And we have our winner for Apple's new iPad2!! Yes!

With over 11,000 entering via Twitter, Facebook, commenting, etc., one won, and they were chosen using our favorite program: The Random Integer Generator! It's the fairest way to pick a winner--we use it on every contest.

So, who won?

Dawn Rock of London, England! Yay for England!   (That's a first!)

Dawn is now the happy owner of the iPad2! Please congratulate her!  Dawn, just answer the Facebook message I sent, and this ships.

Congrats again to Dawn. We appreciate all who participated in getting the word out for my best-selling book, Bullied.  Next up:  A giveaway to support my new novel, "Running of the Bulls."

This is a lottery of sorts. Let's please be play nicely and be happy for the winners.  More to come...

Christopher

And we have our winner for Apple's new iPad2!! Yes!

With over 11,000 entering via Twitter, Facebook, commenting, etc., one won, and they were chosen using our favorite program: The Random Integer Generator! It's the fairest way to pick a winner--we use it on every contest.

So, who won?

Dawn Rock of London, England! Yay for England!   (That's a first!)

Dawn is now the happy owner of the iPad2! Please congratulate her!  Dawn, just answer the Facebook message I sent, and this ships.

Congrats again to Dawn. We appreciate all who participated in getting the word out for my best-selling book, Bullied.  Next up:  A giveaway to support my new novel, "Running of the Bulls."

This is a lottery of sorts. Let's please be play nicely and be happy for the winners.  More to come...

Christopher

My next full-length adult thriller, the Wall Street-based "Running of the Bulls," is being published the first week of June 2011.   For those who read "Fifth Avenue," this book brings back the villain from that book--Spocatti--but in a a leaner, tighter thriller.  I wrote the novel in such a way that it's a straight, blistering shot to the end.

It takes place over the course of only two days.  And my, how the body count builds up in such a short time.

Check out the preface here.

My next full-length adult thriller, the Wall Street-based "Running of the Bulls," is being published the first week of June 2011.   For those who read "Fifth Avenue," this book brings back the villain from that book--Spocatti--but in a a leaner, tighter thriller.  I wrote the novel in such a way that it's a straight, blistering shot to the end.

It takes place over the course of only two days.  And my, how the body count builds up in such a short time.

Check out the preface here.

American Idol Season 10, Episode 38: Scotty and Lauren are In It To Win It

Television Review

By our guest blogger, Catherine Fuentes

As Randy Jackson would have us all believe, America, Lauren AND Scotty are both in it to win it. For any American Idol fan – or even people who have seen Randy judge one performance, as the case may be – this shouldn’t come as a surprise… everyone is always in it to win it. But an hour before show time, TMZ ran a post that said that Lauren Alaina might drop out of the contest since she had no voice, and that producers were trying to find Haley.

Lauren didn’t have laryngitis, as initially reported. Instead a doctor explained that she blew out a vocal cord when trying to hit a high note. As a result, while she sang really well, she was lacking some power that she could’ve used, and her voice sounded a bit raspy toward the end of each of her songs.

Before I get into assessing the three “rounds,” I just want to express a general sense of disappointment at this entire finale. This has been such an exciting, interesting season full of talented performances, yet tonight just seemed lackluster and anticlimactic. Lauren wasn’t at 100%, I don’t care for Scotty, and the contestants seemed too young and too country to hold my interest. I really wish James or Haley (especially Haley) was singing.

First up, they each sang their favorite song from the season, which both sang during the Top 5 week, and were met by tremendous praise for their performances then. Good moves for both Lauren and Scotty.

Scotty opened the show with Montgomery Gentry’s “Gone,” which was a really good decision on his part, because it was so full of energy. It was one of my favorite songs that Scotty performed all season, since it seemed different for him, and tonight was no different: he walked through the audience and he had a confident stage presence. It was the ideal way to kick off the show, and it shows that Scotty can perform on big stages really well, which was a fear I had with him. His performance this time around was so much better than his Top 5 night performance, which shows his tremendous growth as a performer in just a few short weeks.

Lauren then sang Carrie Underwood’s “Flat on the Floor,” which has been one of my favorite Lauren Alaina performances to date. I imagine her “I Hope You Dance” was too recent to reprise, but I’m glad she went with something so fierce and high energy. As much as I enjoy Lauren when she sings a ballad and we’re treated to hearing the unique tones of her voice, I really believe she’s at her best when she’s doing something fun. Her voice sounded scratchy at points, but she sounded better than I thought she would based on early reports of her vocal condition.

The judges give a slight edge to Scotty, which I think is fair. Lauren gave a great performance, but Scotty was fantastic, and it takes a lot for me to give Scotty the edge.

Next, they each had their idol pick out a song for them to sing. Scotty had George Strait select a song, and George chose his own “Check Yes Or No,” which I found a bit weird. It’s a huge vote of confidence for an artist to tell someone to sing their original song, but I’m more surprised that Scotty chose someone as old school as George Strait. Then again, he doesn’t seem as mainstream country as someone like Brad Paisley, so maybe not terribly surprising. I liked that Scotty played the guitar, because it toned his phony performance movements down a few notches. It sounded good, but not dynamic, or as good as his initial song.

Carrie Underwood selected Pam Tillis’ “Maybe It Was Memphis” for Lauren, which was an interesting choice as well. I have zero familiarity with this song, and I know the judges always criticize the little known song selections. However, in her glittery cupcake dress, Lauren sang beautifully. Her voice sounded raspy at points, but it seemed almost intentional and worked for the song. This was a perfect song for Lauren’s voice, and she seemed like she came into her confidence a bit through it.

The judges gave an edge to Lauren in this round, which I wholeheartedly agree with.

Finally, the contestants sang the song they will release as his or her first single should he or she win on Wednesday night. Both were slower country songs, and in all fairness, I didn’t really love either, and am glad I don’t listen to radio stations that would play either.

Scotty sang a song called “I Love You This Big,” which was distracting at first, thanks to a violinist with an even creepier gaze than Scotty himself! Who knew that was possible? I didn’t love the song, but I can imagine it being a huge hit, and I can imagine it being played at every Southern prom (or weddings for ’16 & Pregnant’ couples that make it). It was a really pretty, sentimental love song, and that just seemed strange coming from Scotty; he still feels too young to sing a song that big and old. It was a great song for his voice, though, and his confidence was at such a high, which helped in the delivery of a more mature song.

Lauren sang a song, “Like My Mother Does,” dedicated to her mother, who has been very visible throughout the show. The song was beautiful, she sang it amazingly, and although I wished her voice was 100% to completely slay the big power notes, I still felt her tone was perfect. Ryan Seacrest, being the rare gentleman, led Lauren down the stairs to her mother, who Lauren hugged without missing a note! It was a beautiful, emotional, poignant American Idol moment, and the absolute perfect way to end the episode.

Jennifer Lopez told Lauren, “you may have just won” based on that song, and I honestly agree with that assessment. The judges showered Lauren with praise, saying that she had heart, emotion, and feeling in that song, and that it was totally present, which it was. I felt all those things were missing a bit from Scotty’s, which isn’t terribly surprising: Lauren is one of the most emotional contestants on this season, if not the most, and Scotty seems the most stoic. And again, I find it difficult to honestly believe a 16 year old singing a love ballad, whereas a 16 year old who is close with her mom singing a song dedicated to her just feels so right.

The judges gave round three to Lauren, which, if you’re keeping score at home means that the judges in theory gave the title to Lauren, since 2/3 rounds (or 3/3 rounds if you’re Steven Tyler) is the majority. Of course, they played diplomatic and professed their love of Scotty, which is only fair, but I feel the title will be even closer than predicted.

American Idol Season 10, Episode 38: Scotty and Lauren are In It To Win It

Television Review

By our guest blogger, Catherine Fuentes

As Randy Jackson would have us all believe, America, Lauren AND Scotty are both in it to win it. For any American Idol fan – or even people who have seen Randy judge one performance, as the case may be – this shouldn’t come as a surprise… everyone is always in it to win it. But an hour before show time, TMZ ran a post that said that Lauren Alaina might drop out of the contest since she had no voice, and that producers were trying to find Haley.

Lauren didn’t have laryngitis, as initially reported. Instead a doctor explained that she blew out a vocal cord when trying to hit a high note. As a result, while she sang really well, she was lacking some power that she could’ve used, and her voice sounded a bit raspy toward the end of each of her songs.

Before I get into assessing the three “rounds,” I just want to express a general sense of disappointment at this entire finale. This has been such an exciting, interesting season full of talented performances, yet tonight just seemed lackluster and anticlimactic. Lauren wasn’t at 100%, I don’t care for Scotty, and the contestants seemed too young and too country to hold my interest. I really wish James or Haley (especially Haley) was singing.

First up, they each sang their favorite song from the season, which both sang during the Top 5 week, and were met by tremendous praise for their performances then. Good moves for both Lauren and Scotty.

Scotty opened the show with Montgomery Gentry’s “Gone,” which was a really good decision on his part, because it was so full of energy. It was one of my favorite songs that Scotty performed all season, since it seemed different for him, and tonight was no different: he walked through the audience and he had a confident stage presence. It was the ideal way to kick off the show, and it shows that Scotty can perform on big stages really well, which was a fear I had with him. His performance this time around was so much better than his Top 5 night performance, which shows his tremendous growth as a performer in just a few short weeks.

Lauren then sang Carrie Underwood’s “Flat on the Floor,” which has been one of my favorite Lauren Alaina performances to date. I imagine her “I Hope You Dance” was too recent to reprise, but I’m glad she went with something so fierce and high energy. As much as I enjoy Lauren when she sings a ballad and we’re treated to hearing the unique tones of her voice, I really believe she’s at her best when she’s doing something fun. Her voice sounded scratchy at points, but she sounded better than I thought she would based on early reports of her vocal condition.

The judges give a slight edge to Scotty, which I think is fair. Lauren gave a great performance, but Scotty was fantastic, and it takes a lot for me to give Scotty the edge.

Next, they each had their idol pick out a song for them to sing. Scotty had George Strait select a song, and George chose his own “Check Yes Or No,” which I found a bit weird. It’s a huge vote of confidence for an artist to tell someone to sing their original song, but I’m more surprised that Scotty chose someone as old school as George Strait. Then again, he doesn’t seem as mainstream country as someone like Brad Paisley, so maybe not terribly surprising. I liked that Scotty played the guitar, because it toned his phony performance movements down a few notches. It sounded good, but not dynamic, or as good as his initial song.

Carrie Underwood selected Pam Tillis’ “Maybe It Was Memphis” for Lauren, which was an interesting choice as well. I have zero familiarity with this song, and I know the judges always criticize the little known song selections. However, in her glittery cupcake dress, Lauren sang beautifully. Her voice sounded raspy at points, but it seemed almost intentional and worked for the song. This was a perfect song for Lauren’s voice, and she seemed like she came into her confidence a bit through it.

The judges gave an edge to Lauren in this round, which I wholeheartedly agree with.

Finally, the contestants sang the song they will release as his or her first single should he or she win on Wednesday night. Both were slower country songs, and in all fairness, I didn’t really love either, and am glad I don’t listen to radio stations that would play either.

Scotty sang a song called “I Love You This Big,” which was distracting at first, thanks to a violinist with an even creepier gaze than Scotty himself! Who knew that was possible? I didn’t love the song, but I can imagine it being a huge hit, and I can imagine it being played at every Southern prom (or weddings for ’16 & Pregnant’ couples that make it). It was a really pretty, sentimental love song, and that just seemed strange coming from Scotty; he still feels too young to sing a song that big and old. It was a great song for his voice, though, and his confidence was at such a high, which helped in the delivery of a more mature song.

Lauren sang a song, “Like My Mother Does,” dedicated to her mother, who has been very visible throughout the show. The song was beautiful, she sang it amazingly, and although I wished her voice was 100% to completely slay the big power notes, I still felt her tone was perfect. Ryan Seacrest, being the rare gentleman, led Lauren down the stairs to her mother, who Lauren hugged without missing a note! It was a beautiful, emotional, poignant American Idol moment, and the absolute perfect way to end the episode.

Jennifer Lopez told Lauren, “you may have just won” based on that song, and I honestly agree with that assessment. The judges showered Lauren with praise, saying that she had heart, emotion, and feeling in that song, and that it was totally present, which it was. I felt all those things were missing a bit from Scotty’s, which isn’t terribly surprising: Lauren is one of the most emotional contestants on this season, if not the most, and Scotty seems the most stoic. And again, I find it difficult to honestly believe a 16 year old singing a love ballad, whereas a 16 year old who is close with her mom singing a song dedicated to her just feels so right.

The judges gave round three to Lauren, which, if you’re keeping score at home means that the judges in theory gave the title to Lauren, since 2/3 rounds (or 3/3 rounds if you’re Steven Tyler) is the majority. Of course, they played diplomatic and professed their love of Scotty, which is only fair, but I feel the title will be even closer than predicted.

Glee Season 2, Episode 22

Television Review

By our guest blogger, Catherine Fuentes

In a rare change of scenery, the kids of McKinley High left the safe confines of their high school hallway and their favorite booths at Breadstix to run wild in the streets of New York. This was a welcome change of scenery for me, at least, since I got to see some very familiar landmarks, and I loved the energy that came with each scene and each song.

My excitement over the season finale of Glee ends there. I was incredibly disappointed by the original songs, and while at some points, I felt the cheesiness was appropriate, for the most part, I felt Glee blew the saccharine goodness way out of proportion to last us for the full summer hiatus.

I really liked the whole ensemble performance of “I Love New York,” because it felt like such a quintessential spring New York moment (which, as anyone who is familiar with the weather in New York lately, spring is something that we have been missing). The colors of the costumes were bright and fun, the scenery was great, the dancing seemed fun. It was just a good, cute scene.

Finn and Rachel’s date to Sardi’s seemed so typical of them (of her, really), that it made me smile, and fun fact: I learned that Sardi’s is the birthplace of the Tony Awards! Rachel got to meet her idol, Broadway queen Patti Lupone, who gave her good advice about show choir (and told her that Finn is a cutie). Finn and Rachel walking through Greenwich Village after the date was one of those scenes that was both cheesy and perfectly adorable: the rest of the Glee club guys showed up behind them to be the musical accompaniment of their New York movie date.

In the perfect and requisite Broadway moment of the episode, Kurt and Rachel sang “For Good” from Wicked on Wicked’s stage, which they had broken into. Before they sang, the two had a “breakfast at Tiffany’s,” where they got to enjoy authentic New York bagels and coffee, while making a pact to move to New York after graduation to chase their dreams. The performance reminded me that these two have Broadway voices, and while the rest of the club can sing pop songs well, these two have outrageous talent that can fill an enormous room.

In a truly meta moment of the episode, Mr. Schuester sang a Matthew Morrison song, “Still Got Tonight,” on a big Broadway stage, even though he assured the kids that he would not be leaving them for Broadway.

At the big Nationals competition, an all-girls choir sang Usher’s “Yeah,” which sounded great, but the choreography seemed a bit risqué for a high school group. Sunshine Corazon conquered her nerves in her solo of “As Long As You’re There,” with the moral support of Rachel Berry, which to me showed that Rachel has some semblance of a soul.

New Directions came out with a Finn and Rachel solo to original song “Pretending.” The song was fine, nothing special, but the drama came after the song: with the most awkward kiss to ever appear on Glee. Finn and Rachel kissed on stage accompanied by the most painfully awkward silence in television history. Jesse St. James later would go on to say that this kiss would cost them the competition, and I feel that he was entirely right. It was painful to watch.

Following the kiss, the entire club sang an uptempo number, which I actually really enjoyed as much as I could enjoy them singing an original song. I love when they sing innovative covers, not when they sing something I have no interest in knowing about.

The group failed to rank in the top 10 for Nationals – we later learned they came in 12th – but it remains to be seen whether the kiss, or their original performances, cost them the title.

The highlight of the episode came with Santana attacking Rachel in Spanish threatening her because she’s “Lima Heights Adjacent,” which was just hysterical, and another reason why Santana is my favorite member of the glee club.

Despite losing nationals, the club seemed very optimistic in their return to Ohio. Love was blossoming, people seemed happy and positive, and it feels that season three will start off harmoniously. It seemed that while the initial reason for the trip to New York didn’t pan out, the trip was good for all of their personal lives, and it was nice seeing a season end so positively. These characters grew, and the show tackled so many big issues this season, that it was nice seeing them be tied up so neatly.

The music on the finale was not memorable in the slightest, or barring the song from Wicked, particularly good, but I almost feel that it was the point. They weren’t meant to win the competition, but they needed to grow and feel good about themselves. That seems to be the bigger take-home message of Glee.

Glee Season 2, Episode 22

Television Review

By our guest blogger, Catherine Fuentes

In a rare change of scenery, the kids of McKinley High left the safe confines of their high school hallway and their favorite booths at Breadstix to run wild in the streets of New York. This was a welcome change of scenery for me, at least, since I got to see some very familiar landmarks, and I loved the energy that came with each scene and each song.

My excitement over the season finale of Glee ends there. I was incredibly disappointed by the original songs, and while at some points, I felt the cheesiness was appropriate, for the most part, I felt Glee blew the saccharine goodness way out of proportion to last us for the full summer hiatus.

I really liked the whole ensemble performance of “I Love New York,” because it felt like such a quintessential spring New York moment (which, as anyone who is familiar with the weather in New York lately, spring is something that we have been missing). The colors of the costumes were bright and fun, the scenery was great, the dancing seemed fun. It was just a good, cute scene.

Finn and Rachel’s date to Sardi’s seemed so typical of them (of her, really), that it made me smile, and fun fact: I learned that Sardi’s is the birthplace of the Tony Awards! Rachel got to meet her idol, Broadway queen Patti Lupone, who gave her good advice about show choir (and told her that Finn is a cutie). Finn and Rachel walking through Greenwich Village after the date was one of those scenes that was both cheesy and perfectly adorable: the rest of the Glee club guys showed up behind them to be the musical accompaniment of their New York movie date.

In the perfect and requisite Broadway moment of the episode, Kurt and Rachel sang “For Good” from Wicked on Wicked’s stage, which they had broken into. Before they sang, the two had a “breakfast at Tiffany’s,” where they got to enjoy authentic New York bagels and coffee, while making a pact to move to New York after graduation to chase their dreams. The performance reminded me that these two have Broadway voices, and while the rest of the club can sing pop songs well, these two have outrageous talent that can fill an enormous room.

In a truly meta moment of the episode, Mr. Schuester sang a Matthew Morrison song, “Still Got Tonight,” on a big Broadway stage, even though he assured the kids that he would not be leaving them for Broadway.

At the big Nationals competition, an all-girls choir sang Usher’s “Yeah,” which sounded great, but the choreography seemed a bit risqué for a high school group. Sunshine Corazon conquered her nerves in her solo of “As Long As You’re There,” with the moral support of Rachel Berry, which to me showed that Rachel has some semblance of a soul.

New Directions came out with a Finn and Rachel solo to original song “Pretending.” The song was fine, nothing special, but the drama came after the song: with the most awkward kiss to ever appear on Glee. Finn and Rachel kissed on stage accompanied by the most painfully awkward silence in television history. Jesse St. James later would go on to say that this kiss would cost them the competition, and I feel that he was entirely right. It was painful to watch.

Following the kiss, the entire club sang an uptempo number, which I actually really enjoyed as much as I could enjoy them singing an original song. I love when they sing innovative covers, not when they sing something I have no interest in knowing about.

The group failed to rank in the top 10 for Nationals – we later learned they came in 12th – but it remains to be seen whether the kiss, or their original performances, cost them the title.

The highlight of the episode came with Santana attacking Rachel in Spanish threatening her because she’s “Lima Heights Adjacent,” which was just hysterical, and another reason why Santana is my favorite member of the glee club.

Despite losing nationals, the club seemed very optimistic in their return to Ohio. Love was blossoming, people seemed happy and positive, and it feels that season three will start off harmoniously. It seemed that while the initial reason for the trip to New York didn’t pan out, the trip was good for all of their personal lives, and it was nice seeing a season end so positively. These characters grew, and the show tackled so many big issues this season, that it was nice seeing them be tied up so neatly.

The music on the finale was not memorable in the slightest, or barring the song from Wicked, particularly good, but I almost feel that it was the point. They weren’t meant to win the competition, but they needed to grow and feel good about themselves. That seems to be the bigger take-home message of Glee.

American Idol Season 10, Episode 37: There Will Be an All-Country Finale

Television Review

By Catherine Fuentes

I’m not terribly surprised by the outcome of American Idol, but I’m incredibly disappointed. After the performances of her life, Haley Reinhart has been eliminated, meaning that Scotty and Lauren will comprise the youngest finale in American Idol history.

Looking back through my extensive notes from the season and some past recaps and I’m absolutely pleasantly stunned that Haley made it this far. I was shocked when she made it into the Top 11, and shocked when she defied elimination week after week. And somehow she grew up before our eyes, and became this confident, engaging, funny, and brilliantly talented diva. Somewhere along the American Idol journey, I went from scratching my head, wondering why that curly haired girl was there, to becoming one of her biggest supporters.

I’m disappointed that Haley is gone, especially because on Wednesday night she was utterly fantastic. I’m disappointed that her growly voice and rocker chic-hippie vibe won’t be there to mix up the finals about – now it’ll be all country, all the time. I’m disappointed because out of the three left standing, I think she has the most genuine confidence; she rocks out, she plays with the camera, and even though she seems to have a temper on her, she seems to be the most interesting to watch. Case in point: after she had gotten over the look of death shock after she learned of her elimination, she rocked out like a true professional. This will not be the end of Haley Reinhart’s career, only the beginning.

But again, I’m not very surprised. Scotty McCreery is the heartthrob with an entirely memorable voice that in all truth, is one that I haven’t yet heard in contemporary music. I don’t like him as a contestant, and I don’t like the type of music he will make as a recording artist, but I can’t doubt how truly talented he is. I have to give credit where credit is due, and Scotty McCreery can SING.

Lauren Alaina, on the other hand, has long been a favorite of mine. She’s upbeat, she’s bubbly, she’s personable – she’s everything that Scotty isn’t – and her voice can give someone chills. I hope next week she can conquer her nerves, and have the confidence it takes to kill all of her performances. She can win if she sings the way she did with “I Hope You Dance” unless her nerves get the best of her. Hopefully she’ll also keep it interesting with at least one non-country (or country-lite) song, to keep the finale from being straight off CMT.

It doesn’t matter what they do on Tuesday night, because I am firmly in Lauren Alaina’s court. I’ve loved her since her first audition. I watched her audition the other night, and was blown away all over again (and then I felt so proud of her, which may have been a little bit weird).

American Idol Season 10, Episode 37: There Will Be an All-Country Finale

Television Review

By Catherine Fuentes

I’m not terribly surprised by the outcome of American Idol, but I’m incredibly disappointed. After the performances of her life, Haley Reinhart has been eliminated, meaning that Scotty and Lauren will comprise the youngest finale in American Idol history.

Looking back through my extensive notes from the season and some past recaps and I’m absolutely pleasantly stunned that Haley made it this far. I was shocked when she made it into the Top 11, and shocked when she defied elimination week after week. And somehow she grew up before our eyes, and became this confident, engaging, funny, and brilliantly talented diva. Somewhere along the American Idol journey, I went from scratching my head, wondering why that curly haired girl was there, to becoming one of her biggest supporters.

I’m disappointed that Haley is gone, especially because on Wednesday night she was utterly fantastic. I’m disappointed that her growly voice and rocker chic-hippie vibe won’t be there to mix up the finals about – now it’ll be all country, all the time. I’m disappointed because out of the three left standing, I think she has the most genuine confidence; she rocks out, she plays with the camera, and even though she seems to have a temper on her, she seems to be the most interesting to watch. Case in point: after she had gotten over the look of death shock after she learned of her elimination, she rocked out like a true professional. This will not be the end of Haley Reinhart’s career, only the beginning.

But again, I’m not very surprised. Scotty McCreery is the heartthrob with an entirely memorable voice that in all truth, is one that I haven’t yet heard in contemporary music. I don’t like him as a contestant, and I don’t like the type of music he will make as a recording artist, but I can’t doubt how truly talented he is. I have to give credit where credit is due, and Scotty McCreery can SING.

Lauren Alaina, on the other hand, has long been a favorite of mine. She’s upbeat, she’s bubbly, she’s personable – she’s everything that Scotty isn’t – and her voice can give someone chills. I hope next week she can conquer her nerves, and have the confidence it takes to kill all of her performances. She can win if she sings the way she did with “I Hope You Dance” unless her nerves get the best of her. Hopefully she’ll also keep it interesting with at least one non-country (or country-lite) song, to keep the finale from being straight off CMT.

It doesn’t matter what they do on Tuesday night, because I am firmly in Lauren Alaina’s court. I’ve loved her since her first audition. I watched her audition the other night, and was blown away all over again (and then I felt so proud of her, which may have been a little bit weird).

