PJ Media

Best Yearbook Quote Ever!

Everybody remembers their high school yearbook, especially during their senior year. There’s nothing like the rows of completely uniform senior pictures, with the guys in tuxes and the girls in those odd gowns. And who can forget the pressure to come up with the perfect senior quote?

The ideal senior quote doesn’t come easy to anyone. How do you sum up your entire adolescent existence in such a limited space? Do you go with something profound, or do you reach for humor? Do you give a shout out to your best buds and risk leaving someone out? Do you go sentimental, or do you remind everyone that it’s time to party?

Rising seniors, the search for cleverness has now come to an end. You can forget about topping the best yearbook quote ever, which comes to us from San Jose, California.

Eight girls at Presentation High School, an all-girls Catholic school, decided to have a little fun and band together to create the ultimate yearbook quote. Alexandra, Angela, Angelica, Elizabeth, Emily, Isabella, Madeline and Vi Nguyen, bound together by those two great equalizers: alphabetical order and whatever that gown thing is called, went with one or two words each to send a message to the world: “We know what you’re thinking, and no, we’re not related.”

The girls, who have had classes together all four years of high school, initially thought of using a famous quote before they hit on the idea of toying with people’s assumptions. Isabella Nguyen, the ringleader behind the stunt, told the local paper, “People always ask if we’re cousins or something.” They never dreamed that social media would blow the quote up to an international sensation known as “Nguyen-sanity.”

“As soon as it hit Facebook, it just blew up from there,” said Isabella Nguyen. “I’m still in a daze.”

A photo of the page registered more than 1.1 million views on image-sharing site Imgur. A blog item on the Huffington Post wondered if it might be the best yearbook quote ever. The United Kingdom’s Daily Mail posted an item about the stunt. And a camera crew from “Inside Edition” came to the school Friday to interview them.

[...]

Barbara Purdy, who’s been the school’s yearbook adviser for 11 years, said she’s never seen anything like the brouhaha that’s taken place over the quote. “It was kind of humorous, and there wasn’t anything offensive about it,” she said. “The way that’s it’s taken off has been a real surprise.”

These girls came up with something remarkable and clever, and they’re enjoying a little bit of positive notoriety for it. Sometimes those 15 minutes of fame come about in the best way. I don’t know about you, but I’m thinking my senior quote paled by comparison.

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Posted at 1:00 pm on May 22nd, 2012 by Chris Queen

The Tragedy of the ‘John Connor Curse’

Curses abound in Hollywood. From haunted movie sets and mansions, to notorious tales of murder, to the infamous “Oscar jinx” — where highly touted winners move on to less-than-notable careers — one doesn’t have to look far to find the story of a curse. One rather curious Hollywood curse has generated headlines in recent days, and the headlines speak of a potential tragedy.

It’s a jinx called the “John Connor Curse.” The story goes something like this: unfortunate things happen to the young men who have played the role of John Connor in the Terminator franchise. Before you dismiss the jinx as some crazy conspiracy theory (like one of those you might see on History these days), consider what has befallen the stars of the films and television series.

Edward Furlong originated the role of John Connor in Terminator 2: Judgment Day in 1991.

Furlong earned critical acclaim for T2 and has gone on to star in 38 other films, along with a handful of television appearances and roles in videos by Aerosmith and Metallica. He may have originated the curse because of his notorious troubles with alcohol and drugs, including heroin and cocaine. He caused plenty of trouble in his marriage as well, including violating a restraining order. In 2011, he admitted he was “completely broke,” but a judge ordered him to pay $15,000 in back child support. Today, Furlong is an example of what could have been.

Thomas Dekker portrayed John Connor in the Fox television series Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, which lasted for a season-and-a-half in 2008 and 2009.

He has gone on to star in the recently cancelled CW series The Secret Circle. In October 2009, Dekker hit a 17-year-old cyclist with his car. Police initially charged him with two counts of DUI, but Dekker pleaded no contest to a single misdemeanor charge of reckless driving.

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Posted at 7:00 am on May 19th, 2012 by Chris Queen

How the History Channel Transformed into Conspiracy Theory Central

I have a running joke among my family and friends: we often ask each other the question, “Remember when MTV was a music channel?” Of course the joke centers around the fact that MTV — along with sister stations MTV2, VH1, and even CMT — has largely moved away from music videos in favor of different types of reality programming.

Those of us who lament the change in these networks’ focus tend to point out the irony of the names behind their abbreviations — Music Television and Video Hits 1 — to prove our point. The MTV Networks have abandoned what they set out to be, and we can say the same about History. These days, the programming on what used to be The History Channel has transformed from documentaries about, well, history to reality shows that firmly plant themselves in the modern era.

To consider the history of History, we have to go way back in our time machines to 1995. That was the year the Hearst Company, Universal, and Disney (admit it — you were wondering how long it would take me to get to a Disney reference) teamed up to launch The History Channel. The History Channel’s lineup in those early days consisted largely of modestly budgeted documentary series chock full of historical nuggets and really terrible reenactments of events. It helps to think of early History Channel as a less stuffy version of PBS, with commercials for products not available in stores in place of pledge breaks. (Give me ads for The Clapper and Chia Pets over a phone bank and an offer of a free tote bag with a $250 contribution anyday!)

Many early History Channel series featured inexplicable celebrity hosts. Who can forget Civil War Journal, featuring, um, Danny Glover? Or how about Extreme History, with your host Roger Daltrey? At least Kenny Rogers and David and Keith Carradine had the requisite music and acting backgrounds that suited their hosting History Channel series about the Old West.

In the ’90s the network aired so many documentaries on World War II that it earned the rather nasty nickname “The Hitler Channel.” At the same time, critics decried The History Channel’s alleged bent towards American history, which makes perfect sense, when you think of all those World War II battles that took place here in the states — not to mention all-American hosts like Daltrey. Go figure.

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Posted at 10:15 am on May 17th, 2012 by Chris Queen

The Pixar Canon: 4 Misses And 8 Hits

This June 22, Pixar will release Brave, the studio’s 13th animated feature. Brave tells the story of Merida, a Scottish princess who rebels against her royal parents with dire consequences. Even though it may be a bit darker than a typical Pixar production, Brave looks to have the stunning visuals and memorable characterizations that make Pixar films so great.

Over the last 26 years Pixar has transformed animation. Partnering with Disney the studio innovated the medium in a way unseen since the days of Walt Disney himself. Many people still thought of computer animation as some sort of sci-fi pipe dream in 1986, but thanks to Pixar, the medium has become the industry standard — and the company’s films now dominate both the box office and critics’ yearly top 10 lists.

Pixar’s dozen productions have met with varying degrees of critical and box office success. I’d say there’s no such thing as a bad Pixar film, but some movies have raised the bar exponentially while others have fallen a bit short of the high standards the studio has set. I’ve compiled a list of the twelve movies ranked from the least to the greatest. Here we go…

12. Cars 2 (2011)

Cars 2 takes its characters out of charming Radiator Springs for an international adventure:

The resulting film winds up becoming a bright, loud mess trying too hard. Though Pixar chief John Lasseter denied that Disney forced him to make the movie, Cars 2 seems to have more in common with Michael Eisner’s “cheapquels” (the sequels rushed out to make quick money and sell merchandise) — though this film didn’t come cheap.

There’s so much wrong with Cars 2. Shifting the bulk of the action from Lightning McQueen (voiced by Owen Wilson) to Mater (voiced by Larry the Cable Guy) doesn’t work. Let’s face it: a little Mater goes a long way. The environmental message winds up being more annoying than insidious. And for all the candy-colored ADD action, the movie generates little genuine excitement.

Cars 2 became Pixar’s lowest-grossing film in North America since 1998, and critics had largely less-than-kind words. The fact that it was the first Pixar feature to fail to generate Oscar nods says a lot too.

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Posted at 8:00 am on May 9th, 2012 by Chris Queen

10 Bands That Define Southern Rock

I’ve always been a fan of Southern Rock. I grew up about halfway between Atlanta and Athens — two Georgia cities with vibrant music scenes, and over the years I’ve found myself drawn to the music of this colorful region of the country.

Though much early rock music originated in the South, a subgenre emerged in the late ’60s and ’70s — a melding of rock, country, and blues that earned the name Southern Rock. The themes of regional pride, wanderlust, and hardship are as prevalent in Southern Rock as the universal themes of love and loss, and many modern Southern Rockers have tried to come to grips with the South’s sometimes difficult and painful history.

Today, Southern Rock is far from monolithic — in fact, there’s something for just about everybody. The genre covers ground as varied as the region itself, from storytellers like Shawn Mullins and Bill Mallonee, to jam bands like Widespread Panic and the Derek Trucks Band, to the soulful stylings of artists like Mother’s Finest, Ashley Cleveland, and Alabama Shakes, to the new Southern sounds of bands like Kings of Leon and The Features. Even Christian bands like Third Day and Needtobreathe have managed to successfully cultivate a Southern Rock sound.

Here’s my list of ten bands that define Southern Rock. I don’t intend for this to necessarily be the most comprehensive list, nor do I mean to imply that these bands are the absolute best of the genre. My main criterion was to limit the list to bands that originated in the South — that’s why you won’t see bands like The Eagles, Poco, Ram Jam, or Bad Company on the list, even though they may well deserve to be. I also didn’t include solo artists on the list.

With all that said, enjoy the list!

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Posted at 1:00 pm on April 23rd, 2012 by Chris Queen

Disney’s Rich Ross: The Rise And Fall Of An Entertainment Mogul

After two and a half years at the helm of of Walt Disney Studios, Chairman Rich Ross, 50, stepped down on Friday. Ross’ departure comes on the heels of the high-profile failure of the sci-fi/fantasy epic John Carter. The $250 million film, which Disney hoped would be the year’s first blockbuster, only earned $269 million worldwide. After distribution and marketing expenses, John Carter‘s dismal take equals a loss of $80-120 million for Disney.

Ross issued a statement attributing his departure to the idea that he wasn’t the right man for the job:

“The best people need to be in the right jobs, in roles they are passionate about, doing work that leverages the full range of their abilities,” he said. “I no longer believe the chairman role is the right professional fit for me.”

Disney CEO Robert Iger also released a statement praising Ross and wishing him well:

“Rich Ross’s creative instincts, business acumen and personal integrity have driven results in key businesses for Disney,” Iger said. “I appreciate his countless contributions throughout his entire career at Disney, and expect he will have tremendous success in whatever he chooses to do next.”

After stints at Nickelodeon and FX, Rich Ross came to Disney in 1996, where he served as vice president of programming and production, and he rose to president of Disney Channels Worldwide in 2004. As head of Disney Channels Worldwide, Ross was responsible for such brands as Playhouse Disney, Disney XD, Jetix, and Radio Disney.

Ross helped Disney Channel become the kids-and-tweens juggernaut that it is today. He launched the Disney Channel Original Movie franchise, which spawned enormous hits like the High School Musical and Camp Rock series. Radio Disney became a stepping stone for pop music success. Under Ross’ leadership, Disney Channel produced phenomenally successful shows like Hannah Montana, The Suite Life of Zack & Cody, Phineas & Ferb, and Wizards of Waverly Place. Playhouse Disney (now Disney Junior) increased its dominance under Ross as well.

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Posted at 7:43 am on April 21st, 2012 by Chris Queen

‘When The **** Hits The Fan’: The Eccentrics of Doomsday Preppers

Remember the frenzy surrounding Y2K?

In the years and months leading up to the new millennium, IT organizations spent billions patching systems and replacing software that had infamously been designed to support only a two-digit year — a problem dubbed the Year 2000 bug, the Millennium bug, or simply Y2K.

While the world pondered dire predictions of massive global infrastructure failures — everything from elevators to air traffic control systems were rumored to be vulnerable — the specter of a total paralysis of business operations resulting from cascading Y2K failures galvanized organizations into a frenzy of activity.

The Y2K problem threatened to tear our modern world apart — at least that was what some people thought. I’ll never forget friends stockpiling food and water in preparation for the certain collapse of our system of commerce. I actually heard grown men arguing like children over whose Y2K stash was larger. It seemed like, everywhere I went, people were obsessed with being prepared.

