V is for Vodka

If you’ve decided to forgo the night out and just keep it low key this VD (or as I like to call it, Vodka Appreciation Day), it doesn’t get any easier than popping in a DVD (or VHS for the oldies-but-goodies out there!) and staying in for the evening. (If you’re still on the fence about braving a V-day crowd of coupled-up kooks this February, here’s an image for laughs: SJP and Cynthia Nixon in last year’s SATC flick batting away curled balloon strings while trying to have a meal.) If you’re wondering how to revolt against yet another over-rated and overly-commercialized holiday- here it is: a no muss, no fuss movie night. For all you single ladies out there (who, despite the catchy tune, feels Beyonce strutting around without a ring is really just Ms. Jay-Z wanting to rule the airwaves yet again by penning a kick-ass girl power track-remember Survivor?), I know what you’re thinking: Just spare me the saccharine happy-endings, right?

Yeah, I’m with you on that one. My personal favorites expertly turn the genre on its head. My Best Friend’s Wedding has an exquisitely bittersweet finale, with a jilted Julia Roberts in one of her finest performances. A more recent take on the doomed relationship is 2009’s 500 Days of Summer, a break-up framed entirely as a series of flashbacks. Another delightful surprise is Broken English (2007), an under-the-radar indie flick with none other than the indie queen herself Parker Posey playing an unlucky single in her mid –thirties dealing with her own painful bouts of self-sabatoge when the too-good-to-be-true French hunk (played by Melvil Poupaud) enters her life.

Speaking of movies, it seems as though the large ensemble cast formula for feature films is here to stay. After Crash took home the Oscar for best picture in 2005, it seems like every production company and team wants to take a crack at it. Some would say 2003’s Love Actually revived the form for rom coms, especially in terms of the seemingly random (but carefully orchestrated) inter-connectivity between initial strangers; since then, with films like 2006’s Paris, Je’taime (which spawned the New York version New York, I Love You), 2009’s He’s Just Not That Into You and next month’s highly anticipated start-studded ensemble Valentine’s Day, the market for movie viewers who want to kill 15 celebrity birds with one movie ticket seems to be a pretty sure thing.

Of course, movie execs and marketing experts know to release these (and other cheese-tastic celluloid delights) just before V-day. How else would countless hopeless-romantic s justify the one day they get to drag their kicking-and-screaming boyfriends (or discreetly resistant but outwardly compliant and enthusiastic boyfriend-hopefuls) to shell out the 10 bones to watch Kate Hudson or Mandy Moore frolic around in too many costume changes (when let’s face it, they’d much rather be at Daybreakers watching a zombie throw down or the Denzel flick)?
Though it’s interesting to note that to date, the highest grossing rom com since the late 70’s is My Big Fat Greek Wedding, a cross-cultural story which revolves around a thirty-something year old single woman who finds love after already being labeled a veritable old maid by her family members. Guaranteed laughs revolve around the film’s comedic rhythm which depends primarily on the moments of hesitation with which most of us approach situations of cultural difference and unfamiliarity. The whitest of whites and the Greek-est of Greeks collide in scenes of hilarious courtship and an equally flamboyant and poignant marriage ceremony.

Nia Vardalo’s overnight success is followed closely by Nancy Meyer’s hit film What Women Want, starring Mel Gibson (pre-Passion of the Christ) and Helen Hunt. The plot revolves around a chauvinistic Gibson who, by way of a serendipitous electrocution, is able to read women’s minds, (unbeknownst to the women). Film as escapism at its best, my friends. If only men were half as intuitive, am I right ladies?

Whatever you end up doing (or not doing), here are some other ideas on how to pass the time this Valentine’s Day! And since some have argued that the best remedy for depression is hard liquor, my last word of advice to you would be to keep your bar fully stocked come February 14th.

Brrrrring on the Heat

For various reasons, I rarely rave about the weather here in Socal. Most locals take the sun for granted, I suppose. If you've been surrounded by something your whole life, you hardly see it anymore until an outsider mentions it. The sun, the traffic, the superficiality. That's why I can always spot an out-of-towner by the way they talk about the weather (or by the fact that they even mention it at all). I guess by comparison, I must admit that having an 80 degree Christmas is pretty insane. While others freeze their tails off trying to stay warm and out of the snow/sleet/cold, us SoCalers are slathering on sunblock and schlepping around in flip flops.

