movies

now available on dvd: looper

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It’s the end of the year and the good movies are coming out. But there were a few good picks along the way, and of course more fodder for dvd rentals.

  • The Amazing Spiderman (11/9) – Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone are both good in the latest comic-y reboot, though you have to forget that it is way too early for a reboot.
  • The Bourne Legacy (12/11) – More than Bourne… and following Jeremy Renner ain’t bad, though I found Rachel Weisz’s character irritating and with all the setup, still some good action.
  • Looper (12/31) – JGL can do no wrong and this time travel action romp with he and Bruce Willis is a keeper, you know for a sci-fi hit man movie.
  • The Dark Knight Rises (12/4) – I’m game, though worked best as part of series and didn’t love the villain, but Bale rounds out the good leading men can do no wrong of this list, though will we see more of JGL?
  • Savages (11/13) – I would usually love a violent action packed surfer drug dealing flick but these characters didn’t quite drag me in.

I’m looking to check out: Beasts of the Southern Wild (12/4), Liberal Arts (12/18), Ted (12/11).

 

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tv

new and noteworthy tv: 1/7-1/13

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COUGAR-TOWN-e1336678178291

Post holidays, we’re getting back in business…

Monday

  • The Bachelor (ABC, 8pm) Season Premiere – Sean meets the women.
  • Antiques Roadshow (PBS, 8pm) Season Premiere – A million dollar discovery is made.
  • Love & Hip Hop/Black Ink Crew (VH1, 8/9pm) Season/Series Premieres – Relationships and a new tattoo crew.
  • Switched at Birth (ABCF, 8pm) Season Premiere – The daughters of these not related families continue their drama.
  • Deception (NBC, 10pm) Series Premiere – Police officer investigates the death of a childhood friend, looks Revenge-ish and will probably be dumb but worth a shot.
  • The Staircase (Sund, 10pm) Series Premiere – Found dead at the bottom of the staircase, did the husband do it?
  • Trouble Next Door (Own, 10pm) Season Premiere – Series documenting families in crisis.

Tuesday

  • Cougar Town (TBS, 10pm) Season Premiere – It’s back, don’t forget to change your season pass to TBS to catch this gang, their wining, and their whining.
  • Justified (Fx, 10pm) Season Premiere – Season pass already set.
  • Africa (Disc, 10pm) Series Premiere – It’s about Africa?
  • Frontline (PBS, 10pm) Season Premiere – Starting with Michelle Rhee as chancellor of DC public schools.
  • The Joe Schmo Show (Spike, 10pm) Season Premiere – More fake reality show.
  • America’s Supernanny (Life, 10pm) Season Premiere – Getting control of the kids.
  • Snookie & JWoww (MTV, 10pm) Season Premiere – Can’t wait for parenthood.
  • The Burn with Jeff Ross (Com, 10:30pm) Season Premiere – More guests.
  • Scoring the Deal (HGTV, 11pm) Series Premiere – Real estate wheelings and dealings.

Wednesday

  • Stars in Danger: The High Dive (Fox, 8pm) – Celebrities learn how to flip it, you know, without the splash.
  • People’s Choice Awards (CBS, 9pm) – What do the people know anyhow?
  • Property Brothers (HGTV, 9pm) Season Premiere – Twin real estaters help folks fix ’em up.
  • Washington Heights (MTV, 10pm) Series Premiere – In case there are more ‘real’ people you want to get to know.
  • Barter Kings (A&E, 10pm) Season Premiere – Bartering snakes.

Thursday

  • Critic’s Choice Movie Awards (CW, 8pm) – I am mildly curious as to what the critics might say.
  • The Millionaire Matchmaker (Brav, 9pm) Season Premiere – More love to be found for the wealthy.
  • Kathy (Brav, 10pm) Season Premiere – Guests Liza and Jane Lynch.
  • Rehab Addict (DIY, 10pm) Season Premiere – Home rehab that is.

