The Jake and Fred Show Episode 1

 Hey look a podcast! Yes the inaugural episode of the Fred and Jake show is here! This is one of hopefully two new podcasts (no promises but I'm working on it) debuting within the next few weeks. Specifically the Jake and Fred show will focus mostly on talking about a few random entertainment related topics that are topical during the week before doing a look back segment on an old, sometimes classic sometimes not, film.

This week Jake and I talk about Alien: Isolation and how it could potentially rejuvenate both the idea of an Alien game franchise and survival games in general. Our second topic focuses around the recent announcement that Pixar is now working on 2 new sequels as well as how much of an effect that Pixar films have had on both our childhoods and how we look at those films now. Then in the final segment we debut the first film look back segment with the infamous beginning of the Start Wars prequel trilogy "Episode 1 the Phantom Menace."

For now the only link to the podcast is here through Soundcloud. Once I get the RSS Feed thing figured out and try to get the show posted on Itunes I will update this post.

Link to the show on Soundcloud

On the next show (hopefully next week I have to find a good day to edit and post it) the movie we are going to talk about is, of course, Star Wars Episode 2 Attack of the Clones (ugh). For now if you want to watch along and share your thoughts potentially at the show comment on this post. By the time the next episode is released I should either have a proboards page, or an email address ready for feedback and movie responses.

Girls: “Two Plane Rides” Review: Welcome to Broadway

Shoshona and Ray have some awkward moments on Girls

Photo Credit: HBO 

A review of Girls’ season finale (and a few thoughts on the season as a whole) as soon as I feel out the gender of my unborn child…

Oh bittersweet melancholy…

Girls (one of my absolute favorite shows on television) wrapped up its third season to more and more of the bittersweetnes that the series knows all too well. “Two Plane Rides” was another perfectly toned finale that, even better than in past years managed to wrap the season’s themes into a nice bow of beauty and sadness. Better yet it made Season 3, unlike its predecessor, to feel better than the sum of its parts, managing to better balance its strange ideas, character beats, and plot better than it managed in, say the end of last season.

The place we leave Hannah in this season is interesting. Most of this season seems to be tied to how Hannah has begun to grow up in some ways and stay in the same place in others. On one hand we see her get some professional direction with her acceptance to grad school in Iowa (and the best writing school in America none the less), but at the same time personally, and especially here with Adam, seems to be going close to nowhere. She still needs that moment of being special, and thus despite knowing better than anyone Adam’s negative reaction, decides to tell him about Iowa right before he goes on opening night. The scene where she does tell him is beautifully uncomfortable in that way that only Girls can manage to make it, providing that wonderful reaction of “why would she do this?” while still keeping it with in the territory of something that Hannah Horvath would actually do.

Of course it leaves Adam and Hannah’s relationship on the rocks, which for the most part is nothing new for the show. The way that it does leave it on the rocks though is a fascinating new place providing numerous different options of where this could go as the series moves on. The final shot of the finale that shows Hannah hugging the Iowa acceptance letter suggesting that we could go off into strange new territory, one that could potentially be an interesting departure for the series as a whole. It also allows us to ponder just how stable this relationship between Adam and Hanna is, and whether Hanna’s attempt to feel special, instead of waiting on breaking the news, has cost her the relationship.

Relationship drama doesn’t end with Hannah, in the ball goes quite firmly into Shoshana’s court as well. Shosh finds herself in quite the situation in this finale, being three credits short of being able to graduate university, and having Ray flat out reject her as he feels potentially “better off” without her. The scene in which Shoshana painfully proclaims her desperate love for Ray while he coldly rejects her is one of the most painful scenes this season and easily the best work that Zosia Mamott has done so far on the show. The dramatic angle that this season has brought the character is very suiting and has made Shoshana a much more satisfying character as the season has progressed.

If I had a problem with the way the finale wrapped up it would be that the show still has very little idea of how to handle Jess and her messiness. Even this season with two episodes to work with her arc still seems incomplete and rushed in so many ways. It’s way too quick for Beadie to want to commit suicide and then go against it by wanting to call 911 immediately afterwards, it seems like that whole arc needed a few more episodes to develop and give us an idea of where Jessa has gone as this season has progressed.

Some other musings:

• Marnie is playing man stealer as this episode goes along. She really brings out the desperateness in Shoshana when she talks about sleeping with Ray right to her without real remorse. Then she goes and steals a few kisses from Desi, and awkwardly confronts his girlfriend (in a similar dress none the less) in the bathroom a little later in the episode.

• Ray has yet to learn how to dress to Elijah’s standards for a formal event.

• Those textbooks really can break windows!

That’s it for Girls this season! Another really good one indeed! We’ll have to wait and see whether we will be spending a ton of time in Iowa I guess…

That’s just me folks. What did everyone else think?

Live Blogging the Oscars 2014

How long will the Oscars last??