Seriously, if you're from the East coast (or from anywhere in the Deep South where temperatures are at record lows right now), I bet you're scoffing at me right now. I sleep with the window open, yell at my roomates when they leave the heater on too long and wear scarves primarily as a fashion accessory. But I secretly long for the kind of weather that would warrant the guilty-pleasure purchase of the infamous Ugg boots. Though I can’t help but think that every time I see those ubiquitous Sherpa-lined suede concoctions it must be a veritable slap-in-the-face to those truly struggling to keep warm. Especially when paired –quite intentionally- with mini skirts, booty shorts and sometimes just spandex tights with no additional bottoms (Lady Gaga would be so proud). No matter how much I want them, Socal weather doesn’t seem to justify shelling out the 150 bones.

But this recent cold snap is no joke. We’ve got people falling over dead in their own homes, iguanas shutting down and going into hibernation (no really, that’s not a joke) and falling out of trees. And that’s in South Florida, the state of year round humidity. If you’re wondering how to stay warm under genuinely cold circumstances, check out some of these helpful bits. Otherwise, I suggest you find a working heater (or someone that has one) and hold on to it for dear life.

Entertain This

“When a word ceases to be a term of description and becomes merely a term of praise, it no longer tells you facts about the object: it only tells you about the speaker’s attitude to that object. (A ‘nice’ meal only means a meal the speaker likes.)”
-C.S. Lewis

Recently, I was asked why something unpleasant would be categorized under “entertainment.” The inquirer was someone considerably younger than myself, and seemed to be under the unsurprisingly common assumption that what entertains must necessarily be pleasant or at least pleasure-inducing.

I did what anyone put on the spot would do: I started feverishly racking my brains hoping I wouldn’t have to pull something out of my ass (like a lot of adults do when children ask pointed, naïve questions). Luckily, the astounding array of unpleasant reality TV shows both past and present came to my rescue: Jersey Shore, Fear Factor, Dirty Jobs, The Bachelor, The Real World, and Keeping up with the Kardashians to name a few.

His question answered, the satisfied pupil went along his way, and I was left wondering about the elasticity of words. The more I thought about it, the more perplexing his question became. And the more I began to wonder if I had shortchanged my answer to his question.

My initial reaction was to dub his query unsurprising because of the typically positive connotations that the word ‘entertainment’ often carries. Historically used to refer to generally pleasant diversions and occupations of the mind, ‘entertainment’ has long been used to refer to recreational artistic performances (think court jesters and medieval minstrels) which brought relief from the every day by inducing amusement and laughter.

The equally surprising nature of his question, though, lies in the seemingly unacknowledged omnipresence of more modern forms of entertainment that eluded him perhaps momentarily. Because let’s face it: you would be hard pressed to find someone today who is unaware of the ubiquitous presence ‘entertainment’ has in the collective consciousness. Young people of today’s generation most likely won’t be able to recall a time “Entertainment” didn’t have its own category on veritably every local and international news channel; in fact, the volume and demand of what many consider entertainment today has now warranted its own channel just to keep track of it all (Entertainment Tonight, ENews!, etc.). And by ‘keep track’, I mean all of it: the good, the bad and the ugly. Brangelina’s latest adoption case and Oprah’s recent trip to Africa is right up there along with rumors of a Jolie-Pitt split and the day time talk show goddess’s fluctuating weight patterns. Fashion faux pas, box office flops and award show flubs all get equitable time under the limelight.

What’s more, with the advent of Youtube, Myspace, Facebook and other such user-generated sites, entertainment (and ensuing celebrity) is no longer exclusively the domain of the rich and famous: the recently coined term “Youtube sensation” attests to the rising number of self-made stars today’s generation boasts. Of course, you’ll always get a bad apple or two (or three…). I still don’t know if it’s entirely a ‘good’ thing that anyone and everyone has access to post whatever they want, whenever they want (case in point: the popping of the biggest pimple in history – look it up if you want to experience simultaneous gagging and vomiting)- though there is no denying the many useful ramifications and effects of such technology (cell phone videos capturing political chaos and acts of civilian murder in the Middle East).

Yeah, I’m off my soap box now. But before this turns into a moralizing rant on the state of the media, I must admit that not all reality shows are from the devil. My rule of thumb tends to be: If a shows states upfront its premise to be a kind of ‘show’ in the traditional sense (American Idol, So You Think You Can Dance), it will often have nothing to hide.