Friday

  • Banshee (Cin, 10pm) Series Premiere – Ex-con and master thief assumes the identity of a sheriff, curious if I got Cinemax.
  • Out There (IFC, 10:30pm) Series Premiere – Animated 15-year old’s misadventures.

Saturday

  • Miss America (ABC, 9pm) – Women walk the walk and talk the talk.
  • Cyndi Lauper: Still So Unusual (We, 9pm) Series Premiere – Unusual, uninteresting.
  • Staten Island Law (OWN, 9pm) Series Premiere – The reality of mediation.

Sunday

  • Australian Open (ESPN2, 3:30pm, and various) – First round!
  • Golden Globe Awards (NBC, 7/8pm) – Arrivals and then Tina Fey and Amy Poehler host.
  • Girls/Enlightened (HBO, 9/9:30pm) Season Premieres – Laura Dern and Lena Dunham return.
  • Shameless/House of Lies/Californication (Show, 9/10/10:30pm) Season Premieres – As do the people in these shows.
  • Pete Rose (TLC, 10pm) Series Premiere – Pete’s getting married.

The procrastinator lists items that may not be on your regular season pass, though notation does not imply recommendation other than those underlined. Times noted are typically PST.

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best, tv

procrastinator picks – top tv of 2012

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BunheadscastHart_of_Dixie_intertitle

Well the critics have weighed in, but what do I recommend? It’s hard to tell how unbiased I can look at each individual season but based on previous lists some shows are still faves and alas some shows have definitely dropped off. And of course there are some other shows in my queue, clearly I watch more than ten, or eleven, shows a year. Based on today’s thoughts here’s where I’m at:

  • Justified (Fx) – Raylan the Kentucky Marshall is a fave, some season arcs are stronger than others but they do a great job with the supporting cast and keeping me tuned in to who he will shoot, or get shot by, next.
  • Good Wife (CBS) – They’ve managed to evolve the story of this woman who is standing by her man, raising her family, practicing law and dealing with official and unofficial politics in a way that just keeps me hooked.
  • Sherlock (PBS) – I guess you can never have too much Holmes, sadly only three episodes per season setting him and Watson in modern day, a great look at the traditional stories with new slant on the characters.
  • Parenthood (NBC) – I actually dropped this show when it first came on but now am hooked on the Braverman’s and their drama, at times ridiculous they have some great and touching moments.
  • Parks and Recreation (NBC) – Small town politics with a cast of characters that are quirky and endearing, makes me laugh out loud.
  • Sons of Anarchy (Fx) – The complications upon complications, and the lack impulse control that these people suffer from, keeps me wondering how they can keep going without all being dead but I can’t look away.
  • Louie (Fx) – He’s the critics’ darling and for good reason, you can tell he definitely does what he wants on this show you never know what you’re going to get but this sad guy is getting a lot right.
  • Community (NBC) – The nods to all things pop culture in these eps keeps it a cut above, curious how the new show runners will keep it going.
  • Cougartown (ABC) – As folks should know this show is moving to TBS, but the cul de sac crew drinking wine makes me laugh, maybe because I’m also usually drinking wine.
  • Bunheads (ABCF)/ Hart of Dixie (CW) – These shows are going to get a dual listing, although I can’t honestly say that either of these shows are the best on tv I find them both very enjoyable with their flawed leading lady tries to do right in a small town slant.

Lots of good tv to be had, what’s on your list?

