Johnny Simmons

Today is my birthday, so we're doing things a little differently on the meme.I mentioned Friends as my favourite show on Day 4. Choosing my favourite from in excess of 200 episodes is a difficult one…but today is my birthday so I’m going to go avant garde and choose not one, not two but my nineteen episodes that strike me as well made. As often occurs with list making, I may forget one…but these 19 are excellent.

                           

This is probably one of those “you had to be there” episodes. The guys are off picking a tuxedo for Chandler but the big event is of course Winona Ryder’s appearance as one of Rachel’s college friend, with whom she shared a kiss. Phoebe is sceptical of this, especially when Melissa denies it. Eventually though all is resolved culminating in a kiss from Phoebe to Rachel leaving Rachel shocked. Kudrow’s line reading is a beauty, “I just wanted to see what the fuss was about.”…”I’ve had better.”

             

Joey and Phoebe’s bond is shown to be even deeper when its revealed that they meet once a month to talk about the rest of the group, but Phoebe is in a dilemma when a date with her scientist ex-boyfriend (remember Hank Azarai’s brilliant guest performance?). The reason I like this episode, though is found in the title. Chandler enlists Rachel to steal cheesecakes from their downstairs neighbour. It’s a plot device I like because Aniston and Perry have good chemistry (that’s oddly rarely used), but it’s the end that always gets. A smashed cheesecake on the hall floor leads to the two taking out their forks and eating it right there followed by Joey’s entrance. He gives them a dubious look, and then pulls a fork (out of his coat jacket mind you) – “What are we having?”

              

Each of the three storylines combines excellently. Rachel tries to get her job back at Ralph Lauren, only to realise that she wasn’t exactly, Ross then tries to help her through bribery. Maggie Wheeler returns as Janice with that legendary laugh of hers. She sets herself up as a possible neighbour for him and Monica in the suburbs, but Chandler’s fake lasciviousness gets her to rethink the idea. But it’s Lisa Kudrow who steals the episode. She realises that Joey’s agent has died and spends the entire episode pretending to be Estelle. It leads to a series of ridiculous events and some excellent quotes from Phoebe. “No, don’t call her. Wait for her to call you.” Joey responds, “Why?” After a moment phoebe responds, “Because…Patience is the road to understanding which is the key to a happy heart.”

Was Friends ever a big hit with the gay community? I don’t know, but it’s inspired how despite his misgivings on his ex’s new wife he’s the one who helps her to go ahead with the wedding despite her parents’ disapproval. Joey notably appears for the first time on Days of Our Life and Marlo Thomas appears as Rachel’s mother intent on divorcing her husband. She was always my favourite of the parents. Once again, though Lisa Kudrow insists on stealing the show. When a client dies on the massage table her spirit “embodies” Phoebe. As her husband says, she always said she wanted to see everything so it’s tentative how long Phoebe will remain possessed. Luckily, on witnessing the lesbian wedding Phoebe is free as the woman’s “spirit” says, “Now I’ve seen everything.”

            

This episode subtly prepares us for the eventual pairing of Monica and Chandler, and Phoebe memorably realises that her real mother never died. Teri Garr’s guest appearance is truly exceptional. But the episode hinges on Rachel’s flirting with Ross. They’ve officially broken up for some time, but of course Rachel remains as a voracious tease. The episode is memorable for the cliff-hanger of Ross standing outside in the hall unsure if he should go to Rachel or his actual girlfriend…

Most remember this episode for Ross’ inspired rendition of “Baby Got Back” to cheer up. It’s one of the memorable examples of original parenting from the cast of Friends. However, it’s not the main plot that lands this on the list. What makes this a favourite episode is Phoebe’s visit to Mike’s bourgeoisie parents. Phoebe is stricken with a case of intense nervousness resulting in a stilted voice which is just hilarious, and her parting line in the selfsame posh accent is a knockout – “here’s something rich, 13 bathrooms in this place I threw up in the coat closet...Tatah”

It’s one of the few that gets points not for the funny, but for the sad. No matter how contrived you feel their romance is, and no matter how I much I admit to not being a fan of Aniston both she and Schwimmer deliver the dramatic chops in this episode where Rachel finds out that Ross slept with another woman – while they were on a break. The dramatics of their breakup argument is oddly funny when juxtaposed with the four other friends trapped in the bedroom listening on. For a situational comedy, they really went all out with the breakup.

Oddly the clunker in this episode comes from Ross whose relationship with college student Elizabeth rarely amuses me. Of course, it all comes down to the proposal and even though Tom Selleck’s Richard (another good guest star) almost throws a wrench in it, it ends well for love. Monica and Chandler are among the best married couple on TV (Ross and Rachel never married, so they don’t count).

Trust Friends to make a blackout seem like something really cool. Five of the friends are stuck at home when it hits, and Paolo makes his first appearance. Phoebe’s improvisation skills always amuse me, “New York City has no power / And the milk is getting sour / But to me it is not scary / 'Cause I stay away from dairy.” But, it’s Chandler who shines in this episode. Perry singlehandedly shows us why he’s the strongest male on the show after he’s stuck with Jill Goodacre in an elevator. I love when she offers him a stick of gum and he replies, “Gum would be perfection.”

…or the one where Ross says Rachel. Kudrow’s pregnancy prevents her from being in London and yet she holds it down excellently acting with a phone alone for half of the episode. Monica and Chandler’s hook-up works and is a testimony of great things to come, but of course it’s the end that puts it here…one for the books.

This episode works on so many levels. The friends (minus Ross) try to convince Rachel to tell the father of the baby she’s pregnant but not before Lisa Kudrow steals the show (she tends to do that often) by pretending she’s the one pregnant and accepting Joey’s impromptu proposal and of course Monica voraciously opening wedding gifts is hilarious.

Phoebe and Joey try valiantly to steal the episode with their aliases Regina Filangee and Ken Adams, but the show belongs to Rachel and Ross and the tape of them having sex. True, the seduction story has to be one of the most ridiculous things I’ve heard but it still works completely – Schwimmer and Aniston have excellent chemistry; and having the entire group sit down to watch it is twisted but completely believable.

 

As always with Friends, random humour often becomes more memorable than main plots. When Chandler has cold feet he leaves a note “Tell Monica I’m sorry”, Ross walks over to the girls’ apartment and shows Phoebe who promptly replies, “Tell her yourself.” It’s one of Kudrow’s deadpan deliveries that I never forget. The episode is great in every way and with the added twist of Rachel’s imminent pregnancy it ends on a high note.

It perfectly encapsulates all that’s wonderful of the show complete with a good guest turn from Anna Farris. Chandler and Monica freaking out over the unexpected second baby is lovely, Phoebe’s attempts to make Rachel’s plane get delayed are awesome (Something’s wrong with the left filangee), Joey and Chandler playing foosball one last time is sweet and of course Ross and Rachel finally getting together. Perfect.

           

Everyone gets their chance to shine as the truth comes out about Monica and Chandler. The top three maintain their spots turning in the best performances of the episode (Perry, Kudrow, Schwimmer) and the game of seduction between Phoebe and Chandler is hilarious. I love Phoebe’s derivative line from The Lion in Winter, “They don't know that we know they know we know.”

Joey’s idea of the hand twin was a bit nauseating at times, but everything else is on point. Phoebe’s ranting with the lurker at the slot machines was effective as usual from Kudrow and seeing Monica and Chandler almost get married was well played, but of course the cincher was the drunken wedding of Ross & Rachel. Easily, my favourite season finale.

It’s one of those rare episodes where no one stands out and everyone is equally excellent, it’s also one of those bottle episodes where only the six star. Ross has an important function to attend and only Phoebe’s ready. Chandler and Joey get into a fight and Chandler hides Joey’s underwear, Joey then puts on all of Chandler’s clothes (still underwear-less) “Look at me, I’m Chandler. Could I be wearing anymore clothes?” Monica is obsessing over her breakup up with Richard and Rachel memorably dares Ross to drink the glass in the fat if he wants her to go. Good stuff.

The main draw of the episode is the girls’ realisation that Rachel is pregnant, and it’s one of Aniston’s best performances (save the one to come). It’s one of those sedate season premieres that doesn’t overdo but brings the funny nonetheless, Phoebe tricking Rachel intro realising she wanted a baby was a completely Phoebe-esque thing to do.

“And that my friend is what we call closure.”