But I can't ignore the nagging feeling that there is something to be said about the unremitting public demand for a very particularized phenomenon of entertainment, as evidenced by the highest ratings in series history for the episode in which Jon and Kate Gosselin announce their separation in Jon and Kate Plus Eight: invasive documentation of family life. Where does this kind of insatiable curiosity come from? (Newlyweds: Nick and Jessica, anyone?) Perhaps this is a question best left to sociologists and psychologists (and therapists) but it does strike me as an interesting coincidence that the term often used to refer to the strange attraction to such shows is “guilty pleasure”. Entertainment it is and therefore pleasurable it is too, but why the guilt? If the act of deriving pleasure from another’s pain is partly to blame, one can only wonder why such desire, even in small doses, even exists.

2010 will undoubtedly be another year of such entertainment (as we speak, Snookie is rapidly turning into a household name and New Jersey into a tourist hot spot), and I don’t pretend to state my case as the first of its kind, or the most effective way of getting to the root of the problem (if you even think it is one). But the next time you hear the word “entertainment”, if you find yourself tacking on “for who?” or “at whose expense?” you might be moving closer to the real answer to the unassuming question that triggered this blog entry, an entry which has, finally, reached its end (for now).

Musicomedical Ingenuity

Ahh, there's nothing like some good ol' late night TV to unwind from a long day at work and get you in the holiday spirit, eh? Where else can you get two of my all-time favorite entertainers on the same show improvising like there's no tomorrow?

Now I know what you're thinking. Jimmy Fallon doesn't really compare to the veterans of late night - Leno, Letterman, and company. Well, I don't care what you've heard about Jimmy Fallon's Late Night Show, the guy is amazing. Okay so his monologues aren't like Conan O'Brien's, but that's cuz he's NOT Conan O'Brien. Jimmy's still gotta retain his Jimmy-ness, and he does his best to do just that. Hilarious SNL-esque sketches, some down-to-earth stand up in between introducing his guests, and relatively non-threatening audience interaction. You don't ever have to worry getting completely roasted by Jimmy if he calls you out because, well, he's just too sweet to take it that far.

But let's take Fallon off the pedestal for a sec. By now, you probably know that he generously shares the spotlight with THE best house band to boot: Rockin' the stage every night (and commuting nightly from their hometown of Philly) is the Legendary Roots Crew. It’s like a free mini-concert every night, even sans musical guest performances. Original ‘sandwiches’ (intros and outros composed by the band, led by its amazing drummer and producer ?eustlove) keep the audience members on their toes. Did Max Weinberg and his late night band compose original and personalized intro music for each and every single one of Conan’s guests? Exactly. Hands down: one of THE best moves in comedic (and musical) history since Adam Samberg’s unapologetically crass and wildly successful album Incredibad – another ingenious brainchild of the inherently organic collaboration between comedy and music.

Dave Chappelle once commented on the way comedy and music often go hand in hand: "Comedians and musicians - we're like this [interlocks all ten fingers with both hands]. Every comic wants to be a musician. Every musician thinks they're funny." Case in point: Jimmy Fallon and Horatio Sanz perfoming an original Christmas song (first aired on an SNL episode) which Julian Casablancas, frontman of The Strokes, then covered - with a little help from the Roots of course - on a Late Night episode last week. A kick ass cover if you ask me. Simultaneously you get a dose of hilarious comedic effect and astounding musicality all rolled into one song initially meant for laughs only.

Some of you overachievers are probably already thinking about after-Christmas sales, and how to start the New Year off on the right foot. But if you’re like me and winding down from a low key, at-home Christmas celebration, hunkering down in your PJs and watching TV just might be the perfect way to conclude yet another hectic holiday season.

Merry Christmas!

Avatar - What's All the Fuss About?

Unless you have been buried in a bog, marooned up a mountain or otherwise cut off from all forms of mass media for the last month or so, you'll have probably heard about the release of the new James Cameron movie, 'Avatar.'

After Titanic become the all-time top-grossing film with a take of just over $1.8 billion (after Gone With the Wind, Star Wars, The Sound of Music, E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial and the 1956 version of The Ten Commandments), it seemed ridiculous to think that Cameron could top that. But top that he did. Worldwide, "Avatar" topped $230 million in its first weekend.

If you're like me and the last time you went to the cinema they were called 'talkies', you'll probably be wondering what makes this movie any different from the plethora of pre-Christmas releases waving their million-dollar animated fingers for your attention. Let me give you some reasons why you should go see it.

I'll start with the basics. At position Numero Uno - this is a James Cameron movie. On his resume: all the Terminator movies, Titanic, Aliens, The Abyss, Rambo... basically every movie that was ever made that is worth watching that wasn't made by Spielberg.

Number two - this is quite possibly the most expensive movie ever made. Really. This is Mr. Cameron's first fiction feature since 1997s Titanic, so they didn't skimp on cost by creating their own backyard special effects. At last count the animated (CGI) movie cost over 300 million. Or to put that into money that you and I will understand, that's 25,000 year's rent paid if you live in the LA area, or 16,666,666 Egg McMuffins at McDonalds. Don't ask me how or why I worked that one out.

The big question is: was it worth it? Well, check out the trailer and decide for yourselves:

We wish you a Recession-Friendly Christmas...and a More Financially Stable New Year

If you were brave enough to have ventured out to any local mall this past weekend, you were probably thinking what I was thinking: Recession who? Everywhere I turned, I was hit by, stuck behind, walking uncomfortably close to or trying desperately to fight off hordes upon hordes of Christmas shoppers with that crazed look in their eyes. You know that look. The anxiety-ridden, wild-eyed look of consumerism that continues to plague America's malls not just during the holidays, but on most days (if we're really gonna be honest here).

A quick pitstop at any store quickly turns into a shoulder-grazing, shopping-bag bumping, sideways-stepping mad rush to get in line before the next customer.

Indeed, in a nation where after national tragedy strikes, we are told by our leaders that "it's okay and safe to go shopping now", it's no wonder that even in hard times, consumerism would still be the last value standing. Though it is a rarity to see anything substantial -like say, an entire way of life- change overnight, there are ways to keep the purse strings tight this Christmas. And you thought this was going to be a rant with no remedies.

Take, for example, the act of gifting. Before heading out the door with your wallet and list of who's been naughty or nice, plant your feet firmly inside the doorway and take a good look around. Regifting takes a lot of heat for being an un-kosher way of getting away with not having to purchase a gift, but that's because it often isn't done correctly! Let a pro show you how it's done! On a side note, regifting has also become a way of raising money for charitable causes - puts a different spin on the infamous fruitcake that also takes a lot of flack during the holidays, doesn't it?

Another option is to give your knuckles a good crack or two and stretch your arts and crafts muscles. Go through your mental rolodex of basic arts-and-crafts skills that might come in handy this Christmas. Even if you don't knit, you can at least wield a hot glue gun. And there's nothing wrong with cotton balls and Elmer's glue for some good ol'-fashioned grade school Christmas card sentiment.

After racking your brain, you might decide that a trip to the mall is still necessary. Make it count by following these helpful tips on how to be a bit more frugal this holiday season.

Some last minute tips: But be sure to lace up those sneakers because tottering on heels or limping around in tight, uncomfortable shoes at a crowded mall will only heighten your irritation with the millions of other Americans who are trying to snag the same deals you are. And give the employees a break: they're getting paid close to minimum wage to help you pick out a gift for someone -the least you can do is keep the ranting and complaining to yourself (or within the confines of a blog).

TVLesson's First Internship Graduates with Flying Colors

TVLesson is proud to announce the graduation of its Fall 2009 Media Internship.

The Internships, which generally last from 1-3 months, provide a way for local filmmakers and film students from nearby schools and universities to interact with TVLesson and gain valuable work experience as a Filmmaker, whilst learning things like Cinematography, Lighting, Sound Design, Directing and video Editing.

Says recent graduate Matt, 'My TVLesson Internship gave me the confidence to try out new ideas and technologies and collaborate with a fantastic group of people who I never would've met otherwise. Our first Intern film was a finalist in the South Bay Film Festival, which I feel was a big achievement and looks great on my resume. Thank you, TVLesson!'

For all you budding writers out there, here's what our interns have to say about the process of writing a short film:



TVLesson is currently accepting applications for our Spring 2010 Internship program, which kicks off in the first week of January. Local Orange-County-based applicants can apply by emailling us at: info (at) TVLesson (dot) com for more details.


Congratulations to our Fall 2009 Graduate Interns!