FLASH FORWARD REVIEW

I am HOOKED!
It's being called the ''LOST'' replacement. Well, I do not think they are alike except for the whole concept of ''by changing the present can you affect the future'' While for Lost it's ''by changing the past can you affect the future/present'' (I love you Lost!)

It's what Heroes was in the beginning. It's pleasant and simple with just enough to keep you coming back for more. We want to watch it grow and see how twisted it can get! By episode 5 things are getting more complex!











Setting?
On October 6th, The planet blacked out for two minutes and seventeen seconds.
And during that period, everyone caught a glimpse of the future 6 months into the future. Will the future come true? What caused this black out that made everyone fall asleep? A major highlight is when everyone is asleep we discover that indeed this is a man-made occurence! How? What? Who?...this is what makes the show! The fact that it is possible that back in 1991 the same thing had happened in Somalia.


Storytelling?
It's different. Each character battling with what they saw in the future gives an interesting twist to everyone! The story is simple enough and easy to understand. No need to start Flash Forward theories yet!

Cast?
A cast that is suitable and comfortable enough for the eyes. I like Joseph Fiennes, who I last liked in Shakespeare in Love as he was 'plucking' Gwenyth Paltrow's character. I've always liked Sonya Walger especially in Sleeper Cell and Lost. (personally at one point I could have swore she was Brooke from Bold and the Beautiful.) Dominic Monaghan so far appears to be a villain and I can't wait to see what he brings to this show. Numeorus cameos and cast members from TV favorites. It's definitely a TV cast for TV. A lot of 'recycled' TV actors who bring too much familiarity (though not breeding too much contempt.) This familiarity, then again it makes you ease onto the characters easier I think. Did anyone catch Seth Macfarlane (Mr Family Guy himself) in the season premiere?











Did you see her getting naughty in Tell me you love me-gives new meaning to full nudity?







Should you watch it?

Hell Yeah. I think it has plenty of potential. I think it can deliver where Heroes and Lost may have gone offboard. Those two were (and still are) excellent, the only problem was that they had infinite potential in terms of story and direction and sometimes when you are not grounded you will stray! By now we know that Heroes has gone off tangent even NASA can't salvage it. I think by having an already foretold future it gives the show a one-way direction. However, the viewers get to wonder if the future can actually be changed -which I doubt. The beauty of the show will be the unfolding of the future. When the flash-forward becomes reality or the present!

Everyone will be watching it and you should not be left out on this one!!

Confusion?
As with all time travel shows one can get lost in the two worlds of future and present. (Though the difference with this show is that its not a time travel show) How can the future be moulded in past/present? Or rather does knowing what the future bringeth contradict the past/present?

But the truth of the matter is that knowing the future has nothing to do with the future. Frankly, I doubt that will have an effect on anything. What will happen will happen and that's why it's the future. It cannot be the future if it can be altered. The future has /had been foretold already and it included this flash forward! So I do not see the confusion! Knowing the future is a present thing and as much as it will mould the future...it will mould it in such a way that whatever was to happen will happen bearing the fact in mind that we know what the future is!

Quoting Ben Linus from Lost ''Whatever happened, happened''

Mystery?
I think the deeper mystery is how on earth does someone make everyone fall asleep?
What is the end game? (Alias)
What is the catch?
The conspiracy theory?
President has plenty of mud on him...I want the in-depth on that!
So much we don't know about the characters pasts and there future!

Is it like Lost?
I feel it will have more direction than Lost did. But apart from the whole past vs future there is no similarity to Lost. Yeah Yeah there was an Oceanic Airliner somewhere. Yeah there are two cast members from Lost. But NO! It's its own show! Sure each character has their own flash-forward they same way each character in Lost had their own flash-back...see why there is so much comparison? But NO this is FLASH FORWARD!(As corny as that may seem)




Tato Verdict:
Great show! Will be around for a while!
It's different and simple.
It's not brilliant but it delivers greatly!
It's something one gets hooked on and has not disappointed so far!

DANCE FLiCK

The Tato has always has a soft spot for spoof comedies. They are the kryptonite to my funny bones! I have always and will always have a weakness. There is nothing as glorifying and gratifying as appreciating where a joke has come from. Having watched a classic film and then watch it made a mockery out of.

Sure the storyline is lame...in fact its just a string to hold random jokes from here and there. But the means justifies the end.