American Idol, Season 10 Episode 36: The Top Three Are In It To Win It

Television Review

By our guest blogger, Catherine Fuentes

Tonight the American Idol Top Three each sang three songs a piece – the first of their choosing and was coached by Beyonce, the second of Jimmy Iovine’s choosing, and the final song was of the judges’ choosing. After each “round,” the judges were asked to declare a winner, which I will be doing as well, although spoiler: I feel Haley won the whole night.

First up, Scotty chose to sing Lonestar’s “Amazed,” which reminded me of middle school dances and made me wonder if Scotty was even alive when this song became entirely played out (he was). While his performance was filled with his normal phony and creepy eye glances, it was a great song for him. I’ve come to terms with the fact that Scotty will always look creepy and disingenuous when he sings.

Next, Lauren Alaina sang “Wild One,” by Faith Hill, which was an upbeat and fun song. I agree with Beyonce in that I am happiest with Lauren when she’s doing something fun and energetic, but this wasn’t her best. It was really good, but wound up being her weakest of the night.

Finally, Haley Reinhart came out, tripped a little, but absolutely tore up the stage and rocked out to Led Zeppelin’s “What Is and What Should Never Be,” with the help of her dad shredding on the guitar. It was a beautiful family moment that was only enhanced by Haley dancing and giving the performance of her life. This was the night’s best performance, and why the judges unanimously crowned Haley the winner of Round 1.

I felt that Jimmy Iovine gave the contestants some incredible song choices, which is I guess why he’s paid the big bucks to be chairman of Interscope: the man knows what he’s doing when it comes to producing a hit record.

First, he gave Scotty “Are You Going to Kiss Me Or Not” by Thompson Square, which was my favorite Scotty McCreery song of the season thus far. It was the only song of the night that I was unfamiliar with, but I thought it was Scotty at his best: he played the guitar, he was charismatic, and he was very radio friendly. This was also pop idol Scotty, and I think it will be a big hit with the tweens who adore him.

Next, Lauren sang “If I Die Young” by the Band Perry, a big hit from the only country band I am remotely interested in. I felt that this was a perfect song for Lauren: it was emotional, it was mature, and it would push her limits, and it was successful in all of that. Her voice is better than the original because as Jennifer mentioned, the tone in Lauren’s voice is absolutely incredible.

Haley closed out the round with one of my favorite songs, Fleetwood Mac’s “Rihannon,” another song that I felt was perfectly chosen for Haley. It was interesting seeing videos of their audition before this song, because Haley seemed like a young, simple girl, and in this performance she seemed like a powerful woman diva. Her dress was perfect, her makeup was flawless, the wind machine blowing her hair back was great television production. I truly felt that Haley Reinhart was an Idol superstar at this moment – it didn’t hurt that she sang a great song really well.
While I feel this round was a lot closer than round one, again I have to go with Haley on this one. She was the only contestant to seem like a true superstar and veteran musician, and to me that made all the difference. Her maturity – and the other contestants’ young age – really came across in this round. That said, this was one of my favorite Scotty and Lauren performances today, but Haley still takes it.

Finally, they showed glimpses of the Top Three’s hometown visits, which will be shown in greater detail during the results show. As per usual, each contestant received a text message from the judges on their AT&T phone, informing him or her of their song selection.

First, the judges selected “She Believes In Me” by Kenny Rogers, which was really good for him, but my least favorite performance of the night. To me, it was so hard to follow up his round two song, and this just didn’t do it for me.

Next, Lauren sang “I Hope You Dance” by LeAnn Womack in a perfectly sparkly princess prom dress. To borrow a term from Randy, this was Lauren’s “moment.” This was the moment where she took all the judges’ constructive criticism to heart, and went for the big notes and the big, memorable runs, and just gave her best performance to date. She developed and grew exactly the way they’ve wanted her to, and this was perfect.

Finally, Haley sang Alanis Morissette’s “You Oughta Know,” which I feel may have been a bit of a sabotage moment for Haley. (Yes, last year’s terrible John Mayer selection which threw Casey James under the bus is still a hard moment for me to grasp, so I am very cautious with the judges during this all-important selection.) Sure, she absolutely killed it on the choruses, and I like seeing angry, amped-up Haley tear into a song, but she sounded a bit off in the fast-paced verses.

Winner of round three was without a doubt, Lauren Alaina.

I think it’s really possible for any permutation of singers to appear in next week’s final, and there may not be any logic to the selection. Based on tonight’s performances (and my personal preferences), I think that Haley and Lauren are the two that most deserve to be there, but it’s hard for me to imagine Scotty not in the Top Two (or even winning it). Come to think of it, it’s hard for me to imagine any of them not there next week, even though I cast my votes for Haley and Lauren. It’s a huge contrast to last season, where after the Top Three night, we knew who wouldn’t make it and who would win the whole season without any doubt, and I was a totally biased Casey James fan. This year the closeness of the competition is actually making it incredibly exciting to watch.

American Idol, Season 10 Episode 36: The Top Three Are In It To Win It

Television Review

By our guest blogger, Catherine Fuentes

Tonight the American Idol Top Three each sang three songs a piece – the first of their choosing and was coached by Beyonce, the second of Jimmy Iovine’s choosing, and the final song was of the judges’ choosing. After each “round,” the judges were asked to declare a winner, which I will be doing as well, although spoiler: I feel Haley won the whole night.

First up, Scotty chose to sing Lonestar’s “Amazed,” which reminded me of middle school dances and made me wonder if Scotty was even alive when this song became entirely played out (he was). While his performance was filled with his normal phony and creepy eye glances, it was a great song for him. I’ve come to terms with the fact that Scotty will always look creepy and disingenuous when he sings.

Next, Lauren Alaina sang “Wild One,” by Faith Hill, which was an upbeat and fun song. I agree with Beyonce in that I am happiest with Lauren when she’s doing something fun and energetic, but this wasn’t her best. It was really good, but wound up being her weakest of the night.

Finally, Haley Reinhart came out, tripped a little, but absolutely tore up the stage and rocked out to Led Zeppelin’s “What Is and What Should Never Be,” with the help of her dad shredding on the guitar. It was a beautiful family moment that was only enhanced by Haley dancing and giving the performance of her life. This was the night’s best performance, and why the judges unanimously crowned Haley the winner of Round 1.

I felt that Jimmy Iovine gave the contestants some incredible song choices, which is I guess why he’s paid the big bucks to be chairman of Interscope: the man knows what he’s doing when it comes to producing a hit record.

First, he gave Scotty “Are You Going to Kiss Me Or Not” by Thompson Square, which was my favorite Scotty McCreery song of the season thus far. It was the only song of the night that I was unfamiliar with, but I thought it was Scotty at his best: he played the guitar, he was charismatic, and he was very radio friendly. This was also pop idol Scotty, and I think it will be a big hit with the tweens who adore him.

Next, Lauren sang “If I Die Young” by the Band Perry, a big hit from the only country band I am remotely interested in. I felt that this was a perfect song for Lauren: it was emotional, it was mature, and it would push her limits, and it was successful in all of that. Her voice is better than the original because as Jennifer mentioned, the tone in Lauren’s voice is absolutely incredible.

Haley closed out the round with one of my favorite songs, Fleetwood Mac’s “Rihannon,” another song that I felt was perfectly chosen for Haley. It was interesting seeing videos of their audition before this song, because Haley seemed like a young, simple girl, and in this performance she seemed like a powerful woman diva. Her dress was perfect, her makeup was flawless, the wind machine blowing her hair back was great television production. I truly felt that Haley Reinhart was an Idol superstar at this moment – it didn’t hurt that she sang a great song really well.
While I feel this round was a lot closer than round one, again I have to go with Haley on this one. She was the only contestant to seem like a true superstar and veteran musician, and to me that made all the difference. Her maturity – and the other contestants’ young age – really came across in this round. That said, this was one of my favorite Scotty and Lauren performances today, but Haley still takes it.

Finally, they showed glimpses of the Top Three’s hometown visits, which will be shown in greater detail during the results show. As per usual, each contestant received a text message from the judges on their AT&T phone, informing him or her of their song selection.

First, the judges selected “She Believes In Me” by Kenny Rogers, which was really good for him, but my least favorite performance of the night. To me, it was so hard to follow up his round two song, and this just didn’t do it for me.

Next, Lauren sang “I Hope You Dance” by LeAnn Womack in a perfectly sparkly princess prom dress. To borrow a term from Randy, this was Lauren’s “moment.” This was the moment where she took all the judges’ constructive criticism to heart, and went for the big notes and the big, memorable runs, and just gave her best performance to date. She developed and grew exactly the way they’ve wanted her to, and this was perfect.

Finally, Haley sang Alanis Morissette’s “You Oughta Know,” which I feel may have been a bit of a sabotage moment for Haley. (Yes, last year’s terrible John Mayer selection which threw Casey James under the bus is still a hard moment for me to grasp, so I am very cautious with the judges during this all-important selection.) Sure, she absolutely killed it on the choruses, and I like seeing angry, amped-up Haley tear into a song, but she sounded a bit off in the fast-paced verses.

Winner of round three was without a doubt, Lauren Alaina.

I think it’s really possible for any permutation of singers to appear in next week’s final, and there may not be any logic to the selection. Based on tonight’s performances (and my personal preferences), I think that Haley and Lauren are the two that most deserve to be there, but it’s hard for me to imagine Scotty not in the Top Two (or even winning it). Come to think of it, it’s hard for me to imagine any of them not there next week, even though I cast my votes for Haley and Lauren. It’s a huge contrast to last season, where after the Top Three night, we knew who wouldn’t make it and who would win the whole season without any doubt, and I was a totally biased Casey James fan. This year the closeness of the competition is actually making it incredibly exciting to watch.

Glee Season 2, Episode 21

Television Review

By our guest blogger, Catherine Fuentes

The penultimate Glee episode of the season took a drastically different tone and sentiment than most every episode that came before it: Tuesday’s episode of Glee was both incredibly moving and emotional, and it came from the most unlikely of sources, Sue Sylvester.

Sue Sylvester’s sister passed away, which turned my beloved sharp-tongued Sue, into an emotional wreck, capable of very few zingers. As much as I love Coach Sylvester, her character is a bit one-note… not that I’m complaining. The death of her sister, and the raw emotions it conjured up, added depth to Sue that I never saw coming.

Again, we found ourselves with an episode of Glee that paid more emphasis to the drama and the relationships between the characters and the development of the characters than to the music. Even though I don’t care to be reduced to tears by an episode of Glee, somehow this was worthwhile for me.

Music wise, the performances were very cut and dry – pretty much all of them were staged as auditions to become the solo singer at next week’s nationals competition. Mr. Schuester and the newly appointed show-choir consultant, Jesse St. James, were judging the soloists, who were fantastic… even if Jesse would never admit to it.

First Santana sang a very emotional “Back in Black,” which of course, Jesse deemed as not emotional enough. I’m most impressed with Santana when she’s making sassy one-liners and singing emotional songs, since I always forget how talented she is. I loved this one from her – it wasn’t quite “Landslide,” but it was still beautiful.

Next, Kurt tackled Gypsy’s “Some People,” which Jesse deemed as being too “girly,” which shows how little he understands Kurt and the glee club in general. Singing a song originally performed by someone of the opposite gender is what they do – and it’s why I like them so much. Sure, Jesse had a point: Broadway legends have made their mark on that song, but I thought Kurt was fantastic.

Mercedes sang “Try a Little Tenderness,” which was my least favorite of the three, solely because I love the original, and I love Otis Redding so much. Personal preferences aside, Mercedes absolutely killed it – Jesse and Mr. Schue were even nodding approvingly throughout the performance – but again, Jesse found something to critique, saying that she doesn’t “want” it enough.

Rachel came last, singing “My Man” from “Funny Girl,” which was a rare moment where I sat there in awe of Rachel / Lea Michele. Normally I find her theatrical performances to be a bit grating, but this one was simple, her voice was amazing, and she reached a point of emotion I felt she was incapable of reaching. Jesse gave her rave reviews, going as far as telling her she’d be the selection because he was so instrumental in the process. As it turns out, no one got chosen, and Mr. Schuester wants their nationals performance to be a group-driven original song, which is what got them to nationals in the first place.

The other musical number of the night came in Sue’s sister’s memorial service, planned by Kurt and Finn, who after hearing the sad news, shared their condolences to Sue, who was quite shocked to see them. They helped Sue deal with her grief – planned the funeral, cleaned out the sister’s nursing home room, and were there to support Sue when she wasn’t yet ready to be supported.

