POP GOES THE WORLD

Conan O'Brien's Legally Prohibited tour brings plenty of laughs

2010-04-14T02:19:00.008-04:00

I love Conan O'Brien. While I didn't religiously watched Late Night but when I did watch I thoroughly enjoyed Conan's humour. When he became the Tonight Show host last summer, I welcomed his earlier time slot and watched his first week and had plenty of laughs.

Unfortunately, I also didn't religiously watched him on the Tonight Show as I just can't stay up past 11pm anymore.

But when this whole debacle with Jay Leno came up, I was just hoping that Jay Leno would go away and Conan would stay. I was and still am on Team Coco and felt that Mr. O'Brien got the major shaft and Mr. Leno a douche.

Well NBC's lost is Vancouver's and TBS' gain and the rest of the 30 cities that he is going to on his Legally Prohibited to be Funny on Television tour that featured some familiar faces and some brand new material

Now this review will reveal a lot of what happened in his first of two Vancouver show that was held at the very hot and stuffy Orpheum so if you don't want to be spoiled on the jokes then stop reading ....NOW.

First off, we were treated to his warm up act, a gent that goes by the name Reggie Watt. And treated is too kind a word for this "comic." I am afraid to say that he sucked and I didn't find anything funny about his act and drifted off to La La La land until Conan came on stage.

When the lights dimmed again we were treated to Andy Richter reading off some audience notice before the show starts such as turn off all cell phones, heart monitors, Japanese robots, anything that might disturb us from enjoying the sweet honey dripping out of Mr. O'Brien's mouth and also due to unforeseen circumstances the part of Mr. O'Brien would be played by his understudy Sir Ian McKellan.

We were then shown what was happening to Conan one month ago and pretty much showing what has happened to him since he "left" the Tonight Show. We are shown Conan overweight with a Jesus length beard. It was pretty funny stuff and during the course of the video he gets offered the tour and starts to get in shape for it.

The Legally Prohibited Band, featuring LaBamba (but no Max Weinberg), entertained the crowd for a bit before Conan finally appears on stage with a beard and starts doing a monologue that includes a thinly veiled jokes on his situation with NBC, the Tonight Show and Jay Leno (whom he kept denying he was making fun but was making fun of his neighbour Joe).

I am trying to remember everything that happened so let's see. He went through things that he is legally not able to do especially having people that look like him appear on television, radio, Internet and movies so too bad we won't be seeing the girl from Wendy's and Tilda Swinton.

One of the jokes that I thought was pretty fun was Conan walking through Pidgeon Park and seeing a strung out trio of Olympic Mascot in particular Sumi who is having a rough time since the Olympics and Paralympics finished up.

Conan also went through the 8 stages of grief that every talk show goes through.

One lucky guy in the front row kept on wanting to take Conan's picture and Conan happily obliged and this guy was a butt of joke for the rest of the night as he continues to try and take pictures of not only Conan but also Andy.

Conan sang a song up his "rough" childhood as an upper middle class child in Brookline Mass. but the song was hard to hear the lyrics because something was off about the sound.

There was also another video of Conan as a network executive warning Conan that they are watching him and his show to make sure he isn't crossing the line while stroking a stuffed animal cat.

Conan also flashed some pictures of people that are allowed to be on television while he is not such as Kim Kardashian and Snookie.

Some old favourites appeared on stage like the Masturbating Bear but since he might be intellectual property of NBC, Conan renamed him the self-pleasuring panda who looked strangely cute.

Conan would throw to commercials on a couple of occasions with Andy reading ads from local Vancouver establishments like Japadog where Andy said a cart was located on Burrard and Smith not Smithe and another ad was for the Penthouse - a nudie house that's been around since the 1940s and same with the girls.

One of the funnier songs was one about a girl that Conan met in Spain that looked like Conrad Bain (the dad from Different Strokes). He also sang a song about wanting to get back on TV and mentioned his TBS deal in that.

Triumph the Insult Dog also made an appearance and everytime he goes to mention the city that the tour is in, a dubbed over voice would say Vancouver, British Columbia Canada, The Orpheum and I also heard CTV, Richard Brodeur and I think the Blenz on West Broadway.

Andy let us know the things he learned during his time off since the Tonight Show debacle and we got to talk to Conan and convinced him to lick LaBamba who apparently tasted like Funions.

Andy also turned a camera to the audience to find groupies and have to say some of the audience members were quite funny especially some weird guy that was standing behind one woman.

The former Tonight Show writer Deon Cole came out and did some stand-up.

However, the funniest bit that really got me going and I laughed so hard that I cried and my back was killing me was the whole Chuck Norris/Walker Texas Ranger bit -I've never seen this before when he did it on Late Night. But Conan would pull a lever and clips from Walker Texas Ranger would appear.

The gems include Walker getting hit out of nowhere by what seems to be a wing of a glider that Walker really should have seen if he had any peripheral vision -as Andy observed.

The second clip had some man opening a door into an apartment hallway and gets his leg stuck in a bear trap and Walker coming by just to say "Shut up" and punches him in the face.

I really started laughing at the scene where Walker is trying to propose to his girlfriend and when he does and goes to embrace her, he gets shot in the back.

However, the best came last where we treated to a very young Haley Joel Osment talking and out of the blue says "Walker tells me I have AIDS" and end scene. I was howling so much.

He sang one final farewell song and then for his encore he rocked the house down and even rocked in the audience.

I am so glad that I got tickets to this show. It was so funny, I never laughed so much in a span of 90 minutes.

I really hope that Conan's new TBS show gets picked up by a Canadian network or us Canadians get to see it somehow as Conan did say in his show tonight that Canadians were the first ones to get his humour when he first started his talk show.

Avatar a spectacle for the eyes but that's all

2010-03-27T19:02:00.003-04:00

Finally. three months after Avatar was released in theaters and became the top grossing film of all-time (not including inflation) I got down to see the film.

Even after all this time, the theater was still quite full but luckily got good seats.

What is Avatar about? Here is the plot summary from Wikipedia:
The film is set in the year 2154, when humans are mining a precious mineral called unobtanium on Pandora, a lush moon of a gas giant in the Alpha Centauri star system.^[5]^[6]^[7] The expansion of the mining colony threatens the continued existence of a local tribe of Na'vi—a sentient humanoid species indigenous to Pandora. The film's title refers to the genetically engineered Na'vi and human hybrid bodies used by a team of researchers to interact with the natives of Pandora.

So first off, you can't help but marvel what director James Cameron has done with Avatar. The visual effects are amazing -very colorful and visually stunning -that were enhanced by 3D technology but like Up last year, felt I could have seen this movie even in 2D. There were some moments that were really awesome in 3D like when Jake is first exploring the flora and fauna of Pandora but moments like those were few and far between.

The story or plot line itself is very basic, predictable and simple but was it wrong for me not to really care about the Na'vi people when they are about the annihilated by the Sky People. The dialogue is just as cheesy and stilted as Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith and sometimes even Cameron's Titanic (the former #1 movie of all time) had some bad dialogue.

And I felt that Jake (Sam Worthington) and Neytiri (Zoe Saldana) had no chemistry even if they are CGI characters and that "love scene" was very uncomfortable to even look at. But I did like Worthington, he was very easy on the eyes and you do get to see his character develop from a Marine following orders to someone that has bonded with the Na'vi and wants to what is right.

With all sci-fi movies, I can't help but compare some scenes to Star Wars like those Rhino-type animals coming to (spoiler alert) to the rescue in the final battle scene reminiscent of the Ewoks. Same with the village that Neytiri and her clan live at reminded me of the Ewok village. And one more thing, during the final battle, one of the ships goes down like the Super Star Destroyer did in Return of the Jedi.

But one thing that Avatar has over Star Wars is the special effects and that is what made an okay movie, spectacular.

Live Blogging the 82nd Annual Academy Awards

2010-03-07T19:42:00.037-05:00

Okay, I've said this many times before so I will say it again. The Oscars is my Super Bowl. I look forward to this every year. This year I'm at a good friend's place catching all the action. Of course, this year, we have my annual bet with my brother. At stake for me: All You Can Eat Sushi. For my brother: Pho.

I am looking forward to seeing what Alec Baldwin and Steve Martin does as co-hosts. I've read that the opening is supposed to be good. Let's hope it doesn't disappoint.

5pm The Red Carpet is on now. Sherri Shepherd is doing this?!?@ and Kathy Ireland WTF?@#%

5:02pm I can't believe I am just complementing these women's dresses but I love Penelope Cruz's red dress. Anna Kendrick has a nice dress. Vera Farmiga's dress looks like one of those twirly things you see on people's balconies.

No more blogging about the red carpet until the actual show starts.

4 minutes to the Oscars!!!!!

5:30pm It's Oscar time. It's starting. Introducing the Best Actor and Actress in a leading world.
Very intereting. Weird how the actors got arm candy to lead them off the stage.

5:32pm Neil Patrick Harris!!!! He's singing. Singing about duos in Hollywood. Vegas-Style Dancers on stage with NPH!!! Big old-style Hollywood musical production number. "Two hosts to split the fee."

5:34pm That was actually a pretty good opening number. Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin floating in.

5:35pm. Introducing themselves and their monologue is funny so far.

5:37pm Was a bit stilted for a bit but recovered with a nice joke.

5:40pm An Avatar joke.

5:42pm I felt that Matt Damon joke fell flat.

5:43pm Recovered again with a good Taylor Lautner and Zac Efron. Alec and Steve were both funny and stilted at times but overall they were good.

5:44pm First presenter up: Penelope Cruz. Best Actor in a Supporting Role. Me: Christoph Waltz. Justin: Christoph Waltz.

5:45pm These are long clips for the actors.

5:47pm The Winner is: Christoph Waltz. No surprise there at all. Me: 1 Justin: 1

5:50pm Ryan Reynolds is introducing The Blind Side. Go Canadian content.

5:55pm Steve Carrell and Cameron Diaz presenting Animated Featured Film. Me: Up. Justin: Up. I love the bit of interviewing the animated characters about their nomination. The Winner is Up. Me: 2. Justin: 2

6pm Amanda Seyfried and Miley Cyrus presenting Original Song. Me: The Weary Kind Justin: The Weary Kind. It's early this year because no one is singing it live.

Me: 3 Justin: 3

6:05pm Chris Pine introducing District 9.

6:11pm Robert Downey Jr. and Tina Fey doing the screenwriting category. Both are so funny. Original Screenplay. Me: Inglorious Basterds. Justin: The Hurt Locker. Winner: The Hurt Locker.

Me: 3 Justin: 4

6:17pm Molly Ringwald and Matthew Broderick doing a John Hughes tribute.

6:23pm Samuel L. Jackson is introducing Up. A great film.

6:27pm Carey Mulligan (love her) and Zoe Saldana to a Gigi song. Short Films. Live or animated? Ok it's animated. Me: A Matter of Loaf and Death Justin: Matter of Loaf and Death. It's Wallace and Gromit and I love Wallace and Gromit. Winner: Logorama. I had a feeling it was going to be an upset.

We are still status quo.

Doc short. Me: Music by Prudence. Justin: Music by Prudence. Winner: Music by Prudence. I thought that so weird of that woman to interrupt the dude. EW said it was like Kanye West in drag crashing the Oscars.

Me: 4 Justin: 5

Live Action short. Me and Justin: Abracadabra. The Winner: The New Tenants.

We are status quo.

6:37pm. Ben Stiller doing make-up for sure. This bit is going on for too long. Me and Justin: Star Trek. The Winner: Star Trek

Me: 5 Justin: 6

6:43pm Jeff Bridges is introducing A Serious Man

6:47pm Rachel McAdams (Can Con) and Jake Gyllenhaal. Adapted Screenplay. Me and Justin: Up in the Air. The Winner: Precious. This is an upset.

Status quo.

6:52pm. Queen Latifah presenting the Governor Awards, which is the lifetime achievement award etc...like Lauren Bacall

6:55pm Robin Williams is doing supporting actress since Heath Ledger can't do it. Me and Justin: Mo'nique. The winner: Mo'nique.

7:01pm Colin Firth introducing An Education. A great movie with a great cast like Carey Mulligan and Emma Thompson.

7:06pm Sigourney Weaver is doing art direction. Me and Justin: Avatar. Winner: Avatar.

7:08pm Costume design. Tom Ford and Sarah Jessica Parker. Why does Tom Ford looks like he wants to sleep. Me and Justin: The Young Victoria. The Winner: The Young Victoria. What I love about the film was the love story between Victoria and Albert.

What she said in her speech is so true though.

Me: 6. Justin: 7

7:12pm Charlize Theron is doing Precious.

7:16pm Harold Wheeler? The Dancing with the Stars dude.

7:17pm A Horror tribute -great my least favourite genre. The Paranormal Activity spoof was funny.

7:18pm Twilight's Kristen Stewart and Taylor Lautner doing the horror genre tribute. With the score New Moon playing underneath them. I am not even watching this. I am looking away from the screen. I just ate people. Totally unnecessary.

7:22pm Zac Efron and Anna Kendrick doing Sound Editing and Mixing. First up: Editing. Me and Justin: Avatar. The winner: The Hurt Locker.

Status quo.

Mixing: Me and Justin: Avatar. I am sorry the crap that was Transformers was nominated. The Winner: The Hurt Locker. Hmm. I sense that maybe the Hurt Locker is going to win Best Picture.

Status quo

7:28pm Elizabeth Banks doing the Science awards. Boring. Your boobies Elizabeth Banks.

7:29pm John Travolta doing Inglorious Basterds.

7:34pm Sandra Bullock. Loved Steve Martin's intro for her. Me: The Hurt Locker. Justin: Avatar. I think I might win here. The Winner: Avatar.

Me: 6 Justin: 8

7:37pm Demi Moore is doing the dead person's montage. James Taylor singing along as we look at the pictures of those that died last year. I didn't like it when they did it last year.

7:45pm Jennifer Lopez (who didn't trip) and Sam Worthington. Me and Justin: Up. They are dancing to the Best Score. I loved when they did this back in 1993. Why is the guy doing the robot for Up. Now we are getting somwhere with the ballet stuff for Up. Interesting to see who wins. The Avatar score wasn't bad. The Winner: Up Michael is wearing the Ellie badge just like Peter Doctor did.

Me: 7 Justin: 9

7:54pm Gerard Butler and Bradley Cooper doing visual effects. Me and Justin: Avatar.

Me: 8 Justin: 10. 30 minutes before the show is supposed to end.

7:56pm Jason Bateman is doing Up in the Air.

8:01pm Matt Damon is presenting Documentary Feature. Me and Justin: The Cove. A film about dolphin killing has got to win. The Winner: The Cove. Fisher Stevens -the Short Circuit dude. Nice going Fisher, hog the dudes acceptance speech.

Me: 9 Justin: 11

8:05pm: Tyler Perry is doing film editing. Me: The Hurt Locker. Justin: Avatar. Loved Alec and Steve in the Snuggie. The winner: The Hurt Locker.

Me: 10 Justin: 11 At least I am in double digits.

8:08pm Keanu Reeves is doing the Hurt Locker.

8:14pm Pedro Almadovar and Quentin Taratino. Best Foreign Language Film. Me: The White Ribbon. Justin: El Secreto de Sus Ojos. The Winner: El Secreto de Sus Ojos

Me: 10 Justin: 12 I officially lost even if I get Best Actress right, I still lose. Enjoy your Pho Justin.

8:18pm Kathy Bates is introducing Avatar.

8:23pm It is Best Actor. Tim Robbins, Colin Farrell, Michelle Pfeiffer, Julianne Moore and Vera Farmiga are introducing the nominees. They are doing what they did last year for this category. Me and Justin: Jeff Bridges. It looks like Colin Firth is going to cry after all the complimentary things that Julianne Moore is saying about him. Each of these people co-starred with the nominees in either the film they are nominated in or a previous film.

8:31pm Kate Winslet is doing the winner. Love her, so glad that she won last year. The Winner: Jeff Bridges.

Me: 11 Justin: 13

8:39pm Best Actress. Me: Meryl Streep. Justin: Sandra Bullock. Michael Sheen, Forest Whitaker, Oprah Winfrey, Stanley Tucci and Peter Saarsgard are honouring each of the nominees. Gabby Sidibe is crying. What was the hand gesture that Tucci just did to Meryl?

8:47pm Sean Penn announcing the winner. Here we go. Let's who wins. The winner: Sandra Bullock. Enjoy this moment Sandra as it's going to be your last.

Me: 11 Justin: 14

8:52pm Best Director Me and Justin: Kathryn Bigelow. Barbra Streisand is presenting almost banking that Kathryn is going to win. I think it's about time that a woman wins this. The winner: Kathryn Bigelow. About time. Well deserved.

Me: 12 Justin: 15

The last category. Best Picture. Me and Justin: Avatar. Tom Hanks is introducing the last category of the night. The winner: The Hurt Locker. Well blow me away.

Status quo

Final tally Me: 12 Justin: 15

I thought it was a good show. Unpredictable at times. Thought Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin were funny and non-obtrusive.

Well that's another Oscars. See you next year.

The decade that was for me

2009-12-30T19:57:00.004-05:00

It's hard to believe that we are entering a new decade. I really find it hard to believe that 10 years have already passed.

For me these past 10 years have been challenging to say the least. First of all, I changed careers at the beginning of decade deciding to become a journalist.

In 2001, my dad got into a serious car accident that he truly never recovered from fully. 9/11 happened.

I graduated from J-school and walked away with many lifetime friends. I returned home to help my younger brother take care of our father. In 2002 started working at the Bay and ended up there for almost 5 years in customer service and only for the past 5 did I finally land a job in journalism.

As a tech journalist, it allowed me to travel the world (well just Shanghai) and some of the United States that I normally wouldn't have. It was a great experience that I truly will never forgot.

Another great event that happened this decade was first my older brother getting married to a great woman and then the birth of their daughter in 2007. She is definitely the apple of my eye.

Of course, this decade I moved to Toronto and lived their for four years. Despite a rough seven months, I slowly embraced and loved my time in the center of the universe. I enjoyed my jaunts to TIFF and my road trips to Niagara-on-the-Lake and Stratford to see great plays.

I also moved back to Vancouver a couple of years ago. A decision I don't regret despite leaving all the great friends that I made in TO but seeing my niece do adorable things everytime I see her made my decision much easier to take.

Does are my life's highlights but this is a blog for pop culture so here I am to name my tops in music, books, stage, TV and film.

For me music in the 2000s starts and stops with The Swell Season and the three albums that introduced me to their music: Once, The Swell Seaon and Strict Joy.

My favourite books of the decade are:

The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold
The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger
The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown
The Twilight Saga (Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse and Breaking Dawn) by Stephenie Meyer.
I have to say that this was my surprise of the decade as I didn't want to love this book series but I did fall for it hard last year.
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Order of the Phoenix, Half-Blood Prince and Deathly Hallows by JK Rowling (although I discovered the Harry Potter series at the beginning of this decade). I love this book series above all as it got me to read again. I didn't fall in love with Harry Potter, I wouldn't have read all the books that I have read over the last 10 years.

My favourite stage plays of the decade:

Bard on the Beach's 2002 Twelfth Night
Mirvish's Sound of Music
Mamma Mia
Jane Eyre the musical
The Music Man revival with Craig Bierko
Hairspray
Avenue Q

My favourite TV shows of the Decade:

Jon and Kate plus 8: I love this show before it imploded on itself this year. What I love about this show (and I think what most people love this show) is the kids. They are adorable and when I first discovered this show, my niece was just born and these kids with their Asian looks (especially Alexis) gave me a glimpse into what my niece would be like when she reached the ages the Gosselin kids were during the show.
Felicity. Sure the show started in 1998 but it ended in 2002 and if EW can select the Daily Show and The Sopranos (both shows started in the 1990s), why shouldn't I be allowed to pick Felicity. I related to this show as I was embarking on a new college career so it hit all the right notes at the right time. Plus I still would want Felicity to chose Ben over Noel. One of the things I remember was Season 3 premiered the night of 9/11 and it was a great respite from seeing all the horrors of the day.
Gilmore Girls: Lauren Graham and Alexis Bleidel's mother/daughter relationship was why this show worked plus the mile-a-minute dialogue and numerous hilarious pop culture references and quirky characters especially Mrs. Kim.
Battlestar Galactica: As a fan of the original cheesy 70s version, the re-imagining of BSG took it to a whole new level, in particular making it relevant to today's war environment. Plus it was neat that I knew Felix Gaeta (Alessandro Juliani) as my brothers were in the BC Boys Choir with him and those Centurions kicked some serious ass. The best moment of the show was when Galactica swooped in to rescue people off New Caprica.
How I Met Your Mother: This show is hilarious. I love the Slap Bet episode where we are first introduced to Robin Sparkles, which I think is the funniest episode of the entire show.
Veronica Mars: There was something very smart about this high school/mystery show. Kristen Bell was so great as Veronica with her witty remarks as she was doing her detective work made me love this show as well as the father/daughter relationship. Plus I love Tina Majorino as Mac.
Survivor: It is the grand-daddy of all reality shows and at first I didn't want to watch it but I slowly got sucked-in to the challenges and even the strategy that I still watch the show even after 19 seasons. I can't wait for Season 20: Heroes Vs. Villains
The Amazing Race: My favourite reality show of all time. What I love about this show was not just the challenges but the globe-trotting nature of the show. I got see places in the world I probaly would never think of seeing but because of this I want to go to there like Dubai, Estonia, Tunisia, Egypt, and I could go on and on
Everwood: This show, what I can I say...I still miss this show and really wish it was still on and simply it was because of the introduction of one character as to why I love this show. It is Sarah Drew's Hannah Rogers. When she came on, we all were led to believe that she was meant to be an obstacle between Ephram and Amy but no she was actually crushing on the typical dumb jock, Bright. Instead of making it unrequited, Everwood did something that I love and that was to bring them together as a couple. Plus I love Tom Amandes as Dr. Abbott and Canadian Merrilyn Gann who play Mayor Abbott not because she's Canadian but she was also in the same film as my Dad (Chung Chuck).
Jane Eyre (2007): The BBC did something extraordinary this decade and it gave me my one true love, the one version of Jane Eyre that is the one. The one version that gave me everything I wanted in a version which is a great soundtrack, excellent location and powerful, passionate chemistry between Jane (Ruth Wilson) and Rochester (Toby Stephens).

My favourite movies of the decade:

Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith: As a fan of the Star Wars saga, I was thankful that George Lucas' ended the prequel trilogy on a high note with awesome battle scenes and lightsabre duels. Too bad about the corny dialogue.
The Chronicles of Narnia: Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe: There was something magical about this adaptation of CS Lewis' fantasy series plus two words: Those Beavers.
Dear Frankie: This was a moving story of a single mother who hires a stranger to act as her deaf son's father to protect him from the truth. This movie also made me fall in love with Gerard Butler -it's too bad that he hasn't done anything as good since.
Enchanted: Amy Adams makes this movie work. If you didn't believe in her performance as this Disney Princess who finds her self in today's NYC then this movie fails but her chemistry with Patrick Dempsey and her singing the Oscar-nominated That's How You Know makes this movie a favorite.
Wallace and Gromit and the Case of the Were Rabbit: I love W&G, especially Gromit and this movie was just another wonderful wacky adventure of theirs.
The Incredibles: When this Pixar movie about a family of superheroes came out on DVD, I watched it like 4 times. It was a innovative take on the Super Hero genre and who can forget Edna Mode.
The Bourne Trilogy: Matt Damon, Matt Damon, Matt Damon kicking some serious ass with things like a magazine and a towel. What's not to like.
Ratatouille: There is something cute about a rat that loves to cook and the way Brad Bird paints Paris is just breathtaking.
The Harry Potter film series: I love them because they are based on a book series that I love. Here is the order that I love the film series so far: Half-Blood Prince, Goblet of Fire (it made the right cuts and got all the good bits in and plus Robert Pattinson is in it), Prisoner of Azkaban (except for that very last shot), Philosopher Stone, Chamber of Secrets and Order of the Phoenix (hated the cuts but the movie was awesome in IMAX).
Once: I love this movie and the music. There is something absolutely simple and raw and honest in John Carey's film about an Irish Busker and a Czech flower seller who makes beautiful music together very winning.

So those are my tops of the decade. What are your favourites of the 2000s?

My 2009

2009-12-30T19:44:00.003-05:00

2009 was definitely an up and down year for me.

In February, I got laid off a job that I loved because of the economy. So that was a low point. I was definitely in a funk for a while but a highlight came when I got a new job in April, a job that I enjoy very much.

Not necessarily a negative but a change was my father moved from a private facility to a public one so it is more of an adjustment in new surroundings.

Highlights of course is continuing to see my niece grow up. She is awesome, speaking so much and I think she is a genius.

I also really had a great time at my friend, Tiffany's, wedding. It was a beautiful ceremony and Tiffany married a really great guy.

During my time in Toronto, I also saw The Sound of Music there and it was a fab theatrical production.

Another big highlight was my time volunteering for Bard on the Beach. Not only was everyone so much fun to work with but also the four productions were excellent, in particular Comedy of Errors and All's Well that Ends Well.

Now is the time for me to list my favourites of 2009.

Favourite Concert: The Swell Season, hands down.
Favourite Album: Strict Joy by the Swell Season, Glee Vol 1 and Vol 2 and All I ever Wanted by Kelly Clarkson

Top movies of 2009:

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
Up
Up in the Air
An Education
The Young Victoria
(500) Days of Summer
Star Trek

My favourite new TV show of 2009: Glee

Things I am looking forward to in 2010:

The new Bard on the Beach season especially Much Ado About Nothing
Going to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter in Orlando, Florida
Seeing Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part I in November
Seeing Eclipse in July
The Winter Olympics in Vancouver
The ParaOlympics in Vancouver
Continue to see my niece grow up

What are you highlights of 2009 and what are you looking forward to in 2010

Up in the Air is very relatable

2009-12-30T19:20:00.004-05:00

Sure, Jason Reitman's brilliant Up in the Air comes at a time where we are still somewhat in an economic downturn and people are still being laid off but for me, when I watched this movie, I felt that this was also a movie about me.

Like George Clooney's Ryan Bingham, I used to travel a lot for my job but I didn't travel as much as Ryan does but I traveled enough to become an expert at airports just like Ryan (although since the Christmas Day plane incident, I don't think the way Ryan travels would work today). I have been in those executive lounges etc... The only thing I haven't done was sit in business class.

Ryan travels a lot for his job because his company's clients hire people like him to do the dirty of work of firing people.

One of the brilliant things that Reitman has done is in those scenes where Clooney is laying these people off, most are played by real people who recently lost their jobs. This is the second part of the movie where I think it is about me. I have been laid off twice and most recently as early as this year because of the economy. When I was first laid off, I definitely had a lot of anger but I didn't say it to the people that let me go's face and I think this was their opportunity to do so. I think Reitman just turned the camera on and just told these people to say what they wanted to say when they were first laid off. It felt real and you could see that it was probably cathartic for them to do.

During one of his travels, Ryan meets Alex (Vera Farmiga) in one of these executive lounges. They instantly connect via their shared frequent flyer lifestyle and start comparing their loyalty cards. Soon they embark on a casual relationship.

Back at work, Ryan is about to lose the road warrior life that he loves (but at the same time has made him a solitary figure and estranged from his family) because of an up and comer at his company called Natalie (Anna Kendrick) who wants to start firing people via video conference calls.

Before he does get grounded and to teach Natalie the ropes, he takes her along so she can see what he does in person.

One of the scenes that I particularly related to was when Natalie and Ryan meet up with Alex in Miami they crash the party for the tech conference held at the hotel. What I relate to as a tech journalist is I've been to many of these and I can attest that they can be that fun!

Clooney is perfect as Ryan. You can see that he loves this lifestyle but at the same time you feel that he does yearn for a more settled life especially when he goes to his sister's wedding (Melanie Lynskey). Farmiga is also winning as Ryan's love interest. She is playful and sexy when interacting with Clooney.

Kendrick is also great. Mostly known as Jessica Stanley from the Twilight series, Kendrick shows great range as an actress as you see the emotional toil it takes on someone who fires people for a living but at the same time she shows great comedic timing in her scenes with Clooney.

As I was watching this movie, I felt that I connected to the story on a personal level and the movie does capture the emotions of losing one's job right on the head. While a great movie, I do hope that most people don't know what it feels like to lose their job but the sad thing is, I don't think that will happen.

Downey Jr. and Law make Sherlock Holmes watchable

2009-12-22T12:40:00.002-05:00

Sherlock Holmes is unlike any Guy Ritchie film (well I really shouldn't say that as I haven't seen any other of his films) but I say this because, first of it is a period piece yet it is still filled with frenetic action sequences that I believe is a Ritchie film signature.

Anyways, thanks to a friend, I got to see an advance screening of Sherlock Holmes and after some pre-film hiccups, the film started with Holmes (Robert Downey Jr.) and Watson (Jude Law) saving a young woman from a Satanic ritual performed by the villanous Lord Blackwood (Mark Strong).

The team of Holmes and Watson successfully capture Blackwood who was also responsible for the murders of five other women and he is sentenced to hang, which he does but someone he rises from the dead to continue on his evil plans.

Throughout the film, we have Watson trying to leave Holmes so he can settle down with Mary Morstan (a sickly looking Kelly Reilly) but someone, like the Godfather, he thinks he's out but Holmes always lures him back in.

A distraction to Holmes as he tries to thwart Blackwood is Rachel McAdams' Irene Adler, an American who was hired by a mysterious man to manipulate Holmes to get something he is after that I won't spoil here.

I haven't read any of the Sherlock Holmes stories by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle but I think that the screenwriters have done a servicable job in presenting us with a good mystery but wish that it wasn't so stereotypical. Blackwood is such a stock villain, someone who wants to rule the world. Also, I think I never felt that any of the characters were in danger of the traps that Blackwood set-up for our intrepid duo.

Downey Jr did a servicable Holmes presenting us with his classic characteristics, his keen sense of observation, his use of logic, him playing the violin and his drug-use but I somehow felt that Downey Jr. was slightly miscast as this iconic character. Don't get me wrong, Downey Jr. did an okay British accent but someone I think an actual British actor should have played the part like maybe Kenneth Branagh or even Colin Firth.

As well, I felt that McAdams was very wooden as Adler. She didn't imbede the character with any spunk or was the femme fatale that the character is supposed to have.

Also, Ritchie paints his Victorian London with shades of grey and the entire movie looks bleak and depressing.

The one thing I did enjoy was Jude Law as Watson. He is the best looking Watson ever and he doesn't portray him as the bumbling baffoon that Nigel Bruce did in the 1930s Sherlock Holmes film were Holmes was played famously by Basil Rathbone nor was old as Edward Hardwicke's Watson in Jeremy Brett's (the most reverred Holmes) BBC Sherlock Holmes.

When Law and Downey Jr. are on screen together, their bromance showed real comraderie that I found enjoyable.

Laughs abound in It's Complicated

2009-12-10T01:00:00.002-05:00

Nancy Meyers's latest film It's Complicated is filled with a plethora of wonderful comedic performances from its top stars like Meryl Streep, Alec Baldwin and Steve Martin to supporting players like John Krasinski that it left some people in the audience with tears.

