Baxter Bark Twice

Do as I say, never as I do

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Homeland Girl with a Sherlock; Extremely Loud & Shameless House of Lies

Posted by AllieB on December 12, 2011

There are LOT of things to look forward to in the coming weeks in the tv/cinema arena. In case you aren’t subscribed to five weekly tabloids (People, Us Weekly, Life & Style, InTouch, Entertainment Weekly – Friday is a veritable partay at BBT’s house (at least it is when my neighbors don’t steal my shiz)), here are some especially noteworthy things coming up. Listed not only chronologically, but in the order as shown in my oh-so-cleverly spliced title:

The season finale of Homeland – Sunday, December 18: Ok, if you’re not watching this program you’re doing yourself – and maybe even our country – a grave disservice. Each week’s episode has trumped the last, and last night’s was no exception. NYMag does a pretty great weekly re-cap of each episode, which I highly recommend reading. Claire Danes is, hands-down, the ugliest crier on the planet, but instead of ruining everything like she did in Romeo + Juliet with Leo di Caprio back in 1996, her disfigured emotion adds a certain level of necessary mania to her character. Finally, a niche market for that contorted face.

Girl with a Dragon Tattoo – Wednesday, December 21: Oh.My.God. I AM SO EXCITED. Even if there is a slight change to the story line, as there allegedly is about 3/4 of the way through, I am confident I will love this film. I heart Daniel Craig.

Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows – Sunday, December 25, 2011: Robert Downey, Jr. is awesome as Sherlock. I’ve seen the one that came out in 2k9 several times, and I still enjoy it. While RDJr totally steals the show, his rapport with Holmes (Jude Law) is very natural and plausible – they have great banter. Also, the way they film the action/fight scenes is really cool in this slo-mo kind of way…”really cool” “great” “awesome” – I’ve missed my calling as a movie critic, haven’t I?

Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close – Sunday, December 25, 2011: This is going to be a real tear-jerker. With the cast (Tom Hanks, Sandra Bullock), director (Stephen Daldry – The Reader) and subject matter (9/11), it’s getting all kinds of Oscar-buzz. I’ll see it because I love to cry audibly at movies in theaters whilst sitting next to strangers, embarrassing my friends who have to depart the theater with me. Hello, The Help, Marley & Me, Titanic.

Shameless – Sunday, January 8, 2012: This is yet another gem on Showtime. Season 2 is coming in hot with it being summer time in Chicago- ie, no school and even more time for these Gallagher kids (and father) to run amok. The story lines are, at times, somewhat off-putting (that whole deal with Karen going crazy and seducing Frank made me very uncomf), but I am a huge fan.

House of Lies – Sunday, January 8, 2012: A brand new series to premier after Shameless on Showtime. Have you subscribed to Showtime yet? If you aren’t picking up the phone/initiating an online chat with your Comcast representative by the time you finish reading this post, you’re a fool. It stars Don Cheadle and Kristen Bell (in a surprisingly racy looking role…!) who work at some top-tier consulting firm. Suffice it to say, R-rated shenanigans ensue. It looks like quality stuff.

So… there you have it. De nada. That actually took me kind of awhile to write – like 30 minutes, at least.

And now, for this week’s Funny Christmas Foto Gallery:

Agreed.

FYI.

I took it too far, didn’t I?

Tis the season for December Bender. Have a merry Munday!

Posted in Imparting Wisdom | Tagged: , , , , | 5 Comments »

So, I lied.

Posted by AllieB on October 18, 2011

For the life of me, I can not figure out a good way to randomly – like, legitimately randomly – come up with a way to choose a winner of the basically priceless prize of $20 to iTunes. I bet I could Goog this, and I probably will, but I just wanted you all to know that the contest is STILL ON… it’s just taking slightly longer to execute. Why do today what you can put off until tomorrow. I promise – and I’ll take the oath of Chanel – that I will choose a winner…at some point.

Re: the survey. It seems that people really do enjoy the premise and the idea of a survey of their peers/the opposite sex, but my questions were boring. This is a valid point: my questions were boring. However, BBT is a personal blog – my name’s all over this and my reader demographics expand far beyond those in my immediate age range. Therefore, there are certain parameters and standards I must uphold. The internet is permanent, and once I put something out there I really can’t get it back. So, until I start writing under some pseudonym on a totally random page (lightbulb!), my surveys will continue to air on the conservative side of PG-13. We keep things classy around here.

Q&A:

–do you have the new iPhone? I don’t. I really really want it. This demo of the new SIRI program (credit: Seth) is not helping. I mean, this thing is badass. The future is now!

–are you watching Homeland??? It’s new on Showtime (Sundays @ 9 pm) starring Claire Danes. It is awesome. The premise is as follows: thought-to-be-dead POW Sergeant Brody is found alive after 8 years MIA. The story begins with his triumphant return to the USA…or is it??? Carrie Mathison (Danes), a CIA agent, received word from a paid snitch in Iraq that an American POW has been turned….is it Brody?? We don’t know. Everyone’s paranoid, and the show is awesome at keeping the twists and turns going. WATCH IT. It’s by the producers of 24, and I’m totally hooked…plus, it’s Showtime so they can really push the limits re: plot lines.

-ok, this isn’t a question, but check out this comprehensive compilation of the most controversial magazine covers of all time (credit: YKenna). It’s got pop culture, Vietnam, OJ Simpson, Demi Moore, religion, a baby nursing…it’s a quick pictorial lesson in history. Worth a look.

The last thing I need is this guy finding a scandalous survey by BBT.

OH, that reminds me: HBD ABE the V!

Posted in Arbitrary, Imparting Wisdom | Tagged: , , | 2 Comments »

Struggleville Shrimp

Posted by AllieB on September 26, 2011

I am having a blog-related identity crisis. Whenever people ask me what my blog is about, the answer with which I usually respond is, “nothing.” Now there’s a glowing recommendation. Please, everyone, read my blog about absolutely nothing! For this reason, I think I might take some time and figure out what Baxter Bark Twice is all about. I’m not eschewing BBT altogether – I mean, there’s some good stuff here – but I need some direction.

Mel: I’d like to see you have a little direction.
Cher: I have direction!
Josh: Yeah, towards the mall.

Cher and I are totes on the same page…

Meanwhile, here’s what I think about some stuff:

READ: Girls in White Dresses. If you are a dude, skip to the next item. This book is about 20-30 year olds in New York City just doing stuff that normal people of that age do. It’s funny and relevant and a legit page turner. It’s kind of a fresh take on the whole Everyone I Know Is Getting Married thing, but it also talks about first jobs, first homes, first loves, and my soul mate this guy who is very wealthy, suffers from a severe case of OCD and, once a week, cooks up a box of Kraft mac n’ cheese and eats it straight from the pan, mauling it like a lion might its prey. It’s not quite as strange when read in context. This is a quick and easy yet somehow still poignant read.

WATCH: 2 Broke Girls. It was funny. The two main characters are funny, and I think there’s great potential. Tonight @ 8:30 – CBS.

WATCH: Revenge. Ok, I’m hooked. I have no idea how this show could possibly last longer than one season, but that is fine with me so long as it’s a season full of episodes like last week’s pilot. I mean, it’s obviously trashy, but it’s filmed in the lovely setting of the Hamptons, and the main character (Rebecca from Brothers and Sisters) doesn’t annoy me that much. The story line is rife with scandal, extra-marital affairs, addiction, secrecy, blackmail, and a really cute yellow lab named Sam…basically it has all the makings of good, quality television. Wednesdays @ 10 p.m. – ABC.

DO NOT WATCH: Whitney. In a word: AWKWARD. Actually, I’ll probably watch it a couple more times before I ditch it completely, but I don’t do well with live studio audiences.

DRINK: Bleasdale Broad-Side Shiraz Cabernet Malbec. It is a blend, according to Captain Obvious, and it’s one of the more delicious reds I’ve had recently: very drinkable with any of a number of things, I’m sure – I had it with pizza. It retails for about $15 in stores, give or take, and sells for $24/bottle at Treehouse. Warning: don’t actually drink it at Treehouse because they will serve it to you piping hot and in a 3 oz glass – take it home to chill and enjoy in a more reasonably sized glass, like this one.

So, I’m a work in progress.

Over-thinking it in Atlanta,

BBT.

Sidebar – re: today’s heading, do you remember the Struggleville Shrimp from Last Resort?? Good food; good times.

Posted in Arbitrary | Tagged: , , , | 5 Comments »

You’re going to want to bookmark this one

Posted by AllieB on August 23, 2011

CREDIT: Hadley P. Click here to enlarge.

This is the schedule for Fall premiers on the major networks. I know not how to spell “premiere” and it seems it’s acceptable with or without the “e.” Ok then.

I spent an afternoon watching trailers for the new tv shows recently, and there is a LOT for us to be excited about. Note to Sister, Kara, Lacy, and probably a lot of you: these are scripted television shows with sets and fictional characters and plotlines, so you may or may not be interested. For those of us with standards, continue reading:

YES:

  • Two Broke Girls: that busty girl from a bunch of movies is kind of annoying, but I laughed at the trailer…I”m sure I’ll watch it even if it’s awful
  • Up All Night: Christina Applegate is one of my top 5, and Will Arnett is weird but in an awesome way, and Maya Rudolph – when she’s not overdoing it – is great, too. IN!
  • Revenge: fiesty! And I like that actress – Rebecca from Brothers and Sisters.
MAYBE:
  • Pan Am: I’ve never been a fan of Christina Ricci (her face is weird), but I like the premise
  • Hart of Dixie: I think this has already premiered? It wasn’t horrible
  • Charlie’s Angels: I’ll definitely try it out – I have that girl crush on Minka Kelly…

I am LIVID that Cougar Town doesn’t come back on until January 2012. WTF, ABC? KMA. Fortunately Happy Endings is making a timely return…I’m serious, that show is hilarious. Hopefully they’ll continue to minimize the roles of Elisha Cuthbert and that d-nozzle she left at the altar. His only redeeming quality is that he runs a cheesesteak food truck…I love food trucks that serve cheesesteaks.

SPEAKING of food trucks: Tex’s Tacos schedule for the week.

Did you know that Zara will be selling their clothes online as of September 7th? They are. Neat.

Posted in Arbitrary, Imparting Wisdom | Tagged: , , , | 6 Comments »

My top 10 or 15 or maybe 17 favorite TV characters

Posted by AllieB on August 8, 2011

Today seemed like a two-a-day kind of day.

My Top Ten Favorite TV Personas (I didn’t list numerically because I found I can’t commit to a set order – consider it a ten-way..or like 17-way tie)

Barney – How I Met Your Mother

Stephen Colbert

Ross Gellar & Chandler Bing – Friends

Liz Lemon & Jack Donaghy – 30 Rock

Miranda Hobbs – SATC

Flip – Shameless

Tim Riggins, Coach Taylor and Tami Taylor on FNL

Penny – Happy Endings (which HAS been renewed, btw)

Claire and Luke Dunphy..and Cam and Lily – Modern Family

Larry David

Franklin & Bash – Franklin & Bash

Sweet Dee – Always Sunny

Ron Swanson – Parks and Recreation

I cheated. That is more than ten but you try listing your top ten because it is HARD.

When it gets closer to September, I will do a comprehensive list of all of the best shows and their respective season premiers. I love fall! Until then, set your DVR because TLC is doing a special on Pippa Middleton tomorrow. Apparently she doesn’t actually talk to anyone directly in the special, it’s a compilation of her rise to hotness. IN – I am fascinated by her torso.

Posted in Arbitrary | Tagged: , , , , | 2 Comments »

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