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.
Friday, March 30, 2007
Sunday, March 25, 2007
Amazing Race All Stars March 25, 2007
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.
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.
Sunday, March 18, 2007
Amazing Race All Stars March 18, 2007
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
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
Sunday, March 11, 2007
Amazing Race All Stars March 11, 2007
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
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
Sunday, February 25, 2007
Live Blogging the Academy Awards February 25th, 2007
Hey there folks. It's Oscar time and I can't wait to win my Oscar pool with my brother. Because I love movies, the Academy Awards are like my Super Bowl. I watch it now with pizza and booze. My friend Lynette back home always hosted a kick-ass Oscar party with an awesome spread but alas, I am in TO and she's in Victoria and I miss those parties. Anyways.....
8:27pm: The road to the Oscar's just finished up. It's almost time for the big show. I am really hoping it doesn't go beyond 12:15am. If all goes well, it's supposed to end at 11:30pm. The reason why I want it to end before 12:15am is that I need to finish my taping of the new Marple mystery on CBC time shifting, This Marple mystery features Ruth Wilson. the wonderful actress that recently played Jane Eyre, in my favourite adaption of the story.
8:30pm: Here we go it's show time. It starts with a video about the nominees. Intereting but it doesn't really make sense. Okay maybe not so interesting, already I am feeling it is running too long. Where is Ellen?
8:34pm: I think we are getting somewhere, there is applause so maybe this is the end. Yes it is. Now they are showcasing the nominees. Ok, enough get to the show already.
8:36pm: Finally Ellen!!! No funny entrance, keeping it nice and simple. Nice! Applause should be had for the most international Oscars ever. Kudos. But so far Ellen not so funny.
8:39pm: I know its her schitk bur ramblings is a little annoying. If she was a bit funnier, it might be ok.
8:41pm Jennifer Hudson got rid of that spaceman jacket that was part of her dress. She said an Al Gore joke, thunderous applause ensues. Leo goes red. Steve Carrell perplexed at the diversity joke.
8:44pm: Ellen's celebration of the nominees. I think a little lame, please get to the first award, I like to know if I am going to kick my brother's ass not only in our family hockey's pool but the Oscar pool as well.
8:45pm: The first award, art direction -one of the six awards that bro and I differed. I do love Nicole Kidman's red dress and 007 is lovely too. The Winner is: Pan's Labyrinth. Score one for me!!!!!!!! Brother guessed Dreamgirls.
8:48pm: The scientific awards at this point. It's never this early but good to get it over with. You would think that Maggie Gyllenhall could sell her lines better.
8:49pm: Strange. People cartwheeling to form the Oscar statue
8:53pm: Will Ferell, guaranteed laughs. Singing about a comedian at the Oscar's. Jack Black!!! John C. Reilly now, singing about being in both Boogie and Talledega Nights. I am not exactly sure where this number is going. Like the line "Helen Mirren and the Oscar's coming home with me" and Jack Black saying Tivo that.
8:57pm: Make-up: doesn't matter who wins here. Bro and I chose the same. The Winner: Pan's Labyrinth. Take a swig of your drink Vanessa (every time I get a category right, I take a swig from my drink!)
8:59pm: Abigail Breslin and Jadyn Smith, my guess animated short film they are presenting. They are so cute together. Again bro and I gussed the same: The Little Match Girl. The Winner: The Danish Poet. We got that wrong but a Canadian won as it was a National Film Board movie, so I don't mind getting this one wrong. I thought about picking that but went with what Entertainment Weekly chose.
9:03pm: Live action short. Another category where me and bro differed. The Winner: West Bank Story. We both got that wrong, I guessed: Helmer and Son, he guessed Eramos Pocos. But those two kids are so cute.
Can we get to a major category please?
9:06pm: I like how they are presenting the best picture nominees, much better than having an actor read off the teleprompter about the film then show a clip, rather hear from the film makers or cast about it.
9:11pm: What?!?@!! Bill Conte is not conducting the Oscar orchestra!!!! The sound effects choir, interesting again but why? I want a major award darn it!!!! Are all those people really making those noises and if so they look stupid doing so. I don't get it.
9:13pm: Steve Carrell and Greg Kinnear. Sound Editing. Another category where Justin and I guessed the same: Pirates of the Caribbean. The Winner: Letters From Iwo Jima.
At the 9:16pm mark I am winning by one category. But don't get too excited. We pretty much guessed wrong on categories that we predicted the same and the other one that we predicted right, we picked the same film.
9:17pm James McAvoy, saw him on the Red Carpet and love his Scottish accent. It is so damn sexy. Category is Sound Mixing, Justin and I guessed Dreamgirls. The Winner: Dreamgirls.
9:20pm: A major award. The lovely Rachel Weisz and Justin's twin, she was born on the same day as him. We differed on Supporting Actor. He: Alan Arkin. Me: Eddie Murphy. The Winner: Alan Arkin. We are tied!!!
9:26pm: Great interperative dance of the nominated movies, just what we need! but it is actually interesting.
9:29pm: So far I am not impressed with Ellen. I had high hopes for her but so far disappointing.
9:30pm The first nominated song. Randy Newman again singing a song from a Pixar film. I think he should have won for the Toy Story 2 song: When She Loved Me, sung by Sarah McLaughlin and not for that Monster Inc. song. Anyways, Randy Newman is a great score composer and loved his score to Pleasantville in which the Notebook trailer sampled some of it.
9:31pm: Here is really hoping that the show ends on time. I really want to know who did it on that Marple mystery!!
The song was ok, a little sedate for me at least Randy Newman didn't sing. Now Melissa Etheridge singing her song from an Inconvenient Truth. I like Melissa Etheridge, love the rawness of her voice. Song is nice, she might win but I think that a Dreamgirls song will win but which one. The award show seems to clipping along at an interesting pace.
9:35pm: Leo and Gore. Interesting pair. He didn't announce whether or not to run for President. What do they mean that Oscar's have gone green? Oh! they are explaining it now. Funny, it looked like he was about to announce his intentions but the orchestra played him off. Nice.
9:42pm: Best Animated movie. Justin and I both guessed Cars. The Winner: Happy Feet. I thought about it but again listened to EW. This is awful, out of the eight categories announced I only got two right so far but the same can be said for Justin.
9:49pm: Adapted Screenplay. We both guessed The Departed. Loved Helen Mirren reading the screen directions, she somehow brought class to Borat. The Winner: The Departed. Three right and a swig.
9:55pm The first real laugh of the night courtesy of Tom Hanks. Wasn't paying attention of that Chris guy backstage until he was awkwardly in the way of Tom, Helen Mirren and the winner of the Adapted Screenplay award. But then he said something about fun and Tom chirped in.
9:59pm Best Costume, we both guessed Marie Antoinette. What the heck is Meryl Streep wearing, it looks like is going to some hippie party afterwards but did like her deadpan look. Presenting the costumes on stage, interesting. Cute dog. The Winner: Marie Antoinette and it is true everything does sound great with a British or Scottish accent. Sigh! James McAvoy!!!
10:05pm: We are at the humanitarian award, a nice award but it interupts the award show. I hope her speech is short.
10:11pm: Getting Steven Spielberg to take hers and Clint's photos was funny.
10:12pm: Best Cinematography presented by Apple's and Moses mom. Our guesses were Children of Men. The Winner: Pan's Labyrinth. Damn you EW, love you but damn you!!!
10:20pm: I think Naomi Watts' dress is awful, don't like those sleeves. Best Visual Effect, Justin and I both guessed Pirates of the Caribbean. The Winner: Pirates of The Caribbean. I think we are still tied, yes we are tied.
10:23pm: Has to be Best Foreign Language film but alas it is a look at 50 years of Best Foreign Language film. What is with my screen cutting off half of these titles. I need to get a flat widescreen TV.
10:30pm Now are we getting to the Foreign Language pick. My pick: The Lives of Other. Justin's: Pan's Labyrinth. I took a gamble on this category and this will break our tie. The Winner: The Lives of Others. Score one for me. I wouldn't have minded that Water won, would love to have another Canadian film win an Oscar. 7 out of 13 right so far out of Justin's 6 out of 13.
10:33pm: Pretty impressive the Snakes on a Plane. Now finally George Clooney to present Best Supporting Actress. We both guessed Jennifer Hudson. The Winner: Jennifer Hudson!!!!! Great for her, what an increndible story she has. American Idol reject to Oscar winner. She is officially the most succesful person from that show.
14 categories down, ten to go and about an hour and 25 minutes before where I left off of the Marple mystery comes on.
10:42pm: The documentary short. Me: The Blood of Yingzhou District Justin: Two Hands. The Winner: The Blood Of Yingzhou District. That was a wild card pick on my behalf. I was going to listen to EW but changed my mind after reading all the descriptions of the short and felt that this was a meatier Oscar-type documentary.
10:45pm Jerry Seinfeld presenting Best Documentary Feature. Justin and I both guessed Gore's documentary An Inconvenient Truth. Get to the damn award Seinfeld, I want to see my Marple mystery conclude. The Winner: An Inconvenient Truth.
10:50pm The Honorary Oscar to a film composer. Gotta love that. Ennio Morricone. I don't think I have any of his scores but he has done memeroable scores for such films as The Good, the Bad and The Ugly and the Mission. Movie scores are one of the music genres that I love. I have about a hundred movie score soundtracks. John Williams and Patrick Doyle I count as among my favourite composers. My Ipod is filled with their scores.
I love how they are letting his scores tell the tale of his career. There is always something so emotional when hearing a great score, I love it when it tugs at your heartstrings and makes you feel certain emotions. Example: Rob Lane's recent score to Jane Eyre made me feel passion and love. I do have one of Ennio's score: I have Hamlet, the Mel Gibson version. Now Celine Dion is singing a song, I can only guessed composed by Ennio. I know a lot of people don't like her but I do. I think she is a great performer plus we haven't seen her at the Oscar's for a while. And besides the song is lovely. Give the man a standing ovation. Movies are never the same without the music.