After hearing that Sue’s sister’s favorite movie was Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory, the entire Glee club sang the key song from the movie, “Your Imagination,” a song that will forever remind me of horrific Gene Wilder and why I am so terrified of that movie. Most of the glee club members took brief solos on this song, reminding me just how talented they are as a bunch – and just what sweet, generous kids their characters overwhelmingly seem to be.

Glee Season 2, Episode 21

Television Review

By our guest blogger, Catherine Fuentes

The penultimate Glee episode of the season took a drastically different tone and sentiment than most every episode that came before it: Tuesday’s episode of Glee was both incredibly moving and emotional, and it came from the most unlikely of sources, Sue Sylvester.

Sue Sylvester’s sister passed away, which turned my beloved sharp-tongued Sue, into an emotional wreck, capable of very few zingers. As much as I love Coach Sylvester, her character is a bit one-note… not that I’m complaining. The death of her sister, and the raw emotions it conjured up, added depth to Sue that I never saw coming.

Again, we found ourselves with an episode of Glee that paid more emphasis to the drama and the relationships between the characters and the development of the characters than to the music. Even though I don’t care to be reduced to tears by an episode of Glee, somehow this was worthwhile for me.

Music wise, the performances were very cut and dry – pretty much all of them were staged as auditions to become the solo singer at next week’s nationals competition. Mr. Schuester and the newly appointed show-choir consultant, Jesse St. James, were judging the soloists, who were fantastic… even if Jesse would never admit to it.

First Santana sang a very emotional “Back in Black,” which of course, Jesse deemed as not emotional enough. I’m most impressed with Santana when she’s making sassy one-liners and singing emotional songs, since I always forget how talented she is. I loved this one from her – it wasn’t quite “Landslide,” but it was still beautiful.

Next, Kurt tackled Gypsy’s “Some People,” which Jesse deemed as being too “girly,” which shows how little he understands Kurt and the glee club in general. Singing a song originally performed by someone of the opposite gender is what they do – and it’s why I like them so much. Sure, Jesse had a point: Broadway legends have made their mark on that song, but I thought Kurt was fantastic.

Mercedes sang “Try a Little Tenderness,” which was my least favorite of the three, solely because I love the original, and I love Otis Redding so much. Personal preferences aside, Mercedes absolutely killed it – Jesse and Mr. Schue were even nodding approvingly throughout the performance – but again, Jesse found something to critique, saying that she doesn’t “want” it enough.

Rachel came last, singing “My Man” from “Funny Girl,” which was a rare moment where I sat there in awe of Rachel / Lea Michele. Normally I find her theatrical performances to be a bit grating, but this one was simple, her voice was amazing, and she reached a point of emotion I felt she was incapable of reaching. Jesse gave her rave reviews, going as far as telling her she’d be the selection because he was so instrumental in the process. As it turns out, no one got chosen, and Mr. Schuester wants their nationals performance to be a group-driven original song, which is what got them to nationals in the first place.

The other musical number of the night came in Sue’s sister’s memorial service, planned by Kurt and Finn, who after hearing the sad news, shared their condolences to Sue, who was quite shocked to see them. They helped Sue deal with her grief – planned the funeral, cleaned out the sister’s nursing home room, and were there to support Sue when she wasn’t yet ready to be supported.

After hearing that Sue’s sister’s favorite movie was Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory, the entire Glee club sang the key song from the movie, “Your Imagination,” a song that will forever remind me of horrific Gene Wilder and why I am so terrified of that movie. Most of the glee club members took brief solos on this song, reminding me just how talented they are as a bunch – and just what sweet, generous kids their characters overwhelmingly seem to be.

"Look--another failure."

Why Some Movie Franchises Fail

Commentary

By our guest blogger, Joel Crabtree

Why let incompetent directors take on potential franchises?

The release of “Priest” (or is it titled “Priest 3D”? To be honest I can never tell anymore) has me reminiscing on all of the franchise failures of Hollywood’s past.

In 2006, when Matthew Vaughn dropped out as director of “X-Men: Last Stand,” 20th Century Fox did the most logical thing they could think of,  They replaced him with Brett Ratner.

Wait, the guy behind the “Rush Hour” franchise? Really, 20th Century Fox? That’s the man you want to take the reins of your high-grossing franchise with a fan base ready to take a bullet for Bryan Singer?

Poor choice.

It gets even better. Let’s move forward four years to 2010, when Paramount handed over its popular Nickelodeon property “Avatar: The Last Airbender” to M. Night Shyamalan.

Shyamalan, of course, had come off a string of very unpopular movies including “Lady in the Water,” “The Village” and “The Happening,” the last of which I still hopelessly defend. He was looking to stay relevant and it made sense for him to take on the project. From Paramount’s perspective, though, I’m not entirely sure what they were thinking. After all we’re talking about a studio, here. I’m not sure they’re ever actually thinking per se.

Whatever the case, it was another unwise decision for what could have been a billion-dollar franchise with many installments. Paramount flushed it down the toilet. Congrats, guys.

You throw Christopher Nolan behind the camera of a Batman movie and you exceed $500 million domestically. If you give James Cameron whatever he wants, you’re going to get the highest-grossing movie of all time. Rope Darren Aronofsky into doing a Wolverine movie (which, yes, he backed out of), you’re going to generate oodles of positive Internet buzz.

There’s a trend here. All of these aforementioned directors are talented as hell. And nine times out of 10, when studios put their faith in directors who are as artistically successful as they are commercially, it pays off at the box office.

When will studios learn?

Apparently not this weekend, as Sony’s Screen Gems puts Scott Charles Stewart -- the special effects wizard who directed 2009’s waste of time “Legion” -- to the test with “Priest.”

Although the film’s budget is currently unknown, it certainly doesn’t look cheap. And whatever Screen Gems spent on it, I’m willing to wager that it doesn’t make that back domestically. I would even speculate that “Priest” will top off at $35 million or $40 million total. We’ll find out when Friday’s numbers come in.

Assuming I’m right (and that’s always a dangerous thing), that’s not exactly what studios want for any major summer releases. Had Screen Gems put someone more trusted and respected behind “Priest,” maybe they could turn a serious profit. Or maybe you would even expect (or want) a “Priest 2 3D.”

But with Stewart at the helm, it’s unlikely.

So, when will studios figure this out? Maybe after “Priest.” I’m holding out hope that there’s a silver lining to all of these failures, and that studios will smarten up now.

Hold up just a minute. We can’t forget that Warner Bros. has put Zack Snyder in charge of “Superman: Man of Steel.”

… I’m going to go find a brick wall to beat my head against.

"Look--another failure."

Why Some Movie Franchises Fail

Commentary

By our guest blogger, Joel Crabtree

Why let incompetent directors take on potential franchises?

The release of “Priest” (or is it titled “Priest 3D”? To be honest I can never tell anymore) has me reminiscing on all of the franchise failures of Hollywood’s past.

In 2006, when Matthew Vaughn dropped out as director of “X-Men: Last Stand,” 20th Century Fox did the most logical thing they could think of,  They replaced him with Brett Ratner.

Wait, the guy behind the “Rush Hour” franchise? Really, 20th Century Fox? That’s the man you want to take the reins of your high-grossing franchise with a fan base ready to take a bullet for Bryan Singer?

Poor choice.

It gets even better. Let’s move forward four years to 2010, when Paramount handed over its popular Nickelodeon property “Avatar: The Last Airbender” to M. Night Shyamalan.

Shyamalan, of course, had come off a string of very unpopular movies including “Lady in the Water,” “The Village” and “The Happening,” the last of which I still hopelessly defend. He was looking to stay relevant and it made sense for him to take on the project. From Paramount’s perspective, though, I’m not entirely sure what they were thinking. After all we’re talking about a studio, here. I’m not sure they’re ever actually thinking per se.

Whatever the case, it was another unwise decision for what could have been a billion-dollar franchise with many installments. Paramount flushed it down the toilet. Congrats, guys.

You throw Christopher Nolan behind the camera of a Batman movie and you exceed $500 million domestically. If you give James Cameron whatever he wants, you’re going to get the highest-grossing movie of all time. Rope Darren Aronofsky into doing a Wolverine movie (which, yes, he backed out of), you’re going to generate oodles of positive Internet buzz.

There’s a trend here. All of these aforementioned directors are talented as hell. And nine times out of 10, when studios put their faith in directors who are as artistically successful as they are commercially, it pays off at the box office.

When will studios learn?

Apparently not this weekend, as Sony’s Screen Gems puts Scott Charles Stewart -- the special effects wizard who directed 2009’s waste of time “Legion” -- to the test with “Priest.”

Although the film’s budget is currently unknown, it certainly doesn’t look cheap. And whatever Screen Gems spent on it, I’m willing to wager that it doesn’t make that back domestically. I would even speculate that “Priest” will top off at $35 million or $40 million total. We’ll find out when Friday’s numbers come in.

Assuming I’m right (and that’s always a dangerous thing), that’s not exactly what studios want for any major summer releases. Had Screen Gems put someone more trusted and respected behind “Priest,” maybe they could turn a serious profit. Or maybe you would even expect (or want) a “Priest 2 3D.”

But with Stewart at the helm, it’s unlikely.

So, when will studios figure this out? Maybe after “Priest.” I’m holding out hope that there’s a silver lining to all of these failures, and that studios will smarten up now.

Hold up just a minute. We can’t forget that Warner Bros. has put Zack Snyder in charge of “Superman: Man of Steel.”

… I’m going to go find a brick wall to beat my head against.

Interview: Tim Kang

By our guest blogger, Joel Crabtree

Every group has one. That straight-faced, all-business guy who is hardly ever caught goofing around. For “The Mentalist’s” CBI unit, that man is Tim Kang’s Kimball Cho.

But, as many viewers already know, Cho has loosened up a bit over the three seasons. As the 38-year-old actor told WeekinRewind during a phone interview, “Cho letting his hair down is one or two smiles more than he usually does.”

But fans of the series love Kimball Cho for that very reason.

As the two-hour “Mentalist” season finale nears (9 p.m. Thursday, May 19, on CBS) WeekinRewind caught up with Kang earlier in the season to discuss the show, his career and the character that fans have come to love.

Joel Crabtree: You’ve worked on a lot of TV in your career, what’s different about working on “The Mentalist”?

Tim Kang: Wow, I know that answer right off the bat. I don’t even have to think about it. It’s definitely the attitude and just general work environment every day that I’m in there. And what that means, is that every single person on that crew is a cool person, a nice person, a hardworking person. There’s no attitude, none of this sort of competitive nature.  They’re just excellent at what they do, and they know that.  It's a pleasure going to work every day because it is sans attitude.

I’ve been on TV sets where the grips will [mess] with the lighting guys, just because it’s a competitive thing. I’ve been on sets where they don’t care about the guest actors that come in just for a week to do a guest-starring role, and just the attitude that “we’re better than you” kind of thing is nonexistent on this set.  I’ve heard this before from guest actors, as well, that they’ve had a great time coming and working on our show. Because I think that’s one of the single best things to do on an episodic is come in and work as a guest star.

JC: What do you think it is in particular that keeps audiences coming back and watching the show? What is it that has made it such a success?

TK: I think a lot, obviously, has to do with the show itself, meaning the way that it’s been set up and the way it’s been constructed by Bruno [Heller]. Secondly, I think it is also the casting.  We started with Simon [Baker] and built a cast around him, choosing the people who would gel the best. From Day One, there was this ease that I felt. I didn’t know who Simon, Robin [Tunney], Owen [Yeoman] and Amanda [Righetti] were, really. I didn’t know how we’d get along, I didn’t know what that situation would be.

You can tell when you’re watching a TV show, or a movie, or even a play, where you see the casting was not very good, and certain people hate each other. You can see that in the performance. I don’t think you see that in [our show], because in real life, we genuinely like each other, and in real life, we’re genuinely friends.  I think that translates.

JC: In what ways do you think your character Cho has developed as the series has gone on.

TK: He has, I think, become a little bit more comfortable with his role in the unit, in terms of the job he is tasked to do. And with that comfort comes a little bit of ... he’s learning how to kind of take it a little bit easier when he’s at work. Certainly in Season 1, anytime he was on duty, he was on duty. He never cracked a smile, and he was very focused and knew how to get the job done.

Now, he's definitely learning how to let his hair down, so to speak. He doesn’t necessarily need to be that focused and that intense all the time, which he was in the first year, and a majority of the second year. What it boils down to, is we’re going to see him smile just a little more. That’s all you’re really going to get. Cho letting his hair down is one or two smiles more than he usually does. He picks his moments, and they’re very specific when he can crack a smile. This isn't a small thing.