It's Complicated doesn't open until Christmas Day but I was lucky enough to see advance screening tonight thanks to answering a tweet from Duthie's Books.

The movie is about Jane (Meryl Streep), a mother of three grown children and owner of this fabulous bakery in Santa Barbara, California. She also has this complex relationship with her ex-husband Jake (Alec Baldwin) who is now married to the woman (Lake Bell) that he cheated Jane with.

Their relationship gets even more complicated when Jane, her two daughters (Caitlin Fitzgerald and Zoe Kazan) and her eldest daughter's fiancee (John Krasinski) all head to NYC for son Luke's (Hunter Parrish) graduation with Jake coming too but not with his wife.

After a few glasses of wine over dinner alone, Jane and Jake find themselves having an affair.

More complications come in the form of Adam (Steve Martin), Jane's sensitive architect that is helping her build her dream kitchen. Adam is smitten with Jane but is also getting over a divorce that left him heartbroken but he still pursues Jane.

The affair of Jane and Jake and all the complications that result from it forms the basis of all the laughs and strangely enough, it was enough to sustain an almost two hour film.

Streep and Baldwin have some great chemistry together both romantic and comedic and that makes the film enjoyable.

And Martin plays sort of against type as isn't that wild and crazy guy except in one scene that involves some reefer. It is sort of weird seeing him pull back in being sensitive and romantic but it works in this movie but not so much in Shopgirl (yes I know that he wrote the book and screenplay but he just didn't work in that film).

Krasinski also holds his own against Streep and Baldwin. His comedic skills were razor sharp.

Another thing that I liked about this film was the strong presence of cooking and baking. It was funny that when Jane talked about her time as a pastry chef in Paris, I couldn't help of think of Streep's role earlier this year as Julia Child and how food was a supporting player in that film too.

I really loved the scenes of her cooking and her bakery looks so cool that it could only exist in movies. That scene where Streep makes Chocolat Croissants with Marting was deliciously romantic.

It's Complicated is a comedy for adults thanks to sharp writing from Meyers.

A Collection of videos from The Swell Season's concert in Vancouver Nov 25, 2009

2009-11-27T18:41:00.003-05:00

Here is Marketa singing "If You Want Me"

Here is a link to the Georgia Straight's photos and video of the conert:

http://www.straight.com/article-272755/vancouver/photos-video-swell-season-centre-performing-arts-vancouver

The video they have is Glen and Mar singing Lies

Next is him sining Low Rising off their new album Strict Joy:

Check out my review of the concert: http://pop-goes-the-world.blogspot.com/2009/11/swell-season-best-concert-ive-ever-been.html for a video of them singing When Your Mind's Made Up.

Here was their set list for the concert:
Setlist
01. Fallen From The Sky
02. Lies
03. Low Rising
04. In These Arms
05. The Rain
06. The Moon
07. If You Want Me
08. Fantasy Man
09. Say It to Me Now
10. Leave
11. Backbroke
12. Astralweeks
13. Colm
14. I Have Loved You Wrong
15. Once
16. When Your Mind's Made Up

Encore 01
17. Falling Slowly
18. "New Song"
19. High Horses
20. Red Chord

Encore 02
20. "Irish Song"

The Swell Season -The Best Concert I've EVER been to

2009-11-26T12:30:00.004-05:00

First off, I need to quantify this statement in my headline. I've only been to five concerts so far in my life, The Swell Season being the fifth one.

My first ever concert was in 1987 and it was a Debbie Gibson concert. Before anyone snickers, remember, it was 1987 and she was very popular at the time and I was in the right age bracket (12 years old) to be a fan. So no mocking me.

My next concert was 10 years later in 1997 when Celine Dion came into town. Yes, I know a lot of people aren't fans of hers -they find her music cheesy but I actually still like her to this day. I think her music is great.

It only took 5 years till I went to my next concert and that was in Casino Regina and I saw Chantal Kreviazuk. It was an okay concert but I didn't enjoy it very well because I only knew very few of her songs and she wasn't that strong singing live.

Last year was concert #4 and it was Neil Diamond -a friend took me to cheer me up as I was having a rough time.

Now, I not a big fan of Neil Diamond and it was really nice of my friend to take me but again, like Chantal Kreviazuk it was hard to enjoy the show not knowing any of his songs except one and that was Sweet Caroline which he didn't get to until the encore.

And I really think that is the reason why I don't go to many concerts and that is the lack of knowing a musician/band's entire discography.

But that wasn't the case with the Swell Season. I became familiar with the duo of Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova because of the film Once. A beautiful film about an Irish busker who meets a Czech immigrant in Dublin and the make beautiful music together.

So when I saw that they were coming to Vancouver and playing at The Center, I immediately snapped up tickets.

The opening act was the singer from a band called Doveman -he wasn't that great. All his songs sounded the same -very depressing. The only highlight was when he turned upbeat songs from Footloose into mournful versions.

When The Swell Season finally hit the stage, last night Glen, coming out with a Rastafarian style toque, and Marketa sat down on the stage with the mic lowered onto his famous guitar with the hole and also pointed at a mini Casio keyboard to play Fallen from the Sky -one of my favorite songs from Once. It was great start to the concert -such an upbeat song to get the crowd started.

Glen then shedded the toque and Marketa took her place behind a grand piano to play Lies -also from Once.

Eventually, Glen and Mar were joined by their band, The Frames (Glen's other band) to perform a few songs from their new album Strict Joy and one from their first album called The Swell Season. Highlights were Low Rising and The Rain.

When Marketa took the stage to sing lead, she started off singing If you Want Me -one of my favourite songs of all time. It was a great arrangement having the full band behind her. She then sang a new song off Strict Joy called Fantasy Man, which was just great.

After, Glen took the stage alone, sat down and sang a raw version of Say it to me Now -the song that opens Once. He did it with no mic in front of him. It was very powerful.

He then sang Leave, another raw performance.

The violinist of the band also played a solo, showing off a traditional Irish tune that is off his album.

One of the higlights of course was during the first encore when Glen and Mar sang their Oscar-winning song Falling Slowly -it is just as lovely hearing it live as hearing it on my iPod.

The crowd wanted them to sing the Broken-Hearted Hoover Fixer Upper guy but they didn't. Instead we were treated to two more songs such as High Horses and a second encore of an Irish tune called Parting Glasses -a very fitting end.

The concert was just great. Glen and Mar were engaging with the audience, the music was awesome, the crowd appreciative of what we were seeing on stage. The crowd to was quite talented when Glen asked us to join in and sing harmony on a couple of songs.

If The Swell Season ever come again to Vancouver, I will be sure to get tickets.

Here is video someone took of the Swell Season singing When You Mind's Made Up

New Moon Rises to fan expectations

2009-11-21T04:38:00.005-05:00

If anyone that reads this blog knows (and I hope there are readers), they will know that I am both a Potterhead and a TwiHard. But I am more of a Potterhead than a TwiHard even though I sometimes flip allegiances pretty quickly depending on where the momentum is swinging at the moment.

So right now I am a strong TwiHard as The Twilight Saga: New Moon just opened and I saw it tonight.

How does it stack up against Twilight? I actually think New Moon is a better movie than Twilight.

There was something about New Moon that felt very cinematic with its wide scenery shots to the special effects down to Alexandre Desplat's very movie-like score.

I credit that to director Chris Weitz who knows a thing or two about directing a fantasy picture. (He directed The Golden Compass -while a great film to look at, I didn't get the film).

Not dissing Catherine Hardwicke or anything with what she did with Twilight but they are two different directors. Twilight felt more intimate while New Moon felt grand.

Twilight of course sets up the love story between vampire Edward Cullen (Robert Pattinson) and human teen Bella Swan (Kristen Stewart). New Moon we get to see their romance in full swing (at least in the first few minutes of the movie) but we also get their breakup after an unfortunate incident at Bella's 18th birthday party involving a paper cut.

So Edward and co. leave and Bella is heartbroken. I did love what screenwriter Melissa Rosenberg did with the passage of time between the break-up and when Bella starts to come out of her "coma."

I have to say that Rosenberg was pretty faithful to the book but she did move some scenes up and cut out some scenes but I was okay with it. When I watched the movie nothing screamed out at me saying "Why did you do it that way?" or "Why did you cut that out" unlike in Twilight where I didn't like some of the choices.

Anyways, Bella is slowly coaxed back to life by childhood friend turned best friend Jacob Black (Taylor Lautner) who wants to be more than friends with Bella. Of course Jacob turns out to be part of a vampire-killing werewolf pack, which makes for an interesting love triangle for the third and fourth movies.

Bella realizes that she can see Edward if she puts herself in danger and throughout the movie we see her doing just that.

I thought that Rosenberg also did a great job of keeping Edward still in the movie even though he is just a voice in Bella's head in the book. I liked the visions better. The special effects for the werewolves were good and the stuff in Volterra were great and Michael Sheen as Aro and Dakota Fanning as Jane were quite menancing as the Volturi.

I want to pause for a second for a moment of silence for Rachelle Lafevere's Victoria. May her portrayal of Victoria RIP. While Lafevere had no lines in the film, I did enjoy her rocking some major action stuff. Let's hope Bryce Dallas Howard makes for a good Victoria.

The acting was definitely better than the first one but Stewart still cannot yell or look like she is having a nightmare to save her life -it was still laughable to me. Also laughable is the amount of screaming that went on everytime Lautner shows his abs. Yes, I will admit his body definitely looks buff and great but for the love of God he is 17 and jail bait for some of the ladies in attendance that were screaming. I prefer seeing Pattinson shirtless as he was in the Volturi scenes.

Another groaner and a scene I thought was really cheesy was where Edward and Bella were running in the forest (it happens near the end of the film) -they looked like they were doing a Banana Republic ad or something until I realized the context so when I watch that scene again when I get the DVD then I can better appreciate it.

Another thing of note was that I felt the songs in New Moon wasn't as good as the songs in Twilight. I thought the songs used for the latter movie serviced the film well while I don't think it really added anything to New Moon other than just to have it.

However, one thing stayed the same between films and that is the undeniable hot chemistry that Pattinson and Stewart have. I love Edward and Bella as I think they are one of my favourite literary couples behind Mr. Rochester and Jane Eyre. So glad that they didn't lose their chemistry between films.

Overall, job well done everyone on New Moon. I really did enjoy it and I am looking forward to seeing what David Slade does with Eclipse. I am really looking forward to Eclipse as one of the things I didn't like about the novel New Moon was we didn't get to enjoy Edward and Bella as a couple. Eclipse we will definitely get more of that and I really do hope they film Breaking Dawn (the last in the Twilight series). It would be a shame to only film three but I guess we will have to wait and see how much money films 2 and 3 bring in.

By the way, was there a preview clip for Eclipse after New Moon's credits? I stayed till the end and they showed the title card for Eclipse and we thought they were going to show something but then the film got cut off before we could find out. Anyone care to shed some light on this?

VIFF 2009 - An Education review

2009-10-13T01:59:00.004-04:00

Of all the 377 films playing at the 28th Annual Vancouver International Film Festival, there was really only one film that I wanted to see. That film was An Education.

It had great buzz coming from Sundance and even greater buzz from the Toronto International Film Festival. All of this was surrounding one person: Carey Mulligan who plays the central character Jenny.

This is Mulligan's breakthrough role and her first lead. Now, I've been very familiar with this young actress ever since I saw her play Ada Clare in 2005's BBC adaptation of Charles Dickens' Bleak House. I believe she made her feature debut as Kitty Bennett in 2005's big screen Pride and Prejudice.

But in An Education, Mulligan gives a standout performance as Jenny, a 16-year-old school girl in 1961 and destined for English studies at Oxford until one-day she is offered a ride home during a torrential downpour from an older man, David (Peter Sarsgaard).

Jenny's life is thrown into turmoil as she starts seeing David who gives her an education in life by talking her to jazz clubs and auctions, weekends to Oxford and Paris. She is also exposed to David's circle of friends, Danny (Dominic Cooper) and Helen (Rosamund Pike, playing the perfect dumb blond).

So soon Jenny realizes her school education may not be all cracked up and the life her parents, in particular her over-protective father (played to perfection by the always reliable Alfred Molina), wanted for her seems to be thrown in turmoil as she delves further in her relationship with David.

Sarsgaard is perfectly charming as David and you can see how Jenny falls for his charm and lifestyle. Another reason for me to love this film is that they keep on referencing Jane Eyre, which is one of the novel's that Jenny is studying in Miss Stubbs' (Olivia Williams) English class and her classmates keep on calling David, Jenny's Mr. Rochester.

While David seemed to be the perfect suitor, I kept on waiting for the other shoe to drop and have Jenny's world come crashing around her.

When that time comes, you do feel for her and one of my favorite lines of the film is when Miss Stubbs notes that Jenny sounds old and wise from all that she's been through, Jenny says back that "I feel old, but not wise." Mulligan's delivery of that line was note perfect.

An Education plays again at VIFF09 on October 14, 2009 at 11am GR7.
http://www.viff.org/tixSYS/2009/filmguide/films/2628

VIFF 2009 - Cooking with Stella

2009-10-13T00:40:00.003-04:00

When I got the Canadian film Cooking with Stella on my list of films to champion as part of my volunteer duties for VIFF09, I took a look at the description of the film and it definitely piqued my interest. It has a great Canadian pedigree behind Deepa Mehta wrote and produced it(with her brother Dilip directing). I loved Deepa's Bollywood Hollywood and her muse Lisa Ray is one of the stars of Cooking with Stella along with funnyman Don McKellar, who plays her husband.

According the VIFF guide, Cooking with Stella is the fiction feature debut of photographer Dilip Mehta, co-written with his sister Deepa, Cooking with Stella is a perfectly judged charmer that wears its politics so lightly you'll never mistake it for a Message Movie. It's the story of Michael (Don McKellar) and Maya (Lisa Ray), a pair of new parents from Ottawa who arrive in New Delhi where Maya has landed a diplomatic post. Comfortable and insulated in their High Commission compound, they get their big taste of India from their cook, Stella. She's a brilliant chef, loyal employee, devout Catholic and a bit of a thief. Stella pads her expenses, pilfers goods from her employers and works overcharging scams with local vendors. Michael and Maya are her latest jackpot, and the great fun of the movie is in seeing her negotiate their importance to her--first as easy marks, then as friends and finally as something like family.

For me, the unfortunate part of this film is that I just didn't like Stella. And I am not sure if we are supposed. Sure, she has some comedic moments but to be honest her thievery was a major turn off for me. As well, it really irked me how she eventually corrupted Maya and Michael's nanny Tannu. The film makers make a point of the poverty that Stella and Tannu live in that perhaps is the reason why they do what they do. For some reason, I though the kindness of her new bosses might stop her life of crime but alas no.

The food in the film did look good and that is probably the best thing in it and you can go the official Cooking with Stella website for the recipes.

VIFF 2009 Mid-August Lunch Review

2009-10-11T02:19:00.008-04:00

At only 75 minutes long, Mid-August Lunch is a short but savory Italian treat.

Here is the VIFF 09 description of the film:

In Gianni Di Gregorio's delightful debut, an obliging middle-aged son finds himself catering to a spry but temperamental geriatric foursome--including his own mother. On the August holiday of Ferragosto, that celebrates the ascension of the Virgin Mary into heaven, pretty much the entire city of Rome empties out. Unfortunately for Gianni (played by the director himself), nursing a mountain of debt as well as his elderly mother Valeria, there is no easy escape. When the building manager realizes that he too can pawn off his own mother on Gianni (in exchange for forgiving a certain number of debts), the gray-haired quotient begins to escalate.

This is where the comedy comes in. In total (including his own mother) the senior set totals four and it does turn into an Italian version of the Golden Girls and that is not a bad thing. Each of the women offer different eccentricities that you could equate to the four women from the classic TV show. There is Marina who totally could be the Blanche of the group. There is Gianni's mother that could be the Dorothy of the group while Grazie who incessantly talks is Rose while Aunt Maria, who is a great cook, is Sophia down to the glasses.

There is also something very touching of how Gianni (who looks like Jerry Orbach) takes care of all these women, especially the three that are forced upon. He makes sure they have a place to sleep, make sure they eat well, take their medication and also make sure they are comfortable such as offering them a TV to watch. He does all this while taking more than the occassional sip of white wine.

The food in the movie should also get star billing. Their meals looked absolutely delicious and when the cast were talking about it in the film, it was even more delicious.

Even though Mid-August Lunch has finished its run at VIFF 09, I recommend checking it out if you ever get a chance.

VIFF 2009 -Reviews of The Eclipse and Pelleas and Melisande

2009-10-10T03:09:00.006-04:00

Tonight I saw two films that I am championing as part of my volunteer efforts at VIFF this year.

I will review The Eclipse first even though I saw it second.

According to the description in the VIFF guide, The Eclipse is set in scenic Cobh, County Cork and director Conor McPherson's tantalizing amalgam of love story and supernatural thriller stars Aidan Quinn and Ciarán Hinds. Hinds is a widower who falls for visiting ghost-story writer Lena (High Fidelity's Iben Hjejle) while enduring some shocking apparitions.

I have to say that there were moments that when these apparitions appeared that I did jump out of my seat and did feel a chill course through my body but the weird thing was that every time people jumped in the audience it was followed by laughter. In fact there were several moments where the audience laughed and I am really not sure they should be.

For example, after Hinds' Michael Farr sees one these apparitions, he is comforted by his daughter but all of a sudden it is he who is comforting here even though she didn't see any ghosts yet the audience found this funny.

But what I found cloying was Fionnuala Ni Chiosain's score. You knew something scary was going to happen because of her creepy piano tinkling score that I was expecting to jump out of my seat at any moment.

I also didn't understand Conor McPherson's decision to shoot some of the movie in shadows. There was one particular scene were Michael and Lena were walking in a hospital corridor all in shadow and Michael leaves the scene and the camera lingers on Lena in complete darkness. It made no sense.

And Aidan Quinn was such a waste as a writer coming to town for an annual writer's festival that Michael works for in addition to be a woodshop teacher and a writer. Quinn was such a self-absorbed drunken blowhard that there was nothing likeable about him and he really served no purpose to the overall story.

On the ohter hand, Hjejle was winning as Lena and she displayed good chemistry with Hinds.

Hinds was good in is role as a still grieving widower.

There was something I wished the director and writer explained was why did Michael see the apparition that he did. I would like to know that answer or maybe I was just too tired to grasp it.

The Eclipse is playing two more times at VIFF09: Sun Oct 11, 9pm at the Ridge and Thu Oct 15, 4pm also at the Ridge.

http://www.viff.org/tixSYS/2009/xslguide/eventnote.php?notepg=1&EventNumber=3413

Speaking of being tired. Pelleas and Melisande: The Song of the Blind was the film that I saw before the Eclipse. It was a two-hour long documentary that follows the first Russian production of the notoriously demanding Claude Debussey's 1902 opera Pelleas and Melisande.

The documentary was in French and showcased the rehearsals of the production spliced in with interviews of the director, conductor and some of the perfomers.

I will admit it. I fell asleep during the film. It actually was boring. Sorry but there was no way to sugar coat that.

I found the story of the opera to be fascinating: Golaud discovers Mélisande by a stream in the woods. She has lost her crown in the water, but does not wish to retrieve it. They marry and she instantly wins the favor of Arkël, who is ill. She falls in love with Pelléas. They meet by the fountain, where Mélisande loses her wedding ring. Golaud grows suspicious of the lovers, has Yniold spy on them, and discovers them caressing, whereupon he kills Pelléas and wounds Mélisande. She later dies after giving birth to an abnormally small girl.

And at times I wished that the film was just the opera and not behind the scenes.

There were somethings that I wished were better explained. First off, the director of the opera kept on mentioning the name Maeterlinck and I had no idea who he is or was until I read on Wikipedia that he is the author of the play of which Debussey based his opera.

Also, he follwed one of the actors who plays Arkel but never once showed us his name (we had to find out in the end credits) and only followed ever briefly. The same goes for all the people they interviewed. Not a single credit given to anyone.

The film also followed one of the violin players in the orchestra and what I found strange was the woman was speaking (I never learned who she was or how long she's been playing in the orchesra) as a voice over but the camera was on her and she isn't speaking. I found that weird. As well, she brought out the point that Debussey has never been performed in Russia. Now is it just his opera that has never been performed or all his works. Either way, I wouldn't mind finding out why it hasn't been performed in Russia and why is it such a big deal. That is never explained.

It also wouldn't have been nice to get the audience reaction. We got one audience scene but it was in the middle of the film and it went back to rehearsal footage that I got really confused.

Anyways, Pelleas and Melisande has finished its run at VIFF09.

VIFF 2009 -The Young Victoria review

2009-10-04T02:49:00.003-04:00

By Vanessa Ho

The lasting image in history that most people associate with Queen Victoria, Britain's longest reigning monarch to date, is of a plump, dour, old woman always in black, forever in mourning for her beloved husband, Prince Albert.

However, in The Young Victoria, playing at the 28th Annual Vancouver International Film Festival (http://www.viff.org/tixSYS/2009/filmguide/films/2982), director Jean-Marc Valle (C.RA.Z.Y) and Oscar-winning screenwriter Julian Fellowes (Gosford Park) presents us with a Victoria (Emliy Blunt) that is vivacious, spunky, strong-willed yet naive.

The film explores her early reign, starting with the year before her she ascends the throne and her struggle with her mother's (Miranda Richardson) advisor, John Conroy (the very villainous Mark Strong) over the issue of Regency. Regency you see is in place when a monarch is unable to rule themselves because of illness or disability or because they are too young. You see, Victoria is 17 and it looks like King William IV (Jim Broadbent bringing nice drunken comic relief) is on death's door and with a Regency in place, it means that Victoria's mother will rule England (but it is really Conroy that will rule). This is where the strong-willed Victoria comes in as she refuses to sign anything that would take away her rights and be controlled

When Victoria turns 18, Regency is no longer needed and soon enough King William IV passes away and she ascends the throne. However, because she is so young and inexperienced, Victoria relies heavily on Lord Melbourne, the British Prime Minister, for advice on everything on who to hire for her household, events to attend and what issues she should be involved in or not.

Sprinked throughout all of this political intrigue is a love story between Victoria and her cousin Albert (Rupert Friend). While initially, they were an arranged match for political reasons (Albert was the nephew of the ambitous Leopold, King of the Belgians), it ended up being a love match.

It really is the love story of Victoria and Albert that gives the film its heart. Blunt and Friend have such great chemistry that is playful, sweet and loving. This chemistry is very evident during Albert's third and final visit to Victoria in England. When Albert enters the room, the camera focuses on Blunt's face and you can just see in her eyes that she deeply loves this man that has just walked into the room.

While this is very much a romantized view of their romance, I think I much prefer it than what the history books tell us.

As well, some of the facts presented were not historically accurate either such as Prince Albert taking a bullet during one of the failed assination attempts on Victoria's life but I can understand that Fellowes wanted to add some drama to the film.

Blunt should also be commended here as Victoria. Early on, just as Queen Victoria is coronated she still shows us that while she is Queen and the weight of a whole nation on her shoulders, Blunt still shows us that she is a teenager that wants to have fun and be mischevious.

The Young Victoria plays October 7, 2009 at 11am at the Visa Screening Room at the Granville 7 Cinemas.

VIFF 2009 - Part two: Docs to watch

2009-09-26T00:54:00.007-04:00

In part one, I recommeded five films to be on the lookout for and to recap, they were An Education, The Eclipse, Mid-August Lunch, I Remember and Cooking with Stella.

Now, in Part two, its the docs turn. Five non-fiction films that range in topics from Porgy and Bess to cooking to looking at various aspects of aging.

The first documentary I want to recommned is Porgy and Me: In the World of Porgy and Bess. In the (white) world of opera, Gershwin's alternately celebrated and controversial opera Porgy and Bess is one of the very few works that takes people of colour as its subject. Susanna Boehm's stirring documentary follows the cast of the New York Harlem Theatre Company on their European tour of Gershwin's work.

To view more information about the film, go here:

http://www.viff.org/tixSYS/2009/xslguide/eventnote.php?EventNumber=2989

The second film I like to recommend is Cooking History, a film that inventively uses the field kitchen as a prism through which to view 20th century European history.

To view more information on the film, go here:

http://www.viff.org/tixSYS/2009/xslguide/eventnote.php?EventNumber=3721

Number three is The State of Old, a package of films that addresses various aspects of aging in sensitive, revealing and heartwarmingly positive ways.

To view more information on the film, go here: http://www.viff.org/tixSYS/2009/filmguide/Title/SS rg/tixSYS/2009/filmguide/Title/SS

Pelleas & Mellisinde (http://www.viff.org/tixSYS/2009/filmguide/films/2986) comes in at number four as a doc to watch. Since 1902, Claude Debussy's setting of Maurice Maeterlinck's symbolist drama Pelléas and Mélisande has divided critics and audiences, but if its enigmatic drama and the hypnotic sound of its world have never really entered the mainstream, its influence on later music has been incalculable and its fans quasi-religious in their devotion. This film depicts the first Russian production of this notoriously demanding opera and also blends in rehearsal footage and interviews.

The final doc that must be watched at VIFF 09 is Argippo Resurrected (http://www.viff.org/tixSYS/2009/filmguide/films/4705). Antonio Vivaldi's lost opera Argippo was originally composed for a Prague debut in 1730. Lost for centuries, the opera's score was discovered by young Czech conductor Ondrej Macek.

The 2009 Vancouver International Film starts October 1 and runs until October 16. Hope you go and enjoy all 10 films that I have recommended.

BONUS VIFF 09 Recommendation -The Young Victoria

2009-09-26T00:50:00.003-04:00

So there is one more film that I need to give a tremendous shout out to that is playing at VIFF09 and that is The Young Victoria.

This film closed TIFF 09 and now it is coming to Vancouver. The film tells the story of the early reign of Queen Victoria (Emily Blunt), showing how she ascended the thrown and her shaky start trying to rule a nation. It also depicts her romance with Prince Albert (Rupert Friend). My friend Sheri Block who covered the film at TIFF 09 for CTV.ca named The Young Victoria as her second most favourite TIFF experience.

More information including the trailer, go here: http://www.viff.org/tixSYS/2009/filmguide/films/2982

VIFF 2009 -Films to watch Part one

2009-09-23T22:58:00.012-04:00

The 28th Vancouver International Film Festival is just around the corner (it starts October 1 and ends October 16). While VIFF doesn't quite get all the pomp and circumstances (meaning Hollywood celebs) as TIFF or the Toronto International Film Festival does but VIFF does offer many of the same high quality films that TIFF often presents such as this year both film festivals are showing The Young Victoria starring Emily Blunt.

This year is no different. Here I like to present 10 films that people should check out at VIFF.

In Part One, I present 5 films that are a must see.

The first film is An Education starring Peter Sarsgaard, Alfred Molina, Emma Thompson and in her breakthrough role Carey Mulligan. I wrote in a previous blog post that this is one of the films I am looking forward to seeing in the fall and am so glad that it is playing at VIFF.

An Education is the story of a teenage girl's coming-of-age set in 1961 London, a city caught between the drab, post-war 1950s and the glamorous, more liberated decade to come. Jenny (Carey Mulligan) stands on the brink of becoming a woman: a brilliantly witty and attractive 16-year-old whose suburban life is about to be blown apart by the utterly unsuitable 30-something David (Peter Sarsgaard). Urbane and witty, David manages to charm her conservative parents Jack (Alfred Molina) and Marjorie (Cara Seymour). David introduces Jenny to a glittering new world of classical concerts and late-night suppers with his attractive friend and business partner, Danny (Dominic Cooper) and Danny's girlfriend, the beautiful but vacuous Helen (Rosamund Pike). Just as Jenny's family's long-held dream of getting their brilliant daughter into Oxford seems within reach, Jenny is tempted by another kind of life.

You can view more about this film on the VIFF website: http://www.viff.org/tixSYS/2009/filmguide/films/2628

The next film on my list is Cooking with Stella, the feature debut of Dilip Mehta, who co-wrote the film with his sister Deepa Mehta. The film stars Don McKellar and Lisa Ray as Michael and Maya, new parents from Ottawa who arrive in New Delhi where Maya has landed a diplomatic post. There taste of India comes from their cook Stella, a brilliant chef, loyal employee, devout Catholic and a bit of a thief. Director Dilip Mehta will be in attendance.

You can view more about this film on the VIFF website:
http://www.viff.org/tixSYS/2009/filmguide/films/3118

Film #3 is The Eclipse not to be confused for The Twilight Saga: Eclipse, this Eclipse stars Ciaran Hinds (soon to be Aberforth Dumbledore in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows) as a widower who falls for a visiting ghost story writer while enduring some shocking apparitions in a film set in scenic, Cobh, County Cork Ireland.

You can view more about this film on the VIFF website: http://www.viff.org/tixSYS/2009/filmguide/films/3413

The Italian film, Mid-August Lunch, is the number 4 film that you should watch at VIFF. The film is abou an obliging middle-aged son who finds himself catering to a spry but temperamental geriatric foursome including his own mother.

You can view more about this film on the VIFF website: http://www.viff.org/tixSYS/2009/filmguide/films/2574

Number 5 is a Quebecois film called I Remember, a dark satire about two-time Premier Maurice Duplessis and set in the mining city of Abitibi in 1949.

You can view more about this film on the VIFF website: http://www.viff.org/tixSYS/2009/filmguide/films/5275

Part 2 are five documentaries that are have to be seen at VIFF and they range in topics from seniors to opera to cooking.

Whiteout: A Perfect storm of predictability

2009-09-10T01:25:00.004-04:00

By Vanessa Ho

Whiteout, a mystery-thriller based on the graphic novel by Greg Rucka and Steve Lieber, starts off in 1957 with a gun fight involving Russians in the air over who knows what and ends with the plan crashing in the icy tundra of Antarctica.

Then it switches to the present day and we see U.S. Marshal Carrie Stetko (Kate Beckinsale) finishing her rounds of a U.S. Station in Antarctica. The basic premise of the film is that Stetko is three days away from her tour of duty in the frozen tundra and is about to return to the States just before 6 months of Winter darkness descends and a whiteout that would pretty much keep the people at the station trapped inside for the entire winter. She as she is preparing to leave, a body is discovered out of the middle of now where and she goes to investigate but has a tight time frame or else she would be trapped with a killer on the loose. Of course her investigation does tie into the beginnings fo the film. Helping with her investigation is a UN operative (Gabriel Macht).

Now I am not sure if the graphic novel was predictable but the movie sure was. I pretty much figured out who did it early on and knew that this person wasn't working alone. If you remember what Yoda said in The Phantom Menace: "Two there are: A master and an apprentice."

And this second person was also easy to predict. It was almost like a Murder, She Wrote. Pick the least likely person to be the killer and that person will be the killer.

Beckinsale was fine but Macht was pretty terrible as Robert Pryce, who was supposedly to have some sexual chemistry with Beckinsale's Carrie Stetko but nothing really came of that. Aside from the lack of chemistry with Beckinsale, his other problem was his line delivery was very flat and also he acts so suspicious all the time that you are supposed to think that he is the killer when you know that the most suspicious person in any mystery usually never does it.

