Entertainment

Here is a list of what I've been watching.  Obviously, I'll have to drop a bunch of these...some sooner rather than later (Torchwood, for example).  My favorites of the new-ish batch so far are Damages, Aliens in America, The Minor Accomplishments of Jackie Woodman, and Five Days.

• Aliens in America
• Pushing Daisies
• Real Time with Bill Maher
• Curb Your Enthusiasm
• 30 Rock
• Heroes
• King of the Hill
• ER
• The Office
• My Name is Earl
• The Daily Show
• The Colbert Report
• The Simpsons
• Reaper
• Chuck
• Life
• Bionic Woman
• Five Days
• Wired Science
• Inside the NFL
• The Sarah Silverman Program
• Journeyman
• Mad Men
• Sin City Law
• Torchwood
• The Minor Accomplishments of Jackie Woodman
• Damages
• Cavemen
• Dirty Sexy Money

For the music fans out there who have kids, check out Spare the Rock, Spoil the Child.  It's a radio show out of Northampton, Mass. hosted by law professor and his daughter.  It's all kid appropriate though not all kids music.  You get it via podcast in iTunes.  We've really been enjoying the opening set from the Sept. 22 episode:

They Might Be Giants - It's Spare the Rock
They Might Be Giants - Robot Parade (No!)
Jellydots - Sad Robot (pre-release)
Hypnotic Clambake - 500 Robots (Live)
Recess Rock - Kitty in Central Park
Dennis Caraher - You Can Call Me ABC (Live at VFR)
Keith Munslow - I Can't Get Up This Morning (Accidentally [On Purpose])

Last night we watched Superman Returns (2006,PG-13) (ScreenIt! Review). From the ScreenIt! review:

After a five-year absence, the Man of Steel returns to Metropolis and must contend with Lois now being an engaged mother, all while having to deal with Lex Luthor and his latest diabolical plan.

It was OK. It seemed like well-trodden ground. You know what to expect from the superhero genre and you get what you expect. It's not that exciting. I give it 3 out of 5.

While in Knoxville, we watched Rumor Has It (2005,PG-13) (ScreenIt! Review) with the Bells. From Wikipedia:

The entire movie is told, presumably from the present, as a flashback to events that happened in 1997. It is also, as flashed on the screen at the beginning of the movie, "Based on a true rumor". In the backstory to this movie, Sarah's grandmother, Katharine Richelieu (played by Shirley MacLaine), had an affair with the much younger Beau Burroughs (played by Kevin Costner), forming the inspiration for the affair in The Graduate between Benjamin Braddock and Mrs. Robinson (whose first name, incidentally, was never mentioned in that movie).

I didn't think there was much to it, but it was passable. I give it 3 out of 5.

Last night we watched Man of the Year (2006,PG-13) (ScreenIt! Review). From Wikipedia:

Man of the Year is a political comedy movie directed by Barry Levinson and featuring Robin Williams in the lead role. In addition to Williams, the film features Christopher Walken, Laura Linney, Lewis Black and Jeff Goldblum. In the film, Williams portrays Tom Dobbs, the host of a comedy/political talk show, based loosely on the real-life personas of Jon Stewart and Bill Maher. With an offhand remark, he prompts 4 million people to e-mail their support, then he decides to campaign for President. To nearly everyone's surprise, he is declared winner of the election.

I really liked the scene where the film explores what would happen if a presidential candidate refused to behave during a debate. Robin Williams, of course, had a bunch of funny one-liners. Otherwise, I thought it fell pretty flat. It should have skipped the suspenseful plot and played further with Dobbs' presidency. I give it 3 out of 5.