It's that time of year!!

Oh my goodness I have been so busy with all the new and returning shows!!  Where do I begin?  Let's start with crap, and it has its own zip-code, 90210.  This ABC family wannabe show is just a mess.  From its horribly contrived family lessons (barf), uber thin badly dressed actresses and aged actors that people only loved from the original show that have done nothing since then and are now trying to relive their glory days! (take a breath)  Ugh, this show just gets on my nerves; writing, directing and most of all acting.  You can be blind and still see all the telegraphing that these amateurs are doing, subtle was never brought up in rehearsal, obviously.  This show has canceled its pass off my DVR!

Shake it off...now that that is said let's move on to the ones who got it right.  This includes some of our returning favorites and some new friends.  First, OMG I am so glad that Gossip Girl is back (not trying to push an agenda on us like that 90210 crap) and is better than ever.  The love triangles, the witty colloquial banter and of course the clothing!!  What I wouldn't give to live on the upper east side and have a quarter of Chuck Bass' wardrobe!!  XOXO

I know that I said last year that I was not going to put myself through another season of AMTM but Tyra sucked me in again by casting a tranny on the show!  GUUURRRRLLL, oh no you didn't!!  So of course DVR was set up and I was not disappointed!  I do love however how that closed minded little beeeotch was kicked off the show on the first episode and her wonderfully dramatic meltdown when she was not asked to move on.  Reality tv at its best!  You know you loved it, that girl got what she deserved!  But I must give a rainbow shout out to Trya for having the courage to put her on the show in the first place.  I know that she cannot win (Covergirl would never give her a contract) but you know she is going to go far in the competition! 

Some new shows that have raised an eyebrow, and will stay on the DVR rotaion for a little while longer, are Fringe (on Fox) and Tru Blood (on HBO).  Fringe is a fun X-Files meets a splash of Heroes, suspense drama and let's face it Fox does well with these types of shows.  I do have to comment on how beautiful the lead actress is, but they seem to hate her.  They are giving her this fierce under lighting that is making her look so harsh (I know that is the point but every scene, come on!) And Tru Blood, the savior of the HBO series after its recent down fall.  The parallels of the plight of all the discriminated groups through out history put aside, I think that this is going to be a great series.  Granted only the pilot aired (this past Sunday), but we all know that the pilots can be a little rough around the edges and that the series usually cleans up any of these flaws.  But I already want to know more, why can she hear people's thoughts?, can her grandmother as well?, did her brother kill that girl?, how old is the vamp?, will he show up to kick those people's ass?  I want to know, but I guess I will have to wait until Sunday to find out! 

This is only the first week and we have so many more premiers to go, I really have my work cut out for me, so I have to keep my DVR happy so I don't miss a thing!  Talk to you later.

RG

Dr. Horrible

WOW!  It has been a while!  Sorry I have been so lazy, but the weather has been great, the summer has been too much fun, and now it seems my life is being turned on its ear.  But all excuses put aside I have been doing my part watching TV, movies and staged productions.  I live for entertainment and my favorite time of year is upon us, fall season premier time!  

Gossip Girl came back last night, and did not disappoint, I think I watched the entire episode with a smile on my face (a much needed smile) and I am so glad that my friends are back.  Tonight 90210 airs and to be honest I did not watch the original so I have nothing to compare it to, so it shall be interesting.

But lets get to the main point of this blog, Dr. Horrible.  So my great friend Rebecca was telling me about this pod cast turned iTunes sensation written and directed by my favorite writer/director Joss Whedon.  So I went to iTunes and bought the 3 musical acts of this gem of a series.  It is just so wonderful starting Neil Patrick Harris who's main goal in life is to enter this society of Villains, but he is also in love with a girl at the laundromat.  Seriously check it out you will just love how simple and smart and fun it is.  

Sadly it is over

Yes, my favorite summer show has now come to an end.  What a great year for So You Think You Can Dance, and yes I have to be honest it really is the first year that I watched the show.  I knew it was on for the other years, but I just could not be bothered to add another show to my long list of things to watch.  I am so glad that I changed that this year.  I was so pleased with every aspect of the show.  The choreography was amazing and the dancers stepped right up to the plate.  Am I sad that Katee did not win, No.  Joshua was right next to her the whole season and he really kept up.  There were dances that I think he danced better than her, there where dances that she danced better than him, but most of all there were dances where I could not see either one them, I just saw pure beauty and art.  Below is the last (new) dance they danced together on the show, and I just loved it (and yes, I cried a little).  You can just feel the culmination of their journey together on the show and you know they truly care for each other, heart and soul and you can feel it in this dance.  My congratulations goes out to both Katee and Joshua for a job well done, and something they both can be proud of, and I look forward seeing them when they go on tour!! ( I have tickets!!)

