TV Land is a Small Place

If you were to learn everything you wanted to know about the US from television and movies, you'd think the country is made up of three cities: New York, Los Angeles, and Miami.

You might suspect there's a place called 'Vegas' and a place called 'Chicago' but you wouldn't see them very often. Occasionally you'd see a small town, unnamed and unplaced on any map. And if you watched the Simpsons, you'd know about Springfield, but you wouldn't know where to find it.

You would be shocked to learn there are so many other cities and places in the United States, which you never hear about. Let's not even get into Canada.

Which is why I was tickled to hear that the new USA series, "In Plain Sight" is going to be set in Albuquerque NM. How refreshing! There's a unique culture in New Mexico, and although I haven't seen the show yet, I'm excited about the idea of working that in to the series. It provides so many opportunities to show the world things it may have never seen.

I get why it's easy to set shows in NYC and LA. Filming is de rigeur there so everybody's used to it. The tax breaks are probably big. And that's where the actors are.

The actors are also in Vancouver, another big filming spot - but how many of the shows filmed there are actually set there? Why is there this assumption that we're only interested in how New Yorkers and Californians live their lives? Is it because they're more glamorous, exciting, rich?

I've been to NYC, and while I enjoyed it, it's far too crowded for me. Too many people and buildings and cars and noise. So I honestly don't get the passionate love affair people have with the city. I've never been to Vegas or LA or Miami, but I like Chicago and think more could be filmed there. I'd like to see a show filmed in Detroit (the state is working to attract filmmakers even as I write) so that people stop thinking of the city as a crime-infested rat hole. Maybe life would follow art, then.

In short, we're missing a lot of opportunities for diversity. Let's show the world that the country is made up of more than three whole cities, and work in fresh cultures and viewpoints and scenery.

Heck, even setting a show in Vancouver would be a good start.

Movie Review: Iron Man

I decided, after months of not going to the theater, that I was going to use part of my gift card to go see this comic book adaptation, which had gotten rave reviews from some female friends - so I knew I wasn't dealing with strict fanboyism. Nor did any of them strike me as ragingly hot for Robert Downey Junior (who, I must admit, kind of surprises me that he's still alive, what with that druggy youth).

I wasn't disappointed.

Iron Man is, as you'd expect, your typical superhero genesis tale. Tony Stark (Downey Jr) is a rich playboy whose family money comes from manufacturing weapons. He gets a kick out of posh drinking and blowing things up. He flirts incorrigibly and sleeps around. He chats up the soldiers taking him to the demonstration site in Afghanistan, encouraging them to take pictures with him.

It's not spoiling a lot to tell you it all goes awry and he ends up captured by Afghani terrorists who want him to build a bomb. That part has been released in all the media. It's how he goes about building his supersuit and escaping that's worth letting you see for yourself.

Suffice it to say the CGI never takes over the movie. Maybe it's because the Iron Man suit itself is only somewhat humanoid, unlike, say, the Incredible Hulk, which was displayed in a trailer before this movie. For both this and the previous Hulk, I found the Hulk himself far too CGI for me to suspend disbelief. I don't have a problem with that in Iron Man. In fact, most of the CGI is done really well and in such a way as to not call attention to itself.

Downey Jr is right for this role. I've heard director Jon Favreau (who will always be "that guy" from PCU) encouraged ad-libbing, and it shows - in a good way. Downey Jr carries on a somewhat awkward conversation with the soldiers in his Humvee, but it all seems perfectly natural. He's got an endearingly boyish, rakish charm, and the goatee and sinewy arms sure don't hurt. Even despite his tendency to walk with his belly sticking out like a gangly toddler, he's got sex appeal. You might almost believe a Vanity Fair reporter (Leslie Bibb) writing a scathing piece on him would be tempted with just a few words to fall into bed with him, even if she thinks he's a scoundrel.

This isn't a serious role like Bruce Wayne in Batman. Christian Bale was right for that role (and hella sexy to boot) and Downey Jr is right for this one, juggling sardonic humor and grim shock easily. As a reporter you'd find him downright intriguing to cover because you'd never know what would come out of his mouth, but it would always be worth quoting.

I would be remiss without mentioning the supporting cast. Gwyneth Paltrow, fetching as usual, plays Stark's long-suffering assistant Pepper Potts, without seeming too smug, as she sometimes can. You can easily imagine she's been in love with her boss for years and so doesn't mind the way he goes about his daily business. I would have liked to have seen this role a bit more empowered for the times, but Paltrow doesn't really do shrinking violet anyway. (Plus it was nice to notice she has freckles and isn't ashamed of them.)