And then it was over. On Dec. 31, 1999, the world held its breath — and nothing happened. Jan. 1, 2000, came in just like any other day. There were no major failures to report anywhere.

In the aftermath, or non-aftermath, some pundits said all the preparation had been overkill.

I’ll admit it: there’s nothing wrong with being prepared for emergencies. In fact, FoxNews.com ran a helpful article just the other week about preparation. But the other side of the coin is that some people become obsessed with preparing for one implausible catastrophe or another — these folks have become the inspiration for National Geographic’s perversely fascinating documentary series Doomsday Preppers.

Doomsday Preppers has a simple premise: preppers share how they are gearing up to survive the event or condition they fear will take place. After the preppers demonstrate their plans, a group of consultants from the organization Practical Preppers rates the preparations and offers suggestions on how to improve their plans. The show briefly revisits each prepper after they have made some changes based on the suggestions.

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Posted at 10:40 am on April 5th, 2012 by Chris Queen

The 5 Best and 5 Worst James Bond Theme Songs

Fans of the James Bond films look forward to the theme songs as much as anything else. There’s a thrill to hearing a new 007 theme over the movie’s creative, sexy title sequences. The theme songs have set the tone for Bond in 19 of the 22 films in the series.

We’ve seen 007 theme songs that range from the low-key (Nancy Sinatra’s “You Only Live Twice” in 1967) to the heavy-hitting (Chris Cornell’s “You Know My Name” in 2006) to the truly bizarre (I’m looking at you, Jack White & Alicia Keys). No matter how good or bad the song, a Bond theme is an integral part of the experience.

In honor of the 50th anniversary of the James Bond franchise, I present to you the five best theme songs of the series, followed by the five worst. A couple of years ago I shared my own personal favorites on my website, but with this list I’m looking at the songs with critical and historical eyes.

5. Louis Armstrong, “We Have All The Time In The World,” from On Her Majesty’s Secret Service (1969)

On Her Majesty’s Secret Service stands as a bit of an anomaly among Bond movies. The film marked George Lazenby’s only appearance as 007, and the plot centered around eternal bachelor Bond getting married and becoming a widower. It’s also one of only three entries in the series not to have a song over the opening credits — the other ones were Dr. No and From Russia With Love. Instead, the beautiful “We Have All The Time In The World” plays during a romantic sequence later on in the film.

Composer John Barry chose Louis Armstrong to perform the ballad, and Barry later picked it as one of his two favorite Bond theme songs, both for the beauty of the music and the pleasure of working with the jazz legend.

“We Have All The Time In The World” has endured as a favorite, especially among the Brits. Artists as diverse as Iggy Pop, the Puppini Sisters, and Michael Ball have covered the song, and respondents to a 2005 poll ranked it as the third most popular wedding song in the United Kingdom. I even read a few years back where some British churches used the song in worship services. The song might not spring to mind as a classic Bond theme, but Armstrong still provided a rare moment of grace.

4. Tom Jones, “Thunderball,” from Thunderball (1965)

The second song to appear over the title sequence of a Bond film has an interesting history. Initially, Barry and lyricist Leslie Bricusse penned a song titled “Mr. Kiss Kiss Bang Bang,” named for an Italian journalist’s nickname for 007. United Artists balked, insisting that the song have the same title as the movie. Barry teamed up with Don Black to rush out a new title song.

Johnny Cash also submitted a song but the studio rejected it. Check it out here.

Tom Jones gave one of his bravura performances on “Thunderball” but not without paying a price. Jones passed out after belting the climactic high note. Years later he said:

I closed my eyes and I held the note for so long when I opened my eyes the room was spinning.

“Thunderball” continued a new tradition: dramatic title songs that set the tone for the whole film.

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Posted at 12:05 am on March 29th, 2012 by Chris Queen

John Carter: Old-Fashioned Sci-Fi Leaps to Life

A few weeks from now we’ll find ourselves knee-deep in the summer blockbuster season, inundated by a gaggle of loud, bright, overdone action movies. It seems like every year these big studio barn-burners appeal to the lowest common denominator, shortchanging plot and character at the expense of cheap special-effect thrills. But in early spring, movie lovers get a chance to treat themselves to a different breed of sci-fi action film — Disney’s John Carter.

I’ve already written about the background of John Carter and the hundred-year journey from the novel’s original publication to the movie’s release. Edgar Rice Burroughs published the first John Carter novel in serialized form in 1911, a few years before the Tarzan novels which earned Burroughs his fame.

John Carter‘s story begins when Carter (Taylor Kitsch) sends his nephew, a young Burroughs (Daryl Sabara), a

Taylor Kitsch as John Carter

telegram summoning him for a vist. When Burroughs arrives, Carter has died and left him his estate, including his valuable collection of artifacts from throughout the world, his unusual tomb, and the secretive journal of his adventures.

As Burroughs delves into the journal, Carter’s tale unfolds in flashbacks. In the Old West, the enigmatic Carter, a captain in the Army of Northern Virginia during the Civil War, searches Arizona Territory for a cave of gold. When Carter and an Army officer find themselves caught in the crossfire of a skirmish between Apaches and American soldiers, they hide in a cave. Once inside, Carter discovers unusual markings and begins exploring. He sees a strange-looking man in the cave, shoots him, and steals his medallion. The next thing Carter knows, he is on Mars.

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Posted at 12:28 am on March 17th, 2012 by Chris Queen

The 10 Best Disney Songs by the Sherman Brothers

Chances are, you’re familiar with a few of the songs written by the Sherman Brothers, even if you don’t know who they are by name. Richard and Robert Sherman were one of the most prolific songwriting teams in history. If you’re cleaning the house and find yourself singing a tune like “I Wan’na Be Like You,” “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang,” or “Let’s Go Fly A Kite,” you’ve experienced the inimitable music of the Sherman Brothers.

Robert Sherman (pictured, left) passed away on March 5 in London. He was the older brother and the quiet one: younger brother Richard appeared in public more often and granted more interviews than did Robert, especially after Robert’s wife’s death in 2001. In addition to his work as a composer, Robert was a World War II hero and an accomplished painter.

