11/29/2010
Happy Thanksgiving!!
Oh my gosh! Sorry all~~ I went on a little Thanksgiving holiday trip (and I don't have an Android or Iphone so no mobile internet). It was very sudden...my friends and I decided to go about a week before we left, so between the trip planning and actually going, I had no chance to watch any new shows/movies. So I'll update you on all the sights of Seattle in a little bit - and even though it was drizzly, we saw some great views (some that we just couldn't manage to take pics of >.<)
11/16/2010
Burlesque Burlesque
A whole bunch of girls (plus one guy) went to a pre-screening of Burlesque the other day. We were super excited to watch this movie, mostly because of Cher and Christina Aguilera. How could you possibly go wrong with those two??
The musical was immensely fun and entertaining (and my friend who usually ends up napping during movies stayed awake for the whole thing!) There were some great scenes that naturally led into the singing scenes. However, there were a couple that seemed to have come out of nowhere, like Cher's sad solo song.
I liked seeing the pictures of Dita Von Teese in the Burlesque Lounge when Christina first walked in, as she is the most well-known Burlesque performer in modern times. It made the whole feel of the movie much more authentic. In fact, the art direction was fantastic, from the set to the costumes - it was all magnificent.
There was one scene that definitely had every person talking (or squealing or laughing)...the romantic set-up between Jack and Ali (Cam Gigandet and Christina). Although everyone loved it, the weird part was seeing him put his pants back on...but not the ones he was wearing.
Christina showed great talent in this movie and as it was her film debut, I wouldn't be surprised if she received more offers. The only problem I had with her character, Ali, was how she was this super-perfect wholesome, hard-working girl, and at the same time, pushy enough to get what she wants. In short, she was way to good to be true.
Kristen Bell made a fabulous foil to Christina, as her not-as-talented, bitchy rival Nikki. Although she constantly tried to upstage Christina, I liked that she eventually got over her jealousy, proving that she wasn't such a bad person.
The funniest part of the entire movie was watching Christina get a makeup lesson from Cher. After it was finished, my friends and I laughed about how Christina looked like her normal self afterwards (or at least how she looked in all her recent music videos).
This is definitely a movie to watch, but I advise going with people you know will enjoy this type of movie. The one guy who came with us fell asleep, but I knew he wasn't too into the movie :P
The musical was immensely fun and entertaining (and my friend who usually ends up napping during movies stayed awake for the whole thing!) There were some great scenes that naturally led into the singing scenes. However, there were a couple that seemed to have come out of nowhere, like Cher's sad solo song.
I liked seeing the pictures of Dita Von Teese in the Burlesque Lounge when Christina first walked in, as she is the most well-known Burlesque performer in modern times. It made the whole feel of the movie much more authentic. In fact, the art direction was fantastic, from the set to the costumes - it was all magnificent.
How hot does he look here? XD
© Sony Pictures
There was one scene that definitely had every person talking (or squealing or laughing)...the romantic set-up between Jack and Ali (Cam Gigandet and Christina). Although everyone loved it, the weird part was seeing him put his pants back on...but not the ones he was wearing.
Christina showed great talent in this movie and as it was her film debut, I wouldn't be surprised if she received more offers. The only problem I had with her character, Ali, was how she was this super-perfect wholesome, hard-working girl, and at the same time, pushy enough to get what she wants. In short, she was way to good to be true.
© Sony Pictures
Kristen Bell made a fabulous foil to Christina, as her not-as-talented, bitchy rival Nikki. Although she constantly tried to upstage Christina, I liked that she eventually got over her jealousy, proving that she wasn't such a bad person.
The funniest part of the entire movie was watching Christina get a makeup lesson from Cher. After it was finished, my friends and I laughed about how Christina looked like her normal self afterwards (or at least how she looked in all her recent music videos).
This is definitely a movie to watch, but I advise going with people you know will enjoy this type of movie. The one guy who came with us fell asleep, but I knew he wasn't too into the movie :P
11/13/2010
Sorry for the lack of posts recently...
Sorry, my monitor is broken and I'm doing of lot of stuff in real life, which is why my posting the last several days has been so infrequent. >.< But I managed to convince a friend to lend me their extra monitor until the company has fixed it ^.^ I still won't have too much time to post, but I'll try to watch/do something and blog about it every couple days.
11/09/2010
Pack Structure
Criminal Minds S06E06 Middle Man
I loved that Garcia attempted to update the team by providing them with electronic files (all on tablets/ipads or something of the sort) excepting Reid - because he's very stuck in his routine. I found this episode to be very intriguing because it showed not only the pack structure but also its slow breakdown.
The actor playing the 2nd in command seemed the exact same as his previous gig, except he was the bad version of Wendell on Bones. Unfortunately, the ending was really sad even though I found his loyalty admirable.
