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| Set to Godspeed You! Black Emperor... HELL YEAH!!! |
October 31, 2010
Groovers and Mobsters Present: Horror
October 29, 2010
Gotham on the Rise
Well, after months of speculation, we have something to go on. Christopher Nolan has finally broken the silence regarding his third entry into the Batman franchise. He dropped some real winners of information, but, still kept a lot in dark. Here's what we know so far.
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| Good to be back, Gotham |
October 28, 2010
Glee Review: The Rocky Horror Glee Show
They really like the tributes this season, don't they?
Never one to take a hint, Will starts off this week's Glee still trying to woo Emma. Upon hearing that she had a blast at a midnight screening of The Rocky Horror Picture Show with Carl, Will impulsively decides that the glee club will perform Rocky Horror for the school musical. Rachel and Finn immediately jump on the roles of Janet and Brad, Sam nabs the role of the monster, Kurt refuses to play Frank-n-furter, and instead gets Riff-Raff. Mike is forced to drop out of the production when his parents order him to, which leaves a gap in the cast that Will cannot fill. Enter Carl, who, as it turns is a Rocky Horror fanatic with a killer voice. He offers to step in for Mike as Eddie, leaving the role of Frank-n-furter to fall to Mercedes.
Meanwhile, Sue infiltrates the production under the guise of helping out so that she can run a piece on inappropriate content in schools for Sue's Corner. Will and Emma continue to just run circles around each other, and end with Will promising to leave Emma alone. Didn't he do that just two episodes ago? Jeez, the guy just doesn't learn.
The big theme this episode is body image, as both Finn and Sam will be forced into revealing outfits for their roles. This doesn't bother Sam, who apparently has aspirations to become the next Stallone or something given how much he works out and the diet he adheres to. Finn, on the other hand, is terrified of appearing on stage in nothing but his tidey-whities. It's an interesting concept that Glee hasn't covered before, and it is handled surprisingly well.
Musically, this week is on point, though that's not saying much. The music of Rocky Horror isn't exactly the epitome of the rock opera, if you ask me. Still, the cast does a great job with their songs. "Time Warp" is a lot of fun, John Stamos' rendition of "Hot Patootie" is a rollicking good time, and Finn and Rachel's, albeit quick, cover of "Dammit Janet" is absurdly funny. There are a couple of blemishes though. The best song in the whole thing, "Science Fiction/Double Feature", sung so wonderfully by Santana, only lasts a couple of seconds. I'll admit, it was funny to see Emma sing "Touch-a, Touch-a, Touch Me", but here voice is surprisingly weak, and didn't lend itself well to the song. And what the hell were the writers thinking making Mercedes Frank-n-furter? I mean, really? That was just stupid.
Comedy wise, this episode was strong. There were tons of great lines. I loved when Finn admitted to not knowing what was going on in the show, and not in "a cool-Inception kind of way." Becky's line "Give me chocolate or I will cut you!" was brilliant, and to see Santana being so forward about her desire to screw Carl was quite amusing. It was also hilarious to see the cast rehearsing with Will playing two roles. "Finn's line. Eddie's line. Finn's line." Awesome!
It's not the best episode so far this season. The whole Will/Emma thing just ends up in the same place as it began, and am I the only one who is getting weirded out by Will performing with the club? I don't know. Apart from that and few missteps in terms of music, this was a good episode. As a tribute, it probably could have been handled a bit better, but it was a fun time with plenty of laughs and a well delivered message about body image.
Ok, enough is enough! Bring Puck back already!
Never one to take a hint, Will starts off this week's Glee still trying to woo Emma. Upon hearing that she had a blast at a midnight screening of The Rocky Horror Picture Show with Carl, Will impulsively decides that the glee club will perform Rocky Horror for the school musical. Rachel and Finn immediately jump on the roles of Janet and Brad, Sam nabs the role of the monster, Kurt refuses to play Frank-n-furter, and instead gets Riff-Raff. Mike is forced to drop out of the production when his parents order him to, which leaves a gap in the cast that Will cannot fill. Enter Carl, who, as it turns is a Rocky Horror fanatic with a killer voice. He offers to step in for Mike as Eddie, leaving the role of Frank-n-furter to fall to Mercedes.
Meanwhile, Sue infiltrates the production under the guise of helping out so that she can run a piece on inappropriate content in schools for Sue's Corner. Will and Emma continue to just run circles around each other, and end with Will promising to leave Emma alone. Didn't he do that just two episodes ago? Jeez, the guy just doesn't learn.
The big theme this episode is body image, as both Finn and Sam will be forced into revealing outfits for their roles. This doesn't bother Sam, who apparently has aspirations to become the next Stallone or something given how much he works out and the diet he adheres to. Finn, on the other hand, is terrified of appearing on stage in nothing but his tidey-whities. It's an interesting concept that Glee hasn't covered before, and it is handled surprisingly well.
