Monday Night TV Review

My posting has been super slow lately as I have been pretty busy lately. And haven't had too much interesting to discuss. But here it is Monday again, and that leads me to wanna chat about Chuck, among other things.

Chuck - Have I mentioned I am glad to have Chuck back? I think I have. A few times. The appearance of Bryce Larkin sure throws a wrench in Chuck's plans for love. It is clear to everyone that Sarah is as into Chuck as he is into her. But the writers continue to create very valid reasons they shouldn't be together anyway. Before, it was because of their professional relationship. Then, in this episode, it was because her feelings for him would affect her ability to protect him (as seen when she didn't shoot the bad guy!). But tonight, they add a new reason. Even when Chuck is no longer the intersect, he can never fully know Sarah (her name, her background, her location...) because she is a freakin' spy! My solution: Chuck has to really become a spy. And after Bryce left him those sunglasses with an Intersect update in them, he may not have a choice. (Does anyone else think it strange that someone is capable of putting all this information together FOR Chuck but can't put it somewhere else, so Chuck wouldn't have to be the Intersect anymore?)

The side stories were fine. I don't mind Morgan as much as the next guy. It wasn't nearly as entertaining as the rest of the episode. I loved the concern Awesome showed by giving Bryce a painful cleaning and bandaging. And I also love that Sarah is now a bridesmaid in the wedding! Fun times...

Heroes - I watched this episode SOLELY for David Anders. Sigh... No real comment to make on the episode. It wasn't quite as cheesy as the last two, so I will give them that... (I think it is because we didn't go into the future). I thought it was funny how quickly Ando and Hiro lost Adam. Oops!

How I Met Your Mother - Barney's dumb attempts to get women never fail to amuse me. I loved his dressing as a woman last week to get a lesbian. This week he dresses as an 80 year old man to prove that he will still be as AWESOME in 50 years as he is today (I think he will be, too, but maybe not in the same way). In the meantime, the episode focused on the interventions the gangs have planned over the years: Marshall's tall Dr. Seuss hat, Lily's English accent (I found this especially amusing as it seemed to be a throw back to her husband's portrayal of a Brit in Buffy/Angel), Robin's spray tans, Barney's magic tricks, Ted's pronunciation, Barney's old man suit, and then, of course, the now necessary intervention for the gang's interventions. After Ted realized the gang was going to have an intervention about his relationship with Stella, he decides not to move out of his apartment (followed by Marshall and Lily deciding to stay, and Robin deciding not to go to Japan). Change is scary ya'll! But of course it is Barney and his "arthritis five" (hysterical) that makes everyone realize they don't need to be the same person in 50 years that they are now. It was a fun episode. Was anyone else looking for big clues to what was going on in one year from now? I love when they do that. We also find out in this episode that Barney has been diagnosed as a narcissist with severe detachment disorder. Let's laugh at his psychological problems!

Oh TV, How I Have Missed You

I haven't had a chance to mention it, but I am so happy that fall TV is officially back. Here are the returning series I have been so glad to have back:

Chuck - I am so glad to have have Zach Levi and the gang back on my television on a weekly basis. I adore Chuck, Sarah, and Casey. I have missed their spy-hijinks. It is a relief to see the writers "went there" with the relationship of Chuck and Sarah. It is more of a Sydney/Vaughan thing (we want to be together but can't) instead of the all-too-common "we just don't want to admit it" thing.

The Office - I forget how much I miss The Office when it isn't on. I was looking forward to its return, but wasn't ecstatic. But now that we are one episode in, I am back to full fan level. I absolutely adore Holly and wish she could stay forever. I knew Ryan would be coming back to the office. I figured Michael would jump at the chance of having him back as a temp. And I didn't see that proposal coming at all.

Pushing Daisies - Ned, Chuck & and the gang apparently didn't get very good ratings this last week. I feel I contributed to the drop in viewership, as I missed it Wednesday and had to watch it online on Thursday. However, I am back full swing. This show is not only really pretty to watch, it is fun and well-thought out. Watch this show!

Bones - I quit watching Bones last year about 6 or 7 episodes before the season ended. But one night, a couple of weeks ago, when Sean was out at the Karaoke bar with his friends, I decided to watch it and I was completely enamored. I so enjoy the Bones/Brennan interactions, and I also really like (most) of the employees of the Jeffersonian. I am not a big Cam fan, but I adore Sweets. Love his every scene.

Shows I am not as excited about:

Heroes - I haven't even tried to watch it. I missed the first episode, and based on my husband's brief synopsis, I opted out. The opinions I have heard and read elsewhere only confirm I made the right decision. Perhaps I can find a site online that compiles only the scenes with David Anders.

Dancing with the Stars - I always get sucked into this show, mainly because I am curious and then can not let go. This year, I haven't had that problem. I don't feel like I am missing out. There were only two reasons I would have watched anyway: Maks (and he is now out...) and Lacey Schwimmer (but only to support my SYTYCD peeps!).

Movie Catch Up

My posts on books has slowed down as my movie-watching has increased. I have watched a number of movies lately as I have realized I can find almost anything pretty handily at the local library branch. Here is what I have managed to watch:

Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day - I really like Amy Adams, especially after Enchanted. I also think Frances McDormand is great, and was really convincing in this role. The movie was set in the 30s and I loved the "period"-ness about it. But, really, I must admit that it was Lee Pace (Pushing Daisies) that made this movie for me. Lee Pace + unshaven face + British accent + passionate musician = Delicious. And on top of all that, he sings! And I love him. Okay, have I gone on too much? This was an unusual, but rather likable film. Check it out (for more reasons than just Lee Pace. No, seriously...).


