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originally printed 05.26.05 in the Eureka, California newspaper The Times-Standard.
Scrubs, First Season DVD
Faulk: The adolescent humor in this so-called TV show is insulting. How many stupid jokes will an audience tolerate? We may be finding out here at FatGuysonFilm, but that's beside the point. We have the monopoly on crude and useless humor. How dare Zach Braff and crew rip off our copyright, that useless piece of paper that marks the page in my dog-eared copy of "The Celestine Prophecy"? Braff showed his worth with last year's "Garden State" and now I wonder why he's wasting his time on network television. Oh yeah, the money. Young Braff was featured on a recent episode of MTV's "Punk'd" - if you tell anyone I watch that show I'll deny it like I denied having a gastro-intestinal bypass - and he went nuts Nick Nolte-style on a kid he thought had vandalized his $100,000 Porsche. Young skinny kid plus silly network comedy plus critically acclaimed movie equals shiny black sports car?
I am in the wrong business. Move over Dollywood.
Rating: L
Durant: When I reviewed "Garden State" I blindly criticized Zach Braff's involvement in "Scrubs" without ever seeing it. I thought, 'If it's on network TV and not animated then it's probably stupid'. Well I'm glad I was wrong in this case. This show is funny. I can do without some of the character-developing emotional revelation parts, but the rest is hilarious. The little cuts/flashbacks/fantasies are classic. Like when the character Turk makes a crack and Braff's character J.D. says it sounds like a Fat Albert joke, then the camera cuts to a group of guys who resemble Fat Albert and the Junkyard Gang laughing and pumping their fist like they do in the cartoon. I know describing it like this doesn't do it justice, but trust me, and I know you do, it was funny. I can't see myself making plans that include catching an episode when it airs on TV, but as long as these great series keep coming out on DVD, sans the commercials, I'll keep watching - on my schedule.
Rating: XL
An open letter to George Lucas
By Chris Durant
Dear George,
I remember seeing Star Wars, the original, you know Episode IV: A New Hope, in the Century Theaters on a hot May day in Sacramento back in 1977. I was 5. My life, at least my imagination, has never been the same since.
I've seen every movie since during their first theatrical runs. Yes, I am a huge fan. People who know me may think I'm too big of a fan, but in comparison to some of the freaks I've encountered over the last 28 years, I'm very moderate.
After Return of the Jedi, I, like most people back then, let Star Wars rest. I turned my attention to G.I. Joe, Indiana Jones and puberty.
In the mid 90s, Luke, Chewbacca and Yoda once again filled all my free time. I scoured garage sales, antique stores and flea markets like a nazi hunter in Argentina in the late 40s. I bought any and everything Star Wars. Apparently I wasn't the only one because Kenner - or was it Hasbro? - started releasing new toys, the trilogy was re-released and before too long the "added footage" theatrical releases came out. It was everything I wanted. Then rumors started to circulate: New Movies! The Prequels!
I gave Episode I the benefit of the doubt. Jar Jar Binks didn't get on my nerves. I thought Darth Maul was cool and little Anakin was neat.
Episode II got me into the Jedi. I had always been a bigger fan of the bounty hunter/smuggler types, but seeing the Jedi in the height of their power made me respect their honorary ways.
Mr. Lucas, Episode III was supposed to be, I'll use your own words here, "the chosen one".
I know I was harsh in Friday's review, but I was still suffering from sleep deprivation and severe disappointment.
But why Mr. Lucas? Why?
I always defended you to others, like Faulk, who said you should let your friends Steven Spielberg or Francis Ford Coppola, or even Peter Jackson, direct the movies. Now I agree. Don't get me wrong, the universe you created here is still amazing. But when it came time to following the story of the Skywalkers, you should have brought others on board to bring it to the screen.
It's hard to say it was a rush job when millions upon millions were spent on computers and special effects, but in the long run Episode III will be looked at by future generations the way we view the old Buck Rogers serials from the 40s. Especially when all of us who were there since the beginning start dying off.
Maybe this whole thing was a bad dream, some psychosis from taking in too much hype, and the movie really hasn't opened yet.
I know, I know it's not.
So I guess that's it.
Chris Durant
7:00 AM
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