Book Review Roundup: 'Inferno,' 'The Land of Stories: The Enchantress Returns,' 'Room' & 'Double Down'

Over the past week, I've been posting Review Roundups of movies and TV shows that I watched this year but for some reason never got around to reviewing at the time, and I wanted to make sure I did before I post my Year-End blog posts pretty soon. Today, I've got one final Review Roundup, this time for books.

TV Show Review Roundup: 'The West Wing' Season 1, 'The Newsroom' Season 1 & 'Game of Thrones' Season 2

As we count down the final days of 2013, it's time for another Review Roundup, this time to give my thoughts on some TV shows that I watched this year but never got around to reviewing at the time. The seasons that I'm reviewing will be dated for those of you who do watch these shows, but with the HBO shows, I will always be delayed on those since I don't have HBO and watch them when they're released on DVD.

Movie Review Roundup: 'Bully,' 'Exporting Raymond,' 'Monsters University,' 'Flight' & 'Silver Linings Playbook'

There were so many more reviews I had planned on posting on this blog throughout the year (particularly the latter half or the year) and I never got around to it, for whatever reason. And, well, there's only a small handful of days left until 2013 comes to a close. So before that happens, I'm going to try and post some Review Roundups giving my brief thoughts on some movies, TV shows and books that I watched and read that I really enjoyed and want to recommend. So first up, the movies:

Jeff Dodge's Article Archive -- December 3-13, 2013

December 3-13, 2013:

BuddyTV:
'The Blacklist' Renewed for Season 2
Red Reddington is here to stay for at least another year: NBC has announced that its breakout hit of the fall 2013 season, The Blacklist, has been renewed for season 2....

NaNoWriMo 2013 Winner: 'The Smoke Will Rise' by Jeff Dodge

Aside from the usual Article Archive posts, this blog was absent of activity on my part during the month of November. If you follow me on Twitter, you know why. But if you don't, I'll mention it now. I took part for the first time in NaNoWriMo: National Novel Writing Month, where the goal is to write a 50,000 word novel during the month of November.

Jeff Dodge's Article Archive -- November 18-29, 2013

November 18-29, 2013:

Jeff Dodge's Article Archive -- November 1-15, 2013

November 1-15, 2013:

Jeff Dodge's Article Archive -- October 16-30, 2013

October 16-31, 2013:

'Iron Man 3' Review -- Marvel Cinematic Universe Phase 2

(Photo Source: Marvel)

As you very well know by now, I spent quite a few weeks recently reviewing all of the Marvel Cinematic Universe films leading up to the premiere of the spin-off series on ABC, Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Well, the show has a small handful of episodes now under its belt--and I'm finding myself really enjoying it.

But since I watched all the Phase 1 films, it seems only fitting that I would also watch and review Phase 2 as well. And the first and only movie from this second chapter is out on DVD, so it's time for me to continue my Marvel reviews...

Jeff Dodge's Article Archive -- October 1-15, 2013

October 1-15, 2013:

Reviews: 'Siberia' & 'Under the Dome' TV Shows

(Photo Source: NBC)

We're in October now, which means most of the fall 2013 TV shows have begun. But before we get too late into the season, I wanted to briefly mention a couple shows I watched over the summer that I became addicted to.

Jeff Dodge's Article Archive -- September 16-30, 2013

September 16-30, 2013:

BuddyTV:
[Video] 'Glee' Premiere: Does Artie Have a New Love Interest?
The return of Glee is less than two weeks away, which means it's almost time to "come together" for the two-part Beatles tribute extravaganza. In "Love, Love, Love," our favorite McKinley high glee club will take on the songs of the Fab Four. A new clip from the season 5 premiere has made its way online and it shows...

Emmys 2013: My Predictions vs. Winners

(Photo Source: CBS/ATAS)

Well, the 65th Primetime Emmy Awards were held recently. And, yeah, that's about it. So goodbye now...

Reviews: Marvel Cinematic Universe Phase 1 Roundup

(Photo Source: Marvel)

Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. is finally here! The new Avengers spin-off premieres tonight at 8pm on ABC. (For those on the East Coast, it's already aired, but for those of us on the West Coast, we're still counting down the minutes and hours.)

