Highbrow Magazine - Breaking Bad https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/breaking-bad en Our All-Time Favorite TV Shows https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/9660-our-all-time-favorite-tv-shows <div class="field field-name-field-cat field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/film-tv" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Film &amp; TV</a></div></div></div><span class="submitted-by">Submitted by tara on Sun, 01/06/2019 - 12:45</span><div class="field field-name-field-image field-type-image field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" rel="og:image rdfs:seeAlso" resource="https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/field/image/1tvset.jpg?itok=AAGhQ9w9"><img typeof="foaf:Image" src="https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/field/image/1tvset.jpg?itok=AAGhQ9w9" width="480" height="320" alt="" /></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" property="content:encoded"><p> </p> <p><strong>According to many critics, television is currently enjoying another Golden Age, and with the arrival of newcomers such as Amazon and Netflix on the scene in the past few years, our black boxes are populated by more than 500 scripted shows alone (and counting).</strong></p> <p> </p> <p><strong>Since it’s officially the start of the awards season -- and to help kick off the Golden Globes – <em>Highbrow Magazine</em> staff have selected their all-time favorite TV shows, which we recommend you also watch. </strong></p> <p> </p> <p><br /> <img alt="" src="https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/sites/default/files/1favetv.jpg" style="height:352px; width:625px" /></p> <p> </p> <p><strong>Taxi:</strong></p> <p>Having spent most of my childhood in Europe and the Middle East, American TV shows were few and far between at the time. I would watch shows such as <em>The Brady Bunch</em>, <em>Star Trek,</em> <em>The Addams Family</em>, <em>Happy Days</em>, <em>All in the Family</em>. But none had more of an impact on me than <em>Taxi</em>, which I started watching as a teenager in West Berlin.</p> <p>I was mesmerized by the characters (Louie De Palma, Latka Gravas, Jim Ignatowski and the rest) and the superb acting and stellar writing. Each character endeared themselves to me, and I watched fervently every week to see what life would deal each of them next. In my opinion, t<a name="_GoBack" id="_GoBack"></a>his was truly American television at its best.</p> <p> </p> <p><strong><em>--Tara Taghizadeh, Founding Editor and Publisher --</em></strong></p> <p> </p> <p><br /> <img alt="" src="https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/sites/default/files/2favetv.jpg" style="height:391px; width:625px" /></p> <p> </p> <p><strong>Breaking Bad:</strong></p> <p> Any dramatic series that starts with the hero wielding a gun in his underwear in the middle of the desert already has a lot going for it. When you add an outstanding cast, top-quality writing and a dark strain of humor, it's hard to think of any other television series that comes close to the magnificent achievement of <em>Breaking Bad</em>. That the series sustained this exceptional level of quality for five seasons is little short of a miracle.</p> <p> </p> <p><strong><em>--Lee Polevoi, Chief Book Critic--</em></strong></p> <p> </p> <p><br /> <img alt="" src="https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/sites/default/files/3favetv.jpg" style="height:450px; width:600px" /></p> <p> </p> <p><strong>The Honeymooners:</strong></p> <p>At the risk of being accused by readers of over-the-top sentimentality, I vote for <em>The Honeymooners</em> (1955-1956).  As I was housebound, recovering from a childhood appendectomy, my father begrudgingly agreed to buy our first black and white TV set. </p> <p>Week after week, we sat mesmerized as Jackie Gleason as the rotund bus driver Ralph Cramden rolled his eyes and exploded at his deadpan wife Alice (Audrey Meadows) in the saddest and smallest kitchen set in New York.  His comic foil was the brilliant Art Carney, whose dimwitted shenanigans could only infuriate Ralph even more. Joyce Randolph as Ed’s wife Trixie completed this classic quartet.  Their timing was impeccable, but more importantly, through their meteoric fights their humanity shone through, convincing me that love won out every time. </p> <p> </p> <p><strong><em>--Sandra Bertrand, Chief Arts Critic -- </em></strong></p> <p> </p> <p><br /> <img alt="" src="https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/sites/default/files/4favetv.jpg" style="height:351px; width:625px" /></p> <p> </p> <p><strong>Cowboy Bebop, American Horror Story, etc.</strong></p> <p>For Anime, <em>Cowboy Bebop</em> is phenomenal. But if you watch a lot of science fiction anime, they all get ripped on by <em>Space Dandy</em>, which is worth the watch if you're familiar with the source material. Another piece of wonderful adult animation, which also heavily lampoons its subject material, and a good plenty macho stereotypes associated with adventure series and superheroes, is <em>Venture Brothers</em>. The Andy Warhol send-up in Season 6 is well worth the watch on its own: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6fugWgKPR5U" target="_blank">Venture Bros - The Doom Factory!</a> (the link isn't official).