Mad Men

So I have been wanting to watch this show since I saw the posters for it last year, but I just never got around to adding it to my ever growing list of television to watch (I know that I have a problem but I just cannot stop myself).  So I heard that you can watch the first season for free On Demand channel 1005, Entertainment On Demand.  So, I sat back and two days later I am finished with season one and already caught up on season two.  Not only that, I have also convinced everyone I work with to start watching it before it is taken off On Demand.  It is just that good!!!  I cannot tell you how great the cast, set, costumes, writing, and over all production value is on the entire show.  I love love love it!!  I can and can't believe how people acted not too long ago in the office setting, and it is a very fine line between reality and comical the way they portray it.  But don't take me word check it out for yourselves!  You will be so happy that you did.

A day late and a personality short!

I am late at posting my thoughts on the latest elimination show this past thursday (my cousin got married upstate so I had tons of driving to do).  But Will was the latest to leave the show, and we all know it has nothing to do with talent.  That boy was talented, but to be quite frank, who cares.  Yes, you a great technician but I never saw his joy in dancing and obviously neither did America!  I am sure if you were to see him on stage he will let you have it, but it just didn't translate to me on TV.  That was until the James Brown dance.  He really was amazing and personable and he was having a great time and it oozed off the television, however, American already loves Twitch and I love Mark, way more than I ever even liked Will.  So sorry Will but that solo came too late in the production.  I am sure he will work FOREVER in the dance world, as he should.  But I am not all that sad to see him go!  Sorry!

Result Thursday!

This last results show had me blown away!  The top 5 girls contemporary piece by Mia Michaels was simply amazing.  I was just speechless after watching that dance that I simply have to share it with you all.  Of course you will guess that Katee stole that number for me and I am still hoping she will win it all.  I am so pleased that Comfort is staying.  I feel that she really rises to the call in all the group numbers.  She has a wonderful performance quality and drive that Kerrington just did not have.  If you watch the Bollywood Dance that opened the show watch how Kerrington (in green) is late for almost everything (it will drive you crazy).  I feel that she just got lazy, she was with Twitch and he was already a fan favorite.  And poor Gev.  He never really got to shine in his style.  He was great and worked really hard, unfortunately someone had to go.  Now I am getting nervous for who is next!  We will all have to wait and see!

"I'm a real dancer"

So after work I on Tuesday I went out for a drink with a co-worker and while I was partaking in some delicious summer rose,  I met this beautiful red head girl.  We started talking and she told me that she is a dancer, so naturally I asked her if she watches my favorite summer show So You Think You Can Dance, and she was like "No I don't watch that, I'm a real dancer".  Ugh, as if.  So last night I watched my favorite summer show, once again, with this "real" dancer in mind and then I saw this piece that not only shut me up, but I know that if she was to watch it she would have to pick her jaw off the floor.  Yes, there is one glitch, but come on!!  This piece is in a whole different realm of professionalism and perfection, both on execution and choreography.  Below is the piece I hope you enjoy it.

Ps. We do have to talk about the changing of couples and the quick fall of my favorite dancer, Mark!  What happened to him?

Wipeout!

I have never laughed so hard!  Wipeout is the summer game show hit for me.  I was checking out the full length videos on ABC.com Full Episode Player and decided to give it a watch. Below is a taste of some of the great spills, but I just keep enjoying the pain they put these people through!

Wall·E

Directed Andrew Stanton

Written by Andrew Stanton and Jim Capobianco

Big business kills the globe, obesity, mass forms of instant communication, and zero human interaction.  Sounds like a bleak future, right?  But fear not, after 700 years there is still someone who cares about this planet and who wants nothing more than to be loved.  Wall·E.  This "Hello Dolly" fan has a nice little life for himself here on earth.  He gets up, charges his battery from the sun and goes to work, recycling, but not before feeding his pet cockroach a twinkie.  He is the last of his kind that is trying to clean up this mess left here by the humans.  But in steps EVA.  Sleek little robot who comes to earth to find if anything is or can grow in the barren wasteland of what looks like Manhattan.  As our "silent movie esqu" love story starts to unfold, our little antagonist starts to believe he will finally get his movie musical ending.  So he gives EVA what any love struck guy would give a beautiful girl, gifts.  One of them being a plant, the one thing she was looking for.  This causes her to shut down leaving Wall·E alone once more.  

