Survivor: Gabon - Earth's Last Eden

Rucker's Take: It's been a good long while since I've watched Survivor.. seven seasons actually. But for some reason I decided to pick up the habit again this year for Survivor Gabon, the 17th season of Survivor (YES, SEVENTEENTH season).

First things first: this is definitely the most BEAUTIFUL season of Survivor. We can thank HDTV for this, as this is the first season of the show to be shot in HD. It's incredible how much of a difference it really makes. It looks like a movie... And I guess Gabon itself should be given some credit too. It's pretty nice. If you're unaware (as I was prior to just Wikipedia-ing it): Gabon is a country in west central Africa sharing borders with Equatorial Guinea, Cameroon, Republic of the Congo and the Gulf of Guinea. The show also dubs Gabon as "Earth's Last Eden" in their promos because so much of it has been untouched by human hands-- until now when they decided to shoot a television show there... So far the scenery has definitely been b-e-a-u-tiful and I expect that to continue.

The tribes this year are "Kota" and "Fang" (pronounced FONG) but could be better known as "Winners" and "Losers." CBS showed two episodes on premiere night and in both cases the Fang tribe had to send someone home. But that wasn't really a terrible thing in my opinion; both people that went home were REALLY annoying. The first: the most negative girl in the tribe, second: the most positive girl in the tribe. Gillian, the latter, tried at first to be the tribe mother by encouraging everyone at all times; her persistent positivity is what eventually led to her demise. That and her oldness.Winning both of the first two immunity challenges may have gone to Kota's head though: Jacquie (or possibly Kelly) said "I don't envision us losing-- ever," during one of her post-challenge interviews. That my friends, is never a good thing to say. Look for that coming back to bite her very soon.

Even though they lost every challenge, I think our Fang tribe should be given some props for craftiness as they somehow fashioned a fishing hook out of glasses rims and successfully caught dinner with it!One of the best things about Survivor, and a lot of reality competition shows for that matter, is a little something called Dramatic Irony: when we the audience know something the people in the show don't know-- making the people on the show look like idiots. It happens a lot in Survivor. Nearly every Tribal Council someone is completely knocked off their feet when the entire tribe votes them out and they never saw it coming (as was the case for both Michelle and Gillian).

A great example of dramatic irony from this week's episode was after Dan returned back from Exile Island. Dan's tribe was convinced that he had found the hidden immunity idol on Exile Island, but we knew he didn't have it and his tribe refused to believe him when he said he didn't have it. So at Tribal Council, Crystal tried to force it out of him by flat-out saying she thought he had it. Of course the audience knew that Dan didn't have it, so Crystal just ended up looking like an idiot. When it came time to reveal the idol, Dan showed he didn't have it. Crystal was not too thrilled.I should also add that for some reason Dan wore a button-up shirt and tie to tribal council. He looked like someone dressing up for Halloween as Jack from LOST.These people must have been plucked straight from their jobs or something because most of them arrived wearing business attire. Or maybe someone told them they were going to be on the new season of The Apprentice and decided to throw them for a loop.

I look forward to the rest of this season as well as the new season of my favorite reality competition show, The Amazing Race, which premieres Sunday (Sept. 28) on CBS!Rucker's Rating: Soo Good

If you missed this week's episode of Survivor, catch it for free online HERE.

URBAN'S BLOG: Life on the Couch
RUCKER'S BLOG: Can I Please Just Say...

E-mail Us! UrbanAndRucker@gmail.com!
Pass it On:

The Office premiere: "Weight Loss"

A favorite show here at Urban&Rucker, The Office, premiered last night on NBC. The series kicked off its fifth season with an hour long episode entitled "Weight Loss," in which (among other things) all of the Dunder Mifflin branches' employees are attempting to lose weight for a company-wide contest.

(SPOILERS AHEAD)

Urban's Take: This episode was a great way to kick off the season. We got a lot of answers to questions leftover from last season but we also got a taste of what's in store for our favorite paper company. I really liked the way the episode was divided in weeks of the summer. Normally, the hour long episodes of The Office can get a little drawn out or just seem like two closely related episodes crammed together, but this felt like an appropriate amount of time to tell this particular narrative. The episode was written by Lee Eisenberg and Gene Stupnitsky, who have written some of the truly great episodes, including last season's "Dinner Party." They're currently at work writing a script for a proposed third "Ghostbusters" movie- which excites me to no end. (Go ahead. Make fun. I'm not embarrassed. Those movies are genius.)

Anyway, though I was thrown off by the absence of a cold open, I loved the organization of the episode and how it allowed us to jump back into the fray of the office. I guess the big news of the night was that Pam was leaving for New York to attend design school for three months, and even though Jim said he wasn't proposing until she returned, the two met at a halfway point in a rainstorm for a lunch and Jim finally popped the question. So everyone's favorite couple is engaged, but since it happened so early in the season, I'm betting we'll see some struggle before these two finally get hitched.

To replace Pam, Michael first hires "weird" Ronnie, an elderly blonde woman. Ronnie is soon replaced with none other than former DM temp-turned-corporate Ryan Howard. We last saw Ryan getting hauled off to jail for fraud- he is obviously no longer with corporate at Dunder Mifflin. (By the way, I'd love to see Karen, Jim's ex-girlfriend from Season Three, take over the corporate position. That would make for great tension.) So now he's running the reception desk in Scranton at the request of Michael, who grows a goatee just so he can match Ryan (who is obviously not diminished at all in Michael's eyes, even though Ryan treated him like crap last season). Ryan also seems to be showing an interest in Kelly again, which was definitely unexpected.

Speaking of Kelly, everyone's desperate attempts to lose weight in order to win the contest were hilarious- but none topped Kelly's swallowing what she believed to be a tapeworm bought from Creed. Stanley legitimately ate less and exercised, accomplishing his personal goal- but everyone else had trouble. This led to Michael holding a meeting as "Michael Klump," emphasizing that fat people should be respected in society. I'll say this: Michael Klump is nowhere NEAR as funny as Prison Mike from Season Three's "The Convict."

Michael, though still at Jan's beck and call (thanks to her sperm-donor baby), is continuing to pursue Holly, who obviously returns Michael's affections. I can't wait to see where this plot line goes- there are so many possibilities. And Holly finally discovering that Kevin is not mentally disabled was a highlight of the episode for me, as was Dwight and Angela's secret rendezvous in the warehouse, despite Angela continuing to plan a wedding with Andy.

Favorite quotes of the night?

• Jim: "I don't really know Ronnie. But I have a feeling I will get to know her very well over the next few years, and eventually declare my love for her."
  
• Kelly: "I am on the third day of my cleanse diet. All I have to do is drink maple syrup, lemon juice, cayenne pepper and water for all three meals. Um, I just bought some bikinis online, size 2. So ... gonna look amazing."
  
• Andy: "Ang. Ela. [sings] Ella, ella, ella. Under my Angerela. Ella, ella, ella. Ay, ay-"
  
• Michael: "What is wrong with these people? They have no willpower. I went -- I once went 28 years without having sex. And then again for seven years."
  
• Dwight: "Happy Birthday, Stanley!" [kicks cake onto Michael]
  

Urban's Rating: Sooo good

Rucker's Take: I definitely agree that the separation of the summer into segments of weeks was a good way to go with this hour-long episode. Like Sam said, the hour long episodes tend to feel like normal episodes with 20 extra minutes of should-be Deleted Scenes.