The film used Manitoba as a stand-in for Antarctica and one of the things that director Dominic Sena did well was capture the coldness of the place. I have felt the cold of the Prairies and -40 celcius temperatures so I could relate to what the characters were feeling.

As a thriller, the film really does fail. I wasn't scared at all. The only thing that scared me was when Beckinsale's character got frostbite and had to have some fingers amputated.

In the end, Whiteout had more chills (temperature-wise) than thrills.

The singing shines in The Sound of Music

2009-08-27T22:30:00.006-04:00

A year ago the CBC held a reality show competition called "How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria?" which was based on a similar show in Britain and was all about finding the lead role for the Canadian production of The Sound of Music.

Now I didn't really want to watch the show but I watched it because one of the contestant Jayme Armstrong was from my hometown Richmond, BC but I couldn't really vote for her because she gradutated from my rival high school, Steveston (I graduated from Richmond High - GO COLTS!!!!)

Anyways, as the show progressed, I became a fan of Elicia MacKenzie, also a fellow BCer, and by the season finale of the show, I thought she was awesome and way better than the front runner, Janna Polzin.

And I usually never, ever vote for reality shows like this. For the entire run, I never voted on the show, but I felt compelled to vote for the deciding one, the episode that would choose Maria.

Because Janna was the obvious favourite, I didn't want it to happen (she didn't exude the tomboy quality that Elicia did for Maria) so as soon as the episode was over, I was on the phone voting several times that night. I can't remember how many times I voted but vote I did.

When the finale episode aired and when they were just about to announce the winner, I was waiting for it to be Janna and was shocked that Elicia won. For some reason, I like to believe that my votes were the deciding ones and that I helped her get the role that she so richly deserved.

See Elicia's winning moment here:

So when I got invited to a wedding in Toronto this year (2009) I knew that one of the things I wanted to while in town was to see The Sound of Music and with Elicia in the title role and not Janna who was named as her alternate (performing on Wednesday evenings and Saturday matinees)

Tonight, August 27, 2009 I finally saw The Sound of Music. First of all, the sets were marvelous. I love the opening scene, after the nuns do their processional along the aisle and we see Maria on the hilltop. That is an amazing piece of scenery and boom right off the bat Elicia wows with the title song.

The nuns were fantastic, in particular the Mother Abbess (I got the understudy Marianne Bindig). Her voice soars when she sings Climb Every Mountain. The other nuns like Sister Margaretta (Mary Ellen Mahoney) provide the comic relief.

All the Von Trapp children were good but the standout was the little girl who played Gretl (Natali Ioffe). She was so adorable in every scene she was in and darn right cute when she sang So, Long Farewell both times.

I got the understudy for Liesl (Anwyn Musico) and she was good as Liesl singing wise, acting-wise not so much. Her love interest Rolf (also understudy Louie Rossetti) wasn't as good in both categories.

Burke Moses made for a very handsome Captain Von Trapp. I particular enjoyed him in his naval uniform when he married Maria. His singing was also first rate especially when he sang Edelweiss.

Now, if there was one small complaint I have about this production it is the acting of Ms. MacKenzie. It was just okay. I was not prepared for her to have a sort of British accent and at times it did sound like she was trying to be Julie Andrews but as the show went on, I think her acting improved which is suprising since she has been doing the show for so long.

MacKenzie truly is a superstar during all the muscial acts. She is so warm and loveable when singing Do-Re-Mi, My Favourite Things and The Lonely Goatherd that you completely understand why the children and the Captain fall in love with her that you fall for her too.

Of course this is a stage play and people tend to forget that The Sound of Music was originally a stage show and not a movie first. I know that Julie Andrews will always be Maria to everyone, she is Maria to me but you got to let that go and also don't complain how the stage show doesn't follow the film. I overheard people saying the didn't know a coupld of the songs and said that they were added to the stage show but in reality they were removed from the film because they just didn't fit. Now one thing that subsequent stage productions have done since the movie is include the two songs that were written specifically for the film: I Have Confidence and Something Good (which replaced Ordinary Couple and Richard Rogers was okay with that since he didn't like that song to begin with). The songs do blend seamless into the stage shows so I am glad they are in there.

Also, the order of the songs is not as they appear in the film for instance, the Mother Abbess sings My Favourite Things to Maria just before she leaves the abbey instead of Maria singing it to the children because they are scared of the storm (she sings Lonely Goatherd instead). I was lucky that I saw the Stratford Festival do the Sound of Music (starring Cynthia Dale) back in 2001 so I was prepared for this production to be different from the film.

What else to say, I mentioned the sets, they were indeed gorgeous. If you check out the video below, you will get a glimpse of what I am talking about. The Von Trapp house is pretty impressive and the costumes too were beautiful in particular Maria's wedding gown. I am lucky that I brought binoculars so I get to see some of the action up close (I was seated in the second to last row in the orchestra of The Princess of Wales Theatre in Toronto).

Another thing is when you are sitting that far back it is hard to get a sense of the chemistry between Maria and the Captain. On film, I felt that Julie Andrews and Christopher Plummer had awesome chemistry but I couldn't really feel it between MacKenzie and Moses but I like to blame it on my seat, because if I were closer and could see their faces and emotions, I might have felt something. Although, I think I felt some chemistry during the Landler. I love that scene in the movie and I think I felt a bit of chemistry between McKenzie and Moses during that scene. When I looked at the two of them with my binoculars, you could see a little something between them.

I have heard from people that the stage version rushes their courtship and I do agree. It is a bit quick but in a movie you can take your time to evolve that. Also rushed was the end scene when the Nazis are searching for the Von Trapps at the Abbey was also truncated and less dramatic as Rolf, who finds them, just says no one is there. No confrontation with the Captain as was in the film.

But I did love the end when they climbed the mountain, again kudos to the sets.

We all gave a standing ovation in the end, especially when Bindig came on but it really got going when MacKenzie came on. She really did deserve it, like I said, her singing was the definite highlight. I am so glad that I voted for her.

Julie and Julia a culinary delight

2009-08-26T22:32:00.009-04:00

By Vanessa Ho

There are two things you should not do when you go and see Julie and Julia. The first is don't go when you are jet-lagged, which I did as I just flew in on a red eye from Vancouver to Toronto. Not that the movie wasn't boring, I was just so tired from my trip, I was drifting off that I had move around my seat to stay awake.

The second is not go hungry when you see this movie because I guarantee that you will leave this movie starving and wanting to try some of the dishes yourself that are featured in the movie. My particular favourite was the last one, which was Pate Canard or something to that affect.

I felt the same way when I read the book Julie and Julia by Julie Powell (played by Amy Adams). I really wanted to try and make some of the recipes but all that butter makes me want to have a coronary.

So by now you can tell that Julie and Julia is about cooking and it does indeed tell the tale of office worker Julie Powell who is about to turn 30 in 2002 and seems to have no direction in her life. To find some meaning in it, she decides to cook all of Julia Child's 524 recipes that appear in her cookbook Mastering the Art of French Cooking all within 365 days while risking her sanity and marriage to the ever patient, supportive and understanding husband, Eric (Chris Messina).

Julie chronicles this insane project in blog called The Julie/Julia project. The film captures pretty faithful all the joys and struggles Julie has in making some of the recipes that appear in the Mastering the Art of French Cooking and the tool it takes on her family, in particular her husband and friends.

The film intercuts Julie's struggle with her project with the life of Julia Child (Meryl Streep) while she is living in France. This portion of the film is based on Child's autobiography called "My Life in France" and pretty much traces how Child became interested in cooking by taking lessons at the Cordon Bleu to starting a cooking school to collaborating on what would become her most famous cookbook to finally finding a publisher. Also along for this journey is her supportive husband Paul(Stanly Tucci)

One of the great strengths of the movie is seeing Meryl Streep as Julia Child, she not only does a spot on imitation of the French Chef but someone embodies her can do spirit.

I have read that people really like the Julia part and could do without the Julie part. I disagree. I like both parts. The movies does go a length of time without us seeing Julie for awhile or Julia for awhile that I found myself missing them.

Adams does capture the frustration of Julie that is in the book and it was interesting seeing her adventures on the big screen after only reading about it on the page.

It was also interesting to learn more about Julia Child as I didn't know much about her apart from what I saw on TV and the Dan Ackroyd impersonation on SNL. If it wasn't for the autobiography, I don't think writer-director Nora Ephron could have based a whole movie on just Julie Powell's memoirs as there wasn't enough Julia.

I found it interesting that Julie's mother, who is such a presence in the book, seem relegated to a voice on the phone. It would have been nice to see her on camera.

Another strong point is the performances of Tucci and Messina as the husbands to Julia and Julie. They share their wives frustration but while also enjoying the fruits of their labour (meaning the food).

As I said, don't go into this movie hungry, you will want to devour that yummy chocolate cake and Boeuf Bourginon that also appear in the movie. I am getting hungry just thinking about it now.

Fall movies I can't wait to see

2009-08-23T14:05:00.002-04:00

With summer wrapping up and the weather cooling down, the fall movie season is upon us and there are several films coming out between September and December that I most looking forward to seeing. Here are a few highlights of some of those films, starting with films that I really can't wait to see and will rush to the theatres probably on opening weekend to see them:

1. The Twilight Saga: New Moon.
Opens November 20th, 2009

Starring: Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson and Taylor Lautner

What is is about: Based on the second novel of Stephenie Meyer's wildly popular Twilight Saga, New Moon is the second book in the series. The film brings the romance between mortal and vampire to a new level as Bella Swan (Kristen Stewart) delves deeper into the mysteries of the supernatural world she yearns to become part of—only to find herself in greater peril than ever before. Following Bella's ill-fated 18th birthday party, Edward Cullen (Robert Pattinson) and his family abandon the town of Forks, Washington, in an effort to protect her from the dangers inherent in their world. As the heartbroken Bella sleepwalks through her senior year of high school, numb and alone, she discovers Edward's image comes to her whenever she puts herself in jeopardy. Her desire to be with him at any cost leads her to take greater and greater risks. With the help of her childhood friend Jacob Black (Taylor Lautner), Bella refurbishes an old motorbike to carry her on her adventures. Bella's frozen heart is gradually thawed by her budding relationship with Jacob, a member of the mysterious Quileute tribe, who has a supernatural secret of his own. When a chance encounter brings Bella face to face with a former nemesis, only the intervention of a pack of supernaturally large wolves saves her from a grisly fate, and the encounter makes it frighteningly clear that Bella is still in grave danger. In a race against the clock, Bella learns the secret of the Quileutes and Edward's true motivation for leaving her. She also faces the prospect of a potentially deadly reunion with her beloved that is a far cry from the one she'd hoped for. With more of the passion, action and suspense that made "Twilight" a worldwide phenomenon, "The Twilight Saga: New Moon" is a spellbinding follow-up to the box office hit.

Here is the trailer:

2. The Lovely Bones
Opens December 11, 2009

Starring: Sairose Ronan, Rachel Weisz and Mark Whalberg

What is it about: Based on the critically acclaimed best-selling novel by Alice Sebold, and directed by Oscar winner Peter Jackson from a screenplay by Jackson & Fran Walsh & Philippa Boyens, "The Lovely Bones" centers on a young girl who has been murdered and watches over her family – and her killer – from heaven. She must weigh her desire for vengeance against her desire for her family to heal. Oscar® nominee Mark Wahlberg and Oscar® winners Rachel Weisz and Susan Sarandon star along with Stanley Tucci, Michael Imperioli and Oscar nominee Saoirse Ronan. The book was fantastic and a real tear-jerker so I will be bringing my Kleenex to the theatre.

Trailer:

3. An Education
Opens October 9, 2009

Starring: Peter Sarsgaard, Carey Mulligan, Alfred Molina, Dominic Cooper, Rosamund Pike, and Emma Thompson.

What is it about: Generating great buzz from Sundance, especially off the breakthrough performance by Carey Mulligan, who I have been a fan of since Bleak House, An Education is the story of a teenage girl's coming-of-age set in 1961 London, a city caught between the drab, post-war 1950s and the glamorous, more liberated decade to come. Jenny (Carey Mulligan) stands on the brink of becoming a woman: a brilliantly witty and attractive 16-year-old whose suburban life is about to be blown apart by the utterly unsuitable 30-something David (Peter Sarsgaard). Urbane and witty, David manages to charm her conservative parents Jack (Alfred Molina) and Marjorie (Cara Seymour). David introduces Jenny to a glittering new world of classical concerts and late-night suppers with his attractive friend and business partner, Danny (Dominic Cooper) and Danny's girlfriend, the beautiful but vacuous Helen (Rosamund Pike). Just as Jenny's family's long-held dream of getting their brilliant daughter into Oxford seems within reach, Jenny is tempted by another kind of life.

Trailer:

Well, those are really the three movies that I most want to see. I also recommend people see The Young Victoria when it comes out on November 13. It is a film that details the early ears of Queen Victoria's (Emily Blunt) reign and her romance with Prince Albert (Rupert Friend). Both Blunt and Friend have great chemistry in the film and is a fairly historically accurate take on how Queen Victoria came to be and directed by a Canadian to boot (Jean Marc Vallee of C.R.A.Z.Y fame).

Spend some time with The Time Traveler's Wife

2009-08-22T02:41:00.003-04:00

If you try and wrap your head around the whole time travel concept that is at the heart of The Time Traveler's Wife, don't bother as it will ruin your experience of watching the film if you try and be logical about it. Just sit back and let yourself immerse in this love story about how time travel brings together and threatens to tear about our central couple Henry (Eric Bana) and Clare (Rachel McAdams)

The Time Traveler's Wife is based on the novel of the same name by Audrey Niffenegger. It tells the story of Henry DeTamble who has a genetic disorder that causes him to time travel at a moments notice. He frequently visits his childhood and re-visits the death of this mother (Michelle Nolden) and visiting his wife Clare at various points in her childhood.

What I loved about the novel was the love story between Clare and Henry. Clare has been in love with Henry since she was six years-old and in one of the movie's cute scene a young Clare (Brooklynn Proulx) asks Henry if he is married, to which he answers that yes. Young Clare gets jealous and says she was hoping that Henry married her.

McAdams and Bana do offer great chemistry as Henry and Clare but they don't quite sizzle as the Henry and Clare do in the novel. But Adams is radiant and shines as Clare especially in scenes where she struggles to be a wife to a husband who disappears all the time.

Screenwriter Jeremy Leven and Bruce Joel Rubin have done a pretty good job in remaining faithful to the book. They got some of the key time travel sequences in there but cut some characters in the book like Henry's Korean neighbour Kimmy and the fact that Henry and Clare's friend Gomez (Ron Livingston) harbours an attraction to Clare.

Another highlight are the two young ladies who play Henry and Clare's daughter Alba at age 5 and 10 (sisters Tatum and Hailey McCann). Alba is also a time traveler like her dad and both sisters that play Alba are very cute in their scenes with Bana and McAdams.

Since it is a romanctic drama, tears are supposed to be shed and of course, as a romantic, I shed some tears and when you get to that part of the movie, you will cry too.

G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra is one of the worst, if not THE worst movie I have ever seen

2009-08-13T01:25:00.004-04:00

By Vanessa Ho

When I posted my review of Transformers 2: Revenge of the Fallen, I wrote that I grew up playing with the toys. But I also played with G.I. Joes. Now, I didn't love playing with them as much as Transformers, I mean action figures didn't do much except move their legs, arms and heads around vs. Transforming robots.

Nonetheless, I played with them. I don't remember all the names of the toys that I had. I remember playing with Scarlet, Gung Ho and Zartan.

When the first Transformers was a box office success, it was inevitable that their would be a G.I. Joe live action film. There as a 1987 animated movie based on the TV cartoon but that was a real dark and twisted movie that I didn't like at all.

Since I wasn't as big a G.I. Joe fan as a Transformers fan, I really had no desire to see this film but I got a chance to see it for free thanks to Norton (who had a product placement in the film).

The movie didn't screen for criticts and that usually is a sign that the movie sucks. And I had low expectations going into the screening. And I wasn't disappointed in that fact.

First off, all of the acting is terrible. Everyone delivers their lines so stitly that it was laughable. In particular, Rachel Nichols was particularly wooden as Scarlett (although I liked seeing her crossbow weapon) and Dennis Quaid was particularly bad and I expected better from him. But what can you expect when the dialogue was just terrible. I laughed everytime Quaid's General Hawk said "We still got Joes out there" and when he said the G.I. Joe tagline: Knowing is Half the Battle, it came so early and out of the blue that it was laughable and when Channing Tatum as Duke, who was equally wooden, repeated it back, it was also laughable.

Also disappointing was their interpretation of Cobra Commander (Joseph Gordon-Levitt). At first he looked like a burn victim with a bad toupee with a half mask that was reminiscent of the medical droid in Empire Strikes Back. Then he ended up looking like Anakin Skywalker at the end of Return of the Jedi and his mask at the end was the iconi pure silver blank mask but he ended up looking like a silver Elephant Man. Also, they re-dubbed Gordon-Levitt's voice as Cobra Commander. What a waste of a talented actor who was so great in (500) Days of Summer.

His henchmen looked either like the Death Eaters from Harry Potter or men with a bug helmet on their head. But it was cool that to see that these henchmen were controlled by Cobra Commander that on their necks you see the Cobra symbol appear on their flesh.

The basic plot of the movie is the G.I. Joes trying to stop some guy name McCullen (Christopher Eccleston -who was so over the top campy) from stealing and then using these weapons he developed called nanomites from destroying the world.

His henchmen include Duke's ex, the Baroness (Sienna Miller) and Storm Shadow (Leey Byung-hun). It actually was laughable when the kept on saying Storm Shadow in regular conversation as if his name was Steve. Of course Storm Shadow as this rivalry with the Joe's Snake Eyes (played by Darth Maul aka Ray Park) as was made apparent with numerous flashbacks employed in the film.

That was also laughable. You can tell when a flashback was coming when one of the characters looks deep in thought.

If I can say one good thing about the movie is the action and fight sequences. I enjoyed the fight sequence at the beginning of the film, the fight at the G.I. Joe headquarters and the chase sequence in Paris, although it did drag in places and the end fight scene.

There were a lot of things that reminded me of Star Wars for some odd reason. You had McCullen's underwater layer that reminded me of Gungan City, home of Jar Jar Binks.

Anyways, don't waste 2 hours and 15 minutes of your life seeing this movie, even the trailers playing in front of weren't interesting.

The only good thing I got out of it was a free T-Shirt!

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince in IMAX is not worth the extra $5

2009-08-10T18:58:00.001-04:00

I think the headline says it all. It wasn't that I dislike HP6 the second go around, I did. I noticed things that I didn't the first time around like the fact that young Tom Riddle had a postcard of the Cave in the orphanage and somethings I didn't like where the heck is Cho Chang?

But it really was the 3D sequences that were very disappointing. I wanted to see HP6 again because of the 3D as the 3D sequences in HP5 (Order of the Phoenix) was phenomenal. The last 20 minutes were just amazing. The flight to London on the Thestrals, the battle at the Department of Mystery where you had prophesies flying at you along with death eaters, fire snakes and water.

In Half-Blood Prince, the only amazing 3D sequence was the trailer to A Christmas Carol that played right before the movie.

There are two sequences in the actual movie that is pretty impressive in 3D and that is the Death Eaters flying through London and into Diagon Alley and then when Dumbledore helps put back together Slughorn's house after he ransacked it to keep the Death Eaters away.

I think that the film makers could have spread the 3D love around the film instead of just the first 12 minutes. Like Quidditch could have been in 3D and the Cave scene and the Astronomy tower would have been great in 3D. I think as an audience member, I wouldn't mind having to take on and off my 3D glasses as long as the sequences were tremendous in 3D.

As I said earlier, the movie is still great. Still love all the stuff that I loved in the first place like Ginny, Ron and Hermione, Quidditch and the cave scene and Luna.

I think when Deathly Hallows parts 1 and 2 come out, I most likely will just see it in IMAX first instead of regular theatre and then IMAX. That way I won't be disappointed paying a premium to see it again.

Funny thing is that I didn't really like HP5 in regular theatre yet when I saw it in IMAX I ended up loving it.

So save $5 and just see HP6 in a regular movie theatre.

Recasting in movies

2009-07-29T23:03:00.003-04:00

News came yesterday that Bryce Dallas Howard will be stepping into the role of Victoria for the third film of the Twilight Saga called Eclipse. According to Summit, the studio that releases the Twilight films, the original Victoria, played by Canadian Rachelle Lafevre had to drop out because of scheduling conflicts with another film (Barney's Version).

Well, according to a statement from Lafevre, she was quite surprised to be replaced and as a fan of Twilight, I was too.

I was quite happy to see a Canadian take on such a role in a very popular series and looked forward to her having a meatier part in Eclipse. In Twilight and New Moon she wasn't quite a major character but her presence was.

But will I miss Lafevre as Victoria? I really don't know until I see how she is in New Moon but I think I can understand that the studio wants a bigger name to take on a role that is larger in Eclipse. That's not to say that Lafevre is not a great or good actress, I just haven't seen her in enough stuff to be the judge.

Dallas Howard on the other hand is the daughter of Ron Howard and does have acting chops. I saw her do As You Like It on HBO and thought she was great. As well, she is no stranger to taking over a role as she played Kate Connor in Terminator Salvation and from my understanding, Claire Danes played the role in the previous Terminator film.

Taylor Lautner was in danger of losing the role of Jacob Black in New Moon because the studio felt that he couldn't pull off Jacob's transformation in the film. The actor worked hard to keep the role and now it is unlikely the role will be recast.

It is unfortunate that if it is indeed they wanted a bigger name for Victoria, it is a shame for Lafevre. I think the studio should have given her a chance since the scheduling conflict doesn't seemed to be that insurmountable.

I would have been mightily pissed if the Harry Potter producers decided to re-cast Ginny for Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince because the part was definitely more major than previous films. I too wouldn't blame them to have a bigger British actress play Ginny because her part was really huge in HP6 but it would have been a major diservice to Bonnie Wright who has played Ginny since the beginning and to fans who have grown to love Wright in the part. I am 100% sure that recasting Ginny was never in the cards but you can't help but wonder sometimes when a role because so much bigger than what it was before.

Recasting isn't uncommon in movies. Maggie Gyllenhaal took over from Katie Holmes in the Christopher Nolan Batman movies. I didn't lose sleep over this one. I remembered Maggie Gyllenhaal more in The Dark Knight than I ever did Katie Holmes in Batman Begins.

Of course the recasted Dumbledore but the Harry Potter producers had to considering that Richard Harris died. It took me forever to accept Michael Gambon as Dumbledore until I saw him in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.

Over in TV, you had the two Darrens on Bewitched and the two Becky's on Roseanne and of course the two Cecilys on Road to Avonlea. This latter one bugged me. I thought Harmony Cramp's portrayal of Cecily was sweet and cute. There was an episode where her character contracted consumption and I thought that this would be her episode to shine but alas she was relagated to her bedroom. When the character re-emerged in season 6, I thought they brought her back as it seemed those episodes would be meatier Cecily episodes but alas they recasted with Molly Atkinson.

Back in movieland, I am sure there countless other examples in movie history but it is hot and I am tired so I can't think of any right now.

Maybe there is going to be major backlash from Twilight fans over Dallas Howard replacing from Lafevre as Victoria that the studio will have to recant but that is unlikely to happen.

Honestly though, the film that Lafevre is filming instead of Eclipse is based on a Mordecai Richeler novel and stars Paul Giammati and Dustin Hoffman. You are better off doing that movie Rachelle than Eclipse. No offence to Twilighters, I mean I love the whole series but Barney's Version is more a prestige picture.

Harry Potter vs Twilight

2009-07-22T21:30:00.003-04:00

The debate always seems to rage when either one in the series releases a movie.

I haven't read any articles on these debates because I just don't want to. I think there really isn't anything to debate about. But it seems that you have to love one or the other. For example, I listen to a Harry Potter podcast called Pottercast, now I love Pottercast and everything they talk about but there are times when some of the hosts irk when when they disparage Twilight. The hosts have read The Twilight Saga too and some have enjoyed it but they seem to think it inferior to Twilight.

Now, I agree that storytelling wise Stephenie Meyer is nearly not as good a writer as JK Rowling but why do we have to chose between the two?

I love them both and you can't compare the two. The only thing they have in common is that they are popular book series and that Robert Pattinson is Cedric Diggory to Potter fans or Edward Cullen to Twilight fans. To me, he is both depending on my mood but mostly he is Edward to me.

I wrote in a previous blog post about this debate on which I love the most and I think I said Harry Potter because it got me to read. While that reason holds true still. Twilight crept up over the past few months because of all the New Moon hype and I am a romantic at heart and The Twilight Saga's basis is all about the love story between Bella and Edward.

As I also said in my previous blog, Harry Potter isn't abut romance but about Harry's journey to defeat Voldemort. There are twinges of romance in the books but I think the movies do a better job in bringing that forward and when I saw HP6 and the great job that Steve Kloves did with Ron and Hermione and Harry and Ginny, it has made me realize that I truly do love Harry Potter more. I think when you invest almost 10 years of your life to a book series, I think it deserves some more devotion as oppose to only 8 months with Twilight but I did fall hard for that series.

If there was another thing that the two have in common is that it looks like they are in the rare breed that they will have their entire series made into a film, joining Lord of the Rings. I can't think of another one but if someone knows of one, please post in the comments section.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows is filming it's two parts now. New Moon is coming out November 20 and Eclipse starts filming next month here in Vancouver. Robert Pattinson has signed on to do Breaking Dawn but other than that, it still isn't in the bag that it will be made.

Other book series like Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials probably won't have all of those books made into films considering the box office failuer of The Golden Compass.

Lemony Snicket's 13-book series probably won't hit the screen either since the first Lemony Snicket movie (based on the first three books) wasn't that great. I read somewhere that there is supposed to be a sequel but I think that is unlikely since you will have to recast the kids.

Inkheart, which was released earlier this year, really tanked at the box office so it is very unlikely that the rest of the book series will be made.

Percy Jackson and the Olympians is a five book series and the first film, The Lightening Thief, which is coincidentally being directed by HP1 and HP2's Chris Columbus, is coming out this fall. If it is successful then we can expect the rest of the books to be made into films.

People tell me I should read Percy Jackson because I love Harry Potter. My problem is that I really don't want to get into another book series. I resisted Twilight because I was told the same thing but I am glad that I did. So we will see if I pick-up Percy Jackson at the library.

The Chronicles of Narnia looked like they were going to get all of the books made into films considering the success of The Lion, the Witch and The Wardrobe but alas Prince Caspian didn't do as well and Disney dumped the franchise to 20th Century Fox to make The Voyage of the Dawn Treader. Having just read on Wikipedia, it looks like Dawn Treader is being filmed now.

I was really hoping that Narnia will have all of its novels made because I really enjoyed the films. So it is good news to read that Dawn Treader is filming for a 2010 release. Here is hoping that The Silver Chair gets released.

But anyways, Twilight vs Harry Potter. To me there is no debate. I don't have to choose because I love them both equally and it is true depending on what hype cycle I am in, I might love one over the other ever so temporarily.

Adam tries to be too cute

2009-07-22T00:58:00.001-04:00

Director-writer Max Mayer brings us a story of Adam (Hugh Dancy), a young man with Asperger's Syndrome living in New York City. His father just died and he recently lost his job as an electronics engineer. His escape of all his troubles is his love of space exploration.

One day he meets cute his new neighbor, Beth (Rose Byrne), when both come down to do laundry. Beth is a school teacher and aspiring children's book author. After this encounter, Beth is immediately smitten with Adam.

Because of Adam's condition, he is quite awkward in social situations and usually resorts back to taking about space but it is this subject that brings our couple together as Adam shows Beth his home planetarium.

When Beth learns about Adam's condition, she consults a colleague about Asperger's and whether or not you can form a romantic relationship with someone with it. This scene really played out like a very special episode of Blossom.

Adam and Beth also connect over two raccoons in Central Park. Soon enough the two start dating.

A subplot, which was sort of unnecessary to the film's plot, involves Beth's father (Peter Gallagher) as he goes on trial of accounting fraud. He mentions is so casually near the beginning of the film that you think that it was meant to be a comedic bit.

Hugh Dancy offers a fine performance as someone with Asperger's without going too over the top but he tries to be too cute in some scenes like the Christmas party scene or when he meets Beth's parents for the first time.

Byrne also turns in a nice performance as Beth and has nice chemistry with Dancy. Gallagher on the other hand was over the top as Beth's dad especially when he tries to forbid when Beth from seeing Adam.

It wasn't a fantastic movie but overall Adam was a good tale with good performances if only it didn't try to be too cute.

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince a crowning achievement

2009-07-20T00:29:00.002-04:00

By Vanessa Ho

If you haven't read Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince then stop reading this review now. I am warning you that this review will be filled with spoilers. Last warning. Alright, you've been warned and after waiting eight months for the film version to come out, I think I can be a bit spoilerish.

If it wasn't for getting into The Twilight Saga, I would think these past eight months would have been unbearable but thankfully I got into and it helped dull the pain but as the weeks to the premiere ofHP6 started creeping up, I became increasingly anxious to see it.

Well, the wait was well worth it. Steve Kloves returns as screenwriter after taking a break from Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (or HP5) and he has again done a marvelous job of distilling a quite wieldy book into a digestible and enjoyable movie. Just like he did with Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (HP4), he has made the right plot cuts to help keep the movie going forward.

Unfortunately, he made some cuts that I didn't agree with such as Harry inheriting 12 Grimmauld Place from Sirius Black and the fact that he also inherited Kreacher. I hope that these very important plot points are in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows part one.
I am not going to bother writing a plot synopsis because if you are reading this, you have already read the books.

What I loved about the movie is basically Ginny (Bonnie Wright). I was so happy to see Wright's name finally make it to the credits. I have been so disappointed in how the filmmakers marginalized her role in the movies that it so great that she was such a major character in this film. Sure, she is Harry's (Daniel Radcliffe) love interest but she was simply amazing in the confidence she exudes not only in her feelings for Harry but in her abilities as a witch.
I also loved that finally after five movies of merely hinting at Ron and Hermione (Rupert Grint and Emma Watson) they finally are hitting us over the head with the fact that Hermione really fancies Ron and shows great jealousy over Ron's relationship with Lavender Brown (a perfectly cast Jessie Cave). The scene after Ron gets poisoned and he is in the hospital wing with Ginny and Hermione at his bedside and the Lavender comes rushing in demanding to see Ron (or Won Won –thanks Kloves for keeping that bit in from the books), because she is after all Ron's girlfriend and gets jealous after seeing Hermione there and demands to know why she is there. Hermione stands up and says "I'm his friend" and then Ron proceeds to say Hermione's name in his sleep making Hermione happy and effectively breaking up (later much to Ron's happiness) with Lavender. My favourite part of the book and now movie. I've always loved Ron and Hermione and I hope how their relationship is depicted in Deathly Hallows will be great in the movie.

And Freddie Stroma as Cormac McLaggen, a Gryffindor who takes a fancy to Hermione, has the right amount of blowhardness.

