Two Quick Things...

1. Inglourious Basterds is brilliant. Everyone I know who saw it this weekend agrees. Go see it now!

2. Why did no one tell me there's a movie out in which Rory Gilmore and Matt Saracen fall in love?! Let's keep on top of these things, people!

This (mostly) Just In...

TV is a Social Surrogate - Well, duh! That's why Liz Lemon and I are BFF! On a related note, I've decided my DVR needs a name. Thoughts?

Is that lithium in your water or are you just happy to see me? - Apparently, small does of lithium in drinking water may reduce suicide rates. I mean, we're a society addicted to drugs anyway so why not, right?

Milo Ventimiglia is a Total Nerd! - Jess is creating an web series to solve age old bar debates like "Who'd win in a fight? Superman or the Hulk" and other silly things men talk about when they are drunk and there are no cute ladies around to hit on. The show sounds Meh. I just like when hot guys are also super nerdy.

Happy Star Wars Day! - Get it? May the Forth (be with you...). Anyone?

Top 5: New TV Characters

So, I'm all about lists lately. What are you gonna do about it? Here are my favorite new TV characters (i.e. those who appear on a show that debuted in 2009 or are a new addition to a show in 2009):

1. Precious Ramotswe No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency (HBO) - Jill Scott is amazing as the lead in this new HBO series, based on the novels of the same name. As Botswana's first lady detective, Precious is tough, charming and totally comfortable in her own skin. One of my new favorite shows.

2. Trevor Pierce Cupid (ABC) - Cupid originally debuted in 1998 and starred Jeremy Piven. In the 2009 reboot, Bobby Cannavale who's been on my crush radar since The Station Agent, plays the god of love, sent to earth by the gods of Olympus to make 100 true love matches. They show is cute, but Bobby makes it "must see." Even if Samantha claims he has funky spunk, I feel an obsession coming on!

3. Coach Survivor (CBS) - Survivor, in it's, like, 20th season, has seen it's fair share of whack jobs, but Coach takes the effing cake. He calls himself the "Dragon Slayer," hates women and proclaims himself the mastermind of just about everything...without ever performing well in challenges or the social game. This week, he told his tribe mates he was kidnapped by small Peruvians while kayaking down the Amazon and beaten until nearly dead before making a daring escape back down the river. I've known some story tellers in my day, but no one out does Coach. Just, fascinating.

4. Charles Miner The Office (NBC) - Things have been shaken up in the Dunder-Mifflin world and it's yielded some of the funniest episodes of the season. Idris Elba (RIP Stringer Bell!) is awesome as the anti-Micheal...he respects Dwight, thinks Jim is a slacker and makes Stanley put down his damn crossword puzzles. Basically, he's actually the World's Best Boss.

5. Adelle DeWitt Dollhouse (Fox) - Eliza Dushku be damned, I love Dollhouse. Olivia Williams is perfection as the British head of the house. She's witty and powerful and not afraid to send your ass to the attic if you step out of line.

How about you? Any new shows/characters you're loving at the moment?

This (mostly) Just In...

Rescue Me is Back - The 5th season of Denis Leary's firehouse dramadey returns tonight on FX. My friend Heather and I saw an ad for the new season before I Love You, Man last night (my thoughts on the movie: Paul Rudd makes me cry with laughter) and we both agreed we never really liked Denis Leary before Rescue Me and now we want to jump his bones. Well done, Denis.

Kumar to work in the White House - Kal Penn landed a job in the Obama administration. Liz and I both applied for jobs with Barry (nerd alert!) and this is the guy he hires?! Lame.

Pride and Predjudice and Zombies out Tomorrow - I heard rumors it could already be found in San Diego book stores and I've search and searched, to no avail. I guess I'll have to wait until tomorrow like everyone else. I did however read the first 3 chapters online and all I can say is, "Best. Book. Ever."

Padres off to a Terrible Start - I know it's only one game, but no one has much hope for the Friars this season. However, rumor has it, new closer Heath Bell will walk out in save situations to the Saved by the Bell theme song, officially making him the coolest closer ever. [UPDATE - Heath's closer song is not the Saved by the Bell theme song afterall. It's something from the Halo 2 soundtrack. However, there is a mash-up with him and 300 which is amazing, so he's still the best thing ever...or on the Padres anyway.]

Newsflash: Rom-Coms Screw with Your Preception of Romance

I always suspected watching Say Anything 527 times in high school warped my expectations of what men will actually do to be romantic, but now there is scientific proof. "Relationship experts" at a university in Edinburgh had 100 people watch the John Cusack/Kate Beckinsale romance Serendipity, while 100 other people watched a David Lynch film. They discovered the group who watched Serendipity were more likely to believe in "fate and destiny" (while the other group, presumably, all committed suicide rather than finish watching a David Lynch film). Finally! People can officially blame their unrealistic ideas of love on external forces! Victory!

I'll never let go, Lloyd. I'll never let go.

Top 5: Inappropriate Crushes

News flash: I'm single! And I like men! I realized all my talk of ScarJo and Christina Hendricks may have confused some of you, so I decided it's time to talk about some fellas. Some young fellas. Here's the top 5 dudes I totally crush on...even though they are all under 25:

1. Daniel Radcliffe (19) - Harry Potter may only be 19, but he's coming into his own. I recently watched December Boys, which sucked, but he was kinda hot. And he's now appearing nude on Broadway in Equus. Our little Harry is all grown up.

2. Tristan Wilds (19) - I'll admit it. I like the new 90210. Mostly, I watch for Tristan Wilds (fka Michael on The Wire) as the new Brandon. He's nothing like the old Brandon (except he just got a job at The Peach Pit), but, in just 4 short weeks, he's already landed Kelly Taylor's little sister. What a stud.

3. Shia LaBeouf (22) - No, I will not get over it!


4. Matt Kemp (24, above) - The center fielder for the evil LA Dodgers is so gorgeous, every time he bats I feel the guilt of a catholic school boy. If the Cubs collapse and the Dodgers make it to the series, Kemp will be the single shining light in an otherwise dark world.

5. Hunter Parrish (21) - Hunter plays the eldest son on Weeds. He seemed to spend most of this season shirtless...and we can all thank God for that.

See! Further proof I have weird taste in men...and excellent taste in women.

At the Movies: Mamma Mia!

On a small Greek island, a young girl named Sophie is set to be married. She invites three men to her wedding, one of which, according to her mother's teenage diary, is her father. Problem is, no on knows which one. Throw in a musical soundtrack full of ABBA songs, a literal Greek Chorus, and a cast which includes Miranda Priestly, Lily Kane, Mr. Darcy, a former James Bond and Mrs. Weasley, and you have Mamma Mia!

The film version of the hit Broadway play is supremely cheesy with horrific choreography and some truly painful singing (mostly by Pierce Brosnan and Colin Firth, as two of Sophie's possible fathers). The direction sucks. Moments are overacted, overly long and overly stylized. In short, it's pretty much a hot tranny mess. Yet, I found myself smiling and having fun by about the 1 hour mark. Amanda Seyfried is lovely as Sophie and has a really terrific pop voice. Julie Walters is hilarious as an old friend of the family. And watching Meryl Streep (one of my living heroes) sing Winner Takes it All (my favorite ABBA song) was the highlight of the movie.

Mamma Mia! is not great and, unless you really love ABBA or musicals, I'd say skip it. However, if you're looking for a fun movie to see with your mom, you could do a lot worse.

P.S. I realize the cool points I've lost seeing Mamma Mia! instead of The Dark Knight this weekend will never be recovered, but I swear on everything holy, I'd have preferred to see The Dark Knight. I'm just waiting for the crowds to die down.