So here is DANCE FLiCK. Think of all those classic and not-so-classic dance movies and you have DANCE FLICK.

Is it funny! Oh yes it is. If you enjoy your Leslie Nielsen/Charlie Sheen/Wayans kind of spoofs then this right here is going to be your cuppa tea with some English muffins at high noon!

The storyline loosely is scipted after 'Save the last dance' and bits of 'Hairspray,' 'Flame,' 'Honey,' 'Step Up,' 'Fame,'...of course the one of the funniest bits for me was the Jennifer Hudson spoof of 'Dreamgirls.' This was the funniest...''...and I am telling you...My tummy's growling''

Kim Wayans in her small cameo role had me laughing cracked up in two...''...these kids don't know how to get LOW!!!'' Marlon Wayan as a psycho loser acting class teacher is hilarious. If only we saw more of Marlon and Shawn. Big brother Keenan was also there.

Damon Wayans Jnr wiggling in his leotard is laugh out loud as you clearly thought it was HER! Priceless!

Some might call the movie a piece of crap. Ametuerish! A waste of celluloid. A sore sight for eyes and ears. But you just don't understand this genre. It's like BRUNO. You have to see the humor. The mediocrity of 'Black Films' is captured quite well with the whole 'Baby Mama and Baby Daddy' theme. It the little things that have gone unsaid that make it all whole lot funny!

WATCH IT!

Oh and the infamous Camel Toe of Ms Cameltoe...with her beat-boxing with her other cleavage! Thats just nasty! Them prominent lips just stand out begging for attention. Seriously how funny is that!?

TUSKER PROJECT FAME 3

I attended last nights performance in that big TENT! Talk about camera tricks...you'd think the judges and the faculty sit way way apart but in fact Hermes is a hip away from Kavutha and many a hips away from Achieng Abura. The infamous Ian puts on make-up! HA! Oh and Sheila looked bad! I mean terrible! I thought she had too much powder till my pal corrected me told me she had too much foundation. I'm talking of foundation that's been plastered on by a bricklayer or a mason...literally smacked onto her! However, I was impressed that she doesn't read from a monitor. So kudos to her...them lines are memorised and memorised well!

Dr. Mitch had an interesting rap at the beginning of show that was not aired...but there is absolutely no love lost or shared for that matter between him and Sheila. Their chemistry is off and he tries too hard to be funny!

This inside scoop is more of a review than a behind the scene reveal.

1. We saw the departure of Nina Bola the previous night. Obviously the judgement was flawed last Sunday! She did not deserve to have left THIS saturday. But after she did her Motown song that she was to perform yesterday had she stayed...er...yeah... you were so going to leave ANYWAY!

2. Ng'ang'a a.k.a Ng'ang'alito! Funny enough I clapped for him. I think he has tried coming this far. Granted, he won't win! But this dude from the village has reached where others have failed to reach. He may sing terribly with a deep Kikuyu accent, he may even be nicknamed the 'Akorino' King but he won't go far-not in this show and not after the show. Not to mention the fact that he sung an African song with a 'Mugiithi' accent!

Again, he has come far but its far enough, the journey is over its time to alight the bus. He is mildly funny, flimsily entertaining , his vibrato and falsetto is as consistent as him maintaining his kikuyu accent!

3. Patricia and Debarl were outstanding and great! Frankly, I think Patricia will and should win. My question is where on earth do you get a name like Debarl from?

4. Maureen and Leah were also damn good!

5. Alpha: he had been having problems all through the week with his song. We knew he was going on probation and he knew it too. You just don't do a love ballad like you are belting out an war anthem at a football stadium. He was practically yelling out a love song ... beating the love into that poor girl...and for that, it really showed a new side to him that he wasn't such a great singer after all!

6. Christian: the ladies love him and I think he will be saved if not by the voters then the school. Frankly I think his ''it doesn't matter'' retort was not out of being rude but for his being poor in the English language. So he will stay on...but like Alpha we are beginning to appreciate his weakness is not just English but vocally he is not up to par!
Both are good guys but good don't cut it!

7. Caroline...I have hated her attitude and whatever it is she does with those eyes of hers! She keeps batting her eyelashes and pouting ...and no it don't work!

8. Illluminata...always looking hot. Woe unto you when you do a Michael Jackson song also covered by Mariah. As she was accurately told by the Stunning Juliana there are songs you just don't do if you do not have the voice. Who would dare sing ''I'll be there'' in the same key?! Cause what was not there was her ability to hit those high notes and maintaing the right key.