</p> <p>I fell hard for <em>Lost</em> and don't really invest too heavily in television. This is probably one of the major draws of <em>American Horror Story</em> for me. It's an anthology series, yes, but each season has an arc that raps up by the end of the season. Thus, because it's a finite quantity, it's a bit more reassuring: I'm not going to be pulled along for 10 seasons to find out at the end what I suspected, and was advised against, in the beginning. </p> <p> </p> <p><strong><em>--Adam Gravano, Contributing Writer--</em></strong></p> <p> </p> <p><img alt="" src="https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/sites/default/files/5favetv.jpg" style="height:313px; width:625px" /></p> <p> </p> <p><strong>Madam Secretary:</strong></p> <p>OK, it may be the most far-fetched story on television these days, but my husband and I look forward to ending our weekends with a dose of <em>Madam Secretary</em>—in which Téa Leoni plays the gorgeous Secretary of State who, no matter what kind of international crisis is thrown her way, solves the world’s problems with grace, ease, and always on her own terms (which, of course, are principled and just). Maybe it’s the state of real-life politics today, but it just feels good to watch a world where everyone is working towards a better place rather than self-aggrandizement. </p> <p> </p> <p><strong><em>--Barbara Noe Kennedy, Contributing Writer--</em></strong></p> <p> </p> <p><br /> <img alt="" src="https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/sites/default/files/6favetv.jpg" style="height:419px; width:609px" /></p> <p> </p> <p><strong>The Good Wife:</strong></p> <p>My favorite TV show is still <em>The Good Wife</em>: woman-centered, kept up with current politics, tackled interesting and tough subjects; and Matt Czuchry is in it.</p> <p> </p> <p><strong><em>--Angelo Franco, Chief Features Writer--</em></strong></p> <p> </p> <p><img alt="" src="https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/sites/default/files/7favetv.jpg" style="height:352px; width:625px" /></p> <p> </p> <p><strong>Parks and Recreation:</strong></p> <p>My all-time favorite TV show is <em>Parks and Recreation</em>, of course. Why? I find qualities derived from people I know and love personally in each character. They're all learning how to deal with life's obstacles and become a team as they figure things out.</p> <p> There is such great character development. Every character has a purpose in the show. I have never felt more attached to any other fictional TV characters.</p> <p>Confession: I cry every time I rewatch this series because I'm happy to see how each character has grown over time (and also because I know its ending). Every time I watch <em>Parks and Recreation</em>, it feels as though I am watching the show for the first time, and it fills my heart with joy!</p> <p> </p> <p><strong><em>--Caitlin Cohen, Contributing Writer--</em></strong></p> <p> </p> <p><strong>For Highbrow Magazine</strong></p> </div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-tags field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Tags:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/best-tv-shows" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">best tv shows</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/breaking-bad" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Breaking Bad</a></div><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/taxi-3" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">taxi</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/honeymooners" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">the honeymooners</a></div><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/good-wife" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">the good wife</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/madam-secretary" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">madam secretary</a></div><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/american-horror-story" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">American Horror Story</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/parks-and-recreation" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Parks and Recreation</a></div><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/golden-globes" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Golden Globes</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/tv-shows" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">tv shows</a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-author field-type-text field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">Highbrow Magazine Staff</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-pop field-type-list-boolean field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Popular:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">not popular</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-photographer field-type-text field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Photographer:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">Google Images; Wikipedia Commons</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-bot field-type-list-boolean field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Bottom Slider:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">Out Slider</div></div></div> Sun, 06 Jan 2019 17:45:20 +0000 tara 8473 at https://www.highbrowmagazine.com https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/9660-our-all-time-favorite-tv-shows#comments Has Prestige TV Set the Bar Too High? https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/5467-has-prestige-tv-set-bar-too-high <div class="field field-name-field-cat field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/film-tv" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Film &amp; TV</a></div></div></div><span class="submitted-by">Submitted by tara on Mon, 11/30/2015 - 21:06</span><div class="field field-name-field-image field-type-image field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" rel="og:image rdfs:seeAlso" resource="https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/field/image/1gameofthrones.jpg?itok=YsyDYFx2"><img typeof="foaf:Image" src="https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/field/image/1gameofthrones.jpg?itok=YsyDYFx2" width="480" height="280" alt="" /></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" property="content:encoded"><p> </p> <p>Many critics and viewers alike believe that television is currently in a golden age, due to the unprecedentedly high level of quality and popularity of shows such as <em>Breaking Bad </em>or <em>Game of Thrones</em>, two particularly high watermarks of prestige television. Looking forward, however, is high-quality TV just a trend, or the new standard?</p> <p><em>Game of Thrones</em> continues to be a heavy hitter in the world of pop culture. Without giving anything away to those who may be sensitive to spoilers, news about a certain plot point expected to be addressed in the show’s upcoming season has regularly made headlines since June, when the previous season concluded.</p> <p>Fan interest is clearly at a high point. Critics as well continue to match that interest with high praise. Glancing at the show’s reception on Metacritic suggests that reviews have been consistently high, from the show’s first season to its most recent.</p> <p>This is, however, an established pillar in the pantheon of prestige TV shows. While no other show can compete with <em>Game of Thrones</em>, at least in terms of current popularity and acclaim, some newer shows are making headway.</p> <p>HBO also has <em>The Leftovers</em>. While its first season was seen by comparatively few viewers and was met with a lukewarm reception, its second season, currently on-air, is finding new fans in critics and everyday viewers alike. Having highlighted a nonlinear storytelling format toyed with in its first season, its newer episodes are upping the risk factor, which is working in its favor.</p> <p><em>Fargo</em> is another show consistently earning praise for its currently on-air second season. Gone is the black-and-white, good-and-evil(ish) moral code of its first season. Instead, this new season’s characters are flawed but sympathetic, whether they’re gangsters or the cops trying to do them in. This new, more complex approach has lifted the show into the realm of cinematic storytelling, much to its benefit.</p> <p>While these examples suggest that television is still coasting comfortably at a high point, the bigger picture is more nuanced.</p> <p>Consider, for example, Marvel’s current stake in the television landscape. <em>Agent Carter</em> has been well received by critics as a fun and rewarding series. <em>Daredevil</em> has maybe been their high point thus far, having taken advantage of the serial nature of TV to flesh out its characters more than that of their counterparts.</p> <p>But most would agree that superhero movies are hardly high art, and this crop of shows is no exception. While they’re fun and compelling, and great binge watch material, no new ground is being broken that their source material hasn’t already covered in the past. While great modernizations of timeless source material, they offer few revelations.</p> <p>This middle-of-the-road approach seems more indicative of the current television landscape as a whole. <em>The Walking Dead </em>is currently setting new viewing records, and while the series has had its share of critical praise, it’s been met with a seemingly equal amount of resistance from frustrated fans. The show’s creators seem to love to push the viewers ‘buttons, and while they more than make up for it with the series’ high points, the show has not been able to maintain the level of quality that’s earned its viewer base.</p> <p><em>American Horror Story</em> is another example of an extremely popular and relatively well-received series. Horror fans love it, which has earned it the numbers needed to stick around for a while, and critics seem to have decided it’s pretty good.</p> <p> </p> <p><br /> <img alt="" src="/sites/default/files/1americanhorror.jpg" style="height:352px; width:625px" /></p> <p> </p> <p>“Pretty good “TV isn’t necessarily a bad thing, though, and may merely be reflective of the increasing viability of catering to specific interests. Shows like <em>Empire</em> or <em>Fresh Off the Boat</em>, which are good shows in their own right, have become hits with ethnic minorities in part due to their more realistic portrayals of minority characters, offering a welcome and necessary alternative to the broad stereotypes we are far more familiar with on the small screen.</p> <p>Shows such as <em>Empire</em> and <em>American Horror Story</em>, which appeal to a more niche audience than the coveted 18-34 year old white male demographic, are likely only going to get better as interest in them grows. With shows like <em>Adventure Time </em>and <em>Steven Universe</em> doing the same for animated TV, hefty dramas in the vein of <em>Breaking Bad</em> may be on their way out—but shows that may look a little different could grow to be similarly heavy hitters.</p> <p>While not within the realm of prestige TV as it’s traditionally discussed, comedy shows are currently experiencing their own renaissance.</p> <p>Sketch comedy is at peak cultural relevance, in a way seen not since the early days of <em>SNL</em>. Amy Schumer, Keegan Michael Key and Jordan Peele have all skyrocketed to movie stardom due to their subtly subversive and crowd-pleasing comedy.</p> <p>Breaking new ground entirely is Nathan Fielder, with his show <em>Nathan For You.</em></p> <p>While the show’s format, in which Fielder helps struggling businesses with absurd ideas told with a straight face to get their proprietors to agree to them, suggests straight satire of reality TV, some of the show’s business plans have proven to be weirdly viable.