I loved that Garcia attempted to update the team by providing them with electronic files (all on tablets/ipads or something of the sort) excepting Reid - because he's very stuck in his routine. I found this episode to be very intriguing because it showed not only the pack structure but also its slow breakdown.
The actor playing the 2nd in command seemed the exact same as his previous gig, except he was the bad version of Wendell on Bones. Unfortunately, the ending was really sad even though I found his loyalty admirable.
11/08/2010
Laser Bones
Bones S06E05 The Bones that Weren't
I found the fact that the case was handed to the "Bone Lady", when there were in fact no bones, very interesting. Surprisingly, Angela always comes up with the solution to their mysterious problems - and like always, it was awesome to watch, very futuristic.
I had heard and seen about this type of technology before, where a 3d model is created digitally and lasers cut out the image from plastic. There are even home-versions of this, but they get pretty pricey, not including the plastic material used each time.
The best part of this episode was seeing Twitch, from So You Think You Can Dance. He had a huge role in the episode, even though his dancing was definitely NOT what I was used to from his style, it seemed a lot more fluid and rubbery.
Sadly, Hannah's injuries from getting shot weren't serious (the writers wouldn't kill off the other girl so fast...especially since they've gotten so much mileage out of using her). Brennan saved her, like I knew she would - she's above such irrational feelings such as jealousy. However, I dislike Hannah's pushy personality, why would she demand a get well gift, when Brennan already gave her the gift of life?
I found the fact that the case was handed to the "Bone Lady", when there were in fact no bones, very interesting. Surprisingly, Angela always comes up with the solution to their mysterious problems - and like always, it was awesome to watch, very futuristic.
I had heard and seen about this type of technology before, where a 3d model is created digitally and lasers cut out the image from plastic. There are even home-versions of this, but they get pretty pricey, not including the plastic material used each time.
The best part of this episode was seeing Twitch, from So You Think You Can Dance. He had a huge role in the episode, even though his dancing was definitely NOT what I was used to from his style, it seemed a lot more fluid and rubbery.
Sadly, Hannah's injuries from getting shot weren't serious (the writers wouldn't kill off the other girl so fast...especially since they've gotten so much mileage out of using her). Brennan saved her, like I knew she would - she's above such irrational feelings such as jealousy. However, I dislike Hannah's pushy personality, why would she demand a get well gift, when Brennan already gave her the gift of life?
11/05/2010
Halloween Horrors
Halloween is such a fun holiday because any crazy outfit/hair is acceptable. This year - like many other years - I had no idea what I wanted to dress up as. However, when friends and I went to look for costume ideas/pieces (and no, I've never actually spent money on a full costume before), I found some crazy green tights. There were also red, blue, yellow, orange (which my friend bought), and purple leopard print. I would have bought them if I had any inkling of a costume I could make out of it...
With those green tights, I decided I could go as Poison Ivy (from the comics, not the plant). When I told my friends that, I didn't realize that what they imagined was something a lot skimpier.
Yea, I would never EVER wear that. Instead, what I was imagining was a lot more covered...more like
Unfortunately, I ran out of time to make the costume, and couldn't find green gloves, so I decided to go as a glam rocker...and I still wore my green tights ^.^ I bought spray-in color for my hair because I didn't want to risk bleaching and dying my hair. I was super surprised that the colors in my hair came out so well! I kind of want purple or red streaks in my hair now, but not on top. I want them underneath my hair so that it only peeks through.
My hair felt crunchy all-night because I stuck in tons of hair gel to try to get a faux-hawk. Good thing I didn't use hair-spray - I could smell the gel the entire time, and I used Garnier Fructis so it actually smelled nice! My hair is just a little too long for it, so I ended up bobby-pinning it sorta-up - the stiffness of my hair definitely helped, but it wasn't the faux-hawk I was imagining of anime proportions. On that note, I wonder what cosplayers use...
Anyway, we went to a Halloween party...on the night before Halloween (good thing it's on a Sunday this year!) Sadly, we missed Journey to the End of the Night, an SF streetrace in Halloween costumes because of circumstances out of our control. Luckily for us, we caught a break because it started raining in SF anyways (and I absolutely HATE being outside when I'm being rained upon.) Surprisingly I managed to get home before I went to sleep, even if it was at 5 am. :P
Sadly my laptop broke so no pictures for awhile >.<
With those green tights, I decided I could go as Poison Ivy (from the comics, not the plant). When I told my friends that, I didn't realize that what they imagined was something a lot skimpier.
Yea, I would never EVER wear that. Instead, what I was imagining was a lot more covered...more like
Unfortunately, I ran out of time to make the costume, and couldn't find green gloves, so I decided to go as a glam rocker...and I still wore my green tights ^.^ I bought spray-in color for my hair because I didn't want to risk bleaching and dying my hair. I was super surprised that the colors in my hair came out so well! I kind of want purple or red streaks in my hair now, but not on top. I want them underneath my hair so that it only peeks through.
