Chuck vs. Ace the Average Asian

Just how I like to spend my Friday nights -- staying in and blogging! I LOVE my life... ooooh yeeeaaahhh...

Anyway it's been about a week since the madness that was Comic-Con 2009, and it's my turn to throwdown some coverage so here we go...


There are two, and only two shows that I watch religiously. And anyone who knows anything about me knows that the first of those shows is 24. (Jack Bauer kickin' ass on a weekly basis! Need I say more?) The other one may surprise you a little. Well, maybe not since it's in the title of the post. But yes, I love CHUCK!


Now I actually had the opportunity to check out both panels, and as much as I love 24, tonight I'll only be reporting on Chuck because it was honestly the best panel of the Con. Granted, I have some biases, but hopefully by the end of this article, you'll see why it was the best.

But before I go into the panel stuff, allow me to briefly say why I love this show:

First and foremost, Yvonne Strahovski... or rather Strahotski. Hot blond girl playing a sexy CIA agent already scores major points; throw in the fact that she's really Australian and an extremely talented actress... seems like a winning combination to me. In fact, the only reason I wanted to go to the Con this year was to meet her and take a picture with her... and mission FAILED... but more on that later.

Secondly, the show is essentially about an ordinary guy being called upon in extraordinary situations to do extraordinary things. He's an Average Joe, who's just trying to find his niche in life, but is unwittingly caught up in the world of espionage. And Average Joes everywhere, like me, basically live vicariously through Chuck, as he saves the world and gets the girl in the end (at least we hope).

Lastly, the show has a great balance of action and romance, drama and comedy, (a "romaction dramedy" as I like to call it... I'm sorry for that... that was terrible) which appeals to all audiences. The entire ensemble genuinely seems like they enjoy working with each other, and they all share great chemistry. It's so easy to watch and fall in love with because of all its wit and charm. The writers do a great job of subtly alluding to pop culture icons throughout each and every episode. Plus, Sepinwall said it best that CHUCK provides a level of escapism for viewers. In these harsh economic times, when hope is scarce, and all other television dramas require a level of "bracing for impact," CHUCK allows all viewers to easily escape and forget about their worries for an hour.

Admittedly, I wasn't always a fan of the show. I watched it intermittently, despite my friend's suggestions to really give it a chance. Long story short, I gave it a shot and fell in love with it. And like I said earlier, the entire reason I wanted to go to Comic-Con this year was to meet my future wife, (even though she doesn't know it yet) Yvonne Strahovski. But imagine my distress when I found out that CHUCK was on NBC's chopping block. So I was committed to ensure that the show garnered a 3rd season, and making sure that the cast was going to be at the Con. So I joined the Chuck phenomenon. I worked hard to protest CHUCK's cancellation -- I wrote letters, I sent NERDS (the candy, not people), and I bought ALOTTA Subway! ($5 Footlongs are still my favorite food btw!)

I know that you all think that I'm some kind of super-fan by now... but hey, all our hard work paid off. The cast was at the Con this year and it was... A-W-E-S-O-M-E! Where other panels almost felt like the panel-guests were there out of obligation to plug their shows and movies, Chuck's panel was genuinely all about fans.

Now, you have to understand that words can't really do justice to fully describe the experience, but I'll do my best. The stage was set with celebratory exuberance from the get-go, starting with a performance of Queen's "Fat Bottom Girls" from the show's very own cover band, Jeffster. Right as the song approached its peak, the rest of the cast marched out onto stage, celebratory hands raised in victory, applauding the efforts of the fans.

When the crowd finally settled down, Zachary Levi (Chuck) said a few words of genuine, heart-felt appreciation to the fans for starting grassroots campaign and fighting so hard to bring back the show. But aside from all that, I thought that it was just so cool, for lack of a better word, that the ENTIRE cast came out. Like I said earlier, most of the other panels at the Con were there solely for the purpose of promoting their respective movies or shows, which consequently brought out only of the few obligatory stars. But how cool is it that CHUCK's ENTIRE cast was there, just to say "thank you" to the fans?? There was really nothing for them to promote, since they had no footage of the upcoming season (because they haven't started shooting yet), just genuine, honest appreciation and love. The simple act of all of them just being there really was an earnest gesture of gratitude.




The cast was so gracious and so appreciative that they really tried to give the fans what they wanted -- extending their time up on the panel as long as possible. They insisted on extra questions from the audience. They came out after their photo-op on stage, after their panel was over, as fans flocked to the stage to get their last minute photos, and shook hands, fistbumped, and signed autographs. NO other panel did that!

Of course I'm generalizing here, but in my honest and humble observations, I saw that during a hectic Convention, where everyone was there essentially to promote their own agendas and create a buzz for themselves (basically whoring themselves out to all the geeks and nerds) out of sheer obligation to their respective studios, CHUCK was in a class of its own, as the sole program and cast that was there truly for the fans.

So I guess all that's left to say is... "Aces, Charles. You're Aces."

(As for my mission... well let's just say that I was too late to jump into line for autographs. BUT there's always next year!! Help me get there again! WATCH CHUCK!! EAT SUBWAY!!)

Thanks for reading and You stay classy... Planet Earth...

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Comic-Con Madness: Double Dose of Downey (“Sherlock Holmes”)

- Posted by Rusty

Hey, everyone. Rusty here with the first of a double-parter. The other guys are working on their own write-ups right now, including “Chuck” and James Cameron’s “Avatar,” but I luckily snagged two of my favorite events of the entire convention. But first things first, let’s tackle the logical and most deductive choice…

“Sherlock Holmes”

Guy Ritchie’s new spin on Arthur Conan Doyle’s greatest creation arrives in theaters this December in all its Victorian-action-movie glory. You all probably saw the trailer (if not, check it out here). Is it the Sherlock Holmes that we’re used to? Definitely not (I somehow never pictured him being that much of an agile, punching badass). But, more importantly…could it still be good? Absolutely, and the stuff we saw at Comic-Con certainly gives me confidence of that.

Downey Jr. and company are purporting that this will be the closest interpretation of the character to the original works by Doyle. That might be a bit hard to take, especially since Holmes looks to have transformed into John McClane (will “Elementary, my Dear Watson” be his macho-action-hero catchphrase after he beats up some bad guy?). Still, there might be some truth to that claim, but a lot of that really depends on the finished product.

I just had the immense (and very belated) pleasure of rediscovering the Holmes stories—I bought myself a big, fat volume and just dug in…and I loved it! Trough all the different movies, TV shows, and what have you, I forgot just how much of a character Holmes was—how much fun his stories actually are. He was far from some stuffy, boring fellow in a deerskin cap with a penchant for pipes and magnifying glasses. This was a guy who lived for the challenge and puzzles, and shunned anything less than a keen intellect and a hunger for discovery. He knew baritsu (yep, an ancient form of martial arts, which he used on his arch-enemy Professor Moriarty), was an amateur boxer, and just relished disappearing into different characters and disguises. Downey would be brilliant as that—bringing that witty, intellectual energy of his to another worthy character, one that we may not have seen from this particular, lovingly bizarre angle. The new film will probably be a more Hollywood-blockbuster Holmes than Doyle ever intended, but as long as it stays true to the spirit of the original character, then, by all means, it could add all the explosions and fistfights it wants.

The stories also presented one of the best friendships in literature—the ultimate bond between a man of pure logic and intellect and his steady, sensitive backup of a companion. Holmes and Dr. Watson are inseparable—Watson cannot solve crimes because he lacks the “whole picture” vision, while Holmes’ often insane ideas need the restraining and dependable hand of Watson. By all means, they shouldn’t get along—Holmes is an odd, unsociable, drug-addicted mess, while Watson is a smooth, charming, and quite noble doctor. Can you honestly see those two dudes hanging out at a party? But it works. The two together are magic, and that’s the brilliance of Doyle’s “Sherlock Holmes”—that friendship is the charming, emotional clincher of the original stories, and it’s the crucial element that will determine this new movie.

