Last night marked the end of NBC’s Parks and Recreation, which ran for seven great seasons. Sure, it never got high ratings, but it did bring the phrase “Treat Yourself” into the lexicon. Let’s see Two and a Half Men invent something that gives you an excuse to go shopping for toys.

Parks and Rec was good for more than just a laugh (although, it delivered plenty of those), it marks the end of an era for network sitcoms as NBC tries to wade in the murky waters of the current TV landscape of streaming and cable. There was something about Parks and Rec that made me feel warm and fuzzy inside each time the opening credits rolled.

But there is something else that sets it apart from all other sitcoms. All of you literary snobs out there might be familiar with the Great American Novel, which is the idea that one book possibly encapsulates the culture and values of the United States. Some think its The Great Gatsby. Others say its The Catcher in the Rye. I say its whatever you were forced to read in English class during sophomore year of high school. Anyway, the idea of America seems to hard to capture in just one thing, but if there ever was a Great American Sitcom, it would be Parks and Recreation.

And why not? If something is going to be “great” and “American,” it might as well be a TV show, which has the luxury of time to explore a lot of huge ideas. And much like our soft drinks and our cars, the idea of America might be just a bit too big.

Parks and Rec is a beautifully uncynical look at American politics, highlighting everything from the inefficiency to the effectiveness of local government. If you have ever attended any kind of public forum, then the town hall meetings depicted on the show, which mainly turned into (sometimes physical) shouting matches, rang all too true. Parks’ satire extended far beyond the reaches of bureaucracy; it always seemed to have a strong grasp on the lexicon. After all, season seven was set in the future and was partially about data mining and drones. From Entertainment 720 to Gryzzl, Parks and Rec was about the only show on television addressing startup culture. That is, of course, until Silicon Valley came along.

Part of what makes this show the Great American Sitcom is that each character inhabits and defines some part of the social or political landscape. Wide-eyed Leslie Knope embodies strength, optimism, and the idea that people actually want to do good things for each other. For years, Ron Swanson was her ideological counterpart. As a libertarian who enjoys hiding out in his cabin in the woods, Swanson is basically Henry David Thoreau by way of Ron Paul. Despite their differing beliefs, the two of them formed one of the truest friendships in TV history. Mainly, they were able to find common ground over JJ’s Diner, a Pawnee institution. Seriously, is there anything more perfectly American than kibitzing in a diner? Edward Hopper probably wants to create a painting about it.

One of the most impressive parts about Parks was its ability to give life to its entire ensemble. Plenty of other American archetypes were present as well. Beloved Jerry (or Garry or Larry or Terry) represents the mentality of doing the least amount of work possible that still gets you paid and home to your family. So of course, he became the mayor. Tom is the worst of the tech bubble, yet for every terrible idea he had, there was one or two that he actually put a lot of thought into. This show had such a bright and sunny point of view that, in the end, Tom’s greatest success ended up being a book he wrote about all of his failures. Few things define the show as well as that.

At first, it might sound strange to label this as the Great American Sitcom. When people look for the Great American TV Show, they probably look right to HBO. Sure, it is just human nature to view the current time as dark and gritty. But Parks and Rec is the show people will look at in the future when they want to feel nostalgic for the 2010s. I am not sure if that is a good thing or not, but it plays into what is so great about this show. Parks and Rec is partially about the America that exists, but mostly about the one that should exist. What Michael Schur, Greg Daniels, and Amy Poehler have put together is an America in which red tape is no obstacle and goals can actually be accomplished. It showed that it takes a lot of hard work to get these things done, but they are not impossible. This is the kind of skeptical optimism not seen anymore. Cynicism is fun and funny at times, but at a certain point it just gets unproductive.

The fictional town of Pawnee which Leslie Knope and her work family inhabits is a special place. Sure, it isn’t perfect. It’s a little unsanitary and it suffers from a candy addiction. The neighboring town of Eagleton seems a lot nicer from a distance. However, Pawnee is a place that all of these people can love and call home both in spite of and because of its flaws. And thus, the most truthful and nuanced view of patriotism came from a sitcom on NBC once meant to be nothing more than a spinoff of The Office. I would say that I want to move to Pawnee, but I feel like I already live there, because Pawnee is both the America that currently exists, as well as what America could potentially become.