Savages - I love Phillip Seymour Hoffman. He never fails me as an actor. He always brings it all to the table. Savages is no exception. Pair him up with the always-great Laura Linney, and you have a serious amount of acting chops on screen. The question, then, would be whether the story is of equal quality. While the subject matter was dark (dealing with a dying and dementia-ridden father), the characters were quirky enough to be humorous, while bringing a good deal of emotion to the screen. They played off of each other so well and my favorite scenes were between the brother and sister. I say definitely give this one a watch.


The Bank Job - Based on a true story, I was hoping this heist flick would be really entertaining. Instead, I found it a bit slow. True stories often don't entertain to the level of a fiction work (think Oceans 11 or The Italian Job). Most of the cast was amusing, but the movie just didn't hold my attention. At one point, even though I had been watching the screen the entire time, I had to make my husband tell me what was going on because I just hadn't been paying much attention. There are better movies out there. Of course, if you just want to see Jason Statham in his 70s get-ups, give it a watch...

Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants - My 18 year old sister insisted I watch this. I really enjoyed it and sat on my couch alone and cried. There were really contrived parts of the story and some of it ended up too perfectly, but there were parts that also ended up a little gritty like real life does sometimes. I was annoyed at Blake Lively's character for being skanky, but you come to understand why and feel a bit sorry for her. I like all four of these girls and it was fun to watch. I'll have to add Sisterhood 2 to my online queue.

Sweeney Todd - I had already seen Sweeney Todd in the theater, but thought it would be fun to watch again. It was dark and dirty and strangely amusing. Johnny Depp seems to really inhabit all of his characters to the fullest. If you plan to watch, be prepared for some gross scenes.


December Boys - In his first non-Harry Potter theater release, Daniel Radcliffe plays one of four orphan boys that go on a trip to the coast. While there, they encounter several different people that affect their lives. Most importantly, they overhear a couple say they have decided to adopt one of the boys. After this, the relationship among the boys is strained as they try to win over the potential mom and dad. This was a rather small film, not widely released in the US. The friendship among the boys is the central story and the most meaningful. I thought it was sweet, but it seemed like I had seen it all before.

In Bruges - Strangely enough, this was a comedy, but I didn't know that. It was a dark comedy as it deals with death in a dark way. A hit man (Colin Farrell) accidentally kills the wrong person and he is sent away, accompanied by another hit man (Brendan Gleeson), who serves as his babysitter. They go to Bruges, Belgium to hide out until the fallout has cleared. As they come into contact with other characters in town, their time in Bruges takes some interesting turns. While this movie isn't amazing, there was some really funny stuff in it.


Extras: The Extra Special Series Finale - We finally got around to watching the finale, even though we own the first two seasons. Do I need to say more than George Michael? Didn't think so... But I will anyway. The finale was perfect parts ridiculous, funny, sweet, and sad. Sean and I are huge Extras fans. If you haven't tried it out, give it a chance. I am not promising it will be your cup of tea, because it is certainly a very specific kind of comedy (Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchent tend to be very shtick-y). But it is fun to watch the celebrity guest stars act completely ridiculously.


What Happens in Vegas - This Ashton Kutcher/Cameron Diaz rom-com was actually a bit better than I expected. Two strangers get married in Vegas while drunk, agree to get a divorce in the morning, and then win $3,000,000 on a slot machine. The money creates issues, and the judge decides not to grant them a divorce until they have "worked" on their marriage for six months (including living together). Kutcher and Diaz had pretty good chemistry and also have similar comedic styling. I thought they made sense in a movie together. Just don't expect this movie to reinvent the wheel.

Sleepwalking - Jolene (Charlize Theron) is a selfish mom who abandons her daughter Tara (AnnaSophie Robb), leaving her irresponsible brother James (Nick Stahl) to take care of her. Nick Stahl really stood out for me, but there is something about him that seems really old school to me, and I am intrigued by his acting style (I still find it odd he was in Terminator 3; mainly he impressed me in Carnivale and In the Bedroom). AnnaSophia Robb played a child who was forced to grow up too quickly. I was constantly reminding myself of how young she actually is. While the plot was really slow, and you could see a bit where they were headed, it was a sad and ultimately sweet story.

Just FYI, I was so overwhelmed writing this post, that by the end, I was just writing a basic synopsis and maybe a single sentence of opinion. It took me so long to write that I kept seeing movies and would then need to add them to my post. Now I am just rambling. But I guess that is a disclaimer about how poor my actual reviews (if you would call them that) actually are.

So You Think You Can Dance Tour - Los Angeles

Last night was the Los Angeles stop on the SYTYCD tour, and I was so happy to see our Season 4 Top 10 (plus a few). On hand to dance were

Joshua
Katee
Twitch
Kherington
Gev
Courtney
Mark
Chelsie H.
Will
Jessica
Comfort
Thayne
Chelsea T.

I think half of the couples dances were Josh & Katee. I can't comprehend how they had the stamina to keep it up. They did tons of dances together, each had a solo, they had dances in other pairings, and several group dances. Shew!