Footage:

And, well, after seeing the Comic-Con footage, I have a lot more faith in the great sleuth’s new adventure. For the most part, I actually liked the trailer that’s now in theaters. It’s fun, moves quickly, and gives you a sense of the scale and action of this new version…everything, that is, but the actual character work. Sure, we get glimpses, but Downey and Jude Law (a perfect choice for Watson) have but one tiny exchange (they’re too busy fighting and jumping), and poor Rachel McAdams (as Holmes’ infamous female intellectual match, Irene Adler) barely utters one word. In fact, I’m pretty sure Adler is dead silent for the entire two minutes—she does look great, though, as the trailer makes sure to point out repeatedly by showing her walking around in 1800s lingerie.

On the other hand, the roughly five minutes or so of Comic-Con footage gave me everything I originally wanted: Holmes and Watson bicker like a hilarious old married couple (McAdams has a great line where she says that the “lovers are fighting again”), McAdams’ Adler proves a verbal, spunky match for Downey’s Holmes (as she should be), and we saw lots more of Holmes, you know, detecting, as opposed to kicking and punching and stuff. We also got a better sense of the story, including the dastardly plan of occultist Lord Blackwood (the great character actor, Mark Strong, reteaming with Ritchie after “Rock ‘n’ Rolla”), in a clever riff on Doyle’s own fascination with mysticism and the occult.

All in all, it looks like witty, clever fun. I loved director Ritchie’s “Snatch” and “Rock ‘n’ Rolla” (anyone else upset that Ritchie’s lucky charm and my perpetual man-crush Jason Statham couldn’t find a role in this one — really, not even as a cool-looking cameo thug?), and I think he’ll step up here to deliver an entertaining, breezy picture that doesn’t betray what fans loved about the original stories. It’s not a guarantee, but it’s certainly looking far more promising.

Panel:

I know I rambled on and on about the footage and the original stories, so I wouldn’t blame all of you people for (justifiably) skimming to finally get to the actual panel. Well, simply put, it was fantastic all-around. It got off to a rousing start when instead of the standard moderator (no offense to him) of the WB panel, in ran Downey to rapturous screams and applause. And he was everything you’d expect: quick, funny, always keeping the audience entertained. Of all the stars at the convention, I was most impressed by him—it probably helps, though, that all of us here are huge fans of his—I’d even guess that Ace and Luke are harboring not-so-secret man-crushes just like me. He genuinely seemed to love the crowd, and vice versa; even when the same questions were asked over and over (and trust me, there were a good four or five questions that were basically variations of something he already answered in the beginning of the panel), Downey didn’t miss a beat, always having some funny anecdote, and making the fans feel like they did him a favor for even asking (or, as he said, “fueling his narcissistic tendencies”). You also get the sense that he found a kindred, quirky spirit in Holmes, and it comes through in his enthusiasm and the footage.

There was some playful banter between him and McAdams (quite lovely herself), and I especially loved McAdams’ answer of how she prepared for her role, by “perusing over and over…the 10 pages she was in.” She’s one of my favorite actresses, and it’s nice to see that she’s likely as smart as she comes across.

The overall vibe from the panel (which also included Downey’s producer wife, Susan, uber action-producer Joel Silver, and the man who originated the project, Lionel Wigram) is that they made a movie they’re proud of, and can’t wait to show it off properly to an audience. It could still go either way, but now I’m looking forward to it a whole lot more.

Will it be as good and faithful as fans would want? Probably not…but that’s not necessarily a negative. Literature invites different interpretations, and if this one captures the core elements that make the stories work, we might be in for an entertaining new take on a beloved character. In the end, it’d be fantastic to have an ongoing current Holmes series, especially one that united both the old-school fans of Doyle and the newbie obsessives of Mr. Tony Stark himself (with me proudly falling in both camps).

Thanks for sticking with me through another horribly lengthy wrap-up. I’ll be back a little later with Part 2 of this set, featuring a tiny-budget Downey flick none of you will probably see anyway. Honestly, what the hell is this “Iron Man 2” movie??

Images courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures.

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Pictures from Comic-Con 2009

Just real quick, be sure to check us out on Twitter. Follow us, tell your friends!
www.twitter.com/the_lunchtable

So these are only a few of the pictures from Comic-Con... I just picked out the best ones I got, but keep in mind this is only a fraction of all the pictures I have. Enjoy!

