On the weekend before Christmas, people were scrambling for bargains, or running to see Avatar, I decided to take the back roads of movies, and try out some other films before I get roped into seeing James Cameron's comeback.
I saw three movies this weekend, and cost me just eleven bucks thanks to the Cinemark Early Bird Special, and getting inside a special sneak preview.
Earlier tonight, I saw Emily Blunt as The Young Victoria. I thought she did a fine job as the woman who would define the 19th century for England. They played up the love story with Prince Albert. However, there should have been more details about efforts to get her to agree to a "regency" where someone becomes the monarch until she's old enough. It was lacking in drama, but it told the Queen's story just fine...despite some embellishments. I really liked Jim Broadbent as William IV.

As for the weekend, I chose Up in the Air and Princess and the Frog. If The Hurt Locker goes back into release, I'll see that, too. I should have done that the first time a couple of months ago.
When Up in the Air was first released, a lot of people said it was a movie of the times. George Clooney plays Ryan, a guy who flies around the country to fire people. You can see why he loves this lifestyle because he's treated like a king with a ton of perks he's earned the hard way through frequent flier programs. His lifestyle is threatened by Natalie, played by Anna Kendrick. She prefers using teleconference to fire people by remote control. Ryan is told to let Natalie join him on his rounds to show her the ropes, and maybe learn about whether her way is the best way.
Along the way, Ryan meets Alex, played by Vera Farmiga. She, too, is a frequent flier, and they cross paths quite often.
It's interesting that while Ryan has no need for marriage or a basic home life, Natalie does, even though she's gung-ho about her process.
It's not long before Ryan wonders about his life, and whether he should make changes. This is especially true when he shows up for his sister's wedding in Wisconsin. Natalie also has her doubts when she actually has to fire people through a script that doesn't prepare her for every situation.
The movie is directed by Jason Reitman, who directed Juno a couple of years ago. It's been getting a lot of Oscar buzz. The movie's timeliness, and Clooney and Kendrick as the leads, help this movie work. We'll know for sure when awards season starts in a few weeks.

I was also interested in Princess and the Frog because it's Disney's return to traditional animation, as in not CGI or Pixar. So, how can you teel a familiar fairy tale in a new way? You raise the stakes, put the story in New Orleans, get some good songs that work better than you'd think, and some swerves to get the usual happy ending. It's not just about kissing a frog, but also about how hard work and faith can get a person ahead. Anoki Noni Rose, who was robbed big time by the Emmys for ignoring The Ladies No.1 Detective Agency, does a wonderful job as Tiana, while Bruno Campos is great at the Frog Prince Naveen. Keith David is really spooky as Dr. Facilier, the voodoo doctor who casts the dark spell. Louis, the trumpet-playing crocodile, is also a hoot, thanks to Michael-Leon Wooley providing the voice.
Among the songs, I liked "Almost There", which is about Tiana's plans to turn an old sugar mill into her restaurant. I expect the Saints to adopt that song through the NFL playoffs. If the Oscars are smart enough to bother looking for a "Best Song" this year, that should make the cut. The Golden Globes don't think so, but I bet 100 Avatar t-shirts got them to put that movie's "love song" in the final mix.

After that, I may give Avatar a try if I get one of those passes the Sacramento Bee is giving out. Of course, I'd have to wait until the new year to see it, but I wouldn't feel left out. If The Hurt Locker does start picking up awards, that will be next for me.

The decade is about to end.
I remember where I was when it was about to begin...literally staying up all night at KUBA in Yuba City, ringing in the New Year with slightly stale coffee, wondering if all the computers in the world would blow up once the new millennium would arrive.
They didn't. In fact, the computers of 2000 wouldn't be as smart as an iPod Nano today.

When I look back, it was a decent decade because I finally got to a major radio market, and will be sticking around for years to come unless the Super Lotto Plus fairy blesses me...and I'd still stay. I'd just have a retirement date in mind.
If nothing else, this decade brought me closer to the massive Whedon Family of Fans. I met some of the Scooby Gang members, and the original Buffy. I'm still waiting for Eliza, though, and meeting SMG would be great..if it's meant to be. She's the reason I'm hooked on Comic-Con. The other reason being I can go for free as part of the press.
Of course, the highlight was 2005 when I met the Firefly crew, Sunnydale High's Principal and Spike himself..and even saw the premiere of Serenity.