Goodbye Harris.

Image via NBC.com

Saturday Night Live is a New York institution. You can complain all you want about its current quality, but it’s not going anywhere.

SNL also holds a unique place in the world of comedy in that it is more like a sports team than a television show. Like any team, it depends on the efforts of everybody involved, as opposed to just one person. Despite this, it is devastating whenever a power player leaves. To me, Bill Hader leaving SNL was just as big a loss as Derek Jeter leaving the Yankees. By the way, did you know Jeter is leaving the Yankees? They should do a few stories about it on the news.

Anyway, like any good New York team, be it the Giants or the Knicks, SNL went through a bit of a rough patch. Every year seems to be a rebuilding year for SNL, but this year Lorne Michaels really seems to be taking it seriously. Multiple people were fired and Weekend Update replaced an anchor. Based on the season premiere, hosted by Chris Pratt, these gambles will pay off in a big way.

The premiere played to Chris Pratt’s strengths. Yes, Pratt is now a movie star and a household name. Yet, he still has that goofy and awkward charm that has made him such a lovable character on Parks and Recreation. Also, it seems weird that there was absolutely no mention of the final season of Parks last night. Failed synergy opportunity on the part of NBC. Maybe they were busy thinking of more magazine covers to put James Spader’s face on.

One of the most talked about changes at SNL this season was the Weekend Update shakeup, in which Cecily Strong was demoted and Michael Che was re-hired after spending a few months at The Daily Show. Che is a great comedian and this job is perfect for him. Meanwhile, Jost already seems a lot more comfortable than he was last year. I think he has a Seth Meyers deadpan delivery that he is fine tuning now. Strong’s exit from Weekend Update allowed her to come back as The Girl You Wish You Hadn’t Started A Conversation With At A Party. It was a welcome return. With just one episode, newcomer Pete Davidson showed that he will be the breakout of the season. At the age of 20, he is cooler now than I will ever be in my entire life.

The second half of SNL has always been my favorite, because it is when things can get a little bit weird. In that regard, last night was an embarrassment of riches. While the NFL sketch was a little too close to Key & Peele for comfort, it took on a funny and timely new angle. By far the best sketch was the digital short, which was a cheesy 90s sitcoms filled with non-sensical non-sequiturs. It seemed way too weird for prime time. But luckily, the audience ate it up. SNL has a lot of great sketch shows to compete against now. One way it can have a great season is if it makes the first half just as weird as the second half.

I feel the same sense of optimism for SNL that I do every year. This time, it feels less blind. This episode’s one big flaw: a serious lack of Kate McKinnon. Come on guys, don’t be afraid to put her in every sketch ever.

Nowadays, the pervasive narrative is that film is dead and television is better. This statement is only half true. While television is better than ever before, cinema isn’t doing too badly, either.

Most of my film experiences this summer were nothing but pleasant. Besides anything Michael Bay had his name on, there were very few complaints to be had about the intelligence of Hollywood blockbusters (in retrospect, I even enjoyed Winter Solider). In the art house world, some directors were doing things with the form that nobody has done before. Well, that happened in the blockbuster world as well.

Film is in a transitional period. This was the summer of On Demand, where a lot of films were available on your TV set the same day they were playing in select theaters. While I still prefer a trip to the theater any chance I get, it was nice to have access to the sort of films that usually don’t expand nationwide. It is too bad this wasn’t around when I was a high schooler yearning for my hometown to be a hip, indie place.

Here are my top six films of summer 2014. I choose six because math is irrelevant to me:

6. Obvious Child

There is nothing like a good summer indie to get away from all of the blockbuster explosions. Obvious Child was the breath of fresh air I needed. While Obvious Child wasn’t the most original romantic comedy ever made, it was never trying to be. In this tale of abortion, the one thing it is striving for is honesty, and that is exactly what it achieves. Plus, Jenny Slate delivers a career-defining performance. She turns all the noises she makes and fart jokes she tells into art.

