Pauleywood

It's been a long time coming but finally I have a cool blog that I can call my own. Most people reading will already know who I am. Discussions of hip hop and life will usually take place here when I have things to talk about.

Monday, September 13, 2010

It's been a summer!

......and summer mainstay T.V show Entourage wrapped up it's final episode of season 7 last night and was it a doozy. For those of you that have yet to see it, or are still working on the series ***warning spoilers***.

Anyway, with season 7 down and one shortened season 8 to go I'm not sure how we are gonna pull out of the behemoth of a gutter that Vincent Chase and his entourage are in at the moment. Between Vincent, Eric, and Ari there are some serious questions left unresolved, but lets at least focus on the positives for the season.

Throughout the series it seems that Johnny Drama has had opportunity, only to through it away on stupid decisions. The guy that should know better has been, at times, the most unfocused, immature, and self centered. Well in season 7 Drama had a lot of growing up to do and did so admirably. So much so that I actually like the guy, which was hard for me to do during seasons 1-6. He's been cast in a potential hit cartoon show and, where it seems responsibility is totally lacking in Vincent's situation, is actually the guy who shows the most genuine concern over his brother's personal problems. He's the one that organizes the intervention and the one to come to his defence at the eminem party. I see him continuing to be his own man in season 8 with possibly a relationship in the works (courtesy of Eric's secretary Jennie). With season 1 having him as a broke out of work actor living off of Vince's charity, these two characters are in strong position to switch roles when the show wraps after season 8.

Although, I wondered about the storyline Turtle has had room to flex his business savvy and it seems for the time being all is well, with his Tequila business prospects being saved and in a relationship with hottie Alex. Of course in the interest of drama he will find some way to screw it up in season 8, but for now all is good.

You thought all was well for Eric come season 6, but all is not right with E after the events of season 7. Vince's troubles not-withstanding, the guy has been pulled into a turf war at his place of employment. His storyline ends with him agreeing to participate in a company coup, something that I have a feeling will backfire come season 8. Not to mention his relationship with Sloan is on some rocky ground after she let slip about Vince's problems to her father (Ari's former boss Terrance).

Ari has taken blow after blow this year as we see him on top of the world episode 1, and a complete wreck of a man come the finale. Through mostly no fault of his own forces have conspired to strike at what Ari prizes the most, his family. Last night we see Ari and Mrs. Ari on the verge of splitting, with Mrs. Ari needing some time away. I see reconciliation in the future but it looks like he gonna have to choose between his empire of an agency and his family. Not to mention Vince's problems that overshadow the entire story arc.

Unlike Ari whose unfortunate turn of events was largely outside of his control, Vince's problems have been entirely self-inflicted and is a question of how fast can you throw your career away. Unlike the previous Vince career crisis in season 5, in which he was dealing with professional insecurities, this season has focused more on the personal. Vince has always had his issues mind you, he parties a little too hard and sleeps with just about any girl he meets but this is different. Vince was always the cool one able to be calm and relaxed through any circumstance. This year we saw him slowly go unhinged to the point of very serious issues now affect his personal and professional career.

On the personal side, we see Vince's drug habit spiralling out of control through the season. Again he's smoked his weed and done shrooms in the past, but this is different. It clearly seems that he's got a problem with Cocaine and also a serious drinking problem to. I do feel that on a personal side that his issue may well be an odd play out of the empty nest syndrome. Vince was always the guy to his friends (entourage), the provider, the de-facto leader (even though E was his manager). During the past few season we've seen Eric become a player in Hollywood management outside of Vince's career (not to mention he is getting married), Johnny star on a hit T.V. show, Turtle open his own business, and even Ari becoming a huge star in the agent game. When he has his pissy fit "screaming you guys need me more than I need you" in last night's episode, it is really the exact opposite. He really is asking "were are you guys when I need you". Of course Vince is too much the man to admit it, and all his abandonment issues he soaks up with Tequila and Coke to the point where he realises in his warped moving star sense that all is not right. The question is whether or not it's too late.

On the professional side we see Vince covered in blood after getting his ass handed to him by Eminem in a fight hence seriously putting his film project Airwalker (a movie that would have been Vince's biggest payday) in jeopardy. The cocaine issue has now involved the law as Vince is busted for coke. With the mess of things to clear up he has just blacklisted himself in Hollywood for a very long time, not to mention possible jail time. This story could play itself out on many different levels. Best outcome is that Vince rises up from the ashes and becomes an A list actor/movie star again. Worst outcome is we find Vince dead in a hotel room Ala Heath Ledger. I tend to think that it will end up somewhere in the middle in that Vince loses his star appeal and becomes an ordinary guy again, but realizes that his friends are all there for them because they are friends and not hangers on.

So for future predictions to where the cast will be come the final episode of season 8.

Drama - Will be the buzz of the television world as his new cartoon "Johnny's Bananas" becomes a huge success leading to a lucrative career in voice work, and he will also get his own late night show. Not to mention he will sell part of his stake in "Johnny Drama's Pub" in Queen's to Turtle.

Turtle - Will lose his investment in Avion Tequila though some shady business dealings with Mark Cuban and eventually take the money and become partners with Drama in the Pub business.

Eric - I just sense that Eric will be the best off. He will continue to be Drama's manager through all of his success and will marry Sloan. The business coup will be partially unsuccessful but Eric and new business partner Scott Lavin will form a new management group that will be successful.

Ari - Will sell out his stake in Millar-Gold for a large sum of money realizing that power does not match a loving family. He will reconcile with his wife and kids and go into semi-retirement...while working as a consultant for Eric on the side.

Vince - Will sober up and realize who his friends are. He will also go into retirement and find a nice girl and settle down. Possibly he finds religion in the process too. With that he ends up working as a bartender in "Dramas" and living off whatever money he has left from his acting career....biding his time until he can make his comeback (that will be for the movie).

as for the bit players

Lloyd will be at Millar Gold and eventually become the new head of the TV department thanks to Johnny's success.

Billy Walsh will become a very successful film director again and will at some point be instrumental in orchestrating Vince's comeback with a juicy role in a successful film.

Thursday, September 09, 2010

Vancouver 2010 DVD set review

So here it is. A Chance to relive memories of february when the world came to my hometown. For a slick 60CAD you can purchase this 5 DVD set and keep this memento of perhaps the most exciting event to come to this part of the world since Expo 86.

I have yet to watch a lot of it, but it is nice to see Charles Hamlin winning double gold, or Jasey Jay Anderson. I will point out some caution before you decide whether or not to buy.

1.) Performances are heavily edited involving generally Canadians in contention and immediate competition. I actually didn't mind this too much because really do we want to see some Joe Somebodyvich from Latvia skiing moguls (prolly not). However they could have given the Canadians a little more screen time in the process. Whole races/events are explained in a matter of seconds with the pivotal gold medal matchup the only thing shown in full a lot of the time (and sometimes not even that). With all the focus they seem to give on the medal ceremony, can they maybe edit a minute or two out of that and show us a few more minutes of the actual event?

2.) If your buying it for opening and closing ceremonies BE WARNED. Again the opening ceremonies are heavily edited. I haven't seen the closing ceremonies yet, btu I'm sure it is heavily edited as well. Again can we forego the pomp and circumstance of speeches and Canada "Blah" this and "Blah" that and actually show more of the actual performance. The only place where the edits actually worked in favour of the viewer was during the always tedious Parade of Nations. Also no commentary (not even an option).

3.) No skips or chapter split on the events. This is especially true during the opening and closing ceremonies. Edited as they are, they still each come in at around an hour, a long time for no chapter breaks, particularly if West Coast First Nations dancing really is not your thing.

4.) The opening theme song. You know the one by that nice teenage girl with the killer voice. Love or hate the song, you'll have it played to death both in fanfare format, and in pop version. I understand it's your network song, but can we not have it beaten to death on every menu option or in every highlights package.


With the nostalgia factor pretty high for Canadians and especially Vancouverites, this DVD set will bring back warm memories either way and sell loads of copies. It's too bad however that CTV took the scissors to the tape and edited a lot of the life out of it. If they were so concered with time constrants on each disc they should of added an extra disc. The opening and closing ceremonies are the most disapointing of the proceedings and if your buying for that purpose along I would say pass and see if you can find a nice torrent to download the full broadast. Here is hoping that an unedited version is around the corner.

Nostalgia Factor A+
DVD Package D