Plus, I am in love with Mitchell.

FOX: My new favorite network

This week the rest of the major networks will be holding their upfront presentations. FOX kicked things off today with the official announcement of its new schedule.

Returning shows include all the franchise hits you would expect plus a few surprises like "Dollhouse," "Lie to Me" and inexplicably "Til Death."

The other big fall announcement was that the reality hit "So You Think You Can Dance" will now have a fall season, which means I'll get two awesome seasons a year of the dancing favorite.

"Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles" and "King of the Hill" have been officially canceled.

Among the new shows are the heavily hyped "Glee" and "The Cleveland Show."

The rest of the new schedule includes:

• "Brothers"-a sitcom starring Michael Strahan as a just retired NFL player. Wow that really sounds like he's stretching himself.
• "Human Target"-A DC comics story about a bodyguard who becomes his clients in order to protect them. It stars Mark Valley ("Fringe") and Jackie Earle Haley who is always good.

The schedule is rounded out by "Past Life," "Sons of Tucson" and "The Wanda Sykes Show," a Saturday late night talk show.

In a question and answer session that followed the announcements, FOX executives said that they felt that Joss Whedon's loyal fan base would help grow "Dollhouse" and that the network was very excited about "Glee."

They also mentioned that "So You Think You Can Dance" producer Nigel Lythgoe had a few changes planned that would help keep the show from becoming stale, with two cycles a year.

With FOX and NBC already done, that leaves us halfway through upfront season with CBS tomorrow and ABC later in the week. And of course, at some point, we'll discuss The CW.

New episode up... and some GREAT news

It has been widely reported today (The Hollywood Reporter broke the news) that FOX is going to pick up "Dollhouse" for a second season! WOOT!

Then, just as I was done with the video editing, Deadline Hollywood Daily is reporting that ABC is going to renew "Castle!"

A very good day indeed.

A correction to a previous topic

A few weeks back when "ER" was ending, we talked about other great television series finales.

Well, Stephanie and I screwed up.

Big time.

It came to both of us when we were watching "Star Trek," we forgot a great finale.

The "Alias" finale.

Yes, the JJ Abrams spy show had an excellent finale that wrapped up all the storylines and gave each character a chance to shine (something more shows should do.)

But, what happened to the villain of the show, Arvin Sloane, was the best part of the show. A little background... Sydney had shot him numerous times, but he fell into a pool of strange liquid, which healed him and made him immortal.

But, Sydney's dad knew how to fix that...



What the clip doesn't show is Sloane, alive under tons of rubble. Buried alive so to speak... forever.

A fitting end to a man that caused so much pain during the five years the show was on.

Movies I really can't live without

On Stephanie's request I am also going to present a list of the top five movies that I love. These are movies that I can sit back and watch over and over. Of course they might not be the best movies ever made, but for one reason or another I can't help but watch when they come on.

1. "So I Married An Axe Murderer" - A little seen film by Mike Meyers (Before "Austin Powers" about a regular guy who is paranoid about relationships who comes to think he is in a relationship with a murderer. Very funny. I can recite lines from the movie right now. I actually saw it in the theater and probably have seen it a couple dozen times since then.

2. "Men In Black" - I saw it in the theater four times! I even went to the world premire in Los Angeles and got into a special screening. I don't know what it is about the movie, but I can just watch it over and over. The effects are great and the script is really funny. It's too bad the sequel is horrible.

3. "Willy Wonka" - The original. Now, I love the new version. I think it follows the book better, but in my elementary school years I just loved the original one. It was a dream come true back then. The songs are great and Gene Wilder is beyond excellent.

Those are my top three. I also love "Jurassic Park," "A Time to Kill," "Serenity" and "The Dark Knight."

"SNL" and Justin Timberlake: A perfect pair

This week's "Saturday Night Live" featured Justin Timberlake hosting with musical guest Ciara.

As usual Timberlake was hilarious. This is his third time hosting and because of that he seemed more comfortable and acted like he was just another cast member.

Highlights included his costumed street performer who uses comedy versions of popular songs to sell products. The sketch, "Surgery Center," featured a particularly funny medley of Lady Gaga's "Just Dance" and "Poker Face," where Timberlake really got into character while trying to sell plastic surgery.

There was also the immigrant tale of how Timberlake's great great grandfather thought Justin's life would turn out. With a subtle jab at ex-girlfriend Britney Spears, this sketch elicited the night's longest laugh.

