Jeff "Jmunney" Malone's Self-Styled "Expert" Thoughts on Movies, TV, Music, and the Rest of Pop Culture
August 24, 2014
Saturday Night Live, Television Leave a comment
Saturday Night Live announcer Don Pardo passed away August 18 at the age of 96. In memoriam, I wrote on Starpulse about some of his most memorable SNL moments:
http://www.starpulse.com/news/Jeffrey_Malone/2014/08/23/don_pardos_most_memorable_snl_moments
August 24, 2014
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 – Masters of Sex
Monday – A sexy Whose Line is it Anyway?
Tuesday – If you didn’t like the season 2 finale of Nathan For You, then you must be a baby.
Wednesday – N/A
Thursday – Rectify
Friday – N/A
Saturday – Doctor Who
August 24, 2014
Awards Shows, Music, Music Videos, Television, Video Music Awards Leave a comment
The 2014 VMA’s are airing tonight Sunday, August 24. (The nominees can be found here.) Predicting the winners is a crapshoot. Here’s who should win:
Video of the Year: Sia – “Chandelier”
Best Male Video: Pharrell Williams – “Happy”
Best Female Video: Iggy Azalea ft. Charli XCX – “Fancy”
Artist to Watch: Sam Smith – “Stay With Me”
Best Pop Video: Iggy Azalea ft. Charli XCX – “Fancy”
Best Rock Video: The Black Keys – “Fever”
Best Hip-Hop Video: Kanye West – “Black Skinhead”
MTV Clubland Award: DJ Snake and Lil’ Jon – “Turn Down For What”
Best Collaboration: Katy Perry ft. Juicy J – “Dark Horse”
Best Direction: OK Go – “The Writing’s on the Wall” (Directors: Damian Kulash, Aaron Duffy, and Bob Partington)
Best Choreography: Sia – “Chandelier” (Choreographer: Ryan Heffington)
Best Visual Effects: OK Go – “The Writing’s on the Wall” (Visual Effects: 1stAveMachine)
Best Art Direction: Arcade Fire – “Reflektor” (Art Director: Anastasia Masaro)
Best Editing: No opinion
Best Cinematography: Lana Del Rey – “West Coast” (Director of Photography: Evan Prosofsky)
Best Video with a Social Message: This category is very silly.
Best Lyric Video: I don’t watch lyric videos that often.
And check out this list I wrote for Starpulse of 10 classic music videos that did not win Video of the Year: http://www.starpulse.com/news/Jeffrey_Malone/2014/08/24/10_classic_music_videos_that_did_not_w
August 23, 2014
Music, Television, VH1 Top 20 Countdown Leave a comment
Each week, I check out VH1′s Top 20 countdown, and then I rearrange the songs based on my estimation of their quality.
Original Version
1. Disclosure ft. Sam Smith – “Latch”
2. Sam Smith – “Stay With Me”
3. Charli XCX – “Boom Clap”
4. Magic! – “Rude”
5. Demi Lovato ft. Cher Lloyd – “Really Don’t Care”
6. Nico & Vinz – “Am I Wrong”
7. OneRepublic – “Love Runs Out”
8. Maroon 5 – “Maps”
9. Clean Bandit ft. Jess Glynne – “Rather Be”
10. Sia – “Chandelier”
11. Meghan Trainor – “All About That Bass”
12. Kiesza – “Hideaway”
13. Pharrell Williams ft. Miley Cyrus – “Come Get It Bae”
14. Coldplay – “A Sky Full of Stars”
15. Ariana Grande ft. Iggy Azalea – “Problem”
16. Ed Sheeran – “Dont'”
17. Calvin Harris – “Summer”
18. American Authors – “Believer”
19. Rita Ora – “I Will Never Let You Down”
20. Andy Grammer – “Back Home”
Jmunney’s Revision
1. Chandelier
2. Summer
3. Latch
4. Hideaway
5. Stay With Me
6. Rather Be
7. Come Get It Bae
8. Boom Clap
9. Don’t
10. Am I Wrong
11. Problem
12. I Will Never Let You Down
13. Love Runs Out
14. Really Don’t Care
15. A Sky Full of Stars
16. Rude
17. All About That Bass
18. Maps
19. Believer
20. Back Home
August 21, 2014
Best Episodes of the 2013-2014 Season, Best Episodes of the Season, Television, The Big Bang Theory Leave a comment
Season Analysis: While The Big Bang Theory will probably never stop undercutting itself by giving every episode the quickest, easiest conclusion, Season 7 did show off some of the strongest recognition yet of its best cast dynamics
“The Status Quo Combustion”
While it is not the worst offender on the dial and while it has gotten better in this regard, The Big Bang Theory is one of the most allergic-to-change shows on television. But it has always had a tendency to mix things up in its season finales, and Season 7 was no exception (as explicitly made clear in the episode title). The status quo has combusted before, and Sheldon has left the apartment before, and things have ultimately gone back to normal. But this time is different – the Big Bang writers have actually set themselves up in such a way that the changes must stick (at least somewhat) permanently. Raj actually did have sex with a girl he likes, Leonard and Penny are really getting married, Stuart’s comic book store actually did burn down, and Amy actually did suggest that she and Sheldon live together. This is all too much for Sheldon, but more so than ever before, the show he’s on is not following his example. Leonard and Penny ultimately decide to just let him leave town, and it is unclear just how this will be resolved, and when it comes to The Big Bang Theory, that uncertainty is thrilling.
