My Favorite Neighbors

A Memorial for a Great Piece of Fan Memorabilia

myfavneighbors@gmail.com (Sis & Squirt) — Thu, 01 May 2014 20:07:00 +0000

There used to exist, in our house, a pair of Buddy’s Bar glasses, products from the NBC show Friday Night Lights.

During the very frantic week of Tax Day, Passover and Easter, Squirt broke one.*

*(On a personal note, I think that this more than makes up for ME breaking the purple Fiestaware mug that Squirt insisted that we use to outfit our kitchen when we moved into our house. She demanded Fiestaware even though I am one of the biggest klutzes in the world and have been known to break breakable objects in record time and spectacular fashion. I broke the mug two years ago, pulling it out of the dishwasher, if you must know the whole story. She was able to get another purple Fiestaware mug BUT we cannot get another Buddy glass because NBC Universal no longer sells it. So I think that we are now even, if not me being ahead. Now back to the post.)

We loved Friday Night Lights. Squirt watched it first, in real time, on NBC and then On Demand. As usual, I was behind the curve, so I watched it much later on DVD. Squirt’s favorite complaint on the show was that it was marketed wrong. For a casual football viewer, I initially thought the show wasn't for me. I now know that that was/is wrong. The show, which is about high school football, is not about football. It IS about the life and times of the residents of Dillon, Texas and even sometimes, about the town itself.

Also we LOVED the finale of the show, which did what few shows manage to accomplish. It gave us time to say goodbye to the characters that we had gotten to know and love and care about. It wasn’t too concerned about wrapping up "the story" (which it kind of did anyway) but it really let us, the viewers, leave the town of Dillon with a smile.

But, this is not a post about Friday Night Lights. This is a post about products for fans.

These glasses were nearly perfect as fan products because…

They represent a part of the universe of the show. Not the show itself. Nowhere on the glass were the words “Friday Night Lights”. These glasses were simply Buddy’s bar glasses. Almost as though we could have traveled to Dillon Texas, perhaps on a road-trip, had lunch at Buddy’s bar and bought the glasses home as a souvenir. Almost as though, we could have lived, for a brief moment, in the world/town that we loved.

But you’d have to have watched the show to know that these were fan products. To everyone else, they were just bar glasses. Which are also useful, don’t get me wrong.

We also have shirts that tout East Dillon Lions, “Clear Eyes, Full Hearts, Can’t Lose” and the Dillon Panthers, which we wear probably more often that you would imagine.

We do NOT have any shirts that just say “Friday Night Lights”.

I hate fan products that are just the name of the show.

I find it lazy.

Too many fan products simply put the name of the show or the movie in an interesting font and slap it on everything, regardless of whether the item relates to the show at all. It also assumes fans want to shout their fandom to every passing stranger, instead of getting the thrill of the secret smile or the head nod when another fan recognizes the reference.

Because NBC no longer sells the Buddy’s bar glasses, we have moved our remaining glass to a more revered place (read: higher shelf).

But this glass is way more to me than a piece of fan memorabilia. To me, it is a piece of the Dillon Texas that I spent 5 seasons getting to know and love; not just a product from a show.

- Sis

Adventures in AwesomeCon 2014

myfavneighbors@gmail.com (Sis & Squirt) — Mon, 21 Apr 2014 18:53:00 +0000

As most of you know I am Fan; sometimes a fangirl, but rarely a fanatic. In my Fandom, I decided to bite the bullet and attend AwesomeCon 2014 in DC. I have never been really that interested in meeting the actors of the works that I love because, let’s get real, they did not CREATE them. And I do understand that they are not their characters. So as much as I would like to meet Zoe Washburne cuz she kicks @$$; if I get the chance to meet Gina Torres, I might pass. Don’t get me wrong, I think think she is an amazing and talented actress and I have seen and loved her in everything she does but she is no Zoe Washburne.

Thus, while I was excited to go to AwesomeCon, my expectations were extremely managed. I was very pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed myself and how much fun the whole experience was.

I attended this event with two of my oldest guy friends. You can understand that the things they were excited about varied slightly from the things I was excited about. Because we are “adults”, and we have been friends for a long time, we compromised. I agreed to go to the Zombie Survival and Star Wars panels with them and they reluctantly agreed to go to the “Representation is Important” panel with me.

This "Representation is Important" panel was a discussion about how comics have a reputation for being for white guys of a certain age. And what comics creators are doing to help the increase the representation of diversity in the world of comics. The session was moderated by Alex Simmons (@blackjackAD), who was fantastic in his own right and who I would like to just sit down and talk to for hours. The panel consisted of the sharp witted Amy Chu (@AmyChu), soft spoken Alitha Martinez, spunky Laura Lee Gulledge (@WhoIsLauraLee) and Jeremy Whitley (@jrome58), the enlightened white male. I loved hearing the stories and experiences of people trying to bring diversity into comics. I was delighted to discover all of these wonderful new, books, authors and illustrators that I will be following for years to come.

Later that night, over some beers before we went to go see ‘Captain America - The Winter Soldier’, the boys could not stop talking about the Representation panel. We all had a very lively and engaging discussion, about representation and diversity in comic books, movies, TV shows and music. I learned how they see things; I shared how I saw things. Ideas and experiences were shared all around.

The thing is that these are guys I have known FOR YEARS (pre-puberty even!). They are like brothers to me and of course we share the same interests, hence attending AwesomeCon, but we had never had this discussion before or anything like it. I got multiple thank yous for making them go to this panel. They said it was best, most engaging and enlightening panel they attended.

I also purchased Page by Paige by Laura Lee Gulledge for Sis, the introvert. She now has a graphic novel with a protagonist like her. She is really excited. YAY! A convert!