11:03pm Come on Oscars, you've got 1 hour and 12 minutes to end before the Marple mystery. I think I am going to eat a Kit Kat and an Aero Bar right now, the new thin ones that are only 80 calories.
11:06pm. Best Original score. Always my category. Our picks: The Queen, Alexandre Desplat. The Winner: Babel. That guy won last year for Brokeback Mountain. This is one of my worst years in trying to predict the Oscars. It doesn't help that I haven't seen that many of the nominated movies. At least I am #1 in my hockey pool.
11:10pm love the speed-up version of the usually boring Academy president speech. But so far this is a ho-hum telecast. So far nothing that matched the smear Best Actress campaign from last year.
11:11pm: Peter Parker and Mary-Jane doing Original screenplay. We both picked: Little Miss Sunshine. The Winner: Little Miss Sunshine
11:20pm That was a stupid hi-def joke about J-Lo. Jennifer Hudson performing "I love you, I do" a great song from Dreamgirls. Beyonce singing Listen, which Justin and I think is going to win. Interesting that Jennifer Hudson and Beyonce are dueting as it is not the case in the film on both the songs so far. And why do I feel that their boobs are going to fall out. Keith Robinson is singing Eddie Murphy's part of Patience and is dueting with Anika Noni Rose and the other Dreamgirls on this one, as believe it is done in the film but I don't remember. That was nice but then again I love musicals.
11:27pm: John Travolta and Queen Latifah, soon to be seen in Hairspray, to present the Best Song award. The Winner: Melissa Etheridge for An Inconvenient Truth. I did say it might win after listening to her song.
So we still have Film Editing, Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Director and Best Picture. Five categories and 45 minutes to do it before my Marple mystery. And I've had enough about the promos of "On the lot"
11:36pm and the Oscars are already over by six minutes. Did they really think it was going to be only 3 hours? Yeah right. Get back to the awards already. I know Hollywood love to honours themselves but come on.
11:40pm Kate Winslet. Love her. Born 20 days before me. Best Film Editing. Me: Babel Justin: United 93. The Winner: The Departed
11:44pm: Jodie Foster I bet is doing the in memorium. I am right.
I have a solution to my Marple mystery problem, I have my mini TV that I will use to continue on watching the Oscars while taping the remaining of my Marple mystery!!!!!
11:50pm So far I still got only 10 right. This is really bad prognasticating on my part. But I now know that I won because even if I lose on Best Picture, I still got one more right than Justin!!!!!!
11:52pm: Phillip Seymour Hoffman presenting Best Actress. We both said Helen Mirren. The Winner: Helen Mirren. She better have won, I mean she won every single award. How awesome is she, great speech, eloquent and beautiful.
11:57pm This backstage guy is awful, just oozes cheese that is just rank!
12:01am: Reese Whitherspoon for Best Actor. We both said Forest Whitaker. The Winner: Forest Whitaker. For a great actor, Forest is a quiet man in real life. Sorry Peter O'Toole, my guess is the honorary Oscar is all you will get. And Ryan Gosling, you are one hot man!!!!
12:06am: Spielberg, Coppola and George Lucas presenting Best Director, nice touch to have these three directors present. Funny. Our picks: Martin Scorcese. The Winner: Martin Scorcese. Finally!!!!!
12:12pm Best Picture. My pick: Babel Justin: The Departed. Sorry no pithy comments it's getting late in the evening. The Winner: The Departed. That's all folks. The telecast itself was blah. But I won the Oscar Pool by one. Me: 14 Justin: 13. Another close one, like last year but I won the bet.
Until next year folks. Now back to my Marple mystery.
8:27pm: The road to the Oscar's just finished up. It's almost time for the big show. I am really hoping it doesn't go beyond 12:15am. If all goes well, it's supposed to end at 11:30pm. The reason why I want it to end before 12:15am is that I need to finish my taping of the new Marple mystery on CBC time shifting, This Marple mystery features Ruth Wilson. the wonderful actress that recently played Jane Eyre, in my favourite adaption of the story.
8:30pm: Here we go it's show time. It starts with a video about the nominees. Intereting but it doesn't really make sense. Okay maybe not so interesting, already I am feeling it is running too long. Where is Ellen?
8:34pm: I think we are getting somewhere, there is applause so maybe this is the end. Yes it is. Now they are showcasing the nominees. Ok, enough get to the show already.
8:36pm: Finally Ellen!!! No funny entrance, keeping it nice and simple. Nice! Applause should be had for the most international Oscars ever. Kudos. But so far Ellen not so funny.
8:39pm: I know its her schitk bur ramblings is a little annoying. If she was a bit funnier, it might be ok.
8:41pm Jennifer Hudson got rid of that spaceman jacket that was part of her dress. She said an Al Gore joke, thunderous applause ensues. Leo goes red. Steve Carrell perplexed at the diversity joke.
8:44pm: Ellen's celebration of the nominees. I think a little lame, please get to the first award, I like to know if I am going to kick my brother's ass not only in our family hockey's pool but the Oscar pool as well.
8:45pm: The first award, art direction -one of the six awards that bro and I differed. I do love Nicole Kidman's red dress and 007 is lovely too. The Winner is: Pan's Labyrinth. Score one for me!!!!!!!! Brother guessed Dreamgirls.
8:48pm: The scientific awards at this point. It's never this early but good to get it over with. You would think that Maggie Gyllenhall could sell her lines better.
8:49pm: Strange. People cartwheeling to form the Oscar statue
8:53pm: Will Ferell, guaranteed laughs. Singing about a comedian at the Oscar's. Jack Black!!! John C. Reilly now, singing about being in both Boogie and Talledega Nights. I am not exactly sure where this number is going. Like the line "Helen Mirren and the Oscar's coming home with me" and Jack Black saying Tivo that.
8:57pm: Make-up: doesn't matter who wins here. Bro and I chose the same. The Winner: Pan's Labyrinth. Take a swig of your drink Vanessa (every time I get a category right, I take a swig from my drink!)
8:59pm: Abigail Breslin and Jadyn Smith, my guess animated short film they are presenting. They are so cute together. Again bro and I gussed the same: The Little Match Girl. The Winner: The Danish Poet. We got that wrong but a Canadian won as it was a National Film Board movie, so I don't mind getting this one wrong. I thought about picking that but went with what Entertainment Weekly chose.
9:03pm: Live action short. Another category where me and bro differed. The Winner: West Bank Story. We both got that wrong, I guessed: Helmer and Son, he guessed Eramos Pocos. But those two kids are so cute.
Can we get to a major category please?
9:06pm: I like how they are presenting the best picture nominees, much better than having an actor read off the teleprompter about the film then show a clip, rather hear from the film makers or cast about it.
9:11pm: What?!?@!! Bill Conte is not conducting the Oscar orchestra!!!! The sound effects choir, interesting again but why? I want a major award darn it!!!! Are all those people really making those noises and if so they look stupid doing so. I don't get it.
9:13pm: Steve Carrell and Greg Kinnear. Sound Editing. Another category where Justin and I guessed the same: Pirates of the Caribbean. The Winner: Letters From Iwo Jima.
At the 9:16pm mark I am winning by one category. But don't get too excited. We pretty much guessed wrong on categories that we predicted the same and the other one that we predicted right, we picked the same film.
9:17pm James McAvoy, saw him on the Red Carpet and love his Scottish accent. It is so damn sexy. Category is Sound Mixing, Justin and I guessed Dreamgirls. The Winner: Dreamgirls.
9:20pm: A major award. The lovely Rachel Weisz and Justin's twin, she was born on the same day as him. We differed on Supporting Actor. He: Alan Arkin. Me: Eddie Murphy. The Winner: Alan Arkin. We are tied!!!
9:26pm: Great interperative dance of the nominated movies, just what we need! but it is actually interesting.
9:29pm: So far I am not impressed with Ellen. I had high hopes for her but so far disappointing.
9:30pm The first nominated song. Randy Newman again singing a song from a Pixar film. I think he should have won for the Toy Story 2 song: When She Loved Me, sung by Sarah McLaughlin and not for that Monster Inc. song. Anyways, Randy Newman is a great score composer and loved his score to Pleasantville in which the Notebook trailer sampled some of it.
9:31pm: Here is really hoping that the show ends on time. I really want to know who did it on that Marple mystery!!
The song was ok, a little sedate for me at least Randy Newman didn't sing. Now Melissa Etheridge singing her song from an Inconvenient Truth. I like Melissa Etheridge, love the rawness of her voice. Song is nice, she might win but I think that a Dreamgirls song will win but which one. The award show seems to clipping along at an interesting pace.
9:35pm: Leo and Gore. Interesting pair. He didn't announce whether or not to run for President. What do they mean that Oscar's have gone green? Oh! they are explaining it now. Funny, it looked like he was about to announce his intentions but the orchestra played him off. Nice.
9:42pm: Best Animated movie. Justin and I both guessed Cars. The Winner: Happy Feet. I thought about it but again listened to EW. This is awful, out of the eight categories announced I only got two right so far but the same can be said for Justin.
9:49pm: Adapted Screenplay. We both guessed The Departed. Loved Helen Mirren reading the screen directions, she somehow brought class to Borat. The Winner: The Departed. Three right and a swig.
9:55pm The first real laugh of the night courtesy of Tom Hanks. Wasn't paying attention of that Chris guy backstage until he was awkwardly in the way of Tom, Helen Mirren and the winner of the Adapted Screenplay award. But then he said something about fun and Tom chirped in.
