LONELYPOND PRESENTS

Well, the Olympics are over, The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe has closed, we’re caught up on Chuck, Blink Kitty Love did not get a Streamy nomination(thanks to everyone and anyone who voted!) and the snow might be melting. So what now? Well, do you want the To-Do list or the quick reviews. Let’s do reviews.

Chuck — loved Season 2. And considering how well they did with guest stars in Season 2, why oh why did they INFLICT Brandon Routh on us (it can’t be only me)? Oy. Yvonne Strahovski continues excellently expressing quiet discomfort over Chuck’s evolution but the whole two people moving in separate directions with two other people plot angle is VERY forced and seems like just an excuse to shoehorn in “GUEST STARS” and rushed choices. Always nice to see Kristin Kreuk, if only they’d put her in the guest part that lasted more than four episodes.

Smallville is back and I’m remembering it’s on Fridays. Watched the morning show episode and enjoyed it, although I really wish they’d stop dressing Tom Welling all in the smooth, stylish black. I don’t like the dark color palette but the characters seem to having a little more fun.

Wizards of Waverly Place — slumping. Alex as go go over the top cheerleader? no no. Good luck Charlie is looking like fun. The actor playing the Dad (

Work on a new Blink Kitty Love — a great title hit me yesterday
Keep writing “The Lady Lost” or “Maybe Turning That Corner Wasn’t The Brightest Idea I Ever Had”
And have some fun, darn it.

Good night.

New Blink Kitty Love blog post where the band links to their favorite TV themes.

Continuing the TV theme, still loving Chuck, although it gets bumped on Monday nights by Top Gear, one of Gayle’s top 3 shows.

Wizards vs. Werewolves — nope, fail, not really any fun at all. Solve our problems by making the bad boyfriend and the actress we’ve put on another show go away. More substantive criticism? Ok. Well, exactly in the middle, I thought I’ve seen this dramatic pose around a fountain exactly in a soap opera (yes, there was soap opera watching at some point in my past; my mom was a General Hospital/One Life To Live fanatic and so were half the GUYS in my freshman dorm) and near the end, I thought straight steal from Buffy (the why can’t we date normal people moment). Flash was so bored she slept through it — which is good, no seizure from overexcitement. I find it really annoying that Alex so changes her personality for the boy of the moment, unless this is supposed to be an example of the standard girl experience, although they’ve spent a lot of time setting up Alex as a not so standard girl. And yes, Mason was a bad boyfriend but not enough time was spent on that either. They solved too many problems too easily and had too many plots in the air for one episode, even an hour long one. And I would have liked to have seen Juliet’s parents make an appearance again; they were fun. The we pay attention to plot and character pendulum swings back toward iCarly (after the successful iSaved Your Life). Nick’s doing a Secret Crush weekend…have been catching the odd True Jackson, and although it’s nice to see more of the school (and Mikey J), there’s a moderate sized hole where the manic fun that is the Mad Style staff used to fit. Caught another episode of Big Time Crush and didn’t enjoy it. Too much loud; too little character based humor. The guys are interchangeable and the having to shoehorn in the little sister plot really drags it down.

Did I mention Chuck is great. And The Big Bang Theory continues fun, although I am getting TIRED of Howard. Bring back Leslie Winkel, put him between her and the current girlfriend, have a little frank enough for television sex talk and let’s watch his brain shrivel (that’s as low as I’m looking).

Cool glass robots (thanks to Geek Dad for the link.)

Howdy…

Can you guess the character?

Haiti: such a terrible week. Fortunately, most of the world is acting in a compassionate fashion. We donated through Episcopal Relief and Development, which has a strong ground presence through the Diocese of Haiti, and will continue to do so after the immediate crisis is over. I hope you will consider donating if you haven’t yet.

Greetings, o most loyal and amazing blog visitors. Happy 2010. I’m going to give you a fairly thorough round up as I would really like to be taking a couple of weeks for some R + R while it’s cold and all my baser instincts are saying, “Stay under the covers, it’s warm.” I am not particularly good at the R + R things so I may be forced to resort to things like read all the Harry Potter books, read all the Sarah Caudwell books, read all the Terry Pratchett Watch themed books, read my MFK Fisher + Elizabeth David, dig out my Raymond Chandler and Peter Cheyney, read through the pile of newspapers, watch all the movies I’ve borrowed from friends (Tristram Shandy, Bubba Ho-Tep, Steam Boy), watch the movies I watch every year and skipped in ‘09 (the original 3 American Pies, Tomb Raider, Bring It On, The Bandwagon, Strictly Ballroom, etc.)

