11.07.2005

Pop culture musings

Some recommendations on entertainment:

Team America World Police - if you don't like South Park you probably won't like this, and it's certainly not for everyone, but it is a very funny movie, basically a big budget action movie except using 2ft high marionettes. All the cliches are in there, along with some very funny songs. Dan - the next time you're looking for something to rent that Sharon wouldn't probably enjoy, I would recommend this. It's not something I would own or probably watch again, but it's definitely worth watching.

Family Guy - this is a very funny show. Last night's may have been the best I've ever seen. I satire on the role of the FCC in censoring television, particularly their overeaction to things like the Janet Jackson wardrobe malfunction. This episode would go up on the board with such Simpson greats as the Blinky the three-eyed fish episode as great satire. It seems to be getting better with age too, for those that may have seen it in its earlier incarnation where the episodes weren't as tightly woven together.

8 comments:

C.F. Bear said...

I hate South Park. Loved it when it first came out, but then it got more disgraceful. Family Guy is not a show that sucked me in. For being a tv man, I am more of the West Wing type of guy.

Pat said...

South Park has always been disgraceful, I think it may be you that has evolved away from its sensibilities.

West Wing is a good show, though it was better in the first few seasons before the writer changed. Still good, and makes me wistful for a good president.

C.F. Bear said...

I hope that Santos wins the presidency. How about you? I am guessing that you do too. The show is written by democrates, so how can he loose? :)

Pat said...

I don't watch enough to care.

Wasn't Democrates a 8th century BCE Greek philospoher?

I wouldn't be surprised if they elected the Republican just to shake things up.

C.F. Bear said...

I will inform you when it comes to be.

Dan said...

Interesting-as I recall very specifically, after seeing the very first couple of episodes of Family Guy (before it was canceled and came back), I told you & Gibbons how I had found it quite entertaining, and was TOTALLY SHOT DOWN. I have actually evolved away from its sensitivities. What bugs me about Family Guy (other than the non-original characters) is the sort of scattershot humour approach. Sight gags & jokes where the entire set up, development, & conclusion takes place in a span of 5 seconds just doesn't do it for me that much anymore. It's just too fast, too much, and doesn't seem to get into any type of flow.

That said, they've started airing South Park episodes late at night (censored, of course), and I'm really enjoying them. Sometimes it offends my sensibilities just a bit, for for something that consistantly pushes the envelope, I'll accept that from time to time.

Pat said...

What was great about the latest Family Guy is that they finally managed to really write an entire episode rather than the 'scattershot' problem you describe and was its weakness.

Don't recall shooting you down, but maybe.

Dan said...

Its just like trying to watch Mad TV-I can think it's funny, but then it ends up giving me a headache after about 15 minutes. I may check out the movie-but my backlog on good TV may not allow for any Family Guy indulgence in the forseeable future.