DVDs
Nothing But The Truth (1.5 Spuds)
TV SHOWS
Current Top 10 Network Shows
At Spud Central
KNOW YOUR SPUDS
TWO XL SPUDS — Absolute Must See
TWO SPUDS — Definitely Worth Checking Out
1.5 SPUDS—Worth Checking Out, But Don’t Expect A Ton
ONE SPUD – Not Worth It, Except For The Hardcore Fan
NO SPUD 4U – Just Plain Sucks
I like a lot of things about this time of year.. I like the fact that I can go outside wearing just what I was wearing inside. No more. No less. I like that I don’t feel like I need a shower all the time because it’s too hot, or I need to warm up cause its too cold. I like that I can drive around in the Spudmobile with the windows open instead of being hermetically sealed with the heater or air conditioner blasting. I like that everybody seems a little happier cause the winter is over. I like that I can start accumulating books for my cottage vacation this summer. I like that I can sit around at night and watch baseball with the windows open. I like that the trees are budding and everything out there smells clean and fresh. I like that the NBA playoffs are on and heating up nicely. I like that I sleep better when the nights are not too cold or hot. I like hearing the sound of the trains, half a mile up the road as they come rumbling by late at night. I like a lot of things about this time of year. I even like the billowing black thunderheads that are moving in from the Upper Great Lakes to pour rain down upon my already too long grass.
NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH (1.5 SPUDS)
This is a movie written and directed by Rod Lurie, one of those chatty writers from TV whose big movie claim to fame was The Contender, back in 2000. He likes to write about political stuff and he’s pretty much in the same league as Aaron Sorkin in that regard.
This film is all about a reporter for a Washington newspaper who breaks a big story that causes a government scandal and so the government comes after her, with both guns blazing, to reveal her source. Of course she doesn’t do that, because she has her honour, Yadda Yadda. And she ends up going to jail for contempt and then for interfering with a federal investigation. There’s supposed to be a really good reason why she isn’t coughing up her informant and it constituted the surprise ending. But it’s kinda dopey.
Kate Beckinsale plays the reporter and a whole bunch of other well known people play the others involved. And while it might have been an interesting episode of some series about newspaper reporters, it sure made for one dull-ass movie, in which Kate spend most of her time in jail, alienating her kid and forcing her husband into an affair, just to get some nookie and costing her newspaper S10,000 a day in fines. But all this happens at an excruciatingly slow pace, which is kind of unlike most of Mr Luries other movies. This only gets one spud because it will bore the hell out of you. If you want to see Rod Lurie done well, go rent The Contender or The Last Castle. These flicks actually have a discernable pulse.
TV
CURRENT TOP TEN 2 SPUDS TV SERIES (IN NO PARTICULAR ORDER)
HOUSE: House just had its season finale and it was a doozy. I don’t know who writes this stuff, but they definitely live on another planet, where the life forms are a lot smarter than we are here.
CASTLE: Sort of a light cop drama, with Nathan Fillion in the title role as a mystery writer helping out a cute NYPD detective. Very slick. Very entertaining.
TWO AND A HALF MEN: Still the funniest show on TV. They get away with murder on this show from a language point of view. But basically it’s just damn funny.
THE BIG BANG THEORY: This show, about 4 really smart nerds, is our favourite. Jim Parsons is absolutely amazing. Belly laughs from physics. Whoda thunk it?
NCIS: The five year old spinoff from JAG is still going strong. Likeable characters. Great stories, fascinating bad guys and Mark Harmon, whom the Wife things is still a major hunk.
FRINGE: From the seemingly bottomless idea pit of JJ Abrams, this is one of the edgiest shows on TV. The characters are extremely powerful and the story is one continuous amazing tale of just how weird America really is.
LIE TO ME: This series about a ‘Deception’ Expert, played by Tim Roth. Just keeps getting better and better. The show postulates that it’s pretty much impossible to conceal deception and the uses for Tim’s (and his crew’s) talent, are extremely wide ranging. This is super slick, big budget TV at it’s best.
RESCUE ME: This is one of the best shows on TV. Denis Leary has found the perfect outlet for his acting chops and his comic anger, playing Tommy Gavin, a fireman riddled with 9/11 Survivor Guilt. It’s the finest testament to the bravery of all those who lost their lives that day that has ever been done. Leary doesn’t want anyone to forget.
THE UNUSUALS: Another series from Denis Leary and Peter Tolan about a quirky NYPD precinct. The characters are fabulous. The story lines are very New York and the entertainment value is sky high.
NUMBERS: This show is still going strong. It centres around two brothers: one an FBI bureau team leader and the other a big brain mathematican, who helps the FBI solve complex crimes with math. This is produced by the Scotts (Ridley & Tony) and is one of our faves.
Now obviously I didn’t get everything here. This is really just about my preferences as opposed to popularity. Otherwise shows like 24, Lost, Medium, The Ghost Whisperer And How I Met Your Mother would be on here too. But that’s the way it goes with my column. I get to pick. You get to agree or disagree as you choose. It’s all terribly democratic isn’t it?
THE SPORT SPUD SPEAKETH
THE NBA PLAYOFFS—SO FAR SO OKAY
The NBA Playoffs, which are in the middle of the second round are turning out to be not so must see TV. The two teams that I am following the Cavaliers and my precious Nuggets are dominating their opponents and the only reason these games are worth watching is for the demonstrations of awesome offence and defense that these two teams are putting on. Needless to say, these are the teams I would like to see fighting for the Championship. But there is one more round in between that and b0th teams will have their work cut out for them. Cavs against what looks like The Orlando Magic, who spanked them badly toward the end of the regular season, and who are built pretty much the same way. The Nuggets will have the tougher challenge of probably having to get past the Lakers. But as Charles Barkley said last week, ‘If there’s one team that can beat the Lakers, it’s Denver.” I have been just casually observing these semi final series, but that’s the way I see them shaping up at this point.
WHAT’S UP WITH TIGER? NOTHIN EXCEPT UNREASONABLE EXPECTATIONS
When Tiger Woods came back to the PGA tour after having his left knee completely re-built, he told everyone he felt great. But he is living proof that feeling great and playing great right out the gate are sometimes not necessarily a sure thing. He was bounced out in the first round of the Accenture Match Play Championship, Finished 9th at the WCG CA Championship, won the Arnold Palmer, tied for 6th at the Masters and finished 4th at the Quail Hollow Championship.
For most golfers on the PGA tour, this would be living the dream. But not for Tiger, or at least the Little Old Ladies of Sports Journalism’s perception of him. They accuse him of underperforming, because I guess that gives them something to talk about in place of the reality of the situation.
But let’s look at this realistically.
On one side of the coin, Tiger has won almost 2 million clams so far this season (9th on the money list), which is not bad. He’s had one victory. He’s been sort of in the hunt in every stroke play tournament he’s entered and, in my opinion at least, he can’t be counted out of any tournament he enters and is still able to generate that legendary fear that is part of his edge.
On the other side of the coin however, what I am seeing is an amazing golfer who is learning how to be amazing again. All the Little Old Ladies of sports broadcasting keep asking what’s wrong with him, because he’s not coming out and bulldozing the tour, piling up a ridiculous amount of wins and splitting the field into Tiger and everybody else. What they fail to take into account, (mainly because they can’t afford the luxury), is that rehab takes time. In some cases, lots of time.
What the realist learns from this is that even uberhumans like Tiger Woods need time to adjust to new circumstances. In Tiger’s case, a new leg. By his own admission he had been playing on a bad knee for more than two years. Now the knee is fixed and everything about the way he can now play the game is different. He has to get used to it. In fact, I’m surprised that he has done as well as he has so far this season, all things considered.
So don’t you worry about Tiger. Because at a certain point, he will turn that corner and once again be the force of nature he has been for the past decade. But if you think an athlete, no matter how superbly conditioned and naturally gifted they are, can just leap back to the top of the heap right out of the gate, well the living proof of the contrary is right there. And his name is Tiger.
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Sorry there’s not really more to write about this time out. I’m watching the Jays a lot, cause they’re winning for a change. I’m following the Nuggets and Cavaliers, my picks for the NBA finals and even a bit of playoff hockey, courtesy of the Penguins and The Washington Capitals.
If you want daily updates on what’s worth watching in prime time. Check out my twitters.
MY TWITTER LINK
http://twitter.com/jimbobmur
