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Discuss this week's Joe Loves Crappy Movies here!

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Love crappy movies but are too ashamed to admit it? Are you a big Rob Schneider fan but you're tired of being burned? Not sure if you want to waste your money on the same old movie? That's why you have Joe.

Joe Loves Crappy Movies is by Joseph Dunn. Joe willingly goes to see the very worst that Hollywood has to offer. Whenever a crappy movie comes out Joe will be there to see it, make fun of it, and actually review it. Nothing is safe, and nothing is sacred. From the big budget action disasters to the low brow fart based comedies, to anything starring Martin Lawrence? Joe will tear it apart.

With each entry you'll get not only a comic poking fun at the movie, but also a detailed review. Joe's not educated in film or cinematography or acting, he's just a guy that draws comics and likes movies. So if you're looking for the everyman perspective and a little joke in comic form... you're in the right place.

Dollhouse: Season One

Starring: Eliza Dushku, Harry Lennix, Fran Kranz, Tahmoh Penikett, Enver Gjokaj, Dichen Lachman, Olivia Williams, Reed Diamond, Amy Acker, Miracle Laurie

Created by: Joss Whedon

The Official Site of Dollhouse

Discuss Dollhouse on the boards!

The first (and potentially only) season of Joss Whedon’s fantasy fulfilling experiment series Dollhouse certainly had its ups and downs. After a slow start introducing the extensive cast and heavy concept of criminals having their minds wiped so they could be reprogrammed with new characteristics and rented out to the Los Angeles’ elite, the series was able to rebound telling great character driven stories and spinning the unique concept in clever, unexpected directions. Secrets like who the Dolls really are, how the organization works and why bras are not permitted inside the Dollhouse are all answered by the end of the season. Okay, not the bra thing but I don’t hear anyone complaining.

Whedeon has shrewdly created a “creature of the week” series that had this amazing long-term story bubbling just behind the surface. And before you could say you were sick of the formula – you’d somehow become hooked on the damn thing.

For me the weakest link in the show is the one they put front and center. Eliza Dushku who stars as the featured Doll, Echo, is gorgeous and knows how to wear a mini dress like no one else but her skills as an actor are less effortless to praise. Even in the doped and dazed state of indifference that clouds the Dolls between missions she makes Echo feel somehow forcefully hollow, if such a thing actually exists.

Thankfully Dollhouse is very much an ensemble show giving its entire cast little moments to steal the spotlight. From episode one I was always more intrigued by the storyline of Tahmoh Penikett who plays Paul Ballard, a disgraced detective that has become obsessed with locating the mysterious Dollhouse. While you could almost predict what the Dolls would be doing on their missions from week-to-week (they blow through “I wanna be a rock star” and “hunting humans” by episode 3) I found a much larger opportunity for mystery and excitement in following the one character looking for answers. I won’t go into spoilers but by season’s end the tables turn as you start to appreciate the layers of the characters within the Dollhouse and the ultimate mystery of the rogue Doll, Alpha.

Details on Alpha are teased throughout and handled quite well even through his big reveal in the second to last episode. What they do in the finale is less inspiring. Disappointing when compared to how well they’d built up to it. Almost as if they were at the mercy of the network to allow for a second season – in the chance that it would actually built an audience. I almost would have preferred they held nothing back and filled a few body bags on the way to the big ending. As it is they’ve set up a second season whether or not fans or Fox wants it.

Within a few weeks of its premiere Dollhouse became one of those shows I looked forward to. A show that would keep me in on a Friday night - something that hasn’t happen since Full House when I was in sixth grade. Like Full House, not every episode is a home run but in the long run I think Whedon and company have built something they could be proud of. Perhaps not as easy to enjoy as Buffy or as well structured as Firefly (whose spin off feature Serenity is arguably a better introductory sci-fi film than this week’s Star Trek. Don’t get pissed at me right away... Think about it.) but who knows… this may be just the beginning.

Be sure to check out full episodes of Dollhouse here and if you loved or hated the series please feel free to stop by the boards and share your thoughts.

I don’t often do comics for non-movie entertainment. I’ve done a couple for the now defunct Veronica Mars and I keep meaning to do more for LOST (especially ever since Locke turned it around!) but it’s normally something I steer clear of. The Dollhouse comic was born out of pure excitement for this past Friday’s big season finale. I was working on another project and couldn’t stop myself from wondering how they would close things out. I was so obsessed that I began thinking about what I would do for a comic and review.

The logical voice in my head, represented here by Phil, quickly pointed out that down the line Dollhouse will more than likely be nothing but a footnote in failed TV dramas. Just another risky endeavor that Fox dumped on Friday nights to die a slow death opposite unstoppable juggernaughts like The Ghost Whisperer. I hope it remains relevant and soars through an amazing 5-season run but it seems as unlikely as the shows premise itself.

