CliqueClack

The CW’s aim is true with Arrow

Is it just me or is it becoming increasingly harder to distinguish superheroes from one another these days? There’s simply so many out there that one is bound to come across a super-powered character that shares the same amazing abilities with another. Perhaps that’s what makes the ones without powers all the more special. Growing up, my favorite was Batman. However, after taking a gander at The CW’s latest hour-long drama, that may be about to change.

Enter Arrow, the network’s newest action thriller inspired by the Green Arrow series published by DC Comics, you know, the folks that get on Marvel’s nerves. It’s common knowledge amongst my friends that I’m a nerd, but I have to admit that I didn’t know much about the Green Arrow until Justin Hartley brought the character to vivid life in Smallville. The latest version is quite a departure from the warm heroic feeling of yesteryear. Instead of Hartley, we’re given Stephen Amell, a relative newcomer with sharp looks and a freakishly abnormal six-pack. This version of Green Arrow isn’t afraid to kill villains. On the contrary, I think he murdered at least five baddies in last night’s pilot episode alone. That’s saying something. So, how was the show’s debut?

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The Good Wife’s Kalinda husband plot needs to go away

You guys, after watching the first couple episodes of the season, I am worried about Kalinda on The Good Wife.

I don’t mean her physical safety; if anyone can eventually best her dangerous husband, Nick Savarese (played by Marc Warren competently doing the British tough guy thing) it’s her. We already saw her fight him in the season premiere, and she clearly has preternatural fighting ability for a woman her size. And I’m not worried about her psychologically, though clearly she can’t completely get this guy go.  Continue reading 'The Good Wife’s Kalinda husband plot needs to go away' »

The changes to The Voice are a mixed bag

I don’t like reality television; that’s not a secret around these parts. I’m quite famous for it around the halls of CliqueClack HQ. Generally I lump musical competition shows – heck, any competition show that’s not named Jeopardy! – into that mix. But The Voice has oddly become an exception to that rule. I’m a big fan of the Blind Auditions, of the chairs and of the judge’s interplay. I have not, however, been a big fan of the second round of competition.

Through the first two seasons, The Voice’s weak spot has always been the Battle Rounds. I’ve never been a fan of a way that portion of the competition has been structured. After their teams are fully constituted, the judges pair two competitors, pick the song they will sing and then are finally the arbiter of who advances. Call me a cynic – everyone does – but it has always felt to me like the judges have too much power to use the performance to justify a decision they’d likely made in advance. Not saying it happens every time – or often – but that particular round has had some of the oddest eliminations in both seasons.

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Is Kate McKinnon the new MVP on Saturday Night Live?

When Kristin Wiig decided to depart Saturday Night Live at the end of her contract last season, there was almost universal teeth-gnashing and hair-pulling (yes, there are some who are glad to see her gone) about who could ever replace her, and if the show would ever be funny again. Okay, we usually say that last part after every episode, but in Wiig’s case she could pretty much save any sketch. The viewers knew it, the writers knew it. So how could the show ever replace someone who had become its Most Valuable Player?

Towards the end of last season, a new face was added to the Featured Players on the show, after Paul Brittain’s sudden exit. Surprisingly, the newly open spot was filled by a woman, Kate McKinnon, a virtual unknown to the viewers of SNL. Turns out McKinnon has had plenty of experience doing sketch comedy, appearing on all three seasons of Logo’s Big Gay Sketch Show (McKinnon is the first openly gay female performer on SNL, by the way), and was also a regular performer at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre in New York City. McKinnon also won a NewNowNext Award in 2009 as Best Rising Comic. With these impressive credentials, would McKinnon be able to put all of that talent to good use on SNL? Continue reading 'Is Kate McKinnon the new MVP on Saturday Night Live?' »

I Am Divine is coming soon, but only with your help

A little more than a year ago, I had the pleasure to chat — via email — with director Jeffrey Schwarz, the man behind the awesome documentary about director William Castle, and the recent HBO documentary Vito. Schwarz also worked on some bonus material for the home video release of the musical version of John Waters’ Hairspray, where he met John and hatched the plan to produce a documentary on Waters’ muse, Divine.