It's Oscar time again!!!! It's going to be a long show so strap in, grab some snacks and join me for this year's Oscar's live blog 2014. I'm going to be commenting on the awards, all the filler, and counting all my picks to see just how right I am! Also I'll be keeping track of the points for this year's Outpick Fred at the Oscars to see who will win (this year it's looking pretty grim for my picks in the contest). So follow me throughout the evening as I cover the Oscars as they air:

4:12- So I'm a sucker apparently 4pm doesn't actually mean 4pm in Oscar world... Show is set to start at 5:30 I'll see you then...

5:29- Ok here we go! A little uneasy with the lack of overdone video package....

5:40- Elen's not bad so far... A few of her jokes weren't funny, but for the most part it worked ok. Nice finish with the 12 Years a Slave joke overall I was decently happy with it

5:40-On to best supporting actor with the very awkward Anne Hathaway

5:42 Jared Leto with the predictable win. Would have liked to see Fassbender but I get the first prediction correct. Good speech, gone very long as expected given the producers. Fred Picks 1/1

5:46- Elen does the Anne Hathaway joke from a few years ago but less awkwardly and not with a stoned looking James Franco

5:48- Hey look it's a segment to make the show go long! This time a tribute to animation ie a bunch of clips set to music... And the great Jim Carry

5:50- Hey look it's that we're trying to be too much like the grammy's and tony's thing.... Starting with Pherell Williams... These should have all happened in one montage... Like the animation one...

5:54- Hey look almost a half an hour in and only one award presented... This is going to be a long show....

5:56- Hey look finally another award! Let's see how long the tech people get to speak!!

5:58- Yup I really screwed up on this pick... Great Gatsby wins this one easily... And there goes my win I do believe in  the contest Fred's picks 1/2

6:00- Redeamed myself with Hair and makeup.... Although it was an easy pick... Apparently we fought for the hair and makeup of Dallas Buyers Club! Short speech though no Jared Leto's here! Fred's Picks 2/3

6:02- Hey it's Harrison Ford from Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal skull... No they're taking cues from the Golden Globes... No.. Not the stupid films clip packages! No!! Why?? What's the freaking point?

6:09- Hey animation! Go Mathew McConaughey go all Rust and talk about life the universe and everything! Animated Short, a category I don't generally pick!

6:13- Ok best animated feature ie the category that Frozen will win.... And Frozen wins... Shocker! *Sarcasm* Hey they're going to keep it short well done Disney animated studios people! Fred's Picks 3/4

6:16- That was really lame Ellen.... There must be something wrong with this teleprompter everyone is tripping up on their lives... Ok why do we have these video packages these don't celebrate film, they are redundant and messy... Can we just let the tech people speak more or make this show shorter?

6:20- Hey it's Hermione and Batman Jr. doing visual effects ie the award if Gravity doesn't win there should be an uprising... And Gravity wins! Woot I guess! It's all about the team they say while Gordon Levitt seems to mock them in the background... Hey they get to speak! Good job all around... Fred's Picks 4/5

6:24- Time for another song from the "most important not important category!" At least we get to hear Karen O who is very good

6:29- Ellen update... Most of her jokes have been misses

6:30- Hey shorts now time for a quick break... Although I will stick around to see what the tiebreak winner is... So Helium is the winner for best live action short... One person got it in the contest so if it comes down to it said person has the leg up!

6:35- God Ellen is becoming a little unbearable... Oh Documentary time... If I loose this I'm done... Go Act of Killing! Winner is.... 20 Feet from Stardom... Yup I'm done in the contest looks like we're going to have a winner this year! Sad Act of Killing is a special documentary... Fred's Picks 4/6

6:39- Yay Kevin Spacey!!! Who gets to do 10 seconds of his House of Cards accent! He looks board, about as board as I am at this point...

6:47- Hey look it Obi wan Kenobi! And Ms monotone I mean Viola Davis... Foreign film which should have gone to Blue is the Warmest Color... Winnner is The Great Beauty! No surprise there 5/7...

6:50- Tyler Perry??? Disappointed he's not dressed as Madea because that shtick hasn't gotten old... He's introducing more stupid video packages... Why did they take the worst part of the Golden Globes? Couldn't they have gotten Tina and Amy instead? God Ellen still isn't funny...

6:54- So U2's now the biggest band in the world? That's a reach... Why did we waste Brad Pitt for U2 by the way? Gahh none of this makes any sense... Bono is shouting way too much and can't hit high notes really well but otherwise he's fine... Ps the sound mixing is awful as they aren't miking the guy who is singing Bono's high notes at all...

7:01- Ellen is still terrible... Where is the Pizza? This selfie Joke is really bad and has gone on way too long... Where's Billy Crystal when you need him? I mean people insult him for being safe but at least he's funny... Hey it's Wallace and Veronica Mars!!! God Michael B Jordan and Kristen Bell got to host the tech show? Why couldn't they have hosted this show???

