Big Love: Complete Seasons 1 & 2
5 Stars
I never thought I would enjoy a show about polygamists, but Big Love has captured my attention. The acting is great, the characters are complex and the storyline could not be more complicated. This show has made me really appreciate Chloe Sevigny as an actress, but it’s Grace Zabriskie, who plays the crazy grandmother, that steals every scene she’s in.
- Kyle
Jekyll
Jekyll is a recent BBC television drama that takes the novel The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson and reinvents the tale in modern day England. This cutting edge horror show has a complicated structure that takes you on a wickedly funny thrill ride. The show is filled with fresh original characters. But it’s Jekyll and Hyde, both played by the brilliant James Nesbitt, that hold the show together. Nesbitt’s portrayal of Hyde is astonishing because he creates the character using no prosthetics. So grab yourself a bag of popcorn, sit back with your favorite beverage, and enjoy!
- Bill
Six Feet Under: The Complete Series
5 stars
I think this show is even better than The Sopranos. Not for the squeamish or prudish, this show explores love and death of all types. Excellent writing, characters, and acting.
- Jessica
SCTV: Disc 1
SCTV is a television series that aired in the early 1980’s. Its cast was formed with comedians out of the original Second City comedy troupe of Chicago, as well as Toronto Second City troupe members. Many comedy greats of the 70’s and 80’s came through the Second City organization, some going to the SCTV series and others graduating on to Saturday Night Live. SCTV cast members included Dave Thomas, Catherine O’Hara, John Candy, and Andrea Martin, John Belushi and Dan Akroyd. The many sketches in this collection hold up rather well despite their early 80’s time frame. Many politicians, TV stars, TV shows, and various celebrities were spoofed, which is what sketch comedy is all about. Some skits were truly inspired, such as a takeoff on Chariots of Fire which they renamed “Chariots of Eggs” and starred the pop duo Hall and Oates.
- Ric
What Would Jesus Buy?
By Vanalkemade, Rob
What Would Jesus Buy? is a pseudo documentary, or “docu-comedy,” as the liner notes say, about Reverend Billy and his Church of Stop Shopping, which also has a gospel choir. This film illustrates their efforts to humorously get Americans to stop or at least decrease their overspending each Christmas season. The Morgan Spurlock (Supersize Me) production follows the Church’s bus tour around the country and is both serious and funny at the same time. It mixes in Reverend Billy’s Jimmy Swaggart like speeches in corporate strongholds like Disneyland, Walmart, Starbucks, and Mall of America, with interviews with experts that attempt to explain our overwhelming desire to buy, buy, buy and to have the latest and greatest of everything. There is even a segment where a couple buy an entire wardrobe for their Chihuahua. The gospel choir is uniquely suited to amplify Billy’s remarks wherever they go; they both sing and dance and add a religious flavor to his performances.
Likely the most memorable segment in the film proper is called the Shopacolyspe, which refers to the mountain of debt Americans owe, and what could happen if people don’t wise up and stop their overspending ways. However, the most touching segment was in the added features, one of which interviewed a Chinese woman now living in the U. S. who had been imprisoned for six years for being a Christian. During that time she was ironically forced to make Christmas lights for sale in America. That point tied into one of the film’s observations about sweatshops providing cheap goods for us while people in foreign countries-many of them children- work for paltry wages.
All in all, this film is a quite humorous look at our excessive spending problem.
- Ric
The Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio: How My Mother Raised 10 Kids on 25 Words or Less
By Ryan, Terry
Author Terry Ryan takes a nostalgic, touching look at her 10 children family growing up in northwest Ohio in the 1950’s and 1960’s, and in particular she focuses on her mother, Evelyn Ryan. It seems Evelyn had a unique knack for entering-and winning-many of the old “tell us why you love our product in 25 words or less” contests that companies used to run back then. In fact, such was her talent that she single-handedly saved the family from losing their home at least once, and twice she won a car and also a trip to Europe. Her winnings were made necessary because of an alcoholic husband who drank away much of his weekly paycheck.
Interspersed throughout the book are family life vignettes, some humorous, including a tale about a pet rooster that had its own way of keeping visiitors-and family-at bay when they wanted to enter or leave the house. The author gives many examples of Evelyn’s contest entries, and while some seem rather trite, they also demonstrate the determination of a woman dedicated to help provide for her family the best she could under trying circumstances. Two such examples are:
(The italics are what she wrote to complete an already existing start of an ad)
Dial Soap
“Dial is wonderful, colorful stuff
For amplest protection, Dial’s always enough”
Dr. Pepper
“The time of your life you can win
With Dr. Pepper, the flavor that’s in
It’s distinctive and bright, It’s lively and light
There’s no time like NOW to begin”
All in all, an entertaining read.
- Ric
Home to Harmony
By Gulley, Philip
This is the first book in the well-known “Harmony” series, a group of books about life in the quaint fictional town of Harmony, Indiana, complete with small town characteristics reminiscent of Garrison Keillor’s “Lake Wobegon.” Quirky behavior abounds as we follow Sam Gardner, pastor of the Harmony Friends Church (Quaker) and his interactions with parishioners and other townspeople. Gulley spins many poignant, sometimes funny, sometimes sad, tales that are often touching and reveal much about this little town and its eccentricities. Having read all of this series, it is my view that this is the best of the lot. Some of the later ones get bogged down in Gulley’s social and political views. This one avoids all that. also written some entertaining non-fiction works such as Front Porch Tales that are worth a look.
- Ric
Why You’re Dumb, Sick, and Broke
by Randy Gage, 2006
Though Mr. Gage has written a number of “prosperity” type books, this is the first book I have read of his. In the self-help field, this is something different. He intentionally ruffles a few feathers in trying to assist readers in discovering reasons why they might be holding themselves back in various ways. He pretty well trashes organized religion, though he does profess to believe in God. Politically a libertarian, he is also much against the government trying to provide for and solve every problem we have. As such, Ayn Rand figures much into his philosophy.
Probably the most useful section to me was the 7 laws of prosperity chapter, dealing with clearing your negatives, tithing, and other suggestions. Plus he is also rather free with his language, which he lets us know from the start. Mr. Gage is nothing if not entrepreneurial, listing some sources in the appendix for further investigation. His particular line is multi level marketing, in which he has evidently done quite well.
- Ric
Covers
by James Taylor, 2008
James Taylor’s most recent release, Covers, is a collection of songs originally performed by other artists. Among those artists are people like Glen Campbell, Eddie Cochran, John Anderson, and Elvis Presley. That he took this diverse approach is not all that surprising, considering that some of his biggest hits have been cover songs, like “How Sweet It Is” and “Handy Man.”
A feature that has helped him achieve success with such material was his unique treatment of it; he has had his own take of each song, sort of “James Taylorizing” it, making it song almost like he wrote it himself. (He has always had a particular fondness for 60’s Motown music). One would logically expect him to repeat that approach here, and he does. The problem is sometimes it works better on certain songs than on others:good on “It’s Growing,” and “Hound Dog,” ( he has the sense not to try to imitate Elvis), but no so great on “Wichita Lineman” and “Seminole Wind,” in which neither song is given that much different a treatment than the original version.
Purist JT fans will notice right away the absence of Peter Asher at the production helm. There seems to be a hard to define something missing in that sense, but if you’re an avid JT fan, he could “sing the phone book,” as one review stated, and you wouldn’t mind.
-Ric
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