Anyway, here is my top ten moments for 2009:

10. Getting George Lucas and Arnold Schwartzenegger's autographs and photos at CA Museum.

That's part of the Hall of Fame Induction just after Thanksgiving. I had hoped to get Carol Burnett and John Madden as well but they zipped right by. It was the Night the '70s Returned..or at least the '70s I remember

9. The Mentalist Comes To Town

The popular CBS drama decided it was time to have some scenes in Sacramento, since that's where the show is set. Thus, I got some nice photos of Simon Baker, along with a hundred other people taking long lunches to see this piece of Hollywood

8. Nick Brendon in Santaland Diaries

Sometimes, there's a better way than visiting WonderCon or some such thing to see actors you remember from Buffy or Battlestar Galactica. In this case, it was seeing Nick Brendon act as a guy who shows us how making holiday cheer is much tougher than it looks. Throw in seeing "Please Hammer, Don't Hurt 'Em" Improv with three members of the Guild, and you know the best live theater isn't necessarily at the Pantages.

7. Paley Festival

I brought a "doll" to the Dollhouse panel, pretending it was Laurence Dominic, but the big blast was seeing the last three episodes of Pushing Daisies at a time where it would be the only place where they'd be shown. It seemed a bit more magical, seeing that show at the Arclight Dome. The event has moved to Beverly Hills now, but at least I have a picture of me next to Vivian Charles.

6. Crowded Comic-Con

While I missed the Dollhouse crew, and two other panels because of long lines, and my laptop died just as I got to my hotel room, I shouldn't even call this a highlight because this was a less-than-perfect event. However, two events did save it for me: being among the first 250 people in the U-S, including Dominic Monaghan, to see Inglorious Basterds, and being part of the press for Whedonopolis. Seeing a Time Lord for the first time in 20 years was a treat, too. No matter how busy Matt Smith, aka Doctor XI, may be, BBC America has got to try to get him to San Diego next summer. They got John Barrowman there, and he better be welcome to L-A come Emmy time, too.

5. WonderCon

While I was not allowed to see a midnight showing of Watchmen because I was dumb enough to admit I was part of the press, it did work out. I got to meet Summer Glau and Shirley Manson up close, and Adam Baldwin, too. I'm worried the 2010 version in April may be flooded with Twilight fans again, but maybe they'll have a sneak preview of Kick-Ass, with Hit Girl dealing with those Team Jacob and Team Edward nerds. On the other hand, it's also close to Iron Man 2, and the new Nightmare on Elm Street.

4. Being part of the Dollhouse Farewell Book

I'd like to thank cointhatphrase.com, because I won a contest where one of my phrases would be made into a mug given to Emmy guests. That gave me a gift certificate that will last me a good year. Before that, I made three Dollhouse shirts, including one that said "We are gone but we are not lost. Save Dollhouse." Too bad that shirt became obsolete a week after I got it, but I wore it at the Serenity Salute, and someone decided that would be a nice picture for the gift to the cast. I'm sure if Fran, Dichen, Enver or even Eliza saw me on the street, they'd never recognize me...since I'd never be on the same street they were. Still, I am glad I was part of something special.

3. Amber Benson in Roseville

She was at Borders for a book signing of Death's Daughter. She had been in Sacramento once before. The crowd wasn't big, but they were happy to see her. It was one of my first celebrity interviews for Whedonopolis

2. Original Buffy at Cal Expo

The closest I've been to Sarah Michelle Gellar was 100 feet away when she was at Comic-Con 2004. I never would have thought I'd be right next to Kristy Swanson, the original Buffy at something called Witchapalooza. Aside from her and Malcolm McDowell, it was just like a farmers' market for Halloween. I made the most of it, and more. I had the feelng ths may have been in the cards. Just a couple of weeks before, I found a copy of the movie's press packet that was made up like the Hemery High School yearbook. Also, two months before, the original movie was part of the annual Horror Film Festival held every summer at the Crest.

1. Seeing My Family in Santa Cruz

Since we're scattered all over the West Coast, it's very tough to get together for holidays and such. Using Facebook helps, but it's not the same. Thankfully, we all met for the Memorial Day Weekend, took pictures, exchanged e-mail addresses, and promised to keep in touch.
Seeing my mom again for the firs ttime in years made it all worth it. That, and the fact that getting from Sacramento to Santa Cruz through the rail and a shuttle is much easier than I remember. I also found out only two parts of my memories of Santa Cruz still stand: the Del Mar theater and the Boardwalk.