The best sketch of the night was Timberlake and Andy Samberg's return to their "D**k in a Box" personas for a mother's day digital short titled "Motherlover."

Not only did it have guest appearances by Susan Sarandon and Patricia Clarkson but it featured the awesome chemistry between Samberg and Timberlake.

Lately "SNL" has been hit or miss, with the jokes mostly missing, so the hilarious turn by Timberlake provided it with strong momentum heading into the season finale hosted by Will Ferrell.

Editor's note and "Star Trek"

Show postponed until Monday, I'm still a little under the weather and didn't get to see "Star Trek" until the late afternoon.




Which, by the way, was awesome. More details to come in the next "Viewpoints On..." as well as our "Wolverine" thoughts, which we joked might take a whole segment. I can give you a hint, we loved one of them and really didn't like the other one.

"Star Trek:" Instant review

So I just saw "Star Trek" and my instant review is that it's awesome. From top to bottom, J.J. Abrams has delivered a perfect movie.

There's enough attention to detail and history to make "trekkies" happy, and enough backstory and fun to entertain "Trek" virgins.

Best Performance: Karl Urban as Dr. McCoy. He steals every scene he's in.

Honorable Mention: Zachary Quinto as Spock. He's way too good for "Heroes."

Best Moment: Kirk, Uhuru and Spock at the transporter near the end. I don't want to spoil it but it's good.

Actor who should be in every movie: Simon Pegg, every scene was in was hysterical, he didn't waste a single minute of screen time.

All in all just a spectacular film. With "Alias," "Lost" and now "Star Trek" J.J. Abrams may be heading into Joss Whedon territory.

Movies I can't live without

Today I was watching "The Princess Bride" for the millionth time and thought "this movie never gets old." That got me thinking about other movies that I could watch a million times and love every time. This is my list of the top five films that I just can't live without.

1. "The Princess Bride"-Cary Elwes will forever be Wesley to me. This is one of those movies that can make me happy no matter how crappy I feel.
2. "Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back"-This is really Han Solo's film. This is where he proves himself to be the hero we all knew he was.
3. "Hot Fuzz"-I swear it's funny every time. Even though I know all the jokes, it gets me every time and I'm always discovering little moments I previously missed.
4. "Casablanca"-A classic love story, political intrigue and Humphrey Bogart. What more do you need?
5. "Titanic"-I know it's really girlie of me but I still hope Leonardo DiCaprio will somehow live every time I watch.

So, those are the films I absolutely can't live without. It may be a little nerdy and crazy but I think it's a really fun list.

The new NBC

Earlier in the week NBC held their upfronts presentation and it seems like they're trying to find a way to get back on track.

In addition to already announced favorites like "Heroes," "Friday Night Lights" and "Law & Order: SVU," they have picked up four new dramas and two new comedies for the fall season.

NBC will also broadcast the Winter Olympics in early 2010 and those always bring in big ratings.

And of course there is the highly anticipated 10 o'clock Jay Leno show, that will be eerily familiar to the 11:35 Jay Leno show.

Unfortunately, they have yet to make a decision on "Chuck" and have decided to cancel "Life," so it's not all good news.

Dramas:

"Day One" is a miniseries about how a group of people survive after a disaster destroys the world. I enjoyed this show the first time, when it was called "Jericho."

Desperate to replace the irreplaceable "ER," NBC has two separate medical dramas in the works. "Mercy" is about nurses, while "Trauma" focuses on paramedics. Neither one sounds very original, so we'll just have to wait and see what happens.

"Parenthood" is based on the Steve Martin movie and stars Peter Krause and Maura Tierney in the lead roles. It has a good pedigree so it gives the network something to be hopeful about.

Comedies:

"100 Questions" follows a woman as she answers 100 questions about love that leads her to reexamine her past loves so she can figure out what she wants. From "Ex-List" to "Being Erica" these shows always make women look like desperate loons, so I'll pass.

Chevy Chase stars with "The Soup's" Joel McHale in "Community" about the wacky goings on at a community college. I'll watch Joel McHale read the phone book, so I'll definitely give this familiar sounding premise a chance.

Not really a new show is "Saturday Night Live: Weekend Update." This is an extension of something they did during the election and I'm not sure if it can hold up without a central theme driving it. Will anything be so crucial that they can't wait until Saturday to make fun of it.

NBC has their work cut out for them if they plan to return to their former glory. The new season is just the first step in a long journey.

"Dollhouse:" Alpha revealed

Friday's episode of "Dollhouse" featured two huge revelations. First of all, we finally meet Alpha, the first "doll." And secondly, Agent Ballard finally gets inside the Dollhouse.

Up until now we have only seen glimpses or have been told in flashbacks how Alpha escaped from the Dollhouse.

Joss Whedon cleverly intertwined this reveal with Ballard's ongoing investigation, by having Ballard enlist the help of the Dollhouse's creator, Steven Kepler.

Kepler, played spectacularly by Alan Tudyk, is a paranoid, agoraphobic, pot farmer who created the environmental systems for the Dollhouse.

He and Ballard engage in an operation to rescue Caroline/Echo from the house and in the process form the funniest buddy cop duo since Eddie Murphy and Nick Nolte in "48 Hours."

If FOX doesn't renew "Dollhouse" Whedon should pitch them "Ballard & Kepler" as his next big thing.

Anyway, while Ballard and Langton have a kick ass fight all over the house, Kepler reveals himself to actually be Alpha. He confronts Dr. Saunders and slices up Victor before he puts Echo in the chair and gives her the personality of his lover, whom he had vowed to rescue.

They then take the elevator and calmly stroll out the front door, Bonnie and Clyde style.

While all this has been going on Ballard has been taken upstairs where he is confronted by Ms. DeWitt. She has to decide what to do with him now that he has actually discovered their secret.

This episode just worked on so many levels because it wrapped up storylines and answered questions while simultaneously creating new ones.

That is what Whedon is so good at, he keeps fans constantly engaged in the stories and the characters. And unlike other shows he creates an atmosphere where viewers really never know what will happen next.

"Dollhouse" as a series is really hitting its stride and it will be a shame if FOX doesn't renew this smart and classy show or at least give fans some closure.

New episode up...

Awesome summer movie poster

While everyone is excited about "Transformers" and "Harry Potter," one film that is coming out in August and has a ton of early buzz is Quentin Tarantino's "Inglourious Basterds."



It is about Nazi hunters in World War II. And, no doubt, will be filled with tons of blood, action and gore.



There have been a few posters released that set the tone for the film, like bloody baseball bats etc.



Here is a new one with Brad Pitt:

Pitt plays Lt. Aldo Raine, the leader of the Nazi hunters and may I say, looks beyond cool. I wasn't the worlds biggest "Kill Bill" fan, but I am excited to see this film.

It is coming out on Aug. 21.

Birthday trip to Disneyland

Yeah, I am stretching the whole entertainment aspect of this blog post.

I was entertained, so that has to count for something.

So I spent my birthday at Disneyland, after being there last week for my mother's birthday. I decided last week to get a season pass so that meant that this day I got a special gift.

Instead of free admission I got a $69 gift card, for free.

Got to go on the "Roger Rabbit" ride, which I love, and makes it funnier since they announced plans to maybe do a sequel (See the next episode for more on that.)

Overall, I had a blast and even though it was extremely busy it was a great day.

My niece Zoe and I about to enjoy an awesome birthday meal of Monte Cristos and Mint Juleps.

When you're right, you're Tim

So, "Heroes" was last night.

And I was totally right!

The "Heroes" people ripped off "Exiles" and had Matt make Sylar believe that he is Nathan, after killing Nathan in a really anti-climatic way.

LAME.

I, personally, will not be watching the show again. Unless they fire Tim Kring and replace him with Bryan Fuller.

New episode up... and a 'Heroes' thought

So, this morning I told Stephanie that I had figured out a few ways that "Heroes" might end tonight.

1. Sylar kills Nathan. Sylar morphs into Nathan, Matt then mindscrews Sylar into thinking he's really Nathan. I only say this because it's been done to death in comics before, so it's perfect for "Heroes" to steal and try to pass off as original.

2. Matt gets zapped by Ando, increasing his powers 100 fold and makes the entire world forget there are such things as people with abilities.

Stephanie laughed at me saying those were the worst ideas ever.

That means they'll probably be used.

Editor's note

Friday's are usually "Viewpoints On..." days.

Well, I am very sick. Won't get into it, but me being on camera wouldn't be a good thing. So we are postponing filming until Monday.

We'll have a lot to talk about, including reviews of "Obeserve and Report" and, hopefully, "The Soloist."

One news item we probably won't get around to is that NBC has scaled back "Heroes" season next season from 25 to 18 or 20. This is either a move to get another show to air, because of the Leno crap, or that they are sick of "Heroes," like most of us are.