The Sherman Brothers composed the scores for dozens of films, TV specials, theme park attractions, and stage musicals. They even wrote a song that became a #1 hit for Ringo Starr:

But fans and critics alike know Richard and Robert Sherman best from their Disney work. For half a decade, the Sherman Brothers held the title of Staff Composers at Walt Disney Studios. They were Walt Disney’s go-to guys for fun songs and enjoyable film scores, and Walt affectionately referred to them as “the boys.” After Walt’s death, they worked off and on with the Disney organization on various projects, from movies to theme parks to London and Broadway productions.

To honor the life of Robert Sherman, here’s a list of the ten best Disney songs by the Sherman Brothers.

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Posted at 2:00 pm on March 9th, 2012 by Chris Queen

Oscar’s Only Human: The 10 Biggest Academy Awards Blunders

Jack Haley, Jr. hit upon a brilliant idea. The producer of the 1979 Oscars telecast devised a special medley of hit songs the Academy never nominated. Steve Lawrence and Sammy Davis, Jr. would perform it at the ceremony. The Academy’s Music Branch protested, but when Haley and host Johnny Carson threatened to walk they relented.

A smash hit, the audience applauded “Oscar’s Only Human” throughout and treated the performers to a prolonged ovation.

****

Oscar is only human, and he’s made some terrible mistakes over the years. From controversial wins to unfortunate slights to sins of showmanship, the Academy Awards have failed time and time again.

In honor of this Sunday’s broadcast, here are my personal picks for Oscar’s ten most egregious screw-ups:

10. Makin’ Whoopi… Into An Oscar Winner

In 1985 Whoopi Goldberg made a big splash. She earned a Grammy for her first comedy album as well as a Golden Globe and an Oscar nod for her film debut in The Color Purple. Five years later, her movie career had faltered, thanks to a series of flops.

But then came the perfect storm that was Ghost. With the makings of the quintessential chick flick — sexy stars in Patrick Swayze and Demi Moore and a supernatural romantic subplot — Goldberg appears for comic relief as the medium used to communicate beyond the grave.

While a surprise box-office smash,critics didn’t take kindly to Ghost. Julie Salomon of the Wall Street Journal said the film wasn’t “awful enough to be a great trash movie, but it often comes close.” Yet when the Academy Award nominations came out, Ghost scored five, including one for Best Picture.

The big story at the Oscars that year was Kevin Costner’s revisionist Western Dances With Wolves, but Goldberg managed to walk home with the Best Supporting Actress trophy. Considering her competition that year — Lorraine Bracco, Annette Bening, Mary McDonnell, and Diane Ladd, all from dramatic films — it’s curious that Goldberg won for such a comic role.

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Posted at 12:30 pm on February 24th, 2012 by Chris Queen

5 Reasons Why I Always Say I’ll Never Watch The Grammys Again

For as long as I can remember, I’ve been a sucker for the “big three” awards shows — the Oscars, the Emmys, and the Grammys. Even as a kid, I loved the competitive aspect of the awards, and I’m still attracted to the notion of different industries gathering to honor the best in their respective fields.

I’ve had a love-hate relationship with the Grammy Awards over the years. As a music guy, I love seeing my favorite artists compete, and enjoy trying to predict the winners. At the same time, there’s plenty to hate about the Grammys, and it’s usually enough for me to declare every year that I’ll never watch them again.

But, fool that I am, I watched the show again this year. Of course I was watching because I wanted to see Adele claim some hardware, which she did.

I also got to see tons of truly bizarre moments, like a DJ wearing a light-up mouse helmet, Nicki Minaj certainly offending both Catholics and lovers of good music, and some hipster who calls himself Bon Iver stealing the Best New Artist trophy from The Band Perry, who genuinely deserved the award.

This year’s Grammy broadcast managed to demonstrate everything that’s wrong with the awards show every year. Here are five reasons why I always say I’ll never watch the Grammys again.

5. CBS Shamelessly Uses The Awards To Promote Their Shows

Grammy host LL Cool J

For most of the past four decades, the Grammys have made their broadcast home on CBS, the masters of self-promotion. It never fails that CBS will feature stars of some of its shows as presenters, regardless of their connection to the awards show itself. Watch the show each year, and I guarantee that at least one presenter’s presence will baffle millions of viewers.

Patricia Arquette? Her connection to the Grammys: her sister was allegedly the inspiration for 1982’s Record of the Year, “Rosanna” by Toto. Yet she presented on the Grammys only because her series Medium was on CBS at the time.

Jennifer Love Hewitt? CBS probably tapped her to present an award because of all her hit singles like…never mind, I can’t think of any. The Ghost Whisperer was another CBS show, and she was the star.

That guy from The Mentalist? Nope, I’ve got nothing, except — you guessed it — another star of another show on CBS.

This year, after a few years of a host-free format, CBS made an intriguing choice for host — LL Cool J. He’s a pioneer in the hip-hop field, did a fine job hosting the show, but I can’t help but think that the network chose him largely because he appears on NCIS: Los Angeles every week.

Other CBS stars like Pauley Perrette, Taraji P. Henson, and Neil Patrick Harris appeared on the Grammys as well, and though all three have musical backgrounds, chances are they wouldn’t have appeared on the show if it had aired on another network.

It’s a shame that a network would use what should be a prestigious awards show as a platform for plugging their programming, but CBS has been doing it for years. I fully expect it to continue this year.

Related: Check out Jonathan Sanders’ 5 Things I Learned While Live-Blogging the Grammys

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Posted at 11:20 am on February 14th, 2012 by Chris Queen

5 Reasons Why I Can’t Wait For Skyfall, The New James Bond Movie

Late last year, Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli, producers of the James Bond movies, announced the long-awaited 23rd film in the series: Skyfall, which is set for release November 9. Daniel Craig returns as the superspy, and Sam Mendes is directing. The first plot synopsis reads:

“Bond’s loyalty to M (Dame Judi Dench) is tested as her past comes back to haunt her. As MI6 comes under attack, 007 must track down and destroy the threat, no matter how personal the cost.”