Musically, this week is on point, though that's not saying much. The music of Rocky Horror isn't exactly the epitome of the rock opera, if you ask me. Still, the cast does a great job with their songs. "Time Warp" is a lot of fun, John Stamos' rendition of "Hot Patootie" is a rollicking good time, and Finn and Rachel's, albeit quick, cover of "Dammit Janet" is absurdly funny. There are a couple of blemishes though. The best song in the whole thing, "Science Fiction/Double Feature", sung so wonderfully by Santana, only lasts a couple of seconds. I'll admit, it was funny to see Emma sing "Touch-a, Touch-a, Touch Me", but here voice is surprisingly weak, and didn't lend itself well to the song. And what the hell were the writers thinking making Mercedes Frank-n-furter? I mean, really? That was just stupid.
Comedy wise, this episode was strong. There were tons of great lines. I loved when Finn admitted to not knowing what was going on in the show, and not in "a cool-Inception kind of way." Becky's line "Give me chocolate or I will cut you!" was brilliant, and to see Santana being so forward about her desire to screw Carl was quite amusing. It was also hilarious to see the cast rehearsing with Will playing two roles. "Finn's line. Eddie's line. Finn's line." Awesome!
It's not the best episode so far this season. The whole Will/Emma thing just ends up in the same place as it began, and am I the only one who is getting weirded out by Will performing with the club? I don't know. Apart from that and few missteps in terms of music, this was a good episode. As a tribute, it probably could have been handled a bit better, but it was a fun time with plenty of laughs and a well delivered message about body image.
Ok, enough is enough! Bring Puck back already!
October 27, 2010
According to the Movies #15
If the movies say it, it must be true.
I'm sticking with the zombie thing this week. I mean, Halloween is just around the corner, and, to be honest, zombies are the only horror genre I have any substantial experience in. Besides, I've covered slasher films already. So, I'm going to go out on another date with the undead. No guarantees that I'll make it back.
In the first movie, it's all about the survivors. But since there's no easily recognizable villain, in the next installments a main zombie is introduced. This guy is usually a leader of the walking corpses/infected hosts, of sorts, and is usually a lot smarter than his undead legion. In Day of the Dead, Bub is Rhodes' prized pet, but eventually turns on his master and leads the zombies in a takeover of the underground facility. In Land of the Dead, Big Daddy starts to exhibit signs of intelligence and leads a zombie army in an effort to take down the last remaining human city. In 28 Weeks Later..., Dom gets infected and starts a new outbreak, after which he tails the fleeing survivors, which include his children, eventually cornering them in an abandoned tube station.
Another thing that should be noted about these particular zombies...
THEY! NEVER!! DIE!!! The other undead around them will drop like flies, but these guys exude some sort of power obtained in the grave that makes bullets conveniently miss them. They will also kill a ton, and I mean a ton of humans, including at least one main character.
The Lesson: If you find yourself in the next installment of a popular zombie franchise, watch out for one particular corpse. He is the leader of the undead, displays some form of smarts, and will absolutely not die throughout the entire run of the movie. If you are in a group of survivors, watch out, as this particular zombie will kill at least one of you. You don't have to fear any of the other, normal zombies. Just him. He''s the dangerous one.
I'm sticking with the zombie thing this week. I mean, Halloween is just around the corner, and, to be honest, zombies are the only horror genre I have any substantial experience in. Besides, I've covered slasher films already. So, I'm going to go out on another date with the undead. No guarantees that I'll make it back.
In the first movie, it's all about the survivors. But since there's no easily recognizable villain, in the next installments a main zombie is introduced. This guy is usually a leader of the walking corpses/infected hosts, of sorts, and is usually a lot smarter than his undead legion. In Day of the Dead, Bub is Rhodes' prized pet, but eventually turns on his master and leads the zombies in a takeover of the underground facility. In Land of the Dead, Big Daddy starts to exhibit signs of intelligence and leads a zombie army in an effort to take down the last remaining human city. In 28 Weeks Later..., Dom gets infected and starts a new outbreak, after which he tails the fleeing survivors, which include his children, eventually cornering them in an abandoned tube station.
Another thing that should be noted about these particular zombies...
THEY! NEVER!! DIE!!! The other undead around them will drop like flies, but these guys exude some sort of power obtained in the grave that makes bullets conveniently miss them. They will also kill a ton, and I mean a ton of humans, including at least one main character.
The Lesson: If you find yourself in the next installment of a popular zombie franchise, watch out for one particular corpse. He is the leader of the undead, displays some form of smarts, and will absolutely not die throughout the entire run of the movie. If you are in a group of survivors, watch out, as this particular zombie will kill at least one of you. You don't have to fear any of the other, normal zombies. Just him. He''s the dangerous one.
October 25, 2010
Trailer Trash: I Love You Phillip Morris (Red Band)
It's time to root through some trailers. What's sorts of wonderful things will be alluded to today?
I've never done a Red Band trailer for this feature before. I'm a little nervous.
I Love You Phillip Morris is about a guy who realizes one day that he is gay, and decides to live it up. Unfortunately for him, being gay rackets up a hug bill, so this guy, Steven, becomes a con man so that he can afford his affluent lifestyle. He is of course caught, and, while in prison, he meets and falls in love with one, Phillip Morris. What follows are various shenanigans as Steven escapes and gets recaptured by the law, all in the name of love.
Jim Carrey finally returns to the brand of comedy that made a star. He plays Steven, and looks to be having a grand ol' time with it. Ewan McGregor plays Phillip Morris. I haven't seen McGregor in any film like this before, so I'm anxious to see how he does. Leslie Mann is also there as Steven's wife.
