Tag / Limitless

by jim

Post Mortem – Limitless

limitlessA sequel to the 2011 film, Limitless starred Jake McDorman and Jennifer Carpenter as a slacker who gains access to a superdrug that gives him full use of his brain and the FBI agent assigned to protect/exploit him.  Bradley Cooper, who starred in the film, was an executive producer and reprised his role a few times, but it wasn’t enough to get CBS to give the show a shot at a second season.

While adhering to the CBS procedural handbook, the show did take some liberties and occasionally broke out as a weird science fiction show.  While it wasn’t a great show by any stretch of the imagination, it was one that I usually looked forward to most weeks.  Honestly, I was surprised that it didn’t get renewed.  But, it didn’t fit the typical CBS demographic and that usually ends badly for bubble shows.

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CBS Upfronts

bbtFor the first time this century, CBS announced a new fall schedule this week without a version of CSI in the mix.  Instead, the Tiffany network looked to other familiar properties, and stars, to fill the holes in their lineup.  With the network again airing football on Thursday nights for the first 2 months of the season, there will be much juggling going on, starting on Monday, where The Big Bang Theory returns until football ends.  It will be followed by Kevin Can Wait, a new show featuring former CBS star Kevin James.  Once football ends, James moves up a half hour and will be followed by Man With A Plan, starring former Friend Matt LeBlanc.  2 Broke Girls, The Odd Couple, and Scorpion round out the night.

Tuesday wraps two versions of NCIS around Bull, a new drama starring former NCIS star Michael Weatherly as, and you can’t make this up, a young version of Dr. Phil.  No changes on Wednesday night, where Criminal Minds returns for its 12th season.  Thursday, starting in November, starts with The Big Bang Theory, followed by the new Joel McHale-helmed The Great Indoors.  The night finishes with Pure Genius, a new drama from the creator of Parenthood.

Friday sees a new version of MacGuyver, followed by the returning Hawaii Five-O and Blue Bloods.  Sunday adds another version of NCIS to fill the hole left by The Good Wife.

Gone and never to be seen again are The Good Wife and summer staple Under The Dome.  Gone and destined to be seen again is Supergirl, which is moving to the CW.  Gone and maybe seen again is Limitless, which didn’t make the schedule but is not officially cancelled and is looking for a new home.

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Midseason Review – Tuesdays

old-tv-set1Continuing our look back at my thoughts on the new fall season with the offerings I found myself interested in for Tuesdays.

7:00

The Muppets – ABC brings a new version of the Muppets to television, this time as a work place comedy.  Basically, The Office but with Kermit.

Possibly the new show I was looking forward to the most, but it suffered from tone issues.  A new showrunner is taking over, so hopefully things will more resemble the Muppets everyone knows and loves.

The Flash – A surprisingly fun adaptation of the DC superhero.  The first season was very satisfying and I hope for more of the same.

Still a lot of fun, though the Flash’s secret identity is one of the worst kept secrets in Central City.

8:00

Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. – Another new status quo, following the end of last season and the events of the latest Avengers movie, as we head in to season 3.

More of the same from the fine folks at Mutant Enemy and Marvel.

Scream Queens – Emma Roberts and Jamie Lee Curtis team for this horror comedy, hopefully in the vein of the Scream films, from FOX.  I’m certainly willing to give it a shot to impress.

I lasted a few weeks, but once the show came back after the World Series, the schedule got busy and I had to drop it.

iZombie – The zombie comedy, which was a midseason surprise last spring, returns for a full season.  I have a lot of faith in EP Rob Thomas, so I’m looking for good things.

A surprisingly enjoyable procedural from the people who brought us Veronica Mars.

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2015 New Fall Season – Tuesdays

old-tv-set1Continuing our look at the new fall season, here are the offerings that I may find myself interested in for Tuesdays.

7:00

The Muppets – ABC brings a new version of the Muppets to television, this time as a work place comedy.  Basically, The Office but with Kermit.

The Flash – A surprisingly fun adaptation of the DC superhero.  The first season was very satisfying and I hope for more of the same.

