So when I met Richard Dean Anderson a few months ago, he was promoting his movie, Stargate Continuum (it's good; you should watch it). But I couldn't resist asking him about one of my favorite Saturday Night Live sketches, "MacGruber." Sometimes these kinds of questions are not greeted with grins. But Anderson has a healthy sense of humor about the iconic (and comedic) nature of MacGyver (ad-free episodes live here), and played along happily, bless him. P.S. That Rainn Wilson thing he talks about is here.-- Stephanie Reid-Simons, Amazon Video On Demand
So when Renee O'Connor walked down the purple carpet at a Sci Fi Channel party last summer, she probably didn't expect anything but polite hellos from the reporters on the line. She was promoting some new project, but really, the only thought going through my primordial fangirl brain was "It's Gabrielle!" (You know, the trusty sidekick to Xena, Warrior Princess!) I had recently watched some first-season Xena episodes at Amazon Video On Demand, so I was eager to talk about a show that became such a blast to the zeitgeist ... sheesh, was it really 13 years ago? Anyway, Renee may look a little scared during this interview. Perhaps that's because I greeted her by singing a few bars of "Joxer the Mighty," thereby proving myself to be not just a fan, but one of those obsessive types. Anyway, here's what she had to say about the show and its impact on her and others. -- Stephanie Reid-Simons, Amazon Video On Demand
I recently talked to Lisi Harrison about The Clique, a movie based on the first of her bestselling Clique book series. After you listen to the interview, you can find out more by visiting The Clique boutique. --David
Best Two-Fers Kristin Scott Thomas (Tell No One, I've Loved You So Long) Josh Brolin (Milk, W.) James Franco (Milk, Pineapple Express) Anne Hathaway (Get Smart, Rachel Getting Married) Kate Winslet (The Reader, Revolutionary Road) Robert Downey Jr. (Iron Man, Tropic Thunder)
Best Comeback No One Saw Coming Mickey Rourke (The Wrestler) Tom Cruise (Tropic Thunder)
Title That Sounds Most Like a Low Budget Erotic Thriller Body of Lies
Strangest Common Movie Theme Animated space films (Wall-E, Fly Me to the Moon, Space Chimps)
Busiest Revolving Door in a Series Grey's Anatomy
Best Showing of a SNL Alum Tina Fey (30 Rock, Baby Mama, that Sarah Palin impersonation)
Worst Showing of an SNL Alum Bill Murray (City of Ember) Eddie Murphy (Meet Dave) Mike Myers (The Love Guru) Molly Shannon (Kath & Kim)
Show That's Become Cool to Like How I Met Your Mother
Worst Unceremonious Canceling Pushing Daisies
Best Dysfunctional TV Couple to Root For Chuck and Blair (Ed Westwick and Leighton Meester), Gossip Girl
Most Touching Post-Character-Departure Episode "For Warrick," CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
Yes, It's Still on TV According to Jim The Tyra Banks Show
What is it: The Tudors- The Complete Second Seasonis
the second installment to the engrossing historical SHOWTIME drama. The series chronicles the reign and marriages of King Henry VII under England's Renaissance Dynasty. The second season finds Henry as the head of his own Church of England, working to banish Katherine of Aragon, while Anne Boleyn becomes the new Queen. However, her failure to produce an heir for the King leads to Anne's downward spiral, sending Henry's attention elsewhere.
Why it's Significant: Whether you are a fan or have not yet been exposed to The Tudors, you will love the second season. This season places more emphasis on the political aspects and the historical content behind King Henry VIII's reign, while still maintaining the sexy, raw appeal of the first season. The Tudors takes you to a world torn apart by church, corrupted power, greed and lust. You will be drawn to the lavish costumes and the drama behind turbulent Renaissance England and what would become The Tudor Dynasty. - Sara Lange
So I was at a press event for the new Knight Rider and I heard an urgent whisper from my wise associate, Dan. "Hey, that's Dave Bartis." I'm great at ID'ing, say, D-list sci-fi stars, but all I could say was "Huh?" The brilliant Dan pointed out that Bartis, in addition to exec-producing the show about the car, did the same for the TV classic that made "Chrismukkah" a thing: The O.C. (you can find ad-free episodes here). So at Dan's urging, I came up with some questions on the fly. In the spirit of The O.C., welcome to the interview, b----!. And thanks, Dan. And, there's more in the vault, folks, so watch out! -- Stephanie Reid-Simons, Amazon Video On Demand
What it is: No, it's not Twilight, which is also about vampires so you'd certainly be excused for the confusion. Nor is it True Blood, which is also a recent vampire-centric TV series. Moonlight is the series that debuted on CBS in the fall of 2007 and was unceremoniously canceled after one season. Alex O'Laughlin plays Mick St. John, a vampire who mingles with the human world by working as a private investigator then finds himself falling for a human (Sophia Myles).