The tour really shows who is good with the audience, who is a performer versus a dancer. Most of the boys came off better than the girls in the personality department (Twitch, Thayne, Gev, and Will were all good when they had to MC between dances (usually with dorky comedy thrown in)).

Numbers that stood out live:
Katee & Joshua's Bollywood Routine, followed by the group Bollywood routine
Chelsie & Mark's contemporary routine to The Garden (by Sonja)
Katee & Twitch's door routine to Duffy
Katee & Joshua's contemporary routine to Hometown Glory by Adele
Joshua & Twitch's Russian Trepak (so much energy!)
Katee & Joshua's No Air routine
Chelsie & Mark with the briefcase

Solos that stood out:
Gev (so good, and so adorable)
Twitch (feeling the beat myself made all the difference for me with his solo)
Katee (love emotion that shows through)
Will (such a pretty body, but more as a work of art)

One of my all-time favorite contestants PASHA (along with Anya) made a guest appearance to introduce the dance they choreographed for Courtney & Gev. I was so happy to see them. Also in the house were Tyce, Tabitha & Napoleon, and Nigel, along with several former dancers, who I assume are all LA-based now (but I didn't see any of them...).

I realized that the last three seasons have given me some great music, that I have subsequently downloaded. I can't remember any from season 1, but season 2 was Rama Lama by Roisin Murphy, season 3 was The Moment I Said It by Imogen Heap (already had this one but my love grew after seeing the dance), and season 4 is Hometown Glory by Adele. Love a good soulful piano ballad!

Sorry for all my scatterbrained thoughts. It was a long show and quite jam-packed. I can't remember everything! It was a lot of fun, though. I did forget my camera but I will try to steal some from Vance once he posts them.

9 to 5 the Musical

Last night, Vance and I made a trip to the Ahmanson Theatre to see 9 to 5 the Musical (music & lyrics by Dolly Parton and book by Patricia Resnick) in its pre-Broadway run. Since he is busy going to the set of The Office today (lucky!), I am going to beat him to the punch with my review! Here it is:



Overview: If you haven't seen the 1980 film that inspired this stage show, the story is this: three women who are mistreated by their mean-spirited, misogynistic, sexual-harassing boss band together to take action (action that includes kidnapping and holding him prisoner).




The Cast: Megan Hilty was hysterical as the Texas-bred "Backwoods Barbie" Doralee (nailing the part originally played by Dolly Parton). Her southern sass alone brought on many bursts of applause. I give her extra credit for fitting into those outfits and looking so good in them! Stephanie J. Block played shy-then-independent Judy. Her own surprise as she grows and has new experiences (smoking pot!?!) made her so endearing. And then her powerhouse voice was put to excellent use in "Get Out and Stay Out" (I bet she was an amazing Elphaba). Allison Janney was very likable as widowed mom and potential manager Violet. She is the elder of the three and seems to be the leader, and at times, mother to the other girls, as well. She doesn't have a booming Broadway voice like the other two girls, but it worked with what she had. The best part of the show are these women, and the performances together, and the chemistry they share. Marc Kudisch was slimy and dirty and sleazy as Hart, and I wasn't completely disgusted with him... I know, I am a poor excuse for a woman! But I could kind of see why office manager Roz was so in love with him.



The core cast was outstanding and the ensemble was great. Other cast members who stood out for me were Kathy Fitzgerald as Roz (the rule-following office manager pining away for Hart) and Andy Karl (the cougar-hunting accountant). Ensemble pieces were so much fun to watch, mainly due to excellent choreography from Andy Blankenbuehler (In the Heights) and really fun office sets, circa 1979.

One can not forget to mention the person that completely made this show what it is: Dolly Parton. I love Dolly and her music is just so catchy. She gives this show a feel it wouldn't have if someone else had written the music. The song 9 to 5 is so catchy, and from the opening of the show when that piano beat starts playing, the audience is just sucked right in! The trio of songs inspired by the marijuana-muddled dreams of Judy are a real crack-up.



There wasn't a whole lot I didn't enjoy about this show. Well, nothing really. I think the best description I can give it is this: It was a hoot! If you can't check it out at the Ahmanson in Los Angeles before October 19, go see it when it opens on Broadway next Spring!

Posts, or lack of...

To my loyal readers (you both know who you are...) I'm terribly sorry for my lack of posts lately. I have been out of town, but have lots to chat about now. So keep your eyes open for some new posts about the following:

1) 9 to 5 the Musical - I am seeing this tonight with fellow blogger Vance!

2) So You Think You Can Dance Tour

3) TV update - I haven't posted a thing about the return of several shows, including The Office, Grey's Anatomy, and Chuck. By the time I write it, I can probably include Pushing Daisies and Friday Night Lights in my post!

4) Massive movie update - I have watched a TON of movies on DVD lately and they deserve at least a quick blurb.

Movie: Burn After Reading

Last week, we caught a showing of Burn After Reading. I don't think I am wrong in saying that this movie was quite hyped, and therefore my expectations were high. I guess I was a bit disappointed. Consistent with other Coen brothers movies, the plot was odd, seemingly random, quirky, (what is another word for what I am thinking?) etc. There are lots of laugh out load moments, especially including Brad Pitt. I found it funny to imagine his personality to be like this in real life, for some reason. I just found all the characters to be pretty much completely unlikable so I didn't have anyone to root for. If you don't go to the movies much, I would save this one for rental. If you do go often, you have probably already seen it...