One of the things that I love about the Harry Potter movies is the casting. They always get it right, they did an awesome job in finding Evanna Lynch as she is the perfect Luna Lovegood and getting Imelda Staunton to be Dolores Umbridge in the last movie. This movie brings us Jim Broadbent as Horace Slughorn, Hogwart's new potions master that also holds a key memory that delves into the history of Voldemort.

I also finally accepted Michael Gambon as Dumbledore. It took three movies to finally shake Richard Harris' interpretation of the Hogwart's headmaster.

The scene that did that for me was of Gambon and Radcliffe in the cave was lifted straight from the book and director David Yates and Kloves brought it to life in a very chilling sense. Those Inferi were indeed frightening and also having to watch Dumbledore drink that potion to retrieve what they think is one of Voldemort's Horcruxes.

As with Wright, I am so happy that they gave Tom Felton so much more to do than he ever did in the entire film series. His Draco Malfoy had the perfect mixture of school bully and emotional confliction over the task Voldemort asked him to perform. It was also awesome to see Alan Rickman do so much more as Snape than in previous movies.

Other highlights his Nicholas Hooper's wonderful score and the scene with Katie Bell getting poisoned by necklace was also very frightening.

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince is right now my favourite movie adaptation of JK Rowling's boy wizard book series followed by Goblet of Fire, Prisoner of Azkaban (except for that final frame), Philosopher's Stone, Order of the Phoenix (I still disagree with some of the cuts) and Chamber of Secrets (those spiders still freak me out).

I look forward to seeing HP6 again but this time in IMAX. I really want to know what scenes are in 3D and also I want to catch all the stuff I might have missed.

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen one craptacular movie

2009-07-07T01:18:00.003-04:00

By Vanessa Ho

Growing up, I was a tomboy. With two brothers on either side of me and being close in age to boot, it was inevitable that I would be one. Transformers were our bonding experience. We had most of the Transformers. Older brother had the leader of the Autobots –Optimus Prime while younger brother had the leader of the Decepticons –Megatron. I got second bananas on both sides –Bumblebee and Starscream.

Imagine our excitement when, in 1986, there was going to Transfomers: The Movie a feature length animated film that was based on the cartoon show that was airing at the time. We thought it was going to be a blockbuster because the one showing we wanted to see was sold out but come Monday, I don't think it made a blip at the box office.

Back then the cartoon movie was like the Citizen Kane to an 11-year old. I re-watched it a few years ago and upon further reflection, it wasn't such a great movie.

Fast forward to 2007 when Michael Bay directed a live-action version of my beloved toys. I wasn't quite sure how he was going to do it but I was excited to see the film. I walked in excited and I walked out disappointed. While the effects where amazing, the story was confusing (the All Spark –what the heck is that?) and the dialogue was terrible. What was with Optimus Prime saying "My bad." Terrible just terrible. But the really awful thing about Transformers was that they turned my beloved Bumblebee from a Volkswagon bug into a Camero and gave him a Herbie-like personality.

Despite not liking Transformers, for some reason I had faint hope that Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen would be better than the first.

The answer to that is no. While the effects were still amazing and the Autobots and DEcepticons had more personality, the dialogue still sucked and the storyline still confusing.

Revenge of the Fallen takes place two years after the events of the original. Sam Witwicky (Shia LaBeouf) in pursuit of a normal life after saving the world, is off to an East Coast college to study Astronomy, leaving girlfriend, Mikaela (Megan Fox –who adds no value whatsoever storyline-wise) and his parents' (Kevin Dunn and the hilarious Julie White) home in LA.

Trouble starts when a shard of the All Spark cube falls out of one of Sam's sweatshirts. He picks it up and upon doing saw gets downloaded with Cybertronian symbols that apparently are a map that leads to a source of Energon on Earth. Apparently, the Decepticons want it and one in particular known as the Fallen, who is so powerful that only a Prime (meaning Optimus Prime) can beat him.

Confused yet? Don't worry, I didn't really quite understand what was going on and in fact I am so confused that I can't even recap the rest of the plot.

There were definitely things I did like about the sequel. The first being the interpretation of Soundwave as a telecommunications satellite (in the original cartoon, he was Walkman that spewed out tapes that acted as his robotic minions).

I also got really excited that the film featured the Constructicons –a subdivision of the Decepticons – that when they combine together form Devastator.

What was annoying? Megan Fox. I know her purpose was eye candy but her line delivery throughout was so wooden. Shia LaBeouf was fine but I don't really see his appeal as this is the fourth movie that I've seen him in where he and the film aren't great (the others are Transformers, Eagle Eye and Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skulls). Also, it was really hard to distinguish who was an Autobot and who was a Deception. While their symbols are visible in close-ups, far away they all looked the same and at times, I thought the human army lead by Josh Duhamel were attacking the Autobots.

The two twin Autobots were annoying in a Jar Jar Binks kind of way and weren't really necessary to the story.

And, if you've seen the original cartoon film –you will see some (and I mean a tiny some) elements in this film.

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen is definitely one loud and way too long summer blockbuster and it doesn't really matter what I think, there is going to be a Transformers 3 in a couple of years and I will probably be there to watch it.

The Proposal an engaging rom-com

2009-07-07T01:15:00.001-04:00

By Vanessa Ho

There is a certain formula to romantic comedies and The Proposal gets it just right and sprinkles it with a lot of humour.

In any romantic-comedy, the male and female leads need to antagonistic towards each other. In The Proposal we get Margaret Tate (Sandra Bullock) a takes no prisoner workaholic editor-in-chief at a book publishing company in New York City and her assistant, the put-upon Andrew Paxton (Canadian Ryan Reynolds). Andrew (and for that matter most of the employees at the company) hate her.

Next we need a situation that forces the two leads to spend an inordinate amount of time together so that they can get to know each other.

So, Margaret is a Canadian whose Visa has expired and now has to be deported back to Toronto for year before she can go back to the job she loves. Not wanting this, she pretty much bullies Andrew into marrying her.

Andrew reluctantly agrees under certain conditions that he be promoted to editor and get a manuscript he loves published. Margaret agrees. The snag is that U.S. immigration believes that their marriage is a sham and they have to prove that their relationship is the real deal. So off to Sitka, Alaska they go for the weekend to meet Andrew's family and celebrate his Gammy's (the wonderful Betty White) 90th birthday.

In all romantic comedies one or the other makes assumptions of the other person. So when Margaret arrives in Sitka, she is surprised to learn that Andrew's family is quite well of and practically owns the majority of the businesses in town.

Another staple of the romantic comedy, especially in ones where the couple are pretending be one is a scene of forced PDA but to only realize that they actually like it. In The Proposal after announcing that they are engaged, Gammy suggests the two kiss where it starts awkward but ends up being a bit more passionate.

Usually there is an ex involved and that role in The Proposal is filled by fellow Canadian actor Malin Akerman and the movie makes clear that Andrew and her still has feelings for each other (although the movie really doesn't make much use of it as a way to make Margaret jealous).

Of course throughout the film, Margaret and Andrew get to know more about each other and until you know it they are in love for real. And when the U.S. immigration officer, played by Dennis O'Hare, visits to check-up on the couple, Andrew's family suggests they get married during their stay.

I don't want to give away too much more but since this is a romantic comedy, I think you know how it ends.

It is odd to have American Bullock play a Canadian while Canadian Ryan Reynolds is playing the American. There is really nothing Canadian about Bullock's Margaret.

The strongest thing about The Proposal is the team of Reynolds-Bullock. Bullock really should do more comedy; it really is where she shines the best.

Sparks fly and hilarity ensues when they are combatants yet they lack chemistry when romance is involved. I found it incredibly hard to believe that Andrew would fall in love with Margaret; I think the writers didn't do enough to redeem her or make her loveable in any sense to the audience.

White of course steals the show as Reynolds' Gammy in every scene that she is in.

The much ado nude scene with Bullock and Reynolds was very funny and I could have used more of a naked Reynolds (that man is hot and ripped in a cute sort of way.)

The Proposal was a traditional romantic comedy with no surprises. However, while it hit all the comedy parts just right, it fell short of the romantic parts.

Bard's All's Well That Ends Well is a well done production

2009-06-28T00:22:00.006-04:00

By Vanessa Ho

Last week I had the great fortune to be invited to the dress rehearsal for All's Well That Ends Well, the first of Bard's two studio stage productions (the other being Richard II), and was blown away by the opulent Rachel Ditor directed production.

The standout of the production is Lois Anderson as Helena. She plays the orphaned daughter of a renowned physician is living as ward to the Countess of Rousillion (Patti Allan) a kind and gentle woman who thinks of Helena as a daughter. Helena is in love with the Countess's cad of a son, Bertram (Craig Erikson), the new Count of Rousillion (after his father's passing).

Bertram is called to the court of the King of France who is gravely ill. Love-sick Helena follows Bertram and uses what she has learned from her father and goes to the court believing she can cure the king. If she does so, her only caveat is that she be allowed to choose any nobleman to marry. The king agrees and Helena is successful and chooses Bertram to be her groom in a scene that could be lifted out of the season finale of The Bachelorette.

Bertram is repulsed that he is forced to marry Helena who is lower in class than him being a physician's daughter that he runs off to fight in the Italian wars before consummating his marriage to Helena. Bertram becomes more of a jerk when he writes to Helena saying that never will he call her wife unless she gets his wedding ring off his finger and gets pregnant by him.
Helena follows Bertram to Italy and discovers that he is trying to seduce a girl in the town where he is stationed called Diana (Celine Stubel).

Diana resists his advances because he is married and when Helena reveals that he is Bertram's wife the devise a plan that will help Helena meet Bertram's conditions. I won't reveal exactly what happens for those that haven't read or seen the play but that is one of the problems of the play but not the production.

All's Well That Ends Well is considered one of Shakespeare's problem plays in where the denouement is not exactly plausible but Ditor added a prologue not in the play that helps draw some context into Bertram's and Helena's relationship that helps the ending make sense.

However, what makes this production of All's Well That Ends Well excellent is the performances, in particular Anderson. What makes Anderson a standout is as soon as Helena comes on stage, you just fall in love with her from the get go and hate Bertram for not loving her too. Erickson is appropriately sexy and charming as Bertram so that you can understand why Helena would fall in love with him but at the same be such a slime ball that you also hate him.

Other performances of note are Allan Morgan as LaFew, an old friend of the Countess and Scott Bellis as the boastful Parolles, a follower of Bertram's. Both deliver hilarious performances and have witty banter amongst each other.

As well, kudos to Ditor for placing this production of All's Well That Ends Well during Victorian times, an ear I am especially fond of. Mara Gottler's costumes are so lovely and I also enjoyed the use of the laundry lines on Pam Johnson's set design during the second act.While I may have only seen a dress rehearsal it was still an excellent performance and I urge you to go see it once it has opened.

All's Well That Ends Well opens July 2 at Bard on The Beach's Douglas Campbell Studio Stage and runs until September 19. Bard celebrates its 20th Season this year.

(500) Days of Summer shines brightly

2009-06-24T01:00:00.003-04:00

By Vanessa Ho

Buzz for (500) Days of Summer coming out of the Sundance Film Festival this year was so positive that you wonder if the film could live up to its expectations when it had a wider release. The film not only delivers but it is all thanks to Joseph Gordon-Levitt's charming and winning performance.

Gordon-Levitt plays architect turned greeting card writer Tom Hanson and (500) Days of Summer recounts his courtship with Summer (a winning Zooey Deschanel), his co-worker from his greeting card company. Problem is Tom believes in true love and soul mates while Summer doesn't.

The script written by Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber doesn’t tell your typical boy meets girl story, which is definitely part of the charm of the film. The narrative goes back and forth and back again in time as it tells the tale of Tom and Summer's 500 days together with all its ups and downs.

Gordon-Levitt, all grown-up from his days of TV's 3rd Rock from the Sun, is loveable as Tom that you really hope he gets his happy ending (he certainly deserves it).

Deschanel manages to take what could be an unsympathetic character when you consider her belief in love but she brings so much complexity and layers to Summer that you don't hate her when you know early on that she breaks Tom's heart. Plus, she and Gordon-Levitt have such sweet chemistry, especially during one of their dates that takes place at an Ikea, that you can't hate her for long.

The supporting cast also deserves some praise, in particular Chloë Moretz as Tom's wise beyond her 12-year old years younger sister. Geoffrey Arend and Matthew Gray Gubler deliver hilarious performances as Tom's best friends McKenzie and Paul respectively.

As well, director Marc Webb lovingly captures some beautiful Los Angeles architecture in one scene as Tom shares his passion for architecture with Summer.

If there is one thing you need to do this summer is make sure you reserve one day to go and see (500) Days of Summer.

Up soars

2009-06-14T02:15:00.001-04:00

By Vanessa Ho

Pixar has done it again. Just when think that the Disney computer animation studio was due for a flop after nine consecutive critical and box office smashes.

And on the surface an animated movie about curmudgeonly 78-year old Carl Frederickson (voiced by Ed Asner) and an 8-yearWildnerss Explorer names Russell (charmingly-voiced by Jordan Nagai) seemed destined to be hits first box office failure but when you dig deeper, the movie is anything but.

Up's first five minutes will have you in tears so you know that the film is going to be good. What has you all emotional is how the story recounts Carl's life with his wife Ellie as they dream of adventures in Paradise Falls that is somewhere in South America. However, life gets in the way, they get older and Ellie passes away before that dream becomes a reality.

With Carl's home under threat of developers and himself being forced to move to a retirement community, Carl (a former balloon salesman) attaches 1000s of helium balloons to his home to finally embark on the South American adventure that his wife dreamed of as a little girl.

A hiccup in his plan is stowaway Russell, who was on Carl's front porch when the house floated up. Russell attaches himself to Carl as he just needs one more badge (Assisting the Elderly) so that he can become a Senior Wilderness Explorer. The pair does make it to Paradise Falls and encounter an exotic bird, talking dogs and a disgraced explorer (Christopher Plummer).

The movie is the first Disney Pixar 3D film and seeing Up in 3D isn't totally necessary. There were only a handful of scenes like when house floats away and some of action sequences that is neat but not worthwhile to pay the extra dough for the 3D glasses that are styled like the glasses that Carl sports. You don't need 3D to appreciate the colors of the balloons or on the exotic bird.

The real winner of this movie is the performance of Nagai as Russell. It is so adorable and innocent and filled with joyous naivety that as he and Carl go through their adventure, it elicited a lot of oohs and aahs from the audience. Russell is also animated so cutely that you just want to hug him.

Asner and Nagai made for a great voice team that elevated what is essentially a great buddy flick.

Also stay for the end credits for some Carl and Russell treats and don't be late for the film, you don't want to miss the Pixar short, Partly Cloudy, which plays before Up. I won't spoil plot details but let's just say clouds never looked so cute.

Enough of Jon and Kate Plus 8

2009-05-21T12:43:00.005-04:00

Don't get me wrong. I love Jon and Kate Plus 8 but with all the tabloid junk that is all over the place these days, I am actually finding myself not enjoying the show at all anymore.

I used to watch the show when I was stressed or down in the dumps because watching the adorable kids of theirs always puts a smile back on my face and makes my heart warm. My favorite of the sextuplets is Joel -he says so many funny things, especially during the Crayola Factory episode. My favorite of the sextuplet girls is Alexis because she is so wild and reminds me so much of my own niece. In fact, watching all the kids is like give me a crystal ball into my niece's own future development (she is only 21 months old).

But all this negative press around Jon and Kate makes it hard to enjoy the show (even the older episodes during happier times) no matter how adorable and cute the kids are. Now when I watch their vow renewal ceremony episode, it really makes me sick that it is now all a sham.

Of course, I am going to watch the fifth season premiere on Monday because I am curious to see how TLC and the show deal with all the stuff that has come to light. Plus the episode focuses on the sextuplets 5th birthday party and they are bound to be adorable no matter what is happening in their parents' lives.

For the sake of their marriage and their kids lives, please stop the show after this season. I think you guys make enough money now that I think you can survive without what TLC pays. I mean you get the royalties from book sales and DVD sales and probably repeat royalties. Re-visit again when the sextuplets are like 16 and the twins 18. We don't have to see them grow up before our eyes.

I am officially in love with The Twilight Saga

2009-05-19T12:38:00.017-04:00

Over the past few days, I've been inundated with tons of news of the Twilight Saga, in particular New Moon, the next movie installement. The poster to the left is one such news. It makes me excited to see the movie, even though it is my least favorite of the book series.

Robert Pattinson looks awesome but so does Taylor Lautner (who looks quite buff -but doesn't make like Jacob any more than I do now, which is I don't!) and Kristen Stewart, as always, looks great too. This poster is way better than the final poster for Twilight.

Every time I see this poster or see photos from the set or watch video of the set visits, it makes love Twilight more and more. Then when I heard that at the MTV Movie Awards on May 31, they are going to show a clip from New Moon. That really got my heart racing. At the same show, there are going to show clips from Harry Potter and the Hal-Blood Prince and Transformers The Revenge of The Fallen, while I am excited to see both of these films, I've already seen clips so I am more excited to see New Moon as these will be the first official images of the film.

Then came news that Breaking Dawn will indeed be made into a movie and will have Robert Pattinson in it. I am so excited to see this adaption. I am so looking forward to all the love scenes between Edward and Bella. But now it just when it will be filmed. After Elicpse finishes filming, Pattinson is going to be busy filming a bunch of different movies, amongst them a film starring Hugh Jackman (where do I line-up to my tickets?)

Angels and Demons doesn't quite illuminate

2009-05-19T00:48:00.007-04:00

By Vanessa Ho

Tom Hanks, this time with better hair, returns as symbologist Robert Langdon in Angels and Demons, a sequel to 2006's The Da Vinci Code (but in actuality the book is a prequel), who this time around is in Vatican City trying to solve clues to find four kidnapped cardinals before they are murdered and a canister of stolen anti-matter that threatens to blow-up Vatican City that is crowded because of Conclave (the event to elect a new Pope).

The film really picks up pace and excitement as Langdon and Vittoria (Ayelet Zurer) traverse across Rome and Vatican City trying to follow "the path to illumination" in order to find these four cardinals and the canister before potential disaster can occur. Also on hand is Ewan McGregor as the Carmalengo (a priest in charge of the Vatican when there is no Pope) helping Langdon and Vittoria find the cardinals and Stellan Skarsgaard as the head of the Swiss Guard who seems to stand in the way of their investigation.

The detective work was a marvel to watch and eschewed fairly close to the book. I also enjoyed director Howard's interpretation of the Vatican archives, which was quite neat to see and made me wonder if that was a realistic representation of the actual location.

Frustratingly, the screenwriters decided to either completely ignore or re-write key plot points that proved distracting to fans of Dan Brown's book, which was also what happened to The Da Vinci Code. Some of the stuff that they cut out could have helped explain certain things while some cuts made were necessary for storytelling purposes but that didn't make it any less annoying.

As with The Da Vinci Code, Hanks didn't exude much chemistry at all with his leading lady, Zurer, who I felt was a bit underutilized in the detective work. However, why have a beautiful young woman helping Langdon with his detective work and not have her be his love interest (as it was in the book). Here's hoping that when they do the film adaptation of Langdon's next adventure, The Lost Symbol that they actually give him a love interest or re-introduce Vittoria somehow.

Having read the book sort of took the suspense out of the film for me and I think I would have thought the film would have been more thrilling and suspenseful if I hadn't read the novel.

Nostalgia lifts Adventureland

2009-04-16T15:41:00.001-04:00

By Vanessa Ho

When I heard that Adventureland was written and directed by Greg Mottola, the same guy that brought us Superbad, I went into the theatre with trepidation not wishing to see another gross-out teen movie but I couldn't have been more pleasantly wrong.

Based on Mottola's own experience of working a summer job at an amusement park, Adventureland is set in 1987 Pittsburg and centers on recent college graduate James Brennan (Jesse Eisenberg) who is forced to find work after his parent's financial woes find him cancelling his trip to Europe and derails is graduate school plans in New York City.

Finding that he isn't qualified for even manual labour, James ends up working as a carny for Adventureland and there he meets the oddball crew that include Josh (played quirkly by Martin Starr) and his bosses Bobby and Paulette (the always hilarious SNL vets Bill Hader and Kristen Wiig). He also meets Em (Kristen Stewart) and quickly falls for her. As well, he starts to hero-worship Connell (Ryan Reynolds), the amusement park's mechanic, who also happens to be having an affair with Em.

Adventureland isn't a teen comedy but a coming-of-age story. James does grow during his time at Adventureland and learns some things about him and life outside of college.

There is something mesmerizing about Stewart. Every time she is on screen, I can't take my eyes off her. Yes she is beautiful but she imbues Em with some world-weariness that goes beyond her age and displays good chemistry with Eisenberg and Reynolds.

While Eisenberg was effective in showing James struggles, to me, he seemed to be channeling Michael Cera from Superbad or even Juno every time he opened his mouth when speaking his lines.

The other thing missing is more Hader and Wiig. When they were on screen, I laughed and wished they had more screen time.

However, one of the most effective things Mottola did with Adventureland was that he actually brought me to the amusement park. I actually could picture myself going there and felt the summer heat and wind there. The place reminded me a lot of Playland here in Vancouver and even the time I worked at the PNE and wandering through Playland on my breaks. The 80's tinged soundtrack also helped with that nostalgia feel with Crowded House and Falco's Rock Me Amadeus but if I had to listen to that song like 20 times a day, I might want to kill myself too as the characters want to do in the film.

ER The Series Finale -My Retrospective

2009-04-03T12:33:00.004-04:00

Last night, ER signed off for the final time after a glorious 15 year run. Now, I will admit that I haven't been watching the show for the last few years (I think since John Stamos joined the cast) but I decided to watch it this year because I knew it was going to be its last year. I think another reason why I stopped watching is that the writers were jerking around my recent favourite couple on ER -Neela and Ray.

But I did start watching the show from the very beginning -1994. ER does hold a somewhat special place in my heart because a life changing thing happened to me in its first season while I don't remember the exact episode that aired in November of that year but I remember watching the show while my personal drama was going on.

I faithfully watched ER since day one and my favourite episodes of all time is from season one and is entitled "Blizzard." What I love about this episode is pretty much how the orderly known as Bob, a woman from an Eastern European country who really was a cardiac surgeon, swoops in and cracks open a patient's chest and save's his life and afterwards becomes known as Dr. Bob.

One of the most horrifying moments for me is when Dr. Romano gets his arm cut off by the helicopter so unexpected and when they showed that moment again during the Retrospective, I screamed again.

One thing I didn't quite get closure on was the relationship with Neela and Ray. While I am pleased that she went to work in Louisiana to be with Ray, I really wanted some real confirmation like seeeing them be a couple instead of inferences such as Ray saying he brought this stuff for her office from home. And I read that they were going to write in Parminder Nagra's pregnancy into the show so I was hoping that she would show up in the finale at Carter's opening all pregnant with Ray and saying she is pregnant with Ray's child and not Dr, Brenner's (who I never liked as I saw him as a barrier to Neela-Ray).

Anyways, last nights finale was a great way to end the show. Like the whole season this year, this episode just seemed like a regular episode as with George Clooney's episode a couple of weeks ago. Nothing special, County General wasn't closing down with people being transferred, it wasn't a crazy dream or anything series finales are supposed to be.

The episode started off on the right foot. The opening credits came back. It really was one thing that bugged me during its last few seasons, why get rid of the opening credits -you had for what 13 season so you decide to get rid of it for its last two. It was annoying and when I saw it last night, I jumped for joy. It was great seeing all those names again: Noah Wyle, Laura Innes, Alex Kingston, Sherry Stringfield, Eric LaSalle -all the old names. Plus the new ones like Angela Bassett, Parminder Nagra, John Stamos, Scott Grimes and Linda Cardenelli.

I did like the re-appearance of Thandie Newton's Kem to close out Dr. Carter's storyline with some hope for their marriage. More old faces appeared: Weaver, Lewis and Benton for Carter's opening of his new medical center to help those who can't afford the care like the homeless. I liked seeing those old faces but wouldn't have minded seeing Dr. Chen or Neela or Ray or Abby or Luka. I think the kid who played Dr. Benton's son last night was played by the same kid who played him as a child. I also liked the wink and nod to Dr. Benton and Corday's past relationship. And did you see Corday's rental "car."

Another thing I really liked was Alexis Bledel as Dr. Julia Wise (or as I kept on calling her Dr. Rory) and if ER lasted another season, I wouldn't have minded seeing her on TV again. I really liked how she handled a lot that was thrown at her from the man with HIV to the poor pregnant woman who gave birth to twin girls. During the retrospective they said that there will be moments from the pilot in the finale and I think this pregnant woman storyline while not in the pilot reflected one of ER's best episodes (Love's Labours Lost). But what came from the pilot and was shown last night was Lydia (a nurse we haven't seen in ages) calling Dr. Morris to wake up just as she did in the opening scenes of the pilot calling Dr. Greene (Anthony Edwards).

Speaking of Dr. Greene, I did love the re-appearance of Rachel, his daughter (Hallee Hirsh). I really loved how her character has changed and matured and is now a med student touring County as a potential place to work. I also loved that she gets along with Dr. Corday since I think she lives with her as she goes to Duke and Corday works at Duke. I teared up during the retrospective when they showed Dr. Greene's death. If you remember during that time Rachel was a real *itch and really unlikeable. I like to think that his death really effected her and that's why she decided to become a doctor.

I love the fact that Dr. Carter took her under his wing pretty much like how her father did with him and really loved the last scene when a major trauma was coming into the ER in the wee hours of the morning and Dr. Carter jumping in to help and turns to Rachel and said "Are you coming Dr. Greene?" I loved that. It was having Dr. Greene back. It was awesome.

As series finales go, I think it was one of the best. Nothing flashy. The only thing I could have done without was the repeat of the ER theme as the episode concluded.

I think the show ended when it needed to but the show will live on in repeats and DVD and its stamp can be seen in all the other hospital dramas that followed it or will follow it on TV too.

Natasha Richardson dies after skiing accident in Quebec

2009-03-18T20:15:00.004-04:00

This is from CBC.ca but I will add some of my thoughts after the story:

British stage and screen star Natasha Richardson has died in New York after suffering a head injury while skiing at Quebec's Mont Tremblant resort on Monday.

A family spokesperson made the announcement Wednesday evening.
Richardson, 45, was a celebrated film, TV and stage actress with prolific credits on both sides of the Atlantic. She came from an esteemed family of British actors.

Her maternal grandparents were Sir Michael Redgrave and Rachel Kempson, and her Oscar-winning parents were Vanessa Redgrave and the late Tony Richardson.

Her younger sister, Joely Richardson, is an actor, as are her aunt Lynn Redgrave, uncle Corin Redgrave and aunt Kika Markham.

Though Richardson and her husband, Irish actor Liam Neeson, were based in U.S., where their teenaged sons Michael and Daniel were born, she trained at London's Central School of Speech and Drama.

A familiar face for movies such as The Handmaid's Tale, The Comfort of Strangers, Nell and The Parent Trap, Richardson is most noted for her extensive stage career.

Theatre accolades began flowing in 1986, when she was dubbed the most promising newcomer by the London Drama Critics Circle for a turn in The Seagull opposite her mother.
By 1998, when she starred as Sally Bowles in Sam Mendes' revival of Cabaret, Richardson was awarded a raft of best actress trophies, including Tony, Outer Critics circle and Drama Desk Awards.

After starring in a one-night benefit concert performance of Stephen Sondheim's A Little Night Music with her mother in January, Richardson had been slated to reprise the role in a planned upcoming production.

She had also been set to star in a December revival of August Strindberg's Miss Julie on Broadway, along with Philip Seymour Hoffman.
On Monday afternoon, the 45-year-old Richardson was taking a lesson on a beginner's slope at Quebec's Mont Tremblant ski resort north of Montreal.

The actress, who was not wearing a helmet, suffered what initially appeared to be a benign fall, not hitting anyone or anything else, according to the resort.

"She showed no injuries," Mont Tremblant spokeswoman Lyne Lortie told CBC News on Tuesday. "She was talking. She seemed all right. But [the ski patrol] have to follow strict procedures, so they brought her back to the bottom of the slope.
Richardson agreed to return to her hotel room, accompanied by the ski patrol and her instructor.

About an hour later, she complained of a headache and was taken by ambulance to a local hospital, Centre Hospitalier Laurentien in Ste-Agathe. She was eventually transferred to Montreal's larger Sacré-Coeur hospital.

Neeson immediately left the Toronto set of the Atom Egoyan film Chloe to join her Monday evening in Montreal.

Around midday on Tuesday, the actress was taken by private plane to New York, where the couple lives with their sons.

Family members — including the two boys and Richardson's mother, Vanessa Redgrave — were seen arriving at Manhattan's Lenox Hill Hospital on Tuesday evening.

I think what really gets me about this story is all the conflicting reports that came out on Monday shortly when the accident happened. At first, it sounded like she was brain dead then the next she was okay and even joking with people. It was almost too close to home for me. My dad suffered through a traumatic brain injury via a terrible car accident and while my dad survived, I did get conflicting reports on his condition.

I think this is a sad passing. I wasn't a huge fan of Natasha Richardson but I did first become a big fan of hers when she appeared in the remake of The Parent Trap back in 1998 and have been a fan since, even slogging through terrible movies like Maid in Manhattan (I wanted to see that film because she was in it). I also admired the fact that she came from an acting dynasty and really loved her mother, Vanessa Redgrave, when she was in Howards End.

Richardson was 45 when she died and I think she still had a great career ahead of her with tons of wonderful performances both on stage and on film.

I do have a sort of personal Natasha Richardon story. While I never met her, I do remember back in 2004 when Liam Neeson came to the Toronto International Film Festival for Kinsey and Richardson accompanied him to the red carpet, I was staked out across the street from Roy Thompson Hall with my telephoto lens and took pictures of them as they got out of their limo and moved along the red carpet. Here are some of the pictures that I took.

Enough with the horror movies already

2009-03-13T02:48:00.004-04:00

Another Friday the 13th is upon us and only after a month from our last one and I am honestly tired of all of the horror/suspense/thriller movies that keep on coming it seems every week.

Last month it was Friday the 13th (coincidentally enough) and My Bloody Valentine 3D. Tomorrow we get Last House on the Left and coming soon The Haunting in Connecticut, Drag me to Hell and I am assuming Babysitter Wanted (I am judging this by the poster).

Sure movies like Scream and the first Saw movie helped revitalize the gory horror genre but over the past say 10 years, a whole bunch of them have come out and not a lot have done well at the box office and now I hear there is going to be a Saw VI and that disgusts me. I think they really should stop making Saw movies because there are no longer box office hits and what story can come out of these. I think the Saw franchise is in danger of being like the Land Before Time series that when I worked at Rogers Video about 10 years ago, they were already at part 14.

Now I am not a fan of the horror genre, never been ever since I saw Jaws II as a child but I just think there are too many of them that come out that pretty much tell the same story of a psycho or group of psychos terrorizing/killing pretty young things in a remote area. Enough is enough.