Why it's Significant: When it was canceled after one strike-interrupted season, Moonlight seemed destined to join the ranks of TV shows that had a devoted following but were quickly tossed on the dust heap. But even worse, when I talked to the folks at Warner Home Video in the summer of 2008, they said they had no plans to release Moonlight on DVD--it wasn't even going to get the chance to become another Firefly. I explained to them that Amazon customers were passionate about the show, that you had signed up in droves to be the First To Know when it was available on DVD. You had bought the episodes on Amazon Video On Demand and written hundreds of customer reviews on the AVOD page and on the First To Know page. And you had sent us e-mails and posted on our discussion boards that you wanted Moonlight on DVD. In October, Warner Home Video announced that Moonlight was indeed coming out on DVD, in January 2009. Though it's hard to say for sure what happened at Warner, I think it's safe to say that Amazon customers played a big role in getting their show on DVD. --David
EDIT: Swapping in a new clip below on Martha's advice...
What it is:
The latest bro-mance from team Apatow (the guys who brought us Superbad, Knocked Up and The 40-Year-Old Virgin), Pineapple Express
is the story of Dale Denton (Seth Rogan) and Saul Silver (James
Franco), a pothead and his dealer who accidentally get caught up in a
drug war between two gangs with some corrupt cops, high-school girls
and small-time henchmen thrown in for good measure. At its core, Pineapple Express is a stoner comedy--a tale of two semi-slow giggling and loveable idiots in way over their heads--this formula has made for some entertaining comedy over the years, Cheech and Chong's Up in Smoke and Dave Chappell's Half Baked being two of the best examples. What sets Pineapple Express
apart from these silly classics however, is the consistency of the
humor, the perfect chemistry between Rogan and Franco and the giddily
ridiculous action sequences (and the fact that even mild intoxication
is not required to enjoy the humor). The movie retains the sweetness
that is present in most of Apatow's films, making the characters’ poor
choices and ultra-violent actions somehow justifiable, or at least
relatable. The site gags, pop-culture references and perfectly timed
non-sequiturs only enhance the hilarity.
Why it's Significant: Because it was time for a semi-grown up Superbad. Because James Franco is so good and perfect as this character that he's been nominated for a Golden Globe. Because it's nice to see David Gorden Green (phenomenally talented director of All the Real Girls, Snow Angels) make a movie that's not totally depressing. Because you don't have to be a stoner to find this movie hilarious. ---Kira
What it is:
Conceived as an "online miniseries event" during the 2008 writers' strike, Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog is a 42-minute musical romp that bears the distinctive stamp of Joss Whedon. Neil Patrick Harris (How I Met Your Mother)
plays the title character, who video-blogs about his twin goals to join
the Evil League of Evil and to woo the fair Penny (Felicia Day, of
Whedon's Buffy the Vampire Slayer and the Web series The Guild),
a woman he met at the local laundromat. Dr. Horrible is foiled on both
fronts, however, by his arch-nemesis, the self-absorbed superhero
Captain Hammer (Nathan Fillion, Whedon's Firefly).
Why it's Significant: If you are already a Whedon fan, you've likely been enjoying Dr. Horrible since it initially hit the internet. Don't overlook the slew of special features that are only available on the DVD, though. For those of you who are Whedon newbies, if you like super-quirky humor, musicals, and science fiction--you'll find yourself watching this repeatedly.
What makes it extra special is that you can only buy the DVD at one place...Amazon.com --Jordan
What it is:The stage to film adaptation of the hugely successful
musical based on the songs of the widely popular group, ABBA; Mamma Mia
opens with Sophie (Amanda Seyfriend), a 20 year old bride-to-be desperately
seeking the identity of her father. After discovering her mother, Donna's
(Meryl Streep) diary and the names of three potential fathers; she decides to
invite all three men to the wedding without her mother's knowledge and without informing the
men of her true intentions. Set on the enchanting Greek isle, Kalokairi, the
story unfolds as the three men; American businessman Sam Carmichael (Pierce
Brosnan), Swedish adventurer Bill Andersson (Stellan Skarsgard), and British
banker Harry Bright (Colin Firth) arrive for the wedding much to the surprise
and horror of Donna. As Sophie gets to know each man, hoping to discover her
father's identity; Donna is forced to face her past and open her heart with the
help of her two best friends; fun-loving writer Rosie (Julie Walters) and rich
three-time divorcée Tanya (Christine Baranski). Meanwhile, each of the three
men discovers that Sophie could be their own flesh and blood and promise to
walk her down the aisle unbeknownst to the other! The romance and comedy
continue as one contagious song and dance number breaks out after another until
you'll find yourself off the couch and singing along.
Why it is significant: Grossing over $569M in the box office worldwide,
Mamma Mia is the most successful Hollywood film musical of all time and
the only film of its size to release a separate sing along version in
theaters. With musical numbers starring Meryl Streep and Pierce Brosnan (who
knew!), Mamma Mia's breathtaking scenery, attractive male leads, and nonstop
fun make it a must have DVD for mothers, daughters, lovers, ABBA groupies, and
musical fans alike. As the plot thickens, passion grows, and hilarity continues
you won't be able to contain a smile or the urge to sing along. And you won’t
want to wait to watch it again.
So when I met Richard Dean Anderson a few months ago, he was promoting his movie, Stargate Continuum (it's good; you should watch it). But I couldn't resist asking him about one of my favorite Saturday Night Live sketches, "MacGruber." Sometimes these kinds of questions are not greeted with grins. But Anderson has a healthy sense of humor about the iconic (and comedic) nature of MacGyver (ad-free episodes live here), and played along happily, bless him. P.S. That Rainn Wilson thing he talks about is here. -- Stephanie Reid-Simons, Amazon Video On Demand