9:59pm Best Costume, we both guessed Marie Antoinette. What the heck is Meryl Streep wearing, it looks like is going to some hippie party afterwards but did like her deadpan look. Presenting the costumes on stage, interesting. Cute dog. The Winner: Marie Antoinette and it is true everything does sound great with a British or Scottish accent. Sigh! James McAvoy!!!
10:05pm: We are at the humanitarian award, a nice award but it interupts the award show. I hope her speech is short.
10:11pm: Getting Steven Spielberg to take hers and Clint's photos was funny.
10:12pm: Best Cinematography presented by Apple's and Moses mom. Our guesses were Children of Men. The Winner: Pan's Labyrinth. Damn you EW, love you but damn you!!!
10:20pm: I think Naomi Watts' dress is awful, don't like those sleeves. Best Visual Effect, Justin and I both guessed Pirates of the Caribbean. The Winner: Pirates of The Caribbean. I think we are still tied, yes we are tied.
10:23pm: Has to be Best Foreign Language film but alas it is a look at 50 years of Best Foreign Language film. What is with my screen cutting off half of these titles. I need to get a flat widescreen TV.
10:30pm Now are we getting to the Foreign Language pick. My pick: The Lives of Other. Justin's: Pan's Labyrinth. I took a gamble on this category and this will break our tie. The Winner: The Lives of Others. Score one for me. I wouldn't have minded that Water won, would love to have another Canadian film win an Oscar. 7 out of 13 right so far out of Justin's 6 out of 13.
10:33pm: Pretty impressive the Snakes on a Plane. Now finally George Clooney to present Best Supporting Actress. We both guessed Jennifer Hudson. The Winner: Jennifer Hudson!!!!! Great for her, what an increndible story she has. American Idol reject to Oscar winner. She is officially the most succesful person from that show.
14 categories down, ten to go and about an hour and 25 minutes before where I left off of the Marple mystery comes on.
10:42pm: The documentary short. Me: The Blood of Yingzhou District Justin: Two Hands. The Winner: The Blood Of Yingzhou District. That was a wild card pick on my behalf. I was going to listen to EW but changed my mind after reading all the descriptions of the short and felt that this was a meatier Oscar-type documentary.
10:45pm Jerry Seinfeld presenting Best Documentary Feature. Justin and I both guessed Gore's documentary An Inconvenient Truth. Get to the damn award Seinfeld, I want to see my Marple mystery conclude. The Winner: An Inconvenient Truth.
10:50pm The Honorary Oscar to a film composer. Gotta love that. Ennio Morricone. I don't think I have any of his scores but he has done memeroable scores for such films as The Good, the Bad and The Ugly and the Mission. Movie scores are one of the music genres that I love. I have about a hundred movie score soundtracks. John Williams and Patrick Doyle I count as among my favourite composers. My Ipod is filled with their scores.
I love how they are letting his scores tell the tale of his career. There is always something so emotional when hearing a great score, I love it when it tugs at your heartstrings and makes you feel certain emotions. Example: Rob Lane's recent score to Jane Eyre made me feel passion and love. I do have one of Ennio's score: I have Hamlet, the Mel Gibson version. Now Celine Dion is singing a song, I can only guessed composed by Ennio. I know a lot of people don't like her but I do. I think she is a great performer plus we haven't seen her at the Oscar's for a while. And besides the song is lovely. Give the man a standing ovation. Movies are never the same without the music.
11:03pm Come on Oscars, you've got 1 hour and 12 minutes to end before the Marple mystery. I think I am going to eat a Kit Kat and an Aero Bar right now, the new thin ones that are only 80 calories.
11:06pm. Best Original score. Always my category. Our picks: The Queen, Alexandre Desplat. The Winner: Babel. That guy won last year for Brokeback Mountain. This is one of my worst years in trying to predict the Oscars. It doesn't help that I haven't seen that many of the nominated movies. At least I am #1 in my hockey pool.
11:10pm love the speed-up version of the usually boring Academy president speech. But so far this is a ho-hum telecast. So far nothing that matched the smear Best Actress campaign from last year.
11:11pm: Peter Parker and Mary-Jane doing Original screenplay. We both picked: Little Miss Sunshine. The Winner: Little Miss Sunshine
11:20pm That was a stupid hi-def joke about J-Lo. Jennifer Hudson performing "I love you, I do" a great song from Dreamgirls. Beyonce singing Listen, which Justin and I think is going to win. Interesting that Jennifer Hudson and Beyonce are dueting as it is not the case in the film on both the songs so far. And why do I feel that their boobs are going to fall out. Keith Robinson is singing Eddie Murphy's part of Patience and is dueting with Anika Noni Rose and the other Dreamgirls on this one, as believe it is done in the film but I don't remember. That was nice but then again I love musicals.
11:27pm: John Travolta and Queen Latifah, soon to be seen in Hairspray, to present the Best Song award. The Winner: Melissa Etheridge for An Inconvenient Truth. I did say it might win after listening to her song.
So we still have Film Editing, Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Director and Best Picture. Five categories and 45 minutes to do it before my Marple mystery. And I've had enough about the promos of "On the lot"
11:36pm and the Oscars are already over by six minutes. Did they really think it was going to be only 3 hours? Yeah right. Get back to the awards already. I know Hollywood love to honours themselves but come on.
11:40pm Kate Winslet. Love her. Born 20 days before me. Best Film Editing. Me: Babel Justin: United 93. The Winner: The Departed
11:44pm: Jodie Foster I bet is doing the in memorium. I am right.
I have a solution to my Marple mystery problem, I have my mini TV that I will use to continue on watching the Oscars while taping the remaining of my Marple mystery!!!!!
11:50pm So far I still got only 10 right. This is really bad prognasticating on my part. But I now know that I won because even if I lose on Best Picture, I still got one more right than Justin!!!!!!
11:52pm: Phillip Seymour Hoffman presenting Best Actress. We both said Helen Mirren. The Winner: Helen Mirren. She better have won, I mean she won every single award. How awesome is she, great speech, eloquent and beautiful.
11:57pm This backstage guy is awful, just oozes cheese that is just rank!
12:01am: Reese Whitherspoon for Best Actor. We both said Forest Whitaker. The Winner: Forest Whitaker. For a great actor, Forest is a quiet man in real life. Sorry Peter O'Toole, my guess is the honorary Oscar is all you will get. And Ryan Gosling, you are one hot man!!!!
12:06am: Spielberg, Coppola and George Lucas presenting Best Director, nice touch to have these three directors present. Funny. Our picks: Martin Scorcese. The Winner: Martin Scorcese. Finally!!!!!
12:12pm Best Picture. My pick: Babel Justin: The Departed. Sorry no pithy comments it's getting late in the evening. The Winner: The Departed. That's all folks. The telecast itself was blah. But I won the Oscar Pool by one. Me: 14 Justin: 13. Another close one, like last year but I won the bet.
Until next year folks. Now back to my Marple mystery.
Sunday, February 18, 2007
Amazing Race: All Stars February 18th
Happy Chinese New Year all in this year of the pig.
And what a way to start the new year with the Amazing Race: All Stars. When I heard there was going to be an All Star edition, I was excited looking forward to seeing what teams are going to be in it from its over 10 seasons. The one team I was looking forward to was the Bowling Moms. I was really disappointed to learn that they didn't make the cut.
But here are the teams that I am rooting for that did make the cut:
1. Dustin and Kandace: The strongest and most competitive all-female team I've ever seen on the race
2. Oswald and Danny: Loved them in season 2
3. Teri and Ian: Book it Teri! Loved them in Season 3
4. Kevin and Drew: Best part of season 1
5. Uchenna and Joyce. Good karma should still be on their side
6. Charla and Mirna: Still rooting for Charla, want her to succeed
Teams I am not rooting for: Rob and Amber -can't stand them., Their 15 minutes of fame should be over by now.
Joe and Bill: Never liked team Guido and still don't
The other teams I am indifferent towards.
So of course Romber would come in first. Typical. But glad that Ozzy and Danny came in second followed by Teri and Ian and sorry Justin, Ian didn't say book it!
Glad that my beauty queens came in sixth and got a little worried for Charla and Mirna but glad they tied for 8th with Kentucky, who I predicted would come in last because of their lies to the Beauty Queens thought karma would bite them in the butt.
Was really worried for Kevin and Drew but so happy that they overcame injury and a flat tire to come in 2nd to last.
As for John Vito and Jill, was indifferent towards them but a little sad to see them go because I kinda wanted to see if they did get back together, guess I'll find out when i watch the Finish Line tomorrow. But, it was their fault for driving to the wrong entrance. You know when Phil emphasizes something it is going to bite one or two teams as it did JV and Jill and the cousins.
As for the tasks, of course you do wrangle it, you got the guys to wrangle the horse for you. Never chose a needle in a haystack clue, what made Romber think it was better is beyond me. Maybe that can be their downfall chosing wrong detours.
It may look like next week the Intersection comes back as it does look like the cousins have to work with the Beauty Queens.
The race is just getting started and more excitement is bound to happen. As long as my top 6 teams are still in the running, I will be happy.
Until next week.
And what a way to start the new year with the Amazing Race: All Stars. When I heard there was going to be an All Star edition, I was excited looking forward to seeing what teams are going to be in it from its over 10 seasons. The one team I was looking forward to was the Bowling Moms. I was really disappointed to learn that they didn't make the cut.
But here are the teams that I am rooting for that did make the cut:
1. Dustin and Kandace: The strongest and most competitive all-female team I've ever seen on the race
2. Oswald and Danny: Loved them in season 2
3. Teri and Ian: Book it Teri! Loved them in Season 3
4. Kevin and Drew: Best part of season 1
5. Uchenna and Joyce. Good karma should still be on their side
6. Charla and Mirna: Still rooting for Charla, want her to succeed
Teams I am not rooting for: Rob and Amber -can't stand them., Their 15 minutes of fame should be over by now.
Joe and Bill: Never liked team Guido and still don't
The other teams I am indifferent towards.
So of course Romber would come in first. Typical. But glad that Ozzy and Danny came in second followed by Teri and Ian and sorry Justin, Ian didn't say book it!
Glad that my beauty queens came in sixth and got a little worried for Charla and Mirna but glad they tied for 8th with Kentucky, who I predicted would come in last because of their lies to the Beauty Queens thought karma would bite them in the butt.
Was really worried for Kevin and Drew but so happy that they overcame injury and a flat tire to come in 2nd to last.
As for John Vito and Jill, was indifferent towards them but a little sad to see them go because I kinda wanted to see if they did get back together, guess I'll find out when i watch the Finish Line tomorrow. But, it was their fault for driving to the wrong entrance. You know when Phil emphasizes something it is going to bite one or two teams as it did JV and Jill and the cousins.
As for the tasks, of course you do wrangle it, you got the guys to wrangle the horse for you. Never chose a needle in a haystack clue, what made Romber think it was better is beyond me. Maybe that can be their downfall chosing wrong detours.
It may look like next week the Intersection comes back as it does look like the cousins have to work with the Beauty Queens.
The race is just getting started and more excitement is bound to happen. As long as my top 6 teams are still in the running, I will be happy.
Until next week.
Monday, January 29, 2007
Masterpiece Theatre - Jane Eyre, Part Two
There are five scenes that I look forward to the most when it comes to any version of Jane Eyre:
- The fire rescue scene
- The proposal scene
- The courtship scenes post proposal
- Rochester's pleas for Jane to stay after the aborted wedding
- Their reunion
Four out of the five appeared in part two of Masterpiece Theatre's wonderful version of Jane Eyre.
Out of all the versions that I've seen (and I've seen eight of them) this one has hit all the parts I love best exactly right.
Of course my thoughts on the fire scene was said previously but if not I loved that part. The way it was shot in shadows with those two so close together that you felt their chemistry and you wanted them to kiss and the scene afterwards where Jane believed that Mr. Rochester might actually return her feelings for him.
And you know he did in the proposal scene. Ruth Wilson and Toby Stephens were wonderful in that scene: painful, emotional and passionate.
My absolutely favourite scene in this production was the morning after the proposal and credit goes to Wilson for making it such a wonderful scene. It is the scene where Jane is lying on her bed with the sunlight softly illuminating her face as thoughts were on the night before. She rises takes a look at her face in the mirror, she touches it and her mouth scarcely believing what has transpired and then she spins around like a schoolgirl in happiness before she plops back down on her bed. That scene was so beautiful and punctuated by an emotional score by Rob Lane -I wish a soundtrack would come out for this production.
Now I come to screenwriter Sandy Welch. What she has done to this version is miraculous, bringing passion to this tale that has been sorely lacking in past versions.
Her best job came tonight during the St. John scenes which are usually slow and boring. The reader and audience are just waiting for Jane to hear Rochester's voice across the moors and reunite with him.
In all other versions I have seen, Rochester's pleas for Jane to stay are usually before the St.John bits but what Welch has done is mix those scenes in with her time with the Rivers making that part of the production way more interesting. The scenes with Rochester and Jane, while not exactly following the book, were sizzling. I love those scenes. You see both their despondence and their passion for one another. Stephens was magnificent in these scenes the passion and desperation in his voice and the way he touched and kissed Jane would have convinced me to stay or in his words would have "tempted me in a life of sin."
As for St. John, Andrew Buchan has been one of the better ones I have seen in recent versions. He is handsome but a cold fish as he was written unlike the St. John's of 1996, 1997 and the musical.
The final scene where Jane and Rochester have married were a nice glimpse into their married life and you get to see the full transformation of their characters. Jane, who started the story with no family or love has finally found love and a family. Rochester, who throughout was brooding and unhappy at life, is joyously happy with his life.
I read in the production diary that the man paiting their portrait was the same man who did the Reed's portrait. A nice connecting piece there but too bad you didn't see his face.
Four final words to close my thoughts on this: Best. Jane. Eyre. Ever.
Saturday, January 27, 2007
Movie review -The Queen
It is hard to believe that this August will mark 10 years since the unexpected and tragic death of Princess Diana, the Princess of Wales. It is one of those moments in history where you remember where you were when you heard the news. And while watching The Queen, the docudrama the recreates the behind the scenes drama of how the Royal Family dealt with the tragedy, brought back all of the memories of the summer of 1997.
The most amazing thing about this film is the exquisite and amazing performance of Helen Mirren as Queen Elizabeth II. She brings humanity to the role of the only monarch I have ever known and someone I consider sometime stoic but emotionally unattached when I see her appearances at Christmas. She makes Queen Elizabeth a person like you and I and not some monarch just sitting on her throne waited hand and foot. She drives a Range Rover! (albeit not wearing a seat belt).
I don't know how true it was in real life but it was fascinating to see the Queen's struggle on how to deal with it and it almost seemed as if she was being bullied into doing what was ultimately the right thing to do by the British people and Tony Blair (Michael Sheen in his second go around playing the Labour PM after TV's The Deal). I really did feel sorry for her but at the same time you wanted to yell at her to get off her high horse and do something.
We all know now that she did misjudge on how the public wanted her to address the people and I really got teary eyed as Stephen Frears used a mixture of archival and re-enactments of how the people reacted to Diana's death. I remember feeling what the people felt at the time but not necessarily about how the Queen should have reacted.
Sheen is also a revelation as Blair. He was amazing and should have been nominated for some sort of acting award. There is a scene towards the end of the Queen where after all the frenzy surrounding Diana's death and funeral had passed, they meet again (very similar to their first meeting earlier in the film when Blair first got elected) and discuss how the Queen's reputation was damaged by the way she handled things while Blair's popularity soared. Blair countered that the Queen saved her rep by addressing the people on the eve of Diana's funeral but she added that Blair may soon feel what it was like to have one's reputation damaged. This was excellent foreshadowing how Blair's rep was damaged by joining forces with President Bush to invade Iraq to find no existent weapons of mass destruction.
When the lights came up, I thought that the Queen was one of the most amazing fillms I have seen in a while. The performances were excellent and the screenplay by Peter Morgan was well written.
Come Oscar time I know that Helen Mirren is the one to beat. She embodied the Queen not only physically but emotionally as well. This is her third time playing a monarch after Queen Charlotte in the Madness of King George (her first Oscar nomination) and Queen Elizabeth I in Elizabeth I and you know what they say third time is the charm.
The most amazing thing about this film is the exquisite and amazing performance of Helen Mirren as Queen Elizabeth II. She brings humanity to the role of the only monarch I have ever known and someone I consider sometime stoic but emotionally unattached when I see her appearances at Christmas. She makes Queen Elizabeth a person like you and I and not some monarch just sitting on her throne waited hand and foot. She drives a Range Rover! (albeit not wearing a seat belt).
I don't know how true it was in real life but it was fascinating to see the Queen's struggle on how to deal with it and it almost seemed as if she was being bullied into doing what was ultimately the right thing to do by the British people and Tony Blair (Michael Sheen in his second go around playing the Labour PM after TV's The Deal). I really did feel sorry for her but at the same time you wanted to yell at her to get off her high horse and do something.
We all know now that she did misjudge on how the public wanted her to address the people and I really got teary eyed as Stephen Frears used a mixture of archival and re-enactments of how the people reacted to Diana's death. I remember feeling what the people felt at the time but not necessarily about how the Queen should have reacted.
Sheen is also a revelation as Blair. He was amazing and should have been nominated for some sort of acting award. There is a scene towards the end of the Queen where after all the frenzy surrounding Diana's death and funeral had passed, they meet again (very similar to their first meeting earlier in the film when Blair first got elected) and discuss how the Queen's reputation was damaged by the way she handled things while Blair's popularity soared. Blair countered that the Queen saved her rep by addressing the people on the eve of Diana's funeral but she added that Blair may soon feel what it was like to have one's reputation damaged. This was excellent foreshadowing how Blair's rep was damaged by joining forces with President Bush to invade Iraq to find no existent weapons of mass destruction.
When the lights came up, I thought that the Queen was one of the most amazing fillms I have seen in a while. The performances were excellent and the screenplay by Peter Morgan was well written.
Come Oscar time I know that Helen Mirren is the one to beat. She embodied the Queen not only physically but emotionally as well. This is her third time playing a monarch after Queen Charlotte in the Madness of King George (her first Oscar nomination) and Queen Elizabeth I in Elizabeth I and you know what they say third time is the charm.
Tuesday, January 23, 2007
Oscar Nominations are out
This morning I got up to watch the Oscar nominations. There were many surprises about what movies were left out of certain categories and some surprises at who were nominated.
The first surprise was Dreamgirls being shut out of Best Picture and Best Director despite winning the Golden Globe and racking up eight Oscar nods (three alone in Best Song). I saw the movie over the weekend and I thought I was watching a potential Best Picture nominee (I try to watch all the Best Picture nominees before the ceremony so that I can make my predictions better). But I was happy to see that Jennifer Hudson, who was amazing in the film, and Eddie Murphy, also great, get nominated.
A welcome surprise was the nominations for Canadian Ryan Gosling. I am happy for him and sure goes a long way from his days on Breaker High! And I am happy to see that Abigail Breslin got nominated for Little Miss Sunshine and the film got nominated for Best Picture too! (Guess what I am renting this weekend!)
