On a stormy Saturday evening in downtown Evanston, my boyfriend's family and I braved the powerful downpours to dine at an upper-scale Italian restaurant called Gio, located at 1631 Chicago Ave.
Upon arrival, Gio was completely empty and quiet. I was a bit worried, considering it was early-evening on a Saturday night. Was this a bad choice? Is this a "no-no" place for Evanston locals? I then remembered the storm outside and assumed that was the reason.
My party let the staff know that we made a reservation, not that being seated would be a problem considering there was nobody dining, but the staff didn't see the humor in our asking. Soaking wet from the rain, we asked the courteous staff if they had a coat rack and they promptly took our jackets in back. Without delay, we were seated by our waiter Abraham. Abraham supplied me with humor throughout the night as he was obviously a new employee trying to get everything down correctly. The best part was at the beginning of our dining experience when he carefully approached my party, like an abused kitten, asking if we would like to hear the specials. Alright, maybe that's kind of sad.
We were served bread and a delicious side of sundried tomatoes, kalamata olives, and olive oil, similar to Tapenade, upon being seated. The menu was a typical Italian menu, comprised of hard to pronounce salads, pastas, pizzas, and meat dishes. The pizza menu was quite extensive, ranging from a margherita pizza (Clasico) to a wheat flatbread with sweet sausage, carmelized onions, and mozzerella cheese (the Bobi). Although we didn't order any drinks, their wine list was extensive for Evanston. After looking through the simple but exciting menu, I decided to split the Bobi and a Rigatoni pasta with sausage and parmesan cheese with my partner. For starters, we decided on two orders of the classic Italian appetizer Bruschetta.
The Bruschetta came out five minutes after we placed the order. Abraham asked if we would like pepper on the dish; I told him, "on just one, please." He took it that I wanted pepper on the whole dish, when I meant on just one of the three pieces. Thankfully, my partner did not mind.
The Bruschetta itself was outstanding, one of the best I have had. It was prepared exquisitely with fresh parmesan, tomatoes, basil, olive oil, and balsamic vinaigrette. Each ingredient complemented the next without being overbearing. The four in my party agreed that it was an excellent appetizer.
Our main courses were served at a reasonable thirty minutes after we ordered. Unfortunately, I didn't realize that the two dishes were nearly identical in different forms. Although tasty, the pasta seemed a bit dry with not enough sauce, while the pizza was a bit undercooked but proved to be a better, safer choice than the pasta. Truthfully, I would have rather had the free bread and Tapenade as an entree. That would have been even more satisfying. Nevertheless, Abraham checked on us frequently enough to let us know we were valued and in good hands.
Gio was a fine place to dine on a cold, stormy night. Abraham was attentive, the runners were punctual on water refills without being annoying and intrusive, and the food was good, if not a little below average. More parties came in to Gio during our meal until the restaurant was completely filled, reassuring me that the on-and-off storm was to blame for the lack of customers. Gio's table spacing and spot-on blend of traditional and contemporary Italian decor led for an intimate yet lounge-y atmostphere, with the nujazz musical selection complementing the somewhat celebratory, chill atmosphere.
I would certainly try Gio again by ordering something more exciting like the Seafood Ravioli and the Calamari. The experience may have been tainted by the stormy walk to the restaurant, which led to my clothes being completely soaked, a sure sign that the evening was going to be uncomfortable.
Sunday, April 26, 2009
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Final Review Paper Topic - Lily Allen "The Fear"
For my final review paper, I'm going to review but moreover analyze Lily Allen's first single off of her sophomore LP, It's Not Me, It's You. The song, called "The Fear", is a song that one would take for a Billboard 100, happy pop song on first listen. However, when looking at the lyrics more closely, Lily Allen gives an insider's look at how it feels to be a popular celebrity and what a mess our society is, without saying these things directly. In my opinion, it's a near-perfect pop song whose instrumentation and natural, laid-back style support Lily Allen's unsure and somewhat unstable lyrical content.
Sample lyrics: "I'll take my clothes off and it will be shameless/'Cause everyone knows that's how you get famous/I'll look at the sun and I'll look in the mirror/I'm on the right track, yeah I'm on to a winner."
Sample lyrics: "I'll take my clothes off and it will be shameless/'Cause everyone knows that's how you get famous/I'll look at the sun and I'll look in the mirror/I'm on the right track, yeah I'm on to a winner."
Saturday, April 18, 2009
Biggest Mouth Review
Biggest Mouth? More like Biggest Disaster.
Big Mouth at Columbia College Chicago is a monthly open-mic event series, often including spoken word, poetry, and performance artists. Biggest Mouth, held on Thursday, April 16, 2009, was the conclusion of the series where performers went head-to-head in a competition to win $1,000, many hours of studio time, and and a chance to play at Metro Chicago to compete in the Biggest Mouth Campus Clash, Columbia College Chicago vs. Depaul.
