Netflix Instant Watch: Breaking Bad, Seasons 1-3

Emmy-winning Bryan Cranston portrays the complex, bedeviled Walter H. White, a high school science teacher whose discovery that he has terminal lung cancer leads him to begin manufacturing and selling methamphetamine to cushion his family's future. With the help of former student Jesse (Emmy-winning Aaron Paul), Walter plunges valiantly into the criminal underworld, doing his best to coexist with a gallery of bewildering and dangerous characters. -Netflix

Set and produced in Albuquerque, New Mexico, Breaking Bad is the story of a man taking back his life. As lead actor Bryan Cranston states, “breaking bad…means when someone …has taken a turn off the path of the straight and narrow, when they’ve gone wrong.” When Walter White finds out he has cancer, he reacts by taking his life back. Instead of reaching out to others for help, he finds control emotionally and economically through manufacturing and selling methamphetamine. Themes of the show include one’s relationship with society, man’s place in family, the effect of drug use on one’s self and their family, and of course the methamphetamine trade.

Quite simply, this show is like Weeds on meth. Therefore, please note that the stakes of producing, distributing and using the drug are significantly higher, yielding shocking drama. I highly recommend this show, because it grows characters organically, while still remaining thrilling.

In its first three years, the show has won six Emmys, with an additional 10 nominations.

The Increasingly Poor Decisions of Todd Margaret, a funny David Cross sit-com with Will Arnett and Spike Jonze

The Increasingly Poor Decisions of Todd Margaret, B-

Todd Margaret sits handcuffed in a loud crowded courtroom, guarded by British police, as the judge reads his charges “[including] child endangerment, espionage, embezzlement, persistent public urination, [and] impersonating a gentleman.”

This describes the recurring opening for David Cross’s 2010 TV show The Increasingly Poor Decisions of Todd Margaret, a British sit-com featuring creator/star David Cross (Arrested Development) as Todd Margaret, an incapable temp who coincidentally is sent to head an international company’s brand-new London office to sell “Thunder Muscle,” a toxic energy drink. The show is as silly and unrealistic as it sounds, but still entertains. Todd is a complete imbecile, and this unfortunate characteristic leads to all kinds of over-the-top humor that will possibly give you a chuckle or two. The real laughs come from co-stars Will Arnett, known as the exceptionally funny "Job" from Arrested Development, and Spike Jonze, Oscar-nominated director of Adaptation. and Where the Wild Things Are, in a rare acting performance. Arnett hilariously plays Margaret’s foul-mouthed boss who won’t let anyone get a word in edgewise (much like an American version of Malcom from In the Loop) and Jonze plays Margaret’s awkward yet persistent former boss who is constantly being put down by Arnett’s character.

Netflix Instant Watch: Louie, Season one

Louie season one, B+

“Written and directed by comic Louis C.K. -- who plays a fictionalized version of himself -- this FX series eschews sitcom structure for a loose format that lets single dad Louie be his irascible self -- through vignettes, club performances and more.” – Netflix

This Emmy-nominated TV show uses its unusual structure to both humorously and honestly examine ordinary issues like weight gain and exercise, middle-aged dating, and, most importantly and poignantly, raising children as a single parent. Watch this if you're looking for something that's short, light, and funny, but not silly and stupid. It will play with your mind and your heart without bringing down your day. 

The Wire, a portrait of Baltimore

The Wire series, A+

**spoiler-free**

Not only is The Wire the best TV show I’ve ever seen, but it is one of the best pieces of art I’ve ever experienced in any form. This American drama series, set and produced in Baltimore, Maryland, showed on HBO from June 2002 to March 2008. With episodes lasting about an hour each, it ran for 60 episodes across five seasons. The Wire is a fictional but realistic portrait of the city of Baltimore.

Red State, a fun and terrifying horror flick (re-posted, revamped)

This was originally posted in March after I saw the film via the Red State USA tour at the Wilbur Theater in Boston. I've edited it again, added more images and video, and updated the release information including the theatrical plan, VOD, and DVD/Blu-ray. Feel free to scroll to the end where I put the full length trailer, as well as the new release information. The film is out on VOD NOW till approximately October 13th, including iTunes! 

Fight For Your Right Revisited, a fun short film

Written and directed by Adam Yauch (MCA of the Beastie Boys), this Sundance Film Festival short follows the end of the storyline from the original “Fight For Your Right” music video. As IMDB breaks down the plot, “the Beasties break into a liquor store, drop acid with groupies, and get into a breakdance competition with time-traveling future versions of themselves.” The video was used as a promotional tool for the Beastie Boys’ new album Hot Sauce Committee Part Two. At MTV's Video Music Awards (VMAs), a shortened version of the film was nominated for Video of the Year (for the lead-off track "Make Some Noise") and Best Direction. The video is embedded at the end of this post. 

Kickstarter, and Sundance film On the Ice

by Brandon Isaacson

Kickstarter is an emerging online method for funding art projects, that allows ordinary art fans the ability to co-fund projects in manageable sums. Creative projects can mean films, music, photography, theater, art or anything really. As Shawn Levy put it in The Oregonian, “Kickstarter allows people with creative projects to build pages on the site to describe the work they hope to do and the costs they face, and, crucially, to offer various rewards and benefits to potential backers in exchange for pledges of support.” This method of crowdfunding allows artists to spread the word on their project while raising money and letting their fans be involved. As Levy noted, Kickstarter campaigns use rewards as incentives to donate money. One such example lies with current project On the Ice, an award-winning film that seeks money for marketing. For my donation of $30, I will receive a digital download of the film (upon its release in late 2011 or early 2012), a DVD copy, and a thank you from the film’s Facebook. Interestingly, if a project isn’t fully funded by its stated deadline, it doesn’t receive anything. This all-or-nothing method is cited by Kickstarter as less risky for both the artist and consumer, and motivates consumers to spread the word in order to see a project come to life. Kickstarter truly is a revolutionary way to connect artists to their audience.