SMART LIST

'Friday Night Lights' gets a revamp

October 18, 2009|Denise Martin

Touchdown! Get ready to talk about: "Friday Night Lights"

If you don't have it, find someone with DirecTV, turn to Channel 101 at 9 p.m. and indulge in one of the best series on TV. As a colleague describes it, the fourth season, via the previews, appears to have undergone a fantastical Guillermo del Toro-style makeover. There's also aggressive hinting that Julie and Matt are headed for splitsville. Beautiful and distressing -- hallmarks of good prime-time drama. (Wednesday)

Talk about the unbearable wait for: "Toy Story 3"

The trailer is out and with just three minutes' worth of footage the folks at Pixar made me cry, then laugh, then cry. Final tears were for the last frame: In theaters June 2010. Happy YouTube-ing till then. (Available now)

Of course you want to talk about: "Flight of the Conchords"

Still no news of a third season of the New Zealand folk parody duo's HBO show, but the next best thing has arrived. An album of music from Season 2. Fans know "Sugalumps" rivals Black Eyed Peas' "My Humps" in hilarity, and the titular "I Told You I Was Freaky" is, in Conchords spirit, plain creepy good. (Tuesday)

For The Record
Los Angeles Times Monday, October 19, 2009 Home Edition Main News Part A Page 4 National Desk 1 inches; 45 words Type of Material: Correction
Smart List: An item in the Smart List column in Sunday's Calendar section said the first episode of the fourth season of "Friday Night Lights" would be shown at 9 p.m. Wednesday on DirecTV's Channel 101. The episode will air at 9 p.m. Oct. 28.
For The Record
Los Angeles Times Sunday, October 25, 2009 Home Edition Sunday Calendar Part D Page 2 Calendar Desk 1 inches; 42 words Type of Material: Correction
Smart List: An item in last Sunday's Smart List column said the first episode of the fourth season "Friday Night Lights" would be shown at 9 p.m. last Wednesday on DirecTV's Channel 101. The episode will air at 9 p.m. this Wednesday.

Curious enough to talk about: "Antichrist"?

There's painful to watch, and then there's a Lars von Trier film. His latest, a disturbing, violent and sexually explicit film about a couple's (Charlotte Gainsbourg and Willem Dafoe) retreat to their cabin in the woods, split critics at this year's Cannes film festival. (Friday)

You don't need to be a "Twilight" fan to talk about: "The Twilight Saga: New Moon Soundtrack"

The "Twilight" soundtrack has sold more than 3 million copies, so it's no surprise that its sequel got an early release last Friday. It's a winning compilation. Even if you don't like vampires. The disc had us at Death Cab for Cutie but held us with Thom Yorke's haunting "Hearing Damage," Grizzly Bear's folksy "Slow Life," the lovely Bon Iver-St. Vincent duet "Roslyn," and, yes, even a bombastic Muse remix. (Available now)

Don't bother talking about: "Motherhood"

Not even Uma Thurman and Minnie Driver's best efforts can make an unfunny comedy about a day in the life of a working mom work. Better to overlook it altogether. (Friday)

-- Denise Martin

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