30 ROCK EPISODE "LEAP DAY" - 30 ROCK is a show that hit its peak at the end of its fourth season, countering the exhaustion brought on by overly familiar characters and scenarios with the introduction of just a hint of genuine pathos. By the start of the following season, it had retreated back to tried, true and safe. Last week's episode, "Leap Day", does nothing to bring shades of depth back to the show, but it does manage to be the funniest episode since that time. It's a pitch-perfect parody of every "holiday special" cliche ever aired, and a welcome return to form. . . And if you ever see an old man in a blue suit, bursting out of the middle of the ocean - take the time to say "howdy". It might just be worth your while.
THE OSCARS - I thought it went ok. Did you? Based only off of the venomous reviews the event received, you'd think it was the biggest bomb since Fat Man. Awards aside (The Artist is a film that we'll all forget about in about. . . now.), I found the show itself to be much zippier than usual, with all of the traditional, horrible song performances removed. (I thought the Cirque du Soleil was pretty classy, and Crystal's song was both expected and funnier than expected.) Frankly, some of the complaints sound ageist and anti-art. Thas coo, man. If you find the Academy a bit too pretentious, I think Nickelodeon still puts on the Kids Choice Awards every year
WRCJ 90.9FM DETROIT - The best way to start my day, and to wind down in the evening. "Classy Days, Jazzy Nights", as they say. Best mixed with either a bowl of hot oatmeal, or a good book.
IKIRU - Director Akira Kurosawa is best remembered for his tales of swordplay and samurai, but he did make a handful of successful films set in the twentieth century. This one is the best. Almost the answer to IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE, we follow the story of a man who has wasted his life, and comes to that realization only after he's diagnosed with terminal cancer. Much more uplifting than one might expect based on the premise, this film is rich with texture and subtle nuance, both visual and thematic. A true masterpiece.
GEARS OF WAR 3: HORDE MODE - I don't get to play this nearly as often as I would like to. There are several shooter games with highly entertaining "survival" modes, in which you and a handful of your friends (or complete strangers) take on wave after wave of increasingly horrifying beasties, but this one ups the brutality to a whole new level. Nothing quite beats the rush of coming back from the brink of oblivion and sawing a demon from the depths of space into two bloody chunks. Good for teaching children about teamwork and stress management!
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