Scene Stealers – 12 Television Actors You Need To Know

8bcb622d7827b9d2f436d20320b6We are living in an era of great ensemble television.  As viewers we are being spoiled not only with their work on screen but with cast interaction on social media platforms like twitter.  It has the effect of making you feel included in their TV family, and as a result you the viewer feels a sense of loyalty to them.  Shows like Chicago Fire, Chicago PD, Grimm & Revenge have been excellent at this.  Though nothing could rival the social media power of CW stars, a class on which should be taught at the LaineyGossip Faculty of Celebrity Studies.  The best part for me is getting to hear from the cast members who aren’t necessarily the face of the show.  The actors who go to work every day and do a great job even though they don’t always have their own storyline.  The ones who aren’t going to be promoting it on talk shows.  The ones whose names you may not have heard.

I thought it was time to fix that.  Here are 12 people doing consistently good work that you need to know the names of. Continue reading “Scene Stealers – 12 Television Actors You Need To Know”

Edge Of Tomorrow Is The Best Sci-Fi In Years And You Can Own It Today

EoT Mix

I’m not one to blindly promote products just for the sake of information, so a Blu-Ray release doesn’t usually inspire me to comment. However, when that film is *Edge Of Tomorrow*, and there’s a chance you may have dismissed it at the cinema on account of the worst marketing campaign in recent memory, then I have to try and change your mind. For it’s not just Tom Cruise’s best film in years, it’s also one of the finest slices of sci-fi escapism you’ll ever watch.

Continue reading “Edge Of Tomorrow Is The Best Sci-Fi In Years And You Can Own It Today”

Why I’ve Stopped Playing Destiny

Destiny sit

Maybe you [read my review](https://awesomefriday.ca/2014/09/destiny-bang-zoom-eventually-to-the-moon/). Maybe you took the message – that it’s all about the finely-tuned shooting and the loot rather than story progression – and bought a copy to experience it yourself. Maybe you’re enjoying it as much as I was. It was going so well up to a point, but following a few moments of realisation, it’s sat dormant in my hard drive for a week.

So, what changed?

Continue reading “Why I’ve Stopped Playing Destiny”

The Films Of The Marvel Cinematic Universe, Ranked, Guardians of the Galaxy Edition

Marvel

_Guardians of the Galaxy_ finally hit theaters this week and absolutely no one should be surprised that [it’s really good](https://awesomefriday.ca/2014/08/review-guardians-of-the-galaxy/). The first question I was asked this morning was “how does it stack up compared to the other Marvel Cinematic Universe films?” So here’s my shiny new updated list which not only adds _Guardians_ but also mixes things up bit from [last time](https://awesomefriday.ca/2014/04/the-films-of-the-marvel-cinematic-universe-ranked/) after a recent re-watch of all the movies.

Fair warning: minor spoilers for all the Marvel movies, including _Guardians of the Galaxy_, to follow.

Continue reading “The Films Of The Marvel Cinematic Universe, Ranked, Guardians of the Galaxy Edition”

FXX – You’re the Worst.

Chris Geere & Aya Cash in episode one of FX's new comedy series You're The Worst.
Chris Geere & Aya Cash in episode one of FX’s new comedy series You’re The Worst.

In 2011 the FX network launched in Canada.  Finally we were brought amazing shows like Sons of Anarchy and Wilfred.  Sure, they broadcast a few seasons off because current season rights are with others like Super Channel.  And of course shows that started prior to 2011 that had deals with other networks (Justified, It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia) aren’t on it.  But it was a start.

Which is fantastic because FX has had some of the most genius and underrated shows around.  Would any other network have a show about a stoner lawyer who almost kills himself in the pilot only to meet his neighbour’s dog.  That is a dog to everyone else, and a human in a dog costume (with an Australian accent) to him.  That show, if you haven’t seen it, is Wilfred.  It’s dark.  And a surreal masterpiece of comedy.

FX takes risks.  It lets shows go into deep dark places.  The collective of people who tell stories on FX are artists, a word seldom used when talking about television. Continue reading “FXX – You’re the Worst.”

Welcome to Sweden – Välkommen Till Sverige

Welcome to Sweden - Season 1

Or as I like to call it, “Why Aren’t You Watching Welcome To Sweden?”

Also known by the working title “Wait, Amy Poehler has a brother?”

Yes.  There is another Poehler.  You may be asking yourself why it is that if Amy Poehler is everyone’s television best friend that you had absolutely no idea she had a brother.  Why has Amy been keeping him secret all this time?  Does that mean she is not really your best friend?  Did Tina know? Continue reading “Welcome to Sweden – Välkommen Till Sverige”

My First Comic Convention – Dallas Fan Expo 2014

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Dancing happens and we don’t understand what’s going on.
photo
Slytherin garms

Like most Star Trek fans, I’m a virgin. Not that kind though.

I’ve never been to a con. Not a proper one. I went to SXSW in 2012 but that’s a conference not a convention. Anyway we all know that’s just a place for media and tech types to get drunk and stick their hands in each other’s pants. Comic con Dallas though, that’s a proper con. Sort of.

Continue reading “My First Comic Convention – Dallas Fan Expo 2014”

Dear Mr. Abrams: Please Remember How To Use The Mystery Box For Positive Effect

JJ Abrams

“_Wait, what’s ‘The Mystery Box’?_” you may be asking. The Mystery Box is something first coined by JJ Abrams to describe his approach to writing in the TED Talk he gave waaaaaaay back in 2007. The long version involves his grand father and childhood memories of a magic shop made real by way of an actual Mystery Box of Magic purchased when he was a child. The short version is that Mr. Abrams values, above all, we the viewers not knowing what is going on with his projects.

And I’m kind of tired of how that’s working these days.

Continue reading “Dear Mr. Abrams: Please Remember How To Use The Mystery Box For Positive Effect”

The Films Of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Ranked

Marvel

So you read my [breakdown of the Marvel Cinematic Universe](https://awesomefriday.ca/2014/04/the-state-of-the-universe-the-current-state-of-and-speculation-on-whats-to-come-in-the-marvel-cinematic-universe/) and are now wondering how I think the films stack up so far? Well, I thought you’d never ask!

No, seriously, what took you so long to ask?

Continue reading “The Films Of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Ranked”

The State of the Universe: The Current State of, and Speculation on What’s To Come In, The Marvel Cinematic Universe **Updated**

Marvel

I’ve been thinking a lot about the Marvel Cinematic Universe lately. There has been nine feature films to date as well as five short films and sixteen episodes (out of twenty-two) of the television series _Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D._. That’s a lot of storytelling right there so as much for my own benefit as for yours I’m going to run down the current state of the universe as it stands right now, immediately post _Captain America: The Winter Soldier_ and after episode 16 of _Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D._, as I see it and offer some speculation as to where things are going.

This is obviously going to contain spoilers for, well, _everything_ in the MCU so far so my recommendation is to get caught up before you read this. Either that or no complaining. I’m also making predictions about what I think is going to happen moving forward so if I’m right, and I all but know that I am about one thing in particular, then consider this your spoiler warning.

Also go get yourself a cup of coffee or something because this is going to take a while.

Ok? Ok. Let’s do this.

Continue reading “The State of the Universe: The Current State of, and Speculation on What’s To Come In, The Marvel Cinematic Universe **Updated**”