This is such a classic episode and has the usual funny stuff, like Phoebe begging her boyfriend to have sex with her, Monica and Chandler’s exercising but ultimately it is Aniston who steals the show with her drunken call to Ross and Schwimmer’s excellence response to the message – “You’re over me? When were you under me?” Rachel and Ross will always be at the root of Friends, I suppose. 

               

This entry is part of my ongoing meme on TV Moments

What better way to celebrate a birthday than with Friends?

One show came to mind as soon as I heard the words TV and hatred. Of course, I’m not focusing on realities shows because Dancing With the Stars would have been an easy target for condemnation. But still, focusing on scripted shows there are some that annoy me to no end - My Wife & Kids, That’s So Raven, Touched By An Angel but I wouldn’t like to obliterate any of them (and their remains) as much as I’d like to do it to a certain CBS comedy that for some reason continues to be something of an Emmy magnet.

How I loathe Two & A Half Men. Simply put, that is it. I don’t think I’ve ever really grasped the appeal of CBS comedy. Sure I’ll enjoy a random episode now and then of How I Met Your Mother - but it’s hardly considered a favourite of mine (even though NPH really should have that Emmy by now). But I don’t find any CBS show as clunkily put together as Two & A Half Men. It’s one of the two reasons for my hatred. I remember being vaguely impressed by Angus T. Jones when he was in See Spot Run (remember that one?) but in Two & A Half Men between Jon Cryer and the Charlie Sheen he’s just another addition to an irritating venture. It’s one of those shows where the “in studio” audience’s laughter makes me nonplussed as to the hilarity. The show just meanders through from boring episode to boring episode. Someone, I can’t recally who, once referred to the show as provocative. If provocative meant loathing, I suppose they’re on the right track.

                        

My initial hatred of Two & A Half Men is only exacerbated by the success it finds at the awards. Jon Cryer’s Emmy win last year was my least favourite moment of the show, and after Kristin Chenoweth’s delightful Emmy win it seemed the Academy took a thousand steps backwards. Charlie “can’t act” Sheen does nothing to raise the bar of comedy on television and I’m not sure why Two & A Half Men is so often referred to as American’s #1 comedy? Is it really? Maybe I’m alone on a limb here; perhaps I really am missing something. Nonetheless, I hate it. Enough said. 

      

This entry is part of my ongoing meme on TV Moments

This week my favourite post comes courtesy of Ross v Ross. It’s probably the most topical post of the week: what do you like and dislike about being a film blogger. To add to the goodness of the post, it’s nice hearing fellow bloggers weigh in.

        

Airport is a nice popcorn flick of the seventies that went on to get a crapload of Oscar nominations. Chase takes a look back at it.

I didn’t have anything new to add to the obituaries on Dennis Hopper, but Tom offers up a thoughtful piece on Easy Rider…a film I’m yet to see. Any Hopper performances stand out for you?

        

Though Heather didn’t get a chance to participate in my blog-a-thon she did write a nice piece on My Fair Lady. I’m not a big fan of the film, though.

              

I’ve not seen Let the Right One In so the remake doesn’t interest me that much either way. filmjunkie isn’t too pleased with the idea, though. Go read her rant.

Castor reviews The Road, I film I felt I may have been a little too harsh on way back when. It still manages to be one of the 20 best of the last year for me (better than 6 of the 9 BP nominations I saw).

            

CS reviews last year’s Oscar winning Crazy Heart. His thoughts are just about right, says me…

                   

Danny takes a look at the new Catherine Keener indie, Please Give. He’s not overly fond, though he admits it has its merits.

…and nine… Remember Nine? I sure do…many don’t care to. Fitz offers up a review of it, he’s fairly entertained and it’s as much as I can ask. At least he didn’t lambast it.

I was surprised, but gratified when in the comments’ section of my review of Annie Hall love was professed for Allen’s Hannah and Her Sisters. If the 1977 classic is more then the (relative) serenity of Hannah and Her Sisters must certainly be less. But as the saying goes, less is more, and with Hannah and Her Sisters it’s true. Yet, in theory at least, Hannah and Her Sisters shouldn’t be so excellent. Its irrepressible good-natured manner in the face of disaster is a bit alarming – even for Woody. But when I think of Woody’s greatest, I return to this comedy because Woody has always done best when he takes a group of neurotic and sometimes perverse characters and turn their tales into something deliciously wonderful. Having the opportunity to visit these characters over three years gives him the ideal chance to examine all the things he loves – relationships, religion, family, careers – and he does so with aplomb.