The event, thrown by the Student Programming Board and held at 1104 S. Wabash in the Conaway Center, started at 7pm. I arrived at the event at 8:30pm. Upon arrival, my friend was let in but I was stopped as they were over capacity. Minutes later, I was still waiting for entry while the two bouncers asked every single person if they were leaving for good. Meanwhile, other students were walking right in while the student workers were still holding me up. Obviously, there was some behind-the-scenes miscommunication and confusion, if not direct hatred for me.
From this point forward, it became apparent that Biggest Mouth was a poorly planned and, even more, improperly executed event. When I entered the main room, there was nobody on the stage except for students scrambling to fix microphones, set-up for the next performer, and keep the crowd entertained. From the time I arrived at 8:30 until 9:15, not one act appeared.
I found a few of my friends in the largely African-American audience and we walked over to the root-beer kegs. There was also a table set up for root-beer beer-pong. Cute, but nobody was playing. There were numerous display tables set up for advertising who-knows-what, but the people working the event seemed friendly enough.
More time passed, and still nobody took the stage. The Student Programming Board was pushing Red Bulls (one of the event's sponsors) onto the audience, trying to keep them pleased and energetic. Eventually, music started playing, albeit not live music, but some music nonetheless. And, of course, the first song happened to be the "Superman That Ho" song. Oh, dear, this was going to be a long night indeed. I almost lost it when a group of students started doing the dance, including one pregnant chick. Really, really pregnant, like about-to-pop pregnant. My friends and I couldn't control ourselves. That in itself made the night a winner.
The show never came together. One band performed without microphones; apparently, they had all been blown. A little strange, I thought. Even more upsetting was that thirty minutes later, they decided to come back on and sing the same terrible track again, now that one microphone was working. They asked the judges: "Would it be alright if we tried that again?" The judges' looks were priceless. Low in their seats, resting on their hands, half-asleep, they all nodded. I only hope they were being paid.
A couple bands were able to play despite major difficulties before, during, and after their performances, including one woman (Angele Anise) who was just fantastic. You could barely hear her, much less see her with the terrible arrangement of chairs in front of floor-to-ceiling beams, but what I caught was worthwhile. She performed a beautiful, soulful rendition of the Foo Fighters' "My Hero".
After her set, there was another half-hour of complications, per usual. I visited with some friends, all of whom were commenting on what a waste of time the event was. A crowd of unfriendly hotties tried to start a dance party without music, and a pair of out-of-touch comedians took the stage to get the crowd going. Unfortunately, what we heard wasn't very funny, more just awkward, and the microphones blew again. Too bad.
Another act I caught was called 305, comprised of three men who tap-danced and sang off-tune about a pretty girl. Terrible.
At 10:30, a half-hour earlier than planned, Biggest Mouth ended. I don't even know who won the competition. I asked numerous concert-goers. I asked the Student Programming Board, even Ayisha, the president of the club. Nobody knew. One young man told me "Matt and Tony" won, but there was no "Matt and Tony" on the schedule. Strange, and strangely hilarious.
All in all, a disastrous night was had by all. The three judges, all of whom appeared to be Columbia College Chicago students, looked more than displeased and severely bored with the night. For good reason, too: there was little energy and an overabundance of technical difficulties. It didn't help that the rude, unnecessarily aggressive security guards were pushing--literally, pushing--the audience out the doors, letting us know that "the event is now over." "Thank God" was all I could think.
Performers at Biggest Mouth included: Chozen Generation, Claire Stahlecker, Angele Anise, Demi Lobo, Marcas Harris, David Anthony, Matthew Gaydos, Andrew Hart, Erik Duemig, Joseph Duemig, and Stephen Mortensen, Thurston Magill, Daniel Schein, Lee Howard, Jonathan McReynolds, and Nico Rubio, B.I.G.H.E.A.D., Mechele Burtley, and Lyrically Sick.
Big Mouth at Columbia College Chicago is a monthly open-mic event series, often including spoken word, poetry, and performance artists. Biggest Mouth, held on Thursday, April 16, 2009, was the conclusion of the series where performers went head-to-head in a competition to win $1,000, many hours of studio time, and and a chance to play at Metro Chicago to compete in the Biggest Mouth Campus Clash, Columbia College Chicago vs. Depaul.
The event, thrown by the Student Programming Board and held at 1104 S. Wabash in the Conaway Center, started at 7pm. I arrived at the event at 8:30pm. Upon arrival, my friend was let in but I was stopped as they were over capacity. Minutes later, I was still waiting for entry while the two bouncers asked every single person if they were leaving for good. Meanwhile, other students were walking right in while the student workers were still holding me up. Obviously, there was some behind-the-scenes miscommunication and confusion, if not direct hatred for me.
From this point forward, it became apparent that Biggest Mouth was a poorly planned and, even more, improperly executed event. When I entered the main room, there was nobody on the stage except for students scrambling to fix microphones, set-up for the next performer, and keep the crowd entertained. From the time I arrived at 8:30 until 9:15, not one act appeared.
I found a few of my friends in the largely African-American audience and we walked over to the root-beer kegs. There was also a table set up for root-beer beer-pong. Cute, but nobody was playing. There were numerous display tables set up for advertising who-knows-what, but the people working the event seemed friendly enough.
More time passed, and still nobody took the stage. The Student Programming Board was pushing Red Bulls (one of the event's sponsors) onto the audience, trying to keep them pleased and energetic. Eventually, music started playing, albeit not live music, but some music nonetheless. And, of course, the first song happened to be the "Superman That Ho" song. Oh, dear, this was going to be a long night indeed. I almost lost it when a group of students started doing the dance, including one pregnant chick. Really, really pregnant, like about-to-pop pregnant. My friends and I couldn't control ourselves. That in itself made the night a winner.
The show never came together. One band performed without microphones; apparently, they had all been blown. A little strange, I thought. Even more upsetting was that thirty minutes later, they decided to come back on and sing the same terrible track again, now that one microphone was working. They asked the judges: "Would it be alright if we tried that again?" The judges' looks were priceless. Low in their seats, resting on their hands, half-asleep, they all nodded. I only hope they were being paid.
A couple bands were able to play despite major difficulties before, during, and after their performances, including one woman (Angele Anise) who was just fantastic. You could barely hear her, much less see her with the terrible arrangement of chairs in front of floor-to-ceiling beams, but what I caught was worthwhile. She performed a beautiful, soulful rendition of the Foo Fighters' "My Hero".
After her set, there was another half-hour of complications, per usual. I visited with some friends, all of whom were commenting on what a waste of time the event was. A crowd of unfriendly hotties tried to start a dance party without music, and a pair of out-of-touch comedians took the stage to get the crowd going. Unfortunately, what we heard wasn't very funny, more just awkward, and the microphones blew again. Too bad.
Another act I caught was called 305, comprised of three men who tap-danced and sang off-tune about a pretty girl. Terrible.
At 10:30, a half-hour earlier than planned, Biggest Mouth ended. I don't even know who won the competition. I asked numerous concert-goers. I asked the Student Programming Board, even Ayisha, the president of the club. Nobody knew. One young man told me "Matt and Tony" won, but there was no "Matt and Tony" on the schedule. Strange, and strangely hilarious.
All in all, a disastrous night was had by all. The three judges, all of whom appeared to be Columbia College Chicago students, looked more than displeased and severely bored with the night. For good reason, too: there was little energy and an overabundance of technical difficulties. It didn't help that the rude, unnecessarily aggressive security guards were pushing--literally, pushing--the audience out the doors, letting us know that "the event is now over." "Thank God" was all I could think.
Performers at Biggest Mouth included: Chozen Generation, Claire Stahlecker, Angele Anise, Demi Lobo, Marcas Harris, David Anthony, Matthew Gaydos, Andrew Hart, Erik Duemig, Joseph Duemig, and Stephen Mortensen, Thurston Magill, Daniel Schein, Lee Howard, Jonathan McReynolds, and Nico Rubio, B.I.G.H.E.A.D., Mechele Burtley, and Lyrically Sick.
Friday, April 10, 2009
Dave Chapelle's Block Party
***ENHANCED REVIEW***
On the outset, Dave Chappelle's Block Party appears to be quite a straightforward film. The premise: Dave Chappelle, the hilarious star of the now defunct Chappelle's Show, throws a monstrous block party in New York City with his favorite artists. An odd and simple sounding film, yes, but just as American Beauty taught us, look closer.
Directed by Michel Gondry, the visionary who directed Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind and a handful of music videos from Bjork to The Rolling Stones to Kylie Minogue, Block Party takes a remarkable look at what it means to be an African-American in this day and how to come together as a people, especially through some of the most well known African-American artists today.
Inspired by the Mel Stuart documentary Wattstax, Block Party is the story of a 5,000+ block party held in the Clinton Hill area of Brooklyn on September 14, 2004, hosted by the reliably hilarious Dave Chappelle. This is no ordinary block party; this is top-secret, invite-only for those who have either been invited in-person by Chappelle himself or have made it on the list by signing up online. From the very start of Block Party, we see that this will be a seriously entertaining affair, with Chappelle yelling the many artists featured in the film through a loudspeaker in the opening credits. The artist's names shoot out of the loudspeaker in animated, funky lettering and wiggles onscreen (think The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air).
Gondry takes us on a journey through pre-block party preparations, most of it following Chappelle while he hands out tickets in his hometown of Yellow Springs, Ohio. We go back and forth through time, witnessing part of one artist's set the day of the block party and then moving back to pre-party mode. Oddly, but thankfully, we never hear about the involved planning process (e.g. permits, record label drama, etc.) that must surround the block party. Chappelle hands out golden tickets, which include transportation, lodging, food, and admission to his block party to the most unexpecting, including the woman at the gas station where he buys his cigarettes. In one strange segment of Block Party, Chappelle takes us on a much too long and confusing voyage through the well-known Angel House in Clinton Hill. There, we arguably meet one of the most bizarre couples ever caught onscreen.
This is not a film about David Chappelle. This is a documentary about people coming together, no matter where they are from or what their skin color is, to celebrate life, specifically the self-expression that music has the power of conveying. Funded by Chappelle's very own money, Block Party acknowledges the importance and power of community and hope, especially in areas where people aren't often given the opportunity to see their favorite artist or travel halfway across the country, much less cross the state line. In essence, this is a film about the average folk being an equal to the massive celebrity.
Buzzing with onscreen energy, Block Party has numerous touching moments, from Common's beautiful monologue at the start of the film to Lauryn Hill's engaging and effortless rendition of "Killing Me Softly". Most moving to me, however, was the story of Ohio's Central State University's marching band being given the opportunity to not only attend, but perform at Chappelle's block party. Words cannot describe the excitement that these kids felt when they were told by their bandleader that they had to cancel their previously scheduled performance for the weekend -- only to be told that they would be be attending Chappelle's block party instead. In one powerful scene, a bandmember was on a roof in Brooklyn commenting that he felt welcomed and at home in the city, that "people have (dread)locks like me!"
What's really interesting about Block Party is that it was shot before Chappelle's sudden departure from his acclaimed The Chappelle Show. His exit in May 2005 made a huge media impact because Chappelle, now a well-recognized star in his own right, had fled without notice to South Africa. In later interviews, Chappelle said that he was stressed out and felt that too many people were controlling his life. Block Party shows Chappelle in his most natural form -- making people laugh, keeping the ones close that he loves, and bringing people together. It seems that he didn't want to get carried away and as a safety precaution, dropped out of life as he knew it.
What's also interesting is that Block Party was shot just over a month after Chappelle signed a $50 million contract with Comedy Central. Was he trying to make people realize that he was still an accessible, "real" human being? Did he think that his reputation would get slaughtered if he didn't hold a free community celebration? He seems the type of person who would think himself a thief, like he doesn't deserve $50 million and wants people to know that he won't turn into the typical rags-to-riches, spoiled star. Throughout Block Party, Chappelle comes across as an equal because he wants to come across as an equal, something that most superstars admit they desire but then contradict themselves by performing lavish, selfish acts. Ultimately, though, would Chappelle have thrown this block party had he not signed this contract?
One has to wonder how Block Party would have turned out had it been taped post Hurricane Katrina considering New Orleans is predominantly African-American. We all remember Kanye West's live television appearance where he declared that "George Bush doesn't like black people." While I'm not sure if this is true, the Bush administration's response (or lack of response) to Hurricane Katrina was appalling and caused many people, specifically African-Americans, to lose faith in the government. The Bush administration left the people of New Orleans in the cold, especially the lower class African-Americans in the Lower Ninth Ward, because the administration was "opposed to a strong federal role in disaster relief and obsessed with terrorism." People had to work together like never before during Katrina because nobody, not even FEMA, had their backs. Would Block Party have taken a more political tone post-Katrina? Would it be a more somber affair?
Block Party works because it's not The Chappelle Show: The Movie, which I'm sure people were expecting. Instead, the camera plays the role of an outside observer; Chappelle doesn't seem to have any ulterior motives other than hosting a celebration of life, particularly African-American culture. Does the film succeed in its intent? Mostly. The film has a tendency of going on extraneous tangents and should have been twenty minutes shorter, but Block Party is a beautifully constructed meditation on Hip-Hop, Rap, the people who construct it and, perhaps most importantly, the people who listen to it. Block Party is about the human race, no matter what ethnicity, uniting in peace and taking action, a theme that seems so trite but is more relevant than ever in the world today, especially when we have instances where our government fails our people as they did in the instance of Hurricane Katrina.
Block Party features the talent of Mos Def, Jill Scott, Common, The Fugees, Kanye West, John Legend, Erykah Badu, The Roots, Talib Kweli, Dead Prez, and the Central State University Marching Band, among others.
On the outset, Dave Chappelle's Block Party appears to be quite a straightforward film. The premise: Dave Chappelle, the hilarious star of the now defunct Chappelle's Show, throws a monstrous block party in New York City with his favorite artists. An odd and simple sounding film, yes, but just as American Beauty taught us, look closer.
Directed by Michel Gondry, the visionary who directed Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind and a handful of music videos from Bjork to The Rolling Stones to Kylie Minogue, Block Party takes a remarkable look at what it means to be an African-American in this day and how to come together as a people, especially through some of the most well known African-American artists today.
Inspired by the Mel Stuart documentary Wattstax, Block Party is the story of a 5,000+ block party held in the Clinton Hill area of Brooklyn on September 14, 2004, hosted by the reliably hilarious Dave Chappelle. This is no ordinary block party; this is top-secret, invite-only for those who have either been invited in-person by Chappelle himself or have made it on the list by signing up online. From the very start of Block Party, we see that this will be a seriously entertaining affair, with Chappelle yelling the many artists featured in the film through a loudspeaker in the opening credits. The artist's names shoot out of the loudspeaker in animated, funky lettering and wiggles onscreen (think The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air).
