Late update...

I will have the Monday Night Raw Review up tomorrow or Wednesday. I have the GRE tomorrow so I am too busy.

American Idol Results Show 05/09

Wow. When Ryan Seacrest goes "You can tell we have an hour to fill tonight," you KNOW the show is going to be boring. There were some advertisements for the tour and there was a very nice clip of Sanjaya singing you really got me...and of course they had to put “crying girl” in there. Seacrest commented, “Sanjaya on American Idol Tour. Lock up your daughters!" Pink performed and sound beautiful, especially compared to the majority of guests we’ve had this season (Michael Buble anyone?) Then we see the Ford Commercial, which uses “You Really Got Me” as the background music. They didn’t sound nearly as good as Sanjaya did performing it, and I wasn’t even fond of his rendition. It’s starting to feel like American Idol should be renamed “The Sanjaya Show.” Then we learn that the Top 4 got to see a private showing of the Fantastic Four movie. The cast showed up for the results show tonight and Ryan flirted enough with Jessica Alba that I was starting to get uncomfortable. Then there was lots of interesting video insight on the remaining contestants, reminding me why I was so emotionally attached to Lakisha at the beginning of the season. Then come the beginning of the results. The group refuses to line up because they don’t want to be separated, and hug each other in the middle of the stage. I can’t help but being hit by the fact that Jordin is a good head taller than everyone up there, including Ryan. We find out quickly that she is safe. Barry Gibb performs and then…we find out that Lakisha is leaving us. This is not really any surprise but it brings me to tears regardless. Lakisha says in her exit video that she sings to make people happy, and if she accomplishes that “she’s done her job.” I’m sure she will do well in her career, much better than if she had won the American Idol title. Best wishes to her and her family.

Don't forget to voice your opinions in the new poll! Let the world know who YOU think should have gone home this week. And be sure to check back Tuesday May 29 for your American Idol Review and a new poll on who should go home next week!

A few words...

I have a poll up now on the left side of the page about who you all think should win American Idol Season 6. Please feel free to select a response.

**Spoiler Alert**

I just want to say a few words about last night's Law and Order Criminal Intent. I really thought it was in bad taste to portray the Anna Nicole story so soon. The poor girl will never get to rest in peace. Her character wasn't portrayed in a positive light and there is even a scene where she ODs and we watch her having seizures and dying. I love CI but I found myself changing the channel away from the episode several times. I know that they love to keep it contemporary, but lets leave "Ripped from the Headlines" to SVU where they do it right and leave the real life celebrities alone that are neither still alive nor long since dead.

American Idol Review 05/08/07 (reposted)

Season 6: Top 4

Mentor: Barry Gibb (www.barrygibb.com)
Bee Gee’s member Gibb comments that the group “sound wonderful together.”
“Having different people sing your songs is the greatest compliment. I just came here to enjoy it”

Tonight was the first night of the season that all contestants performed two songs. I wish they could have spared me. Oh well, what can I say: I voted for Sanjaya! (To hear his mp3 version of Besame Mucho, his best performance on the show, please see my playlist at the bottom right of every page. And thank you for keeping an open mind!)

The following is a list of the contestants’ performances in order with Gibb’s comments, the judges commentary, and my personal thoughts. The quotes are as close to exact as possible.

Melinda: “Love You Inside and Out”
Barry: The choice was a little confusing for me but she pulled it off.
Randy: Another solid performance, don’t know if I was jumping up and down.
Paula: It’s hard to critique you…Your vocals are always spot on.
Simon: I expect incredible at this point. That was not incredible. That was more of a backing vocalist performance. You are better than that. I’m glad you have a second song, because I want to see better than that.
Michelle: Painful. Felt like it was way over-sung and not her best song choice at all.

Blake: “You Should Be Dancing”
Barry: Blake’s beat boxing really suits this song. He gets the chance to show off that ability. He is the only one right now that can do it.
Randy: Sometimes when you do the beat boxing it works. Tonight for me dawg it didn’t work. That song didn’t need none of that. I felt like I was at some weird discotec in a foreign country.
Paula: Your melody was off. You didn’t have the best night with that song, but you did show why you are unique and why you are on that stage.
Simon: I know it's a matter of taste but I thought it was absolutely terrible, that performance.
Michelle: The song had too much falsetto and the beat boxing seems off-key at first. The song sounds very techno with the beat boxing. He seems to be doing more beat boxing than singing and showing off his vocals. Blake seems to have lost his charm and ability to make me feel like I’m falling in love with his smooth vocals.

Lakisha: “Staying Alive”
Barry: It is challenging if you are a girl and singing a song that was actually sang by a guy in falsetto. I like [her] slower version and I like what she’s done with this.
Randy: It’s a good thing you all have second songs. That was weird for me because these songs have great melodies, they don't need changing. I know you were trying to make it your own but there was too much going on there.
Paula: (Something about how all the audience was standing up ready to dance and the slow tempo didn’t work for that.) It brought the mood down a little bit.
Simon: Referring to Paula’s comment about the standing: They were heading for the exits. No kiss tonight baby. We’re back to the shouting again. The performance was verging on scary in parts.
Michelle: Not her best performance, but the best vocal of the night so far.