This is where the movie really grabs you and lets you know how caring and sweet Wall·E truly is.  He doesn't know what happened to EVA and stays by her side until the "mother ship" comes back to take her to the surviving humans, who are all uber obese and have zero contact with one another.  And our hero follows her straight there.  He has many bumps along the way and you see that everyone that he "bumps" into is somehow changed by him.  As if they woke up for the first time, humans and robots alike.  Overall this is a great tale about love, compassion, and overall, taking the time to care for this earth and all things big and small placed on it.  It is never to late to start to care for something and plan to make change happen. The devices and mode of storytelling are so simple and so powerful, that the use of dialogue is almost non existent, making it a great movie for all ages.  Over all I give this movie the Pot of Gold at the end of the Rainbow!

Who is the Mole?

Mark!  Come on this Steve Carell wannabe has to be the mole! That is my guess and I am standing by it.

Hancock

Directed by Peter Berg

Written by Vincent Ngo and Vince Gilligan

Does Will Smith own the 4th of July weekend? I'm not sure, but I seem to spend each 4th with him. This year was no different when I when to see his latest flick, Hancock.  It's about an unlikely superhero who is hated by the masses, drunk all the time and has most of his embarrassing moment posted on YouTube. The movie starts off with a high speed car chase, with bullets flying and "where is our hero?"  Asleep on a bench, passed out and next to him is a liter of Gentleman Jack.  A cute little kid wakes him up to let him know he is needed, and reluctantly he flies off to save the day.  Just how bad of a superhero is he?  Well, he take us on a ride of what it would be like to fly drunk; he almost hits a plane and flies into a gaggle of birds (it's not like getting a fly stuck in your teeth). Of course he ends the car chase (mainly because they shot the bottle of Gentleman Jack), but no one is happy about it. Apparently every time Hancock helps out he causes millions of dollars in damage.  So in steps the real superhero Jason Bateman (the other Teen Wolf). He shows us that the modern day hero is a super PR agent who helps him shake off his hated image.  How does he do this you ask?  Sends him to jail!  I know Batman would have never agreed to go.  And this is where my description of the movie has to end (without giving away the true meat and potatoes of this flick).  I will say that Charlize Theron steals the movie not only with her beauty, but also in her fierce choices.  An honorable mention  has to go to the writers because the villain in this movie is also not what you would expect. There is the fated power struggle, but rather within our hero himself (Hamlet he is not).  I am hoping that there will be a sequel to this film, like Jumper it left the audience with more questions than when the picture started.  You really do come to care about these people, which is all any writer or director can wish to achieve.  Over all I give it a ROYG out of ROYGBV. So sneak out of the summer sun and check it out!

Katee and Joshua; Hometown Glory

Last night on So You Think You Can Dance, Katee and Joshua got it right once again with a piece by Mia Michaels.  This couple hit the ground running when they performed No Air the first week. Their Broadway routine, All for the Best, was not my favorite piece of theirs, but they still totally redeemed themselves when they showed how sexy they can dance with the samba.  But just watch below how Katee steals this performance with her control of her body, her perfect level of projection and emotion.  You can feel and see the struggle the character she is performing faces. For me this dance is all in the shoulders where you can feel the pain, frustration and uncertainty everything Mia wanted you to feel and Katee got it right.  Joshua just missed the mark in this dance with tension in his shoulders. That being said he did everything else that a male dancer should do.  He was not only there for his partner for all the lifts, he made them seem effortless. He did not pull any focus from Katee to let her stand out as the feature performer in this dance.  A great dancer need to know when it is about them, and when it is about the person next to them.  The costuming definitely helped Katee stand out, she was exposed, whereas Joshua was covered from the top of his head, to his feet.  Just watch the beauty that these two created last night and I hope that you were as moved as I was. 

New Music

To kick off my new blog since the separation of The Urban Naturalist (you will be missed), I am going to start off easy.  I want to talk about a new album that I just bought; Katy Perry's One of the Boys.  Now this album is everything that a pop listener will LOVE!!  It has great easy beats with fun topical lyrics.  The play of gender roles through out the record keeps me laughing from the way she views life and relationships.  The picture above is from one song called "U R SO Gay", about her metrosexual ex-boyfriend and it is just a gem!  This will make any subway ride go much faster and way more enjoyable.  So just remember if you see someone bopping with their headphones on, on your next commute, they might just be enjoying her as well.