Third Time’s the Charm
Despite the World Series pulling in nearly twice as many viewers, this year’s Emmys has been generally labeled as a rousing success.
Critics who previously called for the ceremony to be scrapped after the Sept. 11 attacks admitted they were wrong. Much of the credit went to host Ellen DeGeneres, who E! Online described as respectable, but hilarious.
“Many critics, myself among them, had counseled against televising the Emmys this year after terrorist events caused two postponements,” writes David Bianculli of the New York Daily News. “I was wrong. Largely because of the superb job by the host, Ellen DeGeneres, and the restraint in the demeanor as well as the wardrobe of the winners, the telecast was encouraging, not embarrassing.”
Los Angeles Times critic Howard Rosenberg added, “Sunday’s revised, twice-delayed Emmy telecast on CBS was like an ‘all clear’ after an air raid.”
The Force is Strong in This One
George Lucas recently announced that he is premiering a brand new two-minute trailer for Star Wars: Episode II — Attack of the Clones before Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone when it opens in theaters Nov. 16.
The Episode II trailer that premiered with Monsters, Inc. last week has met with general fan approval, despite the fact that the trailer said absolutely nothing about the plot or characters, proving that Star Wars fans are easily distracted by pretty pictures. On a positive note, demon hellspawn Jar Jar Binks was nowhere to be seen in the trailer.
As a warning to fans, most theaters are refusing to give refunds to moviegoers who sit through the trailers and then leave. Attempts to pull a Jedi Mind Trick will result in a severe beating from cranky theater employees.
E.T. Dissected
Steven Spielberg is taking fire from hardcore fans over his decision to release a 20th anniversary edition of E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial.