Jeff "Jmunney" Malone's Self-Styled "Expert" Thoughts on Movies, TV, Music, and the Rest of Pop Culture
July 25, 2015
Best Episodes of the 2014-2015 Season, Best Episodes of the Season, Television, The Affair The Affair Leave a comment
“1”
The Affair laid out what it was attempting with its ambitious thesis statement of a pilot episode. A man and a woman recount the details surrounding their extramarital affair during a summer in Montauk, with the subjective biases therein ensuring maximum intrigue. The rest of the first season got a little undisciplined with its premise, but the opener fully demonstrated the power of this show’s framing device.
July 25, 2015
Music, Television, VH1 Top 20 Countdown, VH1's The 20 Leave a comment
Each week, I check out VH1′s The 20 (formerly Top 20 countdown), and then I rearrange the songs based on my estimation of their quality.
Original Version
1. David Guetta ft. Nicki Minaj, Bebe Rexha, & Afrojack – “Hey Mama”
2. Taylor Swift ft. Kendrick Lamar – “Bad Blood”
3. OMI – “Cheerleader (Felix Jaehn Remix)”
4. Fifth Harmony ft. Kid Ink – “Worth It”
5. Andy Grammer – “Honey, I’m Good”
6. Sia – “Elastic Heart”
7. Rachel Platten – “Fight Song”
8. Major Lazer & DJ Snake ft. MØ – “Lean On”
9. Maroon 5 – “This Summer’s Gonna Hurt Like a Mother******”
10. Selena Gomez – “Good for You”
11. Tove Lo – “Talking Body”
12. Ed Sheeran – “Photograph”
13. Tori Kelly – “Should’ve Been Us”
14. Adam Lambert – “Ghost Town”
15. Jason Derulo – “Want to Want Me”
16. Fall Out Boy – “Uma Thurman”
17. Elle King – “Ex’s & Oh’s”
18. Wiz Khalifa ft. Charlie Puth – “See You Again”
19. Sage the Gemini ft. Nick Jonas – “Good Thing”
20. Walk the Moon – “Shut Up and Dance”
Jmunney’s Revision
1. Lean On
2. Elastic Heart
3. Talking Body
4. Ex’s & Oh’s
5. See You Again
6. Good for You
7. Bad Blood
8. Hey Mama
9. Should’ve Been Us
10. Want to Want Me
11. Uma Thurman
12. Good Thing
13. Shut Up and Dance
14. Worth It
15. This Summer’s Gonna Hurt Like a Mother******
16. Cheerleader (Felix Jaehn Remix)
17. Ghost Town
18. Fight Song
19. Photograph
20. Honey, I’m Good.
July 19, 2015
Television, What Won TV? Leave a comment
In this feature, I look back at each day of the past week and determine what shows “won TV” for the night. That is, I consider every episode of television I watched that aired on a particular day and declare which was the best.
Sunday – Last Week Tonight with John Oliver
Monday – Gravity Falls
Tuesday – Another Period
Wednesday – Mr. Robot
Thursday – Rectify
Friday – Bojack Horseman Season 2 (At least based on the first 3 episodes, which is what I’ve seen so far.)
Saturday – Hannibal
July 19, 2015
Best Episodes of the 2014-2015 Season, Best Episodes of the Season, Television, The Eric André Show Bird Up, Snail Down, The Eric Andre Show 1 Comment
“Bird Up!”
An entire TEAS focused on the recurring “Bird Up” – “the worst show on television!” – was one of the best TV episodes of the year. Eric cavorted around in his greenscreen bodysuit, sprinting through an id-driven trip of insanity featuring guest director Chris Rock, a fake death prank, a desolately confounded focus group, and much, much more.
July 18, 2015
Music, Television, VH1 Top 20 Countdown, VH1's The 20 Leave a comment
Each week, I check out VH1′s The 20 (formerly Top 20 countdown), and then I rearrange the songs based on my estimation of their quality.