Dianne Wiest, Carrie Fisher, Michael Caine, Max Von Sydow Mia Farrow  Barbara Hershey and Woody himself. The man knows to work well with his cast members, thus Hannah and Her Sisters has that extra special something that makes it an almost peerless ensemble. Naturally Woody’s not for all, heaven knows why, but he isn’t. Still, when he’s on his game he’s supreme and every actor in the film is having a good time reading off lines from his Oscar winning script. When I made my list of memorable sisters on screen Hannah and Her Sisters missed by inch, but the relationship between Hershey Wiest and Farrow is wonderfully true. Sure, it’s not as quirky as the other trio of sisters that year but the focus is more expansive and Woody is careful not to make any one of them the “important” one – even if Hannah’s name is the only on in the title. I’m somewhat amused when I think of its name really, Hannah and Her Sisters seems like a misleading title. It is about the sisters and their work, but I’m unsure if that’s ideal name for it. But then, I suppose it’s an attribute of Woody. Annie Hall isn’t really about Annie Hall alone…is it?

So, yes, Hannah and Her Sisters is my favourite Woody piece. It’s something that many fans would say, and I guess sometimes it pays to agree with the masses. Between this and A Room With a View I’m just slightly miffed that the Oscar went to Platoon - which is actually a good winner. But who cares? Prizes are prizes and yet Hannah and Her Sisters continues as a treasure to the comedic genre. It’s troubling though, even though it’s remembered as one Woody’s best I don’t hear as much about it as I’d hope. Sure, it’s been over twenty years but it’s still worth remembering and falls at #13 on my list of favourite films. I’ll always remember Woody’s manic search for a religious epiphany in the film, a scene that has become a bit too spoofed in recent times…what do you remember first when you think of Hannah & Her Sisters (and their men)?

I was supposed get this done since earlier in the week, but I'm always being distracted. Movie weddings are always interesting, they're usually quite over the top and when it comes to over the top weddings few come close to Shelby's peptobismol spectacular in Steel Magnolias. We spend a good deal of the first act waiting for the wedding to materialise, and that it does. The thing is, as over the top as it is the wedding works for the movie, only Shelby would have a spectacle as a wedding...

Because it's a small town Southern film, of course the church is packed. Can you spot Shirley MacLaine's head there? She's least interested, and really who can blame her. Isn't the church always the most boring part of weddings?

Sure, Julia was not the best in show but I have no issues with her nomination and she is so personable as Shelby. Olympia Dukakis is so sweet, too. Though I like the film, proof, I wonder how it would have played out if Bette Davis had gotten her wish and played Ouiser opposite Katharine Hepburn as Clairee.

Ick! Call it pink, call it pepto bismol or call it blush and bashful the decor is still godawful. A streak of pink, pink and more pink. I'm not too knowledgeable of fashion, but those have got to be the most hideous bridesmaid dresses.

But that does look cute...

That wink is meant for MacLaine's Ouiser.

McDermott is a little bland, but I'm not the one marrying him. Still, he's giving me a slight David Schwimmer vibe in that picture. Look closer at those bridesmaid dresses, ladies would you be caught dead in that? The ceremony finishes just after, but there's still the reception...

Pink again.

Darryl is probably the weakest of the six for me, but I like this movie and she plays her part well. She's overdoing Annelle's weirdness just a little, but I'm fine with it.

This shot works best in motion, but I still find it funny.

The scene eventually switches to the bridal home as the happy couple prepare to go off on their honey moon. I like the way that Sally Field's M'Lynn looks just a little sad, of course she's the Overprotective mother bear, so she can’t help but be wistful as her eldest departs.

A few months back I was a pleased when everyone weighed in a TV show I flashed back to. I don’t think the dust has quite settled on the actual post, but the meme calls for it and so I shall revisit it. My favourite TV show is unequivocally a little NBC comedy called Friends. It’s a confession that’s almost a reflex. It’s actually the only question of the 30 I answered immediately. Friends is the type of show that’s a bit like lightning in the bottle. If it went into production today, I don’t know if it’d be as successful. Yet, it doesn’t depend on a wholly original concept. A group of friends and their lives…hasn’t that be done before? Certainly. And yet, Friends exudes an irresistible charm that I can confess to having seen every episode (of this ten season megahit) at least twice.

