Real comedy still happens on late night, we can prove it. If you like Conan comedy gold, Fallon friendliness, cutesy Corden, list-making Letterman, kneedy Kimmel, and all the rest, I hope you’ll enjoy this column too. Since Dave retired and the Summer weekly talk-show break eased into Summer talk-show down time, mostly occupied by a few …
Last night on late night, Tom Hanks and Dave talked dodging drones with Ron Howard, a “sex mathematician” explained hormones to Conan, Hugh Jackman and Nick Offerman were on The Tonight Show, Mariah Carey went on Kimmel, and The Men in Blazers broke down Premier League relegation battle drama.
During its rocky first season, Parks and Recreation faced much criticism for being too similar to The Office – Leslie was just a female Michael Scott, Ron Swanson was the new Dwight Schrute. Setting it in the vibrant and weird Indiana town of Pawnee instantly assuaged some of these fears. Even during that first season, it was clear from the town hall meetings where Leslie and company had to defend themselves against the many residents of Pawnee that Michael Schur and his writers had dreamt up one of the most vivid communities for a sitcom. So, in honor of Parks and Recreation’s final episode, here are the ten best recurring characters on the show. Here’s to hoping they all make cameos during the finale.
Nick Offerman is a man of many talents, and among his many manly hobbies is woodworking. In fact, Offerman supposedly runs a carpentry shop producing high-end handmade goods. The Parks and Recreation star appeared on a recent episode of Conan and starred in this commercial parody for his series of handcrafted wood emojis. Enjoy! Parks and …
Emmy nominations will be announced on Thursday, July 10 by Mindy Kaling and Carson Daly. The pundits and critics have come to a consensus on the most likely nominees out of the numerous television shows on the air: a showdown between Breaking Bad and True Detective in Best Drama Series, Modern Family accruing a number …
In lesser hands, the overtly meta nature of 22 Jump Street could easily have become insufferably smug. Directing duo Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, though, have been proving themselves to be kings of manic, self-aware comedy, and their more consistently strong follow-up to 2012’s 21 Jump Street might be the best comedy sequel since Joe Dante’s Gremlins 2: The New Batch.
The LEGO Movie Written and directed by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller USA, 2014 The opening moments of Pixar’s last great film to date, Toy Story 3, depict an intentionally, increasingly goofy and outlandish fantasy scenario in which all of the toys in Andy’s bedroom play a part. There are the heroic Sheriff Woody and …
We’re The Millers Directed by Rawson Marshall Thurber Written by Bob Fisher, Steve Faber, Sean Anders, and John Morris USA, 2013 We’re The Millers is a mighty schizophrenic movie, sometimes shuffling from plot point to plot point as if you can literally see a committee of studio executives hovering next to the actors, offering notes …
It is a blessing and a curse to be a teenager with a wayward imagination, the former because even the most mundane objects in life can be imbued with some sense of mystery and wonder, and the latter because the more fantastical you make the world, the more let down you’ll be when reality sets in.
The Kings of Summer is a coming of age film born from the spirit of the American sitcom. Built on the public’s enduring obsession with what it means to be a man, the film undercuts the self-seriousness of this notion through its use of sitcom-branded comedy. The film depicts the story of three teenage boys who are tired of their oppressive parents, so they find an isolated pocket in the forest to build themselves a house where they plan to live off the land.
It may seem like a fool’s errand to ascribe deeper meaning to a 75-minute lark of a movie, but it’s not terribly difficult to spot a theme recurring throughout Somebody Up There Likes Me, specific to the very meaning of life.
Smashed Written by James Ponsoldt and Susan Burke Directed by James Ponsoldt USA 2012 imdb Simon Howell’s TIFF review The reason to see Smashed is an amazing performance by Mary Elizabeth Winstead as an alcoholic 1st grade teacher, married to an equally alcoholic music critic. Winstead’s Kate is walking a tightrope made of broken bottles, teetering …
Thanksgiving is here (American Thanksgiving, at least), making it officially the Holiday Season. It’s a time for reflection, for pausing to appreciate those people and things we’re most grateful for, and for focusing on what’s really important in life. Television. Here are just a few of the many things I am grateful for this year. …