Terrance Howard is Col James Rhodes, Stark's best friend, and I always think Howard is grossly underused in his films. He's got a honey smooth voice, a nice-guy face, and of course he can act. I'd like to see him get a bigger role in any subsequent features. If you're a comic book geek, there's supposedly a moment where Rhodes hints at a crime fighting future, but it would have slipped by me had I not read about it elsewhere.

Jeff Bridges is Obadiah Stane, Downey's business partner, and Bridges revels in the vague cross of paternalism and malevolence that is Stane's stock in trade. You won't be surprised by what happens with Stane, but Bridges sells it. Keep an eye out for a purchase order Pepper's scanning about 2/3 of the way through the film. I swear it was made out to a Lebowski. That's an inside joke about a previous Bridges role. (The DUDE!)

Shaun Toub (who has been in a lot more shows that you've seen than you probably realize) is Stark's comrade in captivity Yinsen in a small, predictable role, but he handles it well. Faran Tahir is Raza, clearly the bad guy among bad guys because of his shaved head and haughty demeanor, but he too has an acting resume far more extensive than I'd expected. Both guys have one-note roles but they fill them as well as can be expected. It would have been nice to see those roles more layered.

And two items of note: actor Paul Bettany voices Jarvis, Stark's computer, and a fella I affectionately call Quo Vadimus (Clark Gregg) has a small role as Agent Phil Coulson. This nickname is a reference to his role on the ill-fated Sportsnight, and I've had a soft spot for him ever since. You'll recognize him; the soft-spoken mild-mannered actor pops up everywhere.

Animals: To the best of my recollection, no animals were harmed in this film, but if you like gorgeous cars, you might want to cover your eyes. WHY, oh WHY does Tony Stark practice flying in his GARAGE???

Overall: This movie is easy to plot ahead in your mind, so there are no surprises there. But the acting is solid, the special effects are never intrusive, and basically it's just a fun summer popcorn flick worth enjoying. Three and a half roses out of five.

PS Stick around after the credits for a short additional scene, aimed mostly at fanboys.

Truth in Advertising or Just Advertising?

Last week's episode of CSI: NY used a prominently featured Fendi bag billboard in its plot and it got me to thinking about advertising and product placement on TV.

When I was a kid, I was irritated whenever a character opened a box of Loopy Fruits, which didn't really exist. It pulled me out of the realism of the story. What, didn't they eat Frosted Flakes like the rest of us? Drink Coke instead of Fizzy Soda? What were these fake brands?

Today we've gone the other way. Every TV show is an ad for Blackberry, Ford, Mac, or some other product. And it's gone beyond setting the realism of a scene, as you're well aware. CSI NY happens to be one of the worst about this. One episode a few years back had Danny getting a call from someone on his new phone, which he not only answered, but name-checked, complete with Coldplay ringtone. Since it didn't figure into the plot (even though I kept waiting for it to), it was grossly unnecessary.

So this is what it's come to. Since DVRs, VCRs and online viewing have changed the way people deal with commercials, shows are digging deep into obvious product placement to make money. It's no longer, "Get in the truck," It's, "Get in the Ford F-150." Really? Who talks like that?

Fact is, if you're gonna do it, can't you do it a little less obviously? Or do the advertisers pay for which star handles their product, whether they mention it by name or how long they discuss it? Can't the Ford just be parked in the scene? Or is that assuming that in this ADD world, we can't even focus long enough to pay attention?

Spring Cleaning

I'm once again reminded I have far too much stuff for one human being. I know my sister-in-law is having a garage sale in two weeks but I just don't have time to get everything together right now - but there are things I could definitely take to the sale. And I have a ton of scrapbook stuff that I haven't used - yet. Where does the time go? And how do we end up with so much stuff? And where do I put it??

I want to take a long weekend in June - originally I was going to travel but I just don't have the money for that - not with gas at $4 a gallon. (I got it for $3.88 yesterday in Kalamazoo and was thrilled!) Maybe it's time to pare down and do all those craft projects and home projects that I never seem to get around to. Do you have that list too? All those things you should do in the evenings after work but you don't have the energy? Or those things you should do on the weekends but you don't have the time?

Derby Picks

I meant to post this last night, but circumstances prevented it. So here are my Derby picks:

As much as I like Big Brown and how he looks, how he trains, how much everyone is raving about him, I'm always leery about a Derby favorite. The Derby doesn't always go to the best horse, and with Big Brown's lack of seasoning and brittle feet, I'm concerned about him. That said, I'd be just as happy if he won. (In fact, I'm always happy if all the horses come through the race without injury.) But I'm going this way instead:

Win: Colonel John
Place: Pyro
Show: Eight Belles

If Colonel John likes the surface and can fend off Big Brown, he can do it. I still think Pyro is a better horse than the Blue Grass indicates and I think people overlook him to their peril. And in the era of Danica Patrick, even though she's never raced against the boys, I'm giving Eight Belles some love. (Great picture of her in the USA Today 'meet the entrants' slide show. I couldn't download it to show it here though.)

The Kentucky Derby Field Part 2

Z Humor 30-1
PP 11 Rene Douglas Bill Mott

In his most recent start, this stalking horse finished third in the Illinois Derby behind Recapturetheglory. In the Sam F Davis, he stayed just off the pace behind Smooth Air and then pounced on the backstretch, battling Fierce Wind for the lead, then falling off. He ended up finishing fifth. Then in the Fountain of Youth with several other Derby hopefuls, he ended up finishing fourth behind eventual winner Cool Coal Man. He hasn’t won this season in three starts, last winning in December in the Delta Jackpot. His pedigree says he can do it – his sire Distorted Humor, sired 2003 Kentucky Derby winner Funny Cide – and he has AP Indy on his dam’s side, but he hasn’t shown us yet that there’s a big Grade I win in him. Still, you might consider him for a trifecta or superfecta.

Smooth Air 20-1
PP 12 Manoel Cruz Bennie Stutts Jr.

He sat just off the pace in the Sam F Davis, second, then fifth, eventually finishing third behind Fierce Wind and Big Truck. This was his first race stretching out to a mile and an eighth. In the Florida Derby, eventually won impressively by Big Brown, he ran up to be a pacesetter with Fierce Wind (those names just seem to tie together, don’t they?). When Big Brown took over early, he fell back but made a nice move on the far turn to try to catch up; there was no way Smooth Air was going to catch him, but he ran well in that race – he would have won by seven lengths if not for Big Brown. He came down with a fever Derby week but he appears to be training just fine and is well. However, he had some trouble in the paddock with the noise earlier this week, which tells me he might be upset by the Derby Day chaos. But he’s performed well in high class company, so I think he’s a viable threat if the noise doesn’t upset him.
Plus I just love those yellow 'socks'!!

Bob Black Jack 20-1
PP13 Richard Migliore James Kasparoff

He took the early lead in the San Felipe Stakes, setting reasonable fractions. Georgia Boy eventually won the race and Bob Black Jack finished third, but he was less than a length behind the winner, so not too shabby. Still, he’s known as a sprinter, and they don’t do well at the classic mile and a quarter Derby distance. Plus, this is his first trip on dirt instead of synthetics, which makes me cautious. He also went toward the lead in the Santa Anita Derby with a few other horses, then took on leader Coast Guard with 3/8^ths of a mile left to go. He took the lead late, but couldn’t hold off the charging Colonel John, so he finished a game second, which is nothing to be ashamed of. Still, frontrunners don’t tend to do as well during Derby Day, and so far he’s shown to be more consistent at 7 furlongs and a mile, so this one may be just too long for him.

Monba 15-1
PP14 Ramon Dominguez Todd Pletcher

So which horse are we going to get Saturday? The one who ended up dead last in the Fountain of Youth with an injury, or the one who won the Blue Grass on Polytrack by a neck over Cowboy Cal? Those are the only two races he’s run this season, so it’s hard to judge his skill based on those two alone. In three previous races he had two wins and a fourth place, nothing that grabs me. He likes to be off the pace, which should keep him out of too much traffic, and he has a previous win at the Churchill Downs track in an allowance last fall, so we know he likes the track. His pedigree does say he can do the distance, and he does have Todd Pletcher, who is just itching for his first Derby win. I’m a little leery of putting a lot of money down on him based on those two performances though, especially since so many horses didn’t seem to like the synthetic surface of the Keeneland track in the Blue Grass. I’m a little surprised at the 15-1 morning line odds for this horse, because of the possibility he could bounce off that Blue Grass win.

Adriano 30-1
PP15 Edgar Prado Graham Motion

This beautiful chestnut won an allowance in January at Gulfstream on the turf. Then he sat well off the pace in the Fountain of Youth and never fired, finishing ninth. After that he charged up into view in the Lane’s End – sitting off the pace in fourth then taking the lead along the backstretch and winning impressively while fending off other challenges. That’s the last look we’ve had at him; he hasn’t run since mid-March and he hasn’t won on conventional dirt. Despite his excellent pedigree, ex jockey Gary Stevens thinks he’s a synthetic track runner, not dirt. He’s also known to be high-strung, and they’re schooling him with earplugs to keep him calm. That worries me more than anything else. It’s going to be noisy and busy – can he handle it? On the other hand, he’s experienced and he can definitely do the distance. Consider him for trifectas, superfectas and the like.

Denis of Cork 20-1
PP16 Calvin Borel David Carroll

In the Grade III Southwest Stakes, this lightly-framed horse settled in just behind the leaders, didn’t get squashed by a hot pace, came up with a 16^th of a mile left and won the race. He was undefeated at that point in three efforts and we already know he likes Churchill Downs where he won his first race, a maiden special weight. Then came the Illinois Derby, a lackluster effort in which he finished fifth. The son of Harlan’s Holiday out of an Unbridled mare has a distance pedigree, and he’s got the perfect running style for the Derby, but it sounds like even though he’s working well, he’s the kind of horse who has one late shot at it coming down the stretch. He’s going to have to hope he can get clear and give it his all. On the up side, he has Calvin Borel, last year’s Derby winner on Street Sense, so it stands to reason he’ll be on the rail at some point in the race – he just has to hope, with his late running style, that he doesn’t get caught in traffic.

Cowboy Cal 20-1
PP17 John Velazquez Todd Pletcher

While you probably haven’t heard a lot about this horse, he’s from the Todd Pletcher barn and he has John Velazquez aboard, and that’s a mighty duo. He’s got a lovely pedigree from Giant’s Causeway – which often means a preference for turf - and he has a strong finishing kick, so his pedigree and connections make him dangerous, but his surface choices make him a question mark. He jumped out to the lead in the Blue Grass with Cool Coal Man just behind him, but wasn’t able to overtake Monba when Monba charged up to take the win. So this is another case of, is he a Polytrack horse, or can he do dirt too? He’s had a win in the Tropical Park Derby this year, a second in the Hallandale Beach Stakes – both turf races - and that second in the Blue Grass. Since the Blue Grass was such a weird race, I’m still not sure how he’s going to do on the Churchill Downs track because his wins have been on turf and his workouts have been on Polytrack, which tends to appeal to turf horses. He’s expected to sit off the pace and he could be in great shape to pounce at the top of the stretch. Still, he’s unproven on dirt and hasn’t shown us yet he can play on the dirt surface with the big boys.

Recapturetheglory 20-1
PP18 E.T. Baird Louie Roussel III

He held on solidly throughout the Illinois Derby, holding off challenges from Atoned, Denis of Cork, Golden Spikes and Z Humor to win his first graded stakes race – the first he’d ever run in, as a matter of fact. His previous win was a maiden special weight last September at Hawthorne; in 2008 he finished third in an allowance at Churchill Downs, and reports say he ran very well in that race. While his Illinois Derby win was well done, he did have the rail there, and only two races prepping him for the Derby this year and a limited lifetime of experience makes me question whether he can win this race. Then again, War Emblem came off of the Illinois Derby in 2002 to win both the Derby and the Preakness. But Recapturetheglory doesn’t quite seem like War Emblem material, yet anyway.

Gayego 15-1
PP19 Mike Smith Paulo Lobo

He won the Arkansas Derby on traditional dirt after winning on the California tracks, many of which have already switched to synthetic surfaces, which are said to be easier on the horses and cause fewer fatal injuries. This son of Gilded Time, a sprinter, may not be ready for the distance, but he sat just off the pace in Arkansas instead of sprinting to the lead and kicked it into gear to win over Z Fortune. He stayed with frontrunner Bob Black Jack early on in the San Felipe, and almost survived a challenge by Georgie Boy, who went on to win it. His pedigree is the question – can a son of Gilded Time do this distance? He’s being called a game horse personality-wise, which means he’ll gut it out, and his workouts have been good, including in the slop. Plus he’s got tactical speed. And he has Mike Smith on board, and Mike knows what he’s doing. I like this horse even with his pedigree and concerns about him going the distance. His personality tells me he could be a threat, especially if he can sit just off the pace and let Mike steer.

Big Brown 3-1
PP20 Kent Desormeaux Richard Dutrow

The Kentucky Derby favorite’s first win was on the turf, and his second two on the dirt, so he’s going into the Derby undefeated, but after only three starts. In the Florida Derby, he ran such a gorgeous race that he immediately caught everyone’s attention. But is he experienced enough? Has he beaten tough competition? Does his pedigree lend itself to distance? And how are his feet, since he has problems with them? That’s what worries me the most . I liked his Florida Derby win a lot, but everybody liked Bellamy Road a few years back on a similar effort, and nobody has a clue where he is now. I’d like to see Big Brown run a few more races. That said, his run in Florida was lovely – nice fractions, good stamina, a decisive beautiful victory. I can’t count him out, not even with this post position. He’s less likely to get caught in traffic, he doesn’t have to take the lead, and I’m hoping he’ll live up to all the hype. Plus he’s schooling in the paddock like a pro – the noise doesn’t seem to bother him. And how can you go wrong if you’ve got Dale Jarrett rooting for you? Yes, he’s named for UPS.