Just for fun I put together this little poll. Be honest because if the numbers aren’t with people being interested in Dollhouse I’ll most likely think twice before randomly doing a TV review like this.

That’s it for now but I’ll have a second Star Trek comic up Monday afternoon. Also be sure and tune in to Monday’s al new Triple Feature to hear us chat about Trek as well as how it stood up against the summer’s first big champ Wolverine.

Happy mother’s day to all the mothers out there. Though I can’t imagine there are many mothers reading this besides my own. :/

Joe Dunn's Facebook profile

Joe – The creator of the strip who has embraced giving crappy movies the chance they deserve. Like the majority of the cast he’s obsessed with boobs.

First Appearance - The Introduction

Yeo – Yeo is Joe’s wife and often the voice of reason in the strip. Having her act rational allows the rest of the cast to embrace being in a comic strip which primarily involves randomly punching people, interacting with fictional characters and talking about boobs. Yeo is smart, beautiful and way too good for Joe. Don’t tip her off.

First Appearance - Fever Pitch

Irv – Joe’s movie-going sidekick who’s always down for watching Jason Statham crescent moon kick some thug through a plate glass window and getting some drinks before after and during a Vin Diesel movie. Like the majority of the cast he’s obsessed with boobs.

First Appearance - Ong-Bak: The Thai Warrior

Agent 337 George Jones – A government Agent that took over for Joe after he was bad-mouthing President Bush in the V for Vendetta strip. George ran the show for over a month bring a much needed sense of patriotism and justice to both the strips and reviews. He eventually got too attached to his work, empathizing with Joe’s plight to give crappy movies a fair shake. In a way he came to love crappy movies as well and was pushed out of the position. He spiraled out of control and ended up in prison. His adventures will be told in the limited series JLCM Presents: 337 Locked Up which is set to début Christmas of 09.

First Appearance - V for Vendetta

Other Notable Appearances: Stay Alive, Ice age 2, Larry the Cable Guy: Health Inspector, Slither, Here Comes Guest week, Let’s Go To Prison

Leonidas – The former king of Sparta who has traveled into the future and is having trouble coping with the modern times. Yelling loudly and kicking people into giant holes doesn’t really work the same way it did in the olden days. As time as gone by he’s adjusted but it’s a safe bet that he’s always one bad message away from throwing a spear through someone.

First Appearance - 300

Other Notable Appearances: Four Brothers, Strip# 300, The Golden Compass, Rambo, Untraceable, The Ladies of Max Paybe

Palpatine – Former Senator, Emperor of the Galactic Empire, Sith Lord... He shows up in the Joe Loves Crappy movies galaxy on occasion to let people know that they’re being stupid. No one’s really sure how he shows up in this universe but chances are it breaks all kinds of copywrite laws.

First Appearance - Episode III: The Dark Side

Other Notable Appearances: Four Brothers, Night Watch, Saw 3, Are We Done Yet

Slow Billy – Billy is a sweet kid but he’s not the sharpest tool in the shed. If you’re watching him for the day be prepared to explain to him the plot of the movie or how popcorn works or, not so much where babies come from, but what babies are. He’s a complete moron.

First Appearance - Four Brothers

Other Notable Appearances: The Chronicles of Narnia, The Da Vinci Code, Vantage Point, Journey to the Center of the Earth

Kyle the Movie Snob – Be careful what fun facts about movies you tell your friends at a friendly gathering or in line for the latest blockbuster, because if you’re even slightly wrong, Kyle will be more than happy to let you know. He usually gets what’s coming to him though. Poor guy has cracked three ribs since joining the JLCM cast.

First Appearance - Ultraviolet

Other Notable Appearances: 16 Blocks, Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End, Transformers, Journey to the Center of the Earth

Jean-Luc Picard – Another lawsuit waiting to happen is Jean Luc Picard who, towards the end of the strip’s first year, became the go-to background character. If there was ever a seat to fill or a random person to place wandering around in the background, nine times out of ten it was Picard. While Picard has crossed paths with Irv he and Joe have never met. Perhaps they will some day but for now just can an eye on the background.

First Appearance - The Producers

Other Notable Appearances: I’m not telling you, that’s no fun. It’ like Where’s Waldo – go find him!

Ice Cream Sandwich – Delicious and… deadly? Usually when you see someone eating an Ice Cream sandwich, someone else is experiencing a substantial amount of pain. Still, how nice is an ice cream sandwich on a hot summer day?

First Appearance - Saw IV

Other Notable Appearances: Bee Movie, Run Fatboy Run, Saw V