Gondry takes us on a journey through pre-block party preparations, most of it following Chappelle while he hands out tickets in his hometown of Yellow Springs, Ohio. We go back and forth through time, witnessing part of one artist's set the day of the block party and then moving back to pre-party mode. Oddly, but thankfully, we never hear about the involved planning process (e.g. permits, record label drama, etc.) that must surround the block party. Chappelle hands out golden tickets, which include transportation, lodging, food, and admission to his block party to the most unexpecting, including the woman at the gas station where he buys his cigarettes. In one strange segment of Block Party, Chappelle takes us on a much too long and confusing voyage through the well-known Angel House in Clinton Hill. There, we arguably meet one of the most bizarre couples ever caught onscreen.
This is not a film about David Chappelle. This is a documentary about people coming together, no matter where they are from or what their skin color is, to celebrate life, specifically the self-expression that music has the power of conveying. Funded by Chappelle's very own money, Block Party acknowledges the importance and power of community and hope, especially in areas where people aren't often given the opportunity to see their favorite artist or travel halfway across the country, much less cross the state line. In essence, this is a film about the average folk being an equal to the massive celebrity.
Buzzing with onscreen energy, Block Party has numerous touching moments, from Common's beautiful monologue at the start of the film to Lauryn Hill's engaging and effortless rendition of "Killing Me Softly". Most moving to me, however, was the story of Ohio's Central State University's marching band being given the opportunity to not only attend, but perform at Chappelle's block party. Words cannot describe the excitement that these kids felt when they were told by their bandleader that they had to cancel their previously scheduled performance for the weekend -- only to be told that they would be be attending Chappelle's block party instead. In one powerful scene, a bandmember was on a roof in Brooklyn commenting that he felt welcomed and at home in the city, that "people have (dread)locks like me!"
What's really interesting about Block Party is that it was shot before Chappelle's sudden departure from his acclaimed The Chappelle Show. His exit in May 2005 made a huge media impact because Chappelle, now a well-recognized star in his own right, had fled without notice to South Africa. In later interviews, Chappelle said that he was stressed out and felt that too many people were controlling his life. Block Party shows Chappelle in his most natural form -- making people laugh, keeping the ones close that he loves, and bringing people together. It seems that he didn't want to get carried away and as a safety precaution, dropped out of life as he knew it.
What's also interesting is that Block Party was shot just over a month after Chappelle signed a $50 million contract with Comedy Central. Was he trying to make people realize that he was still an accessible, "real" human being? Did he think that his reputation would get slaughtered if he didn't hold a free community celebration? He seems the type of person who would think himself a thief, like he doesn't deserve $50 million and wants people to know that he won't turn into the typical rags-to-riches, spoiled star. Throughout Block Party, Chappelle comes across as an equal because he wants to come across as an equal, something that most superstars admit they desire but then contradict themselves by performing lavish, selfish acts. Ultimately, though, would Chappelle have thrown this block party had he not signed this contract?
One has to wonder how Block Party would have turned out had it been taped post Hurricane Katrina considering New Orleans is predominantly African-American. We all remember Kanye West's live television appearance where he declared that "George Bush doesn't like black people." While I'm not sure if this is true, the Bush administration's response (or lack of response) to Hurricane Katrina was appalling and caused many people, specifically African-Americans, to lose faith in the government. The Bush administration left the people of New Orleans in the cold, especially the lower class African-Americans in the Lower Ninth Ward, because the administration was "opposed to a strong federal role in disaster relief and obsessed with terrorism." People had to work together like never before during Katrina because nobody, not even FEMA, had their backs. Would Block Party have taken a more political tone post-Katrina? Would it be a more somber affair?
Block Party works because it's not The Chappelle Show: The Movie, which I'm sure people were expecting. Instead, the camera plays the role of an outside observer; Chappelle doesn't seem to have any ulterior motives other than hosting a celebration of life, particularly African-American culture. Does the film succeed in its intent? Mostly. The film has a tendency of going on extraneous tangents and should have been twenty minutes shorter, but Block Party is a beautifully constructed meditation on Hip-Hop, Rap, the people who construct it and, perhaps most importantly, the people who listen to it. Block Party is about the human race, no matter what ethnicity, uniting in peace and taking action, a theme that seems so trite but is more relevant than ever in the world today, especially when we have instances where our government fails our people as they did in the instance of Hurricane Katrina.
Block Party features the talent of Mos Def, Jill Scott, Common, The Fugees, Kanye West, John Legend, Erykah Badu, The Roots, Talib Kweli, Dead Prez, and the Central State University Marching Band, among others.
Monday, April 6, 2009
Revision Summary
The most obvious revision that I made to my Arrested Development review was the shortening of the episode summaries. Kristen, Robert, and Aubree all suggested that I condense the episode summaries to further engage the audience. I think the long summaries, especially the unnecessary details, tell the reader too much.
Karissa suggested that I clear up the paragraph where I discuss the minute-long "on next week's..." segment at the end of the two episodes. I made the concept more understandable and shortened the paragraph to clear up any confusion.
I made a few nit-picky errors in my original post, such as having "spoon-fed" twice in the same paragraph like Noelle pointed out, so I changed those. I took out some commas because I always go comma overboard. Also, I rearranged some sentences to make them more clear.
Otherwise, the general consensus seemed to be that my original post was not too shabby so I didn't need to start from scratch, which was a relief.