I mean I excpect a horror movie to come out at Halloween or on a Friday the 13 or a day like 666 (June 6, 2006) as the case was with The Omen remake but not let's say Good Friday or Rememberance Day.

I am just ranting because I saw a commercial for Last House on the Left during George Clooney's ER appearance and it just got me going.

Live Blogging the 81st Academy Awards

2009-02-22T20:04:00.009-05:00

Hello all again. This is my third year blogging the Oscars and I am quite excited about this year's ceremony. Will this be the year that my favourite actress of all-time will win her Oscar? I think this will be Kate Winslet's year but we will see.

And this year is my first time blogging it back on the West Coast!!!!!! Last night, I can say that I have now seen all Best Picture Winners since 1996 (The English Patient) as I finally saw the rest of No Country for Old Men. After seeing this it got me thinking that as a huge movie fan, I've only seen 26 out of the 80 Best Picture winners. I haven't seen Gone with the Wind all the way through or even seen Schindler's List but I have made this vow that whenever a Best Picture winner like Chariots of Fire comes on TV, I'll watch it except for Silence of the Lambs -I can't bring myself to watch a "horror" film.

I just finished watching the East Coast feed of the Barbara Walters Oscar special and I have to say I am looking forward to seeing Hugh Jackman host. I was skeptical but I've seen him do the Tonys and he did a great job for the three years that he did it. Plus he is so damn sexy so I can't argue the eye candy aspect of it.

Speaking of sexy, I am looking forward to seeing Robert Pattinson (of Twilight) present.

Watching ABC's Red Carpet coverage and whatever right now. I am not going to comment as I am not much of a fashionista. All I care about is the awards.

I've made my predictions as did my brother (or he has at least until Hugh Jackman opens his mouth) and we also have this list that appeared on the Internet of the purported winners. We will see if it matches the actual winners (and I won't change any of my predictions because of this list).

Ok, I need to comment on this Red Carpet on ABC. It is so obvious that it has been edited down to 30 minutes. It's so choppy that it is a bit disconcerting.

I have to say that now that I've been to LA and to the Kodak Theatre, I can now envision how the Red Carpet works. It is amazing that they close down the whole road (Hollywood Blvd.) for the Oscars.

It's almost showtime. Just saw my brother's predictions and we have disagreed on some categories so we will see who comes out on top. I have to say this year I really did my research. We will see if it pays off. If I win I get Twilight on DVD. If Justin wins I can't make healthy/vegetarian stuff.

5:30pm PST Here we go...That's quick. Here's Hugh Jackman.

Orchestra on stage. Means a musical number is up. 5:32pm He is singing about Slumdog Millionaire.

Did he say your Craigslist Dancers?

Yeah, my brother just said I don't know what to make of it. And I don't know either. It is kind of a homage to Billy Crystal.

5:36pm: The Anne Hathaway bit was a definite set-up that was planned. Yes lame but funny.

5:37pm Jackman hasn't seen the Reader and he can't even sing that with a straight-face.

5:38pm Don't know what he is going to do now. But it was funny if somewhat lame.

5:39pm The crowd seem to love it. The stuff with Frank Langella was funny. He did this stuff with the Tonys and I did like it then and I like it now.

5:40pm What is going with this. Are we only going to see curtain? This means supporting actress is coming. I guessed Penelope Cruz for Vicky Christina Barcelona and Justin guessed Taraji P. Henson for The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (which Justin kept on wanting to call it Curious George).

5:42pm Eva Marie Saint, Whoopi Goldberg, Tilda Swinton, Goldie Hawn and Angelica Houston. They are going to announce supporting actress, usually it is last year's best supporting actor winner. Producers did say they were going to do things differently.

5:47pm Finally they are going to announce the winner....Penelope Cruz. Me: 1 for 1. Justin: 0 for 1.
Actually I am glad that she won. I was so close to picking Viola Davis. I've heard her 12 minutes in Doubt was amazing. The woman who played the part on Broadway won the Tony so that was a consideration.

5:52pm This is funny Tina Fey and Steve Martin doing screen directions. Big applause for Tina Fey. Screenplay award now. Steve Martin is so funny. Best Original screenplay. We both guessed Milk. I like how they are presenting this award. The winner is: Milk. I am two for two so far. Justin is batting 50 per cent. A prop 8 shout out of sorts.

5:58pm A Charlotte Bronte shout out. Now screenplay adaption. The Don't fall in love with me statement came of of nowhere. We guessed Slumdog Millionaire. The winner is: Slumdog Millionaire. So far I am three for three and Justin is 2 for three.
I've never seen the screenplay award be presented this early. But they are making this year's ceremony different.

6:03pm Jennifer Aniston and Jack Black are doing Animated Feature. I guess not. First of many montages for the evening. I guess this is a 2008 movie scrapbook. So are we doing Animated Feature? Okay, we are. So we both guessed Wall-E. The winner is: Wall-E. I doing well so far tonight. I want a commercial break so I can make the sauce for dinner. But I have to say Wall-E is a beautiful film. So that's why Hello Dolly is an important part of Wall-E.

6:08pm Aniston and Black are doing Animated Short. I guessed: La Maison en Petits Cubes. Justin: Presto. The winner: La Maison en Petits Cubes. That was a total guess but based on advice from EW. So thanks Entertainment Weekly.

6:15pm What's next...Art direction. I do like how they present this award too. We both guessed Button. Winner is Button. I think this is the category where a Canadian was nominated (and now won). I don't think there is going to be a Marketa Irglova moment if the second person doesn't get to speak.

6:20pm Costume design. We both picked: The Duchess. Winner: The Duchess.
6:22pm Now is Make-up. Both of us picked: Button. The Winner: Button.
6:25 Robert Pattinson and Amanda Seyfried. Hello Robert Pattinson. I think they are introducing love in film for 2008.

6:31pm So they are going through the process of making a film and Stiller is looking like Joaquin Phoenix. They are doing Cinematography. We guessed Slumdog. Stiller was doing something we didn't see. He is just wandering around. Winner: Slumdog. So far I am 100%. Justin has only got one category wrong.

6:39pm Jessica Biel doing the Tech awards. Looking a bit livelier than past people.
Then they cut to another commercial break.

6:42pm Now they are doing comedy in 2008. Seth Rogen and James Franco are laughing as if the Reader was a comedy the same with Doubt. This is funny.

6:45pm It was a Judd Apatow short so no wonder. Short Film now. We both guessed: Toyland. Winner is Toyland.

6:52pm Hugh Jackman is doing another musical number but more like a Broadway style number. Well, it's Beyonce. Maybe she is going to sing all the Best Song nominees too. These songs are from Broadway musicals and not movies. This would work if this was the Tonys. There is Zac Efron and Vanessa Hudgens and Dominic Cooper and Amanda Seyfried. This is lame. Really lame.

7:01pm This is it Best Supporting Actor. We both guessed Heath Ledger for the Dark Knight. There is no doubt that he will win. If he doesn't then that will truly be an upset. Who are they going to get to do this category? Christopher Walken, Kevin Kline, Cuba Gooding Jr., Alan Arkin and Joel Grey that's who. No Javier Bardem...interesting. Arkin just mixed up Philip Seymour Hoffman's name. The guy behind Michael Shannon can't see. I am getting teary-eyed with what Kevin Kline was saying about Heath Ledger. The winner is: Heath Ledger. It is sad that he isn't here to accept the award. I don't think they will cut Heath Ledger's family off. Everyone is crying.

7:10pm That was moving. Now Documentary in 2008. I do like how they are doing this. The filmmakers talking about it than just showing their faces in the audience. Justin just said that this year's Oscars is all about context. I think he's right (as usual). I chose: Man on Wire. Justin: Trouble the Water. Bill Maher is presenting this category. The Betrayal's guy's teeth is distracting. The winner is: Man on Wire. The guy who walked the two twin towers is here. The guy just balanced the Oscar on his chin. Best Doc short. Both picked: The Witness from Balcony Room 306. Winner Smile Pinki. There goes my perfect game. Crap!!!! I was so hoping 24 for 24.

7:23pm I think they are going to post-production stuff. So in this section we will get Visual effects, sound editing, sound mixing, score and song.

7:25pm Will Smith is doing Visual Effects. We both guessed: Button. Winner: Button. So far I have 12 right and Justin has 9 right out of 13 categories announced so far. Sound editing. I guessed Wall-E. Justin guessed Dark Knight. The Winner: The Dark Knight. So I got two wrong so far. Sound Mixing. We both guessed: The Dark Knight. Winner: Slumdog Millionaire. Wow. Got three wrong. I am stunned.

7:33pm Film editing. We both chose: Slumdog Millionaire. The Winner is Slumdog Millionaire.

The only other category we guessed differently is Foreign Language film. So basically, I win the Oscar bet this year as we agreed on the rest of the category.

7:42pm Jerry Lewis getting the honourary Oscar for his charity work. Presented by Eddie Murphy. That was a short video. They are really trying to get the show done by 8:30pm. They still have Best Song and Score and Foreign Film, Best Actor and Best Actress and Best Director.
I thought he was going ramble but it was nice and short.

7:50pm Best song and Best score category. Wanna let us know what we are listening to? I do love the score category. The score for Defiance sounds emotional but Schinder's List-esque. Most of the music on my iPod are of scores. Milk sounds sombre. I guess Zac Efron and Alicia Keys are going to announce the winner. We picked: Slumdog Millionaire. Winner: Slumdog Millionaire.

7:55pm Best Song now. Are they going to perform it? Yes they are. Why are they mixing them together. That doesn't make sense. I really think they should go back to having each song sung individually and not part of a medley. I really like Jai-Ho my choice and Justin's too. The winner: Jai-Ho. The winner AR Rahman wins best score, performs in Best Song then wins for Best Song. I've never seen anything like this before.

8:05pm The performances of the songs could have been better. Frieda Pinto and Liam Neeson. Foreign Language film. Me: Waltz with Bashir Justin: The Class. The winner: Departures. That was one of the three possibilities and I didn't think that would be the winner. So far I got four wrong.

8:09pm Four categories left. They might just finish on time for me to see the Amazing Race.

8:10pm Queen Latifah doing the Dead Person's Montage. Queen Latifah is singing during the dead person montage. I can't see who they are honouring and it hard to tell which person will get the most applause because Queen Latifah is singing but of course Paul Newman got the biggest applause.

8:18 Sid Ganis, the president of the Academy is not going to make a speech YAY!!!!! Reese Witherspoon is doing Best Director. We both guessed: Danny Boyle for Slumdog Millionaire. Winner: Slumdog Millionaire.

We are getting close to Best Actress...If Kate Winslet doesn't win, I am seriously going to be devastated.

8:24pm Now it is Best Actress. Who are they going to get? Sophia Loren, Shirley Maclaine, Halle Berry, Nicole Kidman and Marion Cottilard. We both picked Kate Winslet for the Reader. The winner: Kate Winslet. Finally!!!!!!!! Six nominations and finally she gets one. I am very happy. She deserves it. Cute how Kate's Dad just whistled.

8:35pm Best Actor and they are 5 minutes over. So who is going to present? Robert De Niro, Ben Kingsley, Anthony Hopkins, Adrian Brody and Michael Douglas. Our pick: Mickey Rourke for the Wrestler. Robert Pattinson is over Mickey Rourke's shoulder. The winner: Sean Penn. I did debate long and hard on that one but chose Rourke because of the comeback kid type of thing. So I got five wrong so far.

8:47pm They should just get into Best Picture and they are. Our pick: Slumdog Millionaire. Even without showing clips of the film. They are still over. Best Picture montage..... this late in the game.....mixing it with past winners and nominees, not a bad idea. The winner: Slumdog Millionaire.

Now I can say I've seen every single best picture winner since 1996 as I saw Slumdog Millionaire last weekend.

This is the best showing I've had since Return of the King's year where I got about 22 out of 24 right. So 19 out of 24 isn't so bad. Justin got 17 out 24. So I win. Thanks for Twilight on DVD.

Well the Oscars are over for another year. Hugh Jackman was a charming host but wasn't really present that much. See ya next year.

Movie Review - Slumdog Millionaire

2009-02-15T00:07:00.003-05:00

Slumdog Millionaire hits the jackpot

By Vanessa Ho

Slumdog Millionaire is not your typical Oscar-nominated movie. It isn't an epic like The Curious Case of Benjamin Button or deals with heavy subjects like those depicted in Doubt and The Reader but it is a feel-good movie in a sense that is clouded in desperate, tragic and depressing circumstances.

The movie opens up as our hero Jamal Malik (Dev Patel) is on the cusp of winning it all on India's version of Who Wants to be a Millionaire but questions abound as to how he got here. Did he cheat? Is he a genius? Or is it written? The film explores how Jamal gets to this point by intercutting with his childhood experiences in the slums of India as he and his older brother, Salim, struggle to survive after the death of their mother. Tagging along is Latika, a young girl also orphaned who would pretty much become the love of Jamal's life.

Director Danny Boyle's depiction of the slums of India is heartbreakingly real and the experiences of these three young Indian youths as they struggle to survive are also quite emotional and hard to watch.

At the heart of the film is essentially the love story between Jamal and Latika (played as an adult by the lovely Frieda Pinto). Jamal goes on Millionaire in hopes to be reunited with Latika.

Patel is also winning as Jamal. You can see his desperation in his face as he tries to find Latika and as he tries to defend on why he knows the answers on Millionaire. The three young people that play Jamal, Latika and Salim are adorable and in the scenes depicting life in the slums their cuteness against this backdrop is heartbreaking.

But despite some of the bleakness, as I said, this is a feel-good movie in that you won't leave the theatre feeling sad over some of these characters fate but a sense of hope.

2008 Oscar nominations are out

2009-01-24T01:24:00.003-05:00

The Oscar nominations came out on Thursday. There were a lot of surprises and some nominations that were as expected. Click here for the complete list of nominations.

The most shocking thing to me that happened while I was watching the nominees being announced was the exclusion of Kate Winslet (my favourite British Actress of all time) wasn't nominated for Best Supporting Actress for The Reader.

Now I didn't really hear the nominations as I was in the middle of listening to Microsoft's second fiscal quarter 2009 webcast for work when they were being announced but when Best Actress came up I was unpleasantly shocked that Melissa Leo snagged a nom for Frozen River. I haven't seen the film and I've heard that she is great in it but I was hoping to see Kristen Scott Thomas for I've Loved You So Long. Thomas was amazing in that film but alas she got snubbed. Also snubbed was Golden Globe winner Sally Hawkins for Happy-Go-Lucky. I've seen this film and while most critics praised her optimistic and sunny character, I found her annoying and her sunny disposition grating. So I was not too disappointed that she didn't get nominated. Now seeing Kate Winslet nominated as Best Actress was no surprise but because I wasn't listening to the nominations but seeing it, I assumed she was nominated for Revolutionary Road (which she won the Golden Globe for) so when later I found out it was for The Reader, I was truly shocked. As Revolutionary Road being pretty much shut out for major categories was surprising.

Another surprise came in Best Actor with Richard Jenkins getting nominated for The Visitor. I've seen this movie and did think he did a great job and am happy that he was nominated but I know he won't win.

Now I know there are other snubs but I didn't watch that many Oscar-bait movies to say they were snubbed and they were only considered snubs because critics were saying they were.

But I was surprised that Rachel Getting Married only earned a Best Actress nod for Anne Hathaway, which was expected but didn't get one for Jenny Lumet's original screenplay.

Seeing Slumdog Millionaire getting 10 noms and hearing other people that I know that has seen it praising the film really makes me want to see it.

A few years ago, I vowed to myself that I would try and see every Best Picture nominees before the Oscar telecast, alas the only year I did that was when Million Dollar Baby one. Since then, I have either only seen one or none beforehand. Though usually, I end up seeing the Best Picture winner afterwards but I haven't seen all of No Country for Old Men. I saw like an hour of it on a plane but haven't seen the rest since and I don't know if I want to. If I don't, it breaks my streak of seeing every single Best Picture winner since The English Patient.

Out of the five Best Picture nominees this year, I've seen only The Curious Case of Benjamin Button and I've no desire to see Milk but I do sorta want to see Frost/Nixon and most likely will see The Reader since I am a big fan of Kate Winslet.

There are two categories that I can call right now and that is Heath Ledger for Best Supporting Actor and WALL-E for Best Animated film. Those two are sure things that me saying it here is not giving too much of my predictions away. I am not going to post my predictions before February 22 just in case my brother, whom we have an annual bet, should read my thoughts. I have the DVD of Twilight riding on this if I win. If I lose, I apparently can't argue about us trying to eat healthy for the next three months. My dad said I will win this year's bet because I know more about movies than my brother so I am hoping he is right.

Movie Review: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

2009-01-02T17:52:00.002-05:00

Pitt and Blanchett shines in Button

By Vanessa Ho

Clocking in at almost three hours long, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button didn't feel like you were clocking watching but rather soaking in the story of a man, Benjamin Button (Brad Pitt) who ages in reverse and the ensuing love story.

Button is born shortly after the end of World War I. His mother dies giving birth to him and his father (Jason Flemyng), after seeing his son, abandons him on the steps of a nursing home, where he is found by Queenie (Tarajil P. Henson) who becomes Benjamin's surrogate mother. What is unusual about Benjamin is that when he is born he looks like a man well into his 80s will all the ailments of a senior citizen.

As he starts to grow younger, he meets Daisy (first played by Elle Fanning as a child, then Cate Blanchett as an adult). As they grow up together, they fall in love and finally meet in the middle in their 40s where their love really blossoms.

The love story is the heart of the film and where it truly flourishes. Pitt and Blanchett had undeniable chemistry and every scene they are in together is powerful and emotional.

Button is based on a short story by F. Scott Fitzgerald and screenwriter Eric Roth really did an excellent job in shaping the story and giving it more heart and emotion.

Part of that heart goes to the performances, especially Henson as the no-nonsense Queenie. She truly seems to have formed a nice mother-son bond with Pitt. And Pitt is a true revelation here, giving great depth to Button in his various ages and proves that he is an actor with more than a pretty face. Blanchett of course is always amazing, in particular towards the end of the film, when she encounters a younger Benjamin; a truly heart wrenching reunion.

But there were times that I wished there was more of Daisy and Button. Too much of the movie is spent focusing on Button's adventure after he turns 17 and leaves for adventures at sea and during World War II. The romantic in me just wanted more scenes with Pitt and Blanchett. Their love story is one for the ages. Their story was of the most interest to the film.

Be prepared to cry as you the inevitable conclusion of a love story where one lover moves into old age and the other goes towards infancy.

The year that was

2008-12-31T11:47:00.001-05:00

2008 brought some interesting life changes for me as I moved back to Vancouver after living in Toronto for four years. I am glad to be back home with friends and family again but I do miss my friends back in TO.

Aside from still being astounded in watching my niece able to grow up, 2008 brought some great adventures. I traversed the Maritimes in May and realized a childhood dream of going to Prince Edward Island to see the land where Anne of Green Gables came from and seeing things like Green Gables and Dalvay-by-the-Sea (aka The White Sands Hotel) with my own eyes.

While work travel didn’t take me places like Shanghai this year, I did get to go to Los Angeles for the first time and realize another dream: seeing the taping of The Price is Right!!! You can catch my show on January 8, 2009.

This year I also volunteered for the Vancouver International Film Festival. While not quite like volunteering for the Toronto International Film Festival, it was still an awesome experience and I got to see 11 movies out of it. My personal favourites were: I've Loved You So Long, I am Good, Rachel Getting Married and Summer House (despite that last 10 minutes).

Speaking of movies. I didn't see many first run movies in theatres this year. Now that I live near a second run movie house, have seen some double headers. But I digress.

The biggest disappointment in 2008 was the fact that Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince movie was moved from November 21 2008 to July 17, 2009. I was so looking forward to that movie last year but now I have to wait another year to see it. The trailers make the movie look awesome.

Among the highlights of movies I did see include WALL-E, Prince Caspian, Get Smart and Mamma Mia. This list actually sums up all the movies I did see in theatres this year.

I am saving the Twilight movie for last. It was a movie that I had no desire to see in 2008. It was the movie that took over my beloved Harry Potter spot. But that was before I read any of the books. As mentioned in a previous blog, I only read the book to see what the big deal was and the big deal was the epic love story between a teenage girl and an impossibly handsome vampire. After reading all four books, I really wanted to see the movie. My review is posted but the movie still lingers with me especially when I listen to Carter Burwell's Bella's Lullaby. It takes me that that scene in the movie and I remember Kristen Stewart's and Robert Pattinson's chemistry.

I would say Twilight was a surprise for my in 2008. I didn't expect to love it.
2008 was also a great year for me reading wise. I've read like about seven books in the last two months. I haven't read that many books released this year but the highlight was Tales of Beedle the Bard by JK Rowling. At least 2008 gave me something Harry Potter related.

Also let's take a moment to mourn the cancellation of shows that I loved in 2008: Pushing Daisies and Eli Stone. TV this year was a bit of a disappointment too as I am not interested in any of the new shows that were introduced for the 2008-09 TV season.

Things to look forward to 2009 movie wise. Well I am currently reading The Time Traveler's Wife and I am looking forward to seeing that movie as the book so far is very intriguing.

I am also eagerly anticipating The Lovely Bones, the movie based on the book by Alice Sebold. The book was amazing and I cried during some parts of it. The cast of the film is good too (Rachel Weisz and Mark Walberg) so I am hoping the film will be faithful to the story.

Of course I am looking forward to July 17, 2009 for Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince and November 20, 2009 for New Moon (the second film in the Twilight Saga –although the book sucks). They are filming New Moon in Vancouver in March so maybe I will get to see Robert Pattinson milling about Vancouver.

Happy New Year and see you in 2009.

Twilight vs. Harry Potter: Which one do I love and why?

2008-12-16T20:49:00.003-05:00

If I had to choose between these two book series, easily I would have hands down have said the Harry Potter series by JK Rowling. How could I not chose this, after all it is my literary love. Harry Potter and the Philosopher's (Sorcerer's) Stone was the book that started my love of reading.

As my brothers could attest, I never liked reading. Even I am surprised that I survived high school. I think with a couple of exceptions (like Hiroshima and A Farewell to Arms (which by the way, I really had to slog through that to even finish)) I don't think I ever read a novel all the way through. I mostly relied on the movie version to get through tests. As an aside, I remember when I used to work at a video store, I would always laugh as I saw high schoolers come in to rent Hamlet, Jane Eyre and Wuthering Heights as I knew that they were only watching those because that is what they were studying at the time.

But back to the issue at hand, as soon as I read the first Harry Potter book, I became hooked on his tale. At first, I didn’t want to read Harry Potter because I thought they were children's books but there was so much hype about it that I was curious but didn't want to fall for the hype. However, I joined an online book club and they recommended the first Harry Potter. After all, this same book club recommended The Blue Castle by LM Montgomery and I really loved that book. So I gave them the benefit of the doubt and walked into a book store to buy Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone.

I couldn't put the book down. What surprised me the most was that it didn't read as a children's novel. Adults could totally get into it and I loved the fact that it wasn’t predictable as most kids books are. You think one person is the villain throughout but then Rowling puts in a twist you don't see coming.

This became the same thing through books 2 to 7. And as the books grew in size and became darker, it was evident that Harry Potter could be enjoyed by all ages. I love the suspense that Rowling created as the series progressed. I wanted to know the outcome of the saga. I read Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows (the last book in series) in 24 hours. The fastest I have read any book. I wanted to read it fast so I wouldn't be spoiled by people talking about in the streets or the Internet. I needed to know how it all ended. I was on tenderhooks and worried throughout. It didn’t help that Rowling said that at least two characters would die and I didn't put it past her that one of the two could have been one of the trio of Harry, Ron and Hermione.

Reading Harry Potter lead me to read more and more. Since May 2008, I've read almost 10 books. I think the most I've ever read in one year.

Four of those books where the Twilight Saga. And if it wasn't for Harry Potter, I would have never read Stephenie Meyer's Twilight Saga. I was so biased for Harry Potter that when I saw a local bookshop having a midnight release party for Breaking Dawn the last in the Twilight series, I wanted to see if it was to the grand scale as Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows midnight release party. This is the same bookshop that held that party at Van Dusen Gardens and not at the store. I went to a midnight release party in Toronto for HP7 and it was an awesome experience. Anyways, I went there at around 11:45pm and saw that the line-up wasn't large and I laughed and knew there would be no line-ups that stretched a good portion of West Broadway and knew that Harry Potter would always be more popular than Twilight, which still holds true today.

This was all before I even read the Twilight Saga. As with Harry Potter, I was curious to see why teenage girls and their moms loved this story about the love story between a human teenager and a vampire. And since the movie was coming out soon (taking over Harry Potter and the Half –Blood Prince's old release spot) I decided to borrow the book from the library.

And I do have a literary policy. I seem to read books knowing that a movie version is coming. I did that with Atonement, Howard's End, Remains of the Day, The Lovely Bones, etc…

So I read the first book in the Twilight Saga and as I was reading it, I did get a sense of why people love it. The reason why I didn't want to read it at first was because a) it was for teenage girls and I haven't been a teenager in a long time and b) it was a horror story and I don't do horror.

But how wrong I was, the elements of horror weren't scary at all and the appeal of it is the love story. And I am a romantic and I really love a great love story especially the one that Meyer depicted in Twilight.

Twilight does remind me a lot about Jane Eyre (my classic literary love) and I read that one of the influence's of Twilight is Jane Eyre and I can see that. Bella sees herself as ordinary while Jane calls hers "small, obscure, plain and little." The Edwards that they love are handsome, beautiful and rich. Both women don't think that their Edwards could ever love them in return as they love them. The Edwards on the other hand see themselves as monsters, damaged good, unworthy of Bella's and Jane's love.

If you ever read the first 12 chapters of Midnight Sun, the retelling of Twilight from Edward Cullen's perspective, you see that Bella and Edward were totally in synch with each other in terms of their feelings. Both pretty much fell in love with each other at the same time, felt the same insecurities until they were finally able to profess their love in the meadow. It actually melts my heart as I write this.

I also thought it was romantic that it was the first love for both and considering that Edward is a 108 year old vampire, it is quite sweet. And I love that sometimes the first love you feel for that person is the ONE.

While Harry Potter has elements of romance in it, it wasn't the overriding dominant theme. After all, it was all about defeating Voldemort. But I loved that Rowling brought together Harry and Ginny and Ron and Hermione and I really loved the epilogue as we got to see a happy ending happen to these couples. I was less thrilled that she killed off my other favourite couple in the series: Tonks and Lupin. No good Rowling, not good at all.

But those romances don't hold a candle to the intense love that Bella and Edward feel for each other and as you continue reading the other books in the series New Moon, Eclipse and Breaking Dawn you can feel their love grow (just ignore the Jacob parts) and you get to see them live and be a couple. Another influence of Meyer was the Anne of Green Gables series because you get to see Anne and Gilbert's life after getting married. Breaking Dawn, while ridiculous in places, really showed what I wanted to see in the Saga: Bella and Edward after they got married. To me, it seemed that their love story got more complete and even hotter. However, unlike HP7, I wasn't on tenderhooks because I somehow knew there would be a happy ending while the ending to Deathly Hallows was mixed with joy and sadness. It was a more of a bittersweet ending.

So I can I chose which I love better? I think I can and that would be Harry Potter. As I said, if there was no Harry Potter, there would be no Twilight. I remember after HP7, I was telling a friend while we debriefed over HP7 that I would never read again. Harry Potter got me into reading and didn't see any books that interested me but she said I should give Twilight a try, A year and half later, I am glad that the old adage of never say never is true.

What do I read next? I don't know. I am waiting for Midnight Sun to actually get published and then after that, who knows.

Twilight movie review

2008-12-16T00:39:00.004-05:00

Twilight doesn't quite shine

By Vanessa Ho

Don’t get me wrong, I really wanted to love Catherine Hardwicke's adaption of Stephenie Meyer's widely popular vampire romance Twilight. After all I fell in love with the books that depict the epic love story between ordinary high schooler Bella Swan (played how I imagined her to be by Kristen Stewart) and an impossibly beautiful vampire named Edward Cullen (the perfectly cast Robert Pattinson aka Cedric Diggory from Harry Potter).

But alas, I didn’t. Screenwriter Melissa Rosenberg has been very faithful to Meyer's first book in the Twilight saga and even cribbed a lot of the dialogue from the novel but certain scenes just didn't translate well to the screen as they did on the page. For instance, the first moment that Edward sees Bella in biology, he is repulsed by her smell because he is overwhelmingly attracted to her human scent but the scene just comes off as unintentionally funny they way Pattinson held his mouth and nose as if he is about to throw up.

But I am getting ahead of myself, Twilight starts with Bella moving away from sunny Phoenix to

dreary Forks, Washington to live with her father (Billy Burke) after her mother (Sarah Clarke) remarries and wants to travel with her new husband as he tries to make it as a professional baseball player. Soon after starting at the new school, she attracts the unwanted attention of many of the boys at the school but she is immediately intrigued by Edward and his family. At this point, she doesn’t suspect them to be vampires. Edward constantly avoids her and I guess that makes him more attractive to her. Eventually, she figures out who he is, thanks to some help from childhood friend Jacob Black (Taylor Lautner) and confronts him with her theories, which he confirms by showing her various things.

Edward takes Bella to meet his vampire family and explains that they aren't like other vampires. The only hunt animals. However, Bella's life becomes endangered after another vampire called James (Cam Gigandet) smells Bella and wants her blood, thus setting up a battle to save her life or doom her to become a vampire.

The most important aspect to me of any adaptation of Twilight is chemistry. Do Pattinson and Stewart have chemistry? From the trailers and photos I've seen, I inferred that they did and when I finally saw the movie, I agree. It was a very slow burn chemistry (much like how the characters in the book slowly fall in love) and culminated to a very hot kiss in Bella's bedroom.

Stewart has to carry the whole film as Bella is the central character and she does a great job but at times, especially near the end after the climactic battle, she was a bit over the top in her line delivery.

And you can tell that this film was made for only $40 million. The special effects weren't great, especially during a pivotal scene between Edward and Bella that I won't spoil to those that haven’t read the books. Here's hoping that New Moon, the next film in the Twilight Saga will have a bigger budget and better special effects.

But at the heart of this film is the love story between Bella and Edward and after being away from the film for a few hours, that is really all I can think about and what I think about after I've read the novels so in that sense, the film succeeded in my expectations of capturing their love. After all, I am quite the romantic.

VIFF 2008: The Stone of Destiny

2008-09-28T02:04:00.002-04:00

The Stone of Destiny received a standing ovation from the audience at the opening of the Canadian Images portion of the 27th Annual Vancouver International Film Festival and I don't it wholly deserved it.

Director and writer Charles Martin Smith tells the true story of a group of Scottish university students from Glasgow as they plan and steal the Stone of Destiny or the Coronation Stone from Westminster Abbey but his story telling is filmed with so many clichés such as the "don't fall for me" line leading lady Kate Mara throws to leading man Charlie Cox knowing that they eventually will and the shy Alan (Ciaron Kelly) coming out of his shell at a crucial moment, that it is hard to truly enjoy it.