For 2010, I'm already set for Cinematic Titanic returning to San Francisco, and WonderCon and Comic-Con. I am also hoping for a trip to Anaheim, maybe going to the Emmys one last time (even if it is in late August), and seeing tapings of Ellen and maybe Bonnie Hunt in May. However, I need reasons aside from the shows themselves to go. I may get an extra one or two depending on who will be at the Paley Festival in March aside from Glee and the Vampire Diaries. If they decide on a panel on web content, including web comedies about gamers, that's a good reason!
One thing I will miss is hoping to see a movie premiere in Westwood. Since the Bruin and Westwood Village are about to close, I'll have to find another way to find and snap pictures of famous guys.

Now that Joel Hodgson and his gang has escaped from the TimeTube, they wondered what would the first thing they'd do.
Then it came to them: they would gather at a small theater in Los Angeles, mock a lousy movie, and charge people to watch.
Hey, it worked a few dozen times, but this time they'd also tape it for DVD.

It took ten months to get "East Meets Watts", aka "The Dynamite Brothers", from the premiere in San Francisco to a DVD that's one of the unsung stocking stuffers this Christmas season
I've already made a report of the premiere in San Francisco. A couple of days, I got the DVD version. The plot, such as it is, is about a guy from Hong Kong who comes to California to find his brother. He meets up with a groovy cat named Stud Brown, as they battle racist cops and assorted hoodlums.

They set up the five members of the CT gang with Trace Beaulieu, Joel and Mary Jo Pehl on the left, with J. Elvis (Josh to me) Weinstein and TV's Frank Coniff on the right. I think the final product is merging three shots together, but it works out great. I wish there were close-ups of the cast, or even the pre-movie entertainment such as Frank singing "Convoluted Man".

Now a list of some of the riffs I didn't mention last February:

Larry arrives in San Francisco, and meets an unwelcoming committee..
"Go back to China"
Trace: But I'm from Sweden!

Larry and Stud hitch a ride on a moving truck, but are joined by some rednecks. One of them is wearing a hat that says "LB"
J. Elvis: "The "LB" stands for "Leanin' Backwards"

Then, after a girl named Betty gives them a ride to L.A.
J. Elvis This is how people get laws named after them

A gang clobbers the bouncer at Smiling Man's Bar
Frank: People commit violence just to get in. That's how good the onion rings are.

J. Elvis' comment on Stud and his mute girlfriend:
I haven't seen this much chemistry since the Rufus Wainwright/Ellen Degeneres production of "Love Letters"

Larry surprised by more Chinese hoodlums:
Mary Jo: They got the egg drop on him

And other weird comments like:
"The Coen Brothers, no!"
"Forget it, Jake, it's the Asian District"
And yes, the Spit-Take Heard Round the World is included

It'll be the best 20 bucks you'll spend, except for District 9, and actually seeing Up In The Air and Princess and the Frog at full price.

Then again, for 25 bucks, you can see the Cinematic Titanic gang live at the Sketchfest at the Castro in San Francisco. They'll take on Danger at Tiki Island, another Hemisphere Pictures "movie". It's been pummeled a few times, which means the commentary will be broken-in. There's still The Alien Factor to do as well. The big news is that the gang will take their tour to New York City in April.
And since they made it everywhere, they'll make it there, too (instead of the other way around).

Instead of seeing my 49ers disappoint me again, I decided to see the newest way to tell an old story...and to finally get rid of 15 dollars in Imax Cash.
In some ways, Robert Zemeckis structured his version of A Christmas Carol as a 3-D ride not unlike those you'd see at Universal Studios. I got that feeling when I saw the camera whoosh around Virtual London in 1843, and Scrooge whooshing around his past...and an unpleasant look at his future. The only different is your seat didn't move, but you felt like it was.
The real question...is motion-capture the best way to retell a classic Christmas story? Maybe not, but you have to take steps to make it unforgettable, and measure up to previous ways to tell the story, whether it's Alistair Sim in the gold standard 1951 version, or Mr. Magoo in the '60's or George C. Scott's version on TV, or the one-man version that Patrick Stewart pulls off.

On that mission, Zemeckis pull this off in spades. If you want to see the definition of no Christmas spirit at all, it's how they desgined Mr. Scrooge. Right from the start, we see he has no heart or compassion. It does right now to the character detail: angry face, sharp nose, stooped posture. It's just incredible. I thought the design of Bob Cratchit was too Lord of the Rings-ish, but I did like how they drew Fred and Belle, Scrooge's lost love. They were also faithful to the original source, even bringing passages to life. Again, I thought it got out of hand in a couple of spots, namely the Christmas part at Fezziwig's (his wife's dancing, specifically), and how Scrooge gets chased all over London in his "future".
As for the spirits, Zemeckis reminds us about one fact about this classic...it's a ghost story. Therefore, we must have scares. The way they bring in Marley will really get you off your seat. Still, it's necessary in the major renovation of Scrooge's soul. They depict the Ghost of Christmas Past as an Irish flame, and Christmas Present as a jolly Scotsman.
There were parts of the movie that did remind me of other versions. The movie starts with the book itself, and its words, just like the 1951 version. There was also a nod to the 1970 musical, namely when Scrooge sees what could happen if he doesn't repent.