She was more entertaining when she fell on stage!

9. The judges. At least this time they were sensible.

All in all it was not too bad a show. Quite entertaining if you ignore the flaws that the show has always had in its pick of final contestants. The judging has always been substandard, but atleast this time Juliana and Hermes (unlike the last two judges from TPF! 1&2 )have more constructive criticism. You get the impression they know what they are talking about. But shame on you three for not putting Ng'ang'a on probation last week. I like the knew additions of Kavutha and Hellon. It's probably the best TPF so far!

My money is on Patricia.

This week am seeing Caroline leaving the show! Though I am not too sure if only one contestant is leaving.

Grey's Anatomy Vs. House M.D

Should one really compare the two? Would it be an injustice, considering that the only thing they have in common is that they are medical dramas? Obviously they are not alike and do not add Scrubs into this equation.

Back in 1994, yes that far back, we were introduced to E.R and Chicago Hope... if I remember well both debuted at the same time. It was clear one was superior but the other was just as entertaining and managed to stand its own ground. We can say E.R overshadowed Chicago Hope, but the latter was a fine masterpiece that would have held its own hadn't it been for E.R and the compare and contrast game.

So a decade later, then comes the Grey's Anatomy and House M.D. Just when medical drama were too cliche...when everyone was running away from medical and legal drama's...producers came up with something new and different.

Personally, I prefer Grey's...but it's not that House M.D isn't damn good. Sometime I prefer the show I'm watching...but season 5 has ascertained where my loyalties lie.

But what people should realise the two are completely different offering separate dishes in the same buffet.

COMPARISONS and CONTRASTS

1. Medicine vs Surgery
House M.D is about the medical mysteries as opposed to surgical mysteries.

2. Ends vs Means
House is about the step by step deductions in solving the mysteries...like C.S.I...they go through differential diagnosis until a bulb lights up and voila mystery solved. And in that case it gets a little monotonous as they go thorough the medical sieve each time, from infections, to autoimmune to cancer... sarcoidosis (it always gets mentioned...)

Grey's is about doing the inevitable to to solve the mystery...they are interested in the end and not the means. Sometimes the mystery is somethin outlandishly bizzare.

3. Branches of specialities
Whilst Grey's only has surgical specialities, House is more well-rounded with all specialities both medical and surgical on board.

4. Characters.
Grey's has more emphasis on the characters than House M.D and I think thats why I enjoy Grey's more. From the additons of Sloane, Addison. Han, Torres...and even the new interns...their development of characters old and new is fascinating and entertaining.

House on the other hand for almost 2 seasons did not develop any character. Such that it did not matter the order in which you watched the season's nothing was missed since emphasis was on the cases. However, later on they realised their folly and characters started being developed. I particularly enjoyed the Sela Ward story line. Even when House was being bullied by the cop brilliantly played by David Morse..and in season 4 they brought in a new cast of doctors to try out for jobs after House fired his entire staff. In fact this season was the best ever!

No one would care if Wilson left the show...it didn't even matter in season 4 when the main characters became temporarily recurring. Which shows that we feel nothing for the other charcaters apart from House...then again that's why the show is aptly called House M.D.

In Grey's new characters are added all the time and they blend in with the viewers. Each character has their own story line intertwined with the main story line for the episode.

5. Romance
-Season 5 has seen both shows have regular lesbian characters. Clearly a ratinngs thing, that ended badly in Grey's when Han was unceremoniously fired. Torres is still pursuing her orientation discovery whilst House has a character that may be a serial lesbian hell-bound on destroying her life.
-Cuddy and House...I was scared to see what would happen if that story was pursued luckily the writers knew best to just dangle that carrot but not pursue it further.
-Grey's: everyone is sleeping with everyone which makes it too soapy for a medical drama and hence the seriousness can be lost on it. However, their love lives are interesting from George contracting syphillis..to Sloane breaking his bone in the on-call room. Yeah, Grey and Shephard and Addison feels like a scene from Days of our lives...but Yang gets interesting love story arcs...like her and Burke and now the guy from Rome. YES, HBO return ROME please!