Book: The Memory Keeper's Daughter

I finished up Kim Edwards' The Memory Keeper's Daughter this morning. It was a tough read. It wasn't slow or boring or anything like that. Just really hard subject matter, and it didn't really get easier as I progressed through the book. This book had been recommended to me from a couple of different people, so I wanted to give it a try. Emily told me she had thought of reading it, but the subject matter was a bit heavy for someone with a 6 month old. Let me go ahead and let you know. This book is DE. PRESS. ING. Especially if you have a child, have lost a child, have a child with Down syndrome. Here is why:

David Henry is a doctor who is forced to deliver his wife Norah's child in a snowstorm, with only his nurse Caroline to help out. Norah delivers a healthy baby boy, but then there is a surprise second baby, which Norah delivers while drugged up and passed out. This second child is a girl with Down syndrome. Dr. Henry gives the child to Caroline to take to a "home" for children like this, believing he is preventing Norah from dealing with great pain. He tells Norah that the second child had died. Caroline decides against leaving her at this "home" and takes her as her own instead. And that is only the very beginning. Dr. Henry's actions in regards to his daughter lead the characters down a painful and difficult path.

Norah deals with the loss of her child. Kim Edwards does an excellent job of portraying the massive pain and heartache that Norah feels due to this loss. As a result, it is taken out on her family, her marriage, and her own heart.

David deals with having lied to his wife about something so huge. There was never a chance to go back because he so fully committed to his lie. And as a result, his guilt led to a complete breakdown of all of his relationships.

Caroline deals with raising a child with disabilities in a time period where such child is considered useless. The things that people say to Caroline about her child (Phoebe) are so atrocious that I wonder how people would ever consider a child with disabilities to be lesser than someone else. It was heartbreaking, but Caroline fights back to get things for Phoebe that other children get automatically, such as education.

Paul, Norah & David's healthy-born son, deals with the knowledge that he is incomplete without his twin sister. He also has to find himself while watching his family fall apart.

The characters were really well-developed and Edwards certainly knew how to write the subject matter. But it was just a really hard and sad read. If you are up for that, this is a great book. But consider yourself forewarned!

Theater: Assassins

I have never seen Sondheim on stage before. I have watched the film version of Sweeney Todd and I have the cast recording of Company. I hopped over to the El Centro Theatre in Hollywood today to see the West Coast Ensemble's production of Assassins, which has been playing there since July, and will end later this month. The theater is quite small (about 100 seats), and my neighbors were glad to chat me up about the show beforehand.

I can easily say whether I enjoyed the show (immensely), how the acting was (great), what could have been improved (only a few things), but I have been trying to wrap my head around the content. I tried to identify the feeling I got from seeing it. Depressed? Not quite right. Amused? It was funny, but that isn't it either. Disturbed? Very much.

If you aren't familiar with Assassins, it is a story revolving around all the persons that assassinated or attempted to assassinate American presidents throughout the years. They all dress and act in accordance to their time periods, but interact with each other. So needless to say, watching these characters come to the conclusion they must kill a president is kind of messed up. The characters are portrayed as damaged by the world and their lives, and then along comes John Wilkes Booth (the original presidential assassin) to let each of them know that their problems might be solved if they would just kill a president (and, therefore, it wasn't their own idea, but doggone if it didn't sound like a fine idea). So needless to say, while the content of the show is tough, it is so well-written and portrayed, that you feel like laughing and being sad and angry all at once.

The cast standouts to me were Samuel Byck (played by John O'Brien), the Balladeer (cast as female Dana Reynolds), and John Wilkes Booth played by Christopher Davis Carlisle. Also, Shannon Stoeke stood out as the very angry Lee Harvey Oswald (and the Proprietor). The only things that I would improve if I could are 1) the size of the venue (it really limits the show as I imagine it could be in a larger place) and 2) the accompaniment (would love to hear it with a full orchestra).

If you haven't seen Assassins, check out this (or any) production and let me know what you think of the story!

Lovin' On My Fellow Bloggers

This week I was honored by Stella at Well Above Average with some blog love. Imagine my surprise (and excitement that people ever read my blog...)! So here is how this thing works. I nominate 7 of my favorite blogs, and those bloggers get to

-Display this pic on their blog!

-Link to the person that nominated their blog.

-Nominate 7 of their own fave blogs to do the same.

-Notify your nominees of the honor!

And here are my nominees:

Eclaire Fare - enjoying pop culture, one bite at a time. And Emily is one of my best friends.
Nehers in Nebraska - finding the meaning in the in between. And Julie is my sister. Also see her cute baby accessories here... (shameless family plug)
Tapeworthy - feel free to judge him on what he likes to watch, because he is judging you. And Vance shows me that one can be friends with people you meet on the internet without seeming creepy.
All and Sundry - she's artsy, she's unique, and she is a good soccer player.
Tumbleweed - really random thoughts. And Matt is my brother-in-law.
Movie Junkie - the name says it all. We trade thoughts on movies (among other things). And he has a handy rating system. And from what I can tell, he watches all types of movies (and some TV).
Give Me My Remote - Even though Kath over at GMMR is a big time TV blogger now, hers was the first blog I read on a regular basis and deserves to be nominated here!

