Pre-6/24

Wednesday, 6/23

The Good Guy
Coco Before Chanel
TiMER

The Good Guy, a mindless, 20-something dramedy starring Alexis Bledel and Bryan Greenberg, both of whom I have a soft spot for, was worth watching kind of like five cookies at midnight are worth eating. You enjoy it at the time, but you wake up knowing you could have done without. Though Greenberg is always earnest and believable as the guy in love with his friend's girl, Bledel (who I love, love, love from Gilmore Girls but have trouble believing since) comes off as kind of empty and seems like she's acting too hard at acting. I mean, of course I'm happy I watched it, but it was not good, especially the narration by third main character who I guess is some kind of big deal from Friday Night Lights. Oh, and it has the chick from My Girl, all grown up and acting a hot mess who can't hold on to her purse...or man. Downgrade.

Coco Before Chanel. I love Audrey Tautou. I do. She glows from within, lights up the screen But I actually didn't love this telling of Coco's early life. It was fun, trying, sad to see her pass herself from man to man, but I don't know if I should blame the make-up artist or hair stylist (or maybe some person on set looking for authenticity) for Tautou's lack of sparkle. I get it, Chanel believes in simplicity, not wearing a fruit basket for a hat, but Tautou's performance was kind of flat and had no sparkle, even when she was in the arms of Boy.

TiMER. Oh wow, in the future we get clocks stamped into our wrists that tell us the day we'll meet our soulmate, or so says the premise of this futuristic rom-com starring Buffy the Vampire Slayer's Emma Caulfield as a woman whose TiMER is blank. She passes time by taking all potential suitors to get a TiMER, then is disappointed when hers remains blank. She meets a cute little grocery guy (who is of course in a band) with four months on his TiMER, a time limit on their relationship, and decides to let go and have fun. It's an interesting premise, and the movie could have been much more excellent if it hadn't been quite so tongue in cheek about the ridiculous concept. Though actually I enjoyed the film, once I got past the whole "woman on a quest to meet her soulmate because otherwise what is life" thing. Probably my favorite of the day.


Tuesday, 6/22

Pretty Little Liars
Gravity
Merlin, Season Two

No pint night led to me watching Pretty Little Liars and Gravity on Tuesday instead of Wednesday (thank you, higher power, for giving me a friend with DVR). I have to say, despite most of the Pretty Little Liars looking just a few years shy from Botox (seriously! Some of these girls are 30 years old!), it's a highly entertaining, if empty and predictable, show. But just because you see what's going to happen from a mile away, that doesn't make it less enjoyable to watch.

Gravity, a great original series from Starz, was really lovely this week with a wrenching, if horribly sappy, speech from Lilly. If you would have told me I'd be watching a show about a support group for failed suicide attemptees -- well, forge that because I love the premise. The characters are (haha) alive, and I must say I am very impressed with the Starz original programming of late. I'm talking to you, Spartacus: Blood and Sand.

And of course I finished up the last of Merlin, season two, which, though formulaic, I have been enjoying the dragon out of. The last episode was bittersweet, but no matter. I love the rapport between Gaius and Merlin (Colin Morgan) - who is always dressed like a hipster of contemporary times with his colorful tunic and neckerchief. They really have a bond like family, and watching Merlin struggle with his own family, especially in the face of Arthur's endless barrage of sarcasm. Love it.

Monday, June 21

Prison Break, Season Three

I need to stop trying to watch this show. I loved season one, survived season two, and season three is so off-base I stopped watching it like two months ago. I returned after one too many drinks only to realize I really can't stand watching Michael Scofield sweat through his shirt anymore while his brother fails at looking like he has a brain to think with.***


*** I reserve the right to take this back and watch the rest of season three any time I want.