New Dan Brown book coming in September

Dan Brown is a great popcorn novelist. I've read three of his four books, and found that the structure and twists of each are reliably unpredictable, if that makes any sense. I wish I knew how to craft a page-turner as well as he does. Today comes news that Brown has apparently finished his next novel, which will be published in September. The novel will feature The DaVinci Code's Robert Langdon character (played by Tom Hanks in the film and in the upcoming Angels & Demons), although it is unclear where the mystery will be set (at one point it was rumored to revolve around U.S. history and/or the Masons). The new book will be called The Lost Symbol (a rather dull and ambiguous title if you asked me).

Update: Columbia Pictures has apparently already begun preliminary work on a film adaptation of The Lost Symbol, weeks before they know if Angels & Demons will be as lucrative to the studio as was The DaVinci Code.

I don't comment about books as often as I should, but I've been in a bit of a reading rut lately. I have at least four abandoned books sitting on my nightstand, just waiting to be finished (including Corman McCarthy's The Road and John Grisham's The Appeal). Last week Wendy and I decided that we'd reserve Tuesdays as a TV-free zone, and I actually got into a new book called The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman. It has been whimsical and creepy so far; I hope it doesn't end up in the wasteland that is my nightstand anytime soon...

If The Graveyard Book doesn't do it, what book would you recommend to break me of this literary drought?

Final "Harry Potter 6" trailer

I know I've posted a bunch of these, but this appears to be the official final theatrical trailer for the upcoming Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. I'm curious to know how this movie got away with a PG rating, considering all the dark stuff covered in the book. Everything I've seen so far looks fantastic, so I'm really hoping the movie will capture the creepy/emotional tone of the book's final third.

It was announced a few days ago that HP6 will be released in theaters on July 15, two days earlier than its previous release date. By my calendar, that's less than three months away!

"24" heads to NYC next year

It's been a great year, overall, for 24. Even last night's return of Kim Bauer didn't ruin the season for me (although the twist at the end of the episode makes absolutely no sense). We've still got six hours left in the current season, but details are already emerging about Jack Bauer's next horrific day. According to EW.com, 24 is headed to NYC. I think it makes perfect sense, since the show has found a renewed energy this year in large part to its new location in Washington D.C. (all previous seasons had been set in Los Angeles). To have a series of potential terrorist attacks take place in NYC is a no-brainer. The article also reports that Chloe (Mary Lynn Rajskub) will be back as Chloe (yeah!).

So if Jack will live to see an 8th terrible day, I guess this means the "experimental procedure" worked...

"New Moon" casting news; "Friday Night Lights"

Although I sincerely doubt that anything could make me want to watch the Twilight sequel, New Moon, I am curious about some of the casting that has recently been announced. I previously reported that Dakota Fanning had been cast as Jane, but now comes news that acclaimed British actor Michael Sheen (Tony Blair from The Queen, David Frost from Frost/Nixon) has been cast as Aro. Either there is some unseen substance to this teeny-boppy vampire saga, or these actors are looking for a paycheck. In any case, their casting elevates the sequel ever-so-slightly above the original. Let's hope producers get a larger visual effects budget this time around.

Now for the bait & switch: I'd like change the subject to declare that I'm a bit of a closet fan of NBC's critically-acclaimed Friday Night Lights. I bought the first season DVDs when I found them in a bargain bin a year or so ago, and recall watching them during late-night Lily feedings when she was first born. While the show isn't always as squeaky clean as I would like, I am blown away by the first-rate acting and thematic depth from a show that I once blew off as a cheesy teen soap.

I realize it's a tough show to market, but NBC's marketing has completely mischaracterized Friday Night Lights. If I had to categorize the type of show it is, I'd say it's 20% sports drama, 10% high-school soap, 50% family drama, and 20% small-town drama. As funny as it sounds, it often reminds me of a modern-day Little House on the Prairie with a better-looking cast (with the caviat that it is grittier than Little House, but then what isn't?) That may be the oddest selling point I've ever made for a show I'm recommending, but I tell you, FNL gives me the chills almost every week.