The film begins winter 1950 in Glasgow and culminates to Christmas 1950 when Ian Hamilton (Cox), Gavin Vernon (Stephen McCole), Kay Matheson (Mara) and Alan Stuart (Kelly) succeed in stealing the stone but without some hiccups along the way.

A little back story about the Stone of Destiny or the Coronation Stone is that it’s a oblong block of red sandstone weighing approximately 152 kg. It was used for centuries during the coronations of the monarchs of Scotland, England and Britain. Back in 1296, the Stone was captured by Edward I as spoils of war and taken to Westminster Abbey. Hamilton wanted to do something for Scottish pride as back them Scotland was being referred to North Britain and wanted a symbol to represent Scottish independence, hence stealing the Stone.

However, when the quartet finally does steal the stone, the celebration on the streets of Scotland just ring false and I just didn't get the sense of pride and excitement that the people felt over their feat. Also ringing false was when Hamilton was initially planning his heist with his friend Bill (Billy Boyd). All the books, maps, floor plans and casing the joint just rang like a false version of Ocean's Eleven and this point was really hammered home when Bill left and Hamilton recruits Matheson who then recruits Vernon who then recruits Stuart.

The only true bright spot of the film is McCole as Vernon. He not only provides comic relief but was also endearing when he told of his reason for wanting to steal the Stone and I loved the part where he affects a snotty British accent to glean information off a priest on how to better access Westminster Abbey. Truly wasted was Robert Carlyle as someone who secretly finances the theft and Oscar winner Brenda Fricker as Carlyle's maid. Her role was pointless, just serves tea, eavesdrops then leave scene. Also, what really bothered me was the celebration between Carlyle and Fricker when the Stone was stolen really rang false.

Mara was fine as Matheson (even with her uneven Scottish brogue) but the fault of the film lies with Cox, he isn’t charismatic enough to care about why he wants to steal the Stone, which in turn makes me not really care.

The Stone of Destiny is next showing on October 8th at 11:30 am at Empire Granville 7 Cinemas. The Vancouver International Film Festival runs now until Oc

Movie Review -Mamma Mia!

2008-08-11T12:53:00.002-04:00

Mamma Mia! Frothy and fun

By Vanessa Ho

Mamma Mia! the movie is just as exuberant on screen as it is on stage. Having seen the stage production seven years ago, I had some trepidation as to how well that story can translate to the silver screen.

I needn't worry.

What works in the film's favour over the stage is the fact that it was actually filmed in Greece and the audience doesn't have to rely on their imagination to believe that they are in Mediterranean; you are there in all its beautiful and wonderful glory.

Mamma Mia! the movie and the stage musical have crafted a story around super 70s group ABBA to glorious effect. I found it amazing when I originally saw the show that they took songs like the title song and Dancing Queen and somehow made its lyrics work with the story.

But what is the story that the ABBA songs fit so nicely? Well, Mamma Mia! is about Sophie (Amanda Seyfried, TV's Big Love) who is about the get married to Sky (a very hunky Dominic Cooper) and wants her Dad to give her away. The only problem is she doesn't know who her dad is and after reading her mom's, Donna (Meryl Streep), diary, she discovers that she has three possible fathers: Sam (Pierce Brosnan), Bill (Stellan Skarsgard) and Harry (Colin Firth). Hilarity ensues when Donna discovers all three men are at the resort that she runs and gets all emotionally confused upon seeing them again, especially Brosnan's Sam. Good thing her two best friends (Christine Baranski and Julie Walters) from their singing group days are in town for the wedding to offer emotional support.

The performances from all the actors are surprisingly good, especially Streep who sings with great gusto especially on The Winner Takes it All and Walters (Harry Potter's Mrs. Weasley) offers great comic relief in particular with her wooing Skarsgard's Bill during Take a Chance on Me. Another highlight is the end credits, which I won't spoil here but if you've seen Mamma Mia! on stage then you know what I am talking about.

However, the real star of the film is Seyfried. Her singing voice alone is stupendous. I love her renditions of Lay all your love on me (one of my favourite songs from the stage version) and I have a dream.

The same can't be said for Brosnan, whose singing voice is just atrocious, more than over during SOS. I wanted to yell S.O.S so someone could save me from his singing. Firth and Skarsgard do decent jobs with the songs they are given to sing (Our Last Summer and Take a Chance on Me, respectively).

The film version also benefitted from having the original creative team on board with the stage production's director Phyllida Lloyd helming the film version and the book writer, Catherine Johnson, writing the screenplay. And unlike, The Producers movie, this didn't seem like a reproduction of the stage version because of the fact that it was filmed on location.

Mamma Mia! is one of the better recent stage to screen musical adaptations of recent years and a must see for all ABBA fans; just plug your ears when Brosnan is singing!

Movie Review: WALL-E

2008-07-07T14:25:00.003-04:00

WALL-E: A feast for the eyes and soul

By Vanessa Ho

Pixar has another hit on their hands in WALL-E. First it started with the playful Toy Story and continued with last year's delicious Ratatouille.

WALL-E is about a robot named, well, WALL-E (Waste Allocation Load Lifter Earth-Class and "voiced" by Ben Burtt) that was left behind on Earth to clean-up the mess we humans made when we took off for space after the planet became uninhabitable. It has been 700 years that WALL-E has been doing his job and he is endearingly curious, finding everyday mundane things wonderful and keeping them as souvenirs like a bra, a lighter and a Rubik's cube. Also cute is how he sets out every morning for work with lunch box in hand and comes home every night to his pet cockroach.

His only source of entertainment is his love for the movie musical Hello Dolly! And he constantly watches two musical numbers from the film: "Sunday Clothes" and "It Only Takes a Moment" the latter features scenes of the two romantic leads holding hands that affect WALL-E throughout the film. Then one day, while toiling away, a ship lands on Earth and out pops EVE (Extraterrestrial Vegetation Evaluator, Elissa Knight). WALL-E falls in love with her and is very cute as he tries and court EVE, especially when he is hesitant in wanting to hold her hand.

As a romantic gesture, he gives EVE a potted plant that he finds while working. But as soon as EVE sees it, she grabs it and goes into lock down. This was what she was sent to Earth to discover. Here WALL-E tries all he can to wake EVE up and does various things to protect her. Eventually, EVE's ship comes back and gets her and brings her back to the Axiom, a space cruise ship that is home to Earth's former citizens that because of years of being in space and inactivity (due to relying on hover chairs) have become morbidly obese. Adventure ensues when the plant goes missing and WALL-E and EVE must rescue it in order for the ship's captain (Jeff Garlin) to fulfill his mission of finding sustainable life on Earth so humans can go back home. I was definitely tearing up near the end of the film.

The blending of live-action clips of Hello Dolly! into the animated sequences are marvelous and seamless. As well, Fred Willard plays the only live person in the movie as Shelby Forthright, CEO of the Buy N Large, a company that features prominently in the film. His blending into the action was also seamless.

The animation is visually appealing in particular the scenes with WALL-E travelling from Earth to the Axiom and WALL-E himself was drawn very well and loved how he expresses emotions through his eyes.

While the film features very little dialogue except for the sounds created by sound designer Burtt (who also created some of the legendary sounds in Star Wars such as the lightsabers' distinctive noises), the story was very effectively told through the animated emotions of the two leads as well as using the music from Hello Dolly!

As well, the messages of the film: global warming and inactivity leads to obesity were never in your face and told well through the use of humor. As with all Pixar films there was definitely something for everybody young and old.

Looking forward to see what Pixar brings in 2009. If it is anything like their past nine, then I expect nothing but greatness.

Movie Review -Prince Caspian

2008-06-08T21:37:00.003-04:00

Narnia's Prince Caspian still charms

By Vanessa Ho

While the first Chronicles of Narnia movie The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe was magical and whimsical, the second installment, Prince Caspian¸ is darker, filled with great epic battles against good and evil and a little something something between Caspian (Ben Barnes) and Susan Pevensie (Anna Popplewell).
Andrew Adamson takes the helm again as director and adaptor. He does follow C.S. Lewis' 256 page novel to a tee but has to fatten the story up in order to fill out the film's over two our running time.

He does it by adding battle sequences, while grand to behold, weren't in the books. However, to his credit, these scenes do serve a purpose to the general story.
Prince Caspian opens up with the birth of a son for King Miraz (Sergio Castellito), which spells trouble for his nephew Caspian, who is heir to the throne of Narnia. He is woken up in the middle of the night by his tutor, Doctor Cornelius (Vincent Grass), to flee his uncle's castle and his given Queen Susan's magical horn to use when he needs help. As he flees deep in the forest and encounters trouble and blows Susan's horn.

Back in England, the Pevensie children, Peter (William Moseley), Susan, Edmund(Skander Keyes) and Lucy (Georgie Henley) are waiting to board the Tube to go to boarding school but are magically pulled into a tunnel that brings that back to Narnia.

They soon discover the ruins of their home Cair Paravel and find out that while a year has passed in their world, 1300 years passed in Narnia time. And in that time, a race called the Telmarines invaded Narnia shortly after the Pevensies left Narnia and the world that the Pevensies knew has become a more "savage place then they remembered" according to their dwarf ally Trumpkin (played wonderfully by Peter Dinklage).

Soon a battle ensues with the Pevensies, Caspian and the Narnian's joining forces to bring down Miraz and his army to bring peace back to Narnia with maybe with the help of Aslan (voiced by Liam Neeson).

The film is filled with wonderful special effects, in particular the scene were Lucy encounters the tree people but at times, it seemed that Adamson wanted to cram the movie with as much special effects as possible like the river scene at the climax of one of the battles.

Barnes is a find as Caspian but does a weird European accent that seems out of place and not at all how I imagined the character when reading the book. All the Pevensie children had definitely matured as performers, especially little Henley, in her scenes with Aslan. Keyes has also matured in his performance of Edmund from the last film. This is evident in his interaction with his siblings.

Popplewell and Moseley were particularly bad asses in all their battle scenes, rocking the bow and arrow and sword respectively. I also really enjoyed the chemistry between Barnes and Popplewell and even though a "romance" between Caspian and Susan wasn't in the novel, I ate it up even knowing that it won't go anywhere in future movie adaptations.

Caspian wasn't as magical as the first Narnia film but here's hoping the magic will continue with Voyage of the Dawn Treader coming out in 2010.

For fans of The Office -British and American

2008-06-05T16:38:00.001-04:00

I am not a fan of The Office having only seen a few episodes but this video from the season finale of SNL had me laughing so hard:

I hope you enjoy

Harry Potter stuff

2008-05-08T10:54:00.003-04:00

People that know me know that I am a major Harry Potter fan and I've done miscellaneous things in the fandom such as sort myself and most recently, I just found out what kind of wand I would have.

So apparently, after taking a test at: http://www.diagonalley.5u.com/ollivanders/index.html
This would be my wand.

Wood type: chestnut
Length: 9 inches
Core: Dragon Heartstring

get your own wand!

As well, after being sorted via Facebook application, I would be in Hufflepuff. And at first I wanted to be Gryffindor but I thought about it and I am an extremely loyal person (as demonstrated by me not shopping at Sears because I used to work for the Bay) so it all fit. Anyways, just wanted to share my geekiness.

Movie News - Ellen Page to star in "Jane Eyre"

2008-05-07T20:06:00.003-04:00

There is news that was released today that BBC Films is planning a feature film adaptation of Charlotte Bronte's "Jane Eyre" starring Canada's Ellen Page in the title role. I don't know how I feel about this piece of movie news. I love Jane Eyre and love Ellen Page. She is the right age but I don't know if she has the right look for it. I know she can do period as I first noticed her in Pit Pony but I just don't know. Another reason for my trepidation is the fact that BBC recently did a superb miniseries adaptation in 2006 of Jane Eyre. Ruth Wilson was awesome as Jane and Toby Stephens was excellent as Rochester. The last time it was a feature film, it was 1996 and it starred Charlotte Gainsbourg and William Hurt. That production wasn't great except for the music.

I will see it and I am looking forward to see who would be Rochester -there are rumours that it could be Christian Bale (not a bad choice). If there is one thing that I ask the screenwriter is that she capture the passion of their love story that Sandy Welch managed to capture. So I expect to see that it follows the book pretty faithfully, beautiful location and scenery, a great score and awesome chemistry between Page and the one who plays Rochester. If this film version has all of those and can equal the Wilson/Stephens version then I will like.

Movie Review - Iron Man

2008-05-04T15:13:00.003-04:00

Iron Man has some heart but lacks finish

By Vanessa Ho

Iron Man is the latest in a long line of comic book heroes to come to the screen and in director Jon Favreau's version, it doesn’t' quite meet expectations of recent quality adaptations like Spider Man 2 or Batman Begins.

The fault really isn't Favreau's as origin movies do take a while to get going and it really does take a while before we finally see Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) emerge in the Iron Man suit.

But every story has a beginning and the movie starts with Stark in a military convoy in Afghanistan that gets ambushed and his protectors all killed. He is then taken captive by terrorists group called Ten Rings who want him to reconstruct a military weapon that his company, Stark Industries (which specializes in weapons manufacturing) developed and demonstrated earlier that day.

While in captivity, instead of developing the weapon, he works on fashioning a suit, with the help of a fellow prisoner (Shaun Toub) that will help them escape their captors. The suit is powered from a miniature arc reactor, which supplies energy to an electromagnet which protects Stark's heart from the embedded shrapnel in his chest

After returning to the States, Stark shuts down the weapons manufacturing part of Stark Industries, much to the consternation of business partner Obediah Stane (Jeff Bridges).

The journey towards becoming Iron Man was satisfying and Downey Jr.'s performance as Stark/Iron Man is amazing. Seeing his transformation from brilliant engineer but womanizing billionaire to one that is dedicated to using his great mind to protect his country after learning that the weapons his company makes are being used by terrorist is what makes the movie work.

The sequence of scenes where Stark is upgrading the design of the original suit features amazing special effects (the suit looks frakking awesome) and great one liners from Downey as he interacts with his robotic team that are assisting him.

Truly wasted is Terence Howard as Stark's military friend James "Rhodey" Rhodes. He really adds nothing in his scenes but only comic relief and sidekick support.

Gwyneth Paltrow plays Pepper Potts, Stark's loyal personal assistant, who delivers witty one-liners to Stark's latest conquest early on in the film but is seemingly attracted to Stark. Paltrow's talents are also wasted in her role but it is hard to have a strong, independent female character in a super hero movie without being the damsel in distress.

As Stane, Bridges quickly turns him into a one dimensional and stereotypical comic book villain that is drunk with power and jealous over our hero Stark, this is especially true in the film's climactic scene towards the film's end that features an over the top performance from Bridges.

You can tell that Favreau's is a fan of the comic books (and he even cameos as one of Stark's bodyguards Happy Hogan). The film does feature amazing special effects and Iron Man is a superhero that definitely embraces who he is and proud to show it off and takes the audience happily along for the ride as well as its inevitable sequels.

Live Blogging the 80th Academy Awards

2008-02-24T17:18:00.006-05:00

Hello out there and welcome to the 2nd Annual Pop Goes the World live blog of the Academy Awards. This being the 80th edition, i am so glad that the writer's strike is over so that we can have a grand celebration of this award show rewarding the best in film.

As with last year, I have made a bet with my younger brother. We disagreed on seven categories so no chance of a tie. At stake is a buffet meal while we are in Vegas in a couple of weeks.

What you won't find in this live blog is me blogging the red carpet stuff because a) I am not that into fashion and b) sometimes the questions these people ask the nominees or the celebrities are stupid.

But there is one category I am excited for and that is Best Original Song. I really want the song from Once -Falling Slowly - to win. I love that song and this weekend I picked up Once on DVD. It is such an awesome movie that everyone should see.

8:00 We are 30 minutes from the ceremony. Just have to go through 30 minutes of Regis doing the Red Carpet on ABC.

And I normally have pizza and booze as my Oscar dinner but today it's OJ and Hamburger Helper. Next year will be better as I will be back in Vancouver and can actually host an Oscar party and if my friend Lynette hosts one at her place in Victoria, I will be there!!!! She puts on an awesome party every year and I've missed it these past four years.

8:25 Five minutes to go to showtime and Regis is a bit annoying. Sometimes I think he is a bit out of touch with pop culture today and the only reason why I think he knows what he is saying is because he is reading it off a teleprompter.

I think I might have said it on my blog last year but it is a dream of mines to go to the Oscars. One of these days I hope to write a movie that might get nominated.

8:27 credits are rolling so that means we are now near the end and Regis just called Javier Bardem Xavier Bardem -see what I mean by him being out of touch. I remember Kelly Ripa saying on Friday on Live with Regis and Kelly that Regis calls Javier Bardem, Xavier.

Anyways, so close to show time. I would be more excited but I am bit tired from the weekend. Stayed up until 2am last night and did quite a bit today, so I am pooped but I think once the show starts and the awards start getting dished out I will perk up again, especially as I keep track of my Oscar pool.

8:30 Here we ago the start of the show. A CG opening with different film clips like Transformers, Easy Rider, Cars, etc... obviously honouring the fact that it is the 80th Academy Awards.

8:32 For some reason I am hearing voices....but no funny opening. Well, here is Jon Stewart, see how he does on his second time hosting.

8:35 Good joke about the depressing nominated movies and mentioning Juno (a fave film of mines)

8:37 ok laughed at the Norbit joke -I mean laughed out loud. So far so good, glad that they went right into Stewart's monologue so that means the giving out of awards can't be too far behind.

8:39 Stewart is definitely using the U.S. Election as fodder in his monologue.

8:41 sounds like it is starting. It is. First presenter. Unlike last year where it seemed it took forever to get started.

8:42 First category: Costumer Design. Me: Sweeney Todd Justin: Elizabeth. Winner: Elizabeth. Justin: 1 Vanessa: 0. Not off to a good start for me. I don't why I listen to Entertainment Weekly. But it is just the first category. But my dream of getting 24 out 24 right is over with the first category. As I said the only time I came close was 2004 when I got 23 out of 24 right.

8:47 George Clooney presenting history of the Awards. Great, our first montage of the evening. Good joke about the ceremony being long. Not a bad montage since I do love watching the Awards ceremony.

8:51 Unintenional iPhone plug.

8:52 Second category of the evening with Get Smart's Steve Carrell and Anne Hathaway. I did like how Carrell made the subject matters of the film sound like a serious documentary. It is Animated Feature. Justin and I: Ratatouille. Winner: Ratatouille. Justin: 2, Vanessa: 1. I love Ratatouille. So happy that it won.

8:56. Katherine Heigl is presenting Make-up. Me: La Vie en Rose. Justin: Pirates of the Caribbean. Winner: La Vie En Rose. We are tied. Thank goodness to EW. We are tied. Justin: 2, Vanessa: 2.

8:59 First best song performance from Enchanted. Happy Working Song with Jon Stewart singing it no, just kidding. It is Amy Adams. It is odd that she is singing it alone on the stage but she does have a nice voice but I don't want this or any song from Enchanted or August Rush to win. I am surprised no interpretive dancing is going on. That was an odd and weird performance. Seriously, weird (and not in a good way). I hope that three songs split the vote. So far the Happy Working Song doesn't hold a candle to Falling Slowly.

9:02 I do like these Oscar memory videos. I think they are so much better than parading past Oscar winners on stage like they did for the 75th.

9:05 Crap! I forgot to tune in at 9pm to see Gillian Anderson introduce Part 3 of Pride and Prejudice on Masterpiece Classic. Oh! well.

9:06 The Rock doing an award for Best Visual Effects. Me and Justin: Transformers. Ok, Rock you are no a comedian. Winner: The Golden Compass. We both lose. Score remains at 2-2.

9:10 Cate Blanchett doing Art Direction. Me: Atonement. Justin: Sweeney Todd. Winner: Sweeney Todd. I thought about picking it but decided to go with Atonement. Justin: 3, Vanessa: 2.

9:12 You know what I am glad is that there is so far no Martin Landau moment of people's speeches not getting cut off.

9:13 First acting award via montage for Supporting Actor. Jennifer Hudson is presenting this award. A bit stiff there Jennifer in your reading. Justin will be disappointed that Tom's scened didn't involve baguettes. Justin and I: Javier Bardem. Winner: Javier Bardem. Justin: 4, Vanessa: 3. That was a no-brainer and I pretty much typed out that he was a winner even before Jennifer Hudson read the winner. Loved his Spanish thanks to his Mom.

At 9:19 I have this feeling that I am not going to win the pool this year. I am preparing myself that I have to pay for the Vegas buffet.

9:23 Taste of what the Oscar's would have been like of the writer's striker were to go on. The montage to binoculars and periscopes was a funny bit. The Bad Dreams salute was funny.

9:24 Keri Russell, whom I loved in Felicity, is introducing the August Rush song. At least the presentation of this song is more entertaining than having just Amy Adams on stage singing.
I think each song is actually song the full length version of the song. Like that much better than cutting the song short like they have done in ceremonies past.

9:28 Yes the little girl was good. What did Owen Wilson get nominated for. Anyways, Live Action Short. Justin: At Night I: Tanghi Argenthini. Winner: Les Mozart Des Pickpockets. We are still at 4-3.

9:31 ok that Bee from Bee movie or Jerry Seinfeld. Anyways, he is doing Animated Short. Justin and I: I Met the Walrus. Winner: Peter and the Wolf. Give me a freakin' break. We are still at 4-3. I am not doing very well.

9:34 I think we are at Best Supporting Actress. Alan Arkin to present. Me: Cate Blanchett. Justin: Tilda Swinton. Winner: Tilda Swinton. My goodness. How does Justin know this. Justin: 5, Vanessa: 3. That was a great speech. Definitely memorable.

9:40 I really thought that this was my year but the show seems to be moving along at a nice pace.

9:44 Jessica Alba doing the Scientific Awards. Yawn!!!!

9:46 James McAvoy -hello. And Josh Brolin, whom I remember from Young Riders. I think they are doing a screenplay award. Adapted Screenplay. Justin and I: No Country for Old Men. Winner: No Country for Old Men, although I was rooting for Canadian girl, Sarah Polley. But cool that she got nominated. The tally is 6-4 for Justin.

9:49 The Academy president is on. I can go and get a snack, which I am going to do right....now

9:51 Ok a little more interesting knowing about how the Oscar process works. Much better than the president making a long and boring speech.

9: 52 Miley Cyrus most likely doing another song in Enchanted but sung by Kristen Chenoweth, whom I love a lot. I already know that this will have a cheesy production number when Regis previewed it backstage just before the telecasted started. I really don't like the big splashy numbers anymore. I just want something simple when the songs are performed. The song is just ok, I don't think that it showcases what Kristen Chenoweth can do. I was really disappointed with that. I am sure the song is fine if seen in the context of the film but I personally didn't like it.

10:00 I did enjoy the whole pregnant actress stick.

10:01 Judi Dench and Halle Berry, really. had me going there for a second. It is Seth Rogen and the guy from Super Bad. Their banter is ok, could be funnier if it didn't seem so forced. Sound Editing. Justin: Bourne Ulitmatum. Me: No Country. Winner: The Bourne Ultimatium. I am losing so bad right now. Justin: 7 me: 4.

10:05 Next category Sound Mixing. Justin: Bourne. Me: No Country. I am pretty sure I have lost this one too. I was banking on a No Country Sweep. Winner: Bourne. 8-4 Justin. He is four categories up. I think I have lost this considering that we agreed every where else. Congratulations Justin, you have won yourself a Vegas buffet.

10:08 We are already at Best Actress, that is pretty soon. Me and Justin both predicted: Julie Christie. Winner: Marion Cotillard. 8-4 still Justin. I mean, good for her but I really wanted Julie Christie or Ellen Page to win.

10:14 I think that this is the worse I have ever done. I have only 4 right. That is really a shame for me as a movie buff. I really thought for sure I was going to do well. I really hope to hit double digits before the nights out. We have 11 categories left so hopefully I got all of those right to end up with 15 right for the evening and Justin will end up with 19 since we agreed on the remaining categories.

10:17 They are playing Wii. Cool.

10:18 Colin Farrell will be introducing the song from Once. Falling Slowly. I love this song so much. What is with the orchestra, not necessary at all. The piano and the guitar is enough. The orchestra is ruining the song. Please leave the two of them alone. The song is beautiful without all that damn orchestra. Why pan to Bill Conti and the audience. Hello it is all about Glen and Marketa.

10:22 Jack Nicholson is doing what montage? I guess a montage of all the Best Picture Winners. too bad the years are cut off. In 80 years of the Oscars and Best Picture, I have seen I think 24 of them. Not too bad.

10:27 Renee Zellweger is doing Film Editing. Justin and I: No Country. Winner: The Bourne Ultimatum. We are still at 8-4 for Justin. I am surprised that the Bourne film is winning in these technical areas.

10:29 while this guy is doing his speech, I have noticed that there hasn't been a presentation for Best Picture nominees throughout.

10:31 Nicole Kidman is presenting a special award to Robert Boyle a legendary production designer. This is for the Honorary Oscar. The guy is 98 and I think he is still working today or at least teaching today.

10:42 Penelope Cruz to present Foreign Language Film. Me and Justin: The Counterfeiters. Please let me get this right. I already lost the bet. I just need my movie pride back. Winner: The Counterfeiters. Thank God. 9-5, still for Justin.

10:44 Patrick Dempsey aka McDreamy is introducing the final song from Enchanted. Another cheesy production number. It reminds me of all the times when Alan Menken's song were nominated in the past like from Beauty and the Beast and Aladdin. I feel like turning to Masterpiece Classic so I could see clips from the new Sense and Sensibility and Room with a View. The guy singing is cute though but I think the song is whatever. I know I am very biased towards the song from Once. Why not do one for Amy Adams like have a whole bunch of people in animal costumes pretend they are cleaning the Oscar stage!

10:48 John Travolta will come on and announce the winner for Best Song. Me and Justin: Falling Slowly from Once. This is the one and only category I truly care about and am rooting to win, which is Once. Winner: Falling Slowly from Once. I am so happy. I am jumping up and down right now. Too bad Marketa didn't get to say thanks but Glen did a good job. Score: 10-6, still for Justin. I am too chuffed that Once won. To anyone that hasn't seen Once. Go out and rent it or better yet, get the soundtrack on iTunes. I never bought anything from iTunes before until I saw Once last year and as soon as I heard Falling Slowly and the equally beautiful If You Want Me, I bought the soundtrack.

10:51 I agree with Jon Stewart that the song is beautiful.

10:57 Marketa gets to say her thank you's. Thank you Jon Stewart. I love Jon Stewart for allowing Marketa to do her speech.

10:59 Cinematography presented by Cameron Diaz. I forgot we differed here. Me: No Country. Justin: Atonement. The way I am going, I probably am wrong. Winner: There Will be Blood. I rather both of us be wrong than Justin be right. Score 10-6, still for Justin.

11:01 Hilary Swank is doing the dead people montage. Not to be glib about it but that's the only way to call it and I think it is sad that people applaud only for certain people. I think Heath Ledger would get a fair number of applause.

11:05 While the montage was going on, I was reading other blogs of the Oscar, in particular EW and they said that Jon Stewart letting Marketa do her speech was the classiest thing on the show and I so agree.

11:08 Original score presented by Amy Adams. A category that I always love. Me and Justin: Atonement. Winner: Atonement. Score 11-7. I am inching into double digits, yay!!!!!

11:11 Tom Hanks doing another montage I think, not so sure. Ok, so he is doing best documentary short via soldiers in Bagdad. I think it's nice touch. Me and Justin: Sari's Mother. Winner: Freeheld. Was thinking about chosing that one but thought the Academy was filled so many old farts and they were too conservative to chose a film that had to do with a lesbian. Score still at 11-7. Can I break double digits?

11:15 Documentary Feature. Both Justin and I chose No End in Sight. Winner: Taxi to the Dark Side. Still at 11-7. Not hitting double digits this year, I don't think. If I get best actor, best original screenplay, best director and best picture I will hit 11 right.

11:23 Harrison Ford doing Original Screenplay. Go Juno as Justin and I guessed Juno. Winner: Diablo Cody for Juno. A great film, filled with awesome dialogue. She deserves to win. Score: 12-8.

11:29 We are one minute until the ceremony is supposed to end. Best Actor presented by Helen Mirren. This should be a no-brainer as Justin and I picked: Daniel Day Lewis. Winner: Daniel Day Lewis. Score 13-9. So close to double digits. I am willing to lose double digits if Juno wins best picture!!!!

After all this is over, I am going to rewind my tape and re-watch the Once performance and re-watch their acceptance speech.

11:39 Best Director to be presented by Martin Scorsese who finally got honoured last year. Our pick is the Cohen Brothers. Winner: The Cohen Brothers. Yay!!!! Double digits for me!!!! Score: 14-10.

11:44 The big one. Best Picture presented by Denzel Washington. Our Pick: No Country for Old Men. Winner: No Country for Old Men. Final tally: Justin 15 Vanessa: 11

Totally flamed out this year. Congratulations Justin. Enjoy your buffet!! I'll win next year.

Overall, I think Jon Stewart did a good job and they were only 18 minutes over. The best moment for me was when Once won and that Jon Stewart let Market Irglova do her speech.

Until next year, I will be blogging from Vancouver and it won't be so late for me.

2008 Oscar Nominations are out

2008-01-22T12:28:00.000-05:00

Oh! Canada. What a great day to be a Canadian. I am so pleased with the nominations this year. I am very happy that Juno got some major love, especially for Ellen Page, Jason Reitman, Diablo Cody and film itself. I am also happy that Sarah Polley got a nomination for Away from Her and that Julie Christie got nominated. I think Julie Christie will win this, she was amazing and devasting in that film. The best picture race looks interesting, first time that I've seen three out of the five before the nominations came out (Atonement, Michael Clayton and Juno) but I think the winner will be No Country for Old Men.

I am also very stoked that Once got nominated for Original song for "Falling Slowly." It's up against three songs from Enchanted and one from August Rush. I hope Once wins, the nominated song is one of my all-time favourite songs and I hope that the three Enchanted songs cancel each other out like the three songs from Dreamgirls did last year.

I am also rooting for Ratatouille to win Best Animated Film. I'll make my predictions closer to the Academy Awards and here is hoping that the ceremony actually happens.