Lines, lines, and more lines!

The Exhibition Floor... Crowded, right? Well... this was only Preview Night!

Nike x G.I.JOE - The way to my heart...

The beautiful and talented Zoe Saldana from Avatar

Sam Worthington, also from Avatar

James Cameron - The man, the myth, the legend... Visionary director of Avatar (opens Dec. 18)
Aug. 21st is Avatar Day... keep a look out for it!

The panel for Book of Eli

Denzel Washington, "My N***a"
(His words, not mine!)

Gary Oldman

Mila Kunis... so hot right now...

Panel for 24
The most addictive show on television! It's like crack for the eyes!!

My boiiee! Jack Bauer!

Katee Sackhoff a.k.a. Starbuck from BSG joins 24 as Dana Walsh.
I wonder who would win in a fight... Jack Bauer or Starbuck?!?
My money's still on Jack!

Autograph session... This was as close as I could get for pictures... and then my camera died!
Lesson #1 - Always, always charge your camera the night before!

Leaving the exhibition hall... guess who I saw??
Seth Green and Breckin Meyer!

Iron Man 2 panel... which btw, looks AWESOME!

"Iron Man/Tony Stark" - Robert Downey, Jr.

"War Machine/Jim Rhodes" - Don Cheadle

"Justin Hammer" - Sam Rockwell

The Trinity

"Natasha Romanov/Black Widow" - Scarlett Johansson
Sorry, the picture's a lil' blurry... I couldn't keep my hands steady when she on screen!




... And it just wouldn't be Comic-Con without some costumes!!

Can someone explain to me who, or what the guy in the middle is supposed to be?

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Diary of a Comic-Con Virgin: A Crazy Russian’s Take

In a word: “Exhausting.”

I’ve been wanting to go to San Diego Comic-Con, that Holy Grail of all that is geeky, for the last few years now, and after finally finding people insane enough to go with me, after enduring the standard rib-poking, the friendly “dude...you’re such a nerd” reminders, that’s really the best word that comes to mind when people ask me how it went.


Which, of course, begs the inevitable follow-up: “Really, what’d you do?”

And the embarrassing answer to that: “Well, we waited in line, sat in a hall, listened to people talk, watched some clips, and then maybe—if we were feeling up to it—walked around the convention floor for a little bit.”

That was our Comic-Con experience in a nutshell—lots of line-waiting, lots of listening and watching. I don’t know about my two fellow writers (both of whom seemed to have way more energy—those freaks of nature), but I was beat after the end of every day we were there.

None of which is a bad thing, of course. In fact, I think the sheer amount of panels going on (of which we’ll describe more later), that ridiculous number of people moving shoulder-to-shoulder on the exhibition floor, the rows upon rows of stuff you can buy and explore—all of that adds to the charm of Comic-Con. It’s been called uber-geeky, but that’s not even an accusation—it’s just a welcome statement of fact.

Yeah, it was tiring (just try having a navigation plan on that exhibition floor, which moves with the speed of L.A. traffic in a rush-hour construction zone car accident)…but the overall spirit of the place is so infectious, you can’t help but be caught up in it. Everyone there came to celebrate the things that they love—whether it’s comic books, movies, video games, or the numerous genres that make up the “fanboy” stereotype. And, that, to me, was the greatest thing about the entire convention—all of these people genuinely care for the characters and stories that talented artists created, and they want to see them done right. They want to honor them, to talk about them in great, geeky detail—something I do pretty much on a daily basis, but never on this scale.

All of that made the lines, the waiting times, and, hell, the massive influx of “Twilight” fans, worth it. I loved the chance to chat and geek out with other crazy enthusiasts; to catch my favorite stars laid-back and talking directly to their most vocal and appreciative fans. The atmosphere was a welcoming one—sure, there were stupid people, asking moronic questions hoping for some attention, but they were instantly cancelled out by the passionate and often insightful other fans, all hoping to have some face time with the people they admire.