Also, check back Monday for my prediction of how this season will end. Hint: I am thinking of the worst way possible. Mostly because I know that's how they think.

NBC - Tim's view

NBC is broken.

Not like "My bike is broken and I need a need chain," but like broken United States banking system broke.

Most of its ratings are in the toliet. Every night the shows on NBC are being trounced by the other networks. Remember when television was referred to as "The Big Three?" Well, NBC is now No. 4.

And the people behind NBC don't seem to care. Quotes from NBC head Jeff Zucker have him saying they probably won't be No. 1 again.

What?

Really?

If you are not in the business to try to be No. 1 every night, then something is wrong. Then this Jay Leno taking five hours of primetime each week business.

Leno won't be No. 1 in the ratings. NBC will be lucky to even beat the CW network. Hey, that "America's Next Top Model" crowd is crazy loyal.

My advice. Fire Zucker. Fire Ben Silverman who is in charge of programming.

Then fire Tim Kring.

How to fix NBC part 3

I understand that NBC with all its problems was reluctant to let Jay Leno go. However, they made a serious mistake when they decided to keep Jay around and give him the 10 p.m. time slot.

First of all, it limits the number of hours available for primetime programming. Secondly, it draws the focus away from Conan O'Brien, who was finally about to get his shot at the big chair. Finally, it forces Leno to compete with legitimate ratings juggernauts like the "CSI" franchise and cable hits "Burn Notice" and "South Park."

Leno has never really been known for producing a quality comedy program, so without the prestige and name recognition that comes with being the host of "The Tonight Show," his chances of success seem shaky.

They could have decided to use the time and money spent developing another talk show on improving and restructuring their primetime operations.

This is a risky gamble for NBC and in the long run I feel it may prove to be a costly and unsuccessful one.

How to fix NBC part 2

With the end of "ER," "Heroes" and "The Office" are undoubtedly NBC's franchise shows. They are the glue that is holding the network together.

They are extremely popular shows that inspire catchphrases, merchandise and lots of next day watercooler talk. They can be at once brilliant and ground-breaking.

Unfortunately, they are not at the top of their game right now, so I've come up with a few ways to fix each show and get them back on track.

"Heroes"

• Get rid of Tim Kring. While he may be the man that created this world, he is not a sci-fi writer and the show suffers from his lack of expertise in the genre. Make Bryan Fuller the official show runner and let Kring cash his giant paycheck.
• Kill Sylar. As spectacular as Zachary Quinto is, it's time for a new villain to shake things up. Since it's "Heroes" I'm sure they could find a way to bring back David Anders or perhaps bring on someone completely new to shake things up. Besides, once "Star Trek" comes out Quinto will be headed for bigger and better things anyway, so why not send him off with a bang.
• Kill a few people and keep them dead. The show has no suspense value at all, because no one ever stays dead.
• More HRG and Angela, less Claire, Nathan and Peter. I know they want to appeal to a younger demographic but HRG and Angela could be the catalyst to tell the compelling story of the beginning of the company.
• While I'm fans of the actors, Matt and Mohinder have become useless so they should get rid of them.
• Finally, keep the light-hearted fun of Hiro and Ando, because they provide a glimmer of light in an otherwise dark show.

"The Office"

• Drop the Michael Scott Paper Company storyline and bring everyone back to Dunder-Mifflin where they belong. There's no shame in admitting that a story didn't work and then correcting the mistake.
• Idris Elba is a fantastic dramatic actor but his character doesn't fit well within the confines of this goofy group. Even worse he makes Jim look bad and Jim is the regular world's connection to this wacky office.
• More Jim and Pam romance. Their sweet courtship provides a nice balance to the rest of the office's craziness.
• Finally, turn the focus away from corporate politics and back to office shenanigans, it's what made us start watching to begin with and why we love the show.

Next time: Why Jay Leno will be NBC's downfall?

How to fix NBC part 1

It's no secret that NBC has problems, the ratings for its most popular shows are still well below the other networks and they seemingly have no solutions end sight.

Well Tim and I have decided to offer up a series of blogs that will help the once top rated network return to its former glory.

First up, what to keep and what to get rid of.

Keep all the obvious choices like all the "Law & Orders," "Heroes," "Friday Night Lights," "30 Rock" and "The Office."

Bubble shows that they should keep include "Chuck," "Kings" and "Life."