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tv

new and noteworthy tv: 12/31-1/6

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Ryan-Seacrest-Dick-Clark

Monday

  • Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve (ABC, 8/10pm) – A tribute to Dick and then the countdown.
  • New Year’s Eve with Carson Daly (NBC, 10pm) – Counting down…
  • New Year’s Eve (Fox, 11pm) – Starting the count a bit later…

Tuesday

  • Rose Parade (Various, 8am) – The Tournament marches on.
  • Totally T-Boz/The Sisterhood (TLC, 8/9pm) Series Premieres – T-Boz goes solo and wives of preachers.
  • Dance Moms (Life, 9pm) Season Premiere – Back to the routines.
  • Dual Survival (Disc, 9pm) Season Premiere – Battling in Atacama Desert.
  • Hawaii Life (HGTV, 9:30pm) Series Premiere – Hawaiian real estate.
  • Storage Wars New York (A&E, 10pm) Series Premiere – Because we needed another Storage Wars.
  • Double Divas (Life, 10:30pm) Series Premiere – Because bra fitting deserves an entire series.

Wednesday

  • Cousins on Call (HGTV, 8pm) Series Premiere – Cousin contractors build.
  • Nova (PBS, 9pm) Season Premiere – Volcanic eruptions in Iceland.

Thursday

  • Buck Wild (MTV, 10pm) Series Premiere – A group of West Virginia friends. 
  • Lost and Found (OWN, 10pm) Series Premiere – Reuniting items and people that were missing.
  • What Not to Wear (TLC, 10pm) Season Premiere – 1980s pop singer Tiffany looks for a new look.

Friday

  • Need to Know (PBS, 8:30pm) Season Premiere – What do I need to know?
  • True Justice (Reelz, 9pm) Season Premiere – What happens after the attack on the precinct.
  • Merlin (Syfy, 10pm) Season Premiere – Arthur’s Bane.
  • Portlandia (IFC, 10pm) Season Premiere – More random skits and whatnot.
  • Say Yes to the Dress (TLC, 10pm) Season Premiere – I see lots of white.
  • Made in Milwaukee (DIY, 11pm) Series Premiere – Home transformations.

Saturday

  • Pit Boss/Pit Bulls & Parolees (AnPl, 9/10pm) Season Premieres – While the boss is away and then former prisoners help with the rescues.
  • Cesar Millan’s Leader of the Pack (NatGeo, 10pm) Series Premiere – Finding the right rescue.
  • NY ER (Health, 10pm) Series Premiere – Following some of the doctors and nurses on NY Med.

Sunday

  • Mob Wives/Making Mr Right (VH1, 8/9pm) Season/Series Premiere – Is someone targeting a wife and then matchmaking.
  • The Biggest Loser (NBC, 9pm) Season Premiere – Jillian returns.
  • Downton Abbey (PBS, 9pm) Season Premiere – It continues at the abbey.
  • Rachael vs. Guy Celebrity Cook-Off (Food, 9pm) Season Premiere – The teams are picked.
  • Watch What Happens Live (Brav, 11pm) Season Premiere – Andy Cohen continues.

The procrastinator lists items that may not be on your regular season pass, though notation does not imply recommendation other than those underlined. Times noted are typically PST.

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best, tv

critics’ picks – top tv of 2012

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louieTime to get started on our year end lists! While the tv shows aren’t currently fresh, the critics’ best and award noms give you something to get ready to tune back into. I can’t personally recommend all of these shows (stay tuned for my top ten list) and as most readers know I don’t catch most of the real cable on first run (HBO, Show, Starz), but from the breadth of shows there is a little something out there for everyone. So without further ado here’s a sampling of top tv picks:

  • 2 Broke Girls (CBS) – E
  • 2012 Election  – JP
  • 30 for 30 (ESPN) – DF
  • 30 Rock (NBC) – AS, PGA, TG
  • American Horror Story: Asylum (Fx) – AFI, GG, JP, MoR, MZS
  • Archer (Fx) – MZS, TG
  • Ben and Kate (Fox) – TG
  • The Big Bang Theory (CBS) – E, MR, PGA
  • Boardwalk Empire (HBO) – GG, TG
  • Boss (Starz) – GG, TG
  • Breaking Bad (AMC) – AFI, AS, DF, JP, KT, MR, MoR,  MZS,  PGA, TG
  • Call the Midwife (PBS) – MR
  • Castle (ABC) – E
  • The Colbert Report (Com) – KT, MM
  • Coma (A&E) – MZS
  • Community (NBC) – E, MZS, TG
  • Curb Your Enthusiasm (HBO) – PGA
  • Dexter (Show) – MR, TG
  • Don’t Trust the B- In Apartment 23 (ABC) – TG
  • Downton Abbey (PBS) – MR, PGA
  • Enlightened (HBO) – GG
  • Episodes (Show) – GG
  • Game Change (HBO) – AFI
  • Game of Thrones (HBO) – AFI, DF, E, GG, JP, MoR, PGA, TG
  • Girls (HBO) – AFI, AS, DF, JP, KT, MR, MoR, TG
  • Glee (Fox) – E, GG
  • The Good Wife (CBS) – KT, MR
  • Gossip Girl (CW) – E
  • Happy Endings (ABC) – E, MoR
  • Hatfields & McCoys (Hist) – MZS
  • Homeland (Show) – AFI, AS, E, GG, JP, KT, MM, MR, MoR, MZS, PGA, TG
  • The Hour (BBCA) – DF, TG
  • House of Lies (Show) – TG
  • How I Met Your Mother (CBS) – E
  • It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia (Fx) – TG
  • Justified (Fx) – KT, TG
  • Louie (Fx) – AFI, AS, DF, JP, KT, MM, MR, MoR, MZS, PGA, TG
  • Luck (HBO) – AS, MM, MZS
  • Mad Men (AMC) – AFI, AS, DF, JP, KT, MR, MoR, MZS, PGA, TG
  • Magic City (Starz) – TG
  • The Middle (ABC) – MR
  • The Mindy Project (Fox) – E
  • Modern Family (ABC) – AFI, E, GG, PGA, TG
  • Nashville (ABC) – KT
  • New Girl (Fox) – E, GG, MoR, TG
  • On Freddie Roach (HBO) – DF
  • Once Upon a Time (ABC) – E
  • Parenthood (NBC) – AS, JP
  • Parks and Recreation (NBC) – AS, DF, E, JP, KT, MoR, TG
  • Raising Hope (Fox) – TG
  • Revenge (ABC) – E
  • Scandal (ABC) – E
  • Shameless (Show) – TG
  • Sherlock (PBS) – MM, TG
  • Sons of Anarchy (Fx) – MR, TG
  • Supernatural (CW) – E
  • Treme (HBO) – AS, DF, MZS, TG
  • The Vampire Diaries (CW) – E
  • Veep (HBO) – TG
  • The Walking Dead (AMC) – AFI, E, MM, MR, TG
  • Wilfred (Fx) – TG

AFI – AFI Television Programs of the Year, AS – Alan Sepinwall for Hitfix, DF – Dan Fienberg for Hitfix, E – E! Best Comedies and E! Best Dramas, GG – Golden Globe nomination, JP – James Poniewozik for Time, KT – Ken Tucker for Ew, MM* – Mary McNamara for LA Times, MR* – Matt Roush for TV Guide, MoR – Maureen Ryan for Huffington Post, MZS – Matt Zoller Seitz on Vulture, PGA – Producer’s Guild, TG – Tim Goodman’s Best Comedies and Dramas

* Some top votes were for categories of shows or notations to things like Clint’s chair speech and referee strike.

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tv

new and noteworthy tv: 12/24-12/30

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yule_log_2010_a_l

Let’s hope you have some good family or some good videos to keep you entertained this week…

Monday

  • Disney Prep & Landing/Shrek the Halls (ABC, 8/8:30pm) – Can’t get enough of these.

Tuesday

  • Holiday Log (KTVU, 6am) – Chestnuts roasting on the open fire…
  • Disney Parks Christmas Day Parade (ABC, 9am) – What else would Mickey and Minnie do?
  • Dr Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas (ABC, 8pm) – Will he give it back?
  • Blake Shelton’s Not So Family Christmas (NBC, 10pm) – Sing it to me.