In conjunction with Skyfall’s production, the producers and studio have updated the official James Bond website and developed a presence for the franchise on Facebook and Twitter. It’s easier than ever for 007 fans to geek out. This year also marks the 50th anniversary of the film series, and Wilson has promised plenty of web tributes to mark the occasion.

As a longtime Bond fan, I’m excited to present five reasons why I can’t wait to see Skyfall. We’ll start with the most obvious reason.

5. It’s Been Four Years Since Quantum Of Solace.

It’s hard to believe that the last 007 movie came out during the Bush administration. For even a casual fan, a four-year wait is far too long for a James Bond fix. In the four years since Quantum Of Solace, MGM nearly completely went under, threatening the entire existence of the 007 franchise, until Sony bailed them out, rescuing James Bond from certain doom.

In the last half century, the only time we’ve gone longer without a Bond film was the six years between 1989’s License To Kill and 1995’s Goldeneye. I think the reason for that long wait was because the world needed to cleanse itself of the hideous Timothy Dalton movies.

The last four years have been a period of rumors, false starts, and anxious waiting for Bond geeks like me. The waiting is almost over, and November 9 can’t come soon enough.

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Posted at 1:35 pm on February 7th, 2012 by Chris Queen

John Carter’s Long Road from the Civil War to the Silver Screen

One of the most anticipated motion pictures of the first half of this year is Disney’s John Carter. Slated for a March 9 release, the sci-fi/fantasy stars Friday Night Lights’ Taylor Kitsch as the title character, a Confederate soldier who is transported to Mars, where he becomes involved with the conflicts between the various nations of the planet — known as “Barsoom” to its inhabitants.

John Carter boasts an impressive cast and crew. In addition to Kitsch, the film costars Bryan Cranston, Lynn Collins, Willem Dafoe, and Dominic West. Pixar veteran Andrew Stanton directed and cowrote the script with Mark Andrews and noted author Michael Chabon. Emmy- and Oscar-winning composer Michael Giacchino wrote the score.

With so many big names involved in the production, as well as a budget soaring over $250 million, it’s no surprise that Disney aficionados and movie buffs have kept John Carter in their sights for a few years now (I can remember hearing about it as far back as the summer of 2008). With such anxious anticipation, the film has generated plenty of buzz, both positive and negative.

This movie’s circuitous road to the big screen is a fascinating one. It’s a long journey that encompasses a century and involves an array of twists and turns that befit an action epic. So buckle up and enjoy the ride.

The character of John Carter was the brainchild of author Edgar Rice Burroughs, best known as the creator of Tarzan. Burroughs’ first published work was the serialized novel Under the Moons of Mars, which he sold to All-Story Magazine for $400 in 1911, before he completed his first Tarzan novel. The novel first appeared in book form as A Princess of Mars in 1917. Burroughs expanded the saga of John Carter into a series of eleven books, including a two-novella collection published after his death.

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Posted at 4:40 pm on January 30th, 2012 by Chris Queen

Reimagining Fairy Tales: Grimm, Once Upon A Time and Their Modern Spin On Fantasy

There’s something about fairy tales that resonates throughout the generations. We remember the stories from our childhood — the princesses and princes, the grotesque creatures and devious villains, the near triumph of evil, defeated by good just at the end — and we pass them on to our children and grandchildren. They’re timeless stories we love to hear (and tell) over and over.

For years, television producers have tried to reframe fairy tales in new ways. In the early ‘80s, actress Shelley Duvall gathered an astonishing array of actors and directors for her star-studded Showtime anthology series Faerie Tale Theatre. Later in the decade, ABC put Snow White, Prince Charming, the Evil Queen, and the Magic Mirror in Los Angeles after a thousand-year sleep in the cute sitcom The Charmings. And CBS turned the story of Beauty and the Beast into a dark-hued romance for three seasons. This year, two new series are placing familiar fairy tales in a modern context.

NBC’s Grimm, which airs on Friday nights, is set in Portland, where homicide detective Nick Burkhardt (David Giuntoli) develops the ability to see supernatural creatures. He discovers that he is descended from a group of hunters known as Grimms. The Grimms have taken charge of preserving the balance between the physical and mythological worlds and protecting humanity from otherworldly forces.

Burkhardt learns that his abilities as a Grimm relate to the cases he must solve. He begins to make the connections between the grisly crimes in Portland and the fairytale creatures behind them. He teams up with a “reformed big bad wolf” named Monroe (Silas Weir Mitchell) who helps him solve the cases and make sense of the fantastical realm, and he discovers more about his destiny as a Grimm.

Grimm is a dark program, rooted in more literal interpretations of the Brothers Grimm’s frightening fairy tales than most adaptations. Additionally, the show tackles some of the more obscure stories in the Brothers Grimm canon. The program relies on moody cinematography, grotesque makeup, and special effects to tell the show’s tale. The production design on Grimm goes a long way toward establishing the series’ dramatic tone.

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Posted at 12:38 pm on January 13th, 2012 by Chris Queen

Five TV Shows That Didn’t Get the Chance They Deserved

Over the years I’ve had the misfortune of falling head over heels for a new TV show only to see brilliant network executives cancel it before an audience could appear. It seems to be an issue more often these days. New series come and go, shattered by the network hammer long before they have a chance to garner fans and viewers.

It wasn’t always this way. Shows like Seinfeld and Taxi took years to develop a following, while networks often keep “prestige” shows like 30 Rock on the air despite poor ratings. Recently in The Hollywood Reporter, columnist Tim Goodman posed an interesting question: “Do TV Series Get or Deserve Second Chances?” Before basically answering “yes and no,” Goodman noted:

The fact is, it’s getting harder and harder to cultivate a hit series on television and keep the numbers steady. Already the mythological 500-channel universe is rapidly becoming a reality, diluting the available audience. It’s a wider, not deeper world now. Consequently, the definition of a hit, particularly for network television, continues to nosedive. Any series above 10 million total viewers is a massive hit – when, in the not-too-distant past, that was a number that could get you canceled.

Here are five shows that didn’t get the chance they deserved. I’ve limited myself to the last 20 years in compiling this list. The nice thing is that, with modern technology like DVDs, Netflix, and YouTube, people can become fans of these shows all over again.