My hair felt crunchy all-night because I stuck in tons of hair gel to try to get a faux-hawk. Good thing I didn't use hair-spray - I could smell the gel the entire time, and I used Garnier Fructis so it actually smelled nice! My hair is just a little too long for it, so I ended up bobby-pinning it sorta-up - the stiffness of my hair definitely helped, but it wasn't the faux-hawk I was imagining of anime proportions. On that note, I wonder what cosplayers use...
Anyway, we went to a Halloween party...on the night before Halloween (good thing it's on a Sunday this year!) Sadly, we missed Journey to the End of the Night, an SF streetrace in Halloween costumes because of circumstances out of our control. Luckily for us, we caught a break because it started raining in SF anyways (and I absolutely HATE being outside when I'm being rained upon.) Surprisingly I managed to get home before I went to sleep, even if it was at 5 am. :P
Sadly my laptop broke so no pictures for awhile >.<
11/04/2010
Venician Times
America's Next Top Model S15E09 Margherita Missoni
This week the models get transported to Venice, Italy. I expected this season to be in Italy simply because the prize is a cover on Italian Vogue. Surprisingly they didn't have a challenge, and went straight to the photo shoot. The concept was three girls vying for a Casanova's attention on a gondola. Once again Liz complained through the entire shoot. >.<
The very next day, they went to Milan, Italy where I think they're going to stay for the rest of the time because it's the home of IMG Models and Vogue Italia.
The Final Shoot
Chelsea - amazing, lots of intensity
Ann - looks scared, not working for me
Jane - very in character, but not much interaction
Chris - not in the face
Liz - doesn't seem part of the shoot
Kayla - best in the shot
Kayla got the top photo (finally!) with Jane as runner-up. The bottom two were Chris and Liz (which I totally called because they were so weak, and haven't been super strong throughout the competition.) I really wanted Liz to go home because she complained so long and often - as she did.
This week the models get transported to Venice, Italy. I expected this season to be in Italy simply because the prize is a cover on Italian Vogue. Surprisingly they didn't have a challenge, and went straight to the photo shoot. The concept was three girls vying for a Casanova's attention on a gondola. Once again Liz complained through the entire shoot. >.<
The very next day, they went to Milan, Italy where I think they're going to stay for the rest of the time because it's the home of IMG Models and Vogue Italia.
courtesy of the cw
The Final Shoot
Chelsea - amazing, lots of intensity
Ann - looks scared, not working for me
Jane - very in character, but not much interaction
Chris - not in the face
Liz - doesn't seem part of the shoot
Kayla - best in the shot
courtesy of the cw
Kayla got the top photo (finally!) with Jane as runner-up. The bottom two were Chris and Liz (which I totally called because they were so weak, and haven't been super strong throughout the competition.) I really wanted Liz to go home because she complained so long and often - as she did.
11/02/2010
Stripper Silliness
Castle S03E07 Almost Famous
This week on Castle, a fun party turned ghoulish. Unfortunately too much partying allowed for a rift in memories of the party-goers, so Brennan and Castle needed a bit more help. A lot more investigation led them to a strip joint, which allowed for a ton of jokes and humorous quips.
I love how Detectives Ryan and Esposito completely took the agents remarks to heart, and ribbed each other about their 'types'. The fire extinguisher scene was hilarious, though I'm a bit unsure how safe it was in reality.
This week on Castle, a fun party turned ghoulish. Unfortunately too much partying allowed for a rift in memories of the party-goers, so Brennan and Castle needed a bit more help. A lot more investigation led them to a strip joint, which allowed for a ton of jokes and humorous quips.
I love how Detectives Ryan and Esposito completely took the agents remarks to heart, and ribbed each other about their 'types'. The fire extinguisher scene was hilarious, though I'm a bit unsure how safe it was in reality.
11/01/2010
Haunted by the Past
Criminal Minds S06E06 Devil's Night
This was a nice episode of just profiling the unsub, with many mistakes and other guesses being made that didn't quite fit. I don't quite understand the 'remember' technique used by the agents because I've tried remembering things that happened...and I never remember in as much detail as the victims/witnesses do, especially not when the needed details are part of the background, not something that was focused upon.
The story behind this unsub was revenge for all the wrongdoings that were waged upon him by people in his life. I didn't understand why one of the people set on fire was alit in the middle of the road, with cars everywhere, even hitting the poor guy on fire. There was some definite scariness going on with the scenes where the baton was whipped out - and it happened quite a lot.
The cutest part of this episode was seeing the interaction between Hotchner and his son, Jack. The choosing of Jack's costume and the way the tie was tied was perfection. However, it made me sad to see that their Halloween plans were messed with because Hotch needed to fly to Detroit for this Halloween case.
This was a nice episode of just profiling the unsub, with many mistakes and other guesses being made that didn't quite fit. I don't quite understand the 'remember' technique used by the agents because I've tried remembering things that happened...and I never remember in as much detail as the victims/witnesses do, especially not when the needed details are part of the background, not something that was focused upon.
The story behind this unsub was revenge for all the wrongdoings that were waged upon him by people in his life. I didn't understand why one of the people set on fire was alit in the middle of the road, with cars everywhere, even hitting the poor guy on fire. There was some definite scariness going on with the scenes where the baton was whipped out - and it happened quite a lot.
The cutest part of this episode was seeing the interaction between Hotchner and his son, Jack. The choosing of Jack's costume and the way the tie was tied was perfection. However, it made me sad to see that their Halloween plans were messed with because Hotch needed to fly to Detroit for this Halloween case.
10/31/2010
Wearability >.> or not...
Project Runway S08E14 Finale Part II
For Gretchen, I hate the shiny weirdly colored orange to green material, as well as the brown spotted print that's almost, not quite leopard, and the brown stripey print. I like the green pants w/ the sheen in the third look. The green leathery jacket is also very cool. I like the low back and high pants that she keeps throughout her looks.
Andy used good materials and prints. I loved his opening piece. I think the hem on the shirts were weird and led to odd sorts of ruffling. I really liked the bathing suit and cover-up he had that Tim didn't respond to. The top that used a bit of weaving to hold it together was really nice.
Mondo used some crazy prints that I didn't necessarily respond to, but overall he matched them together very well. I absolutely love the plaid dress he came out with paired with the yellow hints. The one piece I really disliked was the pink dress/top thing.
The funniest part of the show was watching the judges fight over the winner. Andy was barely even considered because his designs were so Asian-inspired. However, I liked the hints of Oriental that came through in his collection. The judges were split between Gretchen and Mondo, with Heidi and Jessica Simpson rooting for Mondo.
Oddly, Michael Kors and Nina Garcia were pushing for Gretchen because her designs were very 'in' and 'now', however, I cannot see people really buying her clothes.
For Gretchen, I hate the shiny weirdly colored orange to green material, as well as the brown spotted print that's almost, not quite leopard, and the brown stripey print. I like the green pants w/ the sheen in the third look. The green leathery jacket is also very cool. I like the low back and high pants that she keeps throughout her looks.
courtesy of mylifetime.com
Andy used good materials and prints. I loved his opening piece. I think the hem on the shirts were weird and led to odd sorts of ruffling. I really liked the bathing suit and cover-up he had that Tim didn't respond to. The top that used a bit of weaving to hold it together was really nice.
courtesy of mylifetime.com
Mondo used some crazy prints that I didn't necessarily respond to, but overall he matched them together very well. I absolutely love the plaid dress he came out with paired with the yellow hints. The one piece I really disliked was the pink dress/top thing.
courtesy of mylifetime.com
The funniest part of the show was watching the judges fight over the winner. Andy was barely even considered because his designs were so Asian-inspired. However, I liked the hints of Oriental that came through in his collection. The judges were split between Gretchen and Mondo, with Heidi and Jessica Simpson rooting for Mondo.
Oddly, Michael Kors and Nina Garcia were pushing for Gretchen because her designs were very 'in' and 'now', however, I cannot see people really buying her clothes.
10/30/2010
Mega-Destiny...Hero or Villain?
Megamind is a funny, animated movie of good vs. evil. Or is it? This movie shows that destiny isn't something you're born with or born into, it's what you choose to make of yourself. Anyone can be good or evil, but most everyone is a shade of gray.
I liked the use of 3D during this movie. It was used effectively - not sparingly, but not so much so that it was distracting. This was definitely made with 3D in mind. Unsurprisingly, Dreamworks also 3Ded their opening logo sequence, but it was very cool to watch.
The soundtrack was perfection: the rock hits, the love songs, the boom-box - and all of its problems. It was a fantastic complement and it definitely got the entire theater laughing. Minion was such a fun, like-able character that when he and Megamind got in a fight (or a lover's tiff, if you will ^.~), the movie seemed so much sadder and there were a few little aww's going on.
The one problem with Megamind is that it seemed to hit off-the-mark with its target audience. While the premise was solid, the ideas and jokes were more adult-oriented as opposed to children. In attempting to grab the adult's attention, Dreamworks may have gone a little too far and made the movie less accessible to the kids.
The kids will want to go because it *seems* like a kid-friendly movie (most animations are), the parents will want to take the kids (not only because it'll shut them up, but because there are certain scenes not to be missed), but I believe that it's the 15-30 audience that will enjoy this movie the most. Not only will these adults still have the joy in watching kid movies, they'll also appreciate the more adult humor and the not-so-subtle references to Marlon Brando and Obama.
Overall, I gave this movie a solid A-, but be sure NOT to watch the trailer. I did so only after having watched the movie, and sadly, I think it gave a lot of the really great scenes away.
I liked the use of 3D during this movie. It was used effectively - not sparingly, but not so much so that it was distracting. This was definitely made with 3D in mind. Unsurprisingly, Dreamworks also 3Ded their opening logo sequence, but it was very cool to watch.
The soundtrack was perfection: the rock hits, the love songs, the boom-box - and all of its problems. It was a fantastic complement and it definitely got the entire theater laughing. Minion was such a fun, like-able character that when he and Megamind got in a fight (or a lover's tiff, if you will ^.~), the movie seemed so much sadder and there were a few little aww's going on.
© Dreamworks Animation
The one problem with Megamind is that it seemed to hit off-the-mark with its target audience. While the premise was solid, the ideas and jokes were more adult-oriented as opposed to children. In attempting to grab the adult's attention, Dreamworks may have gone a little too far and made the movie less accessible to the kids.
The kids will want to go because it *seems* like a kid-friendly movie (most animations are), the parents will want to take the kids (not only because it'll shut them up, but because there are certain scenes not to be missed), but I believe that it's the 15-30 audience that will enjoy this movie the most. Not only will these adults still have the joy in watching kid movies, they'll also appreciate the more adult humor and the not-so-subtle references to Marlon Brando and Obama.
Overall, I gave this movie a solid A-, but be sure NOT to watch the trailer. I did so only after having watched the movie, and sadly, I think it gave a lot of the really great scenes away.
10/29/2010
Deceiving the Expert
Lie to Me S03E04 Double Blind
This week's episode dealt with a planned museum heist. Torrez was (once again) in trouble for not being Lightman, this time from the museum curator, who was apoplectic that a robbery almost happened. In the process, a night guard (a retired cop) who never before fired his weapon in the line of duty had to break his streak, causing Torrez great guilt.
While Torrez dealt with re-vetting the museum workers, Lightman got a new girlfriend, who used him to run off her ex. *He always manages to pick the absolute worst girlfriends...and what happened to Det. Wallowski? She completely disappeared this episode.* The one thing that was out-of-context was when Lightman received a text from Naomi (the girlfriend) and suddenly appeared where she was...but she hadn't sent him a location.
It was a decent episode, but not one of my favorites. Please pick up the pace and stop having Lightman always doing shady things...PLEASE!
This week's episode dealt with a planned museum heist. Torrez was (once again) in trouble for not being Lightman, this time from the museum curator, who was apoplectic that a robbery almost happened. In the process, a night guard (a retired cop) who never before fired his weapon in the line of duty had to break his streak, causing Torrez great guilt.
While Torrez dealt with re-vetting the museum workers, Lightman got a new girlfriend, who used him to run off her ex. *He always manages to pick the absolute worst girlfriends...and what happened to Det. Wallowski? She completely disappeared this episode.* The one thing that was out-of-context was when Lightman received a text from Naomi (the girlfriend) and suddenly appeared where she was...but she hadn't sent him a location.
It was a decent episode, but not one of my favorites. Please pick up the pace and stop having Lightman always doing shady things...PLEASE!
Commercial Appeal
America's Next Top Model S15E08 Zac Posen
Their challenge this week was to walk in Zac Posen's runway show alongside professional models. Miss J decided to have a quiet word with the professionals to ask them to shake the confidence of the potential models. Some girls messed up, others shone. Chelsea impressed Zac the most and won 5 looks from his line.
Instead of a photo shoot, they needed to shoot a commercial. Kayla had a breakdown and revealed that she was sexually assaulted when young. Surprisingly, though she had never spoken of it to anyone before, she managed to push through her fear and the memories and deliver a surprisingly solid performance.
Jane did well, I liked the ending shot. Liz was really bad and kept laughing. Chris was funny, but it seemed so cheesy and overacted. Chelsea was really flat. Esther was so bad.
Chris got first call-out this week, with Jane as runner-up. Ann and Esther were the bottom two, with Ann staying. That was expected because she had 5 weeks in a row of best photo.
Their challenge this week was to walk in Zac Posen's runway show alongside professional models. Miss J decided to have a quiet word with the professionals to ask them to shake the confidence of the potential models. Some girls messed up, others shone. Chelsea impressed Zac the most and won 5 looks from his line.
Instead of a photo shoot, they needed to shoot a commercial. Kayla had a breakdown and revealed that she was sexually assaulted when young. Surprisingly, though she had never spoken of it to anyone before, she managed to push through her fear and the memories and deliver a surprisingly solid performance.
Jane did well, I liked the ending shot. Liz was really bad and kept laughing. Chris was funny, but it seemed so cheesy and overacted. Chelsea was really flat. Esther was so bad.
Chris got first call-out this week, with Jane as runner-up. Ann and Esther were the bottom two, with Ann staying. That was expected because she had 5 weeks in a row of best photo.
10/28/2010
You Killed? I Tripled it
Castle S03E06 3XK
This week's episode was completely enthralling. It dealt with a serial killer who suddenly returned after several years off. Other than the witty little banter between Castle and Beckett during the profile briefing, the episode seemed much more serious and detective-y than it has been before. It's a good little breather for the show (it can't survive completely on humorous portions).
I absolutely loved the over the shoulder shot near the very beginning - where it wasn't immediately recognizable as a person in the left. It suitably changed the tone of the entire episode to one of utter creepiness. However, the one scene I found odd was immediately after the briefing, when Det. Ryan appeared because all the officers should have been in the briefing. Why did Ryan come up as if he hadn't been in the room (he came from behind the whiteboard)?
Definitely creepy and just in time for Halloween, this episode hits all the right marks and makes me wish it was a two-hour special because I can't take the suspense.
This week's episode was completely enthralling. It dealt with a serial killer who suddenly returned after several years off. Other than the witty little banter between Castle and Beckett during the profile briefing, the episode seemed much more serious and detective-y than it has been before. It's a good little breather for the show (it can't survive completely on humorous portions).
I absolutely loved the over the shoulder shot near the very beginning - where it wasn't immediately recognizable as a person in the left. It suitably changed the tone of the entire episode to one of utter creepiness. However, the one scene I found odd was immediately after the briefing, when Det. Ryan appeared because all the officers should have been in the briefing. Why did Ryan come up as if he hadn't been in the room (he came from behind the whiteboard)?
Definitely creepy and just in time for Halloween, this episode hits all the right marks and makes me wish it was a two-hour special because I can't take the suspense.
10/27/2010
Diplomacy Disaster
Undercovers S01E05 Not Without My Daughter
Last week's episode involved helping a North Korean scientist defect. However, when the United States refused to save his daughter as well, he shopped around and the French took the job as well.
I found the premise completely improbable. The North Koreans rarely allow anyone into their borders in the first place, how in the world did the CIA agents, as well as the French agents make it in. Not only that, it seemed ridiculously easy to lose their guards and book hotel rooms. I felt they should have been easy to find - just ask any citizen where to find the people who didn't look like Koreans! I mean seriously, you have African-Americans and Caucasians just waltz into a country and no one realizes??
Surprisingly, Leo didn't pop up during this episode, as he tends to do - a lot. A side point: the actress who plays Lizzie isn't very good, it sounds as though she doesn't open her mouth when she speaks (the nasally, whiny type of voice) - ughh it's annoying.
This show seems to get more and more ridiculous each week...and I don't know whether I'll keep watching it or not. Despite my wish to know what the little sideplots are like their reasons for leaving the agency, and the reason they were reactivated, at this point it seems safer to just give up on it.
Last week's episode involved helping a North Korean scientist defect. However, when the United States refused to save his daughter as well, he shopped around and the French took the job as well.
I found the premise completely improbable. The North Koreans rarely allow anyone into their borders in the first place, how in the world did the CIA agents, as well as the French agents make it in. Not only that, it seemed ridiculously easy to lose their guards and book hotel rooms. I felt they should have been easy to find - just ask any citizen where to find the people who didn't look like Koreans! I mean seriously, you have African-Americans and Caucasians just waltz into a country and no one realizes??
Surprisingly, Leo didn't pop up during this episode, as he tends to do - a lot. A side point: the actress who plays Lizzie isn't very good, it sounds as though she doesn't open her mouth when she speaks (the nasally, whiny type of voice) - ughh it's annoying.
This show seems to get more and more ridiculous each week...and I don't know whether I'll keep watching it or not. Despite my wish to know what the little sideplots are like their reasons for leaving the agency, and the reason they were reactivated, at this point it seems safer to just give up on it.
10/26/2010
Fighting for Family
Criminal Minds S06E05 Safe Haven
There was a nice little twist that caused me to believe one of the later victims was the murderer, although I'm unsure whether that was deliberate or not. It may have been that I was too used to correctly guessing the murderer, so by the time the BAU team was discussing what type of person it could be, I already had some ideas - and the victim had the exact job description I had in mind for the murderer.
The actor who played the murderer definitely was overacting - that was the worst part of the show. Also I hate his smile - it's very ingratiating and very fake. However, there was a great shot of him looking disturbingly at the knife cutting the chicken.
I felt as though the ending scene with the Spicers was so forced and out of place in this show. First, I absolutely HATE Ellie's hair, it still looks as though it was randomly chopped off with a knife, and it should have been several weeks since then - in the show's timeframe. Also, I don't understand why she would have been stuck in foster care when Garcia could have tracked down her mother in no time at all.
Then, her mother and Morgan talked about personal issues IN FRONT OF THE CHILD!! Get real...he's a profiler and should know better than that. Also, the letters - why did the mother not send them, instead of writing them down in a journal? And why did Ellie trust Morgan so much, that just because he said it was okay, everything was all right and she was immediately liked and trusted her mother. UGHHH
The best part about this episode is that it showed me a new band, Fitz & the Tantrums. I love when shows do this...and the last time was during the first season of Castle for the band Minnutes. However, Criminal Minds didn't just use the music in the episode, it showed clips from a music video, which had me wondering whether it was the actual music video - and it was. Not only that, the introduction of the video was very strategic.
There was a nice little twist that caused me to believe one of the later victims was the murderer, although I'm unsure whether that was deliberate or not. It may have been that I was too used to correctly guessing the murderer, so by the time the BAU team was discussing what type of person it could be, I already had some ideas - and the victim had the exact job description I had in mind for the murderer.
The actor who played the murderer definitely was overacting - that was the worst part of the show. Also I hate his smile - it's very ingratiating and very fake. However, there was a great shot of him looking disturbingly at the knife cutting the chicken.
I felt as though the ending scene with the Spicers was so forced and out of place in this show. First, I absolutely HATE Ellie's hair, it still looks as though it was randomly chopped off with a knife, and it should have been several weeks since then - in the show's timeframe. Also, I don't understand why she would have been stuck in foster care when Garcia could have tracked down her mother in no time at all.
Then, her mother and Morgan talked about personal issues IN FRONT OF THE CHILD!! Get real...he's a profiler and should know better than that. Also, the letters - why did the mother not send them, instead of writing them down in a journal? And why did Ellie trust Morgan so much, that just because he said it was okay, everything was all right and she was immediately liked and trusted her mother. UGHHH
The best part about this episode is that it showed me a new band, Fitz & the Tantrums. I love when shows do this...and the last time was during the first season of Castle for the band Minnutes. However, Criminal Minds didn't just use the music in the episode, it showed clips from a music video, which had me wondering whether it was the actual music video - and it was. Not only that, the introduction of the video was very strategic.
Crimes of True Love
Castle S03E05 Anatomy of a Murder
In last week's episode, an extra dead body was discovered stuffed into a closed casket during a funeral when the pall-bearer accidentally lost his grip (a too-heavy casket will do that). The hunt for the good doctor's killer led them to a flirtatious male nurse (with lots of little plays on the McDreamy name from Grey's Anatomy), a mystery boyfriend, as well as El Diablo - a druglord.
The plot was a well-written tale of intrigue and misdirection. Of course, the side plot of true everlasting love was worthy of a second glance as well - poor Castle got upstaged by his own ex-wife in Alexis' happily ever after. Plus Beckett's ending comment was absolute brilliance, though I'm a bit unsure whether the writers intended for her to know the implications.
10/25/2010
Lacking Conviction
Conviction is a movie based on a true story of a man arrested for murder, sentenced to life in prison, and a sister's life-long struggle to prove his innocence. The pacing of this movie was very slow and the performances were lacking.
The character of Betty Anne Waters was supposed to be compelling in her efforts to free her brother. However, it seemed more as though she was a saint, giving up her own idea of a career, her family, heck - her life (she didn't even want to make any friends). She might well have been in reality, but in a movie context she came off as a complete bore.
I was reminded of another movie about an uneducated woman who rose against the system - Erin Brockovich. Unfortunately, this movie fails miserably in comparison. The rude, loud-mouthed, brashness of Julia Roberts worked towards making the 'saint' not so saintly and gave depth to the character.
Hilary Swank, on the other hand, comes off very flat. The performance during this movie felt as though she overacted the whole time. Her voice was grating, the accent very pronounced and fake. Every time there was a close-up of her face, her lips would be trembling and always tension-filled. It filled me with a sense of constant agitation, although perhaps that was what the director wanted.
© Fox Searchlight Pictures
The director did a fantastic job of portraying the character of Kenny Waters. Sam Rockwell absolutely dominated the screen whenever he appeared, from the fun-loving, violent drunk to the suicidal prisoner. Through his words and his outbursts of temper, there were times where I was wondering whether he was actually innocent or guilty. However, it was very obvious what the outcome would be.
Overall, I give this film a D, because I would never ever watch it again. There's nothing special about this underdog, I was more compelled reading the old news articles about this case and the revelations of it.
Who are You Loyal to?
Lie to Me S03E03 Dirty Loyal
In last week's episode, Internal Affairs hired The Lightman Group to investigate Lightman's cop 'friend' (more girlfriend, now) and her partner in relation to gang-related matters. However, this was a conflict of interest for Lightman - he had loyalty towards Foster and his business, but he also felt loyalty towards Det. Wallowski. In his mind, he believed Dr. Foster should have had enough loyalty and trust in him to not take the case/back him up in the first place.
This episode I got a real sense of the struggle in the partnership between Drs. Lightman and Foster. Also, it dealt with dubious shades of gray in their morals. Foster has a much more straight-laced view of the world, and partnering with Lightman caused great dilemmas in her morality. Although the episode was very interesting, at some points I definitely wanted smack Lightman for being so oblivious or purposefully ignoring the moral dilemma Foster was facing.
10/24/2010
The Home Stretch
Project Runway S08E13 Finale Part 1
Unfortunately, even though they have made it to the 'Final Four', the designers still need to compete in order to actually show at Fashion Week. They each received $9000 and 6 weeks to create a 10-piece collection. The producers were a lot smarter this season; they didn't choose a bottom two to choose between...all the designers could potentially not show their collection.
Andy's checkup wasn't that great, considering he had 2 weeks to go and not one of his looks started. However, what I saw of his headpieces were very cool. Michael went a little crazy and made 18 looks - and was considering making more. Some of his looks were nice, but some were just weird.
Mondo's inspiration was a marriage between the Day of the Dead and clowns. Most of his pieces were awesome, except for a pink shirt thing. Gretchen had a bad time, and with the challenge of creating a collection on top of it...I felt a bit sorry for her. I like what she's created so far, but not all together.
In order to choose the three final collections, the designers are required to present 2 current looks, and a final look that they need to create in 2 days.
Andy's silver pleated outfit is nice up top, but the bottom had weird wrinkles going on. I couldn't see the coherence of the 2nd piece (the flowy gray), but the green look was amazing.
Michael's flowy brown look was really pretty, I liked the movement. The 2nd piece kind of reminded me of Laura Bennet's cocktail dress, but without the nice silhouette and fit. I like the pants and the idea of the fringe top, but hated the weird brown back thing going on. Unfortunately, all his pieces look like a glamour piece in copper.
Gretchen's grey-green dress was nice in front, but I hated the movement of the back. I didn't like the 2nd leopard look because it was so plain. I loved the 3rd green look with the half-open front. Her three looks seem as though they're going on safari vacation.
Mondo's first look seemed a little too many fabrics going on. I love his 2nd look with the turquoise. His dress was very VERY cool and his looks definitely said Mondo to me.
Michael was eliminated, because his body of work wasn't as strong as the other three designers. He broke down after being eliminated, especially since his parents only supported him once he got on the show. His worry that they would expect him to give up his dream, now that they were proven 'right' is a worry that many other gay designers have. Hopefully things won't turn out that way.
Unfortunately, even though they have made it to the 'Final Four', the designers still need to compete in order to actually show at Fashion Week. They each received $9000 and 6 weeks to create a 10-piece collection. The producers were a lot smarter this season; they didn't choose a bottom two to choose between...all the designers could potentially not show their collection.
Andy's checkup wasn't that great, considering he had 2 weeks to go and not one of his looks started. However, what I saw of his headpieces were very cool. Michael went a little crazy and made 18 looks - and was considering making more. Some of his looks were nice, but some were just weird.
pic courtesy of mylifetime.com
Mondo's inspiration was a marriage between the Day of the Dead and clowns. Most of his pieces were awesome, except for a pink shirt thing. Gretchen had a bad time, and with the challenge of creating a collection on top of it...I felt a bit sorry for her. I like what she's created so far, but not all together.
In order to choose the three final collections, the designers are required to present 2 current looks, and a final look that they need to create in 2 days.
Andy's silver pleated outfit is nice up top, but the bottom had weird wrinkles going on. I couldn't see the coherence of the 2nd piece (the flowy gray), but the green look was amazing.
pic courtesy of mylifetime.com
Michael's flowy brown look was really pretty, I liked the movement. The 2nd piece kind of reminded me of Laura Bennet's cocktail dress, but without the nice silhouette and fit. I like the pants and the idea of the fringe top, but hated the weird brown back thing going on. Unfortunately, all his pieces look like a glamour piece in copper.
Gretchen's grey-green dress was nice in front, but I hated the movement of the back. I didn't like the 2nd leopard look because it was so plain. I loved the 3rd green look with the half-open front. Her three looks seem as though they're going on safari vacation.
pic courtesy of mylifetime.com
Mondo's first look seemed a little too many fabrics going on. I love his 2nd look with the turquoise. His dress was very VERY cool and his looks definitely said Mondo to me.
Michael was eliminated, because his body of work wasn't as strong as the other three designers. He broke down after being eliminated, especially since his parents only supported him once he got on the show. His worry that they would expect him to give up his dream, now that they were proven 'right' is a worry that many other gay designers have. Hopefully things won't turn out that way.
pic courtesy of mylifetime.com
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