FNL ended its stellar third season last Friday. I won't give anything away, in case any of you actually starts watching the show as a result of my recommendation. But let's just say that the show does a masterful job of respectfully sending off some of its beloved characters while setting up some interesting conflicts for the remaining cast. It's such an authentic, easy-going show that it's hard to believe the Dillon Panthers are an imaginary team, and that Coach Taylor and his family are fictional. It's really just great TV.

The best news here is that NBC and DirectTV have worked out a deal to continue their unprecedented partnership that funds the low-rated show for an additional two seasons. So while we get a more abbreviated season (13-episodes) than we're accustomed to from network dramas, at least we're getting more of this terrific show. I own the first two seasons, so if you'd like to RedBox them from me, just let me know; it would be great to have someone to talk about it with when the show returns next season.

I think I can authoritatively say that even Edward Cullen himself would be a fan of Friday Night Lights.

Lost "Pushing Daisies," "Eli Stone" episodes get airdate

Although ABC has canceled the low-rated (but beloved) shows Pushing Daisies and Eli Stone, the network will air the remaining new episodes of those shows on Saturday nights starting in the summer. Pushing Daisies returns on May 30 for three weeks, followed by Eli Stone on June 20 for three weeks.

By the way, Pushing Daisies' complete second season (all 13 episodes) will be released on DVD and Blu-ray on July 21. I bought the first season a few weeks ago, and it looks fantastic on Blu-ray. May it rest in peace.

An unbiased opinion

I finally gave in and watched Twilight with Wendy on Friday night. Before we started the movie, she made me promise that no matter what I thought about it, I wouldn't review it on my blog. So in honor of my sweet wife's wishes, and the tender feelings of Twilighters worldwide (who undoubtedly make regular pilgrimage to my blog), I'll simply say this: Twilight was not the worst movie ever made.

Read that however you'd like.

"Where the Wild Things Are"

Finally, something worth posting about:



Can't say I really get the choice of music for the trailer, but I've got to admit that I'm fascinated to see how this will turn out.

Trailers for some of May's big releases

There are quite a few new trailers out there that I haven't posted here, including some nifty ones for Star Trek and Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. But since I'm lazy, and these were the only ones I could actually embed into my blog, you get the newest from X-Men Origins: Wolverine, Angels & Demons, and Terminator: Salvation, all three of which are set for release in May.

Fox renews "The Simpsons" through its 22nd season

I'm not really surprised by the news, but find it exciting nonetheless: Fox has renewed its animated institution, The Simpsons, for a record-breaking two more years. Currently in its 20th season, The Simpsons is now tied with Gunsmoke as the longest-running show on television. With at least two more years guaranteed, it will officially break the long-standing record.

I can remember when The Simpsons premiered. It was outlawed by most parents, and thought by many to be the end of civilization as we know it (an honor that now belongs to the gays, apparently). While the show is certainly not reverent, it feels tame compared to many other shows on television today (such as its raunchy Fox cousin, Family Guy), and often continues to have a "moral of the story" narrative that endears it to me even today. While I seldom catch the brand new episodes that air on Sunday nights, last year's The Simpsons Movie had enough charm and humor to make me believe that there's still life in Springfield even after all these years.

Any other shows you'd like to see last 22 seasons?

Critics are digging "Lost" and "24" this year...are you?

I'll be the first to admit that this hasn't been my favorite season of Lost so far (time travel is a fickle friend), although I'm still watching religiously and will do so to the bitter end. Some people, though, are really loving it, to which I'd like to note that their brains are likely much more developed than mine.

24, however, has been fantastic from the get-go. True, several of the expected plot contrivances remain (ever-present moles, terrorists with unlimited resources, etc.), but the new location and mixture of faces (both fresh and familiar) has made for another wild ride with America's favorite action hero. If you're not watching it yet, tune in on Monday...don't worry about everything that happened in the first nine hours and just enjoy the rest of Jack Bauer's latest crazy day. (Or catch up on Hulu.com).

My favorite TV critic, Robert Bianco from USA Today, comments today on the creative resurgence of both Lost and 24, and calls them "the two best shows on TV." While my enthusiasm for Lost's current direction pales to his, I would agree that 24 and Lost are among the best shows on TV, maybe only rivaled by another great installment of The Amazing Race (flying cheese wheels...brilliant!).

What do you think? Are you as committed to 24 and Lost as I am?

"Transformers 2" trailer

Michael Bay is the king of explosions and bigger-is-better action sequences. His Pearl Harbor was a visually-arresting disappointment, and Armageddon still gives me motion sickness, but I thought the original Transformers was a great roller-coaster ride, because I wasn't expecting Shakespeare from a movie based on action figures.

Now comes the trailer for Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, which frankly looks like a bigger, louder version of the original. And I can't wait. Watch the trailer (as well as the shorter clip that aired during the Super Bowl) here.

By the way, as hinted in the trailer, word is that producers were actually given permission to film on the pyramids near Cairo, which had better be amazing. Revenge hits theaters on June 24.

Joaquin

He was brilliant as Johnny Cash in Walk the Line and creepy in Gladiator, but I think his performance on last night's Letterman show was right up there with the strangest. Watch portions of it for yourself:



It was David Letterman at his best...makes me want to start staying up late to watch him more often. (Thanks to Aaron M. for telling me about this.)

"We could be going to BROADWAY!"

Waiting for Guffman fans, click here. NOW.

The very idea of this makes my head spin. Like we needed another reason to be planning a trip to NYC...

"Coraline" trailer

So will you shell out $10/ticket (or more if you see it in 3D) to see Coraline on February 6?

Miscellaneous

Here are a few random things I felt were worth mentioning on a slow Monday morning:

• Contrary to some reports, 24 has not announced any plans to end its run after next season. Although Kiefer Sutherland is not formally under contract beyond next season, he says, ""I love making the show, so I'm leaving my options open. And in all fairness, I think the audience will dictate that more than anybody." So don't lose hope, 24 fans! By the way, I'm digging the new season so far, although the President's husband subplot is a dud.
  
• The new edition of The Amazing Race starts on Feb. 15, and the new contestants include the race's first deaf contestant, a couple of stuntmen/almost-midget brothers, and of course several more good-looking dating couples. See all of the teams here.
• Wendy and I caught up on a couple of movies over the past couple of weeks, including Ghost Town (pretty funny and more layered than you would have expected), Speed Racer (brainless but breathtaking on Blu-ray), and Prince Caspian (predictable but better than expected). We also saw Marley & Me at the theater, and though it's not really a kid movie, was warm, touching, and funny.
• Tom Hanks has "apologized" for his criticisms of Mormons' support of Proposition 8. While I appreciate that he decided to be a little more measured in his disagreement with Prop 8 supporters, sometimes I wonder why self-centered celebrities like Hanks think they have more of a right to shoot off their mouths publicly than normal Americans do at the ballot. I always knew that most of Hollywood disagrees with my political views, but it's really starting to affect my interest in enjoying their talents on the big and small screen.
• Finally, for the Twilight fans, Dakota Fanning (War of the Worlds, I Am Sam) is reportedly being courted for the role of Jane in the upcoming film version of New Moon. I don't know anything about the character, but Fanning is a good actress and would add just a tiny dash of credibility to an otherwise corny (in my humble opinion) franchise. Does she meet your vision of Jane?
  

Oscar nominations; "Lost"

Oscar nominations were released this morning, to which I'd like to offer a big-fat "who gives a crap?" As you have probably noticed over the past couple of years, my interest in Hollywood's most prestigious award show has waned over the years (may my Oscar party RIP...) as the Academy increasingly chooses to honor the obscure and radical films and talents over the more mainstream fare. This has never been more apparent than this year, where the Academy inexplicably overlooked the critically praised and commercially unstoppable force that was The Dark Knight. Just because it's a comic-book movie or a sequel should have no bearing on its merits as an influential and important piece of filmmaking. I'm happy to see Heath Ledger honored, and not surprised to see the film picking up nominations in the technical categories, but the Academy's choice to ignore the film as a whole (or its visionary director/screenwriter, Christopher Nolan) is a travesty.

Instead we get major nominations for Milk, Frost/Nixon, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Slumdog Millionaire, and The Reader? I'm sure these are all very well-made films, and maybe even excellent ones. But with the exception of Button, which is a moderate commercial hit, none of these films has yet been embraced by a mainstream audience. I'm not arguing that awards should be granted based on a film's commercial success, but I sometimes wonder if films like The Dark Knight or Wall-E (two of the most critically-acclaimed and commercially successful films of the year) are snubbed solely because of their mainstream appeal. Could it be that the Academy is a group of elitists that don't feel like they can legitimately honor a "populist" film?

Either way, it's just one more year where I think I'll be skipping the ceremony and reading about it afterward. With the Academy Awards telecast increasingly losing viewers (and arguably, relevance), it's clear that I'm not the only one who feels this way.
_______________

In other news, I watched the Lost season premiere last night and had mixed feelings about it. As excited as I am to see things moving quickly on the show, and as great as it was to reconnect with Hurley, Jack, Locke, Kate, etc., I'm tired of feeling constantly confused by the show. Yesterday's two hour episode was action-packed and good-looking, but almost completely incoherent. I couldn't remember who half the characters were, what they'd been doing, or why I cared. At one point I think we were jumping between 10 different characters/settings/time periods...it just all gets a little overwhelming.

Lost will never lose me as a viewer--I'll stick with it until the bitter end next year--but I would love it if they would try a little harder to keep me engaged without requiring a textbook of notes on previous seasons or a bottle of Motrin for the incomprehensible time-jumps and space-time-continuum ripples. It's a delicate balance, I know: either we're complaining that too little is happening, or we're complaining that too much is happening. And I realize that I'm basing my complaints on one two-hour block, which had the uneviable task of reintroducing the world to the complex universe of Lost without trying to recap four previous seasons of content. So of course I'll be there with bells on next week. I just hope I understand what I'm watching.

Did anyone else feel this way about last night's Lost?

"Harry Potter 6" gets a PG-rating

This isn't really the most exciting of news, but it's been fairly dead lately with everyone on holiday breaks, so any news is good news. Yes, for the first time since Prisoner of Azkaban, the next film installment of the Harry Potter series (Half-Blood Prince) will get a PG rating for "scary images, some violence, language and mild sensuality." It's a bit of a surprise, given some of the book's darker elements and scenes, but I guess I don't really care what it's rated as long as it stays true to the spirit of the book. The last film, Order of the Phoenix, got a PG-13, but wasn't nearly as dark (in my mind) as Goblet of Fire, which also received a PG-13.

I suppose the best result of this news is that some of my nieces and nephews will get to watch this movie before they turn 13, which should give us plenty to talk about at Sunday dinners next July. Can't wait!

2009 Preview

Courtesy of USA Today, here is a list of interesting/promising movies to look forward to in 2009:

January-February
Bride Wars (Jan. 9). Hoping to tap into the growing power of female moviegoers, Fox begins the year with this Anne Hathaway/Kate Hudson comedy about two friends who become rivals when they schedule their weddings on the same date.

Coraline (Feb. 6). The 3-D animated parade gets into full swing with this cartoon about a young girl (voiced by Dakota Fanning) who walks through a secret door to discover an alternate version of her life.

Jonas Brothers: The 3D Concert Experience (Feb. 27). It worked for Hannah Montana, so why not for the crooning teen idols?

March-April
Watchmen (March 6). No comic-book movie has more expectations on its shoulders than this dark Zack Snyder adaptation about a band of dysfunctional superheroes. (This movie may be delayed due to a recent legal battle between Warner Bros. and Fox...)

Race to Witch Mountain (March 13). Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson continues his transition to family film leading man with this remake of the Disney classic about two kids with paranormal powers on the run from aliens and shady government agencies.

Duplicity (March 20). Julia Roberts and Clive Owen team up as a pair of corporate spies plotting a con job on their respective bosses.

Fast and Furious (April 3). Vin Diesel and Paul Walker return to the franchise about men who just can't drive 55.

May
X-Men Origins: Wolverine (May 1). Summer kicks into high gear with the latest installment of the mutant franchise, this time anchored by Hugh Jackman's hairy hero with long nails and a short fuse.

Star Trek (May 8). J.J. Abrams revisits the Enterprise with an origins story.

Angels & Demons (May 15). Da Vinci Code star Tom Hanks returns (with better hair) as inquisitive symbologist Robert Langdon.

Night at the Museum II: Battle of the Smithsonian (May 22). Ben Stiller just can't get enough of exhibits that come to life, and this time infiltrates the Smithsonian.

June
Land of the Lost (June 5). Hollywood loves dead TV shows, and Will Ferrell stars in this adaptation about a group that stumbles into a land of dinosaurs and Sleestaks.

The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3 (June 12). Denzel Washington and John Travolta star in this remake of the Walter Matthau caper about robbers who target a subway train.

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (June 26). The shape-shifting robots are back and bigger than ever in this bombastic sequel.

July-August
Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs (July 1). Our favorite prehistoric ani- mals return for a third installment of a $1.2 billion franchise, this time with a film produced completely in 3-D.

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (July 17). The book series may be finished, but the film series has a few installments still to go.

G.I. Joe: Rise of Cobra (Aug. 7). Brendan Fraser stars in this story about the heroic squadron in constant battle with the arms-dealing Cobra organization.

September-October
Fame (Sept. 25). A remake of the 1980 musical about aspiring students at the New York Academy of Performing Arts.

Shutter Island (Oct. 2). Martin Scorsese and Leonardo DiCaprio (The Departed) reunite for this story about a U.S. marshal investigating a murderess who escaped from a mental hospital.

November
The Wolfman (Nov. 6). Benicio del Toro dons the furry costume in this action film about the monster with full-moon anger-management issues.

Sherlock Holmes (Nov. 20). Robert Downey Jr. becomes the plucky British detective whose sidekick Watson (Jude Law) remains by his side.

December
The Lovely Bones (Dec. 11). Peter Jackson leaves the Shire to direct this drama about a young girl who has been murdered and watches over her family and her killer from the great beyond.

Avatar (Dec. 18). In his first feature film since Titanic, James Cameron returns with a sci-fi epic about a band of scientists and astronauts who discover a planet populated by diverse life and deadly ammonia-breathing life forms.

Which of these movies gets you excited for 2009?

2008 wrap-up

2008 was a different year for me in terms of my movie-going habits. I saw a fair number of movies, especially considering the cramp that a newborn puts in your style, but can only remember a couple that I felt like were truly great. Since I'm not sure I actually saw 10 new movies in the theaters, I'll resist the temptation to do a top 10 list, but I will list a few of my favorites for the year:

• The Dark Knight: The most challenging, frightening, and rewarding movie I saw this year. I'd be really upset if it didn't at least get some acknowledgement at the Oscars in January, especially for Heath Ledger's amazing performance.
• Wall-E: A truly unique experience, but it has held up very well upon further viewings. It's beautiful and simple, but as lyrical and sweet as anything else in 2008.
• The Spiderwick Chronicles: I never read the books, but this adaptation was a lot of fun, with just the right amount of magic and heart to qualify for a decent family popcorn film.
• Indiana Jones 4: I know it was corny at times and hardly anything revolutionary, but it was also a lot of fun, and made the little boy in me smile more than anything else I saw this year.

I also enjoyed Iron Man, The Visitor, Hellboy II, and Eagle Eye. There's a lot scheduled to open here in 2009, including the next Harry Potter film...I wonder what movie will catch my imagination like these movies did this year.

What were your favorites this year?

J-Dawg's new look

Ta da! After much pestering by my loyal reader, I have finally decided on a new look for the blog. It took me forever to find a new look, since most of the templates out there are just so girly. And to be honest, I'm not even completely sold on this look either. So we'll give it a trial run, and if it doesn't grow on me, then it's back to the navy blue & polka dots.

Oh yeah, and MERRY CHRISTMAS everyone!