Get rid of "Celebrity Apprentice," "My Name is Earl" and "Parks and Recreation."

With Jay Leno's new show on the horizon, NBC only has two hours of primetime a night. They should use these two hours wisely by not filling them up with stupid reality shows and unfunny comedies

These are the first steps towards bringing themselves back from the brink of the destruction.

Next time: How to fix "Heroes" and "The Office."

My top shows of the 80s

AOL recently posted a list of the best TV shows of the eighties. For the most part I agreed with their list, although I would have changed some of the rankings.

Below I have posted their top five and my top five. I think mine is closer to what the general public, and not a room of TV critics, would think was the best .

AOL

1. "Cheers"
2. "Hill Street Blues"
3. "Moonlighting"
4. "thirtysomething"
5. "The Cosby Show"

Stephanie

1. "The Cosby Show"-still one of the funniest shows on TV and it holds up extremely well.
2. "Moonlighting"-Bruce Willis and Cybil Shepard as a modern day Tracy and Hepburn.
3. "Family Ties"-Michael J. Fox will always be my first love.
4. "21 Jumpstreet"-tackled a lot of taboo subjects before it was cool to do so, and of course it introduced the world to Johnny Depp.
5. "Macgyver"-If I need to get out of a hostile country or I'm trapped in a room with a bomb, there is no one else I'd want with me.

Honorable mention: "Growing Pains"-who didn't want to date Mike Seaver, a.k.a. Kirk Cameron? The Jonas Brothers and Zac Efron may think they're big, but they're not Kirk Cameron big.

"American Idol" has officially jumped the shark

This week on "American Idol" it was movie week, which meant viewers were treated to a crap load of Bryan Adams, Lionel Richie and a mind boggling rendition of "Born to be Wild" by Adam Lambert.

Why can no one else see what a giant emo d-bag Lambert is? I feel like Will Ferrell in "Zoolander," "I feel like I'm taking crazy pills."

After the craptastic performance show, the results show continued the trend with an unbelievably awful group version of "Maniac" from "Flashdance."

Oh, by the way Quentin Tarantino was smack in the middle of all this as this week's mentor.

So after a ridiculous Miley Cyrus performance, the bottom two was revealed to be Matt and Lil.

While both are talented singers, they have each struggled to find their niche in the competition. Matt turned out to be the chosen one, but of course he could sing for his life, which he did.

The judges decided to save him, which means that two will be eliminated next week during, wait for it, disco week.

That's right disco week, god only knows what Adam Lambert will do.

What all this means is that "Idol" has fallen victim to the weird curse that has been placed on my television, where everything I once loved dissolves into, you guessed it, crap.

"Lost" has become forgettable

A crazy thing happened tonight. I was halfway through the "American Idol" results show when I realized that I had completely forgotten about "Lost."

That's how inconsequential the show has become, that a TV junkie like me forgot that the show was even on.

When I finally did turn the channel, I quickly realized that I wasn't missing anything and went back to watching "Idol."

It seems crazy that both "Lost" and "Heroes" have gone downhill at the same time. I hope they can turn it around because I can only watch so many reruns of "NCIS" before I start thinking I'm part of the team.

"Lost" and "Heroes" should take notes from "24"

"24" is so good I can't sleep for hours after it goes off. Last night's episode was no exception. At first it seemed like another great episode where this time it would be Tony who saves the world, but then in the last minute everything changed and it went from great to brilliant.

We started the hour with Tony inside Starkwood trying to destroy the toxic missiles. With the president's unofficial blessing Tony embarked on his mission. By the way, how great was it when Jack explained presidential politics to Renee, because he's done a lot of secret missions for a lot of presidents.

While Tony was sneaking around Starkwood, Jon Voight was delivering a spectacularly creepy performance as the evil Jonas Hodges.

Hodges and his minion met with the president at the white house and basically blackmailed her into giving him unparalleled access to military secrets. At one point he was so pleased with himself I thought he was going to strut around the oval office like a peacock.

However, in the very next scene the president walked in and arrested him because Tony had succeeded and his plan had failed.

Tony was the hero of the night and he even joined Larry Moss and the FBI in chasing the Starkwood bad guy who had escaped with the last canister of the bio-weapon. I had a bad feeling about Larry's chances all night, so when they cornered the bad guy and he shot Larry I wasn't that surprised.

But, when it turned out the guy was in cahoots with Tony, and Tony killed Larry in cold blood to cover his tracks, I was left speechless.