5. 22 Jump Street

With both The Lego Movie and 22 Jump Street under their belts, Phil Lord and Chris Miller have made two of the best movies of the year. By seamlessly combining action and comedy, 22 Jump Street is the rare sequel that manages to surpass the original. It takes meta to the extreme without crashing and burning. Oh, and it is hilarious. At this point, Lord and Miller could film a pile of dog poop for three hours and everyone in America would pay to see it.

4. The Immigrant

This film about the American Dream does not shy away from the grittiness of history that historical films often try to conceal. The Immigrant contains a great performance from Marion Cotillard and a mesmerizing one from Joaquin Phoenix. It concludes with an ambiguous final shot that will one day be studied in film classes. In terms of stories of dirty, miserable, early 20th century New York, The Immigrant is a fine companion piece with The Knick (which you all should be watching).

3. Snowpiercer

The best of summer indies combined with the best of summer blockbusters make for the most entertaining allegory in ages. Chris Evans proves that he is an action star for the ages, and Tilda Swinton proves that she can play anything, even if you don’t understand what her character is. Snowpiercer is about rebellion, the class system, and even God. Not to get all current event-y here, but look at some of the recent events happening in Ferguson or the Middle East, and tell me that doesn’t remind you of Snowpiercer at all.

2. Guardians of the Galaxy

Contemporary blockbusters have two settings: they are either grim and gritty, or goofy and self-aware. By being both goofy and sincere, Guardians of the Galaxy is the first comic book adaptation in a long time that manages to be both. Guardians of the Galaxy is one of the funniest movies so far this year, and it gets all of its humor based off of its characters, which you wouldn’t normally see in a giant space opera. I have seen Guardians of the Galaxy twice and purchased a Rocket Raccoon action figure. Guardians reminded me why I love to write about movies in the first place.

1. Boyhood

This coming-of-age epic was twelve years in the making and worth the wait. The way Boyhood was made is an achievement on its own, so the fact that it was actually good is pretty amazing. This is the first film I have seen that I feel like really captured my childhood, though people that grew up in every generation have said the same. Richard Linklater’s ability to hold my attention for nearly three hours with nothing but conversations and small milestones is miraculous. If Patricia Arquette, Ethan Hawke, and most of the other people involved don’t get Oscar nominations, then I will be extremely disappointed. There are so many moments in Boyhood that could have turned out to be terribly corny (“we don’t seize the moment…the moment seizes us”), but the overall authenticity truly sells it. Guardians of the Galaxy made me remember why I love movies, while Boyhood made me remember why I love life, even in all of its triumphs and failures.

Honorable Mentions: Life Itself, Edge of Tomorrow, X-Men: Days of Future Past, They Came Together

Guardians of the Galaxy marks the first time in a long time in which I was actively rooting for the arrival of another Marvel feature. That might have just been from the odd sight of a raccoon and a tree interacting with one another. Guardians of the Galaxy is the latest film to come out of the Marvel Universe, and it almost feels like they hit the restart button with this one, and got nearly perfect results.

I had an inkling, which turned out to be very wrong, that Guardians of the Galaxy might completely reinvent both superhero and action movies. I was wrong. Guardians of the Galaxy doesn’t reinvent any genre, and it doesn’t even try to do so. Guardians of the Galaxy is a product of Marvel, yet it also bears director James Gunn’s incredibly original voice. James Gunn worked the system: he made a fun summer blockbuster that also happens to be an auteur piece.

For this reason, Guardians is the perfect comic book film for the casual comic book fan. In it, I saw the influence of The Avengers as much as I saw the influence of Steven Spielberg’s entire filmography. In particular, Guardians felt like a throwback to Raiders of the Lost Ark. Like Raiders, Guardians has a fun and silly feel while still committing to its story. Guardians is about a group of people who shouldn’t be heroes, and many people tend to forget that Indiana Jones was terrible at his job. Besides losing the Ark and the Holy Grail, he also gave birth to Shia LaBeouf.

But I digress. While most action movies are about “The One,” or a person who was destined for something or is just the best at their craft, Guardians is about a group of criminals who are forced to be heroes. Hell, they aren’t even good at that. The nickname “Guardians of the Galaxy” is at first bestowed upon them in jest. Chris Pratt plays Peter Quill a human abducted from Earth as a child. With a nickname like Star-Lord, he fancies himself the most notorious criminal in the galaxy. Yet, nobody knows who the hell Star-Lord is. Quill reluctantly teams up with Gamora (Zoe Saldana), Drax (Dave Bautista), Rocket Raccoon (Bradley Cooper), and Groot (Vin Diesel) to steal back a very powerful orb before it ends up in the hands of the very evil Ronan (Lee Pace). Their mission is one that is both selfish and altruistic.