This trailer is hilarious! It's red band, so they can show a whole mess of stuff, and I can safely say that I can't wait for this one. So many great lines, a good amount of solid sight gags, and the thought of Jim Carrey and Ewan McGregor mackin' on each other make this seem like one of the funniest comedies in a long time.
Best line in the thing: "Fuck me with a flaming fist!'
I've never done a Red Band trailer for this feature before. I'm a little nervous.
I Love You Phillip Morris is about a guy who realizes one day that he is gay, and decides to live it up. Unfortunately for him, being gay rackets up a hug bill, so this guy, Steven, becomes a con man so that he can afford his affluent lifestyle. He is of course caught, and, while in prison, he meets and falls in love with one, Phillip Morris. What follows are various shenanigans as Steven escapes and gets recaptured by the law, all in the name of love.
Jim Carrey finally returns to the brand of comedy that made a star. He plays Steven, and looks to be having a grand ol' time with it. Ewan McGregor plays Phillip Morris. I haven't seen McGregor in any film like this before, so I'm anxious to see how he does. Leslie Mann is also there as Steven's wife.
This trailer is hilarious! It's red band, so they can show a whole mess of stuff, and I can safely say that I can't wait for this one. So many great lines, a good amount of solid sight gags, and the thought of Jim Carrey and Ewan McGregor mackin' on each other make this seem like one of the funniest comedies in a long time.
Best line in the thing: "Fuck me with a flaming fist!'
October 24, 2010
Cause For Celebration
Films From the Supermassive Black Hole turns two today!
I started this blog back in 2008 with nary an expectation, too much free time, no readers, and no skill. Two years later, I still no expectations, don't have any free time, have a plethora of readers, and... well, skill is relative, so let's let it be. Thanks to FFTSBH and the filmic community, I've expanded my range of films, met a whole bunch of sweet people, and really invested in this little passion project. Well, that, and having a film blog gives me an excuse to see a perverse amount of movies.
So, lets see. I guess I should thank a few choice people. Blegh, these types of post are always so sentimental. Whatevs. Everyone does em'.
1. Family: Because you have to every time you write up something like this.
2. The... what was it, 3?, friends who read this when it first started: I think it was Chani, Morgen, and Rebecca. No way to tell if they still read it (except for Chani. She comments every now and then), but, I still appreciate them for giving it a shot.
3. The LAMB: Listen to the Matineecast for a full description.
4. Fletch: For letting me into the LAMB and letting me run wild.
5. Hatter: Because you are always incredibly complementary.
6. Computers: Because writing this on a typewriter would suck some serious sack!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO THE BLOG!!! Let's get our drank on!
I started this blog back in 2008 with nary an expectation, too much free time, no readers, and no skill. Two years later, I still no expectations, don't have any free time, have a plethora of readers, and... well, skill is relative, so let's let it be. Thanks to FFTSBH and the filmic community, I've expanded my range of films, met a whole bunch of sweet people, and really invested in this little passion project. Well, that, and having a film blog gives me an excuse to see a perverse amount of movies.
So, lets see. I guess I should thank a few choice people. Blegh, these types of post are always so sentimental. Whatevs. Everyone does em'.
1. Family: Because you have to every time you write up something like this.
2. The... what was it, 3?, friends who read this when it first started: I think it was Chani, Morgen, and Rebecca. No way to tell if they still read it (except for Chani. She comments every now and then), but, I still appreciate them for giving it a shot.
3. The LAMB: Listen to the Matineecast for a full description.
4. Fletch: For letting me into the LAMB and letting me run wild.
5. Hatter: Because you are always incredibly complementary.
6. Computers: Because writing this on a typewriter would suck some serious sack!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO THE BLOG!!! Let's get our drank on!
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| Except, not really, because I'm underage and that could end up being difficult for a lot of people. |
October 21, 2010
Post #200: Bloodsucking Fiends: A Love Story
Well, it's about flippin' time! After a year of hearing everyone rave non-stop about it, and falling head over heels for the American remake, I've finally joined the club. I've finally seen Let the Right One In. And, I have a favorite. Which one did I prefer? Take a leap and find out.
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| Give you all you need to drink and it will never be enough! |
October 20, 2010
According to the Movies #14
If the movies say it, it must be true.
Since this is October, and I like to lead by other's examples, this week of According to the Movies will concern horror. Zombie horror, to be exact. This week's lesson focuses on zombie films, more specifically, the end of zombie films.
Let's set up the scenario, why don't we? The remaining survivors have fought off the undead/possessed/infected horde in the finale, losing a few choice characters. They lose the honorable badass who dies giving the others a chance to escape, the asshole who only survived this long so you oculd have someone to hate, and the nice guy, possible love interest, that the movie spent the last two hours making us care about, so that we feel all bad in the end. Don't you love that callous manipulation of our emotions?
Anyway...