Divine had certainly been a cult figure in Baltimore and beyond before the original Hairspray hit theaters, but he became an “overnight” star in 1988 … and died suddenly, shockingly, soon after the film’s release. The star of Waters’ movies was gone, changing the tone of his films, but broadening the cult appeal of Divine. Fans still flock to Baltimore to take tours of the film’s locations, and to visit Divine’s final resting place in a cemetery in Towson (and adorning the headstone with various items such as lipstick and false eyelashes). Besides a book written by Divine’s mother, Frances Milstead, and an E! True Hollywood Story, the life of the star — and Glenn Milstead, the man behind the makeup — has gone largely untold. Until now.

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Rock of Ages had me rolling … my eyes

In my varied retail career, I worked in three different record stores during three different and distinct musical eras — New Wave, Grunge and Hair Bands — so I had a feel for what Rock of Ages was going to be about, especially since much of the promotion leading up to the movie focused on Tom Cruise as ruined rocker Stacee Jaxx. Not being at all familiar with the Broadway musical on which the movie is based, I was actually surprised to find the story focused more on two other characters looking for love in the pursuit of rock and roll glory … although I guess I should have figured that out since Julianne Hough and Diego Boneta actually received top billing (and, if I remember correctly, there was quite a brouhaha around the lavishly appointed CliqueClack offices about that billing).

Sitting down to watch the movie for the first time on Blu-ray, I found myself mightily confused by what the movie was supposed to be. Was it a look at the destructive power of rock and roll on a person’s soul, was it a bubble gum love story, or was it just a big screen version of Glee recast with movie stars? It’s really hard to say.

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Jimmy Smits embraces his dark side

It seems to be an accepted fact in Hollywood that if one wants to really act then they have to be diverse. I’m always captivated when I see talented actors and actresses taking on roles that are dissimilar and poles apart from their previous work. I think this sort of thing indicates a person’s aptitude. Apparently Jimmy Smits got the memo. After starting out in a series of roles that portrayed him as a kindhearted do-gooder — including a pretty cool gig in the Star Wars prequels — it seems that Smits has finally come to the dark side.

Color me intrigued.

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CliqueClack Hungry Trolls podcast – Episode 6

Friend, contributor and comedian Jay Black has brought his Hungry Trolls podcast here to CliqueClack. Jay joins friend and comedian Vinnie Nardiello in what he tells me will be a twice-a-week deal!

Make sure you tune in and make your friends tune in as well, and comment and rate us on our iTunes page! We’re also on Stitcher!

Please keep the comments coming and let us know what you think. Got suggestions? Questions? We’d love to hear ‘em! Make sure you get everyone you know to subscribe to the podcast in iTunes (and rate us, please!) or via some other feed — we feed Jay’s ego a careful diet of traffic numbers and subscriber count, so let’s not let that sucker die of starvation. You can also check-in via GetGlue!

Thanks for listening! And please visit our new sponsor, Audible.com!

Gravity Falls channels Spirited Away for Halloween

There are few shows I have fallen in love with faster than Gravity Falls. In fact, I knew I was going to like the show just by the many, many GIFs sent to me before I even watched the first episode. It’s still early in its first season, but I absolutely adore this show. It’s clever as hell, effortlessly hilarious, unafraid of being ridiculous and it features the dulcet tones of Ms. Kristen Schaal. Seriously, Schaal has a voice made for cartoons and her character Mabel is everything I wish I could be (“I’m legalizing everything!”). But the other great aspect of the show is the wide array of pop culture references, often hidden within the show so that only fans of that show/movie/etc. will notice and get really excited they got a shout-out. Hence this week’s episode.

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The Cabin in the Woods’ Marty is what Dollhouse’s Topher should have been

First of all, don’t get all on me because I didn’t behave like a good little Whedon-ite and line up for the first showing of The Cabin in the Woods at the local theater, when it was released in April — or, better yet, flew to SxSW in March to see it early. A trip to a theater for me these days is such a sad rarity, but we won’t get into that right now. The point is, I finally caught Joss and Drew’s horror film collaboration last weekend. While it was one hell of a great trip, my only complaint would be the very final scene — I was looking for a little more.

What struck me throughout the film was watching Dollhouse‘s Fran Kranz as burnout — and destroyer of all life on Earth — Marty, once again reciting lines put to paper by Joss Whedon. But what was different this time was that this character was more of what I wanted out of Dollhouse‘s Topher.

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