</p> <p> </p> <p><br /> <img alt="" src="/sites/default/files/1callsaul.jpg" style="height:365px; width:625px" /></p> <p> </p> <p>For example, in the show’s newest season, Fielder has created a jacket company in order to simultaneously promotes awareness of the Holocaust. While this stunt had a broader comedic context within the episode in which it was featured, the very real jackets he has opted to sell online have raised upwards of $40,000 for Holocaust awareness nonprofits.</p> <p>This blurring of satire and earnestness may be par for the course in 2015, but its place in high quality comedy, or TV in general, really, is unprecedented, and suggests a bright future ahead for edgy comedy.</p> <p><em>Breaking Bad</em> may have concluded its run two years ago now, and <em>Better Call Saul,</em> its replacement, may not be as good. But whereas <em>Breaking Bad</em> was a drama, in the tradition of <em>The Sopranos</em>—which more-or-less kickstarted the prestige TV boom—<em>Better Call Saul</em> is a little harder to classify. Originally billed as a comedy and featuring a tried and true comedic actor in its lead role, the show favors an hour-long format traditionally reserved for dramas, and got pretty notably dark for its finale. Genre, in the case of <em>Better</em> <em>Call</em> <em>Saul</em>, becomes secondary to its unique story.</p> <p><em>Better Call Saul</em> can’t replace the highly popular <em>Breaking Bad,</em> but it is a sign of what great TV may look like in the years to come. These harder to classify shows may not have the same broad appeal of <em>Game of Thrones</em>, but as anyone fan of TV knows, the most important ingredient in television is fun, and this new crop of TV shows has that in spades.</p> <p> </p> <p><strong>Author Bio:<br /> <!--[endif]--></strong></p> <p><strong><em>Sam Skopp is a contributing writer at</em></strong><strong> Highbrow Magazine.</strong></p> </div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-tags field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Tags:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/game-thrones" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Game of Thrones</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/walking-dead" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">the walking dead</a></div><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/television" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">television</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/better-call-saul" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">better call saul</a></div><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/american-horro-story" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">american horro story</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/breaking-bad" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Breaking Bad</a></div><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/watching-tv" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">watching TV</a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-author field-type-text field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">Sam Skopp</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-pop field-type-list-boolean field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Popular:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">not popular</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-bot field-type-list-boolean field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Bottom Slider:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">Out Slider</div></div></div> Tue, 01 Dec 2015 02:06:29 +0000 tara 6496 at https://www.highbrowmagazine.com https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/5467-has-prestige-tv-set-bar-too-high#comments ‘John Carter,’ Safe House’ Arrive on DVD, Blu-ray https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/1208-john-carter-safe-house-arrive-dvd-blu-ray <div class="field field-name-field-cat field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/film-tv" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Film &amp; TV</a></div></div></div><span class="submitted-by">Submitted by tara on Tue, 06/05/2012 - 20:22</span><div class="field field-name-field-image field-type-image field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" rel="og:image rdfs:seeAlso" resource="https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/field/image/John%20Carter%20-%20Horizontal.JPG?itok=a9V8CbF4"><img typeof="foaf:Image" src="https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/field/image/John%20Carter%20-%20Horizontal.JPG?itok=a9V8CbF4" width="480" height="318" alt="" /></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" property="content:encoded"><p>  </p> <p> A thriller starring Denzel Washington and an adaptation of a much-loved science-fiction novel anchor this week’s home video releases.  </p> <p>  </p> <p> <strong>John Carter</strong></p> <p> <strong>3½ stars (out of four)<br /> Rated PG-13<br /> Disney<br /> Available on: DVD, Blu-ray, Blu-ray 3D, digital download and on demand </strong></p> <p> “A Princess of Mars,” Edgar Rice Burroughs’ novel about a former Civil War officer who travels to the Red Planet, was an influence on George Lucas’ “Star Wars” franchise. It is therefore surprising that Hollywood took so long to produce a big-budget film adaptation. Fortunately, the delay resulted in an excellent movie.   </p> <p>  </p> <p> Director Andrew Stanton’s take on the novel is a space opera of the first order, and it bears more than a few resemblances to Lucas’ films. The special-effects-laden effort features bizarre aliens, a beautiful princess and loads of swashbuckling action, all presented with panache.