JC: Kimball Cho and Tim Kang, where do they separate? Where are they different and where are they similar?

TK: I think the focus is where they’re similar. When there’s a job to do, it’s 100 percent immersion in that job and to do that job successfully. I think where it separates is that I’m not quite as serious and I don’t live in that focused state of mind as much as Cho does.  When the cameras are rolling, certainly it’s Cho’s attitude, but when the director yells “cut,” Tim Kang shows up right away and Owen and I start to act like 12-year-old kids.

JC: So, now that you have your smash TV hit, do you plan on taking some more movie roles?

TK: Absolutely. In fact, we’re working on some feature possibilities right now. I can’t really talk further than that, but certainly that is something I’d love to do a little bit more in the future.

As much as you appreciate the job security and the daily work that you’re able to do in an episodic -- and I could do this for years and years and years, don’t get me wrong -- there is an aspect to movie making that we don’t really get to do, which I miss in episodics, which is the detail work. We’re shooting six, seven, eight pages a day. In doing that, you kind of miss out on the detail work, you gotta go, go, go, go, go. Shoot it and move on to the next scene. I love it in movies when you can spend an entire day on half a page.

The season finale of “The Mentalist” airs 10 p.m. Thursday, May 19, on CBS. Seasons 1 and 2 are currently available on DVD.

Interview: Tim Kang

By our guest blogger, Joel Crabtree

Every group has one. That straight-faced, all-business guy who is hardly ever caught goofing around. For “The Mentalist’s” CBI unit, that man is Tim Kang’s Kimball Cho.

But, as many viewers already know, Cho has loosened up a bit over the three seasons. As the 38-year-old actor told WeekinRewind during a phone interview, “Cho letting his hair down is one or two smiles more than he usually does.”

But fans of the series love Kimball Cho for that very reason.

As the two-hour “Mentalist” season finale nears (9 p.m. Thursday, May 19, on CBS) WeekinRewind caught up with Kang earlier in the season to discuss the show, his career and the character that fans have come to love.

Joel Crabtree: You’ve worked on a lot of TV in your career, what’s different about working on “The Mentalist”?

Tim Kang: Wow, I know that answer right off the bat. I don’t even have to think about it. It’s definitely the attitude and just general work environment every day that I’m in there. And what that means, is that every single person on that crew is a cool person, a nice person, a hardworking person. There’s no attitude, none of this sort of competitive nature.  They’re just excellent at what they do, and they know that.  It's a pleasure going to work every day because it is sans attitude.

I’ve been on TV sets where the grips will [mess] with the lighting guys, just because it’s a competitive thing. I’ve been on sets where they don’t care about the guest actors that come in just for a week to do a guest-starring role, and just the attitude that “we’re better than you” kind of thing is nonexistent on this set.  I’ve heard this before from guest actors, as well, that they’ve had a great time coming and working on our show. Because I think that’s one of the single best things to do on an episodic is come in and work as a guest star.

JC: What do you think it is in particular that keeps audiences coming back and watching the show? What is it that has made it such a success?

TK: I think a lot, obviously, has to do with the show itself, meaning the way that it’s been set up and the way it’s been constructed by Bruno [Heller]. Secondly, I think it is also the casting.  We started with Simon [Baker] and built a cast around him, choosing the people who would gel the best. From Day One, there was this ease that I felt. I didn’t know who Simon, Robin [Tunney], Owen [Yeoman] and Amanda [Righetti] were, really. I didn’t know how we’d get along, I didn’t know what that situation would be.

You can tell when you’re watching a TV show, or a movie, or even a play, where you see the casting was not very good, and certain people hate each other. You can see that in the performance. I don’t think you see that in [our show], because in real life, we genuinely like each other, and in real life, we’re genuinely friends.  I think that translates.

JC: In what ways do you think your character Cho has developed as the series has gone on.

TK: He has, I think, become a little bit more comfortable with his role in the unit, in terms of the job he is tasked to do. And with that comfort comes a little bit of ... he’s learning how to kind of take it a little bit easier when he’s at work. Certainly in Season 1, anytime he was on duty, he was on duty. He never cracked a smile, and he was very focused and knew how to get the job done.

Now, he's definitely learning how to let his hair down, so to speak. He doesn’t necessarily need to be that focused and that intense all the time, which he was in the first year, and a majority of the second year. What it boils down to, is we’re going to see him smile just a little more. That’s all you’re really going to get. Cho letting his hair down is one or two smiles more than he usually does. He picks his moments, and they’re very specific when he can crack a smile. This isn't a small thing.

JC: Kimball Cho and Tim Kang, where do they separate? Where are they different and where are they similar?

TK: I think the focus is where they’re similar. When there’s a job to do, it’s 100 percent immersion in that job and to do that job successfully. I think where it separates is that I’m not quite as serious and I don’t live in that focused state of mind as much as Cho does.  When the cameras are rolling, certainly it’s Cho’s attitude, but when the director yells “cut,” Tim Kang shows up right away and Owen and I start to act like 12-year-old kids.

JC: So, now that you have your smash TV hit, do you plan on taking some more movie roles?

TK: Absolutely. In fact, we’re working on some feature possibilities right now. I can’t really talk further than that, but certainly that is something I’d love to do a little bit more in the future.

As much as you appreciate the job security and the daily work that you’re able to do in an episodic -- and I could do this for years and years and years, don’t get me wrong -- there is an aspect to movie making that we don’t really get to do, which I miss in episodics, which is the detail work. We’re shooting six, seven, eight pages a day. In doing that, you kind of miss out on the detail work, you gotta go, go, go, go, go. Shoot it and move on to the next scene. I love it in movies when you can spend an entire day on half a page.

The season finale of “The Mentalist” airs 10 p.m. Thursday, May 19, on CBS. Seasons 1 and 2 are currently available on DVD.

Stephenie Meyer’s ‘The Host’ Heading to the Big Screen

Movie News

By our guest blogger, Joe Oliveto

Despite a clear inability to craft a decent sentence, Stephenie Meyer certainly knows how to tap into the hearts of young girls everywhere. That’s what propelled her “Twilight” novels to sales most hard-working writers don’t even dream of, and that’s what allowed the films based on the books to succeed at the box office.

So, of course, it’s no surprise that another novel of Meyer’s, “The Host,” is getting the big screen treatment. According to Deadline, Andrew Niccol has been hired to direct the film with Saoirse Ronan in the starring role.

Wow, with talent like that involved, against all odds, this might actually be pretty good. As a filmmaker, Niccol has remained fairly under-the-radar, but he’s delivered some great speculative fiction to our screens since he hit the scene, writing and directing films like “Gattaca” and penning an early, less comedy-centric script for “The Truman Show.” He might be able to bring something special to the table.

Of course, Saoirse Ronan is quickly establishing herself as a strong young performer who can play a wide range of roles. Casting couldn’t be better.

Still, it’s based on a Stephenie Meyer novel, so we’re not going to get too excited about this one. While it might be better than any of the “Twilight” films, that doesn’t exactly mean it will be great.

Stephenie Meyer’s ‘The Host’ Heading to the Big Screen

Movie News

By our guest blogger, Joe Oliveto

Despite a clear inability to craft a decent sentence, Stephenie Meyer certainly knows how to tap into the hearts of young girls everywhere. That’s what propelled her “Twilight” novels to sales most hard-working writers don’t even dream of, and that’s what allowed the films based on the books to succeed at the box office.

So, of course, it’s no surprise that another novel of Meyer’s, “The Host,” is getting the big screen treatment. According to Deadline, Andrew Niccol has been hired to direct the film with Saoirse Ronan in the starring role.

Wow, with talent like that involved, against all odds, this might actually be pretty good. As a filmmaker, Niccol has remained fairly under-the-radar, but he’s delivered some great speculative fiction to our screens since he hit the scene, writing and directing films like “Gattaca” and penning an early, less comedy-centric script for “The Truman Show.” He might be able to bring something special to the table.

Of course, Saoirse Ronan is quickly establishing herself as a strong young performer who can play a wide range of roles. Casting couldn’t be better.

Still, it’s based on a Stephenie Meyer novel, so we’re not going to get too excited about this one. While it might be better than any of the “Twilight” films, that doesn’t exactly mean it will be great.

Ashton Kutcher Replaces Sheen on ‘Two and a Half Men’

Television News

By our guest blogger, Joe Oliveto

No folks, we’re not getting Punk’d. After his antics more or less destroyed any chance of him returning to “Two and a Half Men,” Charlie Sheen has officially been replaced by Ashton Kutcher, Deadline reports.

While Sheen often insisted in recent months that he was integral to the show’s success, it looks as though creator Chuck Lorre is willing to try and prove him wrong. Rumors regarding a replacement cast member have been circulating for a while now, with names like Hugh Grant’s being thrown around, but it looks like the gig is Kutcher’s.

Whether or not he can fill Sheen’s shoes is anyone’s guess, but given the fact that these two stars appear to be operating on completely different wavelengths (consider that a compliment to Mr. Kutcher), we can’t imagine that he’ll be trying to emulate Sheen’s style.

Then again, insane as he clearly is, Sheen may have been correct when he stated that the show can’t survive without him. Given the recent media frenzy surround the series, we’re sure that some curious viewers will tune in when it returns, but in the long run, replacing Sheen may prove disastrous for the series.

Of course, letting him return would have definitely proved disastrous, so all in all, they’re probably doing the smart thing here.

Ashton Kutcher Replaces Sheen on ‘Two and a Half Men’

Television News

By our guest blogger, Joe Oliveto

No folks, we’re not getting Punk’d. After his antics more or less destroyed any chance of him returning to “Two and a Half Men,” Charlie Sheen has officially been replaced by Ashton Kutcher, Deadline reports.

While Sheen often insisted in recent months that he was integral to the show’s success, it looks as though creator Chuck Lorre is willing to try and prove him wrong. Rumors regarding a replacement cast member have been circulating for a while now, with names like Hugh Grant’s being thrown around, but it looks like the gig is Kutcher’s.

Whether or not he can fill Sheen’s shoes is anyone’s guess, but given the fact that these two stars appear to be operating on completely different wavelengths (consider that a compliment to Mr. Kutcher), we can’t imagine that he’ll be trying to emulate Sheen’s style.

Then again, insane as he clearly is, Sheen may have been correct when he stated that the show can’t survive without him. Given the recent media frenzy surround the series, we’re sure that some curious viewers will tune in when it returns, but in the long run, replacing Sheen may prove disastrous for the series.

Of course, letting him return would have definitely proved disastrous, so all in all, they’re probably doing the smart thing here.

‘Real Steel’

Movie Trailer Review

By our guest blogger, Joe Oliveto

We just can’t get enough of fighting CGI robots, can we? With the “Transformers” franchise earning the big bucks at the box office, Hollywood was bound to throw a few rip-offs into the ring.

However, as far as rip-offs go, “Real Steel” has a lot going for it. First of all, the story is highly reminiscent of a classic “Twilight Zone” episode entitled “Steel,” and as sci-fi geeks know, any association with that show is oftentimes a good one. On top of that, it has Hugh Jackman and Evangeline Lilly in key roles.

This might have potential.

As far as the trailer itself is concerned, well it isn’t spectacularly interesting, but few trailers are these days. We get enough sense of the plot to let us know if it is something which would be worth our money, and some rapid-fire editing of what appear to be “intense scenes.” Nothing you haven’t exactly seen before.

Still, while “Real Steel” seems to be aiming for an “E.T. With Robots” vibe and falling a little bit short, it does appear that director Shawn Levy has made an honest attempt to focus more on the emotion of the film and less on the special effects and action. This might be worth checking out.

‘Real Steel’

Movie Trailer Review

By our guest blogger, Joe Oliveto

We just can’t get enough of fighting CGI robots, can we? With the “Transformers” franchise earning the big bucks at the box office, Hollywood was bound to throw a few rip-offs into the ring.

However, as far as rip-offs go, “Real Steel” has a lot going for it. First of all, the story is highly reminiscent of a classic “Twilight Zone” episode entitled “Steel,” and as sci-fi geeks know, any association with that show is oftentimes a good one. On top of that, it has Hugh Jackman and Evangeline Lilly in key roles.

This might have potential.

As far as the trailer itself is concerned, well it isn’t spectacularly interesting, but few trailers are these days. We get enough sense of the plot to let us know if it is something which would be worth our money, and some rapid-fire editing of what appear to be “intense scenes.” Nothing you haven’t exactly seen before.

