For the second week in a row, I'm putting the focus on TV because that is where your priorities should lie. A TV week that is as good as this one makes a social life seem extraneous. There isn't a whole heck of a lot going on this weekend anyway, so go ahead and snuggle up with your television set. If you absolutely must venture out of doors, that's what DVR is for.
WATCH THIS
Again, with all of the fall premieres, not all of them are worth talking about, so we'll just focus on what's important.
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Returning Series
I thought he was joking and so I laughed in response, but then realized he was serious. It was an awkward 20 minutes waiting after that.
I thought of this incident when I discovered Danson's new show "Bored to Death" on HBO on Demand during the winter. Danson is outstanding on that show as a supporting character in fact, the funniest moments are the ones with him onscreen. That is saying a lot given the strong comedic cast, which includes star Jason Schwartzman and Zach Galifianakis. Danson plays a ne'er-do-well men's magazine editor and raging narcissist who enjoys getting into trouble with one of his writers, Jonathan Ames (Schwartzman), who is moonlighting as a private detective. Ames gets his clients via an ad on Craigslist so the cases he obtains through that method of advertisement are always interesting, to say the least.
What's New
The Classics
Turner Classic Movies will feature three films on Friday that all involve high stakes poker games. It starts with "A Big Hand for the Little Lady" (1966) at 8 p.m., starring Joanne Woodward and Henry Fonda; followed by "The Sting" (1973) at 9:45 p.m., starring Paul Newman and Robert Redford; and "The Cincinnati Kid" (1965) at midnight, starring Ann-Margret, Steve McQueen, Edward G. Robinson and Rip Torn.
RENT OR NETFLIX
"Julia"
There are movies out there that you've never heard of, hidden gems collecting dust on the shelves of your local video store, just waiting to be discovered. If you're lucky, you have at least one friend with exceptional taste in movies who will discover that gem and tell you that you need to see it.
"Julia" (2008) stars Tilda Swinton in the titular role as a raging alcoholic who becomes involved in the kidnapping of the son of a woman she meets in AA. Every time you think that Julia couldn't possibly make a decision worse than the last, she always manages to top herself. Desperate, derailed and usually drunk, Julia creates a constantly-escalating and seemingly inescapable mess. There's so many twists and turns in this thriller, you never quite know where it's going to go next. Swinton completely embodies this character, she makes Julia and her frantic reality seem unquestionably authentic.
If you ever find yourself wondering "Has my drinking gotten out of control?" "Julia" could also work as a yardstick by which to measure your alcoholism by. Take a page out of Julia's book: if you're rudely awakened by a stranger throwing you out of his car, into the parking lot near the bar you were at last night; if, while being thrown out of said car, you're wearing an ill-fitting sequined frock about 20 years past your sell-by date; or if you're picking up dates at Tijuana taquerias while on the lam, you have officially crossed over from "functioning" to "dysfunctional" alcoholism.
"Julia" is available for instant play on Netflix or perhaps at a video store near you.
WHAT'S HAPPENING
GET OUT OF TOWN
After sitting on a shelf in Buenos Aires, Argentina, for 80 years, the lost complete print of Fritz Lang's enormously influential film "Metropolis" was finally discovered. Twenty-five minutes of footage not seen since its 1927 premiere in Germany were recovered. Now digitally restored, once-fuzzy images and plot points have been made clear viewers will be shown a brief demonstration prior to the screening to show how awful the film looked before. This is a special pre-Buffalo International Film Festival Event, with the fourth annual festival to be held Oct. 1 through 10. For tickets to the restored "Metropolis," visit www.ticketderby.com/innerindex.php?eventid=3242.
April Diodato is the OBSERVER Lifestyles editor. Give her the dish on what's happening at adiodato@observertoday.com