Squirt

Pop Culture Mementos

myfavneighbors@gmail.com (Sis & Squirt) — Sun, 19 Jan 2014 17:25:00 +0000

I was going through the bookshelf the other day and I pulled out my old tattered copy of “A Little Princess”. This was one of my favorites as a early reader and a pre-teen. I didn't even have to open the book, just viewing the fraying and torn green cover reminded me both of the story which I LOVED and my memories of reading it. I could remember how old I was was, where I read it and what the weather was like. I remembered how I cried every time, which was sometimes embarrassing if I was reading it in public. I remembered how the first time I read it, I cried so hard that my mother thought that something was very wrong, and how we laughed about it later.

Just gazing at that old book in my hands, I realized, of course, that I could read it again. And learn something new, both about the book and myself. And that is amazing! This piece of pop culture, well-entwined with my memories and my childhood, can still be accessed and consumed and it will be new and different.

And I think it is both the power to contain complex memories that are kind of meta but also to keep creating more complex memories that give pop culture mementos their power. Unlike a piece of sea glass that you pick up to remember a good day at the beach with your family or a rose pressed into a book to remind you of your first Valentine, I can go back to “A Little Princess” and have a very different interaction with the story. I might see things now from a perspective that I could not have envisioned when I read it at 12 years old. I might even fall out of love with it (unlikely), but it always offers another experience, merely with the simple opening of a book or turning of a page.

But I'll never be able to go back to that beach or back to the time before my first kiss. And that piece of sea glass will never give me any more insight on what would happen after that day on that beach. And the rose will crumble into dust, both leaving only memories. But pop culture mementos are portals to both the past and a completely different present.

- Sis

SURPRISE! (Or How I Learned to Love the "Gasp")

myfavneighbors@gmail.com (Sis & Squirt) — Thu, 19 Dec 2013 13:00:00 +0000

In a world (see what I did there?) of spoilers and leaks and previews and all else, it's rare these days that anything slips past those who might be looking for it. So when something is a surprise, it's a rare treat.

I remember seeing “The Avengers” in the movie theatre over July 4th weekend in 2012. The movie theatre was packed; full of Marvel comics fans and those who had been dragged with them. And I remember sitting through the movie, laughing at the jokes and cheering for the home team. But then, after the credits had rolled, there was a tag. And the audience got a glimpse of a purple-y creature berating someone for not doing their job (at least that's my memory of it). A hush fell over the audience. And then a cheer erupted.

At the time, I didn't know who that creature was; I had to have it explained to me by an enthusiastic fan with whom we ended up sharing an elevator ride to the parking garage. And even after it was explained, it didn't really mean much to me, not really being a Marvel comics superfan. But I think that the real magic of that moment was that, prior to that screening, no one in the audience knew anything about the tag.

I think that many of them suspected that there would be a tag; it has become a bit of a cinematic staple. But they didn't know the content. And in this world of midnight screenings and early previews, no one had leaked it yet. And because no one had leaked it, everyone in that audience got to experience the power of The Surprise.

Now, I will allow that spoilers have their place. I will also contend that not everything that is revealed about what happens in a movie is a spoiler. The phrase “Spoiler alert: the good guy wins” grates me like no other. Of course, the good guy wins! That is not a spoiler.

A spoiler is the oft-used “Darth Vader is Luke's father” because it revealed something unexpected in an action/hero movie. (These days it has become such a staple that the villian and the hero will have some sort of familial connection that it would be totally different if the screenwriters just wrote, “Yeah, they're not related AT ALL.”) But the familial connection in Star Wars was what is still (thank heaven) colloquially known as a twist. And for good reason.

A twist is something that causes you to “twist” the way that you've been thinking about and interacting with these characters. Going back to “The Avengers”: If for some reason you found out that Thor was the adopted son and Loki, Odin's actual child, that might twist/skew the way that you look at their world and interactions.

And because it's up to any good fan to know the full plot of every movie, TV show or televised event, we have spoilers. Which ruin twists. And that makes me mad. (Maybe even Hulk-mad.)

My issues with this practice came into focus for me after two events this past month. The first was that I was reading the third book in Sarah MacLean's Rule of Scoundrels series “No Good Duke Goes Unpunished” (which I talk a little bit about here) and there is a twist. An ingenious twist, I dare say. But what was so awesome about it was that I didn't expect it. I didn't expect the “tag” (so to speak), other than the standard epilogue that is part of any romance novel these days. But I also didn't expect the content. So I got to be genuinely surprised. And shocked. And yes, I may have even gasped.

Which was great! It was a great feeling to be surprised. I think, with regards to our entertainment media, we should all endeavor to be surprised more often.

The second thing that happened (and is still happening) is that the promotion engine for “I Frankenstein” is churning up. As a longtime fan of both the show “Chuck” and Yvonne Strahovski, I've known about this movie for awhile. But because it's a science-fiction movie and an action movie, the promotion engine is going down a path that I HATE! An exclusive scene here. An extended trailer there. And then by the time you get into the theatre, you've seen the whole movie!

And I know that there have been studies where studios have shown that spoilers don't actually keep people from going to the movie or seeing the show. I know that the pilot episode for “New Girl” was put on iTunes well before it ever aired on television and that the preview of the pilot did nothing to diminish the ratings for the show. I know all of that.

But I'm talking about me. When I go to the movies, I want to be entertained. I do not want to be marking time between revealed scenes. And if you can surprise me, so much the better.

I wait with baited breath.

- Sis

PODCAST: A Hot Steaming Cup of...Tolstoy, Bronte and Scoundrels (Plus a glimpse behind the scenes)

myfavneighbors@gmail.com (Sis & Squirt) — Sun, 15 Dec 2013 13:00:00 +0000

We're back! Finally! We know. Our apologies.

Listen in as we catch up on some of the things that we left hanging.

PODCAST: A Hot Steaming Cup of...Tolstoy, Bronte and Scoundrels

Also, just for your amusement, we've included a behind-the-scenes segment on the new intro.

Behind-The-Scenes on the New Intro

Enjoy!

Why I Do NOT want a Chuck Movie....Right Now

myfavneighbors@gmail.com (Sis & Squirt) — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 18:01:00 +0000

With the success of the Veronica Mars Kickstarter movie, there has been a lot of discussion about what other shows should have a fan-funded movie. Usually these are fan favorites, cancelled too soon. "Chuck" has been thrown around a lot, as well as "Firefly" (which actually had a movie). And even Zachary Levi, Chuck himself, waded into the mix.

I'm going to try to keep my disclaimers to a minimum, but just know the following:

I loved LOVED "Chuck". (Okay, so not initially, but I grew to love it. See "Chuck" Drinking Game and MFN Take on "Chuck" (podcast)).
I miss the show terribly and still watch old episodes.

But I don't want a "Chuck" movie. At least not right now.

It's too soon. The show only ended A YEAR AGO! Come on, people. We can wait a little bit longer, can't we?

I don't want to be disappointed or have negative feelings about any of the actors that aren't going to be able to be a part of the movie. Hollywood is many things, but one of the things that it is most, is a constant producer of entertainment. Projects are being cast every day and I wouldn't want one of the cast to miss out on the movie just because they were working on something else that would propel their careers forward, instead of backwards into nostalgia.

And I would be upset, too; I know that I would. What "Chuck" movie could possibly be any good if it didn't have Jeff and Lester or Morgan or even Sarah? But, what if those actors were working on something else when all of the pieces came together for the movie. Remember how disappointed you (I'm talking to the fanbase now) were when Sarah Lancaster or Ryan McPartlin couldn't be at the "Chuck" panel at NerdHQ2012 (or that Yvonne Strahovski had to leave the before the second one started because she was working on "Dexter"). That's what I'm talking about. We don't want that for the movie, right?

Josh Schwartz and Chris Fedak. A "Chuck" movie would not be written by the fans. It would be written by the same two yahoos (I mean that lovingly, honestly.) that entertained, teased, enticed and infuriated us for 5 seasons. By the way, for all of you (the fanbase) who think this might be a better send-off than the "Chuck" finale, remember Josh and Chris wrote the "Chuck" finale. (Just think about that.)

It's not going to turn out the way we think it will. I call this "The X-Files phenomenom" (but it can also be extended to "Firefly/Serenity"). X-Files has now had 2 movies made for the big screen. And neither of them has satisfied the fans in any way, shape or form. Let's not sour our love for this show by asking for something we're not going to like.

Lazy interviewers. I want interviewers to ask the actors different things than how they felt about the ending of "Chuck" or the fanbase of "Chuck" or whatever iteration of "Chuck" question is the laziest one they can come up with. Regardless of whatever project they have done since the end of the show, any recent interview with Zachary Levi, Yvonne Strahovski or Adam Baldwin has had a "Chuck" question. And usually it's a dumb question (I blame the interviewer).

I realize that there is something to be said for keeping a memory alive and a shout-out to a very passionate fanbase, but I feel that we are allowing the interviewers to get lazy. And I want to hear something new! Either ask a different question, which let's be honest, the cast might not remember any more information than what they've already shared, or ask about something else. Like maybe their current project? Just a thought.

They don't need it. If I really believed that any of the actors from "Chuck" needed this movie to be made, I would be all about it, wholeheartedly. But I don't. They are all just fine, exploring and growing their careers and generally doing quite well for themselves. We can wait.

The cast are not their characters. Okay. How to put this gently? Zac, Yvonne, Adam, Josh, Sarah, Ryan and all of the cast of "Chuck" are great actors. So much so that it is too easy (even for this longtime pop culture consumer) to forget where the actor ends and the character starts. But, and this should be understood, at the end of the day, they are actors. They are not their characters. An on-screen reunion of Chuck and Sarah has nothing whatsoever to do with the off-screen relations of Zac and Yvonne. Even my shipper heart (and it is strong and true on this pairing) can see this.

Here is what I would like, at some point in the future (just so that this post isn't entirely negative)

I would love LOVE LOVE to see a Paley Festival type panel reunion. Give it about 4 years.
Get all of the cast together to really talk about the show and what it meant to them and what they've never shared, memories that time has allowed to resurface, whatever. Make it as geeky and unstructured as possible so that it is just a (taped) conversation among friends.

I would also love (and will gladly pay whatever amount is requested) anniversary DVD sets (or whatever media we will be using in about 4 or so years). I already have all of the "Chuck" seasons on DVD, but I will buy them all again if they have extra bonuses. Like what extra bonuses, the studios and sponsors ask.

Here's what I would want on the Anniversary DVD sets:

Episode commentary from some of the actors and writers we haven't heard from. (I'm looking at you, Yvonne and Adam.)
Extended Blooper Reels
Cut or Deleted Scenes

Now, after saying all of this, if a "Chuck" movie does get made, I will be one of the first in line to buy tickets and will see it on opening weekend. (I am still a fan, after all. I'm not going to boycott the movie. Let's not get crazy here, folks.) But I think we all (again, talking to the fanbase) need to take a step back and really think about what we're asking for when we ask for a "Chuck" movie. And what we actually really want.

- Sis

PODCAST: A Hot Steaming Cup of...Julia Stiles, King of the Nerds, Keri Russell and Bunheads

myfavneighbors@gmail.com (Sis & Squirt) — Wed, 27 Feb 2013 18:46:00 +0000

My Favorite Neighbors enthusiastically welcome back to television both Julia Stiles (in the Hallmark movie, "The Makeover") and Keri Russell (in the FX series, "The Americans). We are glad to have both of them back on our televisions again. Bring on the 90s nostalgia!

We also watched King of the Nerds, mainly because Kevin Smith and Jay Mewes were in one episode. :) Hey, at least we're honest.

And finally, Sis expresses her deep and unabiding love for ABC Family's Bunheads.

A Hot Steaming Cup of...Julia Stiles, King of the Nerds, Keri Russell and Bunheads

Listen in!