6. Cliffhangers.
Grey's has had better and more clifhangers than House.

7. Adroable Characters.
Apart from House himself who is certifiably an S.O.B...there is no other endearing character in House M.D. We love him, we hate him, we love to hate him.
However in Grey's the list is endless
-The Nazi is sarcastically hot!
-Yang is an absolute gem. Ms Smarty pants and smarty mouth.
-Addison...loved her
-George-his quirkiness was outstanding..though he is no longer being featured much in season 5
-Torres: grew on me like a nail...I think she is the character that has evolved the most in this show
-Sloane:who could hate him?
-Izzy...that girl has problems...and looks like she could be dying... (How's that for complaining that you were not being written for emmy award winning material...see if that's Emmy for you when you have been written out of the show!) Season 5 had a return of her old flame as a hallucination which could be a sign of something else...
-Burke was a legend with an ego?
-new interns...funnily they are entertaining providing comic relief within comic relief
-The chief too is entertaining.
-Even Meredith has her days and the jury is still out on whether her voice is better in the dialogues or that chick from Desperate housewives.

8. Guest Stars.
A show is as good as it's guest stars. And each mainatins to attract a bevy of celebrities but clearly Grey's has had a better run with celebrities.



9. Stories with substance.
House has deeper stories within its genre. As a medic you would be more amazed and surprised with House. But Grey's gives you an inside on the behind the scene of interns and residents. House is more serious, but Grey's shows you the other side behind the serious curtain.

So there is a non-biased review of the two. Great shows. Great actors. Great Drama.
Pick your favorite provided you are watching both!

SCYLLA and Prison Break Season 4

At episode 15, everything seems to have been turned around.
"Not everything is as it seems"

So it appears that Michael had a convenient revelation during his neurosurgery( done under very non-sterile grounds. Hmm Dr. Tencredi should know better than just walking into a theatre in thug-clothes.)... And maybe after all Scylla is a good thing?

Should we fall for the fact that the COMPANY is a good thing? All the evil and murder...

And what was that drug "series" that has been injected into Michael...has he been brainwashed?
And if that procedure was carried out on his mum is she alive?
and what the hell is TOMBSTONE that has Burrows acting as the General's BITCH?!

This season has been excellent, I will admit. SPOILERS:
-It's sad that Bellick got killed. Irony was he sacrificed his life after he was such an ass!
-The comp geek died
-and so did the BLACK bad guy is also dead

Season 4 has been back to back...though at episode 15 we can tell the story is changing. Sucre has called it quits. Alex is on the run again. Lincoln is working for the Company. And Michael recovering from his surgery has a new theory on SCYLLA!



I've really liked Gretchen! She so kicks ass.

T-Bag a.k.a Cole Pfeiffer has not disappointed so far!

Michael Rappaport is also wonderful as DON SELF!

Quantum of Solace

Reason I don't like doing Bond reviews is that I was a Pierce Brosnan fan-die hard...though I still cannot decide Connery, Moore or Brosnan. However, my tato self and thousand of celluloid hours only remembers Brosnan more and this Craig seems to be messing everything up for me.

Surprisingly I had given Casino Royale a fair review way back then...and since my fans (all two of you) have asked here is this review.

1. First of all I repeat, I get the whole Backstreet "lets go back...way back!" I get the whole this is Bond before Bond. Before the gadgets...before the women...I get the whole Eric Benet "love don't love me"-hell-bent on being a ruthless brut. I get it all. But I strictly don't see these as the roots Bond, James Bond.

This isn't Spiderman revealed slow...where we slowly get to see Spiderman evolve. No, this ain't Smallville where we deliciously watch Lex Luthor evolve. This is more of a revolution, devolution whatever is the opposite of evolution that would have Charles Darwin reconsider his theories.

2. Evolution?
However assuming there is more to come..if evolution is what we are seeing N.B with an even older M ( Love you Ms Judi Dench...) I still don't envision where all of this is leading too.
-How the hell does a sequel...a direct sequel not contribute anything to this concept?
-Instead of understanding this Bond more...I hate him more....
Where does this all lead to? In Star Wars prequels we longed for when good turns evil with the birth of Darth Vader!
This Bond has been rebranded...I refuse to believe this is Evolution.

3. So what does the Tato have against this brut?
-he makes Ethan in Mission Impossible look like a better Bond.
-he reminds me of Jeniffer Garner in Elektra and Ben Affleck in DareDevil and those are not movies you want to remember
-he has the making of Jack Bauer and we all know there is only one Bauer (look out for season 7 btw!)
-simply put he is not the BOND I want. Not the one I grew up watching.