It should be noted that there is a bit of blog incest that goes on, and as a result, I would have chosen a couple of Stella's nominees. I will give them honorable mention here: Holliewood and Gratuitous Violins. In addition, I would have chosen Well Above Average!

Trailer: The Soloist

I rarely commit to seeing every movie a certain director makes. But so far, Joe Wright hasn't failed me. Pride & Prejudice and Atonement both had their faults, but I thoroughly enjoyed both, and give most of the credit to Joe Wright. Of course, a good deal of the credit goes to story (thanks Jane Austen and Ian McEwan) and actors (Kiera Knightley, Mathew McFadyen, James McAvoy).

If those are the requirements of good movie, The Soloist shouldn't have any problems. One, Joe Wright is directing. Two, you couldn't ask for a better, more committed (more popular) actor right now than Robert Downey, Jr. In addition, this looks to be the movie where Jamie Foxx proves Ray wasn't the only performance of a lifetime. Based on the trailer, the story looks touching. I look forward to its release.

See the trailer here:

TV: True Blood

I just finished up the first episode of HBO's new series True Blood. If you read my blog much, you might already know about my interest in vampire lore and how different creative minds choose to portray the different aspects of legend. Anyone who has watched Six Feet Under knows that Alan Ball seems to have some sort of morbid fascination with death, but how about with the undead. His new series is quite interesting, in my opinion.

True Blood takes place in a small southern town, at a time when vampires are known and living among humans (but still not quite accepted by all). But Sookie Stackhouse (Anna Paquin) and the other locals have never seen one in person before, until Bill (Stephen Moyer) arrives at the local diner. Did I mention Sookie has the gift of hearing people's thoughts (a la Edward Cullen) but can't read Bill (a la Bella Swan...).

There is a lot to like about the show, or what I have seen so far. Paquin is a good actress, and pretty likable as the sweet and somewhat naive Sookie. She has great chemistry with Bill. Ball sticks with the general vampire legend, including only coming out at night, fangs, etc.

There were some things that were not so great. What in the world were some of those accents? While I liked the idea of Tara (played by Rutina Wesley), her accent was very forced. Having lived in several different places in the South (while getting by with very little accent), I just was appalled at some of the poorly done southern accents.

As is usual, the vampire stories are over-sexed. I wonder what the vampire obsession with sex is. Because they are immortal, are they just bored with normal stuff? Is it the power? I don't know. But having watched Six Feet Under, I knew there would be some pretty raunchy sex scenes in this, and they delivered on that expectation very early on. I can't help but feel like I am seeing WAY too much of that. Yes, there are people who don't need to see all that.

I do plan to watch another episode and see where the story goes. I was rather drawn in by the plot and the characters. Let's hope it doesn't disappoint.

Book: Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist

For the first time in as long as I can remember, I started and completed a book in one day. In one sitting actually. It seems I am into the Young Adult genre, as that is where I picked up Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist by Rachel Cohn & David Levithan. I had seen the trailer for the film adaptation and, once I realized it was based on a book, I wanted to give it a (quick) read.

The general story is that two strangers (Nick & Norah) in a NYC punk rock club pretend to be dating so they can each avoid unknowingly the same girl (said girl previously dumped Nick and broke his heart, and is a frenemy of Norah from school). In classic Before Sunrise spirit, a journey together around the city ensues, with many bumps in the road.

Having just come off of reading the entire Twilight series, my guess is that, vampires aside, this is just so much more realistic. The feelings teenagers feel, the hormones, the constant use of F-words. I really enjoyed this read and I got a nice feeling from reading it.

The book surprised me slightly as I had already seen the trailer for the movie before picking up the book. Kat Dennings seems a good casting choice for Norah (I liked her in Charlie Bartlett), but Michael Cera didn't really seem rough enough around the edges to play Nick. He is a bassist in a self-described "queercore" band. Also, I adore Michael Cera, but it is so hard imagining him in a role that requires him to be sexy at all. Even the sex scene in Superbad was him acting awkward and rather George Michael Bluth, if you ask me. However, I am hoping this movie shows us he is not too one-note.

Also, the movie has elaborated quite a bit on the story, and has taken the characters a little more mainstream (and not quite so punk). I don't think I mind and look forward to seeing how the movie actually compares (as opposed to judging based solely on the trailer, which is below).

TV: 90210

Just a few quick comments on the pilot of the new 90210. Yes, I watched it. I had to see what all the hype was about. And really, I just wanted to see some of the old faves from yesteryear (Brenda & Kelley), along with Rob Estes, whom I secretly love.

The story was cheesy as expected, and full of major drama. I think every possible plot line was addressed in the first hour (drugs, sex, back-stabbing, cheating, fighting, illegitemate children). The acting was so-so...

What school would be allowed to put on Spring Awakening? I don't think so. My high school did Grease and there was a HUGE outcry from the community. Granted, that was Texas, not Beverly Hills, but still... I have been singing Mama Who Bore Me since, though.

While I don't intend to continue watching, I have to say it wasn't quite as bad as I had expected. I think watching The Secret Life of the American Teenager recently really lowered the bar on this type of show. And now I can say with 100% certainty, it was a LOT better than that.

Movie: Hallam Foe

First off, this movie is being marketed as Mister Foe for U.S. audiences. I guess they were worried no one would know what a "hallam" is and wouldn't come to the movie. Either way, I have never completely understood marketing it as one title one place and another title elsewhere, while in the same language (this reminds me of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, which could have just been explained in the book). But I digress...