Still, while “Real Steel” seems to be aiming for an “E.T. With Robots” vibe and falling a little bit short, it does appear that director Shawn Levy has made an honest attempt to focus more on the emotion of the film and less on the special effects and action. This might be worth checking out.

Charlie Hunnam Circles Pacific Rim

Movie News


By our guest blogger, Nick Hanover

Charlie Hunnam Circles Pacific Rim

Movie News


By our guest blogger, Nick Hanover

“Bridesmaids” Movie Review

Directed by Paul Feig, Written by Kristen Wiig and Annie Mumolo, 125 minutes, Rated R.

By our guest blogger, Matthew Schimkowitz

There's a moment in the new comedy “Bridesmaids,” where Kristin Wiig's character, Annie, refers to a fake boyfriend named George Glass. George Glass, of course, is probably the most famous faux-suitor in the world, finding fame in the 1960s as the imaginary man of one Jan Brady.

It's no surprise that Annie would be interested in the same man: Annie is essentially a mid-30s version of Jan—the new Jan Brady, if you will.

This concept drives “Bridesmaids.” Annie's life isn't what she hoped for: Her love-life is in the toilet, acting as a friend with benefits to a hilariously chauvinistic Jon Hamm; the bakery she bet the farm on went under; her living situation with two creepy British siblings is off-putting; and when she's crowned maid of honor for her best friend's wedding (Maya Rudolph), she spends the next few weeks "Marcia-Marcia-Marcia-ing" Helen (Rose Byrne), the bride-to-be’s new best friend.

Wiig’s performance is at the center of what turns out to be a well-rounded and hilarious cast of characters. As she sets up—and inevitably ruins—each situation, director Paul Feig discovers dozens of opportunities for laughs, as each of the peripheral members of the wedding party vomit on and make nice with one another.

This ability to circulate around such a great cast proves a bit more difficult to manage than your typical sitcom. While Feig, who found great success directing television, feels at home in the ensemble, many segments of the exhausting two-hours diverge from the plot and the point. One in particular features Annie attempting to get her Police Officer boyfriend’s (Chris O’Dowd) help in finding a missing person, only to find out that that missing person is in her apartment.

Wiig, who seems more than equipped to balance the split between humor and sincere observation, energetically carries each scene. She sings. She dances. She bakes. But her character, with all her why-isn’t-my-best-friend-paying-attention-to-me-ness, fails to stay fresh by the end of the film. Her problems get worse, but waiting for her to finally realize it’s her fault feels tedious.

The many parts of “Bridesmaids” are better than the whole, with each scene offering a fair share of heart and belly laughs. However, as the film starts dancing around the same pathetic problems of Annie, things begin to slow down immensely. But, for what it’s worth, “Bridesmaids” is a great first step for Apatow in finding his feminine voice, and an even better launching pad for the hilarious Kristin Wiig.

Grade: B

“Bridesmaids” Movie Review

Directed by Paul Feig, Written by Kristen Wiig and Annie Mumolo, 125 minutes, Rated R.

By our guest blogger, Matthew Schimkowitz

There's a moment in the new comedy “Bridesmaids,” where Kristin Wiig's character, Annie, refers to a fake boyfriend named George Glass. George Glass, of course, is probably the most famous faux-suitor in the world, finding fame in the 1960s as the imaginary man of one Jan Brady.

It's no surprise that Annie would be interested in the same man: Annie is essentially a mid-30s version of Jan—the new Jan Brady, if you will.

This concept drives “Bridesmaids.” Annie's life isn't what she hoped for: Her love-life is in the toilet, acting as a friend with benefits to a hilariously chauvinistic Jon Hamm; the bakery she bet the farm on went under; her living situation with two creepy British siblings is off-putting; and when she's crowned maid of honor for her best friend's wedding (Maya Rudolph), she spends the next few weeks "Marcia-Marcia-Marcia-ing" Helen (Rose Byrne), the bride-to-be’s new best friend.

Wiig’s performance is at the center of what turns out to be a well-rounded and hilarious cast of characters. As she sets up—and inevitably ruins—each situation, director Paul Feig discovers dozens of opportunities for laughs, as each of the peripheral members of the wedding party vomit on and make nice with one another.

This ability to circulate around such a great cast proves a bit more difficult to manage than your typical sitcom. While Feig, who found great success directing television, feels at home in the ensemble, many segments of the exhausting two-hours diverge from the plot and the point. One in particular features Annie attempting to get her Police Officer boyfriend’s (Chris O’Dowd) help in finding a missing person, only to find out that that missing person is in her apartment.

Wiig, who seems more than equipped to balance the split between humor and sincere observation, energetically carries each scene. She sings. She dances. She bakes. But her character, with all her why-isn’t-my-best-friend-paying-attention-to-me-ness, fails to stay fresh by the end of the film. Her problems get worse, but waiting for her to finally realize it’s her fault feels tedious.

The many parts of “Bridesmaids” are better than the whole, with each scene offering a fair share of heart and belly laughs. However, as the film starts dancing around the same pathetic problems of Annie, things begin to slow down immensely. But, for what it’s worth, “Bridesmaids” is a great first step for Apatow in finding his feminine voice, and an even better launching pad for the hilarious Kristin Wiig.

Grade: B

“Priest” Movie Review

Directed by Scott Stewart, Written by Cory Goodman and Min-Woo Hyung (comic book), 87 minutes, Rated PG-13.

By our guest blogger, Matt Schimkowitz

Here’s the pitch: Based on a Korean comic book, a group of humanoid, non-Pattinson-like vampires attack a steam-punk, western village, forcing a Vampire-hunting priest out of retirement in 3D. You can fill in the holes from there.

While the idea of an ass-kicking, vampire-slaying preacher may be an easy sell for some, without any sense of fun or fear, “Priest,” the bearer of the aforementioned pitch, falls limply to the ground.

To fill in the gaps, Paul Beatney stars as said priest, one of the final members of an ancient order charged with keeping the vampire population at bay. Yet, after successfully throwing the last of the fanged menaces in prison, the clergy, in all their infinite, Big Brother-like wisdom, casts the priests back into society without a whim. So, when the vampires return to kidnap Beatney’s daughter, Priest hops on his steam-powered motorbike and heads into the desert.

There’s very little life to “Priest,” with each conflict seemingly more disinterested in entertaining the audience than the last. One half of this has to do with the looming threat of the Orwellian clergy, which controls the drones of the film’s steam punk cities. The clergy doesn’t want their top assassin to investigate a nearby, suspiciously vampire-like attack for some reason. Why even include this into the story, if, in the end, it has no bearing on or threat to the overall narrative? The other half is the boring pursuit of Beatney’s daughter.

Beatney doesn’t seem as confused as the audience does, but that doesn’t mean he makes for an engaging star. Certainly excelling in the physical necessities of the film, the actor can’t strike an emotional chord with either his daughter or his forbidden love interest, Priestess (Maggie Q). The film’s attempts at one-liners and humor fall even flatter, as the gloomy, moist interiors absorb each quip like a sponge.

There’s not much to “Priest” that engages the audience. Aside from some fireworks, Urban appears to be the only one having a good time with the material, but as the villain, he’s allowed to. Still, it’s hard to get behind the hero, when he has no interesting qualities. In fact, all those explosions and expository conversations kept a well-behaved infant, whom I observed entering theater with their father at the show’s beginning, sleeping comfortably throughout the film’s 87 minutes. If you have an action movie that doesn’t have enough loud, wham-bam, explosive fun to wake a sleeping baby, then you, my friend, have an action movie not worth seeing.

Grade: D

“Priest” Movie Review

Directed by Scott Stewart, Written by Cory Goodman and Min-Woo Hyung (comic book), 87 minutes, Rated PG-13.

By our guest blogger, Matt Schimkowitz

Here’s the pitch: Based on a Korean comic book, a group of humanoid, non-Pattinson-like vampires attack a steam-punk, western village, forcing a Vampire-hunting priest out of retirement in 3D. You can fill in the holes from there.

While the idea of an ass-kicking, vampire-slaying preacher may be an easy sell for some, without any sense of fun or fear, “Priest,” the bearer of the aforementioned pitch, falls limply to the ground.

To fill in the gaps, Paul Beatney stars as said priest, one of the final members of an ancient order charged with keeping the vampire population at bay. Yet, after successfully throwing the last of the fanged menaces in prison, the clergy, in all their infinite, Big Brother-like wisdom, casts the priests back into society without a whim. So, when the vampires return to kidnap Beatney’s daughter, Priest hops on his steam-powered motorbike and heads into the desert.

There’s very little life to “Priest,” with each conflict seemingly more disinterested in entertaining the audience than the last. One half of this has to do with the looming threat of the Orwellian clergy, which controls the drones of the film’s steam punk cities. The clergy doesn’t want their top assassin to investigate a nearby, suspiciously vampire-like attack for some reason. Why even include this into the story, if, in the end, it has no bearing on or threat to the overall narrative? The other half is the boring pursuit of Beatney’s daughter.

Beatney doesn’t seem as confused as the audience does, but that doesn’t mean he makes for an engaging star. Certainly excelling in the physical necessities of the film, the actor can’t strike an emotional chord with either his daughter or his forbidden love interest, Priestess (Maggie Q). The film’s attempts at one-liners and humor fall even flatter, as the gloomy, moist interiors absorb each quip like a sponge.

There’s not much to “Priest” that engages the audience. Aside from some fireworks, Urban appears to be the only one having a good time with the material, but as the villain, he’s allowed to. Still, it’s hard to get behind the hero, when he has no interesting qualities. In fact, all those explosions and expository conversations kept a well-behaved infant, whom I observed entering theater with their father at the show’s beginning, sleeping comfortably throughout the film’s 87 minutes. If you have an action movie that doesn’t have enough loud, wham-bam, explosive fun to wake a sleeping baby, then you, my friend, have an action movie not worth seeing.

Grade: D

American Idol Season 10, Episode 35 – The Top 3 Have Finally Been Revealed

Television Review

By our guest blogger, Catherine Fuentes

I am two thirds elated with the American Idol Top 3, and one third very unhappy. But the two thirds are quite amazing: No matter what happens next week, one of my favorites – and a female! – will appear in the finals. In a season where the girls were knocked down early on in rapid succession like dominoes, the fact that the final three is two third female is pleasantly shocking.

Yes, that means Haley and Lauren are the two thirds of the final three that I am absolutely thrilled about. Lauren was the first to make it to safety, and I felt that was a huge relief. After last week, I didn’t think she could handle the emotional suspense of waiting in jeopardy, so I’m glad the producers threw her a bone and saved her first.

Haley was next, which was nice, because it was a real “girl power” moment, and I realized there was a 50% chance that Scotty would be going home. Of course, I couldn’t get the ideal Top Three, and James Durbin was sent home.

I haven’t always been the most vocal supporter of James, but I think he was the most polished performer of the Idol bunch, and I enjoyed seeing his pop-friendly take on metal music. As James reminded us, "I did so much stuff that's never been done on this show before. In my eyes, in my mind, I did what I came here to do. Gave metal a chance." That is what this show is all about. And as Ryan reminded us on Wednesday night, Chris Daughtry was eliminated after the Top 4, and look how successful he is! Plus, given that Daughtry is the resident Idol rocker, I think James will be just fine. I think he’s impressed everyone he’s worked with, and Jimmy Iovine, Steven Tyler and Randy Jackson will be looking to help him any way they can. This isn’t the last we’ve seen of James Durbin, and thank god for that.

I’ve already shared my thoughts on Scotty, but to add some positivity: I am excited to see his return to North Carolina. In fact, that is the hometown visit I am most excited to see, so that counts for something! I just hope returning home somehow makes him drop his phony and creepy performance eye-gazes and way of holding the mic. (Or maybe the inclusion of Scotty makes an all-girl finals really possible? Hopefully?)

American Idol Season 10, Episode 35 – The Top 3 Have Finally Been Revealed

Television Review

By our guest blogger, Catherine Fuentes

I am two thirds elated with the American Idol Top 3, and one third very unhappy. But the two thirds are quite amazing: No matter what happens next week, one of my favorites – and a female! – will appear in the finals. In a season where the girls were knocked down early on in rapid succession like dominoes, the fact that the final three is two third female is pleasantly shocking.

Yes, that means Haley and Lauren are the two thirds of the final three that I am absolutely thrilled about. Lauren was the first to make it to safety, and I felt that was a huge relief. After last week, I didn’t think she could handle the emotional suspense of waiting in jeopardy, so I’m glad the producers threw her a bone and saved her first.