Now I'm just overloaded with questions. Has Tony been planning this all along? Is he a part of Starkwood? Is this some backward way of saving Jack? What will Jack do when he finds out?

I swear just when I think I have "24" figured out, they pull a bait and switch so fantastic it puts shows like "Heroes" and "Lost" to shame.

I can't wait til next week's episode and the sleepless night that will inevitably follow.

Joss Whedon is a genius

On Friday's "Dollhouse" we finally found out who the mole was and boy was it a surprise.

But before I get to that let's take a moment and talk about Adelle and her secret "engagements" with Victor. I completely fell in love with "Roger." If I were creating a man he would be very close to what I would create.

I thought it was brilliant of Joss Whedon to show us her softer side before she was instantly transformed back into the cold hearted head of the Dollhouse.

This transformation was brought about by the revelation that the mole was Mr. Dominick. It turns out all this time he has been working undercover for the NSA.

When his secret was revealed he and Echo ended up in a fierce fight scene, but the best part was when Ms. DeWitt coolly had him boxed and sent to the attic.

And wow I never want to be sent to the attic. Turns out they basically download your brain and box your vegetable body and send it off for storage.

Also Echo's continuing evolution is really preparing viewers for the moment that she truly awakens.

This show is really starting to hit its stride and with any luck FOX will take a chance and keep it around long enough for it to build up a following.

New episode up... and a random thought

During the show we talked about "Parks and Recreation." Well, the ratings are in and here they are:

http://hollywoodinsider.ew.com/2009/04/cbs-wins-anothe.html

So, it lost 400 thousands viewers that were watching "The Office" at 8 p.m. Then after it was over and a new episode of "The Office" started at 9 p.m. 800 thousand viewers tuned back in.

While not a lot, it still has to be a little scary for NBC and the producers.

New episode up!

'ER' ends its run tonight

So after 15 years, "ER" finally ends its historic run on NBC. Kind of funny that this has been a great season of "ER" and basically one of NBC's only good shows.

Yes, I am looking at you "The Office."

When thinking back at my favorite episode of "ER" I remember the Valentine's Day episode "All in the Family" where Carter was stabbed and Lucy killed.



I love this scene because it was the first time that the character of Dr. Romano wasn't a complete a-hole and showed some real emotion.

Tune in for the next "Viewpoints On..." for more on the "ER" finale.

What's wrong with "American Idol?"

Last night's "American Idol" proved something that I've been noticing for quite some time. This season sucks.

The theme last night was, popular iTunes downloads, which meant contestants could choose any song as long as it was a popular download.

This provided for a variety of songs, some of which I wondered exactly how popular they are. Unfortunately, it also highlighted how underwhelming this year's singers are in comparison to past seasons.

While everyone is crazy for Adam Lambert and Danny Gokey, I find them average compared to performers from year's past. When you consider that people like Carrie Underwood, Kelly Clarkson, Chris Daughtry, Katherine McPhee and Jennifer Hudson were discovered in previous seasons it makes this year's roster look like a high school talent show.

The solution for "American Idol" is to follow the pattern of its British counterpart and switch formats to "The X Factor."

"The X Factor" separates contestants into four categories, boys, girls, over 30s and groups. Expanding the categories has allowed for a wider range of talent and expanded the demographic range of the show's ratings.

"X Factor" also uses its celebrity judges, including Simon Cowell, as mentors who help the potential stars with everything from song choice to wardrobe. The show also allows the singers to perform with backup dancers and stage effects which gives them an idea of how real performers work the stage.

The change in formats has made the show more popular than ever and breathed new life into it when it became stale.

"Idol" is in its eighth season and has begun to show signs of aging with lower ratings and an increase in backlash against the show. In order to survive, the show needs to make some radical changes to avoid becoming a pale imitation of its former self.

'Heroes' falls from grace... again

After last week's super episode by Bryan Fuller hopes were high that this new episode would carry on and be great.

Boy, were we wrong!

This might be the only show on television where the characters get dumber as the weeks progress. Just a bunch of idiots.

Here are some other observations I had (yes, I took notes):

• Nathan and Claire in Mexico, where according to Nathan Delko's reach can't go that far south. Oh, but he can reach into freaking Tokyo to kidnap Hiro?!
• Since when can Sylar teleport/super speed? He sure got out of that car fast? I hate that they can just give him a power without showing us to suit their crappy writing needs.
• Speaking of which, this new shapeshifter kills three agents and the Hunter goes nutso saying he must be caught and mourns over the dead agents. What about freaking Sylar?! He killed like 10 plus agents!

