By Daniel Denehy
Battleship has been receiving a lot of guff from critics since even before it was released. A natural reaction for them I think, given that the previews make it look like the fourth Transformers movie. A series that has polarized movie viewers like none other I've seen. (Since it is partially relevant, and if it's important to you, I enjoy that series. Are they flawless, no, but they are more than enjoyable action flicks.) However, though Battleship may look like Transformers, it is not; it's Independence Day, another big time movie critic punching bag that I enjoy.
Battleship has been receiving a lot of guff from critics since even before it was released. A natural reaction for them I think, given that the previews make it look like the fourth Transformers movie. A series that has polarized movie viewers like none other I've seen. (Since it is partially relevant, and if it's important to you, I enjoy that series. Are they flawless, no, but they are more than enjoyable action flicks.) However, though Battleship may look like Transformers, it is not; it's Independence Day, another big time movie critic punching bag that I enjoy.
It was obvious from the beginning of the season of American Idol that Phillip Phillips had something special. The twenty-one year old from Leesburg, Georgia, had a unique voice that separated him from the competition and helped him stand out early on. Every week fans waited to see what he would do, as he always made the songs his own. Phillips has known from the beginning the kind of artist he would become; often ignoring advice in order to stay true to himself.
Jessica Sanchez has quite a big voice, but the California native is only sixteen. During this season of American Idol she has taken on songs by artists such as Mariah Carey and Whitney Houston - powerful songs that contestants are usually told to shy away from. However, this girl can sing a ballad like the best.
Not since Lost has a show taken me on a journey that made me question the story at every turn. The complexity of Awake is one of the best parts of the show, in my opinion. Through the whole season I was guessing and making theories about what was really going on; which reality was real, if any. At the end of the journey I'm still left with questions, though surprisingly still quite satisfied at the end.
This season of American Idol marked Jimmy Iovine's second year as the in-house-coach. He helps the contestants each week to pick their songs and mentor them to improve each week. He also generally gives critiques of their performances during the show.
"Person of Interest" brings its freshman season to a close with another stellar episode. And it did it by taking its established formula and layering in the onging elements it's been building all season. Rather that a special event finale, it becomes an enhanced episode that ramps up the tension to a fever pitch. While some questions are answered, some plot threads are closed, it all drives to a conclusion that was both satisfying and leaves you begging for more. It's going to be a long summer waiting to hear the other side of that phone call.
Juan Borgia returns from Spain with a rather distracting problem, while Lucrezia rebels against her role as a political pawn. Oh, and Savonarola continues to gain influence in Florence, as he inspires one of the more infamous "bonfires of the vanities". Not to mention the titular siege at Forli, which does not go as planned!
Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce is an advertising firm. So we know from the outset that they deal in popular consumerism. They try their hardest to make money off of what people desire. Only, the people who work at the firm aren't getting what they desire the most. The most obvious example of this mindset has been Pete throughout the season, but he has a small role in this episode. No, the unfulfilled desire comes from other places and other characters, including one, Paul Kinsey, who hasn't been seen in two seasons. This causes plenty of frustration, which is only beginning to bubble to the surface in some cases while bursting at the seams in others. It has been a really dark season so far (even by "Mad Men" standards) and I don't think this is the last we're going to see of it.