So to tide you over, there’s the new Blink Kitty Love, all the old Blink Kitty Love, the band website and this:

Lunch With Tristram Stuart who feeds people from discarded food to highlight wastage.

Article about really cool jazz pianists CD collections I can’t afford.

The FT’s this year in culture quiz…

Stefan Stern’s suggestions for movies to watch and pick up business tips from this season (for the rest of you who don’t do R + R).

Very cool story about a native Gypsy theatre experiment/troupe in Spain. I am always amazed by the effect theatre can have on both audience and performers.

Umberto Eco’s latest looks to land on a list of fun reads.

Hoping to catch Nine at the local cinema…doesn’t look like Orson Welles and Me or The Station will make an appearance here; bumped Moon to the top of the Netflix queue and may soon give in to the buy Star Trek and/or Wizards of Waverly Place The Movie DVD urge…also on that list, the Cary Grant double feature — The Bachelor and The Bobby Soxer and Walk, Don’t Run, which I just saw on TCM and laughed at the frequently priceless moments.

TV: Zeke and Luther’s I, Skatebot episode looks cool, a bit worried about Wizards vs. Werewolves (Wizards of Waverly Place) — perhaps too soon after Wizards vs. Vampires and what will be left for Max, Wizards vs. really grumpy mythological creatures left out of the Twilight series — not really watching much on Nick at the moment except for late night What I Like About You, Top Gear kicks off a new season soon (Gayle very excited), I still miss Warehouse 13 and I really need to spend more time reading.

Merchant of Venice (#merven) planning not kicking into gear — but it’s early yet. Trying to get an artist for the logo, Gayle’s scheduling shows, I’ve decided to have people audition with their cool electronic gear (cell phones, laptops, etc.) Need to read through the play again; concerned about the Bassiano/Antonio axis –and no, I don’t mean in the gay way, just in the everybody’s always so concerned about Portia and Shylock, but hey without these two, I’ve got two right side wheels on a vehicle that needs two on the left as well.

The Lonely Pond Productions, Inc. annual meeting went in unexpected directions. But Google Wave worked well when the snow prevented travel. I need to put together scripts for a short live action adaptation and a few animations. And mull over movie related issues some more.

And Sarah Hemming’s “Twelfth Night” review left me grumping about people who weight down comedies with misery so I have been considering exactly how tragic the characters of Malvolvio, Sir Andrew, Wile E. Coyote, Elmer Fudd, et al are. And her Rope review makes the show sound like an excellent experience to have in a theatre.

Speaking of Hitchcock, there was a Vanity Fair photospread (thanks @njtam, a fellow Hitchcock fan) of modern stars in classic Hitchcock scenes…the women do better than the men, who seem to suffer from not being Cary Grant or Jimmy Stewart.

My current favorite breakfast is oatmeal with hot apple cider for a drink, my current most likely to be worn shirt is this one (it amuses Gayle) and I heard this amazingly goofy song at one of our favorite restaurants that Google has been no help with finding the title of…the lyrics as we can remember go something like this: “you’re good cause you don’t do things like (or that) you should…you’re cool cause (cuz?) you don’t do things by the book.” Sounded like a guy singing, it was a Spanish-Peruvian restaurant where music usually has spanish lyrics, it was chanty, and if you drop the title/artist in the comments, there will be a reward.

And I think that gets you up to date — and should tide you over for awhile. Wishing you the best of 2010’s. Stay warm.

P.S. Cool toasters…I need one.

We saw The Princess and The Frog this weekend. Impressed — they made great use of New Orleans the city. Tiana is good, strong heroine with a hint of humor to be nudged out by a carefree prince; I even liked the blonde spoiled needs to be a princess girl (Charlotte) and I didn’t think I would from Disney advance advertising. It was also funnier than I thought it would be — and the Prince in no way reminded me of Pepe Le Pew, one of my original worries.

It had a strong opening weekend with lots of disclaimers — in December, for an animated movie, etc.

Go see it: the animation was beautiful; there was a great art deco Josephine Bakerish fantasy sequence, the shadows loomed with scary menace, the villain’s schemes and dreams were excellently evil and the heroine and hero captivated the audience’s interest even though they spend most of the movie as amphibians. There were some tough moments and real sadness — it’s a Disney movie, they’re harsh. But if it had been any less harsh it would have been a cop out and not served the story.

I would have liked more jazz. They should have put all the music through the jazz blender; the city and its culture were so beautifully evoked, I wish they would have done the same with the music and worked with a Marsalis instead of a Newman or a Ne-Yo.

Entertainment Weekly gave it an A; I’d agree if there’d been any memorable music so B+ from me. I’ll keep the Enchanted soundtrack for that slot until Disney kicks up its game to offer a replacement. Great to see Disney put so much effort into old school craft, solid story and timeless art.

The Big Bang Theory — ok, I adore Christine Baranski, she’s a very funny, very talented actress but she’s just not as funny as Leonard’s mother as I hoped. Now, Sheldon’s mother played by Laurie Metcalf is a triumph of walking humor’s fine edged line so I’m not sure whether to blame Baranski never clicking as a writing, directing or casting issue. She’s the only character on the show who doesn’t seem to have any seed of a real person at her core.

What else do you need in the morning? On November 28, the 6th Robo-One Dance Competition happened. Next up, American Mechano-Idol or So You Think Your Robot Can Dance…anyone?

Me and Orson Welles had a boffo opening weekend and will be expanding to a larger number of theatres. Their Facebook fan page is the easy way to follow along.

Quick reviews:

The Big Bang Theory: Too little Leonard + Raj, too much Howard; Sheldon and Penny continue inducing snorts of laughter.

Charlie Brown Christmas Special: butchered and for what, commercials + Prep and Landing? Poor choices both.

Prep and Landing: bah — not a heartwarming holiday special…once again, Pixar strikes a blow for not really for the kids, instead let’s amuse the animators. If you’re going to have cool tech, why not have cool Bond movie type versions of Christmas music? And blackmail over a relationship in a children’s Christmas special? Good thinking there. And there were too many lines lifted from Christmas songs — that should have been your first script draft, people, and then you would have been better to throw it out and start over. I did like Wayne switching himself for a teddy bear in the arms of a sleeping child and the skiing over rooftops sequences…no dialogue in them, just good animating. Too bad it didn’t carry through.

Shanghai Surprise — FINALLY watched as much as I could stand. Have now vowed that if I don’t remember a movie at all there’s usually a good reason and so no need to add to Netflix queue. Only got 1/3 through it and almost lost all respect for Sean Penn as an actor. Next up: the Christmas In Connecticut double feature. Best thing about the remake: the scene where Tony Curtis’s character freezes in front of the camera. It’s lovely when great actors act like they can’t.

IQuit iCarly — solid…I think they’re rebooting, establishing the relationships again so that they can get back to darn funny.

The Troop — always seems like it should be entertaining but I am bothered by the fact that they never take the time to get the relationships between The Troop and their peers at schools right. Too much obvious bullying and just declarations of status instead of building it. Makes me miss the multiple layers of wonderful that was Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

What else do you need?

ToonBoom is having a Black Friday sale starting at 9 a.m., with some software up to 60% off.

Read an article in the latest Animation Magazine (link not yet available) that gave me a better Prep and Landing vibe. The guys mostly responsible are the guys who did the Goofy “How To Hook Up Your Home Theatre” short. And that was funny, as is Dave Foley, who’s voicing one of the main characters. So, we’ll tune in on Dec. 1st. Gayle’s a Charlie Brown fan anyway, and Prep and Landing has the after the beloved Charlie Brown Christmas slot, setting P and L up for launch as a holiday classic.

Shakespeare has popped into Nick for a visit, with the Little Shakespeare rapper character on True Jackson’s latest hour long event. Enjoyed it, funny, loved Jimmy and Ryan nonsensically running all over Galaxy Airlines…More Jimmy works; Robbie Amell does a good job.

On a business and personal note, we’ve been getting prepped aka trying to schedule the Lonely Pond annual meeting. I’m excited. I want to take the company in a new and more productive direction and really start combining my love for animation and Shakespeare in ways you can watch. So stayed tuned.

The holiday ads have started and there are at least two new holiday specials in the universe: Prep and Landing from Team John Lasseter, the Pixar mastermind, and Phineas and Ferb On Christmas Vacation from the Phineas and Ferb crew. And I have to admit, I’m looking forward to the Phineas and Ferb one; Team PF is in the zone. Lasseter and co. will have to do a little more convincing. Sure, the animation’s always pristine, perfect and all that, but I’m usually allergic to the mood that comes with it.

Now Phineas and Ferb I was prepared to hate at its launch; yes, it was partly envy, there they are with a show on the Disney Channel and I still think there’s no real reason for Perry and Doofenshmirtz, but if you don’t support comedy being about creating your own 5 jokes and pounding them ’til they’re funny, then you just don’t support comedy. And Phineas and Ferb is doing a great job with the comic palette they’ve set themselves up with, adding in the more than occasional darn catchy tune (Busted’s my favorite). So, we’ll take that vacation.

What else is on the holiday watch list. Well, there’s always Desk Set, which has the best office Christmas party, the original Bishop’s Wife, the animated Grinch Who Stole Christmas, Love Actually, the Kim Possible Christmas episode, and I’ll get back to you on the rest, once I figure them out.