Here are the nominees for the 2008 Oscars:

BEST PICTURE: Atonement, Juno, Michael Clayton, No Country for Old Men, There Will Be Blood
BEST ACTOR: George Clooney, Michael Clayton; Daniel Day-Lewis, There Will Be Blood; Johnny Depp, Sweeney Todd; Tommy Lee Jones, In the Valley of Elah; Viggo Mortensen, Eastern Promises
BEST ACTRESS: Cate Blanchett, Elizabeth: The Golden Age; Julie Christie, Away From Her; Marion Cotillard, La Vie en Rose; Laura Linney, The Savages; Ellen Page, Juno
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR: Casey Affleck, The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford; Javier Bardem, No Country for Old Men; Philip Seymour Hoffman, Charlie Wilson's War; Hal Holbrook, Into the Wild; Tom Wilkinson, Michael Clayton
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS: Cate Blanchett, I'm Not There; Ruby Dee, American Gangster; Saoirse Ronan, Atonement; Amy Ryan, Gone Baby Gone; Tilda Swinton, Michael Clayton
BEST DIRECTOR: Paul Thomas Anderson, There Will Be Blood; Joel and Ethan Coen, No Country for Old Men; Tony Gilroy, Michael Clayton; Jason Reitman, Juno; Julian Schnabel, The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY: Brad Bird, Ratatouille; Diablo Cody, Juno; Tony Gilroy, Michael Clayton; Tamara Jenkins, The Savages; Nancy Oliver, Lars and the Real Girl
BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY: Paul Thomas Anderson, There Will Be Blood; Joel Coen and Ethan Coen, No Country for Old Men; Christopher Hampton, Atonement; Ronald Harwood, The Diving Bell and the Butterfly; Sarah Polley, Away From Her
BEST ANIMATED FEATURE: Persepolis, Ratatouille, Surf's Up
BEST ART DIRECTION: American Gangster, Atonement, The Golden Compass, Sweeney ToddThere Will Be Blood
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY: The Assassination of Jesse James…, Atonement, The Diving Bell and the Butterfly, No Country for Old Men, There Will Be Blood
BEST COSTUME DESIGN: Across the Universe, Atonement, Elizabeth: The Golden Age, La Vie en Rose, Sweeney Todd
BEST DOCUMENTARY: No End in Sight, Operation Homecoming: Writing the Wartime Experience, Sicko, Taxi to the Dark Side, War/Dance
BEST DOCUMENTARY SHORT SUBJECT: Freeheld, La Corona (The Crown), Salim BabaSari’s Mother
BEST EDITING: The Bourne Ultimatum, The Diving Bell and the Butterfly, Into the Wild, No Country for Old Men, There Will Be Blood
BEST FOREIGN-LANGUAGE FILM: Beaufort (Israel), The Counterfeiters (Austria), Katyn (Poland), Mongol (Kazakhstan) ,12 (Russia)
BEST MAKEUP: La Vie en Rose, Norbit, Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End
BEST ORIGINAL SCORE: Atonement, The Kite Runner, Michael Clayton, Ratatouille, 3:10 to Yuma
BEST ORIGINAL SONG': 'Falling Slowly,'' Once; ''Happy Working Song,'' Enchanted; ''Raise It Up,'' August Rush; ''So Close,'' Enchanted; ''That's How You Know,'' Enchanted
BEST SOUND EDITING: The Bourne Ultimatum, No Country for Old Men, Ratatouille, There Will Be Blood, Transformers
BEST SOUND MIXING: The Bourne Ultimatum, No Country for Old Men, Ratatouille, 3:10 to Yuma, Transformers
BEST VISUAL EFFECTS: The Golden Compass, Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End, Transformers
BEST ANIMATED SHORT: I Met the Walrus, Madame Tutli-Putli, Meme Les Pigeons Vont au Paradis (Even Pigeons Go to Heaven), My Love (Moya Lyubov), Peter & the Wolf
BEST LIVE-ACTION SHORT: At Night, Il Supplente (The Substitute), Le Mozart des Pickpockets (The Mozart of Pickpockets), Tanghi Argentini, The Tonto Woman

The Amazing Race 12 -January 20, 2008

2008-01-20T19:30:00.001-05:00

Here we go the Season Finale of Amazing Race 12.

I am live blogging this so I don't know who wins but right now I am predicting that TK and Rachel will win. While I don't mind any of the three teams winning, I have a strong preference for Ron and Christina to win and not just because they are Asian, sure that is part of it but I like the fact that it is a father-daughter team and it is like if my Dad and I were doing this race. If they win or Nick and Don win then it is the first time that a familial team wins and not a dating team or a friend team. I look forward to see who wins as the show progresses.

Anchorage, Alaska. Interesting. I like that it's a good tight race, hopefully to the end. But as long as Ron and Chris win. So, Nick and Don forgot their gear, I knew that they would make a mistake somehwere.

Detour -I would do the Cod because it is just 50 and filetting them would be easier than grabbing hundreds of bitting crabs for the one with race colours. What luck for Ron and Chris to find that clue so fast, let's just hope that luck holds.

Of course TK and Rachel would find the crab and Don and Nick didn't seem too far behind with their mistake.

And the boat ride looks awesome and Alaska is beautiful. I've never been to Anchorage but been to other towns in Alaska and it is stunning. How come Chris can't do the ice climb but Ron, the man with a hernia, can.

A helicopter ride above all those glaciers should be amazing.

The Road Block: You must have a great memory for this. The road block sounds so complicated. I am so nervous. Chris was so close. I hope she fixes her mistake.

Of course, Rachel would finish first, let's up that Ron and Chris make up for that time they lost at the Road Block. It's going to be TK and Rachel. It just is. No matter what editing does. I know it will be them. But it is sweet how Ron and Chris improved their relationship. I am disappointed that Ron and Chris not win but at least they made it to the top 3. At least Nick and Don made a good show of the race.

Another season goes by and another team that I wanted to win did not. But as I said before, I am fine with any of the three teams winning.

The Amazing Race 12 January 13, 2008

2008-01-13T20:01:00.000-05:00

Happy New Year!!

Well we are near the finish line and I personally can't wait to see who wins.

Japan looks great and a place that is on my list of places to visit.

And of course there is the equalizer where the stupid garden doesn't open until 10:00 am so it gives TK and Rachel a chance to catch up. And they did in the immigration line at Taipei and from my experience in Shanghai, those lines are long and eats up a lot of time.

The Road Block looks awesome. I think I would so do it because it would not be my brother's thing and I want to experience as much as I can in life. Ron's face looks hilarious. The underswater bit is the scary bit as 17 seconds is indeed a long time. And it seems like no hardship to drink a whole cup of tea to get the next clue unless it a really digusting tea.

What a cool speed bump, better than the yoga one that the Goths did.

The previous tip from the local paid off for TK and Rachel about using the ticket machine. It was indeed faster.

I love the fact that the clue was in Chinese and that Ron and Chris knew where to go and what to look for. I love it. And the night market is always cool.

Earth seems faster than Fire. Writing 20 messages of luck seems time consuming. While the path may hurt you can run to finish it. But I agree with Chris that it is mind over matter. I would run for it but I guess if it is jagged it would hurt. I am so glad that Ron and Kris did not fight at all during this leg. They worked well and had tremendous luck throughout the whole leg too.

I am sooooo happy that Ron and Chris are number one and are going to run for the $1 million. They are the first team after the BQs that I want to win and this time I hope that they do. The finish with the final three is all false editing-Nate and Jen are goners. Glad that TK and Rachel will also run too! And Nick and Don too!!!! YEAH!!!! Best! Final! Three! Ever! I don't care who wins now as long as it wasn't Nate and Jen. So glad they were eliminated, they were so toxic and I think they are definitely broken up.

Basically, I am ok with any of the teams winning but would be ecstatic if Ron and Chris won above all.

Can't wait for the season finale next week.

2007: A Year in Review

2007-12-29T03:35:00.000-05:00

2007 was a great year not only in the world of movies and television but also for me personally.

For my job, I got to travel to Shanghai and I loved the experience of going to China and I also became an Aunt.

But this year, the movies and television also brought me much joy. I usually save the best for last but in this case I'll start with what was the highlight of the 2007television season for me and that was that I found the ONE. The one version of Jane Eyre to truly love thanks to Masterpiece Theatre's January 2007 presentation of Charlotte Bronte's classic tale. I have already blogged my thoughts on it when it first aired but I cannot reiterate I much I love the latest BBC version and the performances and chemistry of Ruth Wilson and Toby Stephens.

Other TV loves include my continued love for the Amazing Race and continued enjoyment of How I Met Your Mother. In terms of new shows this year, I am thouroughly charmed by Pushing Daisies and beguiled by Lee Pace as Ned the pie maker. I am also crushing Zachary Levi as Chuck in NBC's Chuck. A great and funny comedy/spy show.

In BBC land, I am in love with the second series of Robin Hood (I believe North American audiences will get it in 2008 but thanks to You Tube I am seeing it now). Things to look forward to in 2008 is the end of the writers strike so I can get new episodes of Chuck, Pushing Daisies and How I Met Your Mother. On January 13, 2008 is the start of Masterpiece Theatre's presentation of the Complete Jane Austen with Gillian Anderson hosting it. I am most looking forward to seeing Andrew Davies' take on Sense and Sensibility. He did such a great job with Pride and Prejudice and I am curious to see what he does here (as I think Emma Thompson did a fantastic job with Sense and Sensibility in 1995 -the movie that first introduced me to Kate Winslet). Also this year on Masterpiece Theatre is a new version of A Room With A View and My Boy Jack starring Daniel Radcliffe.

Speaking of Radcliffe, Harry Potter and The Order of the Phoenix in IMAX is one of my cinematic experience highlights of 2007. Seeing the final 20 minutes of the film in 3D made the movie awesome.

As for my favourite films of 2007, there were many (and I saw a lot this year) I don't know if I have a list of top 10 films as I don't think I saw enough to make a top 10 list but I can do a list of the films that captured my heart and that I want to add to my DVD collection.

The number one movie that did that to me was Once the independent Irish film about a busker and Czech immigrant who meet and make beautiful music together. It is simple film making done very well and I love the songs to it. After seeing the movie, I immediately went home and bought the soundtrack on iTunes.

Ratatouille was also another one of those movies that had me at hello. As soon as I saw Remy and Patton Oswalt's voice coming out of him, I loved the film about a rat in Paris who loves to cook.

The Simpson's Movie was another delight this year. I saw it theatres and laughed my butt off. I chose to see it on a flight and still laughed and saw it for a third time as my flight had that as the movie and still laughed. After seeing it three times and I still laughed, you have to own that movie.

Then there was Juno. The funny, sharp and sarcastic dialogue was great. Ellen Page's delivery of them was awesome and the fact that it was filmed in Vancouver was also awesome.

In terms of 2008, there is only two movies I am for sure going to see in theatres (I am sure there is going to be more but right now there is just two). The first one comes out May 16, 2008 and that is Prince Caspian, the second film in the Chronicles of Narnia series and then on November 21, 2008 is Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.

As some people may know, I am not much of a reader and I usually only read a book if I know a movie version is coming out of it but a literary highlight for me was standing in line for the midnight release of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, It was something I had to do since it was the last book and it was an amazing experience to be surrounded by Harry Potter fans. It was also surreal for me to stay up pretty much all night reading about 200 pages (I only started at 2am then slept for a bit but started reading again at 6am to about 8am) In total I finished the novel in 24 hours (with a break to work and sleep). I didn't want it to end but I was satisfied with how JK Rowling ended the series.

I hope everyone had a great 2007 and 2008 will be just as awesome.

The Amazing Race 12 Dec 23, 2007

2007-12-23T19:59:00.000-05:00

Merry Christmas Amazing Race fans!

I am really sorry for not blogging lately but as it is the holidays, I've been enjoying my time with friends and family.

Well, my brother and I were worried that the Goths were as good as gone considering we heard that there were no non-elimination rounds for this season of the race so imagine our surprise (and relief to my brother) that the Goths were saved but now must face something called a speed bump. Will be interested in seeing what impact that will have.

My father/daughter team is still in it and still working well together (but next week looks like things are back to normal as teams visit India).

Intereting product placement for Blackberry and I thought for sure that TK and Rachel would be out because of the lost clue but the Goths getting lost helped them out.

As for the road block, I would have done because apparently as someone who wears glasses I have the better eyesight. The detour my immediate thought was to do the invention as I am the most uncoordinated person I know.

The Fast Forward was interesting but neither my brother and I would have done it as my brother doesn't like needles and I would rather go up on the ultralight. And I am fed up with Jennifer always complaining how they haven't won a leg yet. Too bad that you don't win a trip or a boat. I rather make sure I am still in the race in order for me to come in #1 where it counts and that's at the end and your prize is a million dollars.

Looking forward to next week. Happy Holidays to one and all

The Amazing Race 12 Dec 2, 2007

2007-12-02T19:53:00.000-05:00

Apologies again for not blogging last week but I was out to dinner and taped it. Even after watching it, I didn't blog because I was recovering from foot surgery and was really able to move around too much. But I am back this week, ready to offer my thoughts on this week's AR.

I have to say that I did like the U-Turn twist this year. Better than the Yield as you never know how long it will take you to do the other detour, which can put you further behind than the 30 minutes the Yield did.

Anyways, it was a good episode. I was a bit worried that the father-daughter team were going to be last because of the flight mistake but in the end with all the wrong turns the other teams took (and we knew thanks the gong sound effects) they ended up in third. What would we do without all the gonging!

But I am getting ahead of myself. I was watching the show with my brother and I do agree that the brother and sister team, while good, there is something a bit off with Azaria in the way that he treats his sister (the way he violently pulled her back to the curb at the beginning was uncalled for).

I thought it was interesting that the Grandson/Granddad team didn't get a good flight because it was supposedly all sold out but the other teams got on, I guess maybe knowing a few phrases in French would have helped.

When the teams touched down in Lituania, every team took off right away, while the Goths (my brother's pick to win) took their time to ask directions. They were one of the few teams to get to the church without getting lost. Ronald and Christina were smart to pay a taxi driver to lead them the way (as other past racers have done). As for the Road Block, Justin would have done as he says he is a good listener and would have done well.

The detour was interesting as I would have liked to have stayed and enjoyed the festival (maybe after teams have checked in they got to go back and had some fun). The detour, my first instinct was to do the stilts as I think I have pretty good balance and as long as you were patient and took it slow, it could be done. I was very happy that Ron and Christina finished, especially Ron considering he has a hernia. I see a lot of myself and my Dad in their relationship, which is why I am rooting for them. Counting would have been difficult but if you were methodically about it, it could be done.

I am glad those blondes are gone. They had no teamwork and always blamed each other and second guessed decisions. I knew going in they weren't going to be like another certain blonde team of races past (i.e. Dustin and Kandice -my all-time favourite Amazing Race team next to the Bowling Moms).

Here's to next week, where we see another meltdown to Nate and Jennifer.

The Amazing Race 12 Nov 18, 2007

2007-11-18T20:01:00.000-05:00

Sorry for not live blogging last week but I was out of town and only arrived back home literally minutes before AR 12 started. But if there was one thing to be said about that episode was that I really didn't like the father-daughter team especially the way the dad treated his daughter but I know that if my Dad and I were to do the race, we would be arguing the exact same way.

But poor Ron, a hernia -ouch. Anyways, I am chuckling at the plight of teams at the Roadblock. Somehow if you treat the animal with kindness and calm instead of freaking out and frustration, you will succeed. I really believe that Justin would be well suited to this as animals can scare a me a little and when I get frustrated, let's just say it ain't pretty.

The detour choice was obvious. I would want to learn it. You can't really control how fast the kids will learn English words and some might not even catch on and you could get frustrated at why they aren't learning them. If you learn it, you can control how fast you learn and I would take the same approach that the brother-sister team would, take five words each and memorize it and I have an excellent memory and if I have to memorize something you bet it will be memorized. Thankfully, each team member didn't have to take it in turns the 10 words so that was another in that detours favour plus I always want to know new languages.

And nice hair Phil, all spiky like a porcupine and didn't know there was that baby behind that local greeter. Too bad the sisters are gone but they were not memorable enough for me to miss them.

According to next week's previews is the only thing that the Blondes did that pissed people off is that they Yielded Jason and Lorena but I don't know what is so controversal about this as it is part of the game.

Until next week

The Amazing Race 12 Nov 4, 2007

2007-11-04T20:08:00.000-05:00

Bye Bye Viva Laughlin, hello Amazing Race 12. I don't know why CBS just didn't schedule AR 12 at the beginning of the TV season in the first place.

The teams I am cheering for in this edition are the one with the familial relationships so I am rooting first for the father-daughter team, then the brother-sister team and then the grandpa-grandson team then the sisters.

But this will all change as I get to know the team as the season wears on.

I am excited that they are going to Shannon, Ireland. I think I went there 9 years ago when I did a tour of southern Ireland but I don't really remember. What I am concerned about is the lack of narration from Phil about the flights. Usually he tells us about the flights available and what is good or bad about them but no such thing and it almost looks like the teams who didn't get on the British Airways flight now have to find their own flights, which I think could be an interesting twist. But there was that Irish airline flight

Another thing I read that there was supposed to be no non-elimination but Phil said that 8 out of the 11 legs were elimination legs so it will be interesting to see what the thrre legs are all about.

One of the reasons why I love the Amazing Race is that I love to travel and it gives me a way to see the world in such a hyped way and the show was the inpiration as to why I decided to skydive. My work allows me to travel and even though it is only to places around North America (and the one time to Shanghai) I always feel like I am on the Amazing Race.

So far no much action but the titling of the teams were off. I mean it was the LA blondes but they called them one of the dating couples.

The roadblock, I think I would do, I am not that afraid of heights so I think that Justin would just be along for the ride and I'll put the peddle to the metal.

But I couldn't help laughing when the donkeys wouldn't move for those two couples. Very funny. You definitely needed to be a donkey whisperer in order to get those donkeys to move. As long as you were kind and encouraging to the donkeys, you were successful unlike Ari and Staella and Nathan and Jennifer who realized too late what to do. And indeed karma bit you in the butt Ari for stealing the Dad and Daughter team's taxi.

So far my familial teams are all in it with the brother/sister team on top. Yeah! I am so glad that AR is back.

Pushing Diasies -October 3, 2007

2007-10-04T10:27:00.000-04:00

I was lucky to see this show one day before it premiered in the U.S. Since CTV has bought too many shows, they had to show this one on Tuesday instead of Wednesday. I wasn't going to watch it at first but I have heard many critics saying that this is the best new show. I saw a bit of it last night at 8pm but decided to watch it on Rogers Time Shifting at 11pm since I had nothing else to watch. Right from the first moment I heard Jim Dale's narration and seeing the stunning visuals, I was hooked.

The storyline was quirky but charming (a word that is used very often to describe this show). The premise of pie-maker Ned (an adorable Lee Pace) being able to bring back the dead with one touch, only to have them die again if he touches them again is very original. In addition, he can only bring back the dead for a minute or someone else in close proximity has to die. He only realizes this after he brings his mom back to life that after a minute, the father of his next-door neighbour pal Charlotter "Chuck" Charles (a winning Anna Friel)dies.

Now as an adult, he uses this "gift" to help solve murders with his business partner/PI friend (Chi McBride) to collect the reward. On one of these cases, Ned and Emerson go to solve the case and collect the reward of lonely tourist who was murdered on a cruise only to discover it was his childhood sweetheart Chuck, who was also his first kiss. The impact of their encounter has left Ned an emotional cripple since he was sent away soon after his mom passed away.

Anyways, he brings Chuck back to life to find out who killed her but she doesn't know. Unable to part from her again, he lets her live beyond the one minute and as a result the funeral director dies. So they set forth to solve her murder. Which I am not sure they quite do. The reason why Chuck got whacked was because she was transporting a briefcase with two monkeys in it, which allowed her to be on the cruise for free. This case was sent to her two shut-in aunts that raised her after her dad died. The killer goes after the aunts but Ned and Chuck save the day but we never really find out who it was. Is this one of the over arching mysteries or is it solved? Not too sure.

What really sold me on this show was the chemistry between Ned and Chuck. They are adorable even though they can't touch but do so via proxy hugs or holding their own hands but pretending they are holding each others hand.

I am looking forward to more and hope that ABC doesn't cancel it. I can't imagine that they would. I can't think of anything really to compete against except maybe Deal or no Deal.

Private Practice -October 3, 2007

2007-10-04T10:21:00.000-04:00

Ok the second episode was a little bit better. It was still boring in spots and didn't really like the whole stripper thing at the beginning and we never did find out what she had.

But still bugs me about this show is that all of sudden these characters are all hanging at Addison's. Granted she lives right across from Sam (Taye Diggs) but still, it was almost as if she was part of their gang for years and has known them forever.

The only story line that I was emotionally invested in without being bored was the baby switch one and I think that was the right story line to get everyone involved. Judging Amy had a point, the dude from Prison Break had a purpose and so did hospital administrator lady (no idea what her character name is) as well as Audra McDonald and Addison. I did get a bit teary-eyed when the baby's were given to the correct parents. It must be very difficult to get emotially attached to a baby that biologically is yours but not emotionally. It reminded me of a season one Veronica Mars episode in which two characters were switched at birth. In that case, the parents decided to keep the babies and not switch back but I think in that case the children were 4 years old and would know the difference whereas in the Private PRactice case, they were only a few months old.

Anyways, that was the only story that I actually liked. So I am giving it another chance.

Grey's Anatomy -September 27, 2007

2007-09-28T01:03:00.000-04:00

Four words as Grey's Anatomy kicks off season 4: Lexie Grey is awesome.

She is the anti-Meredith. Not whiny and not self-centered. I love what she did for George at the end. All those interns fawning over him and in awe of him. I am looking forward to more of the developing friendship between George and Lexie. I do hope that eventually Meredith and Lexie get to know each other and perhaps bound over the trouble their father seems to be going through.

Speaking of fawns, I really disliked that whole deer thing with Izzy. It felt really stupid and annoying. And please, Shonda Rimes break-up George and Izzy. I really don't like them together at all. I love George and Callie, I hope that it is not splitsville for them.

I do feel that the show was missing something and their names were Addison and Burke. I think the whole baby/severed arm lady would have been nice if Addison was around. I somehow miss the energy her character brought to the show and the natural knack for OB/GYN that she brought out of Alex. As for Alex, I detect that we will be seeing Ava/Rebecca real soon.

As for Burke, it just felt weird that he wasn't there. But I am sure that we will eventually get used to all the changes afoot at Seattle Grace.

Private Practice -September 26, 2007

2007-09-27T22:25:00.000-04:00

TV spin-offs can be a tricky beast. They can be classics like The Jeffersons, Frasier and Law & Order: SVU or turn out to be colossal failures like AfterMASH and Joey. So when I heard that Grey's Anatomy was going to spin-off Kate Walsh's Addison Montogomery, I was a little skeptical and excited at the same time. Excited because I love Grey's Anatomy and like Addison but skeptical because I was unsure if her character could hold a show.

After watching the back-door pilot in May as part of a two-hour Grey's episode, I came away unsure. Private Practice tried very hard to emulate the quirkiness of the Mother Ship but with less successful results.

Even after some re-tooling like replacing Alias' Merrin Dungey with Broadway star Audra McDonald as Naomi, Private Practice could still use some work.

Watching the first episode last night actually bored me to tears. I only managed to sit through the whole hour out of devotion to the character of Addison. What I found lacking in Private Practice is frankly drama. There was no drama. I was not invested in any of the storylines and felt that characters were dropped into certain situations for no reason. For example, Paul Adelstein's Cooper helping Amy Brennman's Violet. And Dell (Chris Lowell) helping out during Addison's surgery. It is as if Shonda Rimes needs all characters to be doing something in all the story lines but it was just pointless. And as much as I love Taye Diggs, I don't reall buy what he does on this show.

Aside from the lack of drama, another reason why I can't get into this show is the fact that I associate some of the actors with their previous TV roles. I am talking about you, guy from Wings (Tim Daly) and Judging Amy (Brenneman).

At the beginning of last night's Private Practice, the Chief of Surgery from Seattle Grace (James Pickens, Jr.) told Addison that he will see her in a month once she realized she has made a mistake quitting. If Private Practice doesn't succeed, I have a feeling that we will be seeing Addison back in her Seattle Grace scrubs.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows launch party

2007-07-23T13:22:00.000-04:00

All good things much come to an end. I am in denial that Harry Potter's saga is over. I don't want it to be.

But at 12:01am on July 21st my saga into the end was just beginning. However, before we must take the time turner about three turns back to about 10pm on July 20th. All decked out like Cho Chang (the only Asian character that I could be) I attended the book launch party that was held at the Indigo at Bay and Bloor in Toronto. The streets were backed with large inflatable slides and a bouncy castle and a double decker bus that acted like the Knight Bus. There were balloon dragons near the front entrace of the store. Getting into the store was tricky, throngs of people going in to get their bracelets to be one of the first people in the story to buy the book at one minute past the stroke of midnight. I thankfully preorderd the book and avoided that crowd to pick-up my bracelet at the special orders desk. After my friend and I took several pictures around the store. We settled ourselves in the pre-order line-up at around 10:30pm. We were near the beginning the line-up so I would get my book fairly quickly. While waiting, the line-up snaked longer and there was general excitement in the air. I think that it is amazing that it was all for a book. As midnight drew nearer, girls were screaming as if this was a rock concert or that JK Rowling herself had entered the store. People were also counting down as if it were New Year's Eve. Then balloons fell from the sky and you knew it was the Witching Hour. The line moved and I was nervous with anticipation, I reached the head of the line, my wrist band cut off and I proceeded to get my copy of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.

It was about two hours later at around 2am that I final cracked open the book to beginning reading Harry's last adventure. Let me tell you that I am still exhausted after just finishing reading the novel about 24 hours ago (This is Monday July 23). At the same time, I am also exhalirated and still on a high after reading the book. No spoilers here but let's just say that I got the answers to all the questions that I had.

Now that it's over, I am in mourning. I just watched the trailers to the movies again. And I cried because I have finally come to the realization that there will be no more Harry Potters and watching the films will take on a whole new meaning now that I know the fates of the characters that sometimes puts a smile on my face or a tear in my eye.

The only thing to look forward to now are the two movies then after that I truly will be mourning.

As for what I will read next after Harry Potter, I don't know. A friend of mine had mentioned a news story about a boy who said that he might not read a book ever again after Harry Potter. Part of me feels the same way. I don't think that I will ever find a book again that had captured my imagination and my heart. Harry Potter is truly my liteary love and I will miss you.

Harry Potter and The Order of the Phoenix +IMAX= Awesome

2007-07-16T11:02:00.000-04:00

I normally never see a movie twice in the span of a week but I had a friend in town that wanted to see Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix and when I suggested that I wanted to see it again in IMAX, she said she wanted to see it with me.

After seeing it a second time, I have to say that I love the movie now. The first time, I wanted more but now that I know what they cut out, I go to appreciate the film better. The same things still bug me about the film the first time I saw it but I have accepted it.

However, in IMAX, the movie is magnificent and incredible. I have never seen a movie that big before. The climactic battle scene in the Department of Mysteries was awesome, especially in 3D. The 3D scenes begining as Dumbledore's Army (Harry, Ron, Hermione, Luna, Neville and Ginny) are flying the Thestrals. An amazing scene and so cool. The battle in 3D was also amazing with the flying glass from the prophecies showering on you.

I recommend people seeing the IMAX experience. There is nothing like it. I know that when Half-Blood Prince comes out in November 2008, I will see the movie first on a regular screen so that I know what has been cut out then see it again in IMAX.

The Harry Potter phenomenon

2007-07-12T14:58:00.000-04:00

I have two literary loves. For those that know me, one of those loves is Jane Eyre and the other of course is Harry Potter.

I would never have guessed that when JK Rowling released the first adventure of the boy wizard back in 1997 that it would be such a pop culture phenomenon.

I have discussed in a previous blog why I love Jane Eyre, so I won't go into any detail why I love that book. But I am here to discuss how I came to entraced by the world of Hogwarts and its inhabitants.

Now, I was never fond of reading, even if I loved Jane Eyre. I have never really finished any novel that I was assigned to read in school (elementary, high school and university). I can probable count on one hand the books I actually read from beginning to end for school: Hiroshima, Great Expectations, A Farewell to Arms and In the Skin of the Lion. All the usual suspect of required reading for English class such as Lord of the flies, I just read half way through and just BS my way through the tests. Sometimes teachers would make the mistake of showing us the movie version of the novel prior to any tests that helped me get by.

Fast forward to post university. I did want to read more novels. Don't get me wrong, I have read for pleasure -how else would I have fallen in love with Jane Eyre if I didn't read the book -but granted I fell in love with a screen adaptation first before I read the book. I digress. How did I get hooked on Harry. Picture it, the summer of 2000. Anne of Green Gables: The Continuing Story was going to be aired and an online forum popped up on the Internet so people can discuss the miniseries and all things Anne. A section of the forum was called the AOGG Book Club. One monthe the club suggested reading Harry Potter and the Philosopher Stone. I have heard a bit of the buzz around this children's book but I didn't want to read it because it was a children's book and I am an adult. Relunctanly, I bought a copy and proceeded to read it for the club not thinking I would love it. I did. It really shocked me that Rowling made a book for kids and adults alike. She comes up with twists that I never see coming in all subsequent Harry Potter tomes.

What really surprises is me that now almost 10 years since the first book came out that people still get excited over this series. I am listening to the PotterCast that are put on by the folks at the Leaky Cauldron and it so great to hear people of all ages passionate about these books. They really care about the characters and I have heard the craziest theories about what will happen in Book 7.

I am also amazed at the movie versions. I have loved all of them. I recently saw Order of the Phoenix (see my review in a recent blog) and even though I wanted more, one day after seeing it, I really loved it. And I still can't get over Imelda Staunton as Umbridge nor Evanna Lynch as Luna Lovegood.

I remember seeing the first movie way back in 2001. A couple of fellow Potterheads (one that I can actually hooked onto Harry Potter) saw the film and quite excited to see it. After our showing there was a long lineup to the theatre for the next show. Six years later, people are still lining-up (like I did and for the fourth one too) to see a Harry Potter movie. And the audience ages were from young and old.

For the first time ever, I am going to a midnight release party for a Harry Potter book. Since it is the last one, I might as well. I have pre-ordered it from Indigo and I can't wait to read it.

Here are the things that I want most to happen in Book 7:

Harry lives while the Dark Lord dies
Ron and Hermione finally get together (but early on in the book and not the last few chapters)
We find out what exactly is up with Aunt Petunia
Harry and Ginny stay together
And that Snape really is a good guy

What are your thoughts on Harry Potter? Love it as much as I do?

Movie Review: Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

2007-07-11T22:01:00.000-04:00

At two hours and 18 minutes, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, left me wanting more. I wanted more scenes of Ginny Weasley (Bonnie Wright), more Tonks and Lupin (Natalie Tena and David Thewlis), more Order of the Phoenix, more scenes of the Dursley's that closely hews to the book, more Luna Lovegood (Evanna Lynch) and more Kreacher. That's not to say that I didn't enjoy the 5th film of JK Rowling's title hero, quite the opposite. I enjoyed it quite a bit. It was pretty faithful to the book and made the rights cuts. The casting was perfect as usual. Imelda Staunton as Dolores Umbridge, the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher was absolutely fabulous. She captured Rowling's vision of Umbridge to a tee. Lynch was equally well cast as Luna Loony Lovegood. Her Irish lilt gave her character that extra spaciness that it needed and was very endearing. And Helena Bonham Carter as Bellatrix, very evil in her short screen time. Looking forward to more of her in movie six.

What really impressed me about this adaptation was the climactic battle scene at the department of mysteries. It was a wonderful amazement of wand duelling that made me think of the classic lightsaber fights of all the Star Wars movies. I also enjoyed all the DA scenes. It was great seeing Harry become the teacher and I think screenwriter Michael Goldenberg captured those scenes perfectly. And Goldenberg has to be commended for taking an almost 800 page novel and condensing it to an almost two and half hour movie. Again, the right cuts were made but one. As mentioned, I wish they expanded the Dursley scenes especially the bit about Aunt Petunia (Fiona Shaw) knowing more about the Wizarding World than she lets on.