So since this is the day that the show makes its long-awaited debut, here's a roundup of all the Marvel Cinematic Universe Phase 1 reviews I did over the past several weeks:

Jeff Dodge's Article Archive -- September 3-13, 2013

September 3-13, 2013:

Jeff Dodge's 2013 Emmy Predictions

(Photo Source: CBS/ATAS)

The 65th Primetime Emmy Awards is this weekend--Sunday, September 22 at 8pm ET/5pm PT on CBS--hosted by How I Met Your Mother star Neil Patrick Harris, which means it's time for my predictions on everything from Best Drama and Comedy to Best Reality Show and everything in between.

'Marvel's The Avengers' Review -- Marvel Cinematic Universe Phase 1

(Photo Source: Marvel)

This is it! We're one week away from the series premiere of ABC's new drama Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. As part of my countdown, it's time for the final review in my blog series where I review every Phase 1 film from the Marvel Cinematic Universe:

Marvel's The Avengers

(Marvel Cinematic Universe: Phase 1--Avengers Assembled)

'Captain America: The First Avenger' Review -- Marvel Cinematic Universe Phase 1

(Photo Source: Marvel)

Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. premieres in two weeks, so as part of my countdown, here's the next review in my blog series where I review every Phase 1 film from the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Captain America: The First Avenger

(Marvel Cinematic Universe: Phase 1--Avengers Assembled)

'Thor' Review -- Marvel Cinematic Universe Phase 1

(Photo Source: Marvel)

With only three weeks to go until the premiere of ABC's Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., it's time for me to continue my blog series where I review every Phase 1 film from the Marvel Cinematic Universe -- today's it's Thor!

Thor

(Marvel Cinematic Universe: Phase 1 -- Avengers Assembled)

Jeff Dodge's Article Archive -- August 20-30, 2013

August 20-30, 2013:

BuddyTV:
'Big Brother' Winner to Compete on 'Survivor: Blood vs. Water'
Survivor: Blood vs. Water, airing this fall, will hit a little close to home for the castaways. Instead of having to wait many days for the chance to make it to the Loved Ones Visit, the loved ones will be on the island the entire time as returning contestants will be competing against their own family. One of those family members has now been revealed, and it is none other than...

'Iron Man 2' Review -- Marvel Cinematic Universe Phase 1

(Photo Source: Marvel)

This is the third week of my blog series where I review every Phase 1 film from the Marvel Cinematic Universe--this is all part of my countdown to the premiere of ABC's Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. in September. After reviewing The Incredible Hulk last week, it's time to revisit Tony Stark in Iron Man 2.

Review: 'The Cuckoo's Calling' by Robert Galbraith (aka J.K. Rowling)

(Photo Source: Mulholland Books)

From book jacket: "After losing his leg to a land mine in Afghanistan, Cormoran Strike is barely scraping by as a private investigator. Strike is down to one client, and creditors are calling. He has also just broken up with his longtime girlfriend and is living in his office.

Then John Bristow walks through his door with an amazing story: His sister, the legendary supermodel Lula Landry, known to her friends as the Cuckoo, famously fell to her death a few months earlier. The police ruled it a suicide, but John refuses to believe that. The case plunges Strike into the world of multimillionaire beauties, rock-star boyfriends, and desperate designers, and it introduces him to every variety of pleasure, enticement, seduction and delusion known to man.

You may think you know detectives, but you've never met one quite like Strike. You may think you know about the wealthy and famous, but you've never seen them under an investigation like this."

Check Out My Marvel Cinematic Universe Reviews Every Tuesday >>>

As everyone knows by now, Robert Galbraith is actually Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling, who released The Cuckoo's Calling back in April under a pseudonym, and no one knew until last month when someone did some detective work of their own and found out who the true writer was.

What makes this whole situation even more brilliant than just writing under a fake name is she went even so far as to write a bio for Galbraith: "After several years with the Royal Military Police, Robert Galbraith was attached to the SIB (Special Investigative Branch), the plain-clothes branch of the RMP. He left the military in 2003 and has been working since then in the civilian security industry. The idea for Cormoran Strike grew directly out of his own experiences and those of his military friends who returned to the civilian world."

Because of this, I'm pissed off at the publisher for removing the bio from subsequent printings. Yeah, we all know the real writer now, but c'mon, including things like the bio is all part of the experience. And that's why I've been kicking myself for not immediately buying a copy from the initial print-run, and I can't even buy it used because people are selling them for hundreds and sometimes thousands of dollars. But I digress...

"How easy it was to capitalize on a person's own bent for self-destruction; how simple to nudge them into non-being, then to stand back and shrug and agree that it had been the inevitable result of a chaotic, catastrophic life." -- from The Cuckoo's Calling (page 378)

Getting into the review now (and keep in mind there will be some spoilers throughout, including who the killer is), two things make this book stand out: the writing and the depth/realism of the characters.

Strike is not your ordinary detective. Jo writes him with such detail and we get to know him on a very personal level all throughout the book. There's layers and a depth to him as a character, and that's a huge part of what makes Cuckoo's Calling stand out when it could easily have been thrown in with every other detective/crime novel where you don't could get attached to the characters. His backstory in the army, the prosthetic leg, the ex-fiance, etc.--all of these are things that will most likely carry through into future stories. Obviously, each book I'm sure will focus on a different case, but Strike's own story and struggles will be that constant that remains (along with the substory of Robin and Matthew).

Strike and Robin have great camaraderie--even though she was always expected to leave the secretarial position eventually, it's obvious that because of their connection and how much they enjoyed working with each other that something would happen where she'd end up staying, and it's a delight, though predictable, when that indeed happens in the epilogue.

There are a lot of characters introduced throughout, and many of them could easily get lost in the shuffle to the point where you're going, who was this person again? But Jo makes each stand out so that when they're brought back into the fold, you remember who they are and can picture them again in your mind while reading.

Review: Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter Book & Film >>>

Death consumes this book, in the same way that death has consumed every single book Jo has written, from all the Harry Potter books to The Casual Vacancy and now The Cuckoo's Calling. She seems obsessed with the concept of death, the idea of what it does to family and friends still living, the contemplation of it there's an afterlife or not. We all know that the death of Jo's mother affected the way she wrote Potter--her mother dying is why that's a major theme.

And while we're on this subject, there's a pattern here: not only does death consume all of her books, but a death has always started out each of them as well. James and Lily Potter died at the start of the Potter series, Barry Fairbrother dies at the start of Casual Vacancy and Lula Landry dies at the start of Cuckoo's Calling.

With both The Casual Vacancy and this new novel, Jo's able to provide more mature stories and present them in a more mature manner that she wasn't able to do before with Harry Potter. (Part of that is the noticeable inclusion of quite a bit of profanity, but it's not distracting and does not take away from the plot at all.) And this is all part of her growing as a writer and being able to explore other areas she wasn't able to before when she confined to writing a fantasy series marketed towards children.

"Strike understood the appeal of gilded cherubs and plaster saints, of gargoyles and Old Testament angels, of gem-set golden crucifixes; anything that might give an aura of majesty of grandeur, a firm promise of an afterlife, or retrospect worth to a life like Rochelle's." -- from The Cuckoo's Calling (page 392)

The final chapter before the epilogue is epic. I love how Strike "throws up" (so to speak) everything about Bristow being the killer and how he went about doing it. He's saying it all in a calm voice, yet when you read it, it comes across as very vivid and dramatic--striking, even (pardon the pun). And I never would've guessed he was the killer. Since this is a whodunnit, I as a reader am constantly thinking, is it her? Is it him? Could this person have been the killer? With how many characters there are, you wonder a lot, and of course Jo sets that up perfectly for you to do so. And there are a couple times where I do in fact wonder if Bristow is the killer, but eventually shooting it down--no, he can't be; he's the one who started this case back up, it can't possibly be him.

Put simply, Jo is a master manipulator, diverting attention away from the real culprit while still leaving just enough clues for those readers who are great at picking these sorts of things up and figuring it out.

When I finished reading the final page, I thought, now what do I do? I really loved going on this journey through The Cuckoo's Calling, and I want more! Based on what's in the epilogue, it doesn't sound like Strike'll be hurting for clients for a while, which perfectly sets it up for there to be additional books in the series. Fortunately, Jo has said she's already written a sequel that's expected to be released next year, and I am beyond excited for that to happen. And I actually may pre-order it when the time comes just like I did with Harry Potter.

I Recommend: The Cuckoo's Calling

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Jeff Dodge's Article Archive -- August 1-14, 2013

August 1-14, 2013:

BuddyTV:
Keith Urban Returning to 'American Idol'
It's official: Keith Urban is returning for another season of American Idol. FOX Entertainment chairman Kevin Reilly confirmed the news at the network's Television Critics Association summer press tour on Thursday....

'The Incredible Hulk' Review -- Marvel Cinematic Universe Phase 1

(Photo Source: Marvel)

Last week, I began my blog series of reviewing all the Phase 1 films from the Marvel Cinematic Universe -- this is all part of my countdown to the premiere of ABC's Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. in September. With Iron Man behind me, now it's time for The Incredible Hulk.

'Iron Man' Review -- Marvel Cinematic Universe Phase 1

(Photo Source: Marvel)

Back in June, I mentioned on Twitter that I was going to be having A Very Marvel Summer--meaning I would be watching all the Avengers-related movies. (From my research since then, I now know the proper term is Marvel Cinematic Universe.)

The whole reason why I decided to do this is because one of the new fall 2013 shows on ABC is Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. I saw the trailer for it when it first went online. (In fact, I viewed it for an article I wrote.)

RIP Rosie (1997-2013) >>>

I was really intrigued after that. I've never seen any of the MCU films; for some reason, they never caught my interest--even The Avengers, if you can believe that! But after watching the S.H.I.E.L.D. trailer, it got me thinking, maybe I should check them out. I know it's been said in articles and interviews online that you don't need to see the films in order to understand or enjoy the show, but I'm the kind of person who wants to get the whole picture going in for something like this.

And so I made a commitment that I would watch all of the movies leading up to the September premiere--well, of them except for Iron Man 3; it's not out on DVD yet so there's reason enough, but even so, S.H.I.E.L.D. from what I've heard takes place after the events of The Avengers, so it really works out perfectly for me because all of the Phase 1 (see, I know my lingo now) films are everything before IM3.

So here's how it's going to go. Every week from now until S.H.I.E.L.D. premieres, I'll have a different review up, in order, starting with today's: Iron Man!

Jeff Dodge's Article Archive -- July 16-31, 2013

July 16-31, 2013:

BuddyTV:
Teen Choice Awards 2013: 'Pretty Little Liars' and 'The Fosters' Lead TV Nominations
The third and final wave of nominations have been announced for the 2013 Teen Choice Awards. On the TV side, ABC Family comes out on top, with Pretty Little Liars and The Fosters receiving three nominations each....Here is the complete list of third wave nominations...

RIP Rosie (1997-2013)

(Photo Source: Jeff Dodge)

Yesterday, Wednesday, July 24, 2013, after 16 and a half years with her, we put our family dog Rosie to sleep.

Jeff Dodge's Article Archive -- July 1-15, 2013

July 1-15, 2013:

BuddyTV:
'American Idol' Winner Ruben Studdard to Complete on 'The Biggest Loser'
American Idol season 2 winner Ruben Studdard will be back on reality TV this fall, but this time around he won't be singing. Instead, he'll be a contestant on the upcoming season of NBC's The Biggest Loser, according to People. Ruben has struggled...

Photos: 'The Glades' Set Visit

(Photo Source: A&E)

I had the opportunity earlier this year to visit the sets of two TV shows: USA Network's Graceland and A&E's The Glades. Both are on the air this summer, so in honor of that, I thought I would share a few photos I took. (I've already shared the Graceland photos here.)

At one point on the Glades set visit, we did get to go to the set and watch a scene being filmed; unfortunately, no cameras were allowed back there, so what I've got are pictures of five cast members during our interviews with them:

Photos: 'Graceland' Set Visit

(Photo Source: USA Network)

If you follow me on Twitter or have read through my recent Article Archive posts, you might know that I had the opportunity earlier this year to visit the set of two TV shows: USA Network's Graceland and A&E's The Glades. Since both are airing their respective seasons on TV at the moment, I thought I would share some photos I took while on the set visit.

Jeff Dodge's Article Archive -- June 10-21, 2013

June 10-21, 2013:

BuddyTV:
2013 TCA Awards: 'The Americans' and 'Breaking Bad' Lead Nominations
The nominations were announced Monday for the 2013 Television Critics Association Awards, with cable shows yet again garnering most of the spots. The only categories where the networks came out on top were in outstanding comedy (by a slim margin) and reality TV. And non-TV programming is starting to get recognized more and more with Netflix's House of Cards....

Jeff Dodge's Article Archive -- June 4-6, 2013

May 27-31, 2013:

BuddyTV:
[Videos] 'America's Got Talent' Season 8 Premiere: Singers, Cobras and Bad Auditions
It's summertime, and we all know what that means -- America's Got Talent is back! Get ready for some changes in season 8. Not only are there two new judges joining the panel -- Spice Girls singer Mel B and supermodel Heidi Klum, who are replacing the departed Sharon Osbourne -- but when the live shows begin in July, AGT is moving to Radio City Music Hall in New York City....

Review: 'Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter' Book & Film

(Photo Source: Grand Central Publishing)

From book jacket: "While Abraham Lincoln is widely lauded for saving a Union and freeing millions of slaves, his valiant fight against the forces of the undead has remained in the shadows for hundreds of years. That is, until Seth Grahame-Smith stumbled upon The Secret Journal of Abraham Lincoln, and became the first living person to lay eyes on it in more than 140 years.

Jeff Dodge's Article Archive -- May 27-31, 2013

May 27-31, 2013:

BuddyTV:
'The Glades' Season 4 Preview: Zombies, Scooby-Doo and Strippers, Oh My [from my Glades Set Visit back in February]
Fans everywhere want to know if Callie accepts Jim's proposal from last season's big finale cliffhanger. When BuddyTV visited the set of The Glades earlier this year, the cast remained very tight-lipped about the outcome. But they were excited to talk about the types of cases to expect in season 4, as well as teasing what's going on with the characters that aren't named Jim and Callie....

Jeff Dodge's Article Archive -- May 21-24, 2013

May 21-24, 2013:

BuddyTV:
'Dancing with the Stars' Week 10 Performance Rankings [Slideshow]
Ranking the performances from week 10 of Dancing with the Stars season 16....

Jeff Dodge's Article Archive -- May 6-17, 2013

May 6-17, 2013:

BuddyTV:
'Glee' Season 4 Finale Songs: Rachel Performs Celine Dion's 'To Love You More'
The past year has been a season full of change on Glee. ... But season 4 comes to a close on Thursday, with New Directions performing at Regionals against The Hoosierdaddies (led by guest star and American Idol season 11 runner-up Jessica Sanchez). ... FOX has released...

Jeff Dodge's Article Archive -- April 29-May 3, 2013

April 29-May 3, 2013:

BuddyTV:
'Glee' Episode 4.21 Songs: Paying Tribute to Stevie Wonder
Glee is nearing the end of season 4, and they couldn't let the season go without doing another tribute episode. This time, instead of another pointless homage to Britney Spears, they're paying tribute to the legendary Stevie Wonder. Along the way, Artie is faced with news that'll affect his future, and we're introduced to his mother, played by Katey Sagal. Rachel prepares for her callback audition for Funny Girl. And Mercedes, Mike and Cassandra July (Kate Hudson) make return appearances. FOX has released...

Jeff Dodge's Article Archive -- April 22-25, 2013

April 22-25, 2013:

BuddyTV:
'Glee' Episode 4.20 Songs: New Directions Performs Queen's 'We Will Rock You'
If you're a fan of acoustic songs, then you'll want to tune in to this week's episode of Glee. The power goes out at McKinley High, so Will ends up assignment New Directions to perform acoustic numbers. And Sarah Jessica Parker returns as Isabelle Wright and tasks Kurt with helping out at a Vogue.com charity event. FOX has released the...

Mario Lopez Returning as 'X Factor' Host, Khloe Kardashian Departure Confirmed
On the X Factor judging panel, Demi Lovato was the one judge everyone wanted to see return. And when it came to the hosts, it's obvious who fans wanted to see gone and who should stay. Fortunately, Simon Cowell is making the right decisions, as FOX has announced Mario Lopez is returning to host season 3....

'Dancing with the Stars' Week 6 Performance Rankings [Slideshow]
Ranking the best and worst performances from week 6 of Dancing with the Stars season 16....

Did 'American Idol' Try to Replace Mariah Carey with Jennifer Lopez?
Hiring one of the biggest music superstars in the world should be enough to boost ratings for a TV show, right? In theory, yes. But as American Idol has proven this year, it doesn't matter how big the star is, it matters if they have chemistry with the rest of the panel and if they're a competent judge. But Mariah Carey...

'American Idol' Prediction: Does a Contestant's Hometown Determine Who Wins?
American Idol has been on the air for 12 seasons now. The purpose of this show from the start was to find the greatest undiscovered talent from all over the country and turn them into superstars. But is the talent (especially the winners) that graces the Idol stage really representative of the United States of America? And more to the point, can we predict who will win this year based on where the contestants are from?...

'American Idol' Top 4 Predictions: Is Kree Harrison in Danger of Being Eliminated?
Last night's American Idol proved two things to us. One, that FOX really needs to shell out more money so the contestants can have a better song selection to choose from instead of being stuck with slow, boring songs from a million years ago. And two, that Kree Harrison, one of the frontrunners, is more in danger of elimination than ever before. Will she hit the bottom of the leaderboard, or is Amber heading home as we all believed going into this week? And will we finally have a non-elimination round? Let's run through how each of the Top 4 finalists did with their performances and how the results might play out....

The BizzNiz -- American Idol Recaps:
'American Idol' 12 Recap: Top 4 Perform
The Top 4's intro videos show each contestant visiting Children's Hospital, which is a fantastic way for them to give back and to put a smile on a child's face....

'American Idol' 12 Recap: Top 4 Results
Last night, we saw the Top 4 visit the Children's Hospital Los Angeles. And tonight's results show starts off with more footage of them at the hospital. They perform for the kids and everyone joins in on "Just the Way You Are." Back in the studio...

Review: 'Breaking Bad' Season 1

(Photo Source: AMC)

As AMC is preparing for their hit drama Breaking Bad to finish out its final eight episodes this summer, I on the other hand am just getting introduced to the series, having recently watched all of season 1. Sometimes, there are shows that I don't find out about until everyone's deep into the craze and I'm either out of the loop or having to catch up late to the game--that's the case here.

Jeff Dodge's Article Archive -- April 15-18, 2013

April 15-18, 2013:

BuddyTV:
'Glee' Episode 4.19 Songs: Rachel Duets with Her Mom
After spending an entire episode at McKinley High last week during which the controversial school shooting took place, it's time to check back in with Rachel because her Funny Girl audition is finally here. Nostalgia is in the air as she reprises the song that put Glee on the map: "Don't Stop Believin'." Rachel's mother Shelby, played by the fabulous Idina Menzel, returns to help her prepare. ... FOX has released the five songs that will be featured in this Thursday's episode...

Jeff Dodge's Article Archive -- April 8-12, 2013

April 8-12, 2013:

BuddyTV:
'Glee' Episode 4.18 Songs: Ryder Covers Elton John's 'Your Song'
After a two week break, Glee is back, with New Directions preparing for their upcoming Regionals competition. However, when an "unthinkable event occurs at McKinley High, perspectives are put into order," according to FOX. ... Here's the song list for "Shooting Star"...

Jeff Dodge's Article Archive -- April 1-5, 2013

April 1-5, 2013

BuddyTV:
'Glee' Star Cory Monteith Checks Himself into Rehab
Glee star Cory Monteith, who plays Finn on the hit FOX musical, has checked himself into rehab. Monteith's rep told People that he...

Check Out My 'Game of Thrones' House Sigil

If you're a fan of Game of Thrones like I am, then I'm sure you'd love to be able to create your own House Sigil. There's a new website associated with the HBO show called Join the Realm where you can do just that--create your family arms with your house name, sigil and saying. I recently took part and created one for myself:

Jeff Dodge's Article Archive -- March 25-28, 2013

March 25-28, 2013

BuddyTV:
'Dancing with the Stars' Week 2 Performance Rankings [Slideshow]
Ranking the best and worst performances from week 2 of Dancing with the Stars season 16.

Review: HBO's 'Game Change'

(Photo Source: HBO)

I promised a review of the Game Change film, so here it is! Based on a nonfiction book of the same name by John Heilemann and Mark Halperin, Game Change focuses exclusively on the Republican side of the 2008 presidential election, or more specifically, the period of time from right before John McCain chose his running mate all the way through to election night.

Jeff Dodge's Article Archive -- March 11-22, 2013

March 11-22, 2013

BuddyTV:
'Glee': Listen to Songs from Episode 4.16, 'Feud'
This week's Glee is all about feuds, hence the episode title "Feud." Now that Finn has told Will about his kiss with Emma, the two of them are given an assignment from new Directions to try and ease the tension between them. And Santana's suspicions about Brody continue. Check out the song list for...

Review: 'Game of Thrones' Season 1

(Photo Source: HBO)

Late last year, I reviewed and recommended A Game of Thrones, the first book in George R.R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire series. Now that I've watched season 1 of the HBO show Game of Thrones, I thought I would come back on here and gives my thoughts on the adaptation as well.

Jeff Dodge's Article Archive -- March 1-8, 2013

March 1-8, 2013:

BuddyTV:
'Idol' Roundup: Ratings Fall to Lowest in 10 Years, Fantasia's New Album and More
It used to be that only sports events would beat American Idol in the ratings. But as we've seen this week, it's becoming easier for both network and cable shows to do the same. Fantasia has a new album coming out in April -- read on for the release date, cover art and track list. Plus, Justin Guarini is a new dad for the second time....

Jeff Dodge's Article Archive -- February 25-28, 2013

February 25-28, 2013:

'Dancing with the Stars': Jacoby Jones Joins Cast, Chelsie Hightower Forced Out
Even though ABC initially said they won't be announcing the season 16 cast until Tuesday on Good Morning America, the network revealed in a commercial that ran during Sunday night's Oscars that Baltimore Ravens' wide receiver Jacoby Jones will compete on the show this spring....

Jeff Dodge's 2013 Oscar Predictions

(Photo Source: ABC)

The 85th Academy Awards are tonight (8:30pm ET/5:30pm PT, ABC), which means it's that time of year again for my yearly Oscar predictions. As you know, I write for BuddyTV, and so you can find my predictions (as well as explanations for how I ended up choosing a particular film or actor) over there. Click the link below:

Jeff Dodge's Article Archive -- February 11-20, 2013

February 11-20, 2013:

Exclusive Interview: Kevin and Danielle Talk 'Married to Jonas' Season 2 and Jonas Brothers Tour [Video]
The Jonas Brothers, they sure have grown up. Kevin Jonas has been married for three years to the love of his life, Danielle, whom he met during a vacation in the Bahamas. The two now star in their own reality show, Married to Jonas. BuddyTV spoke with Kevin and Danielle about season 2, which they're currently filming. What can fans expect when the show returns? And will the Jonas Brothers be featured as they head out on tour? Kevin gave us all the scoop....

Jeff Dodge's Article Archive -- February 1-8, 2013

February 1-8, 2013:

'Glee' Roundup: Jonathan Coulton Re-Releases 'Baby Got Back' After Scandal
Everyone has been talking lately about the "Baby Got Back" scandal, with very strong opinions on both sides of the issue. Musician Jonathan Coulton has responded to Glee airing his arrangement on the show and what he's doing as a result. Also in today's Roundup, the song list for next week's "Diva" episode has been revealed, and Ryan Murphy teases upcoming song and storylines -- will fans be able to buy the Men of McKinley calendar?...

Jeff Dodge's Article Archive -- January 2013

Below is a list of articles that I wrote in January. After this, I want to get into a habit of creating an archive list on a weekly basis.

My Thoughts After Watching 'The Dark Knight Rises'

(Photo Source: Warner Bros.)

A fair warning: negativity will reign supreme in this post.

2013: What I'm Looking Forward to This Year

A little over a week ago, I closed the door on 2012 by looking back on what I was anticipating the most coming into the year. And now it's time to look forward. Since we're at the start of 2013, I'm going to do it again: list some of the movies, books, TV shows and music that I'm looking forward to this year.

Golden Globes 2013: My Predictions vs. Winners

(Photo Source: HFPA)

Last night, NBC aired the 70th Annual Golden Globe Awards. And out of the 25 categories in which awards were handed out, I got 16 correct, which is 64%. Once I counted everything up after the show ended, I actually thought this was still a pretty decent number, and it probably is. But when compared to last year's predictions, I did worse. Last year, I only missed six (76%). Oh, well--I'm still going to call it a success.

Below are the list of winners compared to my predictions:

Jeff Dodge's 2013 Golden Globe Predictions

(Image courtesy of HFPA)

The 2013 Golden Globe Awards are tonight (Sunday, January 13) at 8pm ET/5pm PT on NBC, hosted by Tina Fey and Amy Poehler -- I can't wait to see them pair up together for this event! Check out my predictions below in both the movie and television categories.

2012 Year in Review: My Top Recommendations of the Year

In Part 1 of my 2012 Year in Review, I went back and reviewed my January 1, 2012 post 'What I'm Looking Forward to This Year.' Now, in Part 2, it's time to compile all my 2012 Recommendations in order. So let's get right into it with the my #1 Recommendations, the movies/TV shows/books/etc. that stood out above them all:

2012 Year in Review: Looking Back on 'What I'm Looking Forward to in 2012'

I don't know about you, but 2012 went by in a flash, especially the last half of the year. Last I checked, we were deep in the middle of a presidential election, and now we're approaching inauguration day in a couple of weeks. See what I mean? Went by fast. But I'm not here to talk politics. No...it's time to do a 2012 Year in Review and also compile my top recommendations of the past year.

I Recommend: 'Brave' & 'Pitch Perfect' Films

Jeff Dodge's Recommendations:

Movies:
Brave (on DVD)

(Image courtesy of Disney/Pixar)

Ever since the initial trailers were released for Pixar's 2012 film Brave, I knew I wanted to see it. Of course, what ended up happening was I somehow never made it to the theater this past summer. (And now that we're on the subject, there's actually another movie from this past fall that's no longer in theaters that I originally meant to go see as well, but I'll leave that for another day.) But Brave is now out on DVD and I finally watched it recently. I remember hearing that it received mixed reviews. But I'm trying to figure out why, because I absolutely loved it, and not just because it's from Pixar--I'm a Pixar fan, though I don't follow them 100% blindly as they have had some bumps, **cough** Cars and Cars 2 **cough**.

Short Reviews: 'Ice Age: Continental Drift' & 'ParaNorman'

Movies:

Ice Age: Continental Drift (on DVD)

(Image courtesy of 20th Century Fox)

I'll admit, I went into watching Ice Age: Continental Drift with low expectations. I've watched the previous three over the years and have found them to be at most just above average films. Now, you may be thinking, why then do you continue to watch this series? Well, it's because having said that, they are enjoyable films, but I wouldn't pay to see them in theaters or buy them on DVD. There are aspects that I like, such as Scrat and Sid. And I think a lot of the actors voicing these animated characters have been put to good use, for the most part.