Meanwhile, have a great Thanksgiving.

Well, I would like to comment articulately on how smallVille’s current season is developing but since they moved it to FRIDAY nights I keep remembering on Thursday it exists and then forgetting on Friday and doing things like watching WizTober instead. So I missed the Wonder Twins. Darn.

New favorite t-shirt (because I know you like to keep track of these things.)

Speaking of all things Wizard…Wizards of Waverly Place still knocking out the solid comedy. Harper moving in should be an interesting turn.

Now, the Sonny With A Chance will Chad and Sonny divulge their feelings on a talk show episode tipped the way too many flashbacks alarm.

Exactly the opposite on the funny meter was the latest Jonas (but I think I mentioned that before) which I have just discovered has been picked up for a second season. They’re getting a new show runner but I hope they don’t ditch that much — Gayle really likes the one camera style and I think they’ve really grown into the humor as the season progressed.

Speaking of growing into humor, have been on a Big Bang Theory kick, watching Seasons 1 + 2 on DVD. And this past week’s once again ratcheted up the funny. When Sheldon’s radio interview was being helped along by helium, Gayle and I were both laughing so hard it was impossible to hear anything that was being said. I do miss Leslie Winkle as a fountain of dread mischief…sure Kripke’s funny, but how about a Winkle and Cooper revenge tag team to take him down.

Still haven’t watched Shanghai Surprise. Need to change up my Netflix queue and drop the TV shows and concentrate on movies.

Oh, should probably drop in a Nick update. Nick Cannon very entertaining as The Chairman, liked iCarly’s iHave My Principals episode — always good to see Tim Russ. True Jackson seems to be focusing on the teens, which is ok, but I do like the craziness Max and Amanda bring with them.

Comics are grim, especially with Black Lanterns all over the DC Universe but Groo is back (To the fray!) and so is Giffen (Ambush Bug and Doom Patrol) so there is some light.

I think that catches up w/ the reviews. Still missing Warehouse 13.

Well, there’s the Greek Food Fest and Shanghai Surprise sitting on top of my TV in its Netflix envelope.

In a bit of a funk, trying to sort out the next project, organize the Lonely Pond Productions, Inc. annual meeting with a bonus refocusing and resurgence. Also trying to turn writing back into something I just do and not something I get stressed about while trying to make a million dollars doing it. I am having a blast writing Twitter Fiction @stirfryneon. It’s not very regular but it is very fun. Also have a Blink Kitty Love that needs to be posted but it also needs music — I really need to write an Animator’s Journal entry about all the Blink Kitty Love music difficulties. Really great response to the Costume Craving episode — and Garageband (Garageband very irritating nearly ALWAYS) totally tanked so there’s no music on that one (oy!). Any comments on music vs. sound effects vs. silence welcome. I’ve been thinking Blink Kitty Love is more like a web comic (but moving) since there’s a lot of reading/words involved and web comics don’t have a soundtrack.

Quick reviews:

Spice World — more fun than I remembered, although I needed subtitles to understand Sporty Spice through the accent. Roger Moore’s part was a hoot. I think Spice World might be the secret, never revealed source of 21st century culture.

Read latest Terry Pratchett, Unseen Academicals. He obviously has lessons/wisdom to impress upon his audience so it’s not a laugh riot; it’s one of the other kind of Terry Pratchett books, but it is worth a read. Also reading Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason, v. v. funny.

Quick TV shout outs: Jonas has really earned their J-14 top TV show ranking. They’re having a blast, the Joe and Stella romance is spot on, and the last episode where Macy and Joe break in on Stella and Vandyke’s date was perfectly pitched comedy. They have finally figured out what to do with Macy. Go Team Jonas.

Have been off iCarly, but iQuit iCarly looks like a must watch. I’m hoping that Wizards grabbing the Emmy will inspire some iCarly improvement.

WIzards of Waverly Place: Chronicles of Moises was a fun, solid, three part episode. Jake T. Austin is growing up funny and Wizards does multi part episodes really well. I want to see Justin explain to the Van Heusens that he let a mummy mind control their daughter.

I keep meaning to watch smallVille and forgetting they’ve moved it to Fridays.

Big Bang Theory continues excellent, although the football episode was not as funny as I had hoped it could be. Seemed less organic and more staged. Sheldon vs. Wil Wheaton rocked; Penny and Leonard survived their first fight and they are slowly sorting out a comic niche for Raj, which is nice. On a Big Bang Theory kick so may finally have to buy Season 2 on DVD. Now, that sounds like a weekend plan.

Enjoy yours.