So the Best Picture race is this: Babel, The Departed, Letters from Iwo Jima, Little Miss Sunshine and The Queen. I didn't know what I was going to this Saturday but now I know, I am going to watch The Queen.
An interesting race and from the looks of it no clear front runner. If I were to bet money on it (but won't) I think it is going to be Babel (and that is only because it won the Golden Globe -but then so did Brokeback Mountain last year) So what do I know.
But I am willing to bet money (but I won't) that these three people will win the Oscar in their respective categories: Helen Mirren, Forrest Whittaker and Jennifer Hudson.
Looking forward to February 25th as the Oscar's is my Super Bowl.
Cheers!
The first surprise was Dreamgirls being shut out of Best Picture and Best Director despite winning the Golden Globe and racking up eight Oscar nods (three alone in Best Song). I saw the movie over the weekend and I thought I was watching a potential Best Picture nominee (I try to watch all the Best Picture nominees before the ceremony so that I can make my predictions better). But I was happy to see that Jennifer Hudson, who was amazing in the film, and Eddie Murphy, also great, get nominated.
A welcome surprise was the nominations for Canadian Ryan Gosling. I am happy for him and sure goes a long way from his days on Breaker High! And I am happy to see that Abigail Breslin got nominated for Little Miss Sunshine and the film got nominated for Best Picture too! (Guess what I am renting this weekend!)
So the Best Picture race is this: Babel, The Departed, Letters from Iwo Jima, Little Miss Sunshine and The Queen. I didn't know what I was going to this Saturday but now I know, I am going to watch The Queen.
An interesting race and from the looks of it no clear front runner. If I were to bet money on it (but won't) I think it is going to be Babel (and that is only because it won the Golden Globe -but then so did Brokeback Mountain last year) So what do I know.
But I am willing to bet money (but I won't) that these three people will win the Oscar in their respective categories: Helen Mirren, Forrest Whittaker and Jennifer Hudson.
Looking forward to February 25th as the Oscar's is my Super Bowl.
Cheers!
Sunday, January 21, 2007
Masterpiece Theatre - Jane Eyre, Part One
Words cannot describe how much I love this story. It was way back in the early 1990s when I first became exposed to this incredible love story by Charlotte Bronte which is when I saw the 1973 BBC version that starred Sorcha Cusack and Michael Jayston as Jane Eyre and Edward Rochester on a Sunday afternoon. I completely fell in love with the story of a plain governess looking for happiness and thinking she found it with her employer but learns of his dark secret.After watching that mini-series, I read the book (something I never do) and I instantly became a fan. But I soon forgot about Jane and her Rochester until 1996 when flipping through a movie magazine I noticed a new version by Franco Zefferilli and s
tarring Charlotte Gainsbourgh and William Hurt. I rushed to theatre when it opened and I became entraced with the story all over again and its magnificant score but it was an incomplete version. I soon was on a mission to find a complete version again like the 1973 version but with better production values.While watching A&E's version of Emma, I came across a commercial for a new version of Jane Eyre that would air in the fall of 1997 and starring Samantha Morton and Ciaran Hinds. I fell in love with that version, while incomplete in its telling of Jane's story, had the right production values, a great score, awesome chemistry between the two leads and while not perfect thought I found the one.
By now, I sound obsessed with the story and I think it must be in my genes as my paternal grandmother really loved the story. To further my obsession, I discovered that Toronto in 1996 was holding the world premiere staging of Jane Eyre the musical starring Marla Schaffel and Anthony Crivello. Unfortunately, I never got to see that staging but managed to buy what is now the rare cast recording of the Toronto production and was entranced by Ms. Schaffel's and Mr. Crivello's performance and the music was awesome for a lack of a better word.
Even after discovering the Samanthn Morton version, I came across the 1983 production of Jane Eyre (thinking it was the 1973 one) that starred Timothy Dalton and Zelah Clarke. I loved this version too because a) it was complete b) loved Timothy Dalton, he, up until that point, was the best looking Rochester and loved how he delivered his lines. But what bothered me was a) the production values -real exterior, fake interior (you can tell it was filmed on a soundstage and not at a real stately home) and that Zelah Clarke was really short and there was no chemistry between the two.
So now it became my mission to see every single version of Jane Eyre. Up unti this point I've mentioned four versions that I have seen. The next version that I got to see was when Jane Eyre the musical moved to Broadway and I got to see it twice in NYC still with Marla Schaffel in the title role but now with the handsome James Barbour as Rochester. Their singing conveyed the passionate nature of the two characters very well and Schaffed deserved her Tony nomination and should have won.
Then I saw the 1944 version with Orson Welles and Joan Fontaine and I disliked that version because it totally didn't follow the book at all. Then the 1970 version had a great score by John Williams but Susannah York was way too old as Jane and George C. Scott was awful as Rochester.
And the look of the story was washed out because of the age of the film.Yes I am getting to Masterpiece Theatre's version of Jane Eyre. What lacked in every single version that I've seen, even the 1997 version was the intense, romantic and passionate chemistry between the two leads and the Masterpiece Theatre/BBC version has that in spades.
When Ruth Wilson and Toby Stephens are on screen together it is electric, I feel their attraction to each other. And after seeing part one over and over again on tape, I still feel it. What is also superior is the fact that there is no narration. All other versions depended on Jane's narration to tell us (the audience) what she is feeling. But the great thing about Ruth Wilson's performance is that we don't need narration to tell us what she is feeling, we see it on screen. We feel what she feels. Ruth Wilson is the best Jane Eyre I have ever seen and I think she is more beautiful in this role than she is as Jewel Diamond in Suburban Shootout.
And Toby Stephens is very sexy as Rochester and we see his pain of his past. The production values of this production is superb. I love that fact that the filmmakers used Haddon Hall for Thornfield as it is the second time it has played host to this literary household after the 1996 Zefferilli version. The music by Rob Lane is moving and while the production short changed her childhood (I mean they got Georgie Henley -of Narnia fame- to play young Jane that they could have used her better) But so far they got the core love story right and I am so looking forward to part two next week as it looks totally awesome.
I think I have found my one Jane Eyre, the version that I love above all else as it is so far complete (as long as they get the Rochester/Jane part right, which they have so far), excellent chemistry between the two leads, great production values and great score.
I gave up watching Battlestar Galactica to see this and would do it again next week and anytime a version of Jane Eyre is on.
Yes I am obessed but I can't help but relate to her story.
Looking forward to part two next week.
Monday, December 04, 2006
Amazing Race 10 -December 3, 2006
Well folks we are in the homestretch and next Sunday is the season finale and who expected the final three to include the Bama's. I mean it was expected to have the models and the couple in most need of therapy in there but the Blondes should have been there. It was obvious that they were eliminated when everyone was bunched together to get to the pit stop.
I really think it was unfair how everyone wanted to gang up on them to get them out but I understand why they wanted them out because they were a very strong team. I really think it sucks that they are not racing for the million; they really deserve too. Dustin and Kandice are the strongest all-female team I have ever seen in the Amazing Race and I hope they get to be in the All-star edition that will be rumoured to be the next race.
Anyways, the episode the was interesting. The road block was awesome and I totally would have done it but the way it looked, I thought I would have to cook and eat a camel head - that I don't think I could do. In the end, it was just grinding camel meat to make sausages. It looked good and all the teams said it smelled and tasted good.
Then it was off to Barcelona, a very pretty city and the pit stop looked gorgeous. It looked like the Blondes really were going to come in first but the equalizer was the airport then the maze not opening up until the morning. Then most of the teams got lost in the maze then getting out. Except for Bama who calmly found there way out and I am glad that the Blondes praised Bama for being calm as being a smart way to play. But I wish Karlyn would stop being such a sourpuss, she always looks so pissed off in the team confessionals, in the car, during road blocks and detours. I mean I am glad that they are the first all-female team in the final but Karyln could be their downfall. But more on that later.
As for the detours, I wouldn't do a needle in a haystack choice so I was surprised that Rob and Kimberly and the Bama's chose that one but it was hilarious to see Kim get pummelled by the tomatoes and Rob throwing it at the locals, it was like a snowball fight. I wish Karlyn would have thrown some to let off some frustration.
But I don't know which one I would have chose. I am fairly short so having to carry a giant would have been daunting. But I would have been the smarter task as long as you knew where to go in terms of the square.
So now my thoughts on the final three:
Tyler and James: A strong team and they will probably will win since all-male teams that are young and physical (sorry Ken and Gerard from AR3 -the only other all-male team in a final not to win) usually win. Their downfall could be that they have poor navigational skills and sometimes don't think before heading off to a route marker or doing a task. But, I think they are also a bit arrogant in thinking that they will because Bama is in the final three and they are not as physical as them. Which brings me to:
Lyn and Karlyn: Yes, they are not physical and that could be their downfall but since leaving the six pack, they've come in 2nd place. They are smart and calmer but Karlyn could be their downfall with her negativity. I mean I want an all-female team to win but does it have to be them. I really wanted Kandice and Dustin. If anything, I want Lyn to win. She is a saint and patient to put up with Karlyn. I think this is the first time that I want one person in a team and not the other since Flo and Zach from AR3 -we all remember them don't we!
Rob and Kimberly: My brother said last night that Kim looked like the Wicked Witch of the East (aka Elphaba - if you've seen or read Wicked then you'll know what I mean) and I agree. I really don't want them to win. Their arguing gets on my nerves and it really bothers me that he calls Kim, the woman he wants to marry, "dude" and Rob's beard is crazy annoying. The way they behave in stressful situations will be their downfall and their poor navigational skills and poor communication skills might prevent them from winning the million.
My prediction on who will win: Tyler and James
Who I want to win: The Blondes. Just kidding: Lyn (and I guess Karlyn)
Looking forward to next week.