I was skeptical last season when they introduced Holly as the new HR person for the office, but she definitely grew a lot on me in this episode. Her thinking that Kevin was mentally challenged was something I would have liked to see go on longer, but it was hilarious while it lasted. Her whispering "Math is hard," to him on the scale was awesome.

Favorite Moments:

• The queso cheese fountain in the office's conference room for their "last meal" before the weight loss competition.
• Dwight removing all the snacks from the vending machine and replacing them with fruit and vegetables-- and the vending machine getting filled with flies and rotten food as time went by. Also, Dwight spraying everyone's food with roach spray when he felt that they should stop eating was pretty hilarious.
  
• Pam telling the camera "I'm in the wrong class..." when she sits down in what she believes to be her first class in design school.
• Ryan using "I never really processed 9/11," as an excuse as to why he was rude to Kelly in the past. (And just to be clear, I don't think that not-having-processed 9/11 is funny, but I do think that using it as an excuse for treating a girl badly is.)
  

Can't wait for next week's episode!

Rucker's Rating: Sooo Good

Remember: if you missed this week's Office premiere, you can catch for free on Hulu!

URBAN'S BLOG: Life on the Couch
RUCKER'S BLOG: Can I Please Just Say...

E-mail Us! UrbanAndRucker@gmail.com!
Pass it On:

U&R Webcast #3! Emmys, The Hills, Nickelodeon and more!

We discuss all the wonderful happenings this week in entertainment including the 2008 Primetime Emmy Awards, the crazy people on The Hills, and the amazing Nickelodeon shows we used to love...

URBAN'S BLOG: Life on the Couch
RUCKER'S BLOG: Can I Please Just Say...

E-mail Us! UrbanAndRucker@gmail.com!
Pass it On:

The Duchess

Urban's Take: The plot of “The Duchess” is nothing new. The twists and turns of European high society were already extensively covered in Sofia Coppola’s “Marie Antoinette,” albeit with much more whimsy. In fact, dozens of films have dealt with the exact same subject matter.

Still, there is something not to be ignored in “The Duchess,” the new picture from Paramount Vantage, Pathe Films, and BBC Films starring Keira Knightley (“Atonement,” “Pride and Prejudice”) in the title role and directed by relative newcomer Saul Dibb.

The film, which chronicles the life of 18th century aristocrat Georgiana, the Duchess of Devonshire, is a beautifully orchestrated period film that hits all the right notes at all the right moments. Though it’s predictable, it’s still thoroughly enjoyable thanks to its powerful cast and gorgeous sets and costumes.

It’s easy to notice that Keira Knightley tends to gravitate towards period pieces, or anything in which she can wear a corset and have big hair. I had intended to call her out on that lack of versatility in this review, but after seeing “The Duchess,” I simply cannot. The fact is, Knightley is always divine in period films, even if she’s always playing the same character. If she plays that character well, why shouldn’t she stick to what she’s good at?

Indeed, Knightley will surprise no one with her performance as Georgiana, a woman in a passionless marriage with a duke (Ralph Fiennes, “In Bruges,” “Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix”) whose only desire for his wife comes from his intense longing for a male heir. (Like I said, there’s nothing new here in terms of story.) But Knightley portrays the strong-willed Georgiana with conviction, as she does with all of her girl-powered heroines, such as Elizabeth Swann in the “Pirates of the Caribbean” series or Elizabeth Bennett in 2005’s “Pride and Prejudice.”

The real standout performance in “The Duchess” is Ralph Fiennes’ paunchy Duke of Devonshire. Fiennes once again proves himself a master at playing the villain, although his performance here is much more subtle than his infamous turn as Lord Voldemort in the “Harry Potter” films. Here, each facial expression from Fiennes conveys more than his dialogue ever could. Though his every motion is small and calculated, Fiennes’ presence on screen is enormous.

Dominic Cooper (“Mamma Mia!”) plays Knightley’s other love interest in the film, the future Prime Minister Charles Grey. Cooper’s performance fits well within the confines of the movie. He’s not the most interesting choice for a torrid love affair, but Cooper and Knightley have enough chemistry to pull it off.

Hayley Atwell (“Brideshead Revisited”) also stars in the film as Georgiana’s close friend and confidante, Bess Foster. Atwell should be appreciated as a constant kind face in this frequently depressing film. Her somewhat mousy character creates a lovely contrast to the vivacious Georgiana. Knightley and Atwell portray their conflicted friendship with ease. In fact, Knightley has better chemistry with Atwell than she does with Fiennes or Cooper.

However, the movie wasn’t entirely without fault. Though the costumes and set pieces were beautiful, I felt “The Duchess” paid too much attention to fashion. It is often mentioned in the film as the only way for women to express themselves. While that may have been true within the time period of the movie, it felt like a condescending way to point out how great the costumes looked.

Georgiana’s character is often described by other characters in the film as fashion-forward, making her seem like the Carrie Bradshaw of the 18th century. (Georgiana has feathers and corsets while “Sex and the City’s” Carrie has Manolo Blahnik shoes.) The characterization of Georgiana as a “fashionista” felt out of place, as though it was a cheap ploy to get modern female audiences to identify with the character.

Although the focus on fashion was a distracting and patronizing theme, “The Duchess” manages to use its depiction of 18th century English society to convey themes of freedom, both in government and in the home. It’s not an issue that has been untouched in cinema, but the film adeptly discusses the themes without being heavy-handed or cheesy.

Overall, “The Duchess” will stand as one of the first films of the season that is undoubtedly Oscar-worthy. Knightley does what she does best, the sets and costumes are exquisite, and the film is a treat, even if it’s a decidedly familiar one.

“The Duchess” opens in Dallas on Sept. 26 and opens everywhere Oct. 3.

© Copyright 2008 Daily Campus

Urban's rating: Soo good


URBAN'S BLOG: Life on the Couch
RUCKER'S BLOG: Can I Please Just Say...

E-mail Us! UrbanAndRucker@gmail.com!
Pass it On:

Choke

Urban's Take:Let’s play a game called “Name That Film!” I’ll describe a plot and you try to guess what movie is being described. Here’s we go: A man struggling with his unsatisfying life finds an alter-ego within himself, acts out violently, has a number of sexual escapades, and learns a lesson about who he really is and what it means to live. If you guessed David Fincher’s 1999 film, “Fight Club,” you’re really close!

I was actually referring to “Choke,” the new film from first-time director Clark Gregg starring Sam Rockwell (“Matchstick Men,” “The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford”). If you’re wondering about the similar stories, both “Fight Club” and “Choke” are based on novels by Chuck Palahniuk.

Several of Palahniuk's books have distinct similarities. The main characters are often people who feel marginalized by society and react with self-destructive aggressiveness, a kind of story that can be described as “transgressional fiction.”

Transgressional fiction focuses on characters that feel confined by the expectations of society and find unusual ways to break free of those constraints. Since they are rebelling against rules of society, the “protagonists” of transgressional fiction can seem mentally unstable or nihilistic. The genre deals extensively with subjects like sex, drugs, and violence.