PODCAST: A Hot Steaming Cup of...Lord of the Rings and War and Peace

myfavneighbors@gmail.com (Sis & Squirt) — Wed, 20 Feb 2013 14:00:00 +0000

For our New Year's Eve marathon, we, being good Pop Culture disciples watched Lord of the Rings Trilogy. And immediately regretted it. Like even before the first movie was over.

This year, Squirt has agreed to read "War and Peace" with her friends. Now, she just needs to remember who wrote it (Hint: It is not Dostoevsky).

It's gonna be a photo finish as to which task takes longer! :)

Listen in!

A Hot Steaming Cup of...Lord of the Rings and War and Peace

PODCAST: A Hot Steaming Cup of...Oscar Nominations

myfavneighbors@gmail.com (Sis & Squirt) — Wed, 13 Feb 2013 12:30:00 +0000

We're back! And just in time for Oscar season. Yay!*

A Hot Steaming Cup of...Oscar Nominations

We break down how we've broken down over Lincoln and Les Miserables. And then we veer off into a discussion about The Sound of Music.
So just like old times. :) Enjoy!

*(There might have been some sarcasm in that 'Yay!' :) )

Hooray for the Hype: Perks of Being A Wallflower

myfavneighbors@gmail.com (Sis & Squirt) — Wed, 14 Nov 2012 19:43:00 +0000

Hoodwinked or Hooray
Perks of Being a Wallflower

Dear Friend,
I am going to disclaim this by saying I have learned to never believe the hype. 70% of the time when a movie or album is ultra hyped, it turns out to be crap. Whenever the words “stunning” “heartfelt” or “groundbreaking” are in a review, it sets off the hype-meter in my head. And not in a good way.

And when it comes to books, I have been hoodwinked by the hype one too many times. I’m talking to you, girlie with that reptile tattoo.

Thus, when the hype started around the MovieBook “Perks of Being a Wallflower,” I was skeptical.

1. It was hyped.

2. It was written by a man and men cannot write relationships. (take that "Women aren't funny" spouters!)

I will concede that men can write complex introspective thought pieces that center on one character; they can write adventures, mysteries, horrors and nice autobiographies. But men are shit at writing about relationships, family and, in general, the things that make the world go round. All things I LIKE to read about.

(but I digress)

3. It was a book written by a man about teens and for teens.
I have to be honest; most of the time adults just don’t get it...

Thus, it was with a healthy dose of skepticism that I picked up this slim novel at Target. Yes, Target! Thank you, America, for not reading thus causing all of my local bookstores to go belly up.

After the first sentence I was hooked.

That first sentence (heck the whole book) captures the feeling of adolescence perfectly. It sums up what every teen is looking for in a friend: someone who will listen and understand and has some integrity.

Chbosky continues to write the entire novel with that sense of honesty, naivete and openness that is adolescence at its best. As I was reading, I was taken back to my high school years. I remember all of the emotions Charlie was feeling.

Chbosky describes and captures perfectly those little momentous moments. How the things that are most memorable are not the “rager house” parties, but the talking all night about NOTHING at Bob's Big Boy (or for us, Denny’s). Or going out with someone just because they asked and it was polite but not because you liked them. There is a genuine confusion to Charlie's questions that I truly remember experiencing. There are things that happen as teen that you don’t understand and have questions about but there is no one to give you answers. You find out that eventually life gives you the answers.

I would recommend this book for every teen to read. I know, based on some of the hype, that there was controversy about this book and it was banned from some schools because they felt the material was too adult for kids. But the thing is, this is what kids are dealing with today (and everyday). I know when I was in high school, there were drugs, alcohol, pregnancy and suicide and I challenge you find anyone from ANY generation that did not deal with the same things in high school.
Let these kids read this book and know they are not alone in these issues.

What is great is that Charlie is NOT a cool kid, but he is himself, or the version of himself that he is becoming but he still not quite sure of. That is the whole paradox of adolescence: you are constantly becoming yourself in an attempt to be yourself when you have no idea who you are.

Love Always,
Squirt

P.S. Hooray for the Hype: for bringing this gem to my attention.

The Multiple Ways that Yvonne Strahovski Owned "Do the Wrong Thing"

myfavneighbors@gmail.com (Sis & Squirt) — Mon, 05 Nov 2012 19:39:00 +0000

Let's just get some basics out of the way:

Yvonne Strahovski is an actress. A damn good one.
Dexter is show on premium cable. Premium cable. You were warned.

Yvonne Strahovski owned this episode.

From start to finish, this was her time to shine; to show multiple aspects of Hannah McKay; to show the world that she was not a one-note actress. And boy, did she ever!

Do you even remember any of the other plot lines?

No, you don't. Don't even pretend that you do.

So the Hannah & Dexter scenes/moments that I thought were awesome:

The delicate dance between Hannah and Dexter is simply mesmerizing. It's easy to understand why Dexter is obsessed with Hannah. We're obsessed with her, too! We want to know more about her almost as much as Dexter! (Personally, I don't think that she is guilty of any of the things that Dexter does, but I am willing to let it play out however the writers see fit.)
The stubborn strength that Hannah shows in keeping it all together. She knows her weaknesses, but she is not a victim. She's not an aggressor either. She's something else all together. And Yvonne is playing that balance with a grace and poise that looks simple, but is really rather difficult.
The "a plant" line. Nailed it. Pure comedy. (Didn't expect anything less, but still. Two words, so much subtext.)
The look on Hannah's face as they drove up to Santa's Holiday Adventure amusement park. She looked like a kid at Christmas (no pun intended). I actually was happy for her; that she finally got to see the snow, check something off of her list of desires.
The hand-holding as they were walking through the amusement park. I actually giggled a bit. It was just so sweet, so cute.
The defiance in "Do what you gotta do." Ugh! Just so.....!