I really think it was unfair how everyone wanted to gang up on them to get them out but I understand why they wanted them out because they were a very strong team. I really think it sucks that they are not racing for the million; they really deserve too. Dustin and Kandice are the strongest all-female team I have ever seen in the Amazing Race and I hope they get to be in the All-star edition that will be rumoured to be the next race.
Anyways, the episode the was interesting. The road block was awesome and I totally would have done it but the way it looked, I thought I would have to cook and eat a camel head - that I don't think I could do. In the end, it was just grinding camel meat to make sausages. It looked good and all the teams said it smelled and tasted good.
Then it was off to Barcelona, a very pretty city and the pit stop looked gorgeous. It looked like the Blondes really were going to come in first but the equalizer was the airport then the maze not opening up until the morning. Then most of the teams got lost in the maze then getting out. Except for Bama who calmly found there way out and I am glad that the Blondes praised Bama for being calm as being a smart way to play. But I wish Karlyn would stop being such a sourpuss, she always looks so pissed off in the team confessionals, in the car, during road blocks and detours. I mean I am glad that they are the first all-female team in the final but Karyln could be their downfall. But more on that later.
As for the detours, I wouldn't do a needle in a haystack choice so I was surprised that Rob and Kimberly and the Bama's chose that one but it was hilarious to see Kim get pummelled by the tomatoes and Rob throwing it at the locals, it was like a snowball fight. I wish Karlyn would have thrown some to let off some frustration.
But I don't know which one I would have chose. I am fairly short so having to carry a giant would have been daunting. But I would have been the smarter task as long as you knew where to go in terms of the square.
So now my thoughts on the final three:
Tyler and James: A strong team and they will probably will win since all-male teams that are young and physical (sorry Ken and Gerard from AR3 -the only other all-male team in a final not to win) usually win. Their downfall could be that they have poor navigational skills and sometimes don't think before heading off to a route marker or doing a task. But, I think they are also a bit arrogant in thinking that they will because Bama is in the final three and they are not as physical as them. Which brings me to:
Lyn and Karlyn: Yes, they are not physical and that could be their downfall but since leaving the six pack, they've come in 2nd place. They are smart and calmer but Karlyn could be their downfall with her negativity. I mean I want an all-female team to win but does it have to be them. I really wanted Kandice and Dustin. If anything, I want Lyn to win. She is a saint and patient to put up with Karlyn. I think this is the first time that I want one person in a team and not the other since Flo and Zach from AR3 -we all remember them don't we!
Rob and Kimberly: My brother said last night that Kim looked like the Wicked Witch of the East (aka Elphaba - if you've seen or read Wicked then you'll know what I mean) and I agree. I really don't want them to win. Their arguing gets on my nerves and it really bothers me that he calls Kim, the woman he wants to marry, "dude" and Rob's beard is crazy annoying. The way they behave in stressful situations will be their downfall and their poor navigational skills and poor communication skills might prevent them from winning the million.
My prediction on who will win: Tyler and James
Who I want to win: The Blondes. Just kidding: Lyn (and I guess Karlyn)
Looking forward to next week.
Sunday, November 26, 2006
Amazing Race 10 -November 26, 2006
An anti-climatic start to the show. Sometimes it doesn't pay to have locals help as in the case of the blondes. The Bama girls really studied that map well and got to the antiques shop fairly quickly and it did annoy me that the rest of the teams underestimated them.
But what I don't understand is that if you want the Blondes gone then why didn't the models and Rob and Kim yield them, that made way more sense to do. I understand why the Blondes yielded Bama so that they can get some distance from the last place team.
As for that Roadblock - I would like to be a Gladiator please!!!! That looked like so much fun. I would have had a blast doing that.
Again the yield did nothing and the Bama girls pulled ahead of the blondes. I really want the blondes to win. I want an all-female team to win and they are the best bet. No offence to Bama but they are not as strong as the blondes but the blondes made many directional mistakes on this leg of the race. But I am glad that it was a non-elimination. I know that they can come in first next week. They are a strong team and again I really want them to win.
I would have chosen the olives for the detour as the pots would have been hard to do. I am not very artistic so it would have been a disaster.
Only two more weeks until we crown the winner of Amazing Race 10 then it is on to the All-Star edition. I really don't care who is part of it as long as the Bowling Moms are there because they never got a fair shake and with the rule changes it makes the game more fair for them and it was because of what happened to them in Amazing Race 5 is why all the rule changes happened.
Anyways, here's hoping that the Blondes come in first next week.
Cheers
But what I don't understand is that if you want the Blondes gone then why didn't the models and Rob and Kim yield them, that made way more sense to do. I understand why the Blondes yielded Bama so that they can get some distance from the last place team.
As for that Roadblock - I would like to be a Gladiator please!!!! That looked like so much fun. I would have had a blast doing that.
Again the yield did nothing and the Bama girls pulled ahead of the blondes. I really want the blondes to win. I want an all-female team to win and they are the best bet. No offence to Bama but they are not as strong as the blondes but the blondes made many directional mistakes on this leg of the race. But I am glad that it was a non-elimination. I know that they can come in first next week. They are a strong team and again I really want them to win.
I would have chosen the olives for the detour as the pots would have been hard to do. I am not very artistic so it would have been a disaster.
Only two more weeks until we crown the winner of Amazing Race 10 then it is on to the All-Star edition. I really don't care who is part of it as long as the Bowling Moms are there because they never got a fair shake and with the rule changes it makes the game more fair for them and it was because of what happened to them in Amazing Race 5 is why all the rule changes happened.
Anyways, here's hoping that the Blondes come in first next week.
Cheers
Sunday, November 19, 2006
Amazing Race 10 -November 19, 2006
I thought it was funny that people wanted tickets to Cherylnoble and the ticket person was so confused but all the teams figured it was Kiev.
The roadblock was cool, it looked like so much fun but I think the whole line about who wants to take command or something like that would have suited by brother so he would have done that road block.
Again the Chos waited, time to wake up and smell the coffee this is a race not a vacation. I am sick of them waiting all the time. I am agree with Karlyn, the Chos stop too much and I know they want to be sure but still. The moms needed to break away.
The detour is difficult choice. Finding the music then the piano player could be a needle in a haystack type of task and writing the music can be difficult but since my brother and I are both writers I guess make the music would be a better choice to go for even though I might not be able to performance due to stage fright. After seeing the teams perform I still don't think I could do it, I would die of embarrassment.
Anyways, I am glad the Chos are gone. As cute as they are, they were way too annoying with them wanting to run the race with integrity and wanting to keep friendships, its a bloody race and you really have to do everything that it takes to win and the friends you make on the race will understand why you have to break an alliance. The Chos were really annoying me and am so glad that they are gone.
Now I am cheering for the Blondes!!!!! Go Dustin and Kandice!!!!
The roadblock was cool, it looked like so much fun but I think the whole line about who wants to take command or something like that would have suited by brother so he would have done that road block.
Again the Chos waited, time to wake up and smell the coffee this is a race not a vacation. I am sick of them waiting all the time. I am agree with Karlyn, the Chos stop too much and I know they want to be sure but still. The moms needed to break away.
The detour is difficult choice. Finding the music then the piano player could be a needle in a haystack type of task and writing the music can be difficult but since my brother and I are both writers I guess make the music would be a better choice to go for even though I might not be able to performance due to stage fright. After seeing the teams perform I still don't think I could do it, I would die of embarrassment.
Anyways, I am glad the Chos are gone. As cute as they are, they were way too annoying with them wanting to run the race with integrity and wanting to keep friendships, its a bloody race and you really have to do everything that it takes to win and the friends you make on the race will understand why you have to break an alliance. The Chos were really annoying me and am so glad that they are gone.
Now I am cheering for the Blondes!!!!! Go Dustin and Kandice!!!!
Sunday, November 12, 2006
Amazing Race 10 -November 12, 2006
I could tell that this episode was going to be a good one. Now, I didn't watch it when it was on here at 8PM ET as I decided to watch instead a BBC period drama as it was the only time that show was going to be on, so I decided to time shift it and watch the western feed at 11pm. But when my brother called around 8:44pm I knew it had to be about the race but I had to tell him that I wasn't watching it but will at 11pm.
Anyways,
The messages from home were a bit lame -sorry if I sound a bit heartless but really no one got that emotional about it except for Bama. As for the taxis, I would have waited in the queue like the Chos or asked like Rob and Kimberly if it was ok to take the cab before anyone else instead of jump the queue like Bama. Interesting to see how karma will bite them in the ass or reward the Chos for being nice.
The detour: Swamp this or that?
I wouldn't have chosen the cross-country skiing one because I twisted my ankle while cross-country skiing so the image of me doing it again remain so I would never have picked that one plus it didn't make sense as you wasted time in taking them on and off to jump over the obstacles. I would have done the other one and carried my brother!!!!!! And I agree with the blondes, I would have changed on the train and not wasted time changing at the detour, sure you don't want to get the cab dirty but it is a race.
So my brother called me about Rob and Kimberly driving in circles? Not an overwhelmingly interesting twist. I expected something else.
As for the roadblock, I probably woudn't do this one because it is not that I am claustrophobic but I fear that the air in the mine plus the uphill ride/walk with the bike and limestone would trigger an asthma attack, something I rather not experience on the race and national TV.
And how did I know that this was a double-leg. There was one coming and here we are. But that was cool rappelling face first!!! And you know what I was surprised with that Nokia didn't do some sort of product placement since Nokia is headquartered in this country.
So it looks like next week that the Chos have woken up and smelt the coffee about their "alliance" with Bama. Hopefully, they will race hard and actually win this thing.
Cheers.
