Carnivàle: good, evil, and a traveling circus

It’s time to take Grown-Up Fantasy TV reviews to the circus! If I had to make a list of great TV shows cancelled prematurely, HBO’s Carnivàle would be in one of the top slots. Probably few people have even heard of this show, let alone remember anything about it. That’s understandable—it only lasted two seasons

The World’s End: five friends say “cheers” to the apocalypse

It’s the summer of apocalyptic comedies! At least if the world is coming to an end, we’ll go out laughing about it. Ever since I first heard about The World’s End, I’ve been pretty excited to see it. It’s the third film bringing together Edgar Wright (director/writer), Simon Pegg (writer/co-star), and Nick Frost (co-star). The first two films, Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz

We’re the Millers: “family” road trip gone wild

When trailers for We’re the Millers started popping up, nothing about the film really struck me. I appreciated the fact that Jason Sudeikis, Jennifer Aniston, and Ed Helms were in it, but beyond that I didn’t give it much of a second thought. But when a couple of friends came to town and we found ourselves with some spare time, we took the opportunity to catch a matinee

Best Halloween Films?

Ok, movie people. I need some crowd participation.

True Blood: starts out great, but loses its bite

Back to Grown-Up Fantasy TV! This review will hone in on HBO’s fantasy/horror hit, True Blood. I thought it was only fitting to do a review for this show since the sixth season finale was just last Sunday. Yes, I did watch it. No, I won’t ruin anything for people who have it waiting on their DVRs. Spoilers ain’t my thang.

Pacific Rim: sea monsters vs. robots—too silly to work?

Better late than never, right? Pacific Rim’s been out a while (since mid-July), but I just now got around to checking it out. I’ve gotta say—I thought the trailer for this looked stupid. Like, painfully stupid. So stupid that I never in a million years thought I would pay a cent to go see it in theaters. And now here I am biting my tongue.

Lee Thompson Young commits suicide

Lee Thompson Young commits suicide

So sad and surprised to hear about the passing of Lee Thompson Young today. For those of you familiar with Disney shows of the ’90s, Young was the star of The Famous Jett Jackson. It’s a show I remember fondly from my childhood, and I’m shocked to hear that Young apparently shot himself. He was only 29. Between his death and the death of Glee star Cory Monteith, young Hollywood couldn’t get much more depressing lately…

The Skinny: Upcoming Fall TV

It’s mid-August, and you know what that means: school’s in session. Kids have started hitting the books, college students have moved into dorms, families are settling into routines—all that jazz. It can be a bummer, sure, but you know what’s great about all this? We’ll finally be getting back all our favorite TV shows! Plus, with a whole bundle of new shows on the way, there might even be some new favorites just waiting to dazzle us.

Elysium: echoes District 9, but does it deliver?

I tell you what, folks, if the future is as depressing and dirty as Neill Blomkamp seems to think it’ll be, we’re in for a rough ride. Blomkamp, best known as the writer and director of his intriguing feature film debut, District 9, has a thing for dystopian societies. In District 9, aliens are living in the slums of the future, but Elysium is all about humans.

Game of Thrones: seven families, one (ugly) throne

It’s time for another TV review theme! This round of reviews will hone in on (drum roll, please)…Grown-Up Fantasy! There’s been a steady stream of fantasy television over the last several years, and though most of it is appropriate for families, some shows are geared strictly toward adults. Of these grown-up fantasy shows, probably none of them are more clearly for adults than HBO’s huge hit, Game of Thrones.