For those of you who are still upset about THAT scene, I just have one last thing to say:

- Sis

Bring. It. On!

myfavneighbors@gmail.com (Sis & Squirt) — Sun, 04 Nov 2012 17:56:00 +0000

I grew up on musicals. Some of my earliest memories are of watching tapes of Annie, Brigadoon, Mary Poppins, Sound of Music and Pirates of Penzance. Over and over and over again.

I blew out my father's speakers on his new stereo by playing Christine's aria from Phantom of the Opera. And then the speakers on my own boombox met the same fate due to unending repeat plays of the soundtrack from Newsies. I wore out my first recording of RENT (a 2 tape set). The Tonys are a National Holiday in my house and I record the Thanksgiving Day parade every year so that I can watch the musical numbers again.

Don't judge: you have your entertainment; I have mine.

But even with my credentials, I had never seen a show on THE ACTUAL Broadway. (Yes, the caps are necessary.) But when the opportunity presented itself for me to be in New York with enough time to see a show, I grabbed at it and held on with both hands.

First, I had to pick a show.

Because I'm such a Broadway/musical theatre geek, I am a terrible audience member. (The first step to dealing with a problem is admitting that you have a problem, right?) I literally cannot stop myself from singing along if I know the music. So that removed Wicked, Phantom of the Opera, Annie, Chicago, Jersey Boys, Mamma Mia and Avenue Q from being my first shows on Broadway. Just for the record, if they were showing, RENT, You're A Good Man, Charlie Brown, Cats, Hairspray, Into the Woods, Les Miz, Putting It Together and Urinetown would have been out as well. But I digress.

Ultimately, I picked a show that I had never seen and didn't know much about. I went up to New York and was on of the hundred people who got off of the train (Company). And in my hot little hands were tickets to the 2 pm show of "Bring It On: The Musical".

The remainder of this post is a gushing love fest about the show. You have been warned.

WORTH IT!

Everything that anyone is saying about the show is all true. It is the same lightning in the bottle that was caught by High School Musical, Pitch Perfect, RENT, Save The Last Dance and the first Bring It On movie. Just so very good!

For those of you who need more than my from-the-rooftops praise, here's what the show is: Imagine if you took the first 3 Bring It On movies (I've seen all 5, thank you very much), added some Save The Last Dance and a splash of Pitch Perfect; that would give you a low-rent approximation of the show. For those who have seen any of those movies, you will recognize some of the themes in the show, but, much like all great art, it is so much more than the sum of its parts.

Yes, it is still about cheerleaders. Yes, it is still about going outside of your comfort zone, being true to yourself and making mature decisions at an immature age. But I will caution those who think they know this show: you haven't seen this story told yet.

And the cast album. Don't even get me started on the cast album. All I can say is that it is a good thing that we were dealing with Sandy and power concerns or else I would have already worn out the CD. As it is, I have already listened to it, from start to finish, at least 20 times; twice this morning. (I've only had the thing for about a week; just to put it in perspective.)

Here is the cast album recording one of songs that has been playing on repeat on my iPod for the past week.

And, as the sprinkles atop the awesome cupcake of "Bring It On: The Musical", most of the cast and creative team is on Twitter! You can follow all of them (and you should because they are awesome) from the show's Twitter account: @BringItOn. This is the new crop of Broadway stars. I am expecting great things from this group and I know that I'm not going to be disappointed.

-Sis

Downton Abbey, You've Changed

myfavneighbors@gmail.com (Sis & Squirt) — Thu, 11 Oct 2012 13:42:00 +0000

Downton Abbey has not "lost its way", "gone off the rails" or "jumped the shark". It has, however, changed.

And I don't think that is a good thing.

When Downton Abbey first premiered in 2010 (or 2011, for those who waited to watch it on PBS in the United States), one of the main draws was the simmering romance between Mary and Matthew and the "will they ever get to be together" romance between Mr. Bates and Anna. The creative folk behind the show did a great job of keeping those love lights quietly, but brightly, burning.

This was, of course, on top of an amazingly acted, gloriously shot period piece.

Even in the second season (the season wherein some do claim that the show lost its way), I held firm, convinced that there were still enough hints at possibly a "happily ever after" ending for our star-crossed pairs to keep me watching. Even the treacle sweet romances between Daisy and William and Lady Sybil and Branson were bearable, as long as I could hold out hope that Matthew and Mary would finally get together.

But, by sewing up all of those pairings by the end of Season 2, I feel like the writers have nowhere else to go. At least with regards to love stories.

And that makes Downton Abbey a very different show from where it started.

In Season 3, if you are not awed by the splendor of the house, amused by the strictures of British society or in love with history, you are not going to love this show. There is nothing for those who love romance to love; at least not right now. Which is a shame.

A good love story can make any show easily accessible and can bring back viewers who have given up. Even if you had never watched Downton before this season, if there was a good romance brewing, you could jump in, watch for the love story and figure out the back story along the way.

Lady Mary and Lady Sybil are happily, if boringly, married. There is such little fire or passion in those pairings that even I, shipper of Matthew and Mary, find myself terribly bored by their couple scenes. Anna and Mr. Bates are coupled together but torn apart by circumstances that the writers don't seem in any hurry to resolve. As such, we wait.

But while we wait, there is really very little else to distract us. In Downton Abbey time, the war is over, but we see very little change in the household or village. The house itself, THE Downton Abbey, is in peril, this time from financial constraints. And Lady Edith, poor Edith, has been given the misery role to play for yet another season. But none of these are really enough to keep a viewer watching.

What are we expected to be waiting for? What are we expected to be hoping for? I don't care if the family keeps the house or loses the house. I don't care if Thomas gets his come-uppance or not. I don't even care if Mr. Bates never gets out of prison. And I love Mr. Bates! (But really, who doesn't?)

That's how much I've lost interest in this show!

Last season, it seemed like the writers were struggling there as well, but they managed to pull together intrigue towards the end of the season to keep me watching all the way through and happy at the end of the Christmas episode.