Once the remaining survivors have escaped, all is well, right? WRONG!!!! Zombie movies that don't have some cutty dude named Shaun NEVER end on a happy note! The ending of 28 Days Later... (the real one) saw Jim dying from a gunshot wound and Selena and Hannah walking away towards an unknown future. The ending of 28 Weeks Later... sees the Rage virus hopping the English Channel and spreading all throughout Europe. In Dawn of the Dead, the survivors make it to the island, only to find that it hadn't escaped the virus, and are accosted by a horde of the undead as the screen goes black. Night of the Living Dead sees the main character emerge from the house, having lived through the night, only to have a gunman shoot him square in the face. REC./Quarantine sees the main character being dragged away and devoured in the end. Land of the Dead ends with the zombies wisening up and destroying a human stronghold while a few people flee north to Canada.
See the pattern?
The Lesson: Have you survived the end of a zombie movie? Well, good for you! Too bad it ended terribly for you. Abandon all hope! The dead walk the Earth! You're alive! Wonder how long that's gonna last! Just give up!
Since this is October, and I like to lead by other's examples, this week of According to the Movies will concern horror. Zombie horror, to be exact. This week's lesson focuses on zombie films, more specifically, the end of zombie films.
Let's set up the scenario, why don't we? The remaining survivors have fought off the undead/possessed/infected horde in the finale, losing a few choice characters. They lose the honorable badass who dies giving the others a chance to escape, the asshole who only survived this long so you oculd have someone to hate, and the nice guy, possible love interest, that the movie spent the last two hours making us care about, so that we feel all bad in the end. Don't you love that callous manipulation of our emotions?
Anyway...
Once the remaining survivors have escaped, all is well, right? WRONG!!!! Zombie movies that don't have some cutty dude named Shaun NEVER end on a happy note! The ending of 28 Days Later... (the real one) saw Jim dying from a gunshot wound and Selena and Hannah walking away towards an unknown future. The ending of 28 Weeks Later... sees the Rage virus hopping the English Channel and spreading all throughout Europe. In Dawn of the Dead, the survivors make it to the island, only to find that it hadn't escaped the virus, and are accosted by a horde of the undead as the screen goes black. Night of the Living Dead sees the main character emerge from the house, having lived through the night, only to have a gunman shoot him square in the face. REC./Quarantine sees the main character being dragged away and devoured in the end. Land of the Dead ends with the zombies wisening up and destroying a human stronghold while a few people flee north to Canada.
See the pattern?
The Lesson: Have you survived the end of a zombie movie? Well, good for you! Too bad it ended terribly for you. Abandon all hope! The dead walk the Earth! You're alive! Wonder how long that's gonna last! Just give up!
October 18, 2010
Trailer Trash: ???
Like the demon bitch that it is, school work was been kicking my little arse this past night! As such, I am unable to write a up a Trailer Trash for this week. I do sincerely apologize. I can't imagine where else you would find these incredibly popular trailers outside of the Black Hole. :-p
Once again, I beg thy forgiveness!
But hey! I still got the animals! This is a lemur!
Once again, I beg thy forgiveness!
But hey! I still got the animals! This is a lemur!
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| Zaboomafoo! |
October 16, 2010
Me And My Shameless Following
So, I was perusing the blog-o-sphere yesterday, reading some stuff on my blogroll, and I come across this post by one Vancetastic over at The Audient. The post in question concerned a site by the name of Flickchart, a place where people go to rank movies. Basically, you are shown two films, and forced to pick one, and all the answers are added up until you have a list of your favorite movies. I've only been at it for a day, and DAMN, is it addicting! Right now, there are 500 films on my list, but since listing off all of the them would take time that you and, especially, I don't have, I'll just you give the top twenty. The creme de la creme! The cream of the crop! The big kahunas, if you will!
1. Monster's Inc.: I'll bite... for now. It's a fun little Pixar film, though far from their best.
2. Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events: Uhhhhhhh... no!
3. Die Hard: Most badass action movie of all time cracks my top 5? Alright, I'll go with it.
4. 28 Days Later...: Even if it wasn't on some algorithm or whatever it is that powers the site, this one would probably be just as high on the list!
5. The Departed: Same story.
6. Sin City: Ok! Hella fun, visually awesome crime epic? I can live with that.
7. Closer: This film doesn't get the credit it deserves. Just sayin'...
8. The Dark Knight: I'd say this one's pretty obvious.
9. Citizen Kane: A bonafide classic and game changer.
10. Notting Hill: Not my favorite rom-com, but certainly a gem.
11. The 40-Year-Old Virgin: The coming out party of Judd Apatow and Steve Carrell! All around excellent!
12. Zombieland: Eh, why not?
13. The Godfather: This sure as hell ain't high enough on this list!
14. Pulp Fiction: Only 14? Tarantino would be insulted!
15. No Country For Old Men: Will be considered a classic in a couple years.
16. Toy Story 2: How sad is it that Monster's Inc. is at the tippy top, and this masterpiece is at number 16?
17. Little Miss Sunshine: Whatever...
18. The Empire Strikes Back: God, remember when George Lucas wasn't a hack?
19. Grindhouse: Was I the only one who saw this in theaters? Man, this was awesome!
20. Saving Private Ryan: Definitely deserves to be on this list somewhere.
1. Monster's Inc.: I'll bite... for now. It's a fun little Pixar film, though far from their best.
2. Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events: Uhhhhhhh... no!
3. Die Hard: Most badass action movie of all time cracks my top 5? Alright, I'll go with it.
4. 28 Days Later...: Even if it wasn't on some algorithm or whatever it is that powers the site, this one would probably be just as high on the list!
5. The Departed: Same story.
6. Sin City: Ok! Hella fun, visually awesome crime epic? I can live with that.
7. Closer: This film doesn't get the credit it deserves. Just sayin'...
8. The Dark Knight: I'd say this one's pretty obvious.
9. Citizen Kane: A bonafide classic and game changer.
10. Notting Hill: Not my favorite rom-com, but certainly a gem.
11. The 40-Year-Old Virgin: The coming out party of Judd Apatow and Steve Carrell! All around excellent!
12. Zombieland: Eh, why not?
13. The Godfather: This sure as hell ain't high enough on this list!
14. Pulp Fiction: Only 14? Tarantino would be insulted!
15. No Country For Old Men: Will be considered a classic in a couple years.
16. Toy Story 2: How sad is it that Monster's Inc. is at the tippy top, and this masterpiece is at number 16?
17. Little Miss Sunshine: Whatever...
18. The Empire Strikes Back: God, remember when George Lucas wasn't a hack?
19. Grindhouse: Was I the only one who saw this in theaters? Man, this was awesome!
20. Saving Private Ryan: Definitely deserves to be on this list somewhere.
October 14, 2010
New Poll: URL Change
So, since the name change, I've gotten a lot of positive feedback regarding the new look of the site. One question that has been posed is whether or not the URL will change as well. I was hesitant to change the URL right away, since that would mean everyone who had me on their blogroll would have to re-add me and Fletch would have to do some editing of my profile on the LAMB, and it would have been needlessly difficult for a lot of people. I did, however, go into the name change with the intention of changing the URL at some point, and now that the new site has had time to sink in, a URL change seems imminent. I came up with five, Muse inspired ideas that I think could work very well, but, as always, I leave it up to you. Chime in.
The Options
1. litbystarlight.blogspot.com (Inspired by Starlight) (This one's my favorite, but...)
2. fromtheblackhole.blogspot.com (Inspired by Supermassive Black Hole) (Guess this one is most appropriate...)
3. erasedandpluggedin.blogspot.com (Inspired by Citizen Erased and Plug In Baby)
4. songofabsolution.blogspot.com (Inspired by Sing for Absolution)
5. resistanceuprising.blogspot.com (Inspired by Uprising and Resistance)
The Options
1. litbystarlight.blogspot.com (Inspired by Starlight) (This one's my favorite, but...)
2. fromtheblackhole.blogspot.com (Inspired by Supermassive Black Hole) (Guess this one is most appropriate...)
3. erasedandpluggedin.blogspot.com (Inspired by Citizen Erased and Plug In Baby)
4. songofabsolution.blogspot.com (Inspired by Sing for Absolution)
5. resistanceuprising.blogspot.com (Inspired by Uprising and Resistance)
Glee Review: Duets
Well, after months of teasing and speculation, the big kahuna was finally delivered to us. Santana and Brittany finally made out!
This week's Glee started off on one of the funniest notes the show has hit yet, with Will revealing to the club that Puck is in juvie after driving his car into the front of a convenience store and jacking the ATM, cuz, you know, Puck's thug like that! Will sees this as a good thing though, because it leaves a temporary space for Sam, who has officially joined to club, to fill.
The focus of this week is duets. Each member of the club pairs off with another member and each group sings a song. Will, in a competitive mood again, makes it a competition, the winner getting a certificate for a free meal to this inexplicably popular italian joint. Anyway...
Artie pairs off with Brittany in an incredibly misguided attempt to make Tina jealous. He goes all the way with Brittany and, not surprisingly, immediately regrets it. Meanwhile, Finn and Rachel decide to throw the competition so that Sam can win, making him feel welcome in the club, Santana and Mercedes combine their respective diva strengths into one awesome amalgamation of bitchiness to win, and Sam schmoozes on Quinn, who is hesitant to engage in anything after the birth of her bastard.
Kurt takes on a big part in this episode as well as he finally comes to terms with the fact that his advances on the straight men of the club are making them uncomfortable. He finally realizes that he is as much to blame for Finn calling him a "offensive word that even I'm too much of a pussy to use" as Finn was.
Music wise, this was probably the best episode of the season thus far. All the songs popped and stood on their own. The big deal was that this was the week we would finally get to see Harry Shum Jr.'s Mike Chang get to sing a solo, although singing is a bit misleading. He had the male part in "Sing", from A Chorus Line, which is more a rap than anything, but, even so, it was nice to finally have him in the spotlight.
Santana and Mercede's song was awesome; Kurt's duet with himself was spectacular; Rachel and Finn's throwing of the competition was hysterical; and Sam's and Quinn's duet of Jason Mraz's "Lucky" was one of the best songs of the season!
On a character note, I'm interested to see how the events in this show effect Brittany. The episode ended with Artie telling her off about how cavalier she is with sex, and, shockingly, it seemed to resonate with her. And am I the only one who was touched when it panned to her pushing a meatball with her nose all alone? Are we finally going to see Brittany act like an actual human being? I hope so.
All in all, great episode. It's without a doubt the best of the season so far. Plenty of comedy, great songs, a good drama add up to a quality hour of television.
No Sue though. That's a problem!
This week's Glee started off on one of the funniest notes the show has hit yet, with Will revealing to the club that Puck is in juvie after driving his car into the front of a convenience store and jacking the ATM, cuz, you know, Puck's thug like that! Will sees this as a good thing though, because it leaves a temporary space for Sam, who has officially joined to club, to fill.
The focus of this week is duets. Each member of the club pairs off with another member and each group sings a song. Will, in a competitive mood again, makes it a competition, the winner getting a certificate for a free meal to this inexplicably popular italian joint. Anyway...
Artie pairs off with Brittany in an incredibly misguided attempt to make Tina jealous. He goes all the way with Brittany and, not surprisingly, immediately regrets it. Meanwhile, Finn and Rachel decide to throw the competition so that Sam can win, making him feel welcome in the club, Santana and Mercedes combine their respective diva strengths into one awesome amalgamation of bitchiness to win, and Sam schmoozes on Quinn, who is hesitant to engage in anything after the birth of her bastard.
Kurt takes on a big part in this episode as well as he finally comes to terms with the fact that his advances on the straight men of the club are making them uncomfortable. He finally realizes that he is as much to blame for Finn calling him a "offensive word that even I'm too much of a pussy to use" as Finn was.
Music wise, this was probably the best episode of the season thus far. All the songs popped and stood on their own. The big deal was that this was the week we would finally get to see Harry Shum Jr.'s Mike Chang get to sing a solo, although singing is a bit misleading. He had the male part in "Sing", from A Chorus Line, which is more a rap than anything, but, even so, it was nice to finally have him in the spotlight.
Santana and Mercede's song was awesome; Kurt's duet with himself was spectacular; Rachel and Finn's throwing of the competition was hysterical; and Sam's and Quinn's duet of Jason Mraz's "Lucky" was one of the best songs of the season!
On a character note, I'm interested to see how the events in this show effect Brittany. The episode ended with Artie telling her off about how cavalier she is with sex, and, shockingly, it seemed to resonate with her. And am I the only one who was touched when it panned to her pushing a meatball with her nose all alone? Are we finally going to see Brittany act like an actual human being? I hope so.
All in all, great episode. It's without a doubt the best of the season so far. Plenty of comedy, great songs, a good drama add up to a quality hour of television.
No Sue though. That's a problem!
October 12, 2010
Fall Break Roundup
New York City. It never sleeps. The subways smell. It's always crowded. I love it! So much energy, so much culture, it's mind boggling! I had a very busy weekend, a lot of which was spent catching up with old friends, but, the film blogger/entertainment junkie in me needed to be fed, so, Monday (Columbus Day) was spent at the theatre, taking in some films that have since eluded me thanks to my almost rural living situation at Bard. Since I have three films to write about, I'm just going to do it all here, rather than separate reviews for each one. See? I'm consolidating! You know you love it!
But first, another furry. This is a hedgehog!
But first, another furry. This is a hedgehog!
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| Fine! More like a prickly, but it's cute, so screw you! |
October 11, 2010
Matineecast 22: Social Pariahs
Here's my first appearance on Mad Hatter's Matineecast. Let me tell you! This episode was bitch to record. Bad internet at Bard. Files not showing up. Microphone issues. Hatter being a big turkey and not recording for the first hour. Fun times! Even so, we had a great time slogging through the technical difficulties and such as we discussed The Social Network, expectations, and filmic things we are thankful for. I've been jonsing to get in on this podcast for a while, and I had a blast doing it!
October 8, 2010
I'm Not Dead Yet
Blog's closed for the weekend!
I'm on break!
I'll be living large in NYC!
Sorry!
The alien out front shoulda told ya!
Hope you didn't listen to the beaver in the yellow raincoat!
He lies!
Back on Monday with a particularly awesome post (Hatter knows what I'm talkin' about!)
Cya then!
I'm on break!
I'll be living large in NYC!
Sorry!
The alien out front shoulda told ya!
Hope you didn't listen to the beaver in the yellow raincoat!
He lies!
Back on Monday with a particularly awesome post (Hatter knows what I'm talkin' about!)
Cya then!
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| He's incredibly knowledgeable! |
October 7, 2010
Glee Review: Grilled Cheesus
About friggin' time they sang some Billy Joel!
Glee got serious this week! In a big change of pace from last week's insanely entertaining, but ultimately unimportant Britney/Brittany, this week's episode sees Will and Co. tackling religion and how each member of the club views that tricky subject.
It all begins when Finn makes a grilled cheesus, aka, he sees the face of Christ in the burn marks of his grilled cheese. This hilarious concept turns into one of the heaviest episodes Glee has given us. Kurt's dad, Burt, has a heart attack, and the prognosis doesn't look good. All the members of the club tell him to pray for a cure, while they do the same, but Kurt isn't having it. He adamantly believes there is no God, and cruelly, but understandably brushes off their help.
Meanwhile, Finn is praying to Grilled Cheesus for help with his everyday problems, namely, going farther with Rachel in the sack, and traversing the ranks in the football team. He accomplishes all this, but, big fucking surprise, has a realization that maybe it isn't right what he was doing.
Sue shows a significant more amount of humanity when she tries to stop the club from singing spiritual songs, as she shares the same opinion as Kurt. This doesn't stem from Sue's pathological need to ruin New Directions; it is actually a deeply personal feeling for her, one that we haven't seen from her yet.
Unlike last weeks Britney Spears focused episode, the songs in here all have connection to the plot and what each character is feeling. The only problem is that, while all the songs are well performed, most of them are so painfully obvious that the message is lost! I really dug Puck sticking to his mantra of only singing songs by Jewish artists, leading him into a rollicking rendition of "Only the Good Die Young". Kurt's heartfelt ballad of "I Wanna Hold Your Hand", was beautiful, and, though I could see it coming from a mile away, Finn singing "Losing My Religion" was pretty good, if only because it's REM, and they rule! All the other songs, especially the finale, made me pull a face palm on myself. Both of Mercedes' songs were good, but, oh so cliched. Whitney Houston's "I Look To You" was nice, but Simon and Garfunkel's "Bridge of Troubled Water" rang hollow. And then the finale. "What If God Was One Of Us"? Really? Can't you think of something a little less obvious?
Despite this, the episode dealt with the heavy subject matter very well, thanks in large part to the acting on Chris Colfer. As Kurt, he displays wonderful vulnerability, and does a great job selling it. Jane Lynch also does solid dramatic acting. Cory Monteith is alright as Finn, but I couldn't help but get annoyed by his character this episode. Kurt's dad is in the hospital, and Finn is still a selfish asshole for most of it. This is the same exact we've seen him go through countless times. I wish he would grow the fuck up already!
A good episode all around. Not perfect, as some song choices drag it down a little bit, but, for sheer dramatic content, this is one of the best offerings Glee has providing yet.
Also, I love how Mercedes says hello to her congregation! "Hey Church!" Awesome!
Glee got serious this week! In a big change of pace from last week's insanely entertaining, but ultimately unimportant Britney/Brittany, this week's episode sees Will and Co. tackling religion and how each member of the club views that tricky subject.
It all begins when Finn makes a grilled cheesus, aka, he sees the face of Christ in the burn marks of his grilled cheese. This hilarious concept turns into one of the heaviest episodes Glee has given us. Kurt's dad, Burt, has a heart attack, and the prognosis doesn't look good. All the members of the club tell him to pray for a cure, while they do the same, but Kurt isn't having it. He adamantly believes there is no God, and cruelly, but understandably brushes off their help.
Meanwhile, Finn is praying to Grilled Cheesus for help with his everyday problems, namely, going farther with Rachel in the sack, and traversing the ranks in the football team. He accomplishes all this, but, big fucking surprise, has a realization that maybe it isn't right what he was doing.
Sue shows a significant more amount of humanity when she tries to stop the club from singing spiritual songs, as she shares the same opinion as Kurt. This doesn't stem from Sue's pathological need to ruin New Directions; it is actually a deeply personal feeling for her, one that we haven't seen from her yet.
Unlike last weeks Britney Spears focused episode, the songs in here all have connection to the plot and what each character is feeling. The only problem is that, while all the songs are well performed, most of them are so painfully obvious that the message is lost! I really dug Puck sticking to his mantra of only singing songs by Jewish artists, leading him into a rollicking rendition of "Only the Good Die Young". Kurt's heartfelt ballad of "I Wanna Hold Your Hand", was beautiful, and, though I could see it coming from a mile away, Finn singing "Losing My Religion" was pretty good, if only because it's REM, and they rule! All the other songs, especially the finale, made me pull a face palm on myself. Both of Mercedes' songs were good, but, oh so cliched. Whitney Houston's "I Look To You" was nice, but Simon and Garfunkel's "Bridge of Troubled Water" rang hollow. And then the finale. "What If God Was One Of Us"? Really? Can't you think of something a little less obvious?
Despite this, the episode dealt with the heavy subject matter very well, thanks in large part to the acting on Chris Colfer. As Kurt, he displays wonderful vulnerability, and does a great job selling it. Jane Lynch also does solid dramatic acting. Cory Monteith is alright as Finn, but I couldn't help but get annoyed by his character this episode. Kurt's dad is in the hospital, and Finn is still a selfish asshole for most of it. This is the same exact we've seen him go through countless times. I wish he would grow the fuck up already!
A good episode all around. Not perfect, as some song choices drag it down a little bit, but, for sheer dramatic content, this is one of the best offerings Glee has providing yet.
Also, I love how Mercedes says hello to her congregation! "Hey Church!" Awesome!
October 6, 2010
15 Directors Meme
So, there was this note thing going around Facebook that some blogger buddies that I've friended got in on. As far as I know, it was initiated by Branden. Anyway, I don't really like Facebook notes; I created this blog to get away from them, so, I'm going to write out my thing right here, where everyone else can see it. How do you like my shameless ploy to get more traffic? Damn, I am devious!
Before the jump, another animal for your ocular enjoyment! This is a meerkat!
Before the jump, another animal for your ocular enjoyment! This is a meerkat!
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| Hakuna Matata Bitches! |
According to the Movies #13
If the movies say it, it must be true!