We’ll start with a show that tackled one of the most divisive eras in our nation’s recent history…

5. I’ll Fly Away (1991-1993)

The networks rarely choose to portray the civil rights era on series television, but one drama tried in the early ‘90s: I’ll Fly Away. Much of the show, which ran for two seasons on NBC, was filmed in and around my hometown, so I have a bit of a personal connection with it.

I’ll Fly Away tells the story of the nascent civil rights movement through two parallel stories. Small town attorney Forrest Bedford (Sam Waterston) is a widower raising three children. His law practice is successful, but when he begins to take on civil rights cases, his view of the world changes. Meanwhile, his black nanny (Regina Taylor) also sees the sea change taking place in the South, inspiring her own political activism.

Filmed on location in small towns in Georgia, the show’s Southern details hit the mark (as did the accents). The writing and directing were excellent, in spite of an earnest, left-leaning bent. The children on the show were precocious and thoughtful without being saccharine. Both Waterston and Taylor played their roles with a quiet intensity that contrasted with the stormy nature of the times.

The cast of I'll Fly Away

I’ll Fly Away won two Emmys and several other awards in its short run. After NBC cancelled the show, PBS made a TV movie to tie up the loose ends. PBS also reran the entire series one time. I’ll Fly Away has never been released on DVD, and it seemed as though it would be a series lost to the past. However, one YouTube user has made all of the program’s episodes available in a playlist. Thanks to modern technology, viewers can seek out I’ll Fly Away again.

Next we’ll look at a heartfelt comedy set in the world of sports media…

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Posted at 4:00 pm on January 4th, 2012 by Chris Queen

Forgotten Christmas: Five Lesser-Known Holiday Specials

Earlier this week I shared with you ten essential Christmas specials and movies. Those were beloved classics that viewers can find on television year after year. They’re traditions and institutions for so many families during the holidays, and they’re easy to come across on broadcast television or video.

Today I’m going to dig a little deeper. There are a few Christmas shows that I like to call “forgotten specials.” They’re lesser known to the general public, though each one has its own fans. Sometimes you can find these specials on video, but often these forgotten specials are lost to the past when it comes to television broadcasting.

Here’s a list of five lesser known holiday programs. Four of them are legitimate classics, while the fifth is a notorious flop. Three of them are available on official video releases, while the other two take some effort to find.

We’ll start with a group of beloved characters who make two appearances on this list…

5. A Muppet Family Christmas

There aren’t many characters who debuted in the ‘50s and ‘60s, had their heyday in the ‘70s and ‘80s and still inspire enough love to make a comeback in 2011. Jim Henson’s Muppets are among the few characters to have had that kind of staying power. Just a few years after The Muppet Show ended its run, the Muppets were back on television with A Muppet Family Christmas, an hour-long special that originally ran on ABC in 1987.

Fozzie Bear and his Muppet Show friends decide to surprise his mother Emily for Christmas by visiting her at her farmhouse. She has to cancel her holiday vacation plans because of the unexpected guests, and Doc (Gerard Parkes) from Fraggle Rock, who intends to rent the house for Christmas, joins all the guests staying there. Kermit and his nephew Robin find a portal to Fraggle Rock in the basement, and carolers from Sesame Street pay a visit. A snowstorm rolls in, stranding everyone at the farmhouse, except for Miss Piggy, who arrives just in time for Christmas.

Like any other Muppet program, A Muppet Family Christmas is full of musical numbers. In the opening sequence The Muppet Show gang sings a version of “We Need A Little Christmas.” The Swedish Chef performs “The Christmas Song” with Big Bird, while Fozzie duets with a snowman on “Sleigh Ride.” When Miss Piggy arrives at the farmhouse, the entire cast joins in a medley of Christmas carols, and there are plenty of other musical moments in the special.

One of the most interesting bits of trivia about A Muppet Family Christmas is that it features characters from all four major Muppet series: The Muppet Show, Sesame Street, Fraggle Rock, and Muppet Babies. The special was the first Henson production to use Muppets from all four shows. Henson himself makes a cameo appearance washing dishes in the kitchen.

A Muppet Family Christmas saw VHS releases in 1994 and 1998, and debuted on DVD in 2001. American and Canadian video releases had to be edited severely due to US copyright laws, but European versions were unedited. Nickelodeon has broadcast the special occasionally, but the show remains among the more obscure holiday specials. It’s a shame, especially with this year’s Muppet renaissance, for this cute program to languish in semi-obscurity.

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Posted at 3:57 pm on December 20th, 2011 by Chris Queen

Essential Christmas: The 10 Best Holiday Specials And Movies

In a day when parents and children rarely watch the same TV shows, Christmas TV specials and holiday movies still somehow manage to continue to bring families together.

These days it’s even easier than it used to be to share these traditions. ABC Family has made an art out of holiday programming with their “25 Days of Christmas” programming blocs that package specials throughout the month of December. Home video and streaming services also allow families to watch programs whenever they want.

In the spirit of Christmas, I’m offering to you this list of the ten most essential specials and movies of the season.

We’ll start with a pair of very different types of animation from a production company synonymous with Christmas specials…

10. The Year Without A Santa Claus

Arthur Rankin and Jules Bass are synonymous with their stop-motion Christmas specials of the ‘60s and ‘70s. Viewers not familiar with their names will recognize their unmistakable round-headed characters, candy-colored landscapes, and softly falling snow. A few of their specials are on this list, starting with The Year Without A Santa Claus.

In this 1974 special, Mrs. Claus (voiced by Shirley Booth) tells the story of the year Santa (voiced by Mickey Rooney) decides — on doctor’s orders — to take a vacation. Two of his elves and the young reindeer Vixen take a trip to find enough Christmas spirit to cheer Santa up. Along their way, the elves battle the Heat Miser and Snow Miser and visit Southtown, USA, where they get lost. Santa journeys south to find Vixen and discovers that the children of the world need him. He can’t skip Christmas.

The Year Without A Santa Claus is a clever story with some memorable scenes and catchy songs, including those involving the villains.

It’s not as ubiquitous as Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer or Santa Claus Is Coming To Town, but The Year Without A Santa Claus is trippy holiday fun.

