Yeah, I was going to make a similar point.  It's unsettling that the show seems to presuppose Zuko as the future Fire Lord because of birthright alone (otherwise there's not much in the way of leadership skills displayed by the emo prince, other than a penchant for screwing himself over), but the fact that the words…

Yeah, I can't argue with that either.

I like Camp quite a bit, but on the surface I agree with many of Pitchfork's criticisms of it: Glover comes off as way insecure and doesn't yet have the chops to back it up, no matter how many other acts he apes.  Whatever, it's still a mostly fun album.  I just don't understand how that reasonable set of criticisms…

No need to be ashamed: "1979" is an outstanding song, not to mention the best one they did.

I guess there's some truth to that, too, but it definitely encourages a list full of B-level material with broader appeal instead of an enjoyably contentious group of A-level work.  Not sure how to work around that, but it's still odd that nearly half the participants don't see their top choices on the finished list…

Do you think your system of ballot and point-counting maybe encourages a more mediocre list overall?   Of the sixteen lists, seven (nearly half) don't have their top choices in the combined top 25 at all.  I get the logic behind the points and whatnot, but it means the stuff your individual critics feel passionately…

Having sat in on a taping of the show recently, I'd guess that the routines are a lot more meticulously constructed than they same.  Ferguson is all business when the cameras aren't rolling, so I'm impressed how casual and improvisational he seems once they flip the switch on.

I think I still prefer Shirley's subplot in Mixology for being both more organic/unexpected/well-written, but I loved that we finally got a meaty section for her in this episode: if there's one complaint I've had about this season it's the extent to which she's been sidelined.  She has so much potential as a character…

The best movie I've seen this year is Weekend, but so few people have seen it (relatively speaking) that it's not making anything like a blip on the American awards scene.  Which is too bad, because it's astoundingly well-acted.

I’m not sure why it is that saddling characters with children is so often a bad idea. I have my suspicions, though. Part of it is being forced to see a formerly beloved hero assume a different, less overtly heroic role—as the next generation (hey!) steps in, the previous generation recedes in importance, and nobody…

I'm usually not a fan of excessive voiceover, but that's exactly what the movie needed, and Damon nails it.

Yeah, can I second (or third, or whatever) this suggestion?  I initially gave up on Moral Orel after the first episode or two because I thought the satire was strident, but boy does the series evolve into something unexpected and outright sublime.  I'm so happy they've been re-running it on Adult Swim, so I can kick…

Yet another reason that Ember Island Players is my favorite episode in the whole series.

Where's your nerd cred, VanDerWerff?  Charles Aznavour starred in Truffaut's "Shoot the Piano Player".  Tut, tut.

Yes, to this.

1. Iroh
2. Moma
3. Zuko
4. Sokka
5. Aang
6. Katara & Toph

I agree completely.

I'm not a big fan of Lynch (and oh, I've tried), but one of the first things you learn when debating the merits of film is not to make assumptions about why other people like or dislike something.

<seriousanswertogimmickpost>  Because it gets a little redundant, and the cleverness doesn't always compensate.

I like the album quite a bit, especially "Outside" and "Sunrise" (so catchy, I can't get it out of my head).  My one complaint is that he really does come off as too insecure to back up his own bragging, so he falls back into some bad habits, lyrics-wise… but at least he's got a good sense of humor about it.  It's…