Karissa suggested that I clear up the paragraph where I discuss the minute-long "on next week's..." segment at the end of the two episodes. I made the concept more understandable and shortened the paragraph to clear up any confusion.
I made a few nit-picky errors in my original post, such as having "spoon-fed" twice in the same paragraph like Noelle pointed out, so I changed those. I took out some commas because I always go comma overboard. Also, I rearranged some sentences to make them more clear.
Otherwise, the general consensus seemed to be that my original post was not too shabby so I didn't need to start from scratch, which was a relief.
"Arrested Development" Revision
We're living in an age where lazily-conceived and improperly executed television shows are the norm. Many shows start fantastically and then as the plot gets more and more complicated the show ultimately goes downhill (see Lost.) It almost becomes a chore to have to keep up with these idiotic shows that have to bring on guest stars and focus on their musical selections to keep audiences watching.
I am confident that this will not be the case with Arrested Development.
Arrested Development is that rare television show that will get noticed by some but will most likely fly over most people's heads. The show is, in short, a "riches to rags" story of a severely dysfunctional family. It's too strange and random to be mainstream, but too hilarious to take cult status. Arrested Development doesn't have a laugh track like most sitcoms and it doesn't look like it involves any more than a few sets and a superb cast. The show, unlike other sitcoms these days, relies on the talent of the actors and the extremely well-written script.
The most noteworthy aspect of Arrested Development is that the audience is just as much looking forward to the next funny line as they are to the plot.
Most of all, Arrested Development is fun to watch. It's a hilarious comment on American society today--we all want to have lots of money, we just don't want to work.
The first episode, "Pilot", begins at a boat party for the retirement of George Sr. Bluth, neatly played by Jeffrey Tambor. His son, Michael Bluth, played by Jason Bateman, has been anticipating taking over his father's company. To Michael's dismay, George Sr. announces that he is making his dramatic wife, Lucille, hilariously played by Jessica Walter, the new CEO. Much to everyone's surprise, the SEC takes control of the ship and arrests George Sr. for fraud, leaving the family in financial trouble. The SEC puts a halt on the company expense account, which mortifies the Bluth's. Michael decides to take a job in Arizona to separate himself from his lazy family, but they all end up begging for his help. Eventually, Michael decides to stick around and help everyone for his awkward son George Michael, played by Michael Cera, who wants to stay close to the family in California.
The following episode, "Top Banana", starts with the local news channel reporting that the Bluth Banana Stand has gone up in flames. The episode then takes us back a week earlier where George Sr. tries to make Michael feel better by explaining that there is "always money in the banana stand." Michael appoints his niece Maeby, played by Alia Shawkat, to work at the banana stand under George Michael. Maeby turns into a nuisance, taking money from the register and throwing out bananas, assuming that the inventory will match their profits, (but later learning that this is not exactly the case.) Michael asks his mother Lucille for the company flight records, and she says that they are in a storage unit. Alas, a storage unit goes up in flames and Michael encourages George Michael, who feels that he has royally screwed up the banana stand business , to set it on fire. Michael visits his father in jail and proudly announces that he set the stand on fire, but this pride turns to disgust when George Sr. screams that there was $250,000 implanted in the walls of the banana stand hence his signature line, "there's always money in the banana stand."
Never taking itself too seriously, Arrested Development contains a minute-long segment ("On the next Arrested Development...") at the end of each episode that portrays events that do not appear in the subsequent episodes as the show had not been picked up at the time of production. It later became a staple of the show, used to resolve an episode's storylines.
Arrested Development is a bit confusing at first. Although there are many characters, I had trouble understanding what the relationships were. It's simple: this is an extended family going through crisis--rather, this is Michael going through crisis while his family members wait for him to get the business going again so they can be spoon-fed money without working.
The show is presented in documentary-like style, containing few cuts and appearing to be done in just a couple takes.
Arrested Development is good. Really good. Unfortunately, this probably means that the show will not last long as the general public goes for safe, cliched material. Nevertheless, in a society filled with stupid television shows, Arrested Development is gold.
I am confident that this will not be the case with Arrested Development.
Arrested Development is that rare television show that will get noticed by some but will most likely fly over most people's heads. The show is, in short, a "riches to rags" story of a severely dysfunctional family. It's too strange and random to be mainstream, but too hilarious to take cult status. Arrested Development doesn't have a laugh track like most sitcoms and it doesn't look like it involves any more than a few sets and a superb cast. The show, unlike other sitcoms these days, relies on the talent of the actors and the extremely well-written script.
The most noteworthy aspect of Arrested Development is that the audience is just as much looking forward to the next funny line as they are to the plot.
Most of all, Arrested Development is fun to watch. It's a hilarious comment on American society today--we all want to have lots of money, we just don't want to work.
The first episode, "Pilot", begins at a boat party for the retirement of George Sr. Bluth, neatly played by Jeffrey Tambor. His son, Michael Bluth, played by Jason Bateman, has been anticipating taking over his father's company. To Michael's dismay, George Sr. announces that he is making his dramatic wife, Lucille, hilariously played by Jessica Walter, the new CEO. Much to everyone's surprise, the SEC takes control of the ship and arrests George Sr. for fraud, leaving the family in financial trouble. The SEC puts a halt on the company expense account, which mortifies the Bluth's. Michael decides to take a job in Arizona to separate himself from his lazy family, but they all end up begging for his help. Eventually, Michael decides to stick around and help everyone for his awkward son George Michael, played by Michael Cera, who wants to stay close to the family in California.