Original Version
1. Taylor Swift ft. Kendrick Lamar – “Bad Blood”
2. David Guetta ft. Nicki Minaj, Bebe Rexha, & Afrojack – “Hey Mama”
3. Fifth Harmony ft. Kid Ink – “Worth It”
4. Andy Grammer – “Honey, I’m Good.”
5. Sia – “Elastic Heart”
6. OMI – “Cheerleader (Felix Jaehn Remix)”
7. Tove Lo – “Talking Body”
8. Maroon 5 – “This Summer’s Gonna Hurt Like a Mother******”
9. Rachel Platten – “Fight Song”
10. Jason Derulo – “Want to Want Me”
11. Major Lazer & DJ Snake ft. MØ – “Lean On”
12. Ed Sheeran – “Photograph”
13. Wiz Khalifa ft. Charlie Puth – “See You Again”
14. Selena Gomez – “Good for You”
15. Walk the Moon – “Shut Up and Dance”
16. Adam Lambert – “Ghost Town”
17. Tori Kelly – “Should’ve Been Us”
18. Elle King – “Ex’s & Oh’s”
19. Nicki Minaj – “The Night Is Still Young”
20. Fall Out Boy – “Uma Thurman”
Jmunney’s Revision
1. Lean On
2. Elastic Heart
3. Talking Body
4. Ex’s & Oh’s
5. See You Again
6. Good for You
7. Bad Blood
8. Hey Mama
9. Should’ve Been Us
10. Want to Want Me
11. Uma Thurman
12. The Night is Still Young
13. Shut Up and Dance
14. Worth It
15. This Summer’s Gonna Hurt Like a Mother******
16. Cheerleader (Felix Jaehn Remix)
17. Ghost Town
18. Fight Song
19. Photograph
20. Honey, I’m Good.
July 18, 2015
Best Episodes of the 2014-2015 Season, Best Episodes of the Season, Mulaney, Television In the Name of the Mother and the Son and the Holy Andre, Mulaney Leave a comment
“In the Name of the Mother, and the Son, and the Holy Andre”
I watched every episode of Mulaney, and it got pretty dark (don’t worry – I got paid). But amidst all the unmet potential were a few bright spots, like this episode that featured Nora Dunn as John’s mom and (wait for it) Pete Holmes as a priest.
To read my original review of this episode, head over here: http://www.starpulse.com/news/Jeffrey_Malone/2014/11/10/mulaney_season_1_episode_5_review_nora
July 16, 2015
Awards Shows, Emmys, Television 2015 Emmys, Emmy Nominations, Emmys Leave a comment
-Lead Actor, Comedy is a mix of good and bad: Will Forte and Anthony Anderson made it in, but Don Cheadle and Matt LeBlanc are still hanging around. Bizarrely, no Jim Parsons. Cool that he won’t win yet again, but he was more or less still deserving of a nomination (at least more so than Don and Matt, presumably).
–Community received a nomination for Stunt Coordination (deservedly), but nothing else. Season 6 wasn’t its best, but it would have been nice to see it make a showing, considering that Yahoo! actually made an Emmy promotional push.
-Strong showing for Bloodline despite its considerable lack of buzz. The Academy’s love of Kyle Chandler is not to be underestimated, I guess.
-Mostly good choices in Variety Sketch Series’ first year as a category – would have been nice if there could have been 6 nominees, though.
-Joanne Froggatt has got to be the most bizarre multiple Emmy nominee ever. I know several people who watch Downton Abbey, and I’ve not heard any of them ever once mention her. This year, she even made it in over Maggie Smith!
-Hurray to Billy On The Street With First Lady Michelle Obama, Big Bird And Elena!!! and Katy Perry’s Super Bowl Halftime Show in Outstanding Short-Format Live-Action Entertainment Program! But boo to no Too Many Cooks 😦
-OUR LONG NATIONAL NIGHTMARE OF TATIANA MASLANY NOT BEING NOMINATED FOR AN EMMY IS OVER!
Early Predictions:
COMEDY:
Series – Modern Family (I’d love to say Transparent – or anything else, really – but Modern Family is still Modern Family.)
Lead Actor – Will Forte
Lead Actress – Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Supporting Actor – Ty Burrell or Titus Burgess
Supporting Actress – Allison Janney
DRAMA:
Series – Mad Men
Lead Actor – Jon Hamm
Lead Actress – Her name will star with “Ta.”
Supporting Actor – Jonathan Banks
Supporting Actress – Lena Headey
July 16, 2015
Best Episodes of the 2014-2015 Season, Best Episodes of the Season, Portlandia, Television Justin Long, Nina and Lance, Portlandia, The Fiancee Leave a comment
“The Fiancée”
An episode entirely focused around Nina and Lance was the best of Portlandia’s fifth season. If all you’ve seen of this show is the first season, and you did not cotton to Fred and Carrie’s voices for the “Cacao” couple, I know what you’re thinking: “No way, Jose.” But let me tell you this about “The Fiancée”: it features Justin Long as Lance’s mom’s new boyfriend, and he looks and sounds just like Lance (because Carrie always looked like Justin Long in her Lance drag). And it’s the best performance of his career.
July 15, 2015
Best Episodes of the 2014-2015 Season, Best Episodes of the Season, Parks and Recreation, Television Leslie and Ron, Parks and Recreation Leave a comment
“Leslie and Ron”
One of the worst habits of sitcoms in their later years is retconning character development. It is always ill-advised to revert characters back to their original iterations, even if they’re the versions that fans fell in love with. In the first few episodes of its final season, Parks and Rec appeared to inexplicably be guilty of this as a time jump found Knope and Swanson at their most antagonistic ever. But then the heartbreaking backstory was revealed in a blowout bottle episode, and their friendship and our faith were restored.
July 14, 2015
Literature Dream Journal, Dreams, Memoir Leave a comment
I have submitted a project of mine in what is called “Project Side Project,” a competition for people doing creative work apart from their main gigs. The top vote-getter receives $5000 toward realizing this project. My submission is a memoir about my dreams that I am planning on writing. If you could take a few seconds to vote for me, I would be very grateful. The project is entitled “I Dreamed a Dream … And Then I Booked a Book.” (Voting closes July 21 at 5 PM EST.)
http://littlebits.cc/psp/i-dreamed-a-dream-and-then-i-booked-a-book/vote
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