Haley was next, which was nice, because it was a real “girl power” moment, and I realized there was a 50% chance that Scotty would be going home. Of course, I couldn’t get the ideal Top Three, and James Durbin was sent home.

I haven’t always been the most vocal supporter of James, but I think he was the most polished performer of the Idol bunch, and I enjoyed seeing his pop-friendly take on metal music. As James reminded us, "I did so much stuff that's never been done on this show before. In my eyes, in my mind, I did what I came here to do. Gave metal a chance." That is what this show is all about. And as Ryan reminded us on Wednesday night, Chris Daughtry was eliminated after the Top 4, and look how successful he is! Plus, given that Daughtry is the resident Idol rocker, I think James will be just fine. I think he’s impressed everyone he’s worked with, and Jimmy Iovine, Steven Tyler and Randy Jackson will be looking to help him any way they can. This isn’t the last we’ve seen of James Durbin, and thank god for that.

I’ve already shared my thoughts on Scotty, but to add some positivity: I am excited to see his return to North Carolina. In fact, that is the hometown visit I am most excited to see, so that counts for something! I just hope returning home somehow makes him drop his phony and creepy performance eye-gazes and way of holding the mic. (Or maybe the inclusion of Scotty makes an all-girl finals really possible? Hopefully?)

‘Transformers 3: Dark of the Moon’

Movie Trailer Review

By our guest blogger, Joe Oliveto

Judging by the latest trailer, whether or not you’ll enjoy “Transformers 3: Dark of the Moon” will depend heavily on how much you enjoyed the previous two installments, as it looks to offer little that those films haven’t already given us. True, as the potential series-capper, it looks like this movie is adopting a decidedly darker tone than the playful vibe of its predecessors, but it’s still chock-full of CGI robots, major cities being destroyed, and Shia LaBeouf screaming “NO NO NO!”

These movies never aspired to be great storytelling, but it’s a shame that they could never offer us anything more substantial than popcorn entertainment. Some of the greatest films of all time—“Star Wars,” “Raiders of the Lost Ark,” “Jaws”—were little more than fun-filled blockbusters, but they were able to endure by also giving us likeable characters and genuine thematic depth. While Michael Bay truly is a master of action choreography, he can’t give the audience any reason for emotional engagement. He’s all about visual flair, and while that may be enough to draw us to the theater, it isn’t enough to make his films truly great.

Sadly, most studios don’t care about greatness, they just care about the bottom line, and the “Transformers” franchise is profitable. As long as it keeps making money, these films will continue to get made. We’d like to see more ambitious blockbusters like last year’s “Inception,” but it looks like we’ll be forced to settle for this kind of flick for now.



“Transformers 3” won’t be anything we haven’t seen before, but if that doesn’t bother you, then feel free to check it out.

‘Transformers 3: Dark of the Moon’

Movie Trailer Review

By our guest blogger, Joe Oliveto

Judging by the latest trailer, whether or not you’ll enjoy “Transformers 3: Dark of the Moon” will depend heavily on how much you enjoyed the previous two installments, as it looks to offer little that those films haven’t already given us. True, as the potential series-capper, it looks like this movie is adopting a decidedly darker tone than the playful vibe of its predecessors, but it’s still chock-full of CGI robots, major cities being destroyed, and Shia LaBeouf screaming “NO NO NO!”

These movies never aspired to be great storytelling, but it’s a shame that they could never offer us anything more substantial than popcorn entertainment. Some of the greatest films of all time—“Star Wars,” “Raiders of the Lost Ark,” “Jaws”—were little more than fun-filled blockbusters, but they were able to endure by also giving us likeable characters and genuine thematic depth. While Michael Bay truly is a master of action choreography, he can’t give the audience any reason for emotional engagement. He’s all about visual flair, and while that may be enough to draw us to the theater, it isn’t enough to make his films truly great.

Sadly, most studios don’t care about greatness, they just care about the bottom line, and the “Transformers” franchise is profitable. As long as it keeps making money, these films will continue to get made. We’d like to see more ambitious blockbusters like last year’s “Inception,” but it looks like we’ll be forced to settle for this kind of flick for now.



“Transformers 3” won’t be anything we haven’t seen before, but if that doesn’t bother you, then feel free to check it out.

“Conan the Barbarian”

Movie Trailer Review

By our guest blogger, Joe Oliveto

No one goes into a movie entitled “Conan the Barbarian” expecting subtle, nuanced drama. Fans of this rebooted franchise want nothing more than to see a muscular maniac attacking countless enemies, and from the looks of this latest trailer, that is exactly what they will get. We can’t really call whether or not it will be an entertaining film—it’s always easy to cut together a trailer featuring dozens of action scenes and make it look exciting—but we can say that it’s heading in the right direction.

Visually, the filmmakers appear to have taken a cue from Zack Snyder’s “300.” The world of this movie is abundant in computer-generated images, but rather than trying to incorporate them realistically into the film, those involved have decided to embrace the surreal quality that is sometimes unavoidable when actual sets are augmented with animated backdrops. While this visual style takes away from the grit of the original movies, it contributes to sense of fantasy pervading the story, and for some, that may be a good thing.

Of course, this genre isn’t for everyone. Movies like “Lord of the Rings” were able to deliver some truly thrilling fantasy action sequences, but at their core, they were driven by strong emotion. “Conan” doesn’t exactly look like it will be very heartwarming, but if you need to spend a night at the movies replenishing your testosterone, we suppose you could do worse.

“Conan the Barbarian”

Movie Trailer Review

By our guest blogger, Joe Oliveto

No one goes into a movie entitled “Conan the Barbarian” expecting subtle, nuanced drama. Fans of this rebooted franchise want nothing more than to see a muscular maniac attacking countless enemies, and from the looks of this latest trailer, that is exactly what they will get. We can’t really call whether or not it will be an entertaining film—it’s always easy to cut together a trailer featuring dozens of action scenes and make it look exciting—but we can say that it’s heading in the right direction.

Visually, the filmmakers appear to have taken a cue from Zack Snyder’s “300.” The world of this movie is abundant in computer-generated images, but rather than trying to incorporate them realistically into the film, those involved have decided to embrace the surreal quality that is sometimes unavoidable when actual sets are augmented with animated backdrops. While this visual style takes away from the grit of the original movies, it contributes to sense of fantasy pervading the story, and for some, that may be a good thing.

Of course, this genre isn’t for everyone. Movies like “Lord of the Rings” were able to deliver some truly thrilling fantasy action sequences, but at their core, they were driven by strong emotion. “Conan” doesn’t exactly look like it will be very heartwarming, but if you need to spend a night at the movies replenishing your testosterone, we suppose you could do worse.

Danny Boyle to Film Heist Thriller

Movie News

By our guest blogger, Joe Oliveto

Is there any genre that Danny Boyle can’t tackle? Whether telling the story of hopeless addicts, homeless slum kids, or the zombie apocalypse, he consistently delivers quality entertainment that blends true heart with genuine thrills. You walk out of a Danny Boyle film feeling reinvigorated. He reminds us that movies are meant to provide blissful entertainment that allows us to forget about our mundane realities, and over the past few years, he hasn’t failed to live up to that promise.

Now Deadline reports that he’ll be working on “Trance” this summer, an art-heist film, and we can only imagine how exciting that will be. However, because he’s also scheduled to direct the opening ceremonies of next summer’s Olympics, so he won’t get around to editing the film until he’s finished with those duties; it doesn’t look like the movie will see the light of day until 2013.

While we’re very excited to learn that Boyle has been bestowed the honor of working on the Olympics, as movie buffs, we can’t claim to be wildly enthusiastic about that news. Boyle’s style is purely cinematic, and while we’re curious to see what he can do in a different format, we’re also going to be honest and admit that few people tune into the Olympics to admire the creativity of the opening ceremonies. Most folks would just rather see their country emerge victorious from an event.

Still, Boyle is a relentless director who is constantly at work on one project or another, so we think it’s fair to give him a break from the world of movies to dedicate his talents towards a new creative outlet. While we’d probably rather see him finish up “Trance” quickly or take control of something like “28 Months Later” (we can dream, right?), we’ve still got films like “127 Hours” or “Trainspotting” to return to during the interim.

Hey, maybe by the time he returns to filmmaking, he will have reconciled with Ewan McGregor. Now that would be exciting.

Danny Boyle to Film Heist Thriller

Movie News

By our guest blogger, Joe Oliveto

Is there any genre that Danny Boyle can’t tackle? Whether telling the story of hopeless addicts, homeless slum kids, or the zombie apocalypse, he consistently delivers quality entertainment that blends true heart with genuine thrills. You walk out of a Danny Boyle film feeling reinvigorated. He reminds us that movies are meant to provide blissful entertainment that allows us to forget about our mundane realities, and over the past few years, he hasn’t failed to live up to that promise.

Now Deadline reports that he’ll be working on “Trance” this summer, an art-heist film, and we can only imagine how exciting that will be. However, because he’s also scheduled to direct the opening ceremonies of next summer’s Olympics, so he won’t get around to editing the film until he’s finished with those duties; it doesn’t look like the movie will see the light of day until 2013.

While we’re very excited to learn that Boyle has been bestowed the honor of working on the Olympics, as movie buffs, we can’t claim to be wildly enthusiastic about that news. Boyle’s style is purely cinematic, and while we’re curious to see what he can do in a different format, we’re also going to be honest and admit that few people tune into the Olympics to admire the creativity of the opening ceremonies. Most folks would just rather see their country emerge victorious from an event.

Still, Boyle is a relentless director who is constantly at work on one project or another, so we think it’s fair to give him a break from the world of movies to dedicate his talents towards a new creative outlet. While we’d probably rather see him finish up “Trance” quickly or take control of something like “28 Months Later” (we can dream, right?), we’ve still got films like “127 Hours” or “Trainspotting” to return to during the interim.

Hey, maybe by the time he returns to filmmaking, he will have reconciled with Ewan McGregor. Now that would be exciting.

‘Glee’ Coming to Theaters in 3D

Movie News

By our guest blogger, Joe Oliveto

“Glee” has taken the world by storm, winning the hearts of American teenagers who respond to the show’s refreshing take on high school life. While it may not be as insightful or honest as “Freaks and Geeks,” it will have to do, for now.

As pleased as fans have been with the show, we can only imagine how thrilled the suits at 20th Century Fox are. They scored an unlikely hit, and according to Deadline, they are making the most of it. As dedicated Gleeks know, stars from the series will be taking the show on the road for a major North American tour before heading off to Europe, and as is to be expected, it wasn’t all that easy to get tickets. To satiate the fans that missed out, the studio is filming a 3D movie of the performance, with plans to release it in August.

While it certainly isn’t the same as seeing the stars perform on stage—especially since their show is very much a tribute to stage performance itself—we can imagine that plenty of people will turn out for the film. Love it or hate it, “Glee” has struck a chord with a generation, and so far, it has done little to disappoint its core audience. By taking the cast on tour, the team behind the show has proven that they truly have the talent that the show hints at. It is one thing to perform songs and choreography when an episode can be edited together, but it is something else entirely to go out on stage and flawlessly deliver the same entertainment live.

‘Glee’ Coming to Theaters in 3D

Movie News

By our guest blogger, Joe Oliveto

“Glee” has taken the world by storm, winning the hearts of American teenagers who respond to the show’s refreshing take on high school life. While it may not be as insightful or honest as “Freaks and Geeks,” it will have to do, for now.

As pleased as fans have been with the show, we can only imagine how thrilled the suits at 20th Century Fox are. They scored an unlikely hit, and according to Deadline, they are making the most of it. As dedicated Gleeks know, stars from the series will be taking the show on the road for a major North American tour before heading off to Europe, and as is to be expected, it wasn’t all that easy to get tickets. To satiate the fans that missed out, the studio is filming a 3D movie of the performance, with plans to release it in August.

While it certainly isn’t the same as seeing the stars perform on stage—especially since their show is very much a tribute to stage performance itself—we can imagine that plenty of people will turn out for the film. Love it or hate it, “Glee” has struck a chord with a generation, and so far, it has done little to disappoint its core audience. By taking the cast on tour, the team behind the show has proven that they truly have the talent that the show hints at. It is one thing to perform songs and choreography when an episode can be edited together, but it is something else entirely to go out on stage and flawlessly deliver the same entertainment live.

