Joel McHale, Live at the MAC Center 11/5/11

This past Saturday I got a chance to see the star of NBC's "Community" and E!'s "The Soup" do stand up live. As a fan of Joel McHale, I was looking forward to see how he would perform as a stand up comic.

For one thing, he's a lot taller in person, almost gangly. When he moved on stage, and in some instances danced, it was kind of awkward. But that is not really important, it was just an observation.

The majority of his stand up resolves around pop culture, which was a lot of fun to see him uncensored. He commented on the fact that he was perfoming at the Situation's alma mater and of course had to discuss his favorite family, the Kardasians (perfect timing with the divorce going on). He did a lot of Jersey Shore jokes, a lot of Tyra Banks jokes and talked mostly about the celebs he already mocks on The Soup.

However what I liked the most about the stand up routine was when he talked about his family. He mentioned his son's weird habits and his ridiculously cheap dad. It was when he was most candid that I thought he was his funniest.

When you're a comic a lot of your stand up is rehearsed, but it was when he had to think on his feet that I felt he really shined. He did not have the best crowd, or the most responsive crowd but I thought he handled it really well. Overall I thought he was really funny, a lot of fun to see in person and I'm glad I got to see someone who I'm a big fan of who did not disappoint.

I'd highly recommend seeing him if you get the chance

Netflix Instant Review: Red State

Kevin Smith (Clerks, Chasing Amy) has tried his hand at something new and the result is Red State.  Kind of a horror/action film starring Melissa Leo (Frozen River, The Fighter), character actor Micheal Parks (Kill Bill) and John Goodman.  The film starts following three teen boys as they travel to the neighboring town to meet a woman (Melissa Leo) they have talked to online.  Soon the three are begging for their lives in a church/cult run by Micheal Parks.  John Goodman heads up the special task force sent in to save the kids.

Red State

The film is filled with some great performances mostly from Leo, Parks and Goodman.  It is worth pointing out Kerry Bishe' who had some great scenes in the film too.  And as one would expect in a Kevin Smith written film, the dialogue is very well put together, however it hurts some parts of the film.  There are many scenes of action and horror in the film that would have benefited from some suspense, but the dialogue pulls you away from what is going on.  Most notably when Parks is first introduced giving a sermon to his flock.  The scene just seems to go on forever, but once you make it past that the film picks up the pace a bit.


Overall it was great to see Kevin Smith try something different, and this is by far a better directed film than most of his work.  If you like torture films or big gun fights you will love this film.

Check it out on Netfilx Instant


Rating: C

Top 5 Halloween Specials 2011: Justice Productions Edition

This year I saw a bunch of Halloween specials for most of the top and new shows on TV.

Here are my Top 5:

5) "The Office"

Andy puts Erin in charge of the Halloween Party, until he finds out Robert California is looking forward to the party. One of the best things about this episode is that every character has something to add to the episode.

  

4) "Last Man Standing"

A great show for the family. Mike is looking forward to taking his youngest daughter Trick'or'treating only to find she feels too old to go. Against his eldest daughter's wishes he takes his grandson out, and comes back with the wrong kid. Some funny gags about raising children and being manly, you know Tim Allen humor.

3) "Happy Endings"

Another Halloween Party, see party episodes are great. Alex and Dave try to see who can get a date fastest at the party, Max and Penny go in a couples costume till they feel the need to separate, meanwhile Brad and Jane deal with the horrors of handing out candy while house-sitting. Lots of funny relationship jokes and mistaken identity in costumes.

2) "Castle"
Castle and Beckett investigate the murder of a ghost hunter. This show is always filled with witty banter and fun pop culture references. Add in the theme that Castle things a ghost has murdered the ghost hunter and you have classic X-Files.

1) "Big Bang Theory"
Even though this episode didn't have Halloween in every scene, and very little in the way of characters dressed up for Halloween, it had the spirit. The gang scares Sheldon in the beginning of the episode and he tries to get payback throughout. Also a great moral problem for Lenard regarding the hot girl at the comicbook store and his long distance girlfriend. Lots of funny in this one.

Honorable Mentions:

• "Parks and Recreation" - Another Halloween Party, this one with a fight!
• "The Middle" - Another good one for the Family. Kids with social problems, a daughter who wants to interest men, dealing with rude people and teenage boys who want to be superheroes.
• "The Simpsons" - A must see every year, Diving-bell and the Butterfly, Dexter and Avatar spoofs this year.
• "Beavis and Butthead" - They are back, filled with Twilight jokes and werewolves.
• "Community" - One of the best shows on TV, filled with horror stories.

Great shows that started just in time for Halloween:

• "Walking Dead" Back for season two and still Zombie-riffic
• "Grimm" A detective that hunts real life fairy tales, could be the new Kolchak
• "Once Upon a Time" The Fairy Tales have been turned into real people and don't remember who they are, a darker take on Enchanted
• "American Horror Story" The weirdest thing on TV since Twin Peaks. What is going on with this house? I highly recommend this new show!

My Review: Paranormal Activity 3

What better way to spend Halloween night than watching a horror film. The third film in the paranormal series brings some great chills to the big screen. You don't need to see the first two films to understand what is going on, as this film is mostly a prequel to the first two. The story follows the childhood of Katie and Kristi (Katie's horror story was the first film and Kristi's was part 2). They live with their mother and her boyfriend (a wedding videographer).

It is very much the same formula that worked in the first two films: Camera catches normal family stuff, weird stuff happens, cameras set up all the time, ghost gets mad, you know what hits the fan. Added digital effects, building suspense and great child actors really get you into the fear aspect of this one.



Pros: Both the child actors do a great job selling the fear. Some well placed cheap scares, to make the audience jump added with some creepy scenes to make you think twice before going to bed after seeing it. The effects were very subtle yet helped move the story along.

Cons: Does not stray much from the formula of the first two, making it easy to know when things are going to happen. Where as the newer digital effects may be needed to top the previous films, it does take away a bit of the charm from the first one.

Overall this was a great film to watch at the end of Halloween night. If you like scary movies check it out. If you want your date to jump into your arms check it out. But if you didn't like the first two films stay away.

Rating: B-

The Slutty Pumpkin is Revealed

Well its been 6 years, but Ted's lost love the Slutty Pumpkin was finally revealed last night in How I Met Your Mother's Halloween special.

Some fans of the show had speculated that the slutty pumpkin would eventually become "the mother", but those rumors were instantly squashed when it was revealed that Ted and the SP were totally wrong for each other.

I'm not the biggest Katie Holmes fan but I thought she did a great job. She was terrifically awkward.

Check out some clips from last night. You can view the whole epsidoe on CBS.com