subject: “Rotten Tomatoes” is Watching All the Movies So You Don’t Have To [print this page] Author: Oswald Melman Author: Oswald Melman
While Current might best be known for its cofounder, Al Gore (who really did help to conceive of Current and is still involved in its workings) and for its focus on an unconventional way of delivering news stories from around the world, the channel knows how to have fun, too. With more than its fair share of equally charming and snarky correspondents and writers, the crew at Current is bringing a new life to television satire and entertainment. Its the perfect sort of programming for anyone who is old enough to have watched The Daily Show but young enough to realize that Jon Stewarts looking a little bit old these days.
As far as options for regular movie review shows on satellite tv go, there are a lot of the same: fawning looks at the latest hot celebrity actor or actress, a brief glance at some art house fare, and a whole lot of filler. In short, there was a great deal of room for improvements. Enter the latest offering on Current, Rotten Tomatoes. Hosted by Ellen Fox and Brett Elrich, whose energy is quite complementary, the show also manages to incorporate Currents popular format of letting user submissions from the site become part of the actual programming.
In a world where so many people would prefer to stay home and watch something on their high definition television set rather than spend a bundle at the movies, Rotten Tomatoes is a helpful tool. It reviews three movies a week, with comments from Current users who happened to see them, professional critics from a number of different publications, and Brett and Ellen themselves, who give hilarious feedback but dont just pan big-budget movies and direct viewers towards indies. They were just as likely to make fun of the latest quirky Zooey Deschenal movie as they are some mindless blockbuster...if it is actually mindless. Often times, movies like District 9, which were smash-hits with the mainstream, also get high ratings.
Currents unique take at going to the movies would not be complete without a tie-in to the internet, and in this case, it is a relationship with the web site Rotten Tomatoes, which gives movies ratings based on an equation that averages the number of positive and negative reviews that critics all over the country give to a particular picture. However helpful Rotten Tomatoes online might be for movie buffs, the television-enjoying public is a lot more likely to spend a half-hour enjoying an engaging television show in HD rather than digging around a website. And the television show is a lot more than just reviews, with looks at the top five best fictional summer camps, esteemed directors and actors offering up their top five favorite movie lists, and other short segments that are as interesting as they are entertaining.
So the next time youre thinking of trading in your couch seat for a seat at the movies, dont get online to figure out which new release is the best: just turn on your satellite tv and find Brett and Ellen, who are likely to give solid advice about the best way to spend your night at the movies. Even if youre not planning on going this weekend, the show is still fun enough to watch without cinematic inclinations.About the Author:
If movies are more your thing than direct tv sunday ticket, then dont miss an Episode of Rotten Tomatoes With direct tv hd, Current has never looked better.