Anyways,
The messages from home were a bit lame -sorry if I sound a bit heartless but really no one got that emotional about it except for Bama. As for the taxis, I would have waited in the queue like the Chos or asked like Rob and Kimberly if it was ok to take the cab before anyone else instead of jump the queue like Bama. Interesting to see how karma will bite them in the ass or reward the Chos for being nice.
The detour: Swamp this or that?
I wouldn't have chosen the cross-country skiing one because I twisted my ankle while cross-country skiing so the image of me doing it again remain so I would never have picked that one plus it didn't make sense as you wasted time in taking them on and off to jump over the obstacles. I would have done the other one and carried my brother!!!!!! And I agree with the blondes, I would have changed on the train and not wasted time changing at the detour, sure you don't want to get the cab dirty but it is a race.
So my brother called me about Rob and Kimberly driving in circles? Not an overwhelmingly interesting twist. I expected something else.
As for the roadblock, I probably woudn't do this one because it is not that I am claustrophobic but I fear that the air in the mine plus the uphill ride/walk with the bike and limestone would trigger an asthma attack, something I rather not experience on the race and national TV.
And how did I know that this was a double-leg. There was one coming and here we are. But that was cool rappelling face first!!! And you know what I was surprised with that Nokia didn't do some sort of product placement since Nokia is headquartered in this country.
So it looks like next week that the Chos have woken up and smelt the coffee about their "alliance" with Bama. Hopefully, they will race hard and actually win this thing.
Cheers.
Sunday, November 05, 2006
Amazing Race 10 -November 5, 2006
Last week I had technical difficulties posting my blog but briefly I think the Chos have to stop thinking about keeping their alliance in tact. This is a race and not Survivor.
Ok, the intersection is an interesting twist. I like it
The Fast Forward again after a non-elimination but at least this time David and Mary can't use it so they will have the 30 minute penalty no matter what. Eating cow lips doesn't seem so bad, I mean it is beef and I like beef but when Kim said it still had the hair and teeth on it, then maybe not so much.
It was a no brainer the Chos would end up working with the Beauty Queens as no one else didn't want to work with them and I would have chosen Long Sleep as it seemed the easiest and the Chos and the Beauty Queens rocked that task. I never like the idea of doing an intricate task and the other detour option seemed that way.
After the Chos completed the detour, I was surprised that they didn't wait for Alabama and Kentucky but I am glad that they didn't
And the road block was relatively simple and I don't teams yelling who has this stamp was the way to do it, you had to visit each stall and look for the right stamp, that was the only way to quickly do it instead of going up and down hoping that someone will them they have the stamp that they desire.
I love it that the Fast Forward teams think they are golden when they were being overlapped by some of the teams. I think this is the first time in a while that someone who has won the fast forward didn't come in first.
And what is up with the cabs in Madgascar, do all them always run low on gas!!!!
Too bad that David and Mary were eliminated, they were entertaining but you knew that they were goners. I mean there was no way that they could have gone for the fast forward with Bama, as Mary suggested, because they wouldn't have been eligible even though Bama didn't use their fast forward yet.
Anyways, still glad the Chos are in it but now they really need to break free from the alliance knowing that the single moms are independent minded.
Until next week!!
Ok, the intersection is an interesting twist. I like it
The Fast Forward again after a non-elimination but at least this time David and Mary can't use it so they will have the 30 minute penalty no matter what. Eating cow lips doesn't seem so bad, I mean it is beef and I like beef but when Kim said it still had the hair and teeth on it, then maybe not so much.
It was a no brainer the Chos would end up working with the Beauty Queens as no one else didn't want to work with them and I would have chosen Long Sleep as it seemed the easiest and the Chos and the Beauty Queens rocked that task. I never like the idea of doing an intricate task and the other detour option seemed that way.
After the Chos completed the detour, I was surprised that they didn't wait for Alabama and Kentucky but I am glad that they didn't
And the road block was relatively simple and I don't teams yelling who has this stamp was the way to do it, you had to visit each stall and look for the right stamp, that was the only way to quickly do it instead of going up and down hoping that someone will them they have the stamp that they desire.
I love it that the Fast Forward teams think they are golden when they were being overlapped by some of the teams. I think this is the first time in a while that someone who has won the fast forward didn't come in first.
And what is up with the cabs in Madgascar, do all them always run low on gas!!!!
Too bad that David and Mary were eliminated, they were entertaining but you knew that they were goners. I mean there was no way that they could have gone for the fast forward with Bama, as Mary suggested, because they wouldn't have been eligible even though Bama didn't use their fast forward yet.
Anyways, still glad the Chos are in it but now they really need to break free from the alliance knowing that the single moms are independent minded.
Until next week!!
Sunday, October 22, 2006
Amazing Race 10 -October 22, 2006
The question on everyone's minds tonight is can David and Mary come in first and avoid the 30 minute penalty? But more on that later.
I am annoyed with the Cho brothers. I admire them that they want to play the game with integrity but this isn't Survivor. This is a bloody race and you really need to think of yourself first. They either should have gone for the Fast Forward instead of letting David and Mary get it or stay up there and wait to do the road block. If I was in last place, I would have gone for the Fast Forward, it actually looked pretty exciting to do.
As for the roadblock I would do it. I am not afraid of heights and I am glad to see Kimberly do a road block, since she pretty much has to do and Mary would have done it if they didn't go for the fast forward. Which by the way, it was very convenient for the Fast Forward to be on a leg where Mary and David has to come in first. So of course they win it and come in first.
The detour was interesting and I totally would have done automatic because it was something different and looked kinda of cool. But it looked to hard to get to and the whole manual thing wasn't too bad and it did look faster as trying to attach the jockey to the camel could be difficult especially since the camel for the single moms was giving them attitude.
I am glad that the Cbo brothers came in 5th and I am also glad that Peter and Sarah got eliminated. Big surprise that they are not going to be dating anymore, not!!!! He was too annoying and in a sense she played the victim too much in her confessionals with her woes is me that I have a sucky unsupportive to partner.
Until next week!!!
I am annoyed with the Cho brothers. I admire them that they want to play the game with integrity but this isn't Survivor. This is a bloody race and you really need to think of yourself first. They either should have gone for the Fast Forward instead of letting David and Mary get it or stay up there and wait to do the road block. If I was in last place, I would have gone for the Fast Forward, it actually looked pretty exciting to do.
As for the roadblock I would do it. I am not afraid of heights and I am glad to see Kimberly do a road block, since she pretty much has to do and Mary would have done it if they didn't go for the fast forward. Which by the way, it was very convenient for the Fast Forward to be on a leg where Mary and David has to come in first. So of course they win it and come in first.
The detour was interesting and I totally would have done automatic because it was something different and looked kinda of cool. But it looked to hard to get to and the whole manual thing wasn't too bad and it did look faster as trying to attach the jockey to the camel could be difficult especially since the camel for the single moms was giving them attitude.
I am glad that the Cbo brothers came in 5th and I am also glad that Peter and Sarah got eliminated. Big surprise that they are not going to be dating anymore, not!!!! He was too annoying and in a sense she played the victim too much in her confessionals with her woes is me that I have a sucky unsupportive to partner.
Until next week!!!
Sunday, October 15, 2006
Amazing Race 10 -October 15, 2006
How did I know that when the Cho brothers played that fake cellphone trick that it was sorta going backfire on them. I knew that Peter would find someone with a cellphone to book reservations too. But, in the end the Cho brothers got a better flight than most teams that is until Peter and Sarah and the beauty queens nabbed an earlier morning flight. I have to say Peter is annoying me in the way he talks about people behind their backs (didn't enjoy his mocking for David and Mary) and his whole sneaky way of finding information, it was so smarmy.
And I thought it was very annoying the way Peter was chewing on that cookie - chew with your mouth close man!!!! Anyways, as for the Detour: Wild Things or Wild Rice, it was obvious what the choice would be , Wild Things -yes it was scary but the crocodiles/alligator was cute with the rubber band around his snout and it seemed easier with the wranglers pretty much doing the hard part - wrestling the beast to ground for us. I don't know why people would choose Wild Rice, it took way too long.
As for the Roadblock, I guess I would have to do it because I am the only one on our team that knows how to drive a stick but that traffic in India makes me nervous. I mean I learned how to drive stick for a family trip to France but I bailed out of doing any driving because European traffic freaked me out but it looked like the driving instructor helped out and was pretty lenient with mistakes made.
Now for the interesting twist, while in past races in a non-elimination where all your money and possessions were taken away never hindered teams, I like this new twist of being marked for elimination. It makes the team have to come in first or they will get a 30 minute penalty and still get eliminated. Will see if Dave and Mary can do it but I think Dave has done all the roadblocks and if that rule still exists where only each team member can perform 6 roadblocks each then Mary has to do the rest of them if they are not eliminated next week. Same goes for Peter and Sarah, Peter has been doing most of them so far so she has to start doing some.
Anyways, until next week
And I thought it was very annoying the way Peter was chewing on that cookie - chew with your mouth close man!!!! Anyways, as for the Detour: Wild Things or Wild Rice, it was obvious what the choice would be , Wild Things -yes it was scary but the crocodiles/alligator was cute with the rubber band around his snout and it seemed easier with the wranglers pretty much doing the hard part - wrestling the beast to ground for us. I don't know why people would choose Wild Rice, it took way too long.
As for the Roadblock, I guess I would have to do it because I am the only one on our team that knows how to drive a stick but that traffic in India makes me nervous. I mean I learned how to drive stick for a family trip to France but I bailed out of doing any driving because European traffic freaked me out but it looked like the driving instructor helped out and was pretty lenient with mistakes made.