In assessing the lives of six friends in New York, Friends, like so many situational comedies depends on showing us types. We have Rachel – the spoilt, but goodhearted daddy’s girl, Phoebe – the slightly loopy working artist, Monica – the neurotic cook, Joey – the dumb, but good-looking ladies’ man and actor, Chandler – the slightly repressed office guy (where does he work exactly?) who has issues with romance and Ross – the good-natured, but often longwinded palaeontologist. Yes, the types are broad but there’s a consistency that runs throughout the show that makes it just a little more special. Every actor is comfortable in their “niche” and the tug-o-war that so often occurs in ensemble comedies never comes. Everyone is equal, and that’s a big part of Friends’s appeal. And those idiosyncrasies and catchphrases – Phoebe’s smelly cat; Joey’s “How you doing doing?” Monica’s angry, “I know!” It’s all part of the continuous hilarity that is Friends.
It’s a comedy, so it has to be funny. I said it before, and I’ll say it again – I don’t hold much stake in the sense of humour of persons who don’t find Friends funny. It just doesn’t make any sense to me. There are times when they go just a little over the top, but Friends always knows what’s funny and what’s not. It’s not the writers or the actors alone, but it’s everything together. Kudrow’s Ursula has a deadpan hilarity and the writers give her some delicious lines. I actually laugh when the in studio laughs, sometimes I laugh even when they don’t. Few things can put you in a good mood like spending time with Friends. I don’t think anyone who has seen Friends cannot find the escapades of our protagonist as realistic. Sure we may not be living on New York, or working as an actor but the realism with which the six interact with each other accounts for a large part of its appeal. Each episode works as a standalone, but even more impressive is hwo gags introduced in the first season can continue throughout to the final one. We know that Ross and Rachel were “on a break” and we know that Phoebe is a vegetarian (except for a particular bout of pregnancy). The continuity adds to the reality and makes it that much more enjoyable.
       
This entry is part of my ongoing meme on TV Moments

I’ll return to Friends again, not only for this meme but sometime again…because I love it and it only fills me with joy.

I didn’t cover The Wizard of Oz on Sunday – because it’s not my absolutely favourite musical – it’s the ever dreaded #2. Jose and Ruben both looked deeper into the classic spotting things that had never occurred. Of course, that’s one of the main indicators that a film is excellent – when you can keep returning to it and finding new things. The thing is, I often forget that the The Wizard of Oz is a musical. It’s not that the songs are poor, headlined by the class “Over the Rainbow” and backed up with sweet tunes like “If I Were the King of the Forest” and “If I Only Had A Brain” it is just as fulfilling in its moments of adventure as it is in its moments of music. What I remember The Wizard of Oz for most is the one thing that has been borrowed by countless story tellers (on film and otherwise) – our hero’s departure to a strange, new world that turns out to be a dream. Incidentally this running gag is the weakest part of The Wizard of Oz’s strong story, but all things considered it’s only weak by comparison and it’s only lost its brilliance today because of our overexposure to it.

The Wizard of Oz is one of the films I remember earliest from my childhood. I can’t recall the exact age, but I know I saw it when it had all switched to Technicolor. Upon my “discovery” of the earlier sepia toned portion I found myself more charmed by Dorothy’s adventures (or lack thereof) in Kansas. She’s obviously out of place, and it made me realise how important this portion is to her “development”, and I couldn't help but smile every time Judy said "Oh, Aunty Em" in that earnest way of hers. The Wizard of Oz is doing so much even though it seems like a standard home, away and back home story. I always marvel at Judy’s ability to be meek while still having a sort of bravura that’s most attractive. She has a thing for line readings, even at that age, and sure she spends a significant portion of the film admonishing the things she meets it’s never too much. Of course Dorothy’s growing dissatisfaction with Oz is key to the message the story has to tell us. It’s part of the weirdness of the entire film though. Sure, the Wicked Witch of the East is evil and all, but the celebration is almost perverse as we watch those crazy Munchkins rejoicing.

It’s nice that The Wizard of Oz has endured for so long. As much as I love Shirley Temple I balk at the idea of her as Dorothy. It’s a little gem, that works as much for the adult as for the child – and that’s a bit of a rarity. It’s #19 on my list of favourite films.