That’s Palahniuk’s work in a nutshell. But if you want to delve deeper into the actual movie, “Choke” focuses on the life on sex addict Victor Mancini (Rockwell). By day, Victor works at a historical theme park, playing the role of an indentured Irish servant in colonial society. By night, he goes to restaurants and pretends to choke on food so that wealthy people will save him and give him money.

All of this “work” is for Victor’s mother (Anjelica Huston, “The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou,” “The Darjeeling Limited”), who suffers from dementia and is being cared for in an expensive private hospital. Victor is content to let his mother die, due to the trauma she inflicted on him as a child, but thanks to his mother’s new doctor, Paige (Kelly Macdonald, “No Country For Old Men”), he comes to suspect his heritage may be more “divine” than he previously realized. Dealing with the potential goodness within him proves to be more than a challenge for the jaded sex addict.

Sam Rockwell’s performance is what makes this film worth watching. Even though the rest of the film seems all too familiar, Rockwell brings freshness to his portrayal of Victor. He is an anti-hero in every way, so watching him trying to become an actual hero is captivating. Rockwell’s comedic timing is dead on and his dramatic scenes carry the perfect amount of gravitas. Each of Sam Rockwell’s roles is touted as his “breakout role,” but this one might actually do it for him.

The performance of Brad William Henke proves to be a pleasant surprise. Henke plays Victor’s best friend and fellow sex-addict, Denny. It’s easy to see someone like Seth Rogen (“Knocked Up,” “Pineapple Express”) in this role, but Henke brings an air of innocence to the role of a man inspired by love (with a stripper, naturally) to clean up his act and take control of his life.

Angelica Huston plays the same “quirky mother” role she’s been doing for a while, but the addition of dementia to the character really allows Huston to shine. She is alternately pitiable and unforgivable. Conversely, Kelly Macdonald is less memorable, though quite likable.

“Choke” is far from a perfect film. The story and its twists are predictable (even if you haven’t read the book) and the editing is too reminiscent of “Fight Club.” It’s certainly possible that director Clark Gregg intentionally did that as an homage to the more well-known Palahniuk-based film, but I doubt it.

Still, “Choke” is a dark comedy that is actually both dark and funny, a feat that few in the genre actually achieve. Parts of the film are hopelessly depressing while others are genuinely hilarious- and some scenes manage to be both at once.

It’s also a welcome intellectual film after a summer that was mostly devoid of intelligent thought. Though they were excellent fun, “Iron Man” and “Step Brothers” didn’t exactly get those gears in your head turning. Watching “Choke” is like having a very simple home cooked meal. It may not be as satisfying as Thanksgiving dinner, but it sure feels good when you’ve been eating nothing but fast food all summer.

“Choke’s” essential message is that anyone, even a sex-addict who fakes his death to get money, is redeemable. The labels of a “good person” or a “bad person” are determined by society. “Choke” suggests we should evaluate ourselves based on our actions and our relationships.

It’s no “Fight Club,” but who can argue with a moral like that?


© Copyright 2008 Daily Campus

Urban's rating: So good


URBAN'S BLOG: Life on the Couch
RUCKER'S BLOG: Can I Please Just Say...

E-mail Us! UrbanAndRucker@gmail.com!
Pass it On:

CBS's Worst Week - Rucker's Review

So I just watched Worst Week, the new half-hour single-camera sitcom (?) from CBS. Basically it's a weekly version of Ben Stiller's Meet the Parents. Except not funny. WW stars Kyle Bornheimer as Sam, the extremely unlucky boyfriend/babydaddy of Melanie Clayton, played by Erinn Hayes. The only recognizable faces in the show are those of Melanie's parents, played by Earl's mom from My Name is Earl and the dad from That 70's Show.

The show is altogether not very good. In any way. All of the "funny" scenarios were highly implausible, beginning with Sam urinating in a pot in Melanie's parents' kitchen when the power was out because he somehow could not distinguish the difference between a huge kitchen and a cooking pot, and a small bathroom and a toilet, in the dark (scene pictured above).

As a result, Sam's urine spills onto the floor, which Melanie's father then slips and falls on, giving him a concussion. Now that Melanie's father has a concussion he has trouble walking and lays down on the sidewalk right outside a funeral home. The funeral directors take him inside and allow him to take a rest in the back room. A call is made by the undertaker to Melanie's home, which is received by Sam who misinterprets the message as being that Melanie's dad had died. He then relays this misinformation to the rest of the family who is of course as a result devastated. Sam is then sent to the pharmacy to refill Melanie's depressed mom's Valium prescription, when he gets in a head-on collision with someone who turns out to be Melanie's dad on his way back from the funeral home. Sam excitedly drags the dad's now-unconscious body into the home exclaiming that her dad is indeed alive. Melanie's mom thinks this is a cruel joke because he still appears to be dead, until the dad suddenly wakes up and says "What's going on here?" which then causes Melanie's mom to freak out and collapse on the floor as well. AFTER all that, all is well because everyone's alive and happy, but the power goes out again. Sam volunteers to flip the breaker switch in the basement and in the process starts a fire that burns, you guessed it, the painting of Melanie's father that Melanie's mother had just received back after commissioning a world-famous artist to create it.

Sound insanely ridiculous? It was. Way too much was happening.

There are many successful single-camera sitcoms: My Name is Earl, The Office, 30 Rock, but Worst Week just isn't as funny as them. It isn't really funny at all. There's no "Joy" (Jaime Pressly's character on Earl) or Dwight (from The Office) that make you laugh no matter what they say. All the characters in this show are pretty blah.

Worst Week was filled with one implausible situation after another and never really stopped until time just completely ran out. Also it was just too quiet. Without a laugh track, (which this show DESPERATELY needs because otherwise no laughs will ever be heard) the show gets awkward at moments and kinda boring.

Also, I still don't understand the title. Does "worst week" imply that this is a series based on one specific week in this guy's life? Or what? If so, didn't they pick up on the fact that sitcoms with specific time elements don't always do particularly well? (Big Day, Notes from the Underbelly, Watching Ellie...)

Rucker's Rating: Sooo Bad

PS: I don't know what the ratings were for the premiere but I give it a max of 4 episodes.

URBAN'S BLOG: Life on the Couch
RUCKER'S BLOG: Can I Please Just Say...

E-mail Us! UrbanAndRucker@gmail.com!
Pass it On:

Luckily No One Has to Die...

And now Urban&Rucker share with you a "private moment" for your entertainment pleasure: a text message conversation we had before the Emmys aired tonight...

(Rucker's words are in green, Urban's are in white).And there you have it! Luckily America Ferrera didn't win the Emmy for Best Actress in a Comedy (Tina Fey did, woohoo!) and some lucky person in the world gets to live at least one more day!

Be sure to check back this week for Urban&Rucker's Emmy wrap-up!

Until then, check out Urban's Live-Blog of the Emmys at Life On the Couch!

URBAN'S BLOG: Life on the Couch
RUCKER'S BLOG: Can I Please Just Say...

E-mail Us! UrbanAndRucker@gmail.com!
Pass it On:

Urban&Rucker's 2008 Emmy Predictions!

So this is less about who we THINK will win and more about who we WANT to win because really, that's all that matters, right?