</p> <p>  </p> <p> Although the film is based on “A Princess of Mars,” Stanton and company opted to name the film after its main character, the previously mentioned Confederate Civil War officer. Shortly after viewers meet John Carter (Taylor Kitsch), he is mysteriously transported to Mars, a planet where he becomes something of a superhero thanks to the reduced gravity.</p> <p>  </p> <p> “John Carter” had a disappointing theatrical run in the U.S., but one has to wonder if that’s because it lacks an A-list cast. The film itself is first-rate and can stand proudly alongside 2012 blockbusters like “The Hunger Games” and “The Avengers.”</p> <p>  </p> <p> Stanton, the Pixar animation guru whose previous films include “WALL-E” and “Finding Nemo,” seems perfectly at home with live-action moviemaking. In fact, “John Carter” boasts an excellent blend of character development, special effects and flat-out action.  </p> <p>  </p> <p> Kitsch isn’t a household name, but his portrayal of the title character is winning, and he gets solid support from Lynn Collins, Willem Dafoe, Thomas Haden Church and Mark Strong. In fact, it’s hard to find flaws in “John Carter” without pointing to problems inherent to space operas.  As fanciful science-fiction tales go, “John Carter” is a classic.</p> <p>  </p> <p> DVD and Blu-ray extras include an audio commentary with the filmmakers and a feature on converting Burroughs’ novel to the screen.  </p> <p>  </p> <p> <img alt="" src="/sites/default/files/mediumsafehouse.jpg" style="width: 600px; height: 400px; " /></p> <p>  </p> <p> <strong>Safe House</strong></p> <p> <strong>3 stars<br /> Rated R<br /> Universal<br /> Available on: DVD, Blu-ray and on demand</strong></p> <p> “Safe House” is a smartly scripted espionage drama that takes numerous twists during its fast-paced 115-minute run. </p> <p>  </p> <p> The film focuses on Matt Weston (Ryan Reynolds), a junior CIA agent charged with running a safe house in Cape Town, South Africa. His duties are painfully bland until Tobin Frost (Denzel Washington), a traitorous former agent turns himself in, prompting U.S. officials to send Frost to Weston’s post for interrogation. Before much can happen, the safe house is stormed, and everyone except Weston and Frost are killed. This sends the two men on the run and leaves Weston in the precarious position of trying to keep the cunning prisoner in captivity while evading unknown assassins.</p> <p>  </p> <p> When he has good material, Reynolds is a pleasure to watch, and “Safe House” suits his talents well. He is completely believable as a capable agent dumped into a situation above his pay grade. It’s a tribute to Reynolds that he also stands toe to toe with Washington, one of the finest actors of his generation. Washington’s version of Frost is extremely satisfying. Although he’s a traitor and master manipulator, Frost has a moral code that allows viewers to identify with him and appreciate his exploits… even when he’s working against Weston.</p> <p>  </p> <p> Espionage films often grow so complicated that they’re difficult to follow, but director Daniel Espinosa does a fine job keeping the audience in the loop. He also avoids monotony by presenting a series of wild plot turns. In fact, the movie’s biggest flaw may be that it has one twist too many.</p> <p>  </p> <p> The DVD and Blu-ray releases have several making-of features, including a bit about a CIA veteran who served as the film’s technical adviser and a short on the movie’s hand-to-hand combat sequences.</p> <p>  </p> <p> <img alt="" src="/sites/default/files/Act%20of%20Valor%20-%20Horizontal.jpg" style="width: 600px; height: 338px; " /></p> <p>  </p> <p> <strong>Act of Valor</strong></p> <p> <strong>2½ stars<br /> Rated R<br /> 20<sup>th</sup> Century Fox<br /> Available on: DVD and Blu-ray</strong></p> <p> In a unique project, directors Mike McCoy and Scott Waugh pay homage to U.S. military personnel, allowing real-life Navy SEALs to star in their fictionalized thriller. The concept is inventive although not a complete success, in part because SEALs are good at their day jobs but don’t spend a lot of time training as actors.</p> <p>  </p> <p> That means many of “Act of Valor’s” quieter scenes come across as stagey and forced, in stark contrast to the bits featuring professional performers. On the up side, McCoy and Waugh have done a fine job demonstrating the sort of ridiculously dangerous missions SEALs are trained for and just how good they are at accomplishing their goals.</p> <p>  </p> <p> The plot centers on a Chechen radical named Abu Shabal (actor Jason Cottle) who teams with an international drug dealer named Christo (Alex Veadov) in an attempt to smuggle terrorists into the United States. The SEALs, none of whom reveal their real names, spring into action when Christo’s men abduct an undercover CIA agent (Roselyn Sanchez). Their assignment? To infiltrate the heavily guarded compound where the agent is trapped.</p> <p>  </p> <p> The rescue sequence is extraordinarily well staged and exciting. Unfortunately, the movie isn’t as strong when the gunfire stops. That makes the project feel unbalanced and an awful lot like a Navy recruiting flick.</p> <p>  </p> <p> “Act of Valor” is admirable as a reminder of the devotion and sacrifice required of American military personnel. Unfortunately, it isn’t nearly as good when viewed as pure entertainment.  </p> <p>  </p> <p> DVD and Blu-ray extras include deleted scenes and an audio commentary by McCoy and Waugh.