Hallam Foe is a British drama about a teenager named Hallam Foe, played by Jamie Bell, who acts out his response to his mother's death by venturing into a life of voyeurism. We meet Hallam a couple of years after his mother's suicide by drowning, when his father is remarried to a woman he hates. All this contributes to his peeping tom habits, tendency to wear makeup as war paint, and dressing in his mother's clothes (which reminds me of The Mudge Boy, where Emile Hirsch also dresses as a woman and does some creepy spying of his own in dealing with his mother's death). Hallam leaves home and heads to the streets of London, where he discovers an older woman (Sophia Myles) that looks strikingly like his mother. He follows her and sets up camp in locations where he can spy on her daily activities. In the meantime, he becomes convinced that his step-mother is guilty of murdering his mother.

Jamie Bell does an excellent job of portraying the lost soul of Hallam, the need for a maternal figure, the paranoia of how his mother died, his loneliness. Bell is a very talented actor, whom I have adored since Billy Elliot. I am glad to see him taking on a leading role again, as I have only seen him in King Kong and Flags of our Fathers since then.

This was a different type of role for Sophia Myles as well, since I have only seen her in Moonlight and Tristan & Isolde. Her character Kate was certainly edgier than either of those characters. And a little bit more messy. It was a nice change.

The supporting cast was rounded out by Ciaran Hinds as Hallam's father and Claire Forlani as his step-mother.

This was not your average coming-of-age tale, and I definitely recommend it, if you enjoy stories that are a bit on the odd side (which I do).

Dexter - Season 2

WARNING: THIS POST IS VERY SPOILERY. DON'T LOOK. EMILY, I AM TALKING TO YOU.

I caught the first season of Dexter last summer when it was released on DVD. It was so well-written, well-acted, and well-produced, and I just can't say enough good about it. After I watched Season 1, I read the three Dexter books by Jeff Lindsay, on which the series is loosely based. Also, Michael C. Hall is wonderful in this role. I first liked him as David Fischer in Six Feet Under, but I must say that Dexter is such a unique role and Hall absolutely nails it. Alright, enough going on and on... Here are my thoughts on Season 2 of Dexter:

1) I so enjoyed the Ice Truck Killer arc last season that I was worried the writers would not be able to come up with a story-line for this season that would be as engaging or that would make sense to last an entire season. So the discovery of dozens of bodies, murders amassed by the Bay Harbor Butcher (aka Dexter), certainly got the season off to a running start.

2) The entire story-line of untrusting and anti-feminist Lt. Pascal was just annoying. I thought, "Come on, is this all the writers could come up with?" The payoff that LaGuerta was sleeping with Pascal's fiance to drive her into losing her job was only moderately satisfying. LaGuerta's character was established as a "whatever it takes" pragmatist, but it was a less-enjoyable plot to get there.

3) Rita finally gave her prying, controlling mom the boot, and I couldn't have been happier. Instead of "helping" as she said she was doing, she only stirred up trouble and exacerbated the problems between Rita and Dexter. Sometimes for Rita's sake, I wish she could not be quite so clueless, but then I would be disappointed that she and Dexter weren't together.

4) We ARE supposed to root for Dexter, right? From the very beginning of Season 1, the viewer finds himself cheering on Dexter to kill those big bad guys and to get away with it. But as this season progressed, I found myself frustrated with the way Dexter was handling his "recovery" and the road it was leading him down. He was sloppy, he was mean, he was too impulsive. And I was more afraid of him that way (breaking into someone's house to have sex on the stranger's bed? Please!) than when he was killing people left and right! Also, I was only half-cheering for Dexter to get the better of Doakes, because I didn't like how Dexter was being toward him. His cunning was impressive, but at the same time, he didn't seem to be as sensible in his quick decisions.

5) Don't get me started on Lila. I knew from the preview of the season last year that Dex and Lyla would get involved, but I blocked it out for several episodes as he seemed to really be breaking through some of his old bondage and "healing." But let's not forget that Lila is also an addict and she admitted to burning down a house (with a person inside). She was not exactly sane, and probably not the best resource for our Dexter. Turns out, nothing could be truer as she turned out to be completely freaking insane. But she also saved our dear Dexter and allowed for old Doakes to take the blame, so i guess it is a good thing she was nuts.

6) There wasn't much as satisfying this season as Deb telling off Lila and telling off Dexter for sleeping with Lila and screwing things up with Rita. She smelled a rat from a mile away and wasn't ashamed to say so. I wasn't crazy about the Lundy relationship, mainly because it was so obvious she just needed someone acting as "dad" and then to get involved was odd. But not as bad as I thought it would be, and it helped Debra to grow up a good deal.

7) Dexter was THIS close to confessing. In what world did he think he would not get the death penalty. He actually said something about 20 to life. What? More like 40 life sentences if they didn't put him down completely! But it sure was amusing in those scenes where he imagined telling his sister the truth. I laughed till I cried (after I got over the initial shock, where I thought he had really told her).

8) I have never liked Doakes. I always thought he was a jerk, and Dexter saw the dark in him, too. However, once Dexter and Doakes; had their initial showdown on the dock, and Dexy locked him up, they had some pretty sincere conversations. I thought, perhaps, they were bonding over their dark secrets. It was sad Doakes had to die. I had decided Dexter couldn't kill him. It just seemed wrong (especially since "code" says not to kill an innocent man).

9) What was with Dexter's hair this season. Multiple times I thought it looked like a wig. And so many times it was completely messed up or huge like a helmet. Michael C. Hall is a good looking man. Let's fix that hair up a little better in the future...

I can NOT wait till Season 3. I don't know how I plan to watch it without Showtime (or if I am just going to have to wait for it on DVD... NO!), but the writers haven't let me down yet!

Summery Summary

With summer coming to an end (I gauge it based on the TV season, since I haven't got a job or school...), I was thinking back over my summer, and thought I would write up a post of my summer memories, 2008.

California - First and foremost, I moved to Los Angeles from the Dallas area in May. I grew up in Texas, lived in Kentucky for 4 years, Savannah, Georgia for 3 years, Texas again for 3 years, and then we made the move to the west coast. It is a different world out here, but we are settling in. The weather is wonderful, there are tons of things to do, and I am sure there are some really fun and cool people out here (I have yet to meet them, though...). It will be interesting to see where life takes us next.

Lost - Sean and I decided to watch the entire 4 seasons of Lost from beginning to the end of season 4. This was in preparation for the coming 5th season. In January. I swear, our original intention was to watch it over the 8 months before it started up. Instead, we couldn't help ourselves and watched the entire thing in a matter of months. See my opinions of Season 1, Season 2, Season 3, and Season 4.

Flavors of Entanglement by Alanis Morrissette - It is fitting that as I write this post, a song from this CD came up on my itunes rotation. I can specifically think of different times in my life when I think of Alanis albums (Jagged Little Pill = high school, Supposed Former Infatuation Junkie = college, Under Rug Swept & So-Called Chaos = newlywed living in Georgia) so it is fitting that I add this album to my summer list. I have listened the heck out of this album. See my thoughts here.

Twilight series - I picked up Twilight at the library a bit ago, and a few weeks later, I had torn through the whole series. I can see why it has such a following, while I don't think it is the best writing I have seen, even in the "young adult" genre. But Stephenie Meyer sure knew how to suck a reader in. Here are my thoughts on Twilight and Breaking Dawn.

So You Think You Can Dance - I am huge fan of SYTYCD, and have watched loyally since the first season. This season I blogged intermittently about it (as well as I could without a DVR). I also guest-posted on Vance's blog. I was cheering for Joshua since his audition because he was from the DFW area where I am from. Plus, I liked his skill and his personality. I was proud of him and glad he won!

Musicals - Over the course of the summer, I went to Broadway, saw Wicked again, and got to see the Jersey Boys tour. Unfortunately, due to my move I had to miss Hairspray, for which I had tickets. But my friends Dawn and Cody went in my spot, so it was all good. Stay tuned for my thoughts on 9 to 5 next month.

Dr. Horrible - This was the summer of Dr. Horrible, Joss Whedon, Neil Patrick Harris -- take your pick! I am a huge fan of all three, and I have given Dr. Horrible's Sing-along Blog a number of viewings. I have even learned the songs well enough to sing them on my own (which I enjoy doing often). It is goofy and backward. One should give it a try (it is not required for you to love it like I do)

The Dark Knight - I had been waiting for The Dark Knight to come out since the moment it was announced that there would be a sequel to Batman Begins. I am a HUGE Christian Bale fan, and have also enjoyed Christopher Nolan's movies in the past. I remember finding out that Heath Ledger would be our new Joker. I recall thinking it was strange casting. Well, it turns out the whole thing WAS strange, and the perfect call. I would be a horrible casting agent, I think. The film ended up being THE blockbuster of the summer, breaking all sorts of records. See my thoughts on the movie here.

Chipotle - Yeah, it turns out that Tex-Mex and Cal-Mex are very different. I can't find enough grease and cheese in any of the places here. So I bury my loneliness for good Tex-Mex at Chipotle. Don't get me wrong, it is no Moe's. But it is always satisfying. In the meantime, can someone point me to some good Tex-Mex!! I need to go back to Texas for a visit to Cristina's or Mi Cocina.

The Pool - The one constant here is that I spend a lot of time by the pool. More recently, I have gotten in. Perhaps the Olympics have spurred me on, but I have been doing laps and it feels mighty nice. I live in the perfect weather where it never rains, is rarely overcast, constantly 75 degrees, and the pool temp is regulated. Perfection!

Other TV Shows - I have also filled my time by catching up on some TV favorites and new shows. Here is what I have managed to watch: Veronica Mars (seasons 1-3), Moonlight (season 1 - gave it a try, but it just didn't do it for me), Skins (seasons 1-2), Dexter (season 2 - in progress).

Book: Breaking Dawn (Twilight Saga #4)

I have been putting this post off for a bit. Be forewarned that I am not holding back on SPOILERS and my personal OPINIONS on Book 4 of the Twilight Quadruplogy (I don't know that that is a real word, but I heard it from Ben Stiller...).

Poor Stephenie Meyer. There has been a heck of a lot of backlash after the release of Twilight book 4, Breaking Dawn. But I guess you don't feel that sorry for her when you realize that Breaking Dawn sold 1.3 million copies in its first day of release.