While I wait for the next episode I find myself wondering: Will it be ever thus? Will we Downton Abbey fans have to, every year, sit through boring starts of seasons before we get to the good stuff?

And will I still care?

- Sis

Out of Context: S.F.W.

myfavneighbors@gmail.com (Sis & Squirt) — Sat, 06 Oct 2012 17:46:00 +0000

I never watched SFW when it came out in 1994. I also never watched it on DVD.

So it was clearly out of context when I watched it last weekend.

SFW asks the dual question:

1. What happens when you become a celebrity but you are still you?
AND
2. What if you had no control over how you became a celebrity?

Even to a staunch avoider of reality-TV such as myself, watching this movie in 2012 was not a novel experience. Having been a part of the generation in which 'The Real World' started the whole 'reality' trainwreck, watching a person become a celebrity due to nothing but circumstance and then watching those struggles and pitfalls was not new.

But in 1994, it was. This movie relies heavily on context, or at least the environment where reality TV or being famous for just being famous is not the norm.

"Unintentional" celebrity is de riguer for roughly one-quarter of the 'known' names nowadays. Even those who seek viral celebrity status often find that celebrity is not quite the shiny gold ring that it often appears to be.

But what if you couldn't even control how you 'became known'? That question still rings profound.

Spab, our unlikely hero, (who's name I didn't believe was his full name until I saw it in the end credits) did not set out to become famous and definitely not in the manner in which he became. What is fun about Spab is that he never seemed to try to rise above/beyond himself; to become the "thing" that everyone wanted him to be. And I say "thing" because Spab, upon becoming a celebrity, lost his humanity. He became a mantra, a slogan, an idea; the quintessential 'voice of a generation'. But not a person, not a human with flaws and vices and needs.

I kept expecting the movie to go in the direction of either 'guru with feet of clay' or self-destruction. But the movie doesn't go in either direction, choosing the at-the-time-not-yet-overdone 'slice of life', a raw, convoluted, sometimes boring and slow, but true lens.

-Sis

My New Best Friend: "Friends with Kids"

myfavneighbors@gmail.com (Sis & Squirt) — Tue, 14 Aug 2012 20:45:00 +0000

It has to be a very special movie to be started (and watched about halfway through) on a long plane flight, immediately rented on Netflix upon arriving home (so that the rest of the movie can be watched) and then placed into the Amazon shopping cart immediately once the movie is over.

“Friends with Kids” is that kind of very special movie.

On a superficial level, “Friends with Kids” follows the lives of 6 friends (2 couples and 2 singletons) as they maneuver the fraught-filled waters of early 30s coupledom. The cast is so full of quality that you would be hard-pressed to find a bad performance in the entire movie.

First off, let’s get the easy praise out of the way: “Friends with Kids” is beautifully written, directed and produced by the incomparable Jennifer Westfeldt. I had not previously experienced the package that is Jennifer Westfeldt (although “Ira and Abby” is now in my Netflix queue) but I knew early on into “Friends with Kids” that there was a woman at the helm of this movie. The situations, dialogues and characters resonated too deeply with me for it to be otherwise.

What I loved most about the movie was how real it felt to me. As a member of Generation X (or Y, they’re never really quite sure), I recognize the partnering-up, pairing-up and parenting-up frenzy that many of my friends are going through; as well as the anxieties of those who are “left behind”. But this movie doesn’t let any green grass sit unexamined. If you didn’t already know: marriage is messy, dating is messy, relationships are messy, children are messy, sex is messy, love is messy and life is messy.

Both situations, either being partnered or single, have benefits and drawbacks and this movie seamlessly (but lovingly) shines a soft light on all of it. What this means as a viewer is that you interact with all of the characters using the full range of emotions (joy, embarrassment, sadness, anger, amusement, humor, frustration, love) and consequently are very, very sad to see them leave when the movie is over.

Ultimately, it is a story about love for people who grew up on love stories, but are also grown-ups.

- Sis

Neilson's Needless Numbers

myfavneighbors@gmail.com (Sis & Squirt) — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 13:40:00 +0000

Just because I don’t watch in REAL time doesn’t mean I don’t REALLY watch.

(Disclaimer: I am crap with numbers.)

In 1930, 50 years ago, when Arthur Nielsen started his television ratings system, there were 5 networks and 3 channels that aired about 6 hours of content a day. It was very easy to get a sense of what the public liked. You were either watching television or you weren’t.

Even in the olden days of VCRs and 25 basic cable channels (read: the 80’s), my dual antenna VCR and 8 hour EP recording tapes could ensure that I never missed a show. Fast forward to now. There are over 500 channels that I NEED to watch. And suddenly I cannot not keep up.

So I upgraded to Tivo. Oh bless you, Tivo!

This little box could not only record 2 shows at a time, but it could also find shows I had accidentally missed on ANY of my now 150 basic cable channels. However, this amount of TV watching would not suffice for the The TV gods.

I have to to admit the television Pantheon did help me out some: expanding prime time programing to 11pm on weeknights. Still no matter how hard I tried, anything starting at 10 pm had to be recorded to be viewed the next day. I just could not stay awake.

Also, with the completely dreadful reality TV line up, I had full-on HOURs of time that I would not watch any programming at all on any network.

And THEN CAME HULU! And On Demand. And life was sweet again.

(Cue the swelling orchestra and large dance number.)

But my happiness was short lived. Because of Nielsen. (Cue the booing.)

Because I couldn’t watch my shows in real time, Nielsen did not count my viewings towards the show’s ratings. Suddenly, my 20 hours per week of television-watching did not count. How crap is that!

I am a FAN (a hardcore, loyal one at that). I LOVE my TV and my television shows.
Just because I do not watch them in “real-time” does not mean that I don’t REALLY WATCH them.

Nielsen’s needless numbers have been the death of some of my favorite shows and I feel partly responsible, because I (and others) watch them online.

We are watching, just not on TV.