</p> <p>  </p> <p> <strong>Journey 2: The Mysterious Island</strong></p> <p> <strong>2 stars<br /> Rated PG<br /> Warner Brothers<br /> Available on: DVD, Blu-ray, Blu-ray 3D and digital download</strong></p> <p> In 2008, Warner Brothers tapped into the world of Jules Verne with “Journey to the Center of the Earth,” a film that served as a sequel to Verne’s like-titled novel. “The Mysterious Island” is a loose continuation of that earlier film, although one needn’t have seen it to understand what’s going on.  </p> <p>  </p> <p> In fact, the only returning cast member is Josh Hutcherson. Once again, he plays Sean Anderson, a young man whose father believed that Jules Verne’s novels were nonfiction. The original movie proved this to be true, and Sean spends much of his time hoping to find the locations of the mysterious worlds that Verne wrote about. </p> <p>  </p> <p> Sean catches a break when he discovers a coded radio broadcast that may be from his long-lost grandfather (Michael Caine). With the help of his skeptical stepfather, Hank (Dwayne Johnson), Sean breaks the code and discovers coordinates that supposedly lead to an uncharted island.  </p> <p>  </p> <p> Hank isn’t convinced, but he wants to bond with Sean, so he agrees to take him to the designated location. Soon, a helicopter pilot named Gabato (Luis Guzman) and his daughter, Kailani (Vanessa Hudgens), are shuttling them out to sea. Not surprisingly, they are involved in a horrific crash that leaves them stranded on Vernes’ island. From then on, the group struggles to find a way back home while coming face-to-face with all sorts of bizarre phenomenon, including tiny elephants and giant lizards.</p> <p>  </p> <p> “Mysterious Island” has some fanciful appeal, but it’s diminished by a weak script and uninspired special effects. In a movie like this, a realistic rendering of the creatures is a prerequisite, but most of the special effects are undercooked. It also doesn’t help that none of the characters seem particularly perplexed by their situation. In fact, most of them act as though the strange things happening around them are only mildly surprising. My guess is most people would react with more than curiosity after being chased by a lizard four times their size. </p> <p>  </p> <p> DVD and Blu-ray extras include a gag reel and deleted scenes.</p> <p>  </p> <p> <img alt="" src="/sites/default/files/mediumcurb.jpg" style="width: 600px; height: 399px; " /></p> <p>  </p> <p> <strong>ALSO OUT THIS WEEK</strong></p> <p> <strong>“Curb Your Enthusiasm” – The Complete Eighth Season:</strong> Ten most recent episodes of HBO’s hit series based on the life of “Seinfeld” co-creator Larry David. David stars as a fictionalized version of himself.</p> <p>  </p> <p> <strong>“Machine Gun Preacher”:</strong> Action film based on the life of Sam Childers, a motorcycle-riding preacher dedicated to saving African children from Joseph Kony’s Lord’s Resistance Army. Gerard Butler plays Childers and Michelle Monaghan plays his wife, Lynn. Directed by Marc Forster (“Finding Neverland,” “Monster’s Ball”).</p> <p>  </p> <p> <strong>“Falling Skies” – The Complete First Season:</strong> First 10 episodes of the TNT science-fiction drama about Americans fighting back after a catastrophic alien invasion. Noah Wyle stars as Tom Mason, a former history professor, who helps lead a ragtag militia. Moon Bloodgood, Drew Roy, Maxim Knight and Sarah Carter also star.</p> <p>  </p> <p> <strong>“Fairly Legal” – Season One:</strong> Sarah Shahi stars as a mediator doing her best to resolve legal conflicts while dealing with her own issues, including the death of her father. Virginia Williams and Michael Trucco also star.</p> <p>  </p> <p> <strong>The Three Stooges Ultimate Collection:</strong> Sony is releasing an essential package for Stooges fans. It includes all 190 Three Stooges short films, plus 11 hours of previously unreleased material. The set includes 20 discs at a suggested retail price of $95.99.</p> <p>  </p> <p> <strong>“Pretty Little Liars” – The Complete Second Season:</strong> This video release is tied to the debut of the show’s third season on ABC Family. The program focuses on a group of teen girls receiving threatening messages from a source known only as “A.” Even more frightening is the fact that A seems to be referencing Alison, a deceased friend who knew all their secrets. Troian Bellisario, Ashley Benson, Lucy Hale, Shay Mitchell and Sasha Pieterse star.</p> <p>  </p> <p> <strong>“Breaking Bad” – The Complete Fourth Season:</strong> The fifth and final season of this AMC drama is scheduled to debut in July, and the 13 episodes on this four-disc set can bring you up to speed. The plot centers on Walter White (Bryan Cranston) a high school chemistry teacher who begins manufacturing drugs after learning that he’s dying of cancer.</p> <p>  </p> <p> <strong>Universal’s 100<sup>th</sup> Anniversary series:</strong> Universal studios is delivering new Blu-ray versions of several great titles as part of its impressive 100<sup>th</sup> Anniversary series. These include the legal thriller “Erin Brockovich” (2000), the smuggling flick “Smokey and the Bandit” (1977) and the classic con-game film “The Sting” (1973).</p> <p>  </p> <p> <strong> “Workaholics” – Season Two:</strong> Another collection of episodes from the Comedy Central series about recent college grads working for a telemarketing firm. Blake Anderson, Adam DeVine and Anders Holm star.</p> <p>  </p> <p> <strong>“Hondo”:</strong> Blu-ray debut of the 1953 John Wayne Western about a cavalry rider who decides to protect a woman and her son living in a dangerous area of the old West. Geraldine Page, Lee Aaker and Leo Gordon also star. Directed by John Farrow.</p> <p>  </p> <p> <strong>Author Bio:</strong></p> <p> <em>Forrest Hartman, a</em> Highbrow Magazine <em>contributor, is an independent film critic whose byline has appeared in some of the nation's largest publications. He also reviews movies for several radio stations and for Fox 11 TV in Reno, N.V. For more of his work visit </em><a href="http://www.forresthartman.com/" target="_blank">www.ForrestHartman.com</a>.