Robert Downey Jr., just too suave and charming, summed it up best. In the middle of an interesting history of “Sherlock Holmes,” he stopped point blank and, with a grin, just couldn’t resist saying: “Ah, I love you guys.” These fans might dig on a lot of movies (myself very much included), but when they love something, they embrace it wholeheartedly, and the stars obviously react to that. You could tell some were forced or contractually obligated to be here, but a good chunk of them were just there to have fun, selling their movies, but really loving the experience.

There were costumes too, of course—some creative, some interesting yet very uncomfortable-looking (props to the person wearing Medieval chain-mail on a hot, humid San Diego day), and some…deeply inappropriate. But, all in all, it felt natural and organic to this entire convention. It’s a celebration of creativity, and how bland would it be if it was just a bunch of people in suits, pretending to be “cool” and above it all?

Looking back on the whole experience, I don’t think I’m a full convert quite yet (after all, as my mom said when I came back, I looked like I needed serious relaxation after my little vacation), but, to put it in the best way, I’m intrigued. I’m intrigued in the same way as when I first saw “Superman” when I was 6. (Let’s ignore the fact that after “Superman,” I found a red sheet in my parent’s house, drew this weird English symbol on it, and started jumping from our couches to fly…and was very upset that my cape wasn’t working—stupid Ukranian sheets!). “Superman” pointed my attention to Tim Burton’s “Batman,” both huge hits on Russian TV, and slowly sparked my ridiculous six-year-old imagination that there’s more interesting stuff here to discover—I needed to digest more and more of this superhero business to fully comprehend its awesomeness.

And that, in a far better nutshell, was Comic-Con for me now. We probably saw a fraction of all that it had to offer, and I’m way too curious to see much more—much too intrigued to skip out on it in the coming years. I don’t think I could last all 4 days again (I don’t have my hard-core geek cred just yet), but I definitely haven’t seen the last of it.

We have lots to talk about, including dissecting the individual panels, like the fantastic (“Chuck” and “Iron Man 2”), the awful (sorry, “Star Wars”), and the unintentionally funny (ahem, “Twilight,” with its topless-male overload), celebrating the individuals who embraced the wild enthusiasm of the crowd (take a bow, Mr. Downey Jr.—you truly are the King of the Con!), and, of course, giving our thoughts on the various footage we’ve seen. So stay tuned to the “Lunch Table” for our individual takes and more Comic-Con footage, pictures, and lots of good stuff throughout the week…

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WELCOME to The Lunch Table!

Let's take a trip down memory lane. Yea, we said it... just humor us.

So you're back in high school sitting in history class diligently taking notes, but if you're anything like us, you're doodling in the margins. The clock strikes 12 o'clock and... RIIIING!

The lunching hour begins... you look around the cafeteria, lost in the vast array of cliques and crews claiming their own tables. The jocks and cheerleaders immediately mark their territory and gather around three tables; the drama nerds and Goths have their respective corners; and the student council, dressed in their perfect Abercrombie & Fitch polos, cheerfully greet each other with their perfect smiles and share their perfect sacked lunches together ... so where do YOU fit in???

Okay... so maybe you didn't go to that high school, but who cares? Let's fast forward to real life:

Lunch - the highlight of our day, every day. Whether you're working the daily 9-to-5 grind, or still in school, there's nothing like a midday break, when you have time to yourself to eat, relax, take a nap, or enjoy the company of friends and co-workers... and that's basically where our story begins.

The three of us work together. Now, we're not at liberty to say exactly where we work, or what we do (because if we did, we may have to kill you... JUST KIDDING... er... not really), but let's just say that what we do isn't exactly the most exciting line of work (and it's irrelevant to the story... so stop asking!) Like we were saying, we work together and like all friendships, our bond was built subtly and slowly. The first encounters were awkward -- the occasional, "Hey," as we passed each other in the hallways, the uncomfortable silences in the snack room, and then eventually, the customary small talk.

Then one day, one of us got bold. One of us decided to send emails with the simple subject line that read: "LUNCH?"

The first meeting was weird. We were all pensive. What are we gonna talk about? Was it just gonna be an hour of awkward silence? Were we just gonna sit there and stare at each other's lunches, wondering what the hell the other person was eating? (Let's be honest, what does a Russian-Jew, a Mexican-Jewish hybrid, and a Korean have in common?)