Now for the interesting twist, while in past races in a non-elimination where all your money and possessions were taken away never hindered teams, I like this new twist of being marked for elimination. It makes the team have to come in first or they will get a 30 minute penalty and still get eliminated. Will see if Dave and Mary can do it but I think Dave has done all the roadblocks and if that rule still exists where only each team member can perform 6 roadblocks each then Mary has to do the rest of them if they are not eliminated next week. Same goes for Peter and Sarah, Peter has been doing most of them so far so she has to start doing some.
Anyways, until next week
Friday, October 13, 2006
Grey's Anatomy -October 12th, 2006
Morphine Meredith
Even with Meredith all drugged-up and funny on morphine, she was still slightly annoying. I mean do I really care that she has to choose between to unbelieveably hot men that are also nice. I don't but I was sad that she let Finn go but we all knew she would choose Derek, I mean Chris O'Donnell was still a guest star while Patrick Dempsey a star so we knew that would happen. Whether McDreamy is Meredith's one, that remains to be seen but at least she will give it a try. I did find it funny some of the things Meredith was saying while on drugs especially when all her boyfriends (including George) were in the room and her somewhat heartfelt but drugged-up converstation with Addison.
As for poor George, I understand his friends are important to him but so should Callie, if she is his girlfriend. I like that girl and for him to string her a long is not cool in my book. And now she hooked up with McSteamy for (which I hope) is a one-night stand is not good. I want George to wake-up and smell the coffee and realizes he loves Callie. But the season is young so there is hope ye for my favourite couple of the show.
And poor (well not really poor) Izzy -did you see the size of that cheque!!!! I wonder if she will keep it. If it were me, I would not want to because I would feel that I was benefitting from the death of someone I love. But I really never understood Izzy's actions over Denny last season, I thought it very irrationally and she wasn't behaving like Denny's doctor. But that phone message from Denny to his parents was nice and enjoyed that it was his voice ending the episode and not Meredith's
Early I mentioned how Derek and Finn were nice men, McSteamy on the other hand was not. He did not treat his patients or colleagues with respect. But, we will see how his character develops. It doesn't hurt that he sure is nice to look at.
It almost seems splitsville for Burke and Yang, I somehow don't see how these two work as a couple. They are such polar opposites.
Anyways, looks like Izzy is back to work next week.
Even with Meredith all drugged-up and funny on morphine, she was still slightly annoying. I mean do I really care that she has to choose between to unbelieveably hot men that are also nice. I don't but I was sad that she let Finn go but we all knew she would choose Derek, I mean Chris O'Donnell was still a guest star while Patrick Dempsey a star so we knew that would happen. Whether McDreamy is Meredith's one, that remains to be seen but at least she will give it a try. I did find it funny some of the things Meredith was saying while on drugs especially when all her boyfriends (including George) were in the room and her somewhat heartfelt but drugged-up converstation with Addison.
As for poor George, I understand his friends are important to him but so should Callie, if she is his girlfriend. I like that girl and for him to string her a long is not cool in my book. And now she hooked up with McSteamy for (which I hope) is a one-night stand is not good. I want George to wake-up and smell the coffee and realizes he loves Callie. But the season is young so there is hope ye for my favourite couple of the show.
And poor (well not really poor) Izzy -did you see the size of that cheque!!!! I wonder if she will keep it. If it were me, I would not want to because I would feel that I was benefitting from the death of someone I love. But I really never understood Izzy's actions over Denny last season, I thought it very irrationally and she wasn't behaving like Denny's doctor. But that phone message from Denny to his parents was nice and enjoyed that it was his voice ending the episode and not Meredith's
Early I mentioned how Derek and Finn were nice men, McSteamy on the other hand was not. He did not treat his patients or colleagues with respect. But, we will see how his character develops. It doesn't hurt that he sure is nice to look at.
It almost seems splitsville for Burke and Yang, I somehow don't see how these two work as a couple. They are such polar opposites.
Anyways, looks like Izzy is back to work next week.
Sunday, October 08, 2006
Amazing Race 10 -October 8, 2006
Happy Thanksgiving everyone!!!!!
I thought it was funny that Kandice and Dustin, who proclaim that they are auditory, thought that the cricket noise was their clue. I laughed out loud. It was an interesting way to get a clue and I thought it was smart of some teams to get their cabbie to listen to the clue but it was important that the cabbie understood English.
So the teams eventually made it to their destination and the faced the road block. This one is all my brother's. He has upper arm strength (after all the gym visits he's been doing in the past) so I would have slowed our team down.
I was busy cooking my turkey dinner so I didn't really get a chance to see how the teams didn't but it seemed that none really had a problem.
But most teams seemed to have the problem when it comes to rowing to do the detour: over or under. Again I was busy cooking so I didn't get a chance to see which looked like the lesser of two evils but the rowing seemed to be a major challenge for all teams because of the wind. But it seemed that once you found the basket line in under that seemed to be the better choice.
Ok how stupid that the beauty queens think they have to row to the pit stop. If they think they are trying to dispell the myth that blondes aren't stupid, they are really not doing a good job.
And I can't believe, either Tom or Terry actually pulled the boat to the junk ship!!!! And after all that, they still got eliminated. I had not feeling towards this team so either way I am ok that they are good but too bad after all that effort they were booted. But to be honest, I was glad the beauty queens didn't get eliminated, sure they are a bit cutthroat (like cutting in line or taking the single moms boat) and they are not that smart but I would like to see an all-female team win. It is about time that happens, so as long as they are still in and the single moms, I am all for it. But of course I still want the Cho bros to win too.
Enjoy your turkey everyone and see ya next week.
I thought it was funny that Kandice and Dustin, who proclaim that they are auditory, thought that the cricket noise was their clue. I laughed out loud. It was an interesting way to get a clue and I thought it was smart of some teams to get their cabbie to listen to the clue but it was important that the cabbie understood English.
So the teams eventually made it to their destination and the faced the road block. This one is all my brother's. He has upper arm strength (after all the gym visits he's been doing in the past) so I would have slowed our team down.
I was busy cooking my turkey dinner so I didn't really get a chance to see how the teams didn't but it seemed that none really had a problem.
But most teams seemed to have the problem when it comes to rowing to do the detour: over or under. Again I was busy cooking so I didn't get a chance to see which looked like the lesser of two evils but the rowing seemed to be a major challenge for all teams because of the wind. But it seemed that once you found the basket line in under that seemed to be the better choice.
Ok how stupid that the beauty queens think they have to row to the pit stop. If they think they are trying to dispell the myth that blondes aren't stupid, they are really not doing a good job.
And I can't believe, either Tom or Terry actually pulled the boat to the junk ship!!!! And after all that, they still got eliminated. I had not feeling towards this team so either way I am ok that they are good but too bad after all that effort they were booted. But to be honest, I was glad the beauty queens didn't get eliminated, sure they are a bit cutthroat (like cutting in line or taking the single moms boat) and they are not that smart but I would like to see an all-female team win. It is about time that happens, so as long as they are still in and the single moms, I am all for it. But of course I still want the Cho bros to win too.
Enjoy your turkey everyone and see ya next week.
Wednesday, October 04, 2006
Dancing with the Stars -October 4th, 2006
Jerry Springer lives to shake his sexy hips
I am know I've been pretty bad about not consistently posting but I have been busy. But I am really going to make an effort to keep up with my posts.
Now I was disappointed to see Harry Hamlin go last week and really felt bad for his partner Ashley. She is such a sweetheart and felt bad for her that she was saddle with Master P last season.
Anyways, on this week's episode. I am not thrilled with the song choices with some of the dances. Totally couldn't even watch or listen to Sara's Paso Doble because a) they used the Phantom of the Opera, which didn't suit the dance and was crappily sung and b) the dance was overall crappy.
Then Bon Jovi for Vivica's dance. yes when I think of the Paso Doble, Bon Jovi immediately comes to mind!!! Her dance was ok but wasn't that thrilled with it.
Emmitt's was decent but Mario's Paso was smokin' hot. So good and deserved the scores, glad he stayed within the rules this time.
As for the waltzes, I thought Willa's was jerky but not according to the judges, but what do I know, I can't even dance. Joey's waltz was good but really enjoyed Jerry's waltz thought it was sweet and when he hugged his daughter at the end, I got teary-eyed.
And I find Samantha Harris' interview style to be a bit annoying. I don't know, she seems to ask stupid questions or no d'uh questions. Alas, I know that this is Dancing With the Stars and not 60 Minutes but still.
Too bad about Vivica and Nick. She was good and took her departure well.
Next is the Samba or the fruity rumba.
I am know I've been pretty bad about not consistently posting but I have been busy. But I am really going to make an effort to keep up with my posts.
Now I was disappointed to see Harry Hamlin go last week and really felt bad for his partner Ashley. She is such a sweetheart and felt bad for her that she was saddle with Master P last season.
Anyways, on this week's episode. I am not thrilled with the song choices with some of the dances. Totally couldn't even watch or listen to Sara's Paso Doble because a) they used the Phantom of the Opera, which didn't suit the dance and was crappily sung and b) the dance was overall crappy.
Then Bon Jovi for Vivica's dance. yes when I think of the Paso Doble, Bon Jovi immediately comes to mind!!! Her dance was ok but wasn't that thrilled with it.
Emmitt's was decent but Mario's Paso was smokin' hot. So good and deserved the scores, glad he stayed within the rules this time.
As for the waltzes, I thought Willa's was jerky but not according to the judges, but what do I know, I can't even dance. Joey's waltz was good but really enjoyed Jerry's waltz thought it was sweet and when he hugged his daughter at the end, I got teary-eyed.
And I find Samantha Harris' interview style to be a bit annoying. I don't know, she seems to ask stupid questions or no d'uh questions. Alas, I know that this is Dancing With the Stars and not 60 Minutes but still.
Too bad about Vivica and Nick. She was good and took her departure well.
Next is the Samba or the fruity rumba.
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