See? It's like a bunch of monkeys or preschoolers who write this show.

Does this make any sense?

So, Six Flags Magic Mountain is making a new rollercoaster!

And it is based around the upcoming "Terminator" movie, even better!

What doesn't make sense?

It's a wooden coaster. For a movie about evil metal robots.

http://travel.latimes.com/daily-deal-blog/index.php/magic-mountain-termi-4295/

Yeah, it is that stupid and lame.

New episode up... and an editor's note

A clarification on something we talked about during the show. I estimated (based on old information) that William Peterson's "CSI" job paid $350,000 an episode. That number was actually $600,000 an episode, which is roughly what Laurence Fishburne is making. So, nothing really to report I guess...

'This is what is sounds like, when Tim cries'

And I want to take my tear filled eyes and rip them out of their sockets and throw them in the fireplace.

For weeks there have been rumors of what to expect from the "G.I. Joe" movie. "G.I. Joe" is close to my heart, I loved the toys growing up and the cartoon always entertained me. The first bad sign was the all black supersuits that each character is going to wear. They released images of Duke, Scarlett etc. wearing this ugly looking armor.

Ugh.

Then the trailer during the Super Bowl came and there were those ugly suits.

But, the horror I witnessed today actually made me die a little inside and I made a very weird sound (I think it was my soul escaping... ask Stephanie).

I'll just link to it to prevent anyone else from suffering:

http://www.thebadandugly.com/2009/03/25/first-look-the-cobra-commander/

As a point of reference this is the Cobra Commander that EVERYONE knows:

http://markandamy.mobilerepublic.net/wp-content/uploads/2008/04/cobra_commander.jpg

The one from the movie kind of looks like Jason from "Jason X." And that, is a BAD thing.

Quicky DVD review

Around awards time I made an effort to jam my Netflix queue with all sorts of nominated films. I really wanted to be informed and have a good sense of what was nominated.

The first movie to be sent from Netflix? "Happy-Go-Lucky," which was nominated for "Best Screenplay" at the Academy Awards and which had won a bunch of Best Actress awards leading up to the Oscars (but, was not nominated for that award.)

Sally Hawkins stars as Poppy, a school teacher, who seems to always be in a good mood and her adventures dealing with friends, family, an issue at school and a surly driving instructor.

And it's true. She is always happy and joking around. At some points you kind of think "Wow, she is kind of annoying..." but then you just figure she is happy with her life and doesn't let things bother her.

Hawkins is great and was robbed in not getting a "Best Actress" nomination. She shows great range from being happy all the time, to being concerned and then being terrified. Eddie Marsan also shines as Scott, the scary driving instructor (his last scene with Hawkins is hard to watch.)

The film will cheer you up and make you look at your life and wonder if you could try and be a little happier.

Great film.

BSG: The last frakkin episode

There is only one word to describe Friday night's final "Battlestar Galactica," perfection.

Fans always hope their favorite shows will end on a high note with everything wrapped up in a nice bow, but it rarely happens.

"Battlestar Galactica" ended its four year run by giving fans everything they wanted and more. There was a frakkin awesome space battle, some really cool old school versus new school centurion fighting and a spectacularly sweet finish for every major character.

In the end they finally found Earth and it turns out the colonial fleet and all its inhabitants are our ancestors from 150,000 years ago. The Earth that they found was untouched and gorgeous and made me sad that we have so thoroughly destroyed it.

With the journey finally over and the fight with the cylons finished, everyone finally had a chance to catch their breath and get the endings they deserved.

An especially sweet and heart wrenching moment came when Laura Roslin (Mary McDonnell) succumbed to the cancer that has been killing her for three seasons. She died quietly while Adama flew over the spot where their cabin would be. Would someone just give this woman an Emmy already?

My other favorite moment came at the very end when the Six and Baltar "angels" were questioning whether we would make the same mistakes as the colonials and the series concluded with a montage of all the advancements in robotics.

It was just enough morality to make me think, but I wasn't beat over the head with it.

Overall the final episode of "Battlestar Galactica" was pure perfection and made me wonder if Friday nights, or television as a whole, would ever be the same again without it.

So Say We All!

New episode up...

Quick update on Wanna See It? I saw one. Tune in next episode for details. And it wasn't "Knowing." I know better.

When (crappy) worlds collide

There are some things that just go great together.