“Green Lantern”

Movie Trailer Review

By our guest blogger, Joe Oliveto

It’s been a little more than a decade since Bryan Singer’s “X-Men” hit theaters, sparking the revolution of comic book movies that continues to this day. While we’ve seen some excellent entries into the genre—“The Dark Knight” and “Iron Man” come to mind—we’ve also encountered our fair share of disappointments. While it would be foolish to attempt to explain in simple terms why some of these films worked while others failed, it must be said that the memorable ones all share a strong focus on character. Sure, we like special-effects spectacles and action movie thrills, but it is the inner struggle that makes us care about these characters enough to be invested in the film.

So, we’re a little wary of “Green Lantern.” From a fanboy perspective, it does look fairly exciting; the idea of a ring which allows the wearer to conjure up anything he can imagine is enticing for those of us who grew up desperately wanting superpowers. However, from this trailer, we’re not noticing any strong emotional conflict. Sure, there appears to be a love story injected into the plot, but this is Hollywood we’re talking about—studio execs would find a way to toss a sexy romance into a movie about Buddhist monks if they thought it would sell more tickets.

The problem is Ryan Reynolds. While anyone who saw “Buried” knows that he has come a long way since his “Van Wilder” days, he doesn’t seem to be hitting the right notes for this character. Part of that may be the fact that he is forced to spend most of his time acting on a green-screen; moments in the trailer are reminiscent of the kind of inauthentic drama that plagued the “Star Wars” prequels.

To be fair, though, it’s never easy to cut a trailer that can balance thrills and story. From an emotional perspective, “Green Lantern” doesn’t look all that promising, but there’s still a good chance it will surprise us.

“Green Lantern”

Movie Trailer Review

By our guest blogger, Joe Oliveto

It’s been a little more than a decade since Bryan Singer’s “X-Men” hit theaters, sparking the revolution of comic book movies that continues to this day. While we’ve seen some excellent entries into the genre—“The Dark Knight” and “Iron Man” come to mind—we’ve also encountered our fair share of disappointments. While it would be foolish to attempt to explain in simple terms why some of these films worked while others failed, it must be said that the memorable ones all share a strong focus on character. Sure, we like special-effects spectacles and action movie thrills, but it is the inner struggle that makes us care about these characters enough to be invested in the film.

So, we’re a little wary of “Green Lantern.” From a fanboy perspective, it does look fairly exciting; the idea of a ring which allows the wearer to conjure up anything he can imagine is enticing for those of us who grew up desperately wanting superpowers. However, from this trailer, we’re not noticing any strong emotional conflict. Sure, there appears to be a love story injected into the plot, but this is Hollywood we’re talking about—studio execs would find a way to toss a sexy romance into a movie about Buddhist monks if they thought it would sell more tickets.

The problem is Ryan Reynolds. While anyone who saw “Buried” knows that he has come a long way since his “Van Wilder” days, he doesn’t seem to be hitting the right notes for this character. Part of that may be the fact that he is forced to spend most of his time acting on a green-screen; moments in the trailer are reminiscent of the kind of inauthentic drama that plagued the “Star Wars” prequels.

To be fair, though, it’s never easy to cut a trailer that can balance thrills and story. From an emotional perspective, “Green Lantern” doesn’t look all that promising, but there’s still a good chance it will surprise us.

Rachel Weisz to be the Next ‘Bourne’ Gal?

Movie News

By our guest blogger, Joe Oliveto

With star Matt Damon and two-time director Paul Greengrass removed from the equation, Universal has thankfully opted to take the spinoff route with the next installment of the “Bourne” franchise, with freshly minted star Jeremy Renner appearing as another dangerous assassin on the run. Tony Gilroy, who penned the previous films and has proven to be a fantastic director with pictures like “Michael Clayton,” will helm the project.

While it’s fair to be somewhat disappointed that the dream-team of Damon and Greengrass won’t be returning to these films, so far, we’ve only heard good news in regards to the development of this movie. Said good news continues, courtesy of Deadline, who are reporting that Rachel Weisz is in talks to appear as the romantic interest opposite Renner.

Although the love-story angle never fully squared with the character of Bourne, it did give him plenty of believable motivation in the second and third films, and honestly, it is nice to know that these movies refused to treat the female characters as mere sex objects; James Bond, we’re looking at you.

Rachel Weisz is, of course, a terrific actress, and if she takes on this role we’ll be thrilled. Unfortunately, she is also in talks to appear in the upcoming “Oz: The Great and Powerful,” and due to scheduling conflicts, she likely won’t be able to accept both gigs.

Cross your fingers, fans.

Rachel Weisz to be the Next ‘Bourne’ Gal?

Movie News

By our guest blogger, Joe Oliveto

With star Matt Damon and two-time director Paul Greengrass removed from the equation, Universal has thankfully opted to take the spinoff route with the next installment of the “Bourne” franchise, with freshly minted star Jeremy Renner appearing as another dangerous assassin on the run. Tony Gilroy, who penned the previous films and has proven to be a fantastic director with pictures like “Michael Clayton,” will helm the project.

While it’s fair to be somewhat disappointed that the dream-team of Damon and Greengrass won’t be returning to these films, so far, we’ve only heard good news in regards to the development of this movie. Said good news continues, courtesy of Deadline, who are reporting that Rachel Weisz is in talks to appear as the romantic interest opposite Renner.

Although the love-story angle never fully squared with the character of Bourne, it did give him plenty of believable motivation in the second and third films, and honestly, it is nice to know that these movies refused to treat the female characters as mere sex objects; James Bond, we’re looking at you.

Rachel Weisz is, of course, a terrific actress, and if she takes on this role we’ll be thrilled. Unfortunately, she is also in talks to appear in the upcoming “Oz: The Great and Powerful,” and due to scheduling conflicts, she likely won’t be able to accept both gigs.

Cross your fingers, fans.

Woody Harrelson Cast in Adaptation of ‘The Hunger Games’

Movie News

By our guest blogger, Joe Oliveto

With the “Harry Potter” franchise winding down, another young-adult series needs to take its place, and if all goes well, it appears as though Suzanne Collins’ “Hunger Games” trilogy will be the next in line. Having already attracted massive interest from readers, a cinematic adaptation of the first book in the series is in development, with Jennifer Lawrence appearing in the lead role.

Deadline reports that we can now add Woody Harrelson’s name to the cast. He’ll be taking on the role of Lawrence’s mentor in the film.

As far as adaptations of these kinds of books go, well, Hollywood has been inconsistent over the past few years. While “The Lord of the Rings” films are instant classics and most of the “Harry Potter” movies satisfied fans, the “Twilight” films have been detestable and the “Chronicles of Narnia” movies don’t quite live up to the promise of the books.

However, we have high hopes for “The Hunger Games.” The novels are original and engaging, and the talent in front of the camera is impressive. So long as all the pieces fall into place and studio interference doesn’t botch the project, we ought to be in for a great cinematic ride.

Woody Harrelson Cast in Adaptation of ‘The Hunger Games’

Movie News

By our guest blogger, Joe Oliveto

With the “Harry Potter” franchise winding down, another young-adult series needs to take its place, and if all goes well, it appears as though Suzanne Collins’ “Hunger Games” trilogy will be the next in line. Having already attracted massive interest from readers, a cinematic adaptation of the first book in the series is in development, with Jennifer Lawrence appearing in the lead role.

Deadline reports that we can now add Woody Harrelson’s name to the cast. He’ll be taking on the role of Lawrence’s mentor in the film.

As far as adaptations of these kinds of books go, well, Hollywood has been inconsistent over the past few years. While “The Lord of the Rings” films are instant classics and most of the “Harry Potter” movies satisfied fans, the “Twilight” films have been detestable and the “Chronicles of Narnia” movies don’t quite live up to the promise of the books.

However, we have high hopes for “The Hunger Games.” The novels are original and engaging, and the talent in front of the camera is impressive. So long as all the pieces fall into place and studio interference doesn’t botch the project, we ought to be in for a great cinematic ride.

‘Spider-Man’ Reboot to Focus on Real Stunts

Movie News

By our guest blogger, Joe Oliveto

With the overall disappointment that was “Spider-Man 3” still fresh in audiences’ minds, many have wondered whether or not there is really any reason to reboot the franchise so soon. (We know the real reason involves money, but hey, we can still ask the naïve questions from time to time.)

However, to be fair, it looks as though Sony is putting together a promising picture for us. First of all, they’ve cast Andrew Garfield as the web-slinger, and having proven himself to be a tremendously skilled young actor in “Never Let Me Go” and “The Social Network,” we’re confident that he can do the role justice. On top of that, Emma Stone, who is quickly showing the world that she is more than just a pretty face, will be taking on the role of Gwen Stacy, with veteran stars Martin Sheen and Sally Field playing Uncle Ben and Aunt May, respectively.

With Marc “500 Days of Summer” Webb stepping in as director, this might end up being more than just a cash-in.

Additionally, we now have some slight confirmation that, in terms of style, it won’t be a rehash of what we’ve already seen. Ain’t It Cool News has an interview with stunt coordinator Vic Armstrong who told the site that the filmmakers focused on incorporating real stunts into the movie, rather than relying on CGI, which came to dominate the action scenes of the original franchise. In an age where every single special effect appears to have been created on a computer, it is refreshing to know that some people are turning back towards real stunts.

We’re excited to see how this all turns out.

‘Spider-Man’ Reboot to Focus on Real Stunts

Movie News

By our guest blogger, Joe Oliveto

With the overall disappointment that was “Spider-Man 3” still fresh in audiences’ minds, many have wondered whether or not there is really any reason to reboot the franchise so soon. (We know the real reason involves money, but hey, we can still ask the naïve questions from time to time.)

However, to be fair, it looks as though Sony is putting together a promising picture for us. First of all, they’ve cast Andrew Garfield as the web-slinger, and having proven himself to be a tremendously skilled young actor in “Never Let Me Go” and “The Social Network,” we’re confident that he can do the role justice. On top of that, Emma Stone, who is quickly showing the world that she is more than just a pretty face, will be taking on the role of Gwen Stacy, with veteran stars Martin Sheen and Sally Field playing Uncle Ben and Aunt May, respectively.

With Marc “500 Days of Summer” Webb stepping in as director, this might end up being more than just a cash-in.

Additionally, we now have some slight confirmation that, in terms of style, it won’t be a rehash of what we’ve already seen. Ain’t It Cool News has an interview with stunt coordinator Vic Armstrong who told the site that the filmmakers focused on incorporating real stunts into the movie, rather than relying on CGI, which came to dominate the action scenes of the original franchise. In an age where every single special effect appears to have been created on a computer, it is refreshing to know that some people are turning back towards real stunts.

We’re excited to see how this all turns out.

Studios Fight for Next ‘Terminator’ Film

Movie News

By our guest blogger, Joe Oliveto

With his role as the Governor of California all wrapped up, Arnold Schwarzenegger is looking to get back into the world of movies, and what better franchise for him to return to than the “Terminator” films, which more or less launched his career. If all goes according to plan, he’ll be stepping back into his most iconic role ever, with Justin Lin, director of the bafflingly successful “Fast Five,” taking over directorial duties.

However, according to Deadline, the project is still between companies, with various individuals bidding on the property. Lionsgate wants to take it over, but Annapurna Films is now expressing interest as well.

While that means little to most casual fans, we do hope that the right people get control of this film. The “Terminator” franchise probably should have wrapped up after the second film, but if it has to continue, we’d at least hope to see it do so with style. “Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines” left quite a lot to be desired, and although “Terminator Salvation” was better than it could have been, it still felt as though it was trying too hard to be a gritty version of “Transformers.”

Of course, no one except James Cameron can truly do these movies justice, but he’s done with them. Justin Lin may be a competent action director, but is he the next Cameron? We doubt it.

Studios Fight for Next ‘Terminator’ Film

Movie News

By our guest blogger, Joe Oliveto

With his role as the Governor of California all wrapped up, Arnold Schwarzenegger is looking to get back into the world of movies, and what better franchise for him to return to than the “Terminator” films, which more or less launched his career. If all goes according to plan, he’ll be stepping back into his most iconic role ever, with Justin Lin, director of the bafflingly successful “Fast Five,” taking over directorial duties.

However, according to Deadline, the project is still between companies, with various individuals bidding on the property. Lionsgate wants to take it over, but Annapurna Films is now expressing interest as well.

While that means little to most casual fans, we do hope that the right people get control of this film. The “Terminator” franchise probably should have wrapped up after the second film, but if it has to continue, we’d at least hope to see it do so with style. “Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines” left quite a lot to be desired, and although “Terminator Salvation” was better than it could have been, it still felt as though it was trying too hard to be a gritty version of “Transformers.”

Of course, no one except James Cameron can truly do these movies justice, but he’s done with them. Justin Lin may be a competent action director, but is he the next Cameron? We doubt it.