With The Lego Movie earlier this year, it was apparent that Chris Pratt was ready to be a household name. With Guardians, Pratt is ready to be a movie star. Back to the Indiana Jones comparison, Pratt is great at being both a smart ass and a badass all at once. Yet, unlike Harrison Ford, Pratt has this very sweet, golden retriever quality to him. He has mastered the lovable idiot character, which he first began developing as Andy Dwyer on Parks and Recreation. Like any good movie or TV show, any of the main characters can qualify as the best character. But for now, I will just settle on Rocket Raccoon, who’s identity insecurity sums up the way all the characters actually feel about their place in the universe. For Bradley Cooper, it is the sign of a true movie star when you appear as charismatic as ever when it’s just your voice in a raccoon’s body. Guardians sets up a huge cast of characters in a really efficient way. It didn’t need to resort on being an origin story to do so; it was as subtle as a fart on a first date.

Guardians is truly astounding in scope. This is perhaps the first time I regret not seeing a movie in 3D. James Gunn clearly has Star Wars-type ambitions, as that was all I could think of throughout most of the film’s run. The action sequences manage to dwarf the pretty awesome ones from this year’s Winter Soldier. Oh, I should probably mention this: Guardians of the Galaxy is hilarious. It might not be the funniest movie this year (it is still hard to compete with They Came Together), but it is the most consistently funny. Jokes come out of nowhere and then come back later and land just as well the second time around.

Guardians works as both an action comedy and an action movie with comedic elements. In fact, it nails every emotional note. With a soundtrack ranging from Marvin Gaye to The Runaways, Guardians sounds like nothing I have seen in a long time. The story and the tropes are familiar in a way that is comforting rather than tiresome. Gunn has found a way to mix the best parts of 80s movie nostalgia with modern day cinema. Here is a film that manages to strike a balance between the gritty realism of The Dark Knight and the “ice to meet you” level stupidity of Batman & Robin. Walking out of the theater with a smile on your face, you will just feel every ounce of cynicism in your body wash away.

Brain Farts From The Edge

• I had a bad feeling months ago that Guardians would flop, only to be rediscovered years later. Based on the reaction from tonight’s audience, I think it is going to do quite well.
• I just get a sense that a cultural phenomenon is brewing. I hope that “Hooked On A Feeling” makes a comeback and ends up in the Billboard Top 100.
• This is the first Marvel Studios film in a long time that doesn’t feel like it is trying to sell another future film/product to me. And yet, this is the first Marvel movie I’ve walked out of and thought, “I could really use a Rocket Raccoon action figure.” You see, consumerism works when you don’t shove it in our faces.
• New Sci-Fi Trope: The silver haired, eccentric hoarder/scientist. Examples: The Collector in Guardians of the Galaxy; Hannibal Chau in Pacific Rim
• Other films this reminded me of: Mystery Men, Spaceballs, E.T.
• So Guardians wasn’t completely perfect. I had some small problems with the villains, mainly that they were a little broad. However, that may have been the point. Also, could have used more John C. Reilly. But then again, I say that about every movie.
• It’s hard for a movie to be quotable after just one viewing, but I feel like I already know certain parts of Guardians by heart. Good.
• Something that happened at my screening: as the “Turn Your Phones Off” warning popped up on screen, somebody in the audience shouted, “don’t tell me what to do!” Okay, so I guess I should still be really cynical about things.

Round up the usual suspects! Image via Paste Magazine

Just like March, summer goes in like a lion (whatever giant franchise offering Disney has to offer in June) and out like a very wimpy lamb (whatever Paranormal Activity spin-off is lated for release in the last week of August).

It would be unfair to immediately dismiss this summer’s entire lineup just because it doesn’t contain many original ideas. For now, originality is dead in Hollywood. That is a well researched fact, just like the how dogs are better than cats and Jaden Smith is terrible at grammar. Instead of rejecting it, it is better for a cinephile’s psyche to find the silver linings.