Best Supporting Actor in a Drama:
- William Shatner, 'Boston Legal'
- Michael Emerson, 'Lost'
- Ted Danson, 'Damages'
- John Slattery, 'Mad Men'
- Zeljko Ivanek, 'Damages'

Rucker's Pick: Hands down: Michael Emerson. Have you SEEN Ben on LOST? That dude is all kinds of crazy. "You guys got any milk?" still haunts my dreams.
Urban's Pick: Ditto times ten. After every LOST episode that features Ben, I ask myself out loud, "WHEN are they giving Michael Emerson an Emmy?!"

Best Supporting Actress in a Drama:
- Chandra Wilson, 'Grey's Anatomy'
- Sandra Oh, 'Grey's Anatomy'
- Candice Bergen, 'Boston Legal'
- Rachel Griffiths, 'Brothers & Sisters'
- Dianne Wiest, 'In Treatment'

Rucker's Pick: Chandra Wilson... I haven't seen Grey's in a while and she probably won't win, but I really like her.
Urban's Pick: Sandra Oh, please! But an acceptable winner would be Chandra Wilson as well. Those two are the best females in the cast and it's about time someone gave them credit.

Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy:
- Jon Cryer, 'Two and a Half Men'
- Neil Patrick Harris, 'How I Met Your Mother'
- Rainn Wilson, 'The Office'
- Jeremy Piven, 'Entourage'
- Kevin Dillon, 'Entourage'

Rucker's Pick: I love HIMYM and I'm not convinced that Rainn Wilson isn't just playing himself on The Office, so I would give this one to Neil Patrick Harris.
Urban's Pick: I have to go with my boy Dwight, Rainn Wilson. His performance this season after Angela broke up with him showed us that he was much more than the office dork. His broken sobs that night at Schrute Farm and his forlorn glances towards the Accounting desk were incredible. Incredibly hilarious. (That being said, Jeremy Piven is always a great choice.)


Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy:
- Amy Poehler, 'Saturday Night Live'
- Holland Taylor, 'Two and a Half Men'
- Vanessa Williams, 'Ugly Betty'
- Jean Smart, 'Samantha Who?'
- Kristin Chenoweth, 'Pushing Daisies'

Rucker's Pick: This is easy: Amy Poehler. But has anyone from SNL ever won an acting Emmy? I didn't even know that was possible. I wouldn't hate Jean Smart winning this though either. She's hilarious on Samantha Who?
Urban's Pick: I'd love Amy Poehler to win, but I think it's a long shot just because it's so rare for a performer from a variety series to get nominated. Even though I've only seen half of the season of Pushing Daisies, I'm going with Kristin Chenoweth.


Best Actress in a Comedy:
- Tina Fey, '30 Rock'
- America Ferrera, 'Ugly Betty'
- Christina Applegate, 'Samantha Who?'
- Julia Louis-Dreyfus, 'The New Adventures of Old Christine'
- Mary-Louise Parker, 'Weeds'

Rucker's Pick: If Tina Fey doesn't win this one, I'M gonna go on strike. YA- TAKE THAT writers!
Urban's Pick: Are you kidding? I AM Liz Lemon. Tina Fey, all the way! (If America Ferrera wins, I will be supremely bitter and angry about it. Everyone in this category is more deserving than her, especially Julia Louis-Dreyfus.)

Best Actor in a Comedy:
- Charlie Sheen, 'Two and a Half Men'
- Steve Carell, 'The Office'
- Tony Shalhoub, 'Monk'
- Alec Baldwin, '30 Rock'
- Lee Pace, 'Pushing Daisies'

Rucker's Pick: Alec Baldwin is great on 30 Rock, but in my opinion he plays the exact same character in every show that he's on. This is why I would love to see Lee Pace of the wonderful Pushing Daisies shown some Emmy love.
Urban's Pick: What a stacked category! I'm happy as long as it doesn't go to Shalhoub (because he's won enough awards) or Sheen (because he doesn't deserve to be nominated). I pick Carell, just because his acceptance speech would be most entertaining. (Although Lee Pace and Alec Baldwin are equally deserving.)


Best Actress in a Drama:
- Kyra Sedgwick, 'The Closer'
- Sally Field, 'Brothers & Sisters'
- Mariska Hargitay, 'Law & Order: SVU'
- Holly Hunter, 'Saving Grace'
- Glenn Close, 'Damages'

Rucker's Pick: Take out Sedgwick and Hunter and I'd be happy with any of the rest winning. If the world's survival depended on me picking just one though, I'd have to go with Glenn Close. Damages was freaking awesome.
Urban's Pick: I've never seen any of these shows. So I have to go with my gut favorite and say Glenn Close.

Best Actor in a Drama:
- Hugh Laurie, 'House'
- James Spader, 'Boston Legal'
- Michael C. Hall, 'Dexter'
- Jon Hamm, 'Mad Men'
- Gabriel Byrne, 'In Treatment'
- Bryan Cranston, 'Breaking Bad'

Rucker's Pick: The only show I watch out of these is Mad Men so I guess Jon Hamm... Can I just write in Matthew Fox as my vote?
Urban's Pick: What a boring category. If James Spader wins again, I'll throw the frozen pizza I will be eating while watching the show at the television. Let's hear it for Hugh Laurie.

Best Comedy:
- 'Two and a Half Men'
- 'The Office'
- '30 Rock'
- 'Entourage'
- 'Curb Your Enthusiasm'

Rucker's Pick: Let me see, I'll have to think about this one. Oh wait, no I won't, 30 ROCK.
Urban's Pick:Considering this from a show standpoint, I think The Office is a better show than 30 Rock. But last season of 30 Rock was absolutely brilliant, while The Office slipped up by making too many episodes an hour long, which doesn't really work within the format of the show. So.... goooo 30 ROCK!

Best Drama:
- 'House'
- 'Boston Legal'
- 'Lost'
- 'Mad Men'
- 'Dexter'
- 'Damages'

Rucker's Pick: LOST LOST LOST LOST LOST -- PLEEEEASE LOST. LOST has been amazing from the get-go and this season was no different. They really deserve it this year. Come on Emmys! Don't pick Mad Men just cuz it would be the trendy thing to do. Follow your heart. And your heart says LOST.
Urban's Pick: LOST really picked it up this season and proved itself just as good as it was in its pilot episode. Mad Men is definitely too trendy right now, just like Heroes was too trendy last year. Boston Legal can't be that good. So c'mon and give it to one of the consistently best shows on television, if not in television history: LOST.

Watch the Emmy's TONIGHT at 8/7C on ABC! And stay tuned to UrbanAndRucker.com for a post-Emmy wrap-up later this week!

URBAN'S BLOG: Life on the Couch
RUCKER'S BLOG: Can I Please Just Say...

E-mail Us! UrbanAndRucker@gmail.com!
Pass it On:

Ghost Town

Urban's Take: Ghost Town isn’t inventive. It won’t knock your socks off with special effects or make you wet your pants with laughter. But it will warm your heart and make you smile. That sounds incredibly cheesy, but it’s true. Is that the wrong way to describe this film if I want you to go see it? Probably. But it’s true: Ghost Town will make you feel all warm and fuzzy inside.

Ghost Town tells the story of Bertram Pincus (Ricky Gervais, Extras, UK’s The Office), a man who doesn’t exactly have the warmest heart or the best people skills. When he unexpectedly dies and is revived after seven minutes, he discovers that he can (to borrow a phrase from The Sixth Sense) see dead people. Bertram finds this pretty irritating, especially since the ghosts all seem to want something from him- particularly Frank (Greg Kinnear, Baby Mama, Little Miss Sunshine) who wants help breaking up the upcoming nuptials of his widow (Téa Leoni, Fun With Dick and Jane, Spanglish).

