Quick Review: Paul

Another example of a movie that started out slowly and then grew on me as it went on is "Paul." It starts out with Graeme and Clive (Simon Pegg and Nick Frost, who've done this before in "Shaun of the Dead" and "Hot Fuzz") coming from Britain to the US to attend the San Diego Comic-Con, and then take a road trip in a rented RV to sites of famous alien encounters such as Area 51. On the trip they have a run in with a couple of homophobic rednecks -- the running joke is that everyone thinks they're a couple -- at a diner (Jane Lynch makes a great waitress),  and then witness a car crash where they meet Paul, a real live alien...well, animated, with Seth Rogen's voice. Paul is escaping from the government agency that's been keeping him around since 1947, when his ship crashed on Earth, and needs help getting to the rendezvous point where he's to be picked up by a rescue ship. At a trailer park they meet Ruth (Kristen Wiig) who runs the place along with her father. They're devout Christians to the point where they don't believe in evolution -- or aliens. This is a problem when Ruth sees Paul, and Graeme and Clive end up taking Ruth along for the ride lest she alert the authorities. The beginning, with all the comic-book stuff and the rednecks, was too obvious and cliched, and the running gag about Graeme and Clive being a couple irritated me. But it's well-acted, and as the movie got into the chase aspect (Jason Bateman, as the lead agent trying to track down Paul, and Sigourney Weaver, as his superior, are excellent), and as Ruth, now questioning everything she believed since she now knows aliens are real, starts to let loose, the humor begins to shine. Lots of nods to sci-fi of all kinds, especially Steven Spielberg (who has a cameo). My grade: B.

Some TV Stuff: Glee, American Idol

I've got some thoughts on programs I watched this week for the first time in a while. I was going to also write about the finale of "Ugly Betty" but I'm going to save that for its own separate post, so stay tuned. ;-)

After what seems like years of hype, "Glee" returned to Fox this week with a new episode. You may recall that I tried to get into it back in the fall. It didn't take. With the confirmation that an episode devoted entirely to the music of Madonna was in the works, I figured I'd be watching it again at some point. Since they decided to start the Madonna party a week early, with the premiere of "Vogue" as sung by Sue Sylvester (Jane Lynch), I decided to watch it this week.

I loved the video -- a virtual remake of the original. The rest of the show? I still don't get it. I didn't dislike it. I'm glad the storyline revolving Will's wife and her fake pregnancy is over. Jane Lynch still delivers some delicious lines. But I'm still just as lukewarm as I was before. I wish I knew why. I did watch parts of the episode where Kurt became the football team's kicker and then came out to his dad. The coming-out scene at the end was very nice. The football game scene just before it (the team dancing to "Single Ladies" to distract the other team) was way too ridiculous.

Why Am I Not "Glee"-ful?

I've talked about how there needs to be a hook to get me to try out a new TV show, or one I haven't seen before. In the case of the Fox show "Glee," other than the hype and glowing recommendations (from paid media critics and ordinary folks alike), I didn't really feel any hook. I didn't watch the premiere when it aired in May. After a while, though, I watched it online.

I wasn't overwhelmed. It wasn't like it was a bad show. I've come to like Jane Lynch (the cheerleaders' head coach) from recent roles in movies such as "Role Models," and Matthew Morrison (as the glee club's director) is quite adorable. (Here's a recent interview from AfterElton.com.) The singing performances are interesting. But the whole concept just didn't pull me in.

Still, I watched the second episode last night, hoping that I'd see what everyone was raving about, hoping that something would click.

It didn't.

There's a lot that you would think I'd like about it, but I can't seem to connect with any of it enough to want to watch it again. Maybe if the high school was more remotely like what little I remember from my high school experience, or maybe if I had been in a glee club, or something. I can't figure it out.

It just feels like one of these cult shows that will air for a while and, depending on Fox's patience (they've killed off shows after one airing, and even before it got on the air in at least one case), then be canceled. Then there will be blurbs about groups of fans trying to save the show via online petitions or stunts. CBS got a bunch of nuts sent to their headquarters by "Jericho" fans, and decided that the show, having been canceled after one season due to low ratings, should have a second chance. Season 2's ratings were even lower.

So should I keep trying to watch it, or stop wasting my time?