Given that, how does the star, Jim Carrey, do?
Well, it's too bad there's no Academy Award for voiceover work. The Golden Globes had its own version for Robin Williams for Aladdin, but it was probably to get him over there. After this, though, the Oscars should consider creating a new category, especially when animated films are getting more attention.
Carrey owns this movie. He is just incredible as Scrooge, Marley and the Spirits. He gives each one a unique character all there own. I was also impressed with the scene where Scrooge and Belle break up. You can see how Scrooge's voice and attitude change from the happy clerk at Fezziwig's to the hard-hearted man we know in the story. He's going to be as well-known as Sim, Magoo or Stewart every holiday season.

I saw this movie at the Esquire Imax for 15 bucks, which really isn't that bad if you compare it to a regular showing at a Cinemark or AMC movieplex. I would think it would cost at least nine bucks for the first showing, including 3-D fee, or 13 dollars for an evening showing. That's for a regular screen. If you want to see it close-up, Imax is your best bet.

I would not be surprised if this version of A Christmas Carol snags some Oscar nominations in a couple of months, or even battle Up and Coraline for Best Animated Movie. In fact, with a slew of movies this year, we may finally have five nominees in 2010.

Before the feature, they had a 3-D trailer for Avatar. It's basically the same as we've seen on TV or the internet. Somehow, I was under-whelmed by the special-effects of the trailer. It could also be due to the story: a soldier in a wheelchair uses an avatar to infiltrate the Navi so they can be "dealt with" in order to get a rare mineral. Some people have compared this to the plot in Ferngully: The Last Rainforest. They may be right, but I suspect people curious to know what the ultimate 3-D experience would be like will come see Avatar. The plot isn't going to excite them, even when the avatar-ed soldier decides not to go along with the plan after all. According to the trailer I saw, that guy will get some help.

Still, I am more inclines to see some plain 2-D movies like Precious, The Road, Up In The Air, and An Education. I'll also be looking forward to seeing the rest of Dollhouse, which seems to be the Road to Epitaph One these days.

It's been two weekends since Dollhouse closed down for November sweeps. It seems that Fox would get the same audience with fresh Dollhouse then it would with stale House and Bones reruns. Some may argue that it proves stale reruns are better than spending money on new dramas people aren't eager to see.
Of course, this would leave out one interesting fact....lack of promotion for said new drama. I still remember what ABC did to Pushing Daisies. It's easy to do when you're seeing another network do the same thing to another show.
In any case, the Friday reruns got Fox a higher audience, even more than the CW. Still, I bet the reruns got plenty of exposure thanks to Fox promotions.

Still, I am looking to an interesting start to my holiday season. I will be at the Serenity Salute, thanks to a free round trip thanks to Southwest, and a good discount staying at a Travelodge just a block away from the Marriott LAX hotel. I won't be able to squeeze in a trip to the Blank Theater to see Nick Brendon, our Xander in a one-man holiday play. The 21st is sold out, which is great news for Nick. As for me, that means I will have to wait until December 10th, but I will be there.

What's ironic about this is that the guests are being more well-known for the shows they are doing now rather than Firefly. Morena Baccarin is now the "It" gal because she's the face of the Visitors on V 2010. Alan Tudyk is also on that show, but fans of another Whedon show are hoping he'll be back there, too. Nathan Fillion has Castle, which I am still reluctant to see just because I am still afraid it will get too Moonlighting for my tastes. Adam Baldwin will be back on Chuck, of course, and Mark Sheppard appears on lots of TV shows these days. While the classic space western is getting people to LAX in two weeks, their current jobs are also helping out with the turnout.

I am also guessing the new venue will mean a bigger room, and more people. That's why I spend the extra dough to get a reserved seat in the middle of the room. I have their autographs already, and I just want to see them in a comfortable vicinity. To see them up close and personal, there's always an extra fee.
I also hope Creation Entertainment remembers to mail my tickets to me this time. If not...again...I will have to show them my receipt.
Since I will there as a fan, not an official Whedonopolis correspondent, I will also try to get into the costume contest. I have an idea that can't possibly compete with the more expert contestants. I just hope to get in a protest for Dollhouse...in a good way.