So, last week I talked about how the hero of a balls to the wall action movie is invincible, right? Bullets, knifes, and other things that kill a normal person, have no effect on them. In Commando, John Matrix (awesome name!) can walk through a hail of gunfire, and not get hit once. In Ninja Assassin, Raizo gets cut up by what seems to be hundreds of ninja stars, and yet he is still able to jump around, slicing dudes in half in increasingly bloody fashion. However, since there needs to be some high stakes in there, or else everyone would just get bored really fast, the hero always gets hurt in the end, and only by one individual. The main antagonist is the only person who can hurt the hero. The movie gods have blessed him/her with the Elixir of Supreme Villainy. Only they can do damage to the hero!
The Lesson: Are you the hero in a balls to the wall action movie? Great! Go nuts! Blow shit up for an hour and fifty minutes of your two hour run time. However, be prepared. In the final ten minutes of the film, you will face your nemesis, and he will do something to you! He/she will hurt you, and you will feel something you have never felt before. That thing is called pain. Don't worry, you'll still kill him in a glorious fashion, but, even so. Know your enemy! He/she is the only one who will do any damage to you!
So, last week I talked about how the hero of a balls to the wall action movie is invincible, right? Bullets, knifes, and other things that kill a normal person, have no effect on them. In Commando, John Matrix (awesome name!) can walk through a hail of gunfire, and not get hit once. In Ninja Assassin, Raizo gets cut up by what seems to be hundreds of ninja stars, and yet he is still able to jump around, slicing dudes in half in increasingly bloody fashion. However, since there needs to be some high stakes in there, or else everyone would just get bored really fast, the hero always gets hurt in the end, and only by one individual. The main antagonist is the only person who can hurt the hero. The movie gods have blessed him/her with the Elixir of Supreme Villainy. Only they can do damage to the hero!
The Lesson: Are you the hero in a balls to the wall action movie? Great! Go nuts! Blow shit up for an hour and fifty minutes of your two hour run time. However, be prepared. In the final ten minutes of the film, you will face your nemesis, and he will do something to you! He/she will hurt you, and you will feel something you have never felt before. That thing is called pain. Don't worry, you'll still kill him in a glorious fashion, but, even so. Know your enemy! He/she is the only one who will do any damage to you!
October 4, 2010
Trailer Trash: Skyline
It's time to root through some trailers. What sorts of wonderful things will be alluded to today?
Ok, yes, I know. The trailer for True Grit came out, and it's awesome! But, everyone and their dog is writing about that one and I want to give another project a chance to shine. Look at me, being all charitable like that.
Skyline seeks to put a new spin on the alien abduction/invasion genre with it's fresh idea. As people start to wake up in the morning, they see a bright blue light from outside. Once they see the light, they are hooked, and walk, zombie like, towards it. Once they arrive at the source of the light, they are sucked up into one of the dozens of ships that have appeared in the sky. A group of survivors that have managed to avoid being abducted must now contend with the invasion force, which includes giant four legged monsters, tenacious attack drones, and other, as yet unknown things. As the world begins to fight back, this group of survivors struggle to stay alive.
Skyline employs a cast of relative unknowns. Eric Balfour is the clear protagonist, as he gets the most screen time. Donald Faison, aka Turk from Scrubs, is also in the mix, as is David Zayas from Dexter. I'm not familiar enough with these actors to form an opinion, but, from what I've seen, they're pretty good. Should be interesting to see how they do.
This trailer looks pretty sweet! The previous one was enough to start stirring the juices of interest in my brian, and now I am officially excited for this to come out! It visually impressive, well shot, and looks to have some cool action and special effects. The only caveat is that is made by the same people who gave us the abysmal Alien vs. Predator: Requiem. Only time will tell whether or not they can redeem themselves.
Ok, yes, I know. The trailer for True Grit came out, and it's awesome! But, everyone and their dog is writing about that one and I want to give another project a chance to shine. Look at me, being all charitable like that.
Skyline seeks to put a new spin on the alien abduction/invasion genre with it's fresh idea. As people start to wake up in the morning, they see a bright blue light from outside. Once they see the light, they are hooked, and walk, zombie like, towards it. Once they arrive at the source of the light, they are sucked up into one of the dozens of ships that have appeared in the sky. A group of survivors that have managed to avoid being abducted must now contend with the invasion force, which includes giant four legged monsters, tenacious attack drones, and other, as yet unknown things. As the world begins to fight back, this group of survivors struggle to stay alive.
Skyline employs a cast of relative unknowns. Eric Balfour is the clear protagonist, as he gets the most screen time. Donald Faison, aka Turk from Scrubs, is also in the mix, as is David Zayas from Dexter. I'm not familiar enough with these actors to form an opinion, but, from what I've seen, they're pretty good. Should be interesting to see how they do.
This trailer looks pretty sweet! The previous one was enough to start stirring the juices of interest in my brian, and now I am officially excited for this to come out! It visually impressive, well shot, and looks to have some cool action and special effects. The only caveat is that is made by the same people who gave us the abysmal Alien vs. Predator: Requiem. Only time will tell whether or not they can redeem themselves.
October 2, 2010
Broken Social Scene
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| Oooo. Bunch of guys looking at a computer screen! Oh, the implications! |
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