My problems with this book (and compared to the prior 3):

1) That anticipation of whether Bella would ever actually become a vampire is what carries the reader through the first 3 books. While I was curious about what she would be like, I think it would have made a lot of sense for her to be "changed" at the very end of this one, without a lot of detail.

2) Bella as a vampire was a little too tidy. She didn't have the usual blood-lust that a newborn vampire has. Her relationship with Edward was improved, even though she had been worried it would be affected negatively the entire time she considered it. She had a very convenient vampire power.

3) There was no real climax to the story. It builds and builds, and then there is a big collective "nevermind" and then "the end." Not that I wanted any of our beloved Cullens to die, but it would have made for a better ending. Since everyone likes to compare this series (inappropriately, in my opinion) to Harry Potter, I will mention one thing here. Remember the losses we have suffered in the final books, that were so very painful, but made the story more real? We needed those here.

4) I knew Jacob was going to imprint on that baby the moment she was pregnant. It was kind of obvious. In fact, from the very moment you discover that the wolves imprint, you wait for it to happen. And since it isn't Bella, it has to be someone important.

Basically, Stephenie Meyer couldn't bear to make it anything other than a truly happy ending. What part of it didn't end up tied up with a big bow on top?

There have been some complaints that I didn't really agree with:

1) Bella is a poor role model. I don't remember reading books for a role model. From what I can tell, teenage girls couldn't care any less about Bella. They are too busy lusting after Edward (and Jacob). She is rather annoying, and often self-centered. A little unrelatable, but I didn't really concern myself with whether she was a proper role model. (Also, I should note that everyone I know personally who reads this series is at least mid-20s).

2) Not enough sex. Really? This is a young adult series, not a Harlequin romance novel.

3) Too much sex. Nah. It was kind of too important in their relationship to include much less than they included. I thought it was fine.

I still wasn't bored reading the book and found it entertaining. Twilight is by far my favorite book in the series.

I look forward to seeing how Twilight is portrayed in the movie adaptation being released in November. I am satisfied with the casting and the director. I don't know that any of the following novels would need to be adapted to the big screen.

Lost: Season Four, Round Two

A couple of questions/thoughts raised by my second viewing of Lost, Season 4:

1) Did the writers originally intend that the captain of the freighter would be something horrible and scary? When he is first brought up, Desmond & Sayid are told something along the lines of "Oh, you don't want to mess with the Captain," but when we meet him, he is a sweet little puppy dog of a guy. Maybe the writers decided to transfer the scary part of his character to Keamy, who mercilessly kills a number of island-dwellers, including Alex, in one of the few moments where the viewer can actually feel bad for Ben.

2) I was thinking that a jump 3 years ahead before the Oceanic 6 feel the need to return to the island feels extremely long. Do you think that it would have taken that long before each of them felt compelled to go back and save their friends? My only thought is that Walt has to go back with them, and because the actor is 3 years older now, the time lapse had to take place.

3) Who all has to return to the island? Just the ones who were on the plane? I know that the O6 has to return, I would guess that Walt has to go, but what about Desmond and Frank Lapidis? Do they have to go back?

4) We know better than to think (my favorite Lost character) Desmond is finished. My guess is that Ben is able to find Penelope and steals her away. Desmond is therefore forced to follow, which in turn leads him back to the island (or something like that).

5) Often the island-whispering/dead-people bring coinciding points of view. Some are told they must return (Jack, Hurley). Some are told they can't return (Kate is told by Claire not to bring Aaron back). Sometimes these ghostly visions bring danger, sometimes safety. It kind of drives me nuts.

6) Sayid is angry at Michael for working for Ben in an episode that comes only a few after Sayid is working for Ben. Is it just Nadia's death that leads him to the quick change? Does something else happen? Which leads me to wonder if much else happens at all besides the Jeremy Bentham visits during this time that will prove important.

7) We spent all of our episodes this year focusing on the Oceanic 6's futures and the pasts of a few of those that didn't leave the island. What the heck has been going on on the island for the last 3 years? Are some of good friends (Sawyer, anyone?) just living on the island? Are they dead? Are they in hiding? Just dying to know.

8) Two of my top LOST episodes of all time (so far) occur in Season 4: The Constant (Desmond's time-traveling and Penny-calling episode) and The Shape of Things to Come (Ben's desert-appearing, Sayid-taming episode).

Movie: 21

A friend recently told me that 21 was so slow and boring, he almost turned it off half-way through. So, while I had it from my online rental store, I waited almost 2 weeks to sit down and watch it. It turns out that he was wrong. No, not the most fast-paced movie I have ever seen, but certainly nothing like he explained it.

The first thing about this movie that caught my eye was that the lead character was played by Jim Sturgess, who I loved in Across the Universe. How would he pull off the non-singing, American-accented Ben? In addition, the movie was based on a book, which was based on real events (some of which have now been shown to have been fabricated).

21 is the story of a group of MIT students who find a successful method of card-counting and take their theories to Las Vegas, where they rake in loads of money. Needless to say, the repeated huge winnings catch the casino owners' notice, which leads to some pretty large bumps in the road.

All-in-all it was an entertaining films. It was a little slow-paced, but not any slower than most based-on-true-events movies. Jim Sturgess was likable as the main character, even if his American accent didn't stick too well. Also amusing was Aaron Yoo, playing a character that is the polar opposite of his character in Rocket Science. Also stars Kevin Spacey and Kate Bosworth.