</p> </div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-tags field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Tags:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/john-carter" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">John Carter</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/act-valor" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Act of Valor</a></div><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/safe-house" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Safe House</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/denzel-washington" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Denzel Washington</a></div><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/ryan-reynolds" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Ryan Reynolds</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/curb-your-enthusiasm-season-8" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Curb Your Enthusiasm Season 8</a></div><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/larry-david" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Larry David</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/breaking-bad" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Breaking Bad</a></div><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/journey-2" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Journey 2</a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-author field-type-text field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">Forrest Hartman</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-pop field-type-list-boolean field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Popular:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">not popular</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-photographer field-type-text field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Photographer:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">Disney</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-bot field-type-list-boolean field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Bottom Slider:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">Out Slider</div></div></div> Wed, 06 Jun 2012 00:22:51 +0000 tara 1079 at https://www.highbrowmagazine.com https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/1208-john-carter-safe-house-arrive-dvd-blu-ray#comments Louie, Breaking Bad, and the Rise of Quality Television https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/louie-breaking-bad-and-rise-quality-television <div class="field field-name-field-cat field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/film-tv" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Film &amp; TV</a></div></div></div><span class="submitted-by">Submitted by tara on Mon, 09/05/2011 - 15:45</span><div class="field field-name-field-image field-type-image field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" rel="og:image rdfs:seeAlso" resource="https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/field/image/BreakingBad.jpg?itok=FOlP2iA0"><img typeof="foaf:Image" src="https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/field/image/BreakingBad.jpg?itok=FOlP2iA0" width="480" height="384" alt="" /></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" property="content:encoded"><p> It’s no secret that the summer television season isn’t exactly high quality. It’s typically a time for major networks to dump shows that were, for one reason or another, deemed  sub par for a  slot in their regular season lineup or to air reality shows and competitions that cost very little to produce-- which is why you end up with shows like <em>Combat Hospital</em>, an import from Canada, showing up on ABC’s primetime schedule, or competition shows like <em>So You Think You Can Dance?</em> airing multiple times in a given week.</p> <p>         </p> <p> All is not lost, however. In the last decade, it’s the cable and premium channels that have carved out their own niches of quality shows even in the “summer graveyard” season. Networks like HBO, AMC, and FX have been bucking convention for years in the choices they make and risks they take, and putting out high-caliber products year-round is just another gamble that has paid dividends.</p> <p>  </p> <p> Look no further than two of the most-anticipated and talked-about shows: AMC’s <em>Breaking Bad</em> and FX’s <em>Louie</em>. The former is a drama about a high-school chemistry teacher named Walter White (Bryan Cranston) who finds out he has terminal lung cancer and decides to begin cooking crystal meth in order to leave his family a nest egg. The latter is a comedy about Louis C.K.’s fictionalized life as a single father living in New York City. Yet each can stake claim as being the preeminent show in their respective genres, and both, despite being very different on the surface, have a similar disregard for convention that makes them unique, rewarding viewing experiences.</p> <p>         </p> <p> As viewers, we expect certain things to come at a certain pace in a television show: romances play out slowly with stolen glances and kisses, villains are typically dealt with over the drawn-out course of a season. Shows can always play with these conventions in new and interesting ways, but rare is the one that discards them altogether.