While there will still be plenty of sequels, prequels, remakes, and adaptations this summer, some of the worst qualities of modern Hollywood are starting to go the way of the dinosaurs and M. Night Shyamalan. For instance, this summer will give us a few major blockbusters that don’t hit the three hour mark, as well as a worldview that is more fun than gritty. Gritty is for Oscar season. Summer is for fun. Smart fun, if that is in anyway possible.

Here are the five movies coming out in the summer of 2014 that I look forward to the most:

5. 22 Jump Street (June 13)

22 Jump Street seems like an unnecessary sequel. Then again, 21 Jump Street seemed like an unnecessary movie. This is Chris Miller and Phil Lord’s second outing in 2014 following the huge success of The Lego Movie. As both 21 Jump Street and The Lego Movie proved, they are masters at taking bad ideas and spinning them into gold. 22 Jump Street could also be another great bad idea, even if it neglected to find another role for Brie Larson, who is, in fact, America’s sweetheart. Anyway, 22 Jump Street should be great, so long as it turns sequels that rehash their predecessors into a meta joke. Also, less scenes of college parties and more scenes of Channing Tatum and Jonah Hill on drugs, please.

4. Neighbors (May 9)

This is the only movie on the list that is not adapted from previous source material. I have high hopes for Neighbors, as Seth Rogen can do no wrong in my eyes (although he didn’t write or direct this). Neighbors has a simple concept of class versus classless reminiscent of comedies from another era such as Animal House and Caddyshack, and it even promises Dave Franco doing an impression of Robert De Niro in Meet the Parents. The only issue is that the trailers may be giving away too much. I have a theory that bad comedies have good trailers, because all of their best material can fit into a two minute video. The best comedies save all of their gold for the theaters, which is partly why I liked last summer’s The Heat so much. Neighbors will be a great summer comedy, as long as the people who made it stop giving away all of its best f***ing jokes for free.

3. Godzilla (May 16)

I might be the only person on the planet who didn’t like last summer’s Pacific Rim, so I am in need of a movie where a giant dinosaur-type monster destroys an entire city. I think that Godzilla is that movie. The footage that has been shown to the world so far is nothing short of mesmerizing, and the entire film clocks in at just around the two hour mark. Finally, Hollywood is starting to trim down on its bloated spectacles.

2. Sin City: A Dame to Kill For (August 22)

It has been almost a decade since the last Sin City came out, yet time has not weakened my excitement for another installment. A Dame to Kill For looks like it will provide all of the red blood against a black and white backdrop that I need for the year. The last film left most of the characters in a state that you wouldn’t necessarily call alive, so A Dame to Kill For will have plenty of room for new characters (though Mickey Rourke and Bruce Willis are coming back), situations, and decapitated clergymen.

1. Guardians of the Galaxy (August 1)

I don’t know a thing about Guardians of the Galaxy. I have no idea why Vin Diesel is playing a tree or why Bradley Cooper is playing a raccoon with a gun and I don’t care because I am into it. Guardians of the Galaxy looks like a refreshing break from most of today’s self-serious comic book blockbusters. It embraces a funny and silly spirit that will hopefully make this summer less cynical. The Guardians of the Galaxy trailer itself is a master class in how to make a good trailer: it tells you exactly what you need to know about the plot (a rag-tag team must save the galaxy) without revealing anything major (who are they fighting against?). Plus, between this and The Lego Movie, it looks like Chris Pratt is about to become a household name. Burt Macklin would be proud.

Every once in a while, a film needs to come around that alleviates all of your worries and reminds you that everything is awesome. As the main song suggests, “The Lego Movie” is exactly what you are looking for.

“The Lego Movie” is the movie that I had no idea I was waiting for. Even after waiting a week to see it, the hype does not tamper its impact at all. “The Lego Movie” proves that you don’t have to be Pixar to create something that is both great for kids and the annoyed parents that they drag with them to the movies.

Here’s the thing: I fall into neither of those categories. I am not young enough to be a child or old enough to take care of one. I am in the state between childhood and adulthood, which is why “The Lego Movie” was perfect for me.

