Mad Men

About this show: (taken from the AMC website) "Set in 1960s New York, the sexy, stylized and provocative AMC drama Mad Men follows the lives of the ruthlessly competitive men and women of Madison Avenue advertising, an ego-driven world where key players make an art of the sell."

I must admit, I was not initially intrigued or compelled to watch this show. The ads were too vague and I have never thought of AMC as the place to go for original programming. However, I think this is TV's best kept secret. I was totally bored out of my mind a couple Sunday evenings ago and found myself watching the beginning of Season 2. Omigoodness! This is the most intelligent programming I have seen in ages! I am enthralled by the complexity of these characters, and the conflict displayed here. It is interesting to watch 21st century morals (or lack thereof) played out in the context of the 1960's, when ole fashion family values was initially coined. Don Draper, played by an unknown actor (to me) Jon Hamm, is sexy, complicated, scandalous and confused, oh, did I mention SEXY? I am not an avid TV watcher; I turn on the tube when I have exhausted everything else. On any given week, my TV may be on for a total of 2-3 hours max. But I am now eagerly looking forward to next Sunday. If you have cable or satellite, I strongly recommend tuning in to this program. Sundays, 9pm central time.

The Dark Knight/ Space Chimps

I am the ultimate fan of the new Batman franchise. Yes, I am one of those folk who never quite got over watching cartoons! I remember when the animated Batman series premiered during the 90's and how excited I was that this series was more closely aligned to the original concept of the comic book series than the TV Batman, or even Michael Keaton's Batman. The year that "Batman Begins" premiered, I found a sitter and went to the midnight showing. I know I have communicated my excitement to my son. Together, we watch not only the movies but reruns of the animated series.

So, when advertisements about "The Dark Knight" began airing, it was a no brainer that we would be there, front and center. This is a warning for any parents who want to take their children under the age of 13 to see this movie. DON'T!!

This is a very dark movie. The only resemblance between Heath Ledger's "Joker" and the comic stylings of Jack Nicholson's "Joker" is that they both wear purple suits. This is not a kid's movie and it is not for those with weak stomachs. The joker is a psychopathic murderer; there's nothing funny or redeeming in him at all. I'm not saying don't see it, I'm just advising you to leave the younger children at home. Aside from being repulsed by the Joker, I enjoyed the movie. I would have liked it more if I weren't concerned about covering my son's eyes at some of the more violent scenes. I was really pleased with the director and actor's handling of Harvey Dent, the prosecuting attorney who morphs into an uber criminal. In my opinion, this was some of Aaron Eckhart's finest work. Christian Bale delivered, as usual. Morgan Freeman gets better and better with every movie he makes.

Instead of "The Dark Knight," try "Space Chimps" instead, for the younger set. I really was not expecting much from this movie, but it was free and my kid thought it was hilarious. There was a nicely done scene in which a space alien learns to use imagery and self-talk to control his fear. It provided a good opportunity for my son and I to dialogue about fear and ways for him to mange his own. The overall theme was about self-actualization; not allowing your fears to hamper you from fulfilling your destiny.