7:06- Sound awards... Gravity wins mixing! No surprise there! Got another pick... it looks like 2 picks wrong seems like a bad score so far though... Fred's Picks 6/8... Sound Editing... Also Gravity! No surprise well deserved awards though! Wow could we be exposing how terrible Alfonso Caurone is to his staff? Probably not Fred Picks 7/9

7:11- How can you tell that the show is running behind time... How fast Christoph Waltz is walking! Woops camera 1 where are you? On to supporting actress... Great clip for June Squibb.... Winner is Lupita Nyong'o! Great win! Absolutely deserved!!! She gets a deserved standing ovation! Great speech too! She's trying so hard not to cry and is so excited! Good for her! 8/10

7:20- Pizza is here!!! Finally... That Pizza company is really slow... Sorry Ellen I doubt a billion people are watching this.... Hey Marty gets pizza!!!

7:24- Not going to make too many jokes about the museum but boy are those designs ugly... Cinematography time... Or best shooter.... Gravity needs to win this for that tracking shot... Great Job Bill for giving the shout out to Harold Ramis!! Gravity wins! Fred's picks 9/11

7:29- Time for Film Editing... Another award that Gravity should win.... And it does! Fred's Picks 10/12

7:32- Whoopi Goldberg! Where's Billy Crystal? Can we please just have Billy Crystal? Wizard of Oz celebration time! At least it isn't just just a video package... The Garland kids are here! Why is Pink doing the Wizard of Oz tribute? Everything makes no sense!!

7:36- That being said I'm surprised Pink isn't terrible! This is the best musical segment they've done so far.... Not saying too much... Still confused why it's Pink and Whoopi Goldberg.... At least for the Bond tribute last year they got Shirley Bassey...

7:42- Really Ellen?... Still terrible... Oh hey there's production design! Why is it this late in the show? This should have happened with hair and makeup and Costume design.... Winner is The Great Gatsby... Deserved... at least I picked this right unlike my slip up in costume design... Fred's Picks 11/13

7:47- This show would be a lot shorter without all these stupid video packages... At this rate this show is never going to end.... Gahhh!!!

7:52- In Memoriam time hopefully they don't screw it up and turn it into a musical number like last time... Goodness we lost a lot of people this year....And yup it's a musical number again.... Why? Can't we just honor those people we lost without having an overindulgent song? And a bad song at that... Why do we have to make it about some singer? Can't we just make it about the people we lost? Anyways....

8:01- Can this just be over already? I don't remember this show being this painful last year... Maybe I don't remember things properly...

8:05- My god this show is never going to end!!!!!! More video packages!!! We still have a ton of awards to go folks and we're almost 3 hours in!!!

8:07- Ok at least here is the final song performance... This show just needs to end now

8:11- Idina Menzel is pretty fantastic! Hey remember those days where the band was actually at the theater... No? God Jamie Fox is terrible but at least he has some energy in him unlike the person typing this right now... Finally it's score and original score time... Score goes to Gravity.... Not surprised! Good win! Fred's Picks 12/14

8:15- God almost through the music stuff... Original Song goes to.... Let it Go! Again limited surprises at these Oscars... Nice rhyming speech though! Made the most out of what they got! Fred's Picks 13/15

8:22- Ok this Pizza thing is now old... Deniro!!! Finally screenplay.... Adapted Screenplay... Go Before Midnight... (it won't win)... winner is 12 Years a Slave! Yet to to be surprised by a win yet the two picks I made early were just either stupid or followed the heart... Good speech by Ridley... If before midnight weren't nominated I would cheer this more...  Fred's Picks 14/16... Now for Original Screenplay... Can Woody Alan win so that we don't have to hear a speech? Winner is Her! Deserved win! God you give Spike Jonze 42 seconds to win because you gave all those minutes to stupid video packages??!! Gahhhhh! Fred's Picks 15/17

8:28- Ps Ellen is still terrible! And this show still hasn't ended!

8:31- There is totally a problem with this teleprompter.... Could we just get this over with? Directing time folks! Winner is... Alfonso Cauron! Deservingly so he made the best looking film of the year! Great speech on Cauron's part! Get's laughs! That's a relief! Fred's Picks 16/18

8:37- God they teased the show ending!!! Please let this show end!!!

8:40- Daniel Day Lewis!!!!!! Can he make this show better please? Nope he just gets to say one line! Best actress in a leading role time! Winner is.... Cate Blanchett! Again no surprise here! Well deserved though! Great Speech! Fred's Picks 17/19

8:47- Best Actor time... Still puzzled why Bale was nominated... Winner is Matthew McConaughey! Hugs Dicaprio... Love the guy but sad that Dicaprio nor Ejiofor.... Alright alright alright great speech... No surprises from the acting category Fred's Picks 18/20

8:54- Finnnnnnallly Best Picture time!!! god it has taken so long to get here! Could Will Smith hurry the heck up?? And the ultimate winner is.... 12 Years a Slave.... Really no surprises at all! Deserved win.... I did love this film so no bitterness at all In total I went 19/21... Better than last year... But not enough to win... Someone went perfect in Outpick Fred at the Oscars this year Congratulations to Jimmy Orsag!!! You win! I'll email you (if your reading this) sometime later tonight and get the film sometime tomorrow! For now thank God this show is over!!! Hosting was terrible! Pacing was terrible! Show was predictable! Goodnight folks finally thanks for reading!