Wednesday

  • Kennedy Center Honors (CBS, 9pm) – Led Zeppelin among others are honored.

Thursday

  • Happy New Year, Charlie Brown (ABC, 8pm) – Moving on to the next holiday.

Friday

  • Dreamworks Dragons/Ice Age (Fox, 8/8:30pm) – Other creatures celebrate the holidays.
  • American Masters (PBS, 9pm) Season Premiere – Starting with a look at the Joffrey.
  • Say Yes to the Dress (TLC, 9pm) Season Premiere – Joan Rivers brings a friend.
  • Teen Trouble (Life, 10pm) Series Premiere – Teens with behavioral issues.

Saturday

  • Heroes of Hell’s Highway (Disc, 8pm) Series Premiere – Clear explosive devices anyone?

Sunday

  • Machines of Glory (Disc, 6pm) Series Premiere – Competing to be king or queen of the construction site.

The procrastinator lists items that may not be on your regular season pass, though notation does not imply recommendation other than those underlined. Times noted are typically PST.

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technology

name that tune…

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spotifypandoraitunesMy days of avid music collecting ended somewhere around high school. Although I didn’t stop wanting to have something good to listen to my cds started rolling in less and less. And then with the transition to digital tunes I finally made the move, downloaded, and started purchasing via iTunes. Along the way either radio stations got less good, or I just couldn’t find something that worked for me I still felt like I was missing an intro to new tunes.

And with a couple of new services I’m wondering if it’s time to make another move:

  • iTunes – I have an iPod and an iPhone and on each of these lives a bounty of playlists, music I’ve downloaded from my very own, music I’ve purchased, I like the ability to purchase individual songs and search related, and I like the fact that I own the music and can take it with me.
  • Pandora – Along came this little item that could create a radio station based on the music I was listening to and introducing new tunes; new tunes, why that’s just what I was missing, but like radio although I can skip songs, I don’t always dig what it’s throwing down, I can’t play music from my collection, and even with the no ads upgrade ($3.99/mo or $36/yr) it depends on a connection so no offline.
  • Spotify – The latest to my plate, I like the fact that I can listen to both my own personal music as well as a pretty good availability on music I can pull into a playlist for free; it’s a great way to sample new bands I’m not on board with yet, and listen to playlists created by others, $4.99/mo for no ads, and $9.99/mo for all devices and offline (not sure of the limits on this), plus rumor has it they’re increasing the radio type options, so perhaps this is where to go next.

For now I’m staying tuned to the constant evolution and who will be the breakout technology. Did I mention that I find monthly fees infuriating? So what’s a gal to do?

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tv

new and noteworthy tv: 12/17-12/23

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Less new shows, more holiday filler…

Monday

  • Dreamworks Dragons/Ice Age: A Mammoth Christmas/Happiness is a Warm Blanket (Fox, 8/8:30/9pm) – Ho and a ho.
  • Gossip Girl (CW, 8pm) Series Finale – I haven’t watched this for years but remember the start of their journey fondly.
  • 1600 Penn (NBC, 9:30pm) Series Premiere – A preview of the humorous take on the family in the White House, at least one critic likes it.

Tuesday

  • A Charlie Brown Christmas (ABC, 8pm) – The meaning of Christmas.
  • It’s a Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie (CW, 8pm) – Kermit tries to save the theater.

Wednesday

  • A Home for the Holidays with Rascal Flatts (CBS, 8pm) – Inspiration and singing.
  • Miss Universe Pageant (NBC, 8pm) – Women from around the world, you know not from around the universe.
  • Full Throttle Saloon/Black Gold (Tru, 9/10/11pm) Season Premieres – Work it.
  • Cheer Perfection (TLC, 10pm) Series Premiere – Another psychotic trainer and her disciples.