9. Frosty The Snowman

Another Christmas special that has stood the test of time is Frosty The Snowman. Originally aired in 1969, Frosty vaguely follows the story line of the popular Christmas song. The special tells how the kids who built Frosty help him escape to the North Pole while trying to elude the magician whose hat brought him to life.

The special is a Rankin/Bass production but it’s a traditional cartoon, not the company’s signature stop-motion. Rankin and Bass hired a Japanese company to animate the showand it has a decidedly different look from most animation of the period. Jimmy Durante provides the narration and performs the title song.

Looking back the animation in Frosty is poor and the special as a whole is a bit cheesy but it’s still nostalgic Christmas fun.

Next up is a movie about one boy’s quest for a special Christmas gift. Don’t poke your eye out!

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Posted at 3:30 pm on December 19th, 2011 by Chris Queen

Walt Disney’s Five Greatest Innovations

Today marks the 110th anniversary of Walt Disney’s birth. Disney started with little more than talent and ambition and built one of the most powerful entertainment empires known to man. Many people think of him as simply the man who created Mickey Mouse, or as a television host or studio head, but Disney played a vital, hands-on role in his company’s success.

Disney won 22 Academy Awards, an Emmy, and countless other honors for his work. He was also a visionary like few others in history, and he belongs on the list of true American innovators along with Thomas Edison, Henry Ford, and Steve Jobs.

In honor of Disney’s birthday, here is a list of five of his greatest innovations. Some of them are obvious, while others aren’t as well known. But all changed the way we view entertainment and art.

(Author’s note: I relied on two books about Walt Disney for this column. Bob Thomas’ Walt Disney: An American Original is more or less his “official” biography, while Neal Gabler’s Walt Disney: The Triumph Of The American Imagination is a recently published account. Both books are comprehensive and well-written, and I highly recommend them.)

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Posted at 8:00 am on December 5th, 2011 by Chris Queen

Person Of Interest and the Paranoia of the Digital Age

Back when the networks began promoting their new fall series, one of the upcoming shows that intrigued me was Person Of Interest, which stars Lost’s Michael Emerson and Jim Caviezel, best known for The Passion Of The Christ. And why wouldn’t it look interesting? Who wouldn’t want to see Benjamin Linus and Jesus teaming up to prevent crimes?

Person Of Interest, which airs on Thursday nights on CBS, has become one of a handful of new series that are appointment television for me. It’s remarkably different from most of today’s procedural shows — “He’s a psychic who solves crimes!” “They’re police partners who had a one night stand!” “Ghosts tell her who killed them and how to find the evidence!” — that its grittiness is downright refreshing.

The program’s premise is clever: eccentric software genius Harold Finch (Emerson) develops a system for the government that detects acts of terrorism before they occur, only to discover that it also spits out information related to other violent crimes. Finch teams up with former CIA operative John Reese (Caviezel) to put an end to these crimes before they take place. Always on their tails is NYPD Detective Carter (Taraji P. Henson), who attempts to get to the bottom of these acts of what could be called pre-vigilante justice.

Michael Emerson as Harold Finch

In the capable hands of creator/executive producer Jonathan Nolan (brother and writing partner of mind-blowing filmmaker Christopher Nolan) and executive producer J. J. Abrams (mastermind behind Lost), Person Of Interest has a uniquely gritty feel. The show’s New York City is hazily lit and teeming with potential victims and perpetrators. The writers do an excellent job peeling back layers of the characters’ back stories. It’s a thoughtfully written program, with a genuine poignance to each episode. Emerson plays the creepy mastermind like no one else can, Caviezel is pitch-perfect at the strong, silent type, and Henson portrays Detective Carter with ease and authority.

After only a few episodes, Person Of Interest can rightly be called fascinating and innovative television. As a matter of fact, we’ve already seen here at PJ Lifestyle how the show has upended some of the typical portrayals of men and women when it comes to crime. It is also a truly modern phenomenon, playing on a type of paranoia that has been heightened over the last decade: the fear of a government looking over its citizens with prying eyes.

Concern over a spying, overreaching government is nothing new: George Orwell infamously wrote of Big Brother watching us in his masterpiece 1984. And who can forget Rockwell’s hit song from 1984 where he proclaimed, “I always feel like somebody’s watching me”? In our post-9/11, post-Patriot Act world, the idea of the government digging into our private lives seems more real than ever before, and Person Of Interest is largely built around that fear. In fact, the show’s tagline — “Ever feel like you’re being watched?” — plays directly to that paranoia.

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Posted at 12:00 am on December 3rd, 2011 by Chris Queen

Five Reasons Why I Love To Watch BBC America On The Telly

I’ll admit that I’ve been fascinated by British culture for a long time. I’ve loved The Beatles as long as I can remember, and I’ll argue any day that much of the best music ever made has come from the UK. When other kids wanted to be superheroes, I wanted to be James Bond. But for too many years I thought British television consisted of stuffy period pieces about old people with old money. That’s what Masterpiece Theatre taught me until I discovered BBC America.

I first watched BBC America a few years back when they premiered Gordon Ramsay’s excellent food series The F-Word. I also discovered Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares long before the U.S. version premiered. As I watched those programs, I saw promos for other BBC America shows, and I began to explore. Soon I was hooked and now BBC America is one of my regular TV destinations.

And here are the five reasons why I love to watch BBC America on “the telly.”

5. Terrific Personalities

BBC America’s slogan boasts “The Best Names In British Television,” and I’ve been pleased to get to know many of them through their shows. There are plenty of amazing actors and actresses playing compelling characters on the network’s series.

The cast of The Hour – a series, which recently ended but is now available on DVD, set at a BBC News program in 1956

Dominic West, Ben Whishaw, and Romola Garai of "The Hour"

– is a prime example of the great talents that BBC America has to offer. I’ve fallen in love with Romola Garai, who stars as the good natured yet determined news producer Bel Rowley. I appreciate Dominic West’s honest performance as news host Hector Madden, and I feel every bit of the nervousness in Ben Whishaw’s portrayal of reporter Freddie Lyon.