Peanut butter and chocolate.

Red Bull and vodka.

Bacon and eggs.

Then there are things that make you cringe when you try to put them together.

Doritos and cough syrup.

Pencil shavings and rum.

And this...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z_M9J8Tmu2c

Take two things I really dislike and put them together. And don't forget the blatent product placement ("Oooh that picture phone is SO cool").

Ugh, ugh, ugh.

American Idol: Country Week

Last night on "American Idol" the top 11 performed country songs. As a long time country music fan, I'm always a little concerned when "American Idol" goes country.

For the most part it was average with no one really taking any risks. The stand outs of the night were Danny Gokey doing "Jesus Take the Wheel" and Anoop Desai's beautiful version of "Always on my Mind." I think Anoop sung himself back into the competition.

Worst performance of the night goes to Adam Lambert in a landslide. He took what might be the most perfect country song ever, Johnny Cash's "Ring of Fire" and butchered it into as Simon called it "self indulgent rubbish." He turned it into a middle eastern influenced ballad that was just awful. Plus once you got past the crappy arrangement, his singing was terrible. He basically screeched and squealed for two minutes, causing my head to hurt and making my ears bleed.

If there's any justice in this world Adam Lambert will be voted off "American Idol" tonight. Then he should be forced to go on an international apology tour, making amends for putting us through his horrendous singing. His first stop should be Johnny and June Cash's graves, followed by a by a visit to Randy Travis, last night's mentor.

He started off as one of the front runners, but now I just want him destroyed.

The best Irish movies

Since today is St. Patricks Day, I thought that we should talk about the best Irish themed movies Hollywood has brought us.

1. "The Departed"-Martin Scorsese's masterpiece about cops and gangsters in Boston. The film features an all-star cast that includes Matt Damon, Leonardo DiCaprio, Mark Wahlberg and Jack Nicholson in one of his all time best performances.

The sequence where DiCaprio follows Damon to find out if he's the mole is so suspenseful and brilliantly directed that just that segment could have one an Oscar.

2. "The Boondock Saints"-Two Irish brothers stumble into becoming assassins who only kill criminals. Sean Patrick Flanery and Norman Reedus play Connor and Murphy McManus, characters that are so much fun to watch you forget about all the violence and just enjoy the ride.

"We're like 7-11, we're not always doing business, but we're always open." Best. Line. Ever.

3. "Leprechaun 2" (Tim's choice)-When I asked Tim why "Leprechaun," he responded why not. I personally don't see the appeal of these movies, but, Warwick Davis has gotten rich off of them and I'll always give him a pass because of "Willow."

Honorable Mention: Tom Cruise's fantastic accent in "Far and Away." Tom stop doing accents, it's not your thing.

"Kings:" The Bible gets an update

On Sunday night NBC premiered its new drama "Kings." The story is an update of the biblical tale of David and Goliath.

Ian McShane stars as King Silas Benjamin, the ruler of Gilboa and Chris Egan portrays David Shepard, the young soldier who saves the king's son and becomes a national hero.

I was a little wary of watching "Kings," because I thought the biblical aspects might be a turn off. However, I was wrong because "Kings" is really about political intrigue and a young man's fight to stay true to himself.

Gilboa has been locked in long border war with the neighboring Gath and the king wants to use David's act of heroism as a way to gain support for his military campaign. He is challenged by his spiritual leader Reverend Samuels, played by Eamonn Walker.

This show is filled with romance, war, politics and yes biblical references. It reminded me of Baz Luhrman's update of "Romeo and Juliet." With a strong cast and great production quality, "Kings" has everything it needs to be a success, except maybe good timing.

This is a horrible time for a new television show to premiere, networks have really been tightening their purse strings, so when a show has a pilot that costs $10 million and every show following that costs $4 million, it better be worth every penny.

The money is visible on the screen, however, the ratings for the premiere episode were awful and NBC won't stick with a show that doesn't bring in ratings.

The solution is for NBC to move the show to a better time slot, I suggest Wednesdays at 8 p.m. It could lead off the night of dramas and would work well with NBC's other quirky show "Life." It would also suffer very little competition in that time slot.

So, if you're reading this NBC I've just saved you a major headache. You're welcome.

The Lonely Island presents...

Heyo Viewpoints readers, as promised here is the video for "I'm On a Boat," the edited version of course.



Also, check out this original that's not on "Incredibad." One "bad" word in the video so far warning.

New episode up... and an editor's note