Thursday

  • A White House Christmas (NBC, 8pm) – First families share holiday cheer.
  • I Want a Dog for Christmas, Charlie Brown!/CMA Country Christmas (ABC, 8/9pm) Rerun hangs with Snoopy and Spike then someone named Jennifer Nettles hosts holiday country style.
  • Beyond Scared Straight (A&E, 10pm) Season Premiere – More teens to jail.

Friday

  • Michael Buble/A White House Christmas (NBC, 8/9pm) – In case you missed this holiday fun.
  • Back to the Beginning with Christiane Amanpour (ABC, 9pm) – Origins of religions.
  • The Happy Elf/Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer (CW, 8/9pm) – More holiday characters.

Saturday

  • Mr Magoo’s Christmas Carol/WWE Tribute to the Troops (NBC, 9pm) – Another take on the holidays.
  • Prep & Landing/A Chipmunk Christmas/CMA Country Christmas (ABC, 8/8:30/9pm) – Can’t get enough of holiday specials.

Sunday

  • Lost Treasure Hunters (AnPl, 11pm) Series Premiere – Adventurers adventure, first diamond mines.

The procrastinator lists items that may not be on your regular season pass, though notation does not imply recommendation other than those underlined. Times noted are typically PST.

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random

random bits of pinterest…

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‘Tis the season to be merry…

 books and christmas…

 s’moresman…

 maybe photo props will mix up this year’s xmas…

 bring only festive wine…

 pompom wrapping feels right…

melted snowman ornament…

transitioning holidays…

deer gingerbread cookies…

wonder if could do white chocolate snowmen…

Of course you can always check out the rest of my holiday and other pins. Happy pinning!

 

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tv

new and noteworthy tv: 12/10-12/16

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Two more weeks of holiday filler…

Monday

  • American Country Awards (Fox, 8pm) – Trace Adkins and Kristin Chenoweth host.
  • Take It All/Michael Bublé Christmas Special (NBC, 10pm) Series Premiere – Another game show and then Bublé it up.
  • Diners, Drive-ins & Dives (Food, 10pm) Season Premiere – Guy makes some more stops.
  • Made in Chelsea (Style, 11pm) Season Premiere – Things in Chelsea.

Tuesday

  • Santa Claus in Comin’ to Town (ABC, 8pm) – The voice of Astaire tells it all.
  • A Muppets Christmas (CW, 9pm) – That reminds me I never did catch the latest Muppet movie.
  • Amish Mafia (Disc, 10:30pm) Series Premiere – The Amish enforce their own brand of justice.

Wednesday

  • Toddlers & Tiaras (TLC, 9pm) Season Premiere – Whatever.
  • Barbara Walters (ABC, 9:30pm) – Ten ‘most fascinating.’
  • Shipping Wars (A&E, 10pm) Season Premiere – And they say people forget we’re at war.

Thursday

  • Impractical Jokers (Tru, 10pm) Series Premiere – I’m sure they all think it’s hilarious.

Friday

  • Blake Shelton’s Not So Family Christmas (NBC, 8pm) – In case you missed Blake in all his cheer.
  • Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer / Yes, Virginia / The Elf on the Shelf (CBS, 8/9/9:30pm) – Ho, ho, cheer.
  • Winter in Portlandia (IFC, 10:30pm) – The holidays wouldn’t be complete without.

Saturday

  • Winter Dew Tour (NBC, 11am, Sun 10am) – From Breckenridge, Colorado.
  • Cops (Fox, 8pm) Season Premiere – Season twenty five.
  • Six Little McGhees (OWN, 10pm) Series Premiere – Because we need more reality shows about multiple kids.

Sunday

  • The Bachelorette (ABC, 9pm) – Ashley and J.P.’s wedding.
  • VH1 Divas (VH1, 9pm) – Songstresses let loose.

The procrastinator lists items that may not be on your regular season pass, though notation does not imply recommendation other than those underlined. Times noted are typically PST.

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