</p> <p>  </p> <p> <em>Breaking Bad</em> has made this one of its trademarks. The very nature of the show is unconventional. It asks us to care about a character who turns from hero to villain right before our eyes. Walter White starts as a milquetoast high-school teacher who wants to secure his family’s future, but he eventually becomes a murderer and a drug lord, someone who keeps digging himself deeper even when he’s earned enough money. Anti-heroes are rampant on the big and small screens, but Walter goes beyond this into actual villainy, willingly dragging his loved ones down with him. <em>Breaking Bad </em>is a show with a very palpable sense of good and evil, and the more we watch, the more it tests our own dogmas on the subject.</p> <p>           </p> <p> The show also refuses to pace itself in the way that other crime dramas have in the past, letting plot points come at a breakneck pace that both catches viewers off-guard and remains true to the groundwork the show has already laid. Last season, the show’s third, introduces us, in the opening scene of the first episode, to two twin cartel killers who seek to kill Walter. They’re typical cinematic villains, unflinchingly violent, yet we have built-in expectations about their character arc. We aren’t particularly worried about them yet, because we know that, based on other shows we’ve seen, they won’t cross paths with the main character until much later in the season, likely in the season finale. However, by the end of the second episode, they’re inside Walt’s house with an axe, waiting for him to get out of the shower so that they can murder him. Even though we  understand that there will be no show without the main character,  still our rhythm as spectators is thrown off, which only serves to draw us in further.</p> <p>         </p> <p> <em>Louie</em> has just as much disregard for normality, and is all the stronger a show for it. The basic premise of an episode is simple: a series of vignettes linked by clips of C.K.’s standup act. What he does with that setup is anything but basic. Some episodes are strictly comedic, others veer into more dramatic and surreal territory. FX gives him complete creative control (he writes, directs, stars in, and even edits each episode himself). In one of the standout episodes of last season, C.K. is humiliated by a high-school-aged bully while out on a date, then decides to follow the young man home.  He then confronts the bully’s parents, whose shrill and abusive tendencies make it obvious why their son turned out how he did. It’s a sequence that delves into squeamish, discomforting humor, but nothing worse than one would see on an episode of <em>Curb Your Enthusiasm</em> or <em>The Office</em>. When the father joins C.K. on the front porch to share a cigarette and discuss how difficult it is to be a parent, the scene veers quickly into poignant drama, wearing a hopeful heart on its sleeve in a way no other comedy on television could replicate.</p> <p>         </p> <p> Another unique aspect of <em>Louie</em> is its occasional lapse into bizarro surrealism. Comedies, by nature, are cartoonish and bizarre; the worlds of Greendale Community College in <em>Community</em> and Pawnee, Indiana in <em>Parks and Recreation</em> are essentially live-action cartoons. The New York City of <em>Louie</em>, though, is different. Sometimes, it’s a normal place where people can have family conversations over dinner. Other times, it’s a place where homeless men are kidnapped and replaced by other homeless men, or where cab drivers fight each other with tire irons for the right to pick up a fare. We’re never sure if what we’re seeing is really happening or is just a daydream or metaphor in C.K.’s head, but these asides lend the show a peculiar lightness, one that perfectly captures the sense of melancholy that comes with living in the big city.</p> <p>           </p> <p> Programs like <em>Breaking Bad</em> and <em>Louie</em> that will change your perception of what the entire storytelling medium is capable.</p> <p>  </p> <p> <strong>Author Bio:</strong></p> <p> <em>Andrew Cothren is a Brooklyn-dweller whose short fiction has been published or is upcoming in Eleven Eleven, The Legendary, and Drunken Boat. More of his work can be found at </em><a href="http://andrewcothren.com/" target="_blank">andrewcothren.com</a>.</p> </div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-tags field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Tags:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/breaking-bad" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Breaking Bad</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/louie" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Louie</a></div><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/television" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">television</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/fx" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">FX</a></div><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/amc" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">AMC</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/tv" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">TV</a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-author field-type-text field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">Andrew Cothren</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-pop field-type-list-boolean field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Popular:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">not popular</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-bot field-type-list-boolean field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Bottom Slider:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">Out Slider</div></div></div> Mon, 05 Sep 2011 19:45:02 +0000 tara 71 at https://www.highbrowmagazine.com https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/louie-breaking-bad-and-rise-quality-television#comments