After that, I did have plans to see a taping of Ellen Degeneres' show. That got stifled because they decided not to tape on the Monday before Thanksgiving. Thing is, I had to turn down a ticket to Conan O'Brien to see Ellen's show. I've re-applied for a ticket, but I doubt they'd give me a second chance. They might if I tried again next month. If that doesn't pan out, there is George Lopez's new show. I am sure they'll need audience members for that.
Thing is, I also found out Green Day has an outdoor concert for Carson Daly's show outside the Nokia Theater. While I REALLY like Green Day, I'll defer to the appropriate age group, namely people in the early 20's and their cool aunts and uncles who are about 15 years older.

I would consider this my last L-A visit for 2009....if not for Southwest deciding to sell $25 plane tickets to L-A. Since I am bored taking replacement holidays without a place to go, I had to go for this. Thus, I'll take a quick mid-week break early next month. I might go to Conan this time, and Bonnie Hunt (still missing from Sacramento TV).  We'll see.

He's made a musical version of Buffy about the most demonic song and dance man ever, followed by a small internet musical that enjoyed slight success...AND AN EMMY!!!

We should have known it wouldn't be too long before Joss Whedon would get back in the musical game. This time, he'll be directing an episode of Glee, also known as the real High School Musical. It's about Will, a guy who wants to bring the glee club of his old high school back to greatness. He's got some unlikely, but good, talent, but also has to deal with a wife who's faking a pregnancy to keep him, an evil cheerleading teacher who thinks ruining the glee club will eventually get her a hovercraft, and a counselor who thinks she has to marry the school coach but hopes to avoid touching him.
Try that, Ashley Tisdale.
If you want a better explanation, like seeing the show, go here, then watch the show Wednesdays at 9 PM Pacific, 8 PM for you Central or Mountain guys.

But let's hear from the man himself, who told Whedonesque why he's doing it...

Hey kids and parents of kids and super-old, like ancestor-old-but-not-dead-yet-type people, just poking my oversized head in to say that the rumors are true... unless something very odd happens in the next few months, I will have the privilege of shooting an episode of GLEE. Why GLEE? Because I love cops, serial killers and gritty urban drama (I haven't seen the show yet). Why me? Because they're struggling and can't afford real directors. And to head off a few queries:

No, this doesn't mean Dollhouse definitely won't get a back nine. Our numbers mean that! But I kid. Okay, we're not exactly saving all the good stuff for 14-22, but nobody's closed the door. If D'House suddenly busts wide, huzzah, we'll still bring it, and I'll still go and direct an episode of Glee, because of my love of cops. These realities can co-exist. And possibly cross over, at least in fiction that I have wri - read. About.

What can we expect from a 'Joss Whedon' epsiode of Glee? An episode of Glee. God willin' and the crik don't rise, a good one. A television director's job is, on some level, to be anonymous; to find the most compelling way to present a story without calling attention to himself. I had a wonderful time doing just that on The Office, and hope to again. A guest director can bring a huge amount to the party (we've had CRAZY talent on Dollhouse), but the party isn't his. I just want to work with good people on a show that I like enough to have watched every episode several times. (I lied: I HAVE watched the show. And seriously, when do the cops show up?)

Whom will I kill? When will that go away? Is death really the only thing I'm known for? I'd hope not. You know how many people in the world actually die? ALL OF THEM. You know how many I've killed? Statistically, somewhat fewer. Can't we focus on another element of my work? Having said that, probably Principal Figgins. (No! I kid! God.)

Anyway, I hope that clears things up. I'm going to do my best, and more importantly, I'm going to do my best not to gush like a fanboy for eight straight days on set. Don't worry. I practiced with Bamber. I'm a pro.

Happy Monday. Especially for me. -j.

Of course, this leads to many possibilities, like Sweet hoping to do to Lima, Ohio what he did to Sunnydale....until he meets Sue Sylvester, the evil cheerleading coach. He may find himself trapped in a love duet that makes him wish he could burst into flames. Then he could be saved by Rachel, the Singing Slayer.
Or not. At least the "singing Slayer" idea could work. It woudn't take much to turn the Glee Club into a proto-Scooby Gang for Ohio.

This will happen when Glee has the second half of season one, probably April. By then, maybe Will's wife will be out of the way once her pregnancy scam is exposed. The sooner, the better. The other plot lines can stay.