This movie has so much heart that you can’t help but have a smile on your face the entire movie. From beginning to end, watching Bertram deal with his problems, both with his newfound ability and with his personal issues, is a delight. The phrase “feel-good movie of the year” gets thrown around a lot, especially when studios are talking about some Nicholas Sparks-inspired chick flick crap fest that is only meant for women over the age of 50 to enjoy. But I don’t hesitate in saying that Ghost Town really is a feel good movie- for men and women of all ages.

But that’s not to say that Ghost Town isn’t funny. It’s hysterical. Sometimes you might miss a one-liner or two because you’re still laughing so hard from the previous joke. A large part of the film’s comedy comes from Gervais, who never once phones it in or resorts to simply acting like his famous characters from Extras or The Office. (Well, that’s not true. There is one scene where Bertram assumes that his Indian co-worker knows torture techniques for getting information from people. That assumption and the way Gervais plays it out is pure David Brent, pictured, from the UK Office.) His comic timing is that of a master and Gervais carries this film on his slumping shoulders.

Greg Kinnear is generally appealing as a dead man who was about as nice at Bertram in his previous life. There are no surprises from Kinnear, though. He plays the role exactly as you would expect him to: the same suave and dry way he plays most of his roles. Still, it works for his character and Kinnear comes off looking good. Téa Leoni, however, provides a wonderful shock as Gwen, Kinnear’s still-living wife. Leoni is more likable in Ghost Town than she has ever been. She makes playing the slightly neurotic but kind-hearted Gwen seem effortless. And, no surprise here, Kristin Wiig from SNL is incredibly funny in the film as Bertram's doctor.

Ghost Town is not only hilarious, it’s also genuine, which is a rare quality in films. It never panders or becomes overly saccharine. Though it seems like the type of film you might pass over in favor of something flashier, maybe you should reconsider in favor of this enjoyable movie.

(© Copyright 2008 Daily Campus)

Urban's Rating: Soo good



URBAN'S BLOG: Life on the Couch
RUCKER'S BLOG: Can I Please Just Say...

E-mail Us! UrbanAndRucker@gmail.com!
Pass it On:

U&R's NEW Webcast! SNL, The Soup and More!

URBAN'S BLOG: Life on the Couch
RUCKER'S BLOG: Can I Please Just Say...

E-mail Us! UrbanAndRucker@gmail.com!
Pass it On:

U&R Entertaining Links

• Will Mad Men change the Emmys forever?
• Variety's review of Lakeview Terrace, since U&R won't be seeing it to write our own...
• IMDB.com to start streaming TV and movies for free. They'll also have the season premiere of 30 Rock before it airs..
  I'll take it!
• Gossip Girl and One Tree Hill gave CW its Best Monday Ever.
• TRL's been cancelled... Wait, TRL was still on?
• SNL without Amy Poehler??? Noooooo.
• Speaking of Amy Poehler, check out her sketch with Tina Fey from last weekend's SNL. The perfect Hillary Clinton and Sarah Palin. If you've already seen it, watch it again! It's that good.
  

URBAN'S BLOG: Life on the Couch
RUCKER'S BLOG: Can I Please Just Say...

E-mail Us! UrbanAndRucker@gmail.com!
Pass it On:

Kung Fu Panda

Urban's Take: I saw Kung Fu Panda right after it came out with my younger sister and instantly loved it. (I even saw it again last week with my fiancé, who had yet to see it and equally enjoyed it.) Sure, the animation and story aren't Pixar quality- but, for the first time in a Dreamworks animated film, I didn't feel like I was being condescended to. I feel like the other Dreamworks animated movies (Shrek, Shark Tale, etc.) just throw BLAND celebrity voices in your face, make a couple of pop culture references, and expect everyone to rave about it. Their films usually lack substance and heart- something that "Kung Fu Panda" has in spades, as Po the Panda tries to become a kung fu master in order to save his village.

It definitely wasn't short on the celebrity voices, but they were well utilized AND used sparingly. I found myself forgetting that Jack Black was voicing Po the Panda or that Jackie Chan was Monkey (I honestly couldn't even tell on that one... how much did he get paid?). The biggest props go to Dustin Hoffman as Master Shifu and David Cross as Crane. They hit every joke just right and pretty much nailed their characters. The weakest link in the cast, surprisingly, is Angelina Jolie as Tigress. She seemed even less interesting than her character in Shark Tale, if that's possible.

At times, the movie felt like Mulan with Animals, but my favorite moments were when it felt like it had the comedy chops of The Emperor's New Groove, the funniest and most often underrated Disney 2D animated film. The jokes are really goofy and irreverent- and sometimes you have to be quick to catch them all through your laughter. My favorite parts were Po trying to enter the palace, the character of Master Shifu in general, Po noting that Mantis is the same size as his action figure, and the entire opening sequence- which, for me, has made a personal catchphrase of "There is no charge for awesomeness. Or attractiveness."

Urban's Rating: Sooo good

Rucker's Take: I'm not gonna lie: I waited to see this movie until there was a situation where I could see it and not have to pay for it. (Legally, of course). That time finally came this week when my school had a free showing for students. Score. I got to see the movie everyone's been talking about, and I didn't have to put anymore money into Dreamworks's pockets in the process.

And I have to agree with the majority of people that reviewed Kung Fu Panda when it came out many months ago: it was really good! I was legitimately entertained and there were several occasions where I laughed out loud (that's "LOL" for you web talkers). Overall the story was pretty basic and the moral very straight-forward, but the movie itself was hilarious.

I personally am not a huge fan of Jack Black, but I think he did a good job of voicing Po the panda. I did feel, however, that unlike most Disney movies (which must be mentioned because they created this genre), I wasn't really pulling for the main character. I mean, sure, he was really funny, but a majority of the laughs he provided were from their exploitation of his fatness. It was actually kinda sad looking back. There just wasn't as close of an emotional connection to Po in this film as you feel to other main characters from other movies such as Dori, Marlin and Nemo in Finding Nemo, Wall-E in.. Wall-E, or Buzz and Woody in Toy Story (all Disney-Pixar films, just in case you didn't know). I completely agree with you though Urban; Dreamworks really toned down their overtly celebrityness in this movie and focused on actually having a story. *COUGH* Shark Tale.

I should add though, Dreamworks's actual animation can't hold a candle to Pixar's. There's just no comparison between the two. Pixar takes a much more realistic approach with their animation whereas Dreamworks animation is much more cartoony. Which, there's nothing wrong with that; it just is what it is.

My favorite parts of the film were these:

• Oogway, the old kung fu master turtle beginning to slowly blow out all those candles one-by-one.. Hilarious.
• Po making that crazy face in reaction to his acupuncture, right after Angelina Jolie's character says "And he's stuck with you, a big, fat panda who treats it like a joke."
• And of course, the opening 2D-animated dream sequence was amazing-- though it was done by James Baxter Animation, and not Dreamworks themselves. (JBA was also the studio that did the opening animation for Disney's Enchanted).

Overall though, I loved it. And I'll probably buy it on DVD.