The following episode, "Top Banana", starts with the local news channel reporting that the Bluth Banana Stand has gone up in flames. The episode then takes us back a week earlier where George Sr. tries to make Michael feel better by explaining that there is "always money in the banana stand." Michael appoints his niece Maeby, played by Alia Shawkat, to work at the banana stand under George Michael. Maeby turns into a nuisance, taking money from the register and throwing out bananas, assuming that the inventory will match their profits, (but later learning that this is not exactly the case.) Michael asks his mother Lucille for the company flight records, and she says that they are in a storage unit. Alas, a storage unit goes up in flames and Michael encourages George Michael, who feels that he has royally screwed up the banana stand business , to set it on fire. Michael visits his father in jail and proudly announces that he set the stand on fire, but this pride turns to disgust when George Sr. screams that there was $250,000 implanted in the walls of the banana stand hence his signature line, "there's always money in the banana stand."
Never taking itself too seriously, Arrested Development contains a minute-long segment ("On the next Arrested Development...") at the end of each episode that portrays events that do not appear in the subsequent episodes as the show had not been picked up at the time of production. It later became a staple of the show, used to resolve an episode's storylines.
Arrested Development is a bit confusing at first. Although there are many characters, I had trouble understanding what the relationships were. It's simple: this is an extended family going through crisis--rather, this is Michael going through crisis while his family members wait for him to get the business going again so they can be spoon-fed money without working.
The show is presented in documentary-like style, containing few cuts and appearing to be done in just a couple takes.
Arrested Development is good. Really good. Unfortunately, this probably means that the show will not last long as the general public goes for safe, cliched material. Nevertheless, in a society filled with stupid television shows, Arrested Development is gold.
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
"Arrested Development"
We're living in an age where lazily-conceived and improperly executed television shows are the norm. Many shows start fantastically and then as the plot gets more and more complicated, the show ultimately goes downhill (see Lost.) It almost becomes a chore to have to keep up with these idiotic shows that have to bring on guest stars and focus on their musical selections to keep audiences watching.
I am confident that this will not be the case with Arrested Development.
Arrested Development is that rare television show that will get noticed by some but will most likely fly over most people's heads. The show is, in short, a "riches to rags" story of a severely dysfunctional family. It's too strange and random to be mainstream, but too hilarious to take cult status. Arrested Development doesn't have a laugh track like most sitcoms and it doesn't look like it involves any more than a few sets and a superb cast. The show, unlike other sitcoms these days, relies on the talent of the actors and their interactions with each other and the extremely well-written script. Most of all, Arrested Development is fun to watch. It's hilarious as it's a comment on American society today--we all want to have lots of money, we just don't want to work. The most noteworthy aspect of Arrested Development is that the audience is just as much looking forward to the next funny line as they are to the plot.
The first episode, "Pilot", begins at a boat party for the retirement of George Sr. Bluth, neatly played by Jeffrey Tambor. His son, Michael Bluth, played by Jason Bateman, has been anticipating taking over his father's company. To Michael's dismay, George Sr. announces that he is making his dramatic wife, Lucille, hilariously played by Jessica Walter, the new CEO. Much to everyone's surprise, the SEC soon takes control of the ship and arrest George Sr. for fraud, leaving the family in trouble as he is the one who brings in the money. The SEC announces that they are putting a halt on the company expense account, which frightens the family as they have been living off of George Sr. Michael decides to take a job in Arizona to separate himself from his lazy family, but they all end up begging for his help. Eventually, Michael decides to stick around and help everyone for his awkward son George Michael, played by Michael Cera, who wants to stay close to the family in California. Michael decides to try to save the endangered family business.
The following episode, "Top Banana", starts with the local news channel reporting that the Bluth Banana Stand has gone up in flames. The episode then takes us back a week earlier where George Sr. tries to make Michael feel better by explaining that there is "always money in the banana stand." George Michael asks for more hours at the banana stand and, in turn, Michael makes him "Mr. Manager", a running joke throughout the 22-minute long episode. Michael, fed up with his unemployed family, appoints his niece Maeby, played by Alia Shawkat, to work at the banana stand under George Michael. Maeby turns into a nuisance, taking money from the register and throwing out bananas, assuming that the inventory will match their profits, (but later learning that this is not exactly the case.) Michael's sister Lindsay, played by the beautiful Portia de Rossi, insists that she is supporting her husband Tobias, played by the obnoxious David Cross, even though he is unemployed. Tobias looks for work as an actor. Michael asks his mother Lucille for the company flight records, and she insists that they are in a storage unit. Alas, a storage unit goes up in flames, Michael's other brother G.O.B., played by the forgettable Will Arnett, fails at his simple job of delivering a letter and Michael, wanting to gain control of his life, encourages George Michael, who feels that he has royally screwed up the banana stand business by letting Maeby screw things up, to set the family banana stand on fire. Michael then visits his father in jail and proudly announces that he set the stand on fire--but this pride turns to disgust when George Sr. screams that there was $250,000 implanted in the walls of the banana stand, hence his signature line (receited three times in this episode) of "there's always money in the banana stand."
Never taking itself too seriously, Arrested Development contains a minute-long segment at the end of each episode with the highlights from the following week's episode, something that most television shows do these days. However, what we see in this segment is not what we will see the following week as the show had not been picked up at the time of production. It later became a staple of the show, used to resolve an episode's storylines.
Arrested Development is a bit confusing at first. Although there are many characters, I had trouble understanding what the relationships were. It's simple: this is an extended family going through crisis--or, this is Michael going through crisis with the other family members hoping Michael can get the business going again so they can be spoon-fed money without working.
The show is presented in documentary-like style, containing few cuts and appearing to be done in just a couple takes.
Arrested Development is good. Really good. Unfortunately, this probably means that the show will not last long as the general public goes for spoon-fed material. Nevertheless, in a society filled with stupid television shows, Arrested Development is gold.
I am confident that this will not be the case with Arrested Development.
Arrested Development is that rare television show that will get noticed by some but will most likely fly over most people's heads. The show is, in short, a "riches to rags" story of a severely dysfunctional family. It's too strange and random to be mainstream, but too hilarious to take cult status. Arrested Development doesn't have a laugh track like most sitcoms and it doesn't look like it involves any more than a few sets and a superb cast. The show, unlike other sitcoms these days, relies on the talent of the actors and their interactions with each other and the extremely well-written script. Most of all, Arrested Development is fun to watch. It's hilarious as it's a comment on American society today--we all want to have lots of money, we just don't want to work. The most noteworthy aspect of Arrested Development is that the audience is just as much looking forward to the next funny line as they are to the plot.
The first episode, "Pilot", begins at a boat party for the retirement of George Sr. Bluth, neatly played by Jeffrey Tambor. His son, Michael Bluth, played by Jason Bateman, has been anticipating taking over his father's company. To Michael's dismay, George Sr. announces that he is making his dramatic wife, Lucille, hilariously played by Jessica Walter, the new CEO. Much to everyone's surprise, the SEC soon takes control of the ship and arrest George Sr. for fraud, leaving the family in trouble as he is the one who brings in the money. The SEC announces that they are putting a halt on the company expense account, which frightens the family as they have been living off of George Sr. Michael decides to take a job in Arizona to separate himself from his lazy family, but they all end up begging for his help. Eventually, Michael decides to stick around and help everyone for his awkward son George Michael, played by Michael Cera, who wants to stay close to the family in California. Michael decides to try to save the endangered family business.
The following episode, "Top Banana", starts with the local news channel reporting that the Bluth Banana Stand has gone up in flames. The episode then takes us back a week earlier where George Sr. tries to make Michael feel better by explaining that there is "always money in the banana stand." George Michael asks for more hours at the banana stand and, in turn, Michael makes him "Mr. Manager", a running joke throughout the 22-minute long episode. Michael, fed up with his unemployed family, appoints his niece Maeby, played by Alia Shawkat, to work at the banana stand under George Michael. Maeby turns into a nuisance, taking money from the register and throwing out bananas, assuming that the inventory will match their profits, (but later learning that this is not exactly the case.) Michael's sister Lindsay, played by the beautiful Portia de Rossi, insists that she is supporting her husband Tobias, played by the obnoxious David Cross, even though he is unemployed. Tobias looks for work as an actor. Michael asks his mother Lucille for the company flight records, and she insists that they are in a storage unit. Alas, a storage unit goes up in flames, Michael's other brother G.O.B., played by the forgettable Will Arnett, fails at his simple job of delivering a letter and Michael, wanting to gain control of his life, encourages George Michael, who feels that he has royally screwed up the banana stand business by letting Maeby screw things up, to set the family banana stand on fire. Michael then visits his father in jail and proudly announces that he set the stand on fire--but this pride turns to disgust when George Sr. screams that there was $250,000 implanted in the walls of the banana stand, hence his signature line (receited three times in this episode) of "there's always money in the banana stand."
Never taking itself too seriously, Arrested Development contains a minute-long segment at the end of each episode with the highlights from the following week's episode, something that most television shows do these days. However, what we see in this segment is not what we will see the following week as the show had not been picked up at the time of production. It later became a staple of the show, used to resolve an episode's storylines.
Arrested Development is a bit confusing at first. Although there are many characters, I had trouble understanding what the relationships were. It's simple: this is an extended family going through crisis--or, this is Michael going through crisis with the other family members hoping Michael can get the business going again so they can be spoon-fed money without working.
The show is presented in documentary-like style, containing few cuts and appearing to be done in just a couple takes.
Arrested Development is good. Really good. Unfortunately, this probably means that the show will not last long as the general public goes for spoon-fed material. Nevertheless, in a society filled with stupid television shows, Arrested Development is gold.
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