5 takes...the last 5 minutes and soapnet

Buddhist Monastary
-Why is Gabe the only one that stays in the monastary? (I don't think I'm spelling that right)
-He seems a bit put-off by the monks, and they're not feeding him for 24 hours...uhhh...yeah.
-Buddhist Almsgiving to the Monks--Josh says he can get a rush from feeding monks.

It looks like they're keeping with the artsy type-MTV-styled monologues. They kind of remind me of Made...but better.

I Wanna Be A Soap Star
SoapNet 11pm Thursdays

Wow...I totally fell into this show. I don't watch Soaps...really I don't. And this is the only show I watch on SoapNet, mainly because it's hilarious and the scenes are crazy and I want to see what Kelly does that drives everyone nuts. Terrific casting.

Kelly wow...she's totally from Ithaca. She's Ms. Ethereal.

So, all these cast members want to be Soap Stars, but only one of them will get a role on One Life To Live. So, they've got scenes to learn and one person is voted off or excuse me, "killed off" by the judges.

Love scenes this week.

Rehearsals...
Can I just say...wow is Dean hot. Awkward when an acting coach is telling you where to put your head in a kiss.

Tough break for Mikey, working with Kelly. He REALLY hates her.
The dress ripping off looks really painful too.

NOOOO...so it's between Aysinde and Dean

and Dean. Nooo don't go. That judge is totally wrong, Dean is hot and totally sexy and very much had chemistry with his partner

just a singe...

Hells Kitchen ya'll
Fox Mondays 9pm

This is one of the most manufactured reality shows there is. And sometimes it's not manufactured well. I think this company should take a cue from Project Runway and get more interesting characters and then you don't have to rely on creating drama where there is little.

I think the cameras are not as close to the action as they could be. Maybe it's because there is more work for them to do everyday that is less interesting to the camera. But either way it doesn't look as good. And they're using grainy zooms in post. Maybe they don't have the money to hire the crew? I don't know.

But man, am I hating Sara and loving Heather right about now. They got through the Kindergarten Lunch Service because the kids were less picky and Chef let things pass that he wouldn't have if it was Dinner service. And whoa do I hate Sara...she should have gone home. She's playing all the girls.

now...

How to Get the Guy (because I need to know this too)
ABC Mondays 10pm

Tips on how to move on...
1. Use a friend as an excuse ("Oh hey, there's so-and-so I need to go say hi")
2. I've got to mingle

Ahh...the bowling guy is totally checking her out WAYYY more than the bowling. Awwwww Sean...you're too cute. Can I have this? Go go...aww was that kissage? I think so!!

I haven't seen this show yet. But I think I really like it so far. It's the summer romance I've been looking for in the wrong places. Real Life. Movies. But no...it's on TV! I like the feel of it, reality TV without so much of the reality TV behind it. It's very honest and lets everything play out. So it seems like these women are partaking in something that works around their real lives instead of taking them over. Which is what is supposed to be the basis of Reality TV, in my opinion.

The female host totally used to host While you Were Out on TLC. Totally.

So the dumbest News story ever on a news station here in Boston (and you know they've been sitting on this one for a while).
"The Busiest Dunkin Donuts in the world is located right here in New England. More at 11."
NO KIDDING!!

New England is the only place on Earth that CARES about Dunkin' Donuts. But I digress...

Back to How to Get the Guy (yes I'm watching it)

Awww...the elliptical scene was cute. Too bad it wasn't an actual date. Awwww the Asian girl (Chris) and Josh. Hells yes with Public Displays of Affection...I'm all for them. In massive public areas subtle and simple is best.

This is a total love letter to San Francisco. Really well shot, in the style of The Apprentice almost, but more real life.

I found my chick flick.

this is brilliant...3rd date movies

So you gotta read this article. It's good. The end.

For me on a third date I might show my date Zoolander, or opt for the Colin Firth movie...like Briget Jones...or no...family movie. Second Hand Lions or Finding Neverland.

yep
that's me

5 takes: Poetry?

Like Butta...

The TJ's first impressions of Hong Kong, played like beat poetry or a rap set to images. How can I not love this show? The editing and camera-work is awesome and very inspired.

Check out their community/blogs/video-blogs (I am anti-"vlog") here
www.5takes.com

the end

p.s. the chats during this show can be ridiculous (live chats)

Does America have Talent?

The Acts
Commentary as it comes

1. Professional Finger-Snapper...wow. Cool. That was bad-ass. Dad...please stop trying to imitate it now. It's over.
   
2. Dave The Horn Guy...the 2nd song was better. A bit lame on his own.
   
3. Blue Velvet...the B52s minus the band.
   
4. missed one
   
5. Sid the Kid...stole the show.
   
6. Juggled dude...eh...seemed staged.
   
7. The Shadow Dancers...donkeys? Isn't that animal cruelty?Wow...this act is boring
   
8. Bernie Barker, The World's Oldest Male Stripper...any relation to Bob Barker? David Hasselholf totally enjoyed it. Dave just wanted to see naked old man.
   
9. Whitney-14-Years-Old...Alexis Jordan...big voice, ok. Let's see if she can take it home. Does she have a record contract already? I'd sign her. Damn. Brandy's acting like a proud mother. Katherine McPhee don't ever do Whitney again b/c this girl's got you beat. [side note: what's with the awesome kids??]
   
10. Saw Man...nope...he wasn't even on long enough for me to notice what exactly he was supposed to do.
    
11. Kevin Johnson...ventriloquist, WHAT?! How the hell does he do that? He was talking and his mouth wasn't moving...in fact, it was closed. WHA!? Top that Godzilla act Mr. Johnson. Do better and the kids might have some competition.
    
12. Cathy, Singing Harpist...Piers was right, funeral music is what she does best. Floating in the clouds perhaps too.
    
13. Harry Carry...impressions, wow this is sad. Yeah...dude...it was the microphone...uh huh...NOT
    
14. Vladimir...very Cirque Du Soleil, and cool.
    
15. Basketball People...totally Harlem Globetrotters without the patriotic get-up.
    
16. Nose Flute?...nuff said good heckler though...he was worth the personality
    
17. Betty, the Singer...
    
18. The Bright Eyes Twins...now that was such a Hairspray Moment
    
19. Juggler Dudes Ivan...cool music and lights...but lets see something that's world class
    
    Whoa...Brandi's about to go off on Piers and Dave. But back to the juggler.
    Dude, if you are a World-Class Juggler why are you juggling tennis balls? That's not exciting.
    
20. Magician...
    
21. Cow with Milky Utters Dave said it right..."Utterly ridiculous"
    
    I think this is beneath Regis. And this is too long for 2 hours of programming...it's entertaining but not THAT entertaining.
    
    
22. Gospel Man...way cool with the microphone gymnastics
    
23. Vladick...Yet another Juggler...a little more artsy. This was a cross between the gymnasts and juggling. THIS is juggling at the max. I totally agree with Piers.

I am tired...and I'm gonna go to sleep...click, it's off.
Sorry Simon Cowell, you had me for an hour and a half, but that's all I can handle. I'm not sticking around for the rapping granny, you'll have to let me know how that goes.

Goodnight.

The Lake House: Movie Review

ohh helll nah...

I'm disappointed in Sandra Bullock. She's had a run of decent movies. They weren't Oscar winners (but that's because no one gets an Oscar for comedy/romance anymore) but they weren't bad. This one WAS bad.

The trailer was only the best parts of the whole movie. And it was the only bit of good editing that was had for this film.


First of all...

• Acting:
  
  • Sandra...believable...some crappy lines...but somewhat believable.
    
  • Keanu...oh no. He was NOT believable at all. The only moment when it seemed natural was when he stumbled over words right before their first kiss. But the worst moment was when he kissed the letters before putting them in the box. That moment was VERY student film.
    
  • Keanu's Brother...oh did he have some bad lines...I'm sure he would have been better...but horrible lines
    
  • Dog...loved the dog..can I keep him?
    
  
  
  
• Directing:
  
  • Shot Choice...What the hell? Doesn't this Director know about the same-head-size thing?! There were TOO many conversations between people without competent matching shots. For example...Alex(Keanu's Character) and the girl at his work's first conversation. She's got a close up, he's got a wide shot? Why?! What's the purpose of that?! And again with Sandra's conversation with her mother about her dead father. WHY ISN"T IT A CLOSE-UP ON THE MOM?! Show the emotion! The CAMERA dictates what the audience sees and what they feel.
    
    
    
    
  • Camera Angles:...as horrible as the shot choices were...some of the camera angles were worse. In the above mentioned scene on the construction lot, why is the close up on the girl shot from below her looking down? I think this director has his unspoken cues mixed up. I'm sure his films are good in Argentina (where he's from)...but maybe he just had a hard time communicating to his crew (that was probably more American than anything) what he needed from them.
    
  
  
  
• Editing:
  
  • Scenes...the scenes were tooo long. Especially the scene introducing Keanu's father. It could have been cut cut shebang done. The brother was almost an inconsequential character he had little to no impact on the plot.
    
    
  • Screenplay:
    
    • Plot...oh dear were there HUGE gaping holes in the plot here. The time thing was not completely fleshed out. It complicates things when they know each other and would know the names. There are debates online about whether or not she would have recognized his brother's name when she hired him, and if she had actually changed the future by sending the letter or if it was already planned out.
      
      
      Clarifications would have been a nice thing, simple titles that could have clued the audience in to exactly how much time has passed. I wasn't sure if this movie took place over the period of years or months in 2006. It was not clear at all.
      
      
      She totally would have remembered the name of the guy that died...she would have signed the death certificate.
      
      
      The set up was too weak and not enough time or energy was put into how these two people would fall in love. And each time they wrote each other, how they did it was irrelevent and irresponsible. How can they have a conversation if she's only at the house on weekends. It was just crazy.
      
      
      
      This movie had sooo much potential. It is a great premise, and could have been great...really great.

I want to see the movie in the trailer. I might just go out and rent the Japanese movie it was based on. But save your money from this horror and see a student film instead...it's cheaper and a better use of your time.

Kathy Griffin = B+

So Kathy is my hero. Adore her. Love her like a gay man. (I'm totally a gay man...more on that later).

This episode this past week was about her eBay weekend-winner Michael who was totally horrible. He was looking for a free iPod somewhere in her house and turning down her food. Hell, Michael...if she didn't give you an iPod you would have been stealing it if you had found them. I was absolutely appalled by what he was doing. Loser. Really. I'm sorry Michael if you're reading this...but damn.

I had my Kathy Griffin experience, on the Emmy Red carpet this past year. September exactly....i remember it well.
Gaiken was interviewing my fellow Fan-Stand-ers while the rest of the red carpet was packing up to go home. When I spotted her. The purple taffetta (or flowy dress anywho) was blaring and screaming my name. "Maggie...oh MAAGGGIIIEEE...Yell at me....acknowledge me....love me....Magggieeeeeee"

So I did what any other fan would have done.

"KATHY!!! KATHY!!!!!! YOU ROCK!! YOU ARE TOTALLY B PLUS!! B PLUS KATHY!!!"
"Yup" she said as she ran the other direction flashing me what looked like a thumbs up (could have been the bird).

gays love that story.

trackback! what?! Kathy's Blog
You go girl. I'll take your giftbags!

5 takes: pacific rim

Dear Travel Channel,
Je t'aime.

No really. I love the Travel Channel and I'm sad that I only discovered 5 Takes: Pacific Rim in the past couple of weeks. It's a GREAT show! So interesting...and inviting and fun!

So here's the concept...
Five 20-Somethings take on the Pacific Rim (first season was Europe) with cameras and microphones. They're called TJs or Travel Journalists. And it's their job to bring their best friends (us) along with them on their adventures.

I'm watching the Taipei, Taiwan episode right now. It's fantastic. I want to do it. I want to go on this trip.

It's raining and their finding the coolest ways to pass the time.
Restaurants
Tallest tower in the world.
Dragon Boat Festival
Snake Alley--TJ Gage ate a snake...hmmm...cool...good for him

This show's style has changed a bit since I first saw it. It's defintely more MTV, fast cuts, canted shots. Quick zooms, out of focus at times. Very Macroed. I like it. The themes of the shows have been very self-discovery oriented. These travelers have been put in a bunch of situations that are completely out of their normal comfort zone. And it's really interesting to watch how they react.

I highly suggest it...10pm Thursdays Travel Channel...too bad next week's the last episode.

The 4400...overdue

So why did Lily have to die exactly?

Why did Isabelle have to grow up so fast?

This show's focus and initial story has completely taken a turn. I like it. But it's definitely in a different place from where it started in the first season.
The first season was all about alien worlds and such. With the scene on the beach with Kyle and his Dad, we had the introduction to the future beings and the idea that the 4400 were saving the world, and not trying to bring it to an end. They were preventing the end.

Season Two expanded on that idea. And brought us the Promicin Inhibitor at the end of the season. That completely threw me for a loop. But I loved it...it stepped up a notch.

And now...Lily's death (oh my Richard, my) and Isabelle's growth create a whole new problem. What is Isabelle's role? And what does the PR/Washington dude know about it? Can she choose to be evil or good?

blind ambition

Law and Order: Criminal Intent
Bravo 11pm

Mrs. Whitney has Harvey kill her husband so she can become a star and live out her life's ambition. He's got an addiction to star power getting his picture taken with each and every celebrity he can. It was sad, really, to see how he killed her husband and in turn she had his mother killed. Both of them plotted to kill the other's only loved one in the world.

An interesting take on celebrity culture, or rather the people that wish they were a part of that world. But most of them are grandly disillusioned. I'd like to say that I'm not one of them. But perhaps, it's true. I'd rather watch an entertainment news show than face the realities of this world's politics and gory news. Maybe that's a product of my own escapism from real life.


After I sleep I'll post about The 4400 season premiere! YAY!...or rather *tear*

why do this?

So I'm writing yet another blog. But this time it's not a general-no-name-nothing blog I won't update. I'm bored here in Central Massachusetts, but I've got Television to occupy me. Something to study and take hints from. I'm fried...tired, taking in too much food (getting a little pudgy...uh oh) and I'm a TV Couch Potato...hence the name.

Fried TV Taters!