The greatest trick “The Lego Movie” pulls is making a 90 minute Lego ad that doesn’t feel like one at all. Maybe that’s because nobody needs to advertise Legos anymore; at this point, the word is basically a part of the English language. Therefore, making a Lego movie is much more than just a blind cash grab.

Yes, “The Lego Movie” has a real story. Emmet (Chris Pratt) is a construction worker and a fairly boring dude. He only likes the pop song that everyone listens to (“Everything is Awesome”) and the most popular sitcom (“Where’s My Pants,” which just reeks of “The Big Bang Theory”). He is an empty vessel, to hilarious effect. That is until he meets Wyldstyle (Elizabeth Banks), who wins him over because she is a really hot Lego. He also finds out that he is the “chosen one” who will lead the Resistance against President Business (Will Ferrell) and reunite all of the Lego worlds. This is how the movie is able to bring Batman (Will Arnett) into the story. Will Arnett, by the way, might be the best Batman to date.

“The Lego Movie” is infectious. Try to watch it and not have a great time. It is packed to the brim with jokes, like it is trying to throw as much as it can against the wall. Basically all of it sticks. It crosses different pop culture zones with such ease while everyone involved also seems to be having a blast. This is the best opportunity you will get to watch some really respected actors basically making fun of themselves. Liam Neeson gets to play a tough cop loosely based off of his “Taken” persona, while Morgan Freeman gets to play the sage, but with much less useful advice.

Animation is probably the greatest way to boil down a complicated world view into something both simple and farcical. Hey, life itself is pretty cartoonish, and “The Lego Movie” is the cartoonish thing it deserves to imitate it. “The Lego Movie” is all about the goods that we consume everyday with such ease. What does it say about us that the song “Everything is Awesome,” the only song that DJs play on the radio, is so damn catchy?

But “The Lego Movie” is not a pop song, it is pop art. I feel weird for saying that, but it is true. “The Lego Movie” comes from the minds of Phil Lord and Christopher Miller. The two of them also collaborated on “21 Jump Street.” They have a rare talent for taking a really bad idea and turning it into a really good product. Originality is rare today in Hollywood, and most remakes and movies based on toys are immediately shunned by the press, even if they do well at the box office. There really is something great to be said about taking something dusty and stale and turning it into something exciting and new. Lord and Miller actually respect the source material that they work with.

“The Lego Movie” not only makes the toy-based movie good, but also movies in general. It follows the typical movie structure basically to a T. If you know movies, then you will see that it hits basically every important plot point at just the right time. Yet, it takes all of those and hits the biggest high note possible. There is a big speech, but it is actually a good speech. It has a big third act twist that could have been disastrous, but it ends up giving the film its heart. Basically, “The Lego Movie” restored my faith in formula.

Despite playing by the rules, “The Lego Movie” is also about anarchy. It is about the power of drawing outside the lines and using your imagination. What Lord and Miller are doing with their career is playing the Hollywood game, but doing it the way that they want to. “The Lego Movie” is like watching a really creative kid who is on his way to being a really smart kid playing with his toys. “The Lego Movie” is like reliving your childhood, but with much better lighting.

Brain Farts From The Edge (Some Spoilers Follow)

• Not that the series needs any help, but Lord and Miller deserve their own “Muppets” movie.
• Little kids will watch Unikitty (Alison Brie), but probably not find her funny until they are much older.
• I’m calling it now: “The Lego Movie” is this generation’s “Toy Story.” There, I said it.
• Yes, this brought tears to my eyes at one point. When father and son hug, it is just such a sweet moment. The fact that I got this emotional over two characters that are barely in the movie says a lot about how effective “The Lego Movie” is.
• I love how the little sisters’ lego blocks are those big ones they gave you because you were two young to handle the little ones. Just a nice little detail.
• Is there a better on screen pairing than Channing Tatum and Jonah Hill? Their Superman and Green Lantern deserve their own spinoff.
• Speaking of which, in terms of that whole controversy of “The Lego Movie” stealing the Superman joke from Jerry Seinfeld: I think that Jerry might have been joking around with those Tweets. Comedians do enjoy sarcasm. If he isn’t, then he should really back off. Jerry, I think you’ve got enough money. Let them have this one. They earned it.