Getting It Right: Three Things Hollywood Can Learn From Inception

By now, you've probably heard a lot about Christopher Nolan's Inception.  I saw the movie on opening weekend, walking into the theater with no more knowledge of the movie's plot than I had gleaned from the trailers, and I - along with the rest of the packed house - loved it.  I've since read mixed reviews.  I won't go into the criticisms of its detractors here: instead, here are three things I think Nolan did right, and why Hollywood should take a page from the Inception book.

Warning: mild spoilers ahead!

Get These Actors Together: Jon Hamm & Paul Rudd

Take a look at these two.  Now say it with me: "Awwwww."  (OK, maybe you didn't say "Awww." Maybe you drooled a little, or sighed loudly.  Or if you're a straight dude, you might have just rolled your eyes.)

But seriously.  Jon Hamm and Paul Rudd, you guys!  They're both incredibly handsome, skilled at both drama and comedy, successful in their careers ...

And they're longtime friends.

So answer me this: WHY in the name of all that is holy are they not also costars?  We at the HSB dare to imagine the awesomeness of a Hamm and Rudd double bill:

Network Affairs: BBC America

I love British television. In theory, thus, I should love BBC America. After all, that sounds like the channel for everything in British television, right? And surely, one would think, they would want to present a wide variety of the most excellent British programs available. Well, take a minute to look at the prime-time schedule, then we'll regroup.

May I Suggest An Intervention? Katherine Heigl Edition

Katherine Heigl is, by all accounts, a handful.

She's demanding.  She's outspoken.  She's difficult -- it's rumored that none of her leading men want to repeat the experience.  She has a positive knack for saying the wrong thing in almost every situation.  And her attempts to apologize - like this EW cover story a few months ago - come off as pretty insincere, even when it's clear she's struggling to play nice and say the right things.

But here's the thing: I kinda like her.

Happy Birthday!

In honor of my fellow HSB contributor and birthday girl Marisa, who is not in any way a chicken:

Enjoy.



Hollywood: let's get on this Arrested Development movie already. COME ON!

HSB Recommends: The Tobolowsky Files

The other day I was extremely pleased to find that one of my favorite workday time-wasters, had posted a story about the character actor Stephen Tobolowsky. Tobolowsky is a classic hey-it's-that-guy, most widely known as Ned Ryerson in the Bill Murray movie Groundhog Day. Mention his name to most people and you'll get a blank stare in return; but mention Ned Ryerson and the light of comprehension dawns.

Guest Who? Emmys Edition

We at the HSB continue to share our thoughts about the 2010 Emmy Nominations. Next on the list: guest actors! As we've mentioned before, a good guest actor can blend seamlessly into a show, enhancing its strengths and downplaying its weaknesses. A good guest actor is one you want to see again. Unfortunately, producers and the like often get confused about the difference between casting a great guest actor and stunt-casting a really, really famous person. Not all star appearances are good, and not all good guest appearances are by big names. Here's how the 2010 nominations rank next to 2009:

Emmys Sidebar: the Voting Process

Every year we complain about the laziness of the Emmy voters. Here's a suggestion: why not require the voters to watch at least partial episodes -clips, even - of every show submitted in categories where they intend to cast their votes? My late stepmother was a member of the Television Academy, and I can verify that she definitely didn't watch every screener that came her way. (In fact, I was introduced to several television series through viewing of her unwanted screeners). After all, it's no surprise that voters choose established shows and actors for their ballots when they have little to no knowledge of the alternatives.

Barring that extreme, how about including critical input in the voting process? If these awards are truly meant to reflect the best in television, why not give the critics' opinions some weight? I'd trust Alan Sepinwall or the Entertainment Weekly staff any day over your average industry voter.

Hollywood: let's get on this!

2010 Emmy Nominations II: Supporting Boogaloo

Earlier we posted thoughts on the major category nominations for this year's Emmy Awards. Many of the best shows out there, however, are ensembles. Only one man and one woman can be nominated as leads for a given series, but there's no limit on the number of supporting nominations for a show -- so these categories are where the really outstanding casts get to shine. At least theoretically. All too often, the supporting nominations mirror the lead nominations - established shows, famous actors, etcetera, etcetera ...

Here are the HSB's thoughts on the 2010 Supporting Actor nominations, and how they stack up to last year's nods:

2010 Emmy Nominations

Today the 2010 Emmy nominations were announced. Pop culture junkies are already poring over the list for snubs and—less often—happy surprises. The Academy is notorious for out-of-touch nominations and omissions that leave tv critics weeping. Hollywood Suggestion Box wonders: Has the Academy learned anything since last year?

Reunion Request: Peter Krause & Josh Charles

Last month marked the release of the trailer for The Social Network, the new movie chronicling the development of Facebook. Admittedly, the trailer does leave one with some doubts as to how interesting or suspenseful such a film could possibly be ("The site got twenty-two hundred hits in two hours?" "Thousand. Twenty-two thousand."). But the film was written by Aaron Sorkin, the auteur best known for The West Wing. Although Sorkin has not always been reliable (the late, not-so-great Studio 60 pops to mind), his involvement is a reason for many fans of sharp writing and clever dialogue to keep an eye on The Social Network.