Oh, and Sam: we should have an Emperor's New Groove watching party cuz I love that movie. And A Goofy Movie. We could call it
"A Goofy New Groove Party."

Rucker's Rating: Soo Good.

Opening Credit Sequence We Loved:

URBAN'S BLOG: Life on the Couch
RUCKER'S BLOG: Can I Please Just Say...

E-mail Us! UrbanAndRucker@gmail.com!
Pass it On:

Urban&Rucker's FIRST PODCAST !!!

Our very first audio/visual podcast/webcast is now up for the world to see/hear!

Check it out! We discuss popular topics from the blog and more!
And best of all, there's no reading involved! Just watch and listen!

Enjoy! It's soooo good.

-Urban&Rucker

URBAN'S BLOG: Life on the Couch
RUCKER'S BLOG: Can I Please Just Say...

E-mail Us! UrbanAndRucker@gmail.com!
Pass it On:

Burn After Reading

Urban's Take: “Burn After Reading” is one of those rare films where it’s almost impossible to describe the plot. The best I can give you is that the Coen brothers present a satire about intelligence gathering and information trading in the U.S., complete with some jabs at internet dating and exercise facilities.

The film mainly focuses on a former CIA analyst played by John Malkovich and his frigid wife, played by Tilda Swinton, who’s having an affair with a neurotic State Marshall played by George Clooney. Add two bumbling personal trainers played by Francis McDormand and Brad Pitt into the mix and you’ve got comedy gold. The film plays on the interweaving relationships between all of these characters and the chaos that ensues gives new meaning to the famous phrase, “Oh, what tangled webs we weave, when first we practice to deceive.”

I thought this movie was really clever and funny. The audience I saw it with was laughing for a majority of the movie. And of course, since it’s a Coen Brothers product, it’s extremely well made, although I’ll admit that the film has some problems with pacing. Sometimes it moves too slowly, and other times it moves at a break-neck speed. Overall, it doesn’t quite live up to “Fargo” or “The Big Lebowski” in terms of classic Coen comedies… but it could gain that status over a few years, just like those movies did.

John Malkovich is brilliant here, as are Tilda Swinton and Francis McDormand. But the real standouts are Clooney and Pitt. Clooney is no stranger to Coen comedy and the brothers always get a great performance out of him. “Burn After Reading” is no different as Clooney twitches and jogs his way through the portrayal of a seriously messed-up government worker.


Pitt is a newcomer to the Coen canon and he hits it out of the park from the first moment we see him to the very last. There’s no question that he’ll be audiences’ favorite character- he was certainly mine. He plays a bonehead gym employee named Chad, who’s one of those guys that thinks he knows a lot about government workings, but is actually completely clueless. From the skunk-like blond streaks in his hair to his idiot savant manner of conversation, Pitt embodies this character without thinking- which is perfect.

Now, it must be said… “Burn After Reading” is no “No Country for Old Men.” The Coens have a much higher profile now that they’ve won the Oscar and people will check this out just to see what they’ve done with themselves since last year. But comparing the two films is more ridiculous than comparing apples and oranges- it’s like comparing kites and staplers. As a Coen comedy, it doesn’t quite live up to high expectations. But even a slightly less amazing film from the Coens is better than what the majority of writers and directors out there can do. This movie is hilarious and worth every cent that overpriced movie theaters will charge you to see it.

Urban's Rating: Sooo good

URBAN'S BLOG: Life on the Couch
RUCKER'S BLOG: Can I Please Just Say...

E-mail Us! UrbanAndRucker@gmail.com!
Pass it On:

America's Got Talent ???

Rucker's Take: For years, I've tried to deny that it even existed by just changing the channel and pretending I didn't see anything. But Tuesday night, I didn't look away. I faced the issue head-on. And let me tell you people: it wasn't pretty.

Before we get too far, let's start with the basics:

• This is a show called America's Got Talent that has 2 judges that are British, and one judge that is David Hasselhoff (the two Brits are Piers Morgan and Sharon Osbourne). By its title and judge selection alone, AGT already shows that they have no idea what they're looking for. But the fact that none of the judges seem capable of assessing talent is oddly enough the least of the show's problems.
• The first season of AGT brought us the wildly popular child singing sensation, Bianca Ryan. What did you say? "Who's Bianca Ryan?" Exactly.
• Finally, the show is hosted by Jerry Springer, who actually used the line "He's an insurance broker that's just got one policy: singing his heart out," to introduce someone...
  

AGT will allow ANY kind of talent, which means that many of the acts are completely ridiculous, including but not limited to: ZOOperstars! (a group of dancing inflatable mascots),
the Wright Kids (a trio of folksy kids with an attitude),and this Elvis impersonator.This show is just completely out-of-control. It's basically a poor man's American Idol, and I think AI is terrible, so that says a lot. The judges treat pure mediocrity as if it's incredible and even add "YOU CAN HEADLINE VEGAS WITH THIS!" (a "headlining show" in Vegas is one of AGT's prizes).

Sure, they can headline as much as they want, but that doesn't mean anyone will come.

Even though I think the judges' opinions are utterly ridiculous, I understand that they're getting paid for what they do. If I was getting paid millions of dollars to "judge" talent, I would throw around expressions like "You could take down Whitney Houston with that performance!" too.

What I don't understand is the audience. Are they pumping nitrous oxide into the air conditioning systems? Something must make these seemingly normal people turn into rabid fans of these, sorry-but-I-have-to-say-this, near talentless performers. Like their TV audience cousins over at American Idol, they BOO!!! at every negative word from the judges, and YAAAY!!! at everything else.

America's Got Talent is by no means hurting anybody, except for maybe the contestants it convinces that they may have a future in show business.

OH MY GOSH IF I SEE KID ROCK ON TV SINGING "ALL SUMMER LONG" ONE MORE TIME I'LL SCREAM! Sorry, I just flipped onto Fashion Rocks for 4 seconds.

In conclusion, I just don't think we need all these "talent" shows anymore, for all the above reasons.

Rucker's Rating: Soooo Bad

URBAN'S BLOG: Life on the Couch
RUCKER'S BLOG: Can I Please Just Say...

E-mail Us! UrbanAndRucker@gmail.com!
Pass it On:

90210 Part 2

Rucker's Take: I was more than a little skeptical coming into tonight's episode of 90210. I really liked the first episode(s) they showed last week for the series premiere, but you just never know if it'll continue to work as time goes on. And I believe it did.. work, that is...

I was happy to see more Aunt Becky this week, but not as happy to see less (and by "less" I mean "none") of Lucille Bluth, aka Annie's grandmother.

This episode, titled "Lucky Strike," relied heavily on caught-you-in -the-act moments (*SPOILER ALERT*) such as : DEEP BREATH- Naomi catching her dad in the middle of an affair that her mom knows about but isn't gonna do anything about because she likes the life she lives and doesn't want to mess that up even if it means she has to pretend like she isn't aware of the more than 2-year-long affair that her husband's been having, GASP, Ty catching Annie with Ethan while they were "catching some air" outside the bowling alley and having those awkward-laugh/"I think I like you" moments, GASP, and Dixon finding Silver while he was taking out the trash, camped out in her car outside his house because she can't stay at her house because her mother's a raging alcoholic and because she can't stay at the women's shelter because her friend that works there said she didn't have room.