4. Hyper-editing.
Yup I got that from a review I read and I agreed. I love me some fast action with senseless speeds. Shield always delivered those hand held camera chase scenes. I learned to appreciate such confusion...it was worth living for. But that first scene was just too much. I didn't even see the car/s. Casino Royalle had a really great first chase scene and I don't see why they felt they had to feel challenged to rival that...when they could have done better in other scenes.

5. Sequel
Why didn't anyone tell me this was a direct sequel? A bond sequel? Are you for real...is that the reason it sucked? Maybe if it wasn't a sequel it would have been a whole lot better?

6. Bond Theme?
I didn't even like this song...at all! Evidently even last time I was screaming "bloody murder"
about that same point. Shame on you Alicia Keys and the other person you sung it with!

7. Bond Gadgets?
Yeah what about them? How would I review them when I didn't see any!

8. Bond Girls?
Yeah...as we are being told this was Bond before Bond. So yeah forget the Bikini's...forget the lusciousness...Evolution...Not this Bond.
And that Love making scene...for a Bond hurt by love he sure is doing fine. (and no that is not the point...that's not how he became BOND!)
Again where is Money Penny?

9. So...

We are expected to digest this unpalatable dish. Embrace a new cooking style...a new plate...a new spoon for eating spaghetti...a different chef...a new dish served shaken AND stirred.

10. Bond Quotes.
Yes...no more Bond, James Bond no more Shaken not Stirred...

RATING: 5/10...cause of the time I spent but it's I who should get a lesser rating for watching it in the first place.

At the end of the day:
Lousy action
Lousy story---blah blah blah running renegade...bluh bluh is that Bauer...bluh bluh bluh revenge and breaking all the rules.
No element of surprise and cheap thrills...

Quantum of Crap!

The Shield Season 7

MMMM cop shows never got this brutal and raw!

I've reviewed this show before and I am here to usher in the 7th season which might also be last season. Vic Mackey is at his A-game full of lies, deceit, underhanded scrupulous evil and blackmail. He knows how to survive and how to use people-the end justifies the means. A corrupt path to Justice.

His collaborations with his enemies raises quite a few eyebrows like with Councillor-man and former captain Aceveda...what will these two gain from this mutually exclusive almost parasitic relationship?
And now Shane? Sworn to destroy his former friend Shane for killing Lem...he has had to put his pride down and start working together albeit cautiously.


I had read somewhere that this is the last season and I am watching each gem like it were the last.

This show was well created. Vic Mackey is one of TV's S.O.B's and we love him for that.

Entourage Season 5 ep 1&2

This is one of those H.B.O shows that had no promise...or rather did not seem to have any promise yet blew audiences away. Based on a fictional actor Vince Chase and his entourage comprised of his best friend Eric, his brother-has-been- actor Johnny, other best pal Turtle...and best of all their agent Ari Gold. Revolves around this friendship and the Hollywood celebrity lifestyle that comes with living in the spotlight of fame and fortune.
(Losely based on the real life story of Mark Wahlberg and his entourage)

It is such an easy to watch show. Laughter, sex, and builds up extremely well for such a short -length show.

Season 5 picks up smack from the movie premiere of "Medellin" (pronounced Meddy-ian.) Specialising on Independent movies Vince made the much anticipated movie of the year "Medellin" and surprisingly it bombed. Poor reviews on acting and directing.

Vince is desperate for an acting gig and needs to bounce back.
Eric is busy running his "Murphy Group" with a client base of 2.
Johnny is in a long distance relationship and struggling with his hit TV show.
Turtle..well is still Turtle struggling between the ocassional lay and beating his meat.


Episodes are roughly 25 minutes long.
It's not a sit-com its not a drama.
It's a master piece.
Catch season 1-4 and enjoy this ride
Great casting,great writing.
Great cameos from real celebrities.

TAGLINE: Let's hug it out, bitch.




My favorite character is Ari Gold preciously played by Jeremy Piven:
overconfident, selfish and self centred...
he is loud and arrogant...
uncouth, abrasive and snide
his choice curse phrases are sheer nasty...from "cunt muscle" to "cunt bucket"
his love-hate relationship with his secretary is endearing
nasty come backs, nasty one liners...
Ari ROCKS!