I am glad that they gave Gary Oldman more to do in this movie than he did in Prisoner of Azkaban (my favourite amongst all the film adaptations and my favourite Harry Potter book). Oldman was excellent in this movie as Sirius Black, Harry's Godfather, and his fate equally heartbreaking as it was in the novel.

The kiss between Harry (Daniel Radcliffe) and Cho Chang (Katie Leung) was whatever but a little more hot and heavy than I thought it would be. If no one noticed, I liked the bit just before the kiss as people were leaving the DA lesson of Ginny looking behind at Harry looking at Cho -clearly indicating that she still fancies Harry. There were sprinkles of the hints of the Ron and Hermione romance (Rupert Grint and Emma Watson) in there too as there has been in every movie since Chamber of Secrets. I thought they might foreshadow a certain romance that takes place in book 6th in this movie but alas they didn't.

This movie was well directed by David Yates, it was quite political in tone. Something that Yates is known for having directed such politically themed dramas like State of Play and The Girl in the Cafe.

Since I am a movie score aficionado, I enjoyed Nicholas Hooper's score. He had some nice memorable and moving score that I probably will get the soundtrack.

Overall, I enjoyed Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix and I look forward to the DVD to see the deleted scenes. And I look forward to Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince next year. Here's hoping more Bonnie Wright -for those that have read book 6 you will know what I mean!

And only 10 more days until we find out what happens to Harry!

A night with Moira Brooker

2007-06-23T21:13:00.002-04:00

Don't know who Moira is? Then you are not a fan of the BBC comedy called As Time Goes By that starred Judi Dench and Geoffrey Palmer as a couple who reunite after 38 years apart.

Moira played Judi Dench's daughter who also happened to be called Judy.

The show was on for 9 series and two reunion specials. I first encountered the show in the mid 1990s on my local PBS station and loved it the first time I saw it. It was very funny and Palmer's Lionel Hardcastle so reminds me of my dad. Dench's Jean Pargetter is hilarious and the situations that the characters get into are so funny.

My evening with Moira happened because of a $60 pledge that I made to my local PBS station. As a fan, I knew I wanted to go and hear stories about the series. I was the youngest person in the room and a lady sitting in front of me was happy that everyone there was her age then she pointed to me and said "except for this child". Another person commented that my parents must have forced me to watch the show but no one forced me. As I said, I loved it from the beginning.

The evening started off with Moira telling us about herself, what she is doing now, her family and upcoming projects.

Talk turned to As Time Goes By and it was interesting to learn that there was no ad-libbing, that they used the same house in Holland Park throughout the entire series even after the home changed ownership and the BBC had to woo the new owners. Even the neighbours had to be wooed because of the inconvenience filming caused.

I found it interesting that the show was originally to be called Winter with Flowers but Judi Dench and Geoffrey Palmer didn't like it at all. After filming of the first series, the episode where Judy, Alistair (Philip Bretherton), Jean and Lionel were having a picnic, a cake was presented by the crew with the Winter Flowers title on it and the cast said they wouldn't touch the cake until they changed the name of the show.

It was good to know that they had the same crew from camera men, to wardrobe and make-up all throughout the 14 years the series was filmed. Except for the specials when they had a different lead camera man because the original one retired.

Before each series, they would film for two weeks all the exterior shots then would do a week of rehearsals on each episode then film in front of a live audience. No laugh track. Very rare that they did retakes unless a technical glitch or a goof happened. Moira shared that sometimes they would ask the audience to laugh again at the same joke during a retake. Sometimes they would edit in the first laugh and insert with the second take.

There was a goof that shut down the set for 20 minutes. There was a scene when Alistair first asks Judy to marry him and she is making coffee throughout the proposal. The coffee press she was holding was filled to the brim with coffee and when she set it down on the table it went everywhere, on her, Philip, the table. The next time the scene saw the coffee pot with less liquid and this time her being ever so gentle.

She said that there was no chance that another series would happen, especially since Frank Middlemass, who played Rocky (Lionel's Dad) has died. She said that the sets for the specials had to be rebuilt because after the series ended the sets were destroyed. Moira said that they knew things were different as it just wasn't the same.

Moira also talked about the two Harry's. The only reason why they changed actors was because the other actor, David Michaels wasn't available. She said it was either change the actor or not do it at all. She talked about the specials and the joke they wanted to do about the actor switch and said that Sandy (Jenny Funnell) was coming back from Australia with her husband to England. When Moira said Australia, everyone in the audience said that it was Canada that they were coming from. She was horrified that she made the error since she was giving the talk in Canada and realized that it was Canada because Harry went to the RCMP.

Moira mentioned that Judi Dench was the practical joker on the set and her on-going joke would be to get everyone to hide whenever someone left a room. It went for a while until one day Geoffrey Palmer left and said that he hopes no one will hide. She said that everyone in the cast are similar to their real selves and that Geoffrey Palmer is a curmudgeon but a lovable one.

Moira lives in Brighton, close to Jenny Funnell with her family and made a joke that you had to live in Brighton in order to be in As Time Goes By because Judi Dench lives near Brighton, the 2nd Harry lives in Brighton and the actor who played Lionel's "son" in the special also lives in Brighton. She told a story about how the BBC wouldn't spring for a driver to get her from Brighton (they would only do so if she lived in London) to bring her into work. Moira said that she was always tired because at the time her daughter was very young and she had to get the set early, so she would drive herself in and was tired all the time. Judi Dench noticed this and asked why wasn't the BBC giving her a driver and Moira said they wouldn't spring for one. Judi didn't want to make a fuss so she got the driver that the BBC provided for her to pick Moira up from Brighton and pick Judi Dench up on the way. Dench didn't live in London but the BBC gave her a driver because she is Judi Dench. Word got around that this was happening and the BBC finally paid for a driver to pick up Moira. That was pretty cool.

As for the final two episodes of As Time Goes By, Moira was quite frank about being disappointed with the results. She said that the script could have been better instead of trying to tie all the loose ends and getting everyone in from Penny and Stephen, Rocky and Mrs. Bale, who she said is quite a fashionable lady in real life and enjoyed driving the motorbike her character drives around on the show.

Speaking of Stephen, she said that she loved all the episodes that he was in and that he gets way more laughs than they expected from rehearsals.

During the Q&A, I got to tell her how much I loved the show and how the episode where Judy, Jean, Lionel and Sandy are all in the living room planning how many people can fit into it after Jean and Lionel's wedding. Moira said that we should have seen the rehearsals for that scene. Anyways, I said that my dad couldn't stop laughing at the scene to point that he was crying. Then I mentioned that my dad was in a car accident a few years ago and that he has dementia and doesn't really react to anything anymore but when I put that episode on or any episode of As Time Goes By, my dad still laughs. And I told her I love the show more because of that. She seemed very touch by that. I then asked her what her favourite episode was. She said that it was the one with the dog and in fact they wanted to keep the dog as the dog for series but it was decided against as it would become a distraction. But the episode she really loved was the one where Jean and Lionel come back to England after being in LA. I love that episode too because of the scene were Judi Dench is stumbling out as if she were drunk but in reality was jet lagged.

It was interesting Moira would steal the custard tarts from the set because she was the one who loved them and Geoffrey Palmer was not. If you watch the show, you will know that Lionel loves custard tarts.

As for what the cast is up to now, Moira just finished filming a drama, Judi of course is always busy doing films and theatre, Geoffrey is fishing, Philip is always working and Jenny does a lot of voice work for British television and raising her family. The cast gets together twice a year for lunch and one time both Harry's came!!!! Moira said that she and Judi Dench are close and talk once and awhile on the phone and Dench sends her kids presents. Because she and Jenny live close together and Moira's youngest is close in age to Jenny's and that they live in Brighton they do see each other often. She doesn't hear from Geoffrey that often because he fishes so much and is a solitary figure but talks sometimes on the phone. her and Philip talk once and awhile and he visits her kids often.

To me the highest point of the evening was just being able to hear all these stories about As Time Goes By and being able to tell her how much the show means to me was great.

There is talk of her coming back but this time bringing Philip (Alistair) or Jenny (Sandy). I think that would be cool.

No Opportunity Wasted

2007-06-07T09:59:00.000-04:00

This fall the CBC will be showing Phil Koeghen's new show No Opportunity Wasted. The show that lets ordinary Canadian face their fear and live a N.O.W. life.

Phil recently came to Vancouver for a book signing of his N.O.W. book and to audition folks for the TV show and my brother and I decided to meet him. While waiting for him to show, I got the N.O.W. book and when we finally got to him, he graciously signed it and he wrote that I should start writing my N.O.W. list. When I did meet him I had to say how much we loved the Amazing Race. Anyways, wanted to get that in.

I only recently started reading the book. And it got me thinking about my fears and what I want to do with my life. I think I have started to live a fairly N.O.W. life since my Dad's accident. That really woke me up to realize that life is short. So recently, I've done things I've always wanted to do: archery, skydiving, ziplining and travel to Asia.

But there are still more on my list. So here is my N.O.W. list:

Visit a dog park to get over my fear of dogs

Walk the Great Wall of China

See the pyramids of Egypt

Visit every Canadian province and territory (so far I still need to do the Maritimes, Nunavut and NWT)

Go bungee jumping

Go to the Niagara Ice Wine Festival

Go rappeling

Visit Australia

Go scuba diving

Go on more roller coasters -I don't really like them

According to the book there should be no more woulda, coulda, shoulda. And I don't want to live my life with regret, which is my I think I skydived when I turned 30 and why I ziplined earlier this year.

I want to be able to know that I lived a life without regret. What is your N.O.W. list?

Let's blame the CBC

2007-05-24T10:48:00.001-04:00

Ok, my attempt to avoid the winner of American Idol lasted all about 12 hours. The show ended at 10pm last night and I found out the winner close to 10am ET (the winner is Jordin Sparks). I blame the CBC. I thought that it would be a safe Web site to visit as the CBC might not care who wins this reality show but no I was wrong. So I could not avoid the winner not matter how hard I tried. It is futile. But I will try again next year and totally avoid everything AI but it is such a media juggernaught and as a follower of pop culture it will be very hard to do as I have come to realize.

The winner is announced.....

2007-05-24T09:41:00.000-04:00

for American Idol and I don't know who won, thankfully but unfortunately I know who is in the final two. It was hard to avoid as a pop culture addict because I visit TV Guide.com and EW.com and Canoe.ca/jam everyday that I found out. I know it was a woman named Jordan and a guy named Blake or was it the other way around. That I don't know. But I am going to avoid those sites for a week and hopefully by then the news of the winner won't be listed but I am so tempted to go to them because I want to read about Lost and what happened there. We will see if I can avoid it by using my cookies where I can go directly to the area of the site that I want to.

And I will be truthful with you on whether or not I find out or not. Heck, I even admitted that I knew who the final two are.

Amazing Race All Stars April 29, 2007

2007-04-29T19:56:00.000-04:00

The pneultimate episode of the Amazing Race All Stars and I can't wait. We will see if my prediction from last week's blog is right or not. To refresh people's memory I said that Charla and Mirna will be eliminated. As long as the BQs and Danny and Ozzy make it to the final three then I am happy.

Also on TV tonight, at the same time as AR, is Game 3 of Vancouver Canucks vs the Anaheim Ducks, so you will forgive me if this blog isn't as detailed as it can be as I will be flipping over to the game during commercial breaks to check on the score. Go Canucks!!!!

The detour choices were interesting. It was obvious that you would scrub the plane as the care package one did take too much time but the airplane ride looked cool.

So yeah by Beauty Queens are in the top 3. I just need Oswald to find that pilot, get to the landing then get to the pit stop ASAP and at least have a 30 minute cushion.

The roadblock was a bit blah but exciting once they got to the landing area.

Ok so I was wrong. Charla and Mirna are racing for the million. Oh well. But I am so sad that Oswald and Danny are gone. I loved them so but now it's on and I want Dustin and Kandice to win. They play the game so well.

Next is another hour season finale. I am not going to be in town to watch it so I am getting someone to tape it for me and will watch it when I am back in town so I probably won't be writing a blog for it. But, I hope when I watch it that I will see the Beauty Queens crowned the winners of the Amazing Race.

And Go Canucks.

Amazing Race All Stars April 22, 2007

2007-04-22T20:03:00.000-04:00

So this promises to be a good episode according to the previews from last week and John Vito and Jill when they were on the Finish Line last week. Looking forward to seeing if this is true. If it goes in my beauty queens and Danny and Ozzy favour then I am down with that.

When I heard two teams got together to yield someone, I never thought it would be the BQs and Danny and Ozzy so who knew when I typed the above it would be just that. And I agree that yield is a tool to be used in the game. You do whatever it takes to win and the yield is what it takes.

But that road block was awesome. So would want to do but if Justin wants to do it, since I already sky dived and zip lined, he can have that adrenaline rush but I would be afraid initially to drop over 600 feet. It is scary since you are relying pretty much on an elastic band to make sure you make it down. Kudos to Charla for doing it.

That noodle detour was so funny the way the teams were bouncing on that bamboo stick. I laughed everytime I saw a team. Now I am worried about Danny and Ozzy that was or could be a bad detour choice as I am not at the end of the episode yet. And Eric and Danielle are catching up but here's hoping that the BQs come in first so that Eric and Danielle still have that 30 minute penalty but we will just have to wait and see.

Those Mini Motes are cute but I can understand that they can be difficult to drive. I am not good a driving a stick so I think we would be like Charla and Mirna.

Phew! Glad that it is another non-elim so that Danny and Ozzy are still in it. And if I were to base what I saw from the teams at the end. I think that Charla and Mirna will be eliminated next week. Why? Because out all the clips of the teams during their interviews, theirs looks like one that was filmed at the Pit Stop in Malaysia and the rest looked like they were at new places. See if I am right.

Until next week!
Like I said as long as Danny and Ozzy/BQs are in it then I am happy.

Getting harder to avoid the American Idol juggernaught

2007-04-19T11:05:00.000-04:00

This week when I got my latest issue of my favourite magazine in the world, Entertainment Weekly, on the cover were the contestants for American Idol. Now, whether you believe me or not, when I saw the words American Idol on the cover, I immediately ripped off the cover and tore it into pieces and put it in the recycling bin. I haven't read or will read the accompanying article and when I flip through that issue I just avoid those pages.

Now I think it might be easier to avoid AI now that Sanjaya -it was hard to avoid who this person was no matter how hard I tried -is off the show now. So no more in your face media coverage that would have been if he remained. So now, I will hopefully live blissfully ignorant for the rest of this season.

If you want to test me on the names of contestants, go ahead such as name who sang what song on a certain theme night and I bet you that I won't know or care to know.

What I really care about is the Amazing Race and I hope that Dustin and Kandice or Danny and Oswald win. That is a reality show that I can get behind because despite AI's tremendous success, it has never won the Emmy for Reality Show Competition. Who has one that Emmy the most? Well, it's the Amazing Race!!!!!!!

Amazing Race All Stars April 15, 2007

2007-04-15T20:18:00.000-04:00

I am scared for my Beauty Queens. I hate how the editing is making us think that the BQ's are going all this talk about karme biting them. I hope that is not the case because I think that they are playing the game and yielding is part of it. On their original race they yielded 'Bama and it bit them back so let's up it doesn't happen twice.

Flights again seems to be playing a big role again. I really hope that the BQs make it on and get to Hong Kong, a place I've always wanted to visit.

The fast forward was fun and I would totally do it and Ozzy and Danny are entitled to go for it despite them going for the other one with Uchenna and Joyce. The last race David and Mary could have done two fast forwards because of the intersection rule

And if I could have read Chinese maybe lost in translation would have been good but Kung Fu Fighting is the one I would have chosen as it is fun and something you normally could do. If I wanted to be lost in translation I'll just go to Chinatown here in Toronto. But it didn't seem to challenging the kung fu fightening, I thought maybe those fighters would be bugging you as you climb but they didn't seem to bother anybody but it was funny seeing Dustin and Mirna doing karate moves when it was unnecessary.

How cool was that road block? A great way to let off steam and frustration by kicking down doors.

I know this is a non-elimination, so who will get the 30 minute penalty? I think it still will be Eric and Danielle even with the editing. And there should be no more fast forwards so next will be interesting.

So Eric and Danielle are marked for elimination. You never know what is going to happen next week but one thing I am glad is that the BQs didn't come in last so they aren't marked for elimination.

According to next week a yield but what is interesting when they said two surprising teams team up to yield another. Makes you think. We know the BQ's can't use their yield and it wouldn't be a surprise if the other teams gang up to yield the BQs so my guess that it isn't them that get yielded. But we will see because, I hope it isn't them because it puts them out 30 minutes and may get them eliminated if Eric and Danielle catch-up. Damn those producers figuring out a way to giving Eric and Danielle a way to come back!

We are almost near the end!!!!!

Until next week!!! Go Canucks Go!!!!!!!!!

Amazing Race All Stars April 8, 2007

2007-04-08T19:58:00.000-04:00

Happy Easter all!!!!

We are down to five teams. And it is so interesting how flights have played a significant role in team placement this year. Charla and Mirna again look like genuises with flights. Uchenna and Joyce took a gamble so we will see if it pays off. I hope it does and I hope that Danny and Ozzy and the Beauty Queens make it too. But there has to be an equalizer somewhere along the race so that the Cousins don't have another huge lead.

So Uchenna and Joyce are going to get eliminated because of that missed flight, which is too bad.

As for the yield, I don't like all the name calling for Dustin and Kandice. It is a game and they had to yield somebody. I am sure Eric and Danielle would have yielded them. Think of being yielded as a compliment,

The detour is interesting. We will see who finishes first before we know which is the better choice. I didn't quite hear how many licorice centres were in the cookies but 600 boxes!!! It is a needle in a haystack task and maybe artistic impression is the better choice.

So artistic impression was the better choice. Despite the yield and what the other teams have said about them, I still love Dustin and Kandice and so glad that they came in #1. I hope they make it to the final three. But my dream final three of Danny and Ozzy, Dustin and Kandice and Uchenna and Joyce may not happen unless it is a non-elimination.

The key to the roadblock and Kandice and Mirna got it right was to get too much. My goodness the people of Kaula Lampur sure love to hold on to their papers. Did you see that one house that Mirna went into? It was almost as tall as me!!!

So Uchenna and Joyce are gone. I am sad but they did win before so it is ok that they went not thrilled just ok. I still want Charla and Mirna to be gone and Eric and Danielle. Between those two, I think I rather have Eric and Danielle in as they are less annoying but Charla and Mirna in the top 3 would be nice as it would be the first time two all-female teams race in the finals (if the Beauty Queens are part of that). Season is getting interesting.

Until Next Week.

Go Canucks Go!!!!!!

My continuning quest to avoid American Idol

2007-04-08T19:05:00.000-04:00

So I am trying real hard not to know what is going on in American Idol land. So far, it is becoming difficult because all the sites I love to visit details what is happening on that "talent" show. So I have heard about this contestant called Sanjaya that I assume from what I colleague who watches the show tells me he can't sing. Now I told my co-worker my quest not to know anything about AI so she didn't name names but told me about a contestant who can't sing but is still on the show, so I assume she is talking about Sanjaya since I see that name all over EW.com and TV Guide.com. I still don't know the names of the contestants or what they look like and I hope to keep it that way but it is hard when you have People magazing have them as your cover story, a publiclation I like to flip through in the bookstore so I had to avoid flipping through it while on my break at work the other day. But my beloved Entertainment Weekly already started doing odds on the contestants and I am sure as we get down to the wire, those odds will be revised but I will have to be sure that I avoid that part of the issue. Thank goodness I stopped watching Access Hollywood and those type of shows so at least I won't see any of that.

So it's been about two weeks and so far so good. Only got about a month until AI is all over and we will see how will I do.

Amazing Race All Stars April 1, 2007

2007-04-01T20:02:00.000-04:00

Happy April Fools Day! And on this special day we get a 2 hour Amazing Race spectactular.

Live blogging again. So let's see if this episode will be a joke and Charla and Mirna continue to dominate or the stars align again and they get eliminated.

Now that Teri and Ian are gone, I really want Dustin and Kandice and Ozzy and Danny to win. Wouldn't mind Uchenna and Joyce to be part of the top 3. The other teams can go.

Now since it is two hours you know it is a double leg.

Another interesting flight situation. Glad that Dustin and Kandice are free and clear. And seven hours in a travel agency, that is one slow agent!!!!! But it is interesting that the Guidos and Eric and Danielle can't get on the flight that was provided for them but the connection was tight.

The detour. I would have chosen "Perfect Pitch" because as a piano player I know that I could do this task and Dustin and Kandice did it very well. I think it helped that Dustin had that background. And do think that just before commercials, Charla and Mirna had it but it looks like they are going to switch up with Danny and Ozzy. It is all about not pulling too tight at to not break the string,

And I was wrong, it wasn't a double leg. Once the clue said check in at the pit stop and saw the the greeter then you know it wasn't but it might still be as the second hour could kick off the double leg.

Glad that Dustin and Kandice came in number one. They are my team that I want to win. I really just hope that it isn't a non-elimination. I am ready for the Guidos or Eric and Danielle to go. For the CTV contest, I guessed that they would come in first and I was right but does that mean they have to come in first for the next hour in order for me to win?

Uchenna and Joyce came in third despite their flight problems and I think it is weird to have one team start the next leg while two teams haven't finished the previous one. I am curious to see if it is an elimination or not.

It is incredible that the teams are so spread out. I mean the Beauty Queens are starting the leg at 10:54pm and I guess this is where the Guidos and Eric and Danielle are at.

But I think it is going to be a sobering experience going to Aushwitz. I felt quite emotional when I visited the National Holocaust Musuem in Washington, DC. It will be sad indeed to actually visit a site of such human horror.

Now back to the race. With the bus leaving at 1pm, this gives Ozzy and Danny, Uchenna and Joyce and Charla and Mirna to catch-up.

So it was a non-elimination. It actually pisses me off that it is. I want the Guidos gone. I never liked them in AR1. We will see if they can catch up and not get elminated. There has to be an equalizer somewhere that will make this all moot.

The moment at Aushwitz was emotional. I really cried, Glad that they didn't make them search for clues there.

But now the Intersection, as my brother said bloody brilliant. It is, but sucks for Dustin and Kandice the team I am rooting for the most. We will see who they end up teaming up with. Let's hope that it's not Joe and Bill. But glad that The Guidos aren't get Fast Forward. The Fast Forward looks straightforward.

So happy that Danny and Ozzy and Uchenna and Joyce came in number one. They are such great teams that have fun and work well together.

Now the detour. Too bad that the Beauty Queens are stuck with Charla and Mirna but they had too. And it is a good thing they chose "Eat It" which was what I would have chosen. Even though I have recently attempted to be a vegetarian for my health, I would be willing to eat meat and damn my cholesterol for a million dollars. I can eat two feet of sausage. I am that hungry. Plus, Kandice did a sausage road block in AR10 so this was perfect for them. Here is really hoping that the Guidos are so lost with Eric and Danielle that my Beauty Queens don't get eliminated.

Bad break that Charla had a hard time eating the meat while the others had no problem but I really want Charla and Mirna gone. Her shrieking is getting on my nerves. I rather have them gone than the Guidos because I will say it, at least they are not as annoying and actually I'll admit they are better here than they were in AR1.

But glad Dustin and Kandice broke free and are so far in third. Hope that holds up.

Yeah, Dustin and Kandice came in third and it was a cool road block to be in a suit of armour. But darn it to heck that shrieky McSkriekerson Mirna is still in it. When are they going to go away? The Guidos are gone, which is good. Next has to be Eric and Danielle or Charla and Mirna. Then I am happy with the Top 3. There will be an equializer next week that will bunch them up.

American Idol

2007-03-30T10:02:00.000-04:00

Now, I haven't seen a full season of American Idol since season 3. You know the one. The one were Fantasia won but more importantly featured future Best Supporting Actress winner Jennifer Hudson.

Even though I haven't watched a whole season of AI like I have watched all full seasons of the Amazing Race and Survivor, I still have managed to find out who has won in all subsequent seasons and their runners-up. So Season 4 we had Carrie Underwood besting rocker Bo Bice and Season 5 had Soul Patrol Taylor Hicks who beat Katherine McPhee.

But my problem with American Idol is that I don't think it really makes someone the music star it is supposed to. Except for Kelly Clarkson, who I think rocks, no winner has been the success that AI is supposed to bring the in world of pop. I stress that because Kelly Clarkson truly is an American Idol in the genre that the show is supposed to bring success. But have you heard from Ruben Studdard since he was the second winner? No, and because he was an R&B artist and not a "pop star." Same goes for Fantasia and it is country for Carrie Underwood that it almost seemed like she won Nashville Star and not American Idol and I don't exactly know the genre for Taylor Hicks but considering his moniker during his season was "Soul Patrol" one can assume it's soul music. I will grant that it gets all these young musicians a start.

And don't get me started on Canadian Idol. That is just a waste of summer air time. Not a single one of the winners have maintained longevity since winning. Ryan Malcom. where is he now? Same with Kalan Porter and Melissa O'Neil and the same fate will befall Eva Avila. So I too will avoid Canadian Idol like the plague.

Now to my point about this current season of AI. I am making a point to avoid all press about it. I don't want to know and I don't even know any of the names of the people in the top 12. Ok, I lie, I know some names and I was flipping through my Entertainment Weekly last night and came across the name something Doolittle and Chris Sligh. But my point is that this show is such a media juggernaught, I want to see if I can avoid knowing who got eliminated each week and who will be the winner and I don't even want to know what the contestants look like. So far, I have been able to avoid names and faces. I have heard one of the first people voted out on Regis and Kelly before I made this vow but now I can't even remember her name.

Wish me luck on that because a pop culture addict like me cannot avoid reading/hearing about American Idol.

Amazing Race All Stars March 25, 2007

2007-03-25T20:03:00.000-04:00

Live blogging the episode again.

Well, it looks like Charla and Mirna are genuises with the flights. We just have to wait and see if there is an equilizer. As for the rest of the teams, who knew that Dar es Saleem (sorry if this is the wrong spelling) is very popular destination! But glad that Dustin and Kandace and Ozzy and Danny got on. Pissed that Teri and Ian didn't. Don't quite understand why Eric and Danielle were given tickets when they were supposed to but as I am indifferent towards that team we will see if this will help Uchenna and Joyce not get eliminated and not get Teri and Ian eliminated.

So Teri and Ian and the Guidos still didn't make the next day fight. They can't get a break. I really need tTeri and Ian to make it and not come in last. But the ferry ride looked lovely.

The detour was an interesting choice. My initial thought was to do the logs as it was just two logs and you could find people to tell you where the shipyard was. My thought with the puzzle was that the pieces could go in any direction but after looking at people do the puzzle it was obvious that each piece went only in one way so the puzzle was the way to go.

And I like any challenge where you can use a weapon and since I did some archery in the past and even got a bullseye in one my archery things, I would love to do this road block.

And I thought it was so funny that Charla and Mirna had no idea that they won a boat, too funny. I never thought that they would come in #1 again but they lucked out with the flights. glad that Ozzy and Danny came in second and soon will see Dustin and Kandice check-in. Just got to see if Uchenna and Joyce gets eliminated or the Guidos or Teri and Ian

I know editing likes to play tricks on you but I was so hoping that Teri and Ian could pull it off but yet I knew that was not the case.

I really wished that Teri and Ian weren't eliminited. I grew to admire them so much during AR3 (their season where they came in 2nd) so I really wanted them to win but as I said before the team I am really rooting for is Dustin and Kandice, I want them to win because an all-female team has never won and I want them to win but wouldn't mind that Ozzy and Danny win too.

Glad that there also wasn't a fast forward to help Uchenna and Joyce and because of the whole flight situation the 30 minute penalty didn't hurt them at all.

Next week is 2 hours and it looks like Splitsville for Eric and Danielle and how cool is it to waer a suite of armor, wonder where that is, England maybe? It is about time that they get out of hot climates into cold ones.

Well, looking forward to next week and it is April Fool's

Cheers.

Amazing Race All Stars March 18, 2007

2007-03-18T23:02:00.000-04:00

The first race without any of the racers having to worry about Romber. Let's see what happens when no one has to worry about what is happening to the two reality show whores!

Just a brief mention of Romber, which is fine. At this moment of the race, I am not too worried for my Ozzy and Danny. They may be in last place trying to find their clue in the snow but I think an equilazer is on its way. And it was stupid of the blondes to miss their avalanche gear. They really have to play better.

What a interesting road block. The rats were huge but cute and their purpose was interesting. Who knew that rats could be trained to sniff out landmines. For my team, it really doesn't matter who does it, it all comes down to whether or not you like rats or not. And since I thought they were cute, I guess I would have done it.

The detour pamper or porter. If the racers knew that men would be successful in the pampering then they would have gone for it. It would seem obvious to for porter but my gut told me to go for pamper because of the fact that you have to fill 10 bags of coal, which not only it looked like it hurt to fill but had to sew up all ten bags then take one, it just made more sense to do pamper.

And I can't believe that Charla and Mirna were number one. But glad the teams that I love the most came in 2,3 and 4: Dustin and Kandice, Teri and Ian, and Ozzy and Danny.

Glad that Uchenna and Joyce were not eliminated but are marked for elimination for the next leg. But I have this feeling that there is going to be a fast forward on it. But the previews would indicate that there is none or that another team took it to stick it to them.

Until next week

Amazing Race All Stars March 11, 2007

2007-03-11T20:03:00.000-04:00

Sorry for not blogging last week. I was tired from live blogging the Oscars the week before!!!

If there is one thing that I am sure of over the last two episodes is that I am so over Charla and Mirna. I liked them in season 5 but this season they are so shrilly, whiny and annoying and put on some fake accent while in a pressure situation.

I want them out soon and I hate to say it but I don't think they will win it all because of Charla. She is a detriment to her team because of her size. Mirna was right in saying that she does all the work but I don't feel sorry for them one bit. The way they appear on TV is just annoying to me.

So when I saw the detour, my gut told me to go for navigate it. It was the right choice as teams struggled with "Sign it"and it is spelled "Philipines" Rob not "Phillipeans"

I am live blogging as I see this episode so we are at the road block, which anyone can do no matter who is on the team and I love that other teams from their season wrote them a letter, it gives us a chance to "hear" from them

Since the previews promised that this was going to be a finish that we will all be talking about I have a feeling that at 8:47pm that Rob and Amber will be eliminated, this is not knowing anything no spoilers or anything, If any other team but them got eliminated it would be whatever but I just got this feeling. Let's see if I am right.

As long as Dustin and Kandice don't get eliminated I am happy since Teri and Ian and Ozzy and Danny have already clocked in.

8:57pm Ding dong Rob and Amber are gone!!! Yeah!!!! I would've have been pissed if it was a non-elimination round but it wasn't so yeah. I was right

Next week should be interesting now that the main competition is gone so let the real race begin.

Cheers