Wednesday, May 14, 2014

The Simpsons/Family Guy Crossover is Coming


Do you like The Simpsons? Do you like Family Guy? They will have a crossover episode this September. It will be cool to see Bart and Stewie together, and Homer and Peter hanging out at the bar drinking some beers. How will Brian get along with Santa's Little Helper? Will Marge and Lois like each other? Some might say that a crossover has already been happening since Family Guy borrows so much of their comedy from The Simpsons. Seth MacFarlane has built an empire to rival that of Simpsons creator Matt Groening. He has created Family Guy, American Dad and The Cleveland Show. Prior to Family Guy, MacFarlane was a writer for animated shows like Johnny Bravo and Dexter's Laboratory. Read about the crossover episode here.

*Some information from imdb.com.

Tuesday, May 06, 2014

Car Chasers on CNBC


Some people think of CNBC as nothing but a finance channel with stock market coverage 24/7. But, they are branching out now with some reality shows. The Profit has a business expert giving advice to struggling entrepreneurs to turn around their enterprises. Money Talks looks at a sports betting agent in Las Vegas. The Car Chasers is about a Lubbock, Texas business called Flat 12 Gallery that buys and sells unique cars. Jeff Allen owns the shop and he is assisted by Meg, who handles the money, and Perry and Eric, who renovate the cars. Jeff's dad, "Roundman" is also a car dealer and he is on the show once in awhile too. It's a good show, especially if you like classic cars. Find out more here.

Friday, May 02, 2014

Classic Film Review: The Graduate (1967)



Back in 1967, Dustin Hoffman was not a well known actor. His big break was a film directed by Mike Nichols, "The Graduate". His resume to that point had included a few TV roles. It is amazing to think about the iconic roles he had in the years after "The Graduate". His most popular films include "Midnight Cowboy" (1969), "All the President's Men" (1976), "Kramer vs. Kramer" (1979), "Tootsie" (1982), "Rain Man" (1988), and many more.

In "The Graduate" Dustin Hoffman played Ben Braddock, a recent college graduate who is unsure about his future. He is seduced by Mrs. Robinson (Anne Bancroft), and older woman who is the wife of his father's business partner. Later he falls for her daughter, Elaine, played by Katharine Ross. Ben's dad is played by William Daniels, who later played Dr. Mark Craig, from the TV drama St. Elsewhere. Ben's dad is like Dr. Craig in that they both are cranky guys expect only the best from others. Another actor in the movie known later for his TV role is Norman Fell. He rents a room to Ben in Berkeley, California when he is tracking down Elaine, Mrs. Robinson's daughter. Fell later played Mr. Roper on "Three's Company". Ben feels overwhelmed by his life since his parents put pressure on him to decide what to do about his future. A famous scene has Ben given advice by a friend of the family regarding his career. He tells Ben to work in plastics. The soundtrack is provided by Simon and Garfunkel, featuring songs such as "Scarborough Fair" and "Mrs. Robinson".

This is an excellent film about family pressures, temptations, and young love. Water seems to be a common theme in the film. The movie has Ben peering into an aquarium, putting on a scuba diving exhibition for family friends, and floating on an air mattress in the family's pool. Maybe Ben longs for the peace and quiet that exists under the water.

**Some information from imdb.com.