8:00

Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. – Another new status quo, following the end of last season and the events of the latest Avengers movie, as we head in to season 3.

Scream Queens – Emma Roberts and Jamie Lee Curtis team for this horror comedy, hopefully in the vein of the Scream films, from FOX.  I’m certainly willing to give it a shot to impress.

iZombie – The zombie comedy, which was a midseason surprise last spring, returns for a full season.  I have a lot of faith in EP Rob Thomas, so I’m looking for good things. Continue reading →

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CBS Upfronts

Supergirl-CBSCBS once again will air a slate of Thursday night football games this fall, so many parts of their fall schedule will be delayed until November when their NFL commitment comes to an end.  Because of this, The Big Bang Theory once again moves back to Mondays to start the season.  Supergirl, the latest take on Superman’s cousin starring Melissa Benoist, takes over the 7 pm slot in November.

Limitless, based on the Bradley Cooper movie, joins the Tuesday night lineup, taking the place of Person of Interest, which is being held back until mid-season.  A new medical drama, Code Black, joins the Wednesday night staples of Survivor and Criminal Minds, whose spin-off, Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders, is also slated for mid-season.

Once football comes to an end, The Big Bang Theory moves back to Thursdays, leading off 2 hours of comedy topped off once again by Elementary.  Friday nights remain the same, while Sunday updates its version of the CSI franchise.

Also on the bench waiting for mid-season are The Odd Couple, 2 Broke Girls, and a dramatic version of Rush Hour, the Jackie Chan movie franchise.

Obviously, Supergirl is the big hook among the new shows.  It is disappointing to see Person of Interest not make the fall schedule, and rumors are that the network is talking to producers about wrapping up the show.

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You Ought To Be In (15) Pictures

Movie_Reel_22Many years ago, using the weekly TV guide that came with the Sunday Chicago Tribune, I started keeping track of all of the movies I had seen over the course of my lifetime.  The guide would list the two main stars for each movie, and that is a tradition that I’ve carried on in my database ever since.  So, given those guidelines, it is time to look at all of the actors that have starred in at least 10 films that I have seen, as of May 30th.

Today, we continue with the 7 actors that have starred in 15 movies that I have seen.

Matt Damon

In 1994, Matt Damon made his first appearance on my personal movie screen with his role in 1992’s School Ties.  He disappeared for a while until reappearing in 1999 with 3 different films.  From that point on, he has been a pretty regular entrant in my watched films, including a four year run from 2005-2008.  The last film of his I’ve seen was in 2012, when I saw the previous year’s Contagion.

Robert DeNiro

My first experience with Robert DeNiro was back in 1988, when I saw Angel Heart.  He then went quiet to me for 8 years, coming back in 1996 with Sleepers.  2000 was my high water mark with his work when I saw 3 of his films.  My most recent experience with him was 2011, when I saw him in both Machete and Limitless.

Angelina Jolie

The first starring role of Angelina Jolie’s that I saw was 1995’s Hackers.  2005 was my most prolific Jolie year, when I took in 3 of her films.  Her last appearance on my screen was in 2012, when I saw her in Changeling.

Steve Martin

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by jim

2011 Movie Review – Part 2

The 131 movies I saw last year was good (bad?) enough for 4th all time, behind only 2000, 2008, and 2001.

Now, continuing Tuesday’s look at the first batch of 50 movies that I saw last year, here are movies 51-100.

 

The Thirst (2006)
A dying girl becomes a vampire to stay alive.

 

The Good Life (2007)
A kid who doesn’t fit in meets a girl who encourages him to look beyond the town’s borders.

 

Thor (2011)
The Norse thunder god falls from grace and recovers quickly to save Asgard.

 

The American (2010)
George Clooney stars as a former hitman trying to go straight.

 

Due Date (2010)
Robert Downey Jr goes through his own Planes, Trains, and Automobiles moments while trying to get home for the birth of his child.

 

Valentine’s Day (2010)
A group of vignettes celebrating the day that celebrates love.

 

MacGruber (2010)
The latest one-note SNL sketch to get strectched out to feature length. 

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