I'm beginning to like the characters more and I really just like the overall feel of the show so far, music included. There's a lot going on here and I'm glad they don't feel it necessary to address every character and all their issues every single episode, which I think is something that will definitely help the show keep its viewers as time goes on.

Rucker's Rating: Still Soo Good

Rucker's Mini Take: I also caught the premiere of Privileged, and I'm pretty sure it won't become a regular series of mine to watch (with 90210, The Hills, and an older sister, I think I have quite enough girl drama to observe). But I do think that the show's main character, played by Reba's Joanna Garcia, is pretty funny and genuinely believable. I really liked her line at the end "Oh and, Uncle Ben is Spiderman's uncle, not mine, I just wanna make that clear," after quoting Uncle Ben's famous line: With great power comes great responsibility.

I also loved the show's use of the song "Pony," by Erin McCarley, an alum of my high school and fellow ex-Showboater! Holla Erin! Urban's Take: I was equally impressed with this week's episode's ability to keep the big audience they scored last week. Well, they kept ME watching, anyway.

Like Adam, I was disappointed in the lack of Jessica Walter. Having her completely absent from this episode was really weird and made her seem like a mere plot device to get Annie, Dixon, and the rest of the family to move to America's Favorite Zip Code.

Once again, I found myself bored whenever the younger members of the cast weren't around. I'm sure that fans of the original 90210 adore the scenes with Jennie Garth and are just salivating to know which original cast member is her baby's daddy. But I personally could not care less. Not when Silver's out on the streets and Naomi is having a personal crisis! (Speaking of which, Naomi finding out about her father's infidelity at the office happened in an eerily similar way to how it happened on "Degrassi" when Jimmy found out that HIS dad was cheating on his mom. And "Degrassi" used to be Shenae Grimes' old stomping grounds... I'm just sayin'...)

The real crux of the episode that wasn't mentioned earlier was the MANDATORY FAMILY NIGHT imposed on Annie and Dixon. They are humiliated that their parents would make them do something so uncool, so naturally they invite everyone they know to come along. Of course. Still, we were treated to fun bowling scenes, more Lori Loughlin, and even a "Hills" reference! (Although Ethan should know that no one can out-Spencer Spencer Pratt. He might be Satan. See this week's "Hills" for more info.)

In short, it looks like I'm here to stay! (There's nothing else really interesting to watch on Tuesdays, anyway. But Dancing With the Stars is rapidly approaching... I am ready to watch Kim Kardashian literally shake what her momma gave her. Also, Lance Bass. Enough said.)

Urban's Rating: Soo good

Rucker's Rebuttal: If it helps, Sam, CW posted like 30 pictures from next week's episode, "The Bubble," on their website. From the looks of them, Jessica Walter is all up in that Ep. Also, I totally forgot about the "Hills" reference that happened. It was truly a highlight of the night. I'm pretty sure Ethan and Annie will be 90210's "Ross and Rachel." Oh and I too hate Spencer. That is all.

URBAN'S BLOG: Life on the Couch
RUCKER'S BLOG: Can I Please Just Say...

E-mail Us! UrbanAndRucker@gmail.com!
Pass it On:

Gossip Girl: You Know You Love It

Hey there, Upper East Siders. Gossip Girl here. ...wait, sorry. It's just Sam. But that voiceover gets in your head when you watch a lot of Gossip Girl, which I do.

If you don't know, Gossip Girl follows the lives of Manhattan's wealthy (and beautiful) elite and their progeny. So far, this season has been just as salacious and decadent as last season- and we're only two episodes in. (A word to the wise: if you want to remain spoiler free, back away now.)

Like I said, this season has been amazing so far and the characters haven't even gone back to school yet. GG has been focusing on the characters' summers spent overseas and in the Hamptons. This season's structure is a lot stronger than last year's. The plots are more intertwined and the characters have much more depth, which has come with getting to know their inner workings more and more with each episode. The acting is still believable, even if the ages of the actors and the high school characters they're supposed to be portraying don't quite match up. Everyone is almost overwhelmingly eloquent, but what else can we expect from students of the best private schools in New York?

As far as tonight's episode goes, tensions were high. Sexual tensions, that is! Each scene between Serena (Blake Lively) and Dan (Penn Badgley) had hormones flying as the two couldn't keep their hands off of each other, despite being broken up all summer. Chuck (Ed Westwick) and Blair (Leighton Meester) were equally engaging, but in a very hands-off way. I'm not going to lie, their love/hate relationship/rivalry is what keeps me coming back each week.

Per usual, the fashions of the show were part outrageous, part stunning. I think the real kicker of the night was Chuck's squash attire. Ridiculous and delightful. The music is also still killer, giving each scene the right amount of intensity or whimsy, as needed.

And of course, the drama was in full swing as the Archibalds discovered that they were soon to be penniless and Nate (Chase Crawford) essentially became a male prostitute in what used to be an "innocent" May-December relationship with a cougar who just happens to be a wealthy duchess. Yes, the same wealthy duchess who is the stepmother of the lord that Blair, Nate's ex-girlfriend, is currently courting. Oh, the tangled webs we weave...

In short, Gossip Girl is back with a vengeance and it's gunning for ratings. We even saw Blair utter last season's tagline ("OMFG"), when she walked in on Nate and The Duchess. That alone merits the episode sooo good. Welcome back, GG. We missed you-
XOXO,
Sam


URBAN'S BLOG: Life on the Couch
RUCKER'S BLOG: Can I Please Just Say...

E-mail Us! UrbanAndRucker@gmail.com!
Pass it On:

THE 2008 MTV VMAs LIVE BLOG!

(7:52- RUCKER): Hello all! Welcome to Urban&Rucker's live blog of the 2008 MTV VMA's. We've got about 10 minutes until the craziness begins. Sam (Urban) will be joining us in just a few, but Sam, don't worry, you haven't missed a whole lot. There have been a few notable things though: Katy Perry and Miley Cyrus arrived to the awards together in an effort to squash rumors that they hate each other, T-Pain came to the awards on a huge elephant, and a ginormous, pregnant Ashlee Simpson just showed herself to the world... Goodness, another Simpson in this world.... And Ashlee Simpson will be its mother..... AHHH.

(7:55- RUCKER): I've gotta say, Taylor Swift is really good at her red carpet correspondent job. Very natural.

(7:58- RUCKER): TWO MINUTES! I'm kinda skeptical of Britney's "comeback to the MTV stage" because that doesn't really tell that she's necessarily performing. What if she's just presenting or something? Or just eating a chicken wing on stage or something. That would be such a ripoff!

(8:00- RUCKER): BRITNEY LOOKS NORMAL!!!

(8:04- RUCKER): Britney pretty much got through her "opening" of the VMAs, which was really just her speaking one line of text. Her only stumble was on the word "anniversary" when she said "anniversity." But who cares. She's back!

(8:05- RUCKER): The venue for the awards, a sound stage at the Paramount Studios lot, is shockingly small. At least for the VMA's. But no one asked for my opinion.

(8:06- RUCKER): My friend Logan just asked if Rihanna's performance was really just Festival of the Lion King (a show at Disney's Animal Kingdom), referring presumably to Rihanna's entrance on some sort of giant Pride Rock-looking contraption.

(8:08- RUCKER): I have NO clue who "Russell Brand" is, other than the apparent male version of Amy Winehouse...

(8:11- RUCKER): Oh, Russell has now pleaded with us to elect Barack Obama... for the good of the world. Thank you Russell. Yes, let's please take our political cues from this cracked out man.

(8:14- RUCKER): This is REALLY classy so far MTV! Good job with this "Russell Brand!" He's also mocked the Jonas Brothers about 400 times for their commitment to remain pure until marriage.

(8:19- RUCKER): Britney just won her first Female Video of the Year award for "Piece of Me."

(8:25- RUCKER): I was just more entertained by that Schlotzsky's commercial than I have been by the VMAs so far.

(8:29- RUCKER): Chris Brown won Best Male Video for "With You." Ehh- I agree.

(8:36- RUCKER): The Jonas Brothers just performed "Love Bug" on the backlot and it was pretty good, which is more than I can say for this Seinfeld/Bill Gates Microsoft commercial... I don't get it.

(8:39 - URBAN): I'm here! And can I please just say that I DON'T like Katy Perry's song but I LOOOOOVE Russell Brand. Also... Michael Phelps... what a stud.

(8:41 - URBAN): I love this song ("Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood"), but not this cover. Boo on this woman whose name I didn't catch. ... I should probably know more about music to be allowed to live blog the VMAs...

(8:44 - URBAN): Um, when every other word is bleeped out, my enjoyment of the song is hindered. You see, I enjoy hearing words. Call me crazy.

(8:48- RUCKER): What is with these CA-RAZY graphics for the nominees?

(8:50 - URBAN): I know... the graphics are nuts. Also, has anyone pointed out the irony of still having an awards show for music videos when MTV doesn't show them anymore?

(8:51 - URBAN): Having people accept awards in the aisles is as ghetto as it was when the Oscars did it a few years ago and everyone said it was lame. VMAs, you are not the Oscars.

(8:53- RUCKER): I know right? It is pretty ghetto. And apparently the Pussycat Dolls thought they were receiving an Academy Award cuz they thanked like 4,000 people.

(8:56 - URBAN): Well, I'm okay with them getting their moment in the limelight. It's not like they're going to win many more awards ever again.

(8:58- RUCKER): Why does the Twilight girl look like she wants to kill me?

(8:59 - URBAN): Probably because she wants to kill everybody because she is attacked by insane fan girls on a daily basis. Poor kid. And... um... I loved Russell Brand in "Forgetting Sarah Marshall," but he's not a great host. His humor doesn't suit the gig- he just seems NUTS.

(9:02- RUCKER): I'm just gonna get it out there that I'm really excited for Rock of Love Girls Charm School AND Paris Hilton's My BFF. I'm not ashamed.

(9:05 - URBAN): That being said... I'm appalled that Paris Hilton can't even convey talent or emotion in the commercial for her own television show.

(9:09- RUCKER): Agreed. But I think she was actually kinda funny in this video she did for Funny or Die...

See more funny videos at Funny or Die

(9:11 - URBAN): Linkin Park wins Best Rock Video for the least Linkin Park-ish song ever. But at least they liked "Transformers."

(9:14 - URBAN): Pink is still around? Huh. I remember rocking one of her albums in high school. Flashback to AwkwardSam!

(9:15- RUCKER): Do you think this is a statement to her ex husband? Or am I just looking into it too much..

(9:19 - URBAN): I don't think that's out of the question. On another note, I like this buffer around the commercials reminding us that we're watching the VMAs and telling us what's coming up next. Is the younger generation so ADD that they might forget what they're watching and change the channel? What else is on for teens on Sunday nights? 'Cause I don't think they go crazy for "Extreme Home Makeover."

(9:22- RUCKER): All I know is that the cast of High School Musical is coming up soon. Finally something to look forward to.

(9:25 - URBAN): Yeah, except for the Disney related acts appearing on the show, I'm kind of shocked about what's been going down, especially considering MTV's younger audience these days. If I were a parent watching this, I'd be very concerned for the future. McLovin getting trashed? What's next?! (P.S. Jordin Sparks totally just dissed Russell Brand for making fun of promise rings. Get it, girl.)

(9:27- RUCKER): I KNOW! GO JORDIN SPARKS! I'm really confused by the content of the show too. Especially considering they were advertising it on The N earlier today with the cast of iCarly, a show aimed at young kids. It's kinda sad. And embarrassing.

(9:31 - URBAN): Since when was the Numa Numa song allowed to be cool again?

(9:38- RUCKER): Notice "the cast of High School Musical" almost never includes Lucas Grabeel or Monique Coleman at appearances? Shout out to them tonight as they're probably watching from their bedrooms! My girlfriend Ashley was looking good though.And now we're treated to a mega-mix of Christina Aguilera lip-syncing. This just keeps getting better...

(9:42 - URBAN): As Russell Brand apologizes in his charming accent, I must note that the Christina performance was amazing. Soooo... final score? Britney: 15. Christina: 1,000,000.

(9:44- RUCKER): OK- I have OFFICIALLY checked out of this "awards show" now. WHO IS TOKIO HOTEL?!?!?! I voted for Miley about a trillion times. There is no way they are the Best New Artist. And could the looks on Chace Crawford and Lauren Conrad's faces been any more completely confused as they mumbled out the words "The award for best new artist goes to... Tok..io... Hotel????" Insane.

(9:50 - URBAN): Oh, Adam. We're hopelessly out of touch. I think my younger sisters know who they are. But now Paris Hilton speaks... and doesn't disappoint as she is unable to find the teleprompter.

(9:58- RUCKER): Oh Paris... speaking of people who probably shouldn't be famous, how excited is Mario Lopez that Dancing with the Stars revived his "career"???

(10:00 - URBAN): ATTENTION EVERYONE: Drake Bell looks like a young Adam Rucker with glasses. Also, when will Kid Rock go away? We get it. You love "Sweet Home Alabama." So do drunken sorority girls, but that doesn't mean it sounds good when they sing it.

(10:10- RUCKER): I have NO idea what you're talking about.(10:12 - URBAN): THEY'RE COUSINS, IDENTICAL COUSINS! Aaaand Britney kinda makes a comeback by winning Video of the Year and making a classy and short acceptance speech. Kanye, take us out.

(10:18-RUCKER): Well that was fun. I wonder if Tyra's proud of her ANTM, Kim, holding hosting duties here at the VMAs.

(10:19 - URBAN): Kim looks sooo good. But what of the show Adam? I give it a So Bad. Not enough of what I wanted to see (Miley, Jonas Bros., HSM kiddos, and bands I've heard of). And Russell Brand, though he has a charming accent, was a pretty awful host. Your take, Rucker?

(10:24- RUCKER): I'm actually gonna give it a Sooo Bad. Could you imagine if some alien planet somehow linked into one of our satellites and only caught the VMAs, what they would think of us? I know that's a way out-there analogy (literally, out in space), but seriously. I'll probably just stick with the Kids Choice Awards from now on.. BUT it's been a blast having Urban&Rucker's first LIVE BLOG together! Let's do it again sometime!

(10:33 - URBAN): Absolutely! Thanks for reading, everybody!

URBAN'S BLOG: Life on the Couch
RUCKER'S BLOG: Can I Please Just Say...

E-mail Us! UrbanAndRucker@gmail.com!
Pass it On: