taylor kitsch | Amy J. Bennett

This is not a typical movie review for me. Not just a checkmark for a blog post in exchange for free movie tickets. Pretty please read this. There are no spoilers so, read on!

You all know my love for Friday Night Lights, right? I mean, LOVE. If you don’t know my love, you should know I helped create a fan site, ran a podcast and even visited the set in Texas two years ago. Like, serious fandom here. I loved every single character from Friday Night Lights (Texas Forever!) but we all know I geeked out a little for Riggins. I mean, who didn’t love 33? For reals.

Taylor Kitsch’s first movie since FNL is this John Carter (of Mars – which they dropped last minute). I admit, I was REALLY SCARED for 33. Can Riggs really pull off being a super hero in a sci-fi? Am I really even interested in spending 90 minutes (it’s actually 2 hr 10 min) watching aliens on Mars? I’m not a fan of sci-fi. The promos were super sketchy. His voice was altered in some way and there were really weird things showing up on screen. I just was terrified Kitsch’s career was over post-FNL. In fact, I nearly canceled watching the screening because I just was so uninterested in seeing this movie.

But ya’ll. Ya’ll!!!!!!

John Carter was AWESOME.

You know how you watched Avatar and it was a bunch of weird looking people but you really loved all the weird looking people and there was a heart and a cause to the storyline? That’s the closest thing I can come to this story. I also think of Sherlock Holmes where it’s a period piece and the writing is really SMART. (PS Mark Strong from Sherlock Holmes is in the movie.)

First off, I need to say I know nothing about John Carter of Mars from the books. I’m just an uninitiated movie- goer. I went into this thinking it was going to be just an overblown action movie but it turns out this is truly a character story. What they don’t highlight in previews is John Carter’s history on Earth and then the conclusion back on Earth and you see this troubled guy and watch him evolve and by the end of the movie it’s so satisfying you just want to fist pump and clap in glee.

Taylor Kitsch completely blew me away. The days of Riggins are simply a shadow of this actor that showed up in this movie. He delivered lines with confidence, showed emotion like Riggs and had the physicality of a super hero. It wasn’t cheesy at all.

The other characters are amazing. Did you know William Dafoe (Spiderman) was in this? How about Mark Strong (Sherlock Holmes)? Or Thomas Haden Church? The female character played by Lynn Collins (X-Men Origins: Wolverine) was strong and smart and she just knocked my socks off to tell you the truth. I really thought she was just going to simply be eye-candy for the guys but they really played to her intellectual and physical side. And I don’t just mean sexual physical side although she certainly was sexy in the movie and was only half-dressed for the whole thing.

They had this adorable dog-ish character that really lightened the mood. In fact, there were several humorous moments but not enough to take away from the action.

What I love too is that aside from the violence it was a clean movie. Only one swear word I remember and that was just to the dog so he would get out of harm’s way. No sexually overt scenes other than that they were barely dressed but I honestly was not distracted by it. The violence wasn’t even gruesome.

I’m telling you, this really blew me away. I am so pumped for Kitsch and so glad his career is going to sky-rocket after this movie. X-Men was pre-FNL, his movie The Bang, Bang Club certainly didn’t get the coverage he needed but this is going to be his turning point on the big screen. He’s got Battleship with Rihanna, directed by Pete Berg (also directed FNL) next and then Savages with John Travolta after this. He’s going to be a huge movie star. Just don’t say I didn’t warn you.

Do not let the sci-fi-ness of the promos scare you away. I really think they’re playing to the wrong strengths of this movie. If you like a movie with a good storyline, likable characters, a good romance and some serious action, you’re going to love this! Here, I’ll even link you over to Fandango to go get your tickets! Go!

Disclosure: Disney gave me two free tickets in exchange for the blog post. I loved it anyway though and all thoughts are my own. Clearly.

This is long. If you don’t want to read it, the whole post can be summarized in one sentence: Watch Friday Night Lights.

It is also not spoilerish so feel free to read it if you haven’t watched the show.

Anyone that has been listening to me at all on Twitter or in real life knows that I have been caught up in a new TV series Friday Night Lights. Like I needed one right? But Kaitlin insisted in my Fall TV post that I should watch it. I had heard before that it was good so I found myself at surfthechannel.com to check it out. Well. I think I can safely say halfway through the first episode I was hooked. By the 3rd episode I was ready to start a fan site. And in my world, that’s the highest compliment I can give.

I spent hours upon hours this weekend during the late evenings and early mornings (thanks 2 two sleepovers for the girls) catching up on Season 1. At episode 8 Friday night, surfthechannel.com failed to deliver an episode. Saturday morning, my first stop was Blockbuster and then Wal-Mart to find it on DVD. At that point I knew I wanted them anyway. Saturday evening, I handed them off to my parents and sister insisting they had to watch it. And they loved it too. At 2:30am on Sunday night/Monday morning I finished Season 1.

It’s so. good.

Like, really, really good.

As in, you should RUN to Wal-Mart and buy it for $14.99.

So what’s to love?

Every. single. character.

I’ll give this from a Season 1 only perspective because I’ve watched some of Season 2 and I realize things start to change…

I always start with Riggins. I love Riggins. I love that he’s the bad boy. Tall, greasy hair and screws up a lot that you want to save. I love that he is vulnerable because his parents flaked out and he has a barely supportive brother. I love that on one hand he’s a womanizer and then the other he says “Lyla…Lyla” in that Texan accent. Yep, he’s the ultimate bad boy in love with the good girl. The couple that should be together but isn’t. Do I love that he does all the bad stuff? No, of course not. But I love watching how he deals with it. I love trying to figure out what drives him. What motivates him. Who he really loves and doesn’t. Ah, I love Riggs.

Next is Matt. Matty. That’s what I call him. Cause yes, I do talk to him through the screen. Matty, that’s so sweet. Poor Matty. I love how he stutters. I love how he’s a gentleman. I love how he has no clue what to do with Julie. I love how he’s fiercely loyal to his team. I love him and Landry. They crack me up. Yep, he’s the boy you want to take home to your Mom. He’s the one you want next to you at your wedding.

And Riggins is the one you want at the honeymoon.

Just sayin’.

Coach Taylor and his wife. Can you really separate them? I love them together. I love how they love each other. I love that they make out in the kitchen. I love that she’s always right and he knows it. I love that they parent Julie together. I love the looks they give each other. I love how they care about the students on the team and at the school. I love how Coach Taylor goes out on a limb for them. I love that he goes against the rules when it makes sense.

Now Jason. I’m not a huge fan of his. I like him, yes, but I’m not as invested in him. I do love that he called out Riggins and Lyla. I love his determination although at times it can be a bit much. I just want to say “calm down” to him sometimes.

Lyla. The good girl. One that made a huge mistake. Of course I love her with Riggins. I love how she tells him how crappy he’s being. I love that she supports Jason. Even though she screwed up, she was at that hospital A LOT. I love that she tries to hold her family together. I’m not her biggest fan but there are definitely things I can relate to in her.

Smash is hilarious. I love that towards the end of the season we got to see the boy behind all the smack-talk. His character has really evolved and I like that.

Tyra. I love that she tells it like it is. She doesn’t take crap from anyone. And yet, under all that she’s as vulnerable as any of them.

Landry. I love him. I love him with Matt. Did I mention they crack me up?

Matt’s Grandma, Smash’s Mom even Buddy Garrity. I can’t help but be glad they’re on the screen too.

It’s amazing that one show could make you care about so many of the characters. Of all the shows I watch, there are NONE that have a cast of characters that I care about and feel invested in like this one.

I love the writing. It’s smart, it’s funny. The timing is impeccable. The storylines are dramatic yet handled a real way. Or maybe the storylines are just realistic and they are able to dramatize them. I don’t know. But there has yet to be a time where I say, you know, I really don’t like this storyline. Because somehow it’s not a storyline. Somehow it’s just their life. And doesn’t life have enough drama? I of course love the Christian undertone of the show. That many of the families are Christians. That they aren’t afraid to have scenes in a church. That they’re not afraid to talk about God.

So yeah, I love this show.

And that was my brain dump after watching 880 minutes of one show in a matter of days.

And I can’t recommend enough that you do the same.