I’m also head over heels for Law & Order: UK’s Freema Agyeman, who plays Crown Prosecutor Alesha Philips, and Bradley Walsh is as good as the late Jerry Orbach at portraying the grizzled, jaded veteran detective on that show. The guys from Top Gear — Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond, and James May — are fun and informative, and they’re more entertaining than the hosts of the U.S. version. And then there’s Gordon Ramsay. I truly think that even viewers who are turned off by his loud antics on Hell’s Kitchen would be impressed by his passion for cooking and great cuisine on The F-Word.

4. A Really Cool Website

I’m aware that it may be a bit strange to go on about a network’s website as part of the reason why I like to watch them, but let me explain. The more I watch BBC America, the more I’m driven to their website, which in turns makes me want to watch BBC America even more.

The logo to BBC America's "Anglophenia" blog

BBC America’s website is a comprehensive, well done source of information. In addition to the UK news and British celebrity gossip, the site has extensive pages devoted to each BBC America show, along with pages about shows that are no longer on the network and previews of coming attractions. Each page contains episode summaries, video clips, and information about the series’ characters and the actors and actresses who play them. Some of the pages even offer handy explanations of UK slang.

What really sets BBCAmerica.com apart are the blogs, which are must-reads for Anglophiles like me. The bloggers share tons of tidbits about British culture, and they often good-naturedly “out” celebrities that most people didn’t know were British. The blogs feature list posts (so near and dear to my heart) about British culture and its differences from and similarities to American culture. I’ve had fun learning about the UK from the BBC America website.

Next: Do TV seasons really need to be 22 episodes? Why not six?

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Posted at 12:49 am on November 24th, 2011 by Chris Queen

Recreating the ’60s: Mad Men and Its Pale Imitators

One of the most talked about television programs of the last few years has been Mad Men. It has long been a critical darling, and has won 14 Emmy awards in four seasons — including four consecutive wins for Outstanding Drama Series — and has been nominated for 54 more.

Set in the advertising world of the 1960s, the series follows the lives of creative director Don Draper (Jon Hamm) and his colleagues at the fictional agency Sterling Cooper, later Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce. It also delves into the personal lives of its characters, including Draper’s rocky marriage.

Mad Men has been praised for its rich writing and vibrant acting, but what makes it such a remarkable program is the way it depicts the early ’60s in vivid detail. Everything on Mad Men creates a sense of immersion into New York in that era.

With the success of Mad Men as a buzzworthy series and a snapshot of times long gone, it made sense that sooner or later it would spawn imitators. And lo and behold, this year we saw the debuts of ABC’s Pan Am and NBC’s The Playboy Club.

Mad Men's Jon Hamm and Elisabeth Moss

Pan Am and The Playboy Club arrived on the scene with plenty of fanfare and high expectations. Both series were heavily touted, and the comparisons to Mad Men were inevitable. Yet now, a few weeks into the fall TV season, The Playboy Club has been cancelled, and Pan Am is on the verge of being grounded.

Is there a reason why Pan Am is floundering and The Playboy Club is already dead, while Mad Men resonates with viewers so much that it continues to pick up new fans even during its off-season? It boils down to the fact that Pan Am and The Playboy Club view their ’60s settings through a modern prism, while for Mad Men the ’60s are essentially the setting for a character and plot-driven show that remains true to the era.

Next: Why Pan Am is struggling to take flight…

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Posted at 2:00 pm on November 1st, 2011 by Chris Queen

The Ten Things You Must Do at Disney World

I’m a major Disney fan — I grew up on Disney, and it has been a key influence throughout my life. From films to music to television series there’s always been some type of Disney entertainment playing in the background. I can’t think of a period in my life without Disney.

Growing up in a family that’s nutty for Disney, Walt Disney World has always been our favorite vacation destination. My parents honeymooned there and they first took me as an infant. By my count, I’ve been to Walt Disney World 25 times, though others in my family think I may have been more times. Since my nieces were born, we’ve tried to make our pilgrimages at least once a year.

I love planning our trips to Walt Disney World almost as much as I love going there. Planning helps us build anticipation and makes our trips that much sweeter. There’s no greater excitement than the expectancy that comes with a Walt Disney World trip.

My whole family have become experts for our friends and acquaintances when it comes to Walt Disney World. People constantly ask us for tips and trip-planning advice. In fact, my sister and I have talked about opening a travel agency specializing in Disney trips.

So without further ado, here’s a list of ten essential Walt Disney World experiences. If you’ve never been or if you haven’t been in a long time, hopefully these tips will help you plan and know what to expect. If you’ve been many times like me, maybe this list can inspire some good-natured debate about what’s best at Walt Disney World.

Next: Heaven for the Disney collector…

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Posted at 12:00 am on October 30th, 2011 by Chris Queen

The League Knows Best: How the Nanny State Has Invaded the NFL

The nanny state surrounds us. At every level of government politicians legislate and bureaucrats regulate in the name of our own good. The news media dole out tips and suggestions as if viewers and readers had no common sense. These days, we even have unelected officials trying to tell us what to eat. So, you’d hope that the one place we could escape the nanny state would be the sports world, right?

This nanny statism in sports isn’t new. In his Pictorial History of the University of Georgia, F. N. Boney, a former professor of mine, recounts how a tragic accident nearly led to the abolition of football in Georgia, thanks so some well-meaning legislators:

When a game against Virginia in Atlanta in 1897 ended in the death of a Georgia player, Von Gammon, a drive to abolish the sport developed. All over the nation football was causing many serious injuries and some deaths. A bill abolishing football sailed through the state legislature, but [professor and pioneering football coach Charles] Herty continued to champion the game, insisting that better facilities and equipment would eliminate excessive dangers, and Von Gammon’s mother defended Herty and football, the game her son “held so dear.” Governor William Y. Atkinson had graduated in law from the university in 1877 and had been a trustee in 1891. A sports enthusiast, he had witnessed the fatal game in Atlanta. After much thought, he refused to sign the bill, and football survived in Georgia.

Of course, there is much to be said about ensuring safety and technology has gone a long way toward making any game less dangerous. Unfortunately, it seems that throughout professional sports, especially in the NFL, the league offices are stepping in to make changes, but players and fans alike think that rule changes go too far.

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Posted at 3:20 pm on October 12th, 2011 by Chris Queen