August 20, 2014
Best Episodes of the 2013-2014 Season, Best Episodes of the Season, New Girl, Television Leave a comment
Season Analysis: New Girl Season 3 had its share of hits and misses: put Nick and Jess’ affectionate but rocky relationship and the return of Coach in the plus column, Schmidt’s regression in the minus column (though it was a valiant effort), and everything Winston-related in both columns (since he was consistently hilarious, but also consistently detached from the rest of the group).
“Keaton”
With the Cece/Elizabeth storyline, Schmidt’s characterization had gotten a little out of control in the New Girl writers’ room. It was basically as impossible a situation as Schmidt himself found himself in. Just as there was no way for him to break it off with either of the women in his life without hurting one of them, there was no way for the writing to not make him a pretty awful person if he were to go on deceiving both of them. So it was an important corrective to have an episode like “Keaton” to give Max Greenfield an opportunity to really earn back the audience’s sympathy. This episode also showed off New Girl’s propensity for seamlessly weaving in revealing backstory, as we learned that Schmidt’s communication with “Michael Keaton” began with his mom playing the part of the Batman actor and then Nick picking up the role in college. The fakeness of the Keaton correspondence should have been hilariously obvious (Nick’s e-mail address for Mr. Mom was keatonpotatoes@aol.com), but Schmidt, like a lot of us, needs a hero to hold on to. Ultimately, this episode was a story of both the filial and romantic love of New Girl, with Nick Miller suffering a crisis over deceiving his best friend while partnering with his girlfriend, with the two of them taking part in the deception because of their support for each other and their mutual concern for Schmidt. It is one of those scary moments when your life is at a crossroads and you do not quite know how to do the right thing that New Girl pulls off so well.
August 19, 2014
Fuse Top 20 Countdown, Music, Television Leave a comment
Each week, I check out FUSE’s Top 20 countdown, and then I rearrange the songs based on my estimation of their quality.
Original Version
1. Meghan Trainor – “All About That Bass”
2. Magic! – “Rude”
3. Sam Smith – “Stay With Me”
4. Maroon 5 – “Maps”
5. Sia – “Chandelier”
6. Iggy Azalea ft. Rita Ora – “Black Widow”
7. Charli XCX – “Boom Clap”
8. Clean Bandit ft. Jess Glynne – “Rather Be”
9. Ariana Grande ft. Iggy Azalea – “Problem”
10. Becky G – “Shower”
11. Nico & Vinz – “Am I Wrong”
12. Disclosure ft. Sam Smith – “Latch”
13. Echosmith – “Cool Kids”
14. OneRepublic – “Love Runs Out”
15. Kongos – “Come With Me Now”
16. Enrique Iglesias ft. Gente de Zona, Descemer Bueno, and Sean Paul – “Bailando”
17. Calvin Harris – “Summer”
18. The Vamps ft. Demi Lovato – “Somebody to You”
19. T.I. ft. Iggy Azalea – “No Mediocre”
20. 5 Seconds of Summer – “Amnesia”
Jmunney’s Revision
1. Chandelier
2. Summer
3. Come With Me Now
4. Latch
5. Black Widow
6. Stay With Me
7. Rather Be
8. Cool Kids
9. Boom Clap
10. Am I Wrong
11. Problem
12. Love Runs Out
13. Rude
14. All About That Bass
15. Maps
16. No Mediocre
17. Bailando
18. Somebody to You
19. Amnesia
20. Shower
August 18, 2014
Music, Music Videos, Watch And/Or Listen to This Leave a comment
This is the best music video I’ve seen in a while:
August 17, 2014
Cinema, Movie Reviews 1 Comment
When reviewing the latest Captain America, I diagnosed myself with Superhero Fatigue. Marvel’s cinematic output has lately been consistent, but safe. So kudos to them for going unpredictable with Guardians of the Galaxy. This one is different insofar as it is not really a superhero movie at all, but insted a goofy romp through the universe starring roguish Earthling Peter Quill (Chris Pratt), roguish green woman Gamora (Zoe Saldana), roguish vengeful warrior Drax the Destroyer (Dave Bautista), roguish tree-like humanoid Groot (Vin Diesel), and roguish talking raccoon Rocket (Bradley Cooper, in one of the great voice acting performances of all time). The “space opera” is a longstanding genre, but it has been a long time since it has been presented as imaginatively and thoughtfully as it is here.
The plot revolves around a MacGuffin: an orb stolen by Quill that is sought by the genocidal Ronan the Accuser (Lee Pace) of the Kree race. Like other MacGuffins, this orb may not be what the movie is really about, but it is a bigger deal than most MacGuffins. Ronan means to use the orb to destroy an entire rival race, and the fight for possession of the orb lasts until the very end. Thus it is strange – though not necessarily problematically – that the tone remains so lighthearted throughout. Actually, the mix of light and dark that Guardians pulls off is often a highlight of great adventure films. It is just too bad that every discussion explaining the orb – and there are a lot of them – is a bunch of gobbledygook. It also would have been more engaging if Ronan and the other villains (save for Michael Rooker as the bandit Yondu, who was more antagonist than villain) had felt more like characters instead of just pure forces of evil. Ultimately, Guardians is inconsistent about conveying a high-stakes tone, rendering its thrills not quite as viscerally satisfying as they could have been. Still, it does pull off the fun side of the adventure genre with no problem, and I imagine it might grow on me, because I could watch a baby tree dance to the Jackson 5’s “I Want You Back” all day long. B
August 17, 2014
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 – Whose Line is it Anyway?
Tuesday – It’s not weird to pick Nathan For You, it’s normal.
Wednesday – The Meltdown Show with Jonah and Kumail
Thursday – You’re the Worst
Friday – Girl Meets World
Saturday – N/A
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