The weather - always a reliable conversation starter. "Crazy weather we're having aren't we?"
"Oh yeah." And then silence.

Sports - The default topic of conversation for guys. "So... how 'bout them Lakers?"
Not everyone followed.

"Did you guys see that new Christian Bale movie?..."
And it was like someone opened the floodgates. The rest of the hour was spent chatting about how ridiculous Christian Bale's voice was in that one movie. And the rest, as they say, is history.

Which brings us to today. You've probably figured out by now that our blog has nothing to do with lunch, or food for that matter (And if you didn't -- our blog has nothing to do with lunch or food. Sorry). The reason we're starting this up is simple: we love movies, and consequently, we love to talk about movies. Almost on a daily basis, the only things we spend our lunch hour talking about are movies, but the hour never seems long enough. Granted, we come from different walks of life -- different backgrounds, cultures, tastes, and levels of fanaticism (some of us like to indulge our inner geek more than others), and we sure as hell don't always love the same movies, but that's just part of the fun. And regardless, our friendship is grounded in our shared appreciation for movies. So we're here to bring the spirit of our daily lunches to you, our readers because, like we said, the one hour a day between the three of us just isn't enough! That being said, we'd like to extend to you, the same invitation that was extended to us on that fateful day. So forget about the cliques, the crews, or the exclusive clubs from back in the day, and stop worrying about if you're gonna fit in. It doesn't matter if you're an aspiring filmmaker, an avid fanboy/girl, or just a casual moviegoer, just take a break from the mundane and join us at The Lunch Table.

And on that note, please allow ourselves to introduce... ourselves...

Rusty - "The Crazy Russian"
Of the three of us here at The Lunch Table, I’m the only one not born in the U.S. So, yes, my first exposure to American movies was badly dubbed cartoons, particularly a very Russian Optimus Prime. And I was hooked even then. But love of movies aside, what do I have to contribute that’s so special? Well, simply put, I’m the Analyst—I love to be entertained, but I still crave some substance from my movies. I can dig a good action scene, but what I go for are the details. For me, it’s the characters, the relationships, the emotions that truly make movies work, and that’s exactly what I look for. More so than that, I love digging into a movie, discovering themes, nuances, subtle character traits, and all the like. I was a crazy little Russian watching “Transformeri”. Sure, I’m now older, taller, and lankier …but I’m still that same Crazy Russian, eagerly waiting to dig into a great, new movie.

Luke - "The Mexi-CAN"
I’m the type of guy who is interested in a variety of things. One of my deepest loves, second only to my beautiful future wife Kristin Kreuk, is the wonderful world of cinema. I adore all types of films – as long as they are well-crafted and trigger something meaningful in the audience. While I can enjoy the usual summer blockbusters that involve blowing stuff up, I really look forward to the fall when the true Oscar contenders reach the theaters. Perhaps some people would say I’m into the fine details of cinema, and I guess that is correct. I like reflecting on the camera shots, camera movement, and the deeper meaning of film. I enjoy endless discussions of such masterpieces as Chinatown and 400 Blows to 2001: A Space Odyssey. However, do not get me wrong: I can always watch a raunchy flick like 40-Year-Old-Virgin or the wonderfully sentimental Love, Actually. Of course, I’m not claiming to be the next A.O Scott or God’s gift to cinema. In the end, films are just fiction, but they can capture and inspire the viewer.

Ace - "The Average Asian"
I like to consider myself a simple man who finds enjoyment in the simple things in life—hot girls in bikinis, sports, fast cars, and dudes taking shots to the nuts. So when it comes to movies, my philosophy is this: let’s just keep it simple. I’m not an analyst, or technician by any means, I just like to go to the movies, eat my popcorn, drink my icee and have a good time. Why do I need to pay attention to different camera angles, and subtle nuances? If a movie can get me to laugh out loud, sit on the edge of my seat, or dare I say it... cry, then I think the movie has done its job. Why overcomplicate a perfectly good movie with all that other film jargon? So, think of me as your Everyman, your everyday Average Joe, who just needs to be mildly entertained for, give or take, two hours. Read more!