Here are some numbers for you. In case you’re curious.

I am one person.
12 is the number of hours of programming that I record on my DVR a night.*
4 is the the number of hours of programming I watch online every week.
5 is the number of hours of programming I watch On Demand every week.

This adds up. We need to be counted.

Neilson needs new numbers.

*(see disclaimer above)

- Squirt

A Sour Note about The Sing Off

myfavneighbors@gmail.com (Sis & Squirt) — Thu, 24 Nov 2011 00:28:00 +0000

Okay, I have gone through the denial, anger, bargaining and depression of the COLOSSAL ERROR that the Sing-Off judges made in Monday’s show. (Clearly, I have not yet gotten to acceptance.)

You’ve heard us talk about the Sing-Off here (go to the 34 minute mark).

This is my first season watching it all the way through and so far, I have been supportive of the judges and their decisions.

However, on Monday, I really think the judges were wrong. The final elimination came down to Dartmouth Aires and AfroBlue. AfroBlue got eliminated, which was the WRONG DECISION.

Don’t get me wrong. I like Dartmouth Aires just fine. Their Queen medley was one of the best musical numbers I have seen on television this season.

But Dartmouth Aires relies, quite heavily in my opinion, on visual theatrics. Yes, Michael is an excellent frontman, but what they do best is filling the stage with a lot of energy. However, if you were to close your eyes and listen to the music, you would hear a choir. Which is fine. But not an A Capella group.

AfroBlue on the other hand is an A Capella group. They bring out all of the instruments on the track and the vocal stylings of the artist to create a full and rich sound. Yes, they sometimes got a little too highbrow for some of us, but they were, and are, a solid A Capella group.

When the judges were deciding, both Sara and Ben pointed to consistency as their reasons for keeping Dartmouth Aires, which is usually a good factor for an artist. However, remember that the prize of the Sing-Off is $200,000 and a recording contract.

Not a show in Vegas.

Not a touring deal.

But a recording contract.

It will not matter how much energy and jumping around Dartmouth Aires does, because when they record, we’re not going to see any of that. We’re just going to hear the music and that is where they are not as strong as AfroBlue.

Now, of course, all of this is ultimately irrelevant because, in the end, neither the Dartmouth Aires nor AfroBlue can compete against the amazing juggernaut that is Pentatonix.

Pentatonix will be the winner of the Sing-Off and I will definitely buy their album and tickets to their shows when they pass through. But that still doesn’t change the fact that I think the judges made a decision on something that ultimately won’t matter. And it was the wrong one.

- Sis

PODCAST: A Hot Steaming Cup of...Fall TV Shows That We Are In Love With

myfavneighbors@gmail.com (Sis & Squirt) — Sat, 05 Nov 2011 15:00:00 +0000

Jokes about hipsters are funny (2 Broke Girls). Whitney = Lucy (Whitney). And Chris Delia is a god! (Just a truth. Accept it.)

Sis and Squirt finally get around to the new Fall TV shows that they love.

When Suburgatory let go of the voice-overs, we let go of our reservations and fully embraced the show. (Even if Awkward is better.)

The Count of Monte Cristo and Dynasty got together and created Revenge, which is awesome!

Pan-Am's Karine Vanasse breaks our hearts. But we forgive her anyway.

Hart of Dixie has Josh Schwartz and Rachel Bilson and uses the Gilmore Girls set. Of course we were going to love it.

On The Sing-Off, Sis wants Sara Bareilles to give her constructive criticism on her life. And Squirt has decided that she is Ben Folds. Whatever that means.

PODCAST: A Hot Steaming Cup of...Fall TV Shows That We Are Bored With

myfavneighbors@gmail.com (Sis & Squirt) — Sat, 29 Oct 2011 12:00:00 +0000

A Hot Steaming Cup of...Fall TV Shows That We Are Bored With

The Secret Circle teens are cute, but stupid, even if we loved them in other shows. Apparently, Sis gave up right before both Terra Nova and the Ringer got good. But there is no love lost from Squirt over Up All Night. And don't ask Sis about The New Girl; she's still conflicted.

PODCAST: A Hot Steaming Cup of...Agree or Disagree on Cancelled Fall TV Shows

myfavneighbors@gmail.com (Sis & Squirt) — Sat, 29 Oct 2011 12:00:00 +0000

A Hot Steaming Cup of...Agree or Disagree on Cancelled Fall TV Shows

It's our post-mortem of some of the shows that got the early network hammer. We didn't want to "Rush to Judgement" on any of the new Fall TV Shows (that one was for you, Monkeysee), so we used the 3 episode rule before commenting on any of the new shows.

Unfortunately some of them didn't even make it that far.

Prince Chump

myfavneighbors@gmail.com (Sis & Squirt) — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 14:30:00 +0000

I love romantic comedies. If a movie has a quirky premise and a hint of a love story, I am there. Lifetime Movie Network and Hallmark Movie Channel have co-opted more of my weekends than I care to count. My favorite part of the romantic comedy is when my male lead performs his grand romantic gesture wherein he professes his love (rather publicly and/or expensively) to his woman and they live happily ever after and I am content that all is right in the world.

However recently, I have noticed that I can no longer attain my desirable level of contentment at the end of my romantic comedies. On the contrary, most times I have left the theater feeling rather disappointed and sometimes even very very upset. I had attributed this change in reaction to age and the cynicism of the world encroaching on my stupid little girl fantasies.

But then as I left yet another romantic comedy, slightly let down by the pairing on screen, it dawned on me...HE is the problem, my male lead...

He is a chump. “Prince Chump” to be exact.

Somehow, our male leads have done a complete 180 and gone from pre-feminism troglodyte “alpha male” to this metrosexual “prince chump” and managed to bypass the perfect prince charming in the process. If you don’t know what I am talking about let me see if can break it down for you.

Usually our Prince Chump is a good looking, average modern guy. He is not an alpha male jock but still keeps in shape by playing basketball or soccer on the weekends. He has a decent job doing something he loves but is not mainstream (so no "type A" lawyer or businessman) but maybe a sitcom writer, band manager or entrepreneur. And he is single but not, “alone/lonely” - he dates, has fun but it is nothing serious. (i.e. Ashton Kutcher in No Strings Attached, or Laz Alonso in Jumping the Broom)

So right now he is Prince Charming. (sigh, swoon, etc)

But then he meets his Tower Girl, the female lead, whose life is a tower of perfection. She is presented to the audience as our perfect modern female. She is always BEAUTIFUL, and generally smart and/or witty, with the right amount of neurosis to make her cute but not psychotic (sometimes). She has a really consuming and impressive (socially conscious) job or career that takes all of her focus.

Then, through some “cute meet” fluke, our male and female interact for literally 3-5 minutes. A look is exchanged or an obscure joke is shared and they part ways.

He is smitten.

And she...is not.

He then proceeds to spend the next hour or so of the movie pursuing and wooing our Tower Girl, who barely remembers him and is well on her way to finding a cure for blind children in the Amazon. After his first romantic gesture is rejected, our male lead keeps trying and THIS is where our Prince Charming turns into Prince Chump. He should have cut his losses and moved on, but NO. He continues to attempt to woo her and thwart other alpha male knights and slay dragons for her.

Tower girl responds to all of this attention with the enthusiasm of a depressed narcoleptic zombie. She even occasionally has to rebuke him when his “lovelorn” actions accidentally get in the way of her all-consuming career. But our hero, the Regal Chump, will not be dissuaded and perseveres.

WHY?!

Because he is a chump.

We, the audience, know that this perfectly plucky Tower Girl deserves a bit of wooing and true love from our hero but Chump doesn’t. Up until this point, she has been nothing short of rude to him and he just takes it like a ~~man~~ chump.

Eventually, Prince Chump catches on and realizes that Tower Girl is “just not that into him” and leaves.
(Honestly, at this point I am okay with that, I do not want them to get together. In my version, this is where the story ends and we’ve all learned a valuable lesson. Hollywood, on the other hand, has different ideas.)

Right about now in the film, Tower Girl begins to miss Prince Chump and whatever light or distraction he brought to her well rounded socially acceptable life. So she makes a little, and I mean a little, bit of effort to contact him either by an email or phone call. Sometimes when they want to make it really dramatic, she frantically hails a cab and goes to his apartment, around the corner, knocks on his door and says something stupid like “I miss you”. And that apparently is all Prince Chump needs because he wraps her in his arms and proposes to her with a ring that he sold his kidney and some treasured family heirloom for and then the movie ends.

WHAT?! WHAT!?! Can you not see my disappointment? Can you not feel my outrage?

This guy jumped through hoops for Tower Girl, SLAYED DRAGONS for her, all while she just looked on with beautiful distracted disdain, she did NOTHING for him and I am supposed to be happy that they end up together in the end.

Are you kidding me!? This just leaves you flat.

It’s like reading the Gift of Magi, but in this version she doesn’t sell her hair and mentions that the comb is kind of the wrong color. (Not as powerful, is it?)

If you are out there Prince Charming, call me. Prince Chump, lose my number...no seriously stop calling...If I get one more bouquet of flowers I am going to start billing you for my allergy shots.

--Squirt

PODCAST: A Hot Steaming Cup of...Renaissance Festival, Killer Elite & the Jonas Brothers

myfavneighbors@gmail.com (Sis & Squirt) — Sat, 15 Oct 2011 15:00:00 +0000

A Hot Steaming Cup of...Renaissance Festival, Killer Elite & the Jonas Brothers

Sis & Squirt have a few simple rules on how to enjoy the Renaissance Festival and you'd better follow them, or Squirt will judge you.

Sis doesn't know what to make of Killer Elite, but both agree that there needed to be more heart (but not more cowbell, that just wouldn't make any sense).

And then there are the Jonas Brothers...

PODCAST: A Hot Steaming Cup of...Summer Winners and Losers, Franklin & Bash, Suits, Switched at Birth & State of Georgia

myfavneighbors@gmail.com (Sis & Squirt) — Mon, 10 Oct 2011 15:00:00 +0000

A Hot Steaming Cup of...Summer Winners and Losers, Franklin & Bash, Suits, Switched at Birth & State of Georgia

Summer Winners, Some are Losers: Sis and Squirt give a quick recap of summer things that were great (Friends with Benefits and MTV's Awkward walked away with the grand prize) and those that truly missed the mark (Syfy's Alphas & not having to stand in line with other people (trust me, it'll make sense when you listen)).

Squirt found that some of the new summer series captured her attention and Sis has changed her mind about Raven Symone because of State of Georgia.

PODCAST: A Hot Steaming Cup of...True Blood, Leverage & Author Recommendations Cup of...True Blood, Leverage & Author Recommendations& Drop Dead Diva

myfavneighbors@gmail.com (Sis & Squirt) — Sat, 08 Oct 2011 15:00:00 +0000

A Hot Steaming Cup of...True Blood, Leverage & Drop Dead Diva

True Blood left Squirt cold, Leverage made Sis laugh and Drop Dead Diva (a story about one woman's spirit in another woman's body) is totally "a real show".

PODCAST: A Hot Steaming Cup of...True Blood, Leverage & Author Recommendations Cup of...True Blood, Leverage & Author Recommendations& Drop Dead Diva

myfavneighbors@gmail.com (Sis & Squirt) — Sat, 01 Oct 2011 04:07:00 +0000

As with all things, this glorious summer has come to an end. For those of you who didn't get enough of the good things that summer brings, we have a last vestige of summer for you before we start hitting the autumn cider.

A Hot Steaming Cup of...Eureka & Author Recommendations

Wherein, we love LOVE Eureka and Sis has a problem with author recommendations made via Facebook.

Enjoy!