Jordin: “To Love Somebody”
Barry: It was hard for me to imagine a girl singing it. I know a couple hundred people have sang this song but I haven’t heard a greater version than Jordin’s.
Randy: Wow. Its been kind of a rough night for me so far, but this was very nice, controlled. The Mariah Carey, Aretha kind of throwback I liked. So far you are in it to win it!
Paula: It isn’t sorta kinda the best vocal, it is the best vocal so far.
Simon: Best song choice, best vocal so far, we are back in the competition.
Michelle: Beautiful vocal, a little too much belting/yelling. Gorgeous controlled ending that gave me chills. I will probably buy the mp3.

Melinda: “How Can You Mend a Broken Heart”
Barry: I don’t find any criticism with it.
Randy: Second song, much better. Great vocal, beautiful ending. You know you are our resident pro still.
Paula: Beautiful vocal. You are a throwback to Stephanie Millicent. I would love you to throw all your technique away…incoherent rambling.
Simon: I think the second half of that song has put you into the semi-finals.
Michelle: Pretty song, not sure if I like the song choice for her because her voice isn’t very sweet. There was a very nice swell into her power vocal. I’m not sure if I felt the emotion in the song while watching the performance.

Blake: “This is Where I Came In”
Barry: It does give him a chance to explore those extra little gifts he has. Maybe Blake will bring it up to date right now.
Randy: Definitely better than the last one. You don’t have to beat box on every joint. It gets old.
Paula: There ain’t nothing old about Blake. You are the contemporary rebel in this competition. I didn’t know the song but I enjoyed you singing it. You sang it spot on key
Simon: I’m going to be honest with you, I found it completely tuneless. I can’t say that these have been good performances. That was a really weird, bizarre choice of song
Michelle: Bad Maroon 5ish vocals, and my apologies to Adam Levine because that isn’t meant to be an insult to him in any way. It’s time for Blake time go home. I didn’t see enough expression in his face, and I couldn’t feel the emotion of the song. There were lots of strange dance moves and beat boxing.

Lakisha: “Run to Me”
Barry: She had to take up the challenge of changing key twice in the song. Says “Your range is amazing,” to Lakisha. Very interesting choice. It presents a very interesting challenge and you know what, she’ll rise to it.
Randy: I know you got a little hoarse at the end but still better than the first song.
Paula: Don’t beat yourself up over that honey; you’re still a champ.
Simon: It was better than the first song, but it still wasn’t great. I think you and Blake are vulnerable tonight.
Michelle: The beginning didn't impress me much, but the key change was nice. A little screaming in the second half. I didn’t like the ending at all; it sounded very hoarse. I was expecting better from Kiki and I hope this doesn’t mean the end for her.

Jordin: “Woman in Love”
Barry: A little different than the Barbara Streisand version but that type of song is subject to interpretation. This is going to be one of our greatest female recording artists.
Randy: I don’t think it was your best performance. It was pitchy all the way through. It is a very difficult song to sing.
Paula: You are absolutely beautiful. Incoherent stuff.. I love you anyway.
Simon: I thought it was old fashioned and very pageanty from your dress….booing covers up the rest and Ryan cuts him off.
Michelle: Beautiful vocal. Not sure that the song choice was right for her, because of her age and the theme of the song but the emotion came through. She was the best by far tonight.

Jordin was the best tonight, followed by Lakisha, then Melinda, then Blake, Blake should go home tomorrow, but I have a feeling Lakisha is going.

For more information on American Idol contestants, the finale, and anything else, please visit americanidol.com.

Brief Review of the Film "The Hitcher" (2007)

I haven't seen the original so keep that in mind with this review. I thought the movie was a good action film, with enough violence, gore, and suspense to make it a good thriller. The problem with this movie is that you don't end up caring about the characters in the end. The hitcher himself also has no character development which could have mad his character more frightening. The ending was also a little disappointing. It could have been better if the hitcher lived at the end and could have set the plot up for continuation in a sequel. Overall, highly entertaining, but certainly not an award winner for plot or acting.

I rated this movie 8 out of 10 stars at IMDB.com.

Brief Review of the Film "Little Miss Sunshine"

Little Miss Sunshine was refreshing and different. This film definitely is not for everyone. If you prefer laugh-out-loud Will Farrell type humor this movie probably is not for you. However the movie was surprisingly original among the slew of Hollywood remakes that came out last year. I am an avid Law and Order SVU fan, and I was pleasantly surprised to see how well Abigail Breslin adapted to the much less serious role of Olive in this film. She was charming and heartwarming, and even though her talents were a little less than conventional and pretty inappropriate, I found myself rooting for her at the end of the film. Also excellent in the film was Alan Arkin as the grandfather. Though his language and personality is abrasive, I found myself connecting to him as well, because of his self-fulfilling outlook on life. I felt myself relating to some characters in the family and I was repulsed by others. At the end of the film I felt uplifted because of the love that inevitably bound the family together. This is a must see film for anyone looking for originality and good fun.

I rated this movie 10 out of 10 stars at IMDB.com.

Brief Review of the Film "Mission: Impossible III"

Mission Impossible 3 has to be my favorite out of the series so far. It had all the action, suspense, and semi-predictable plot twist of the first movie. It also had the romance and happy ending of the second movie, but without it being over-the-top and uninteresting. I usually find the whole Tom Cruise goes to "save the world" and "save the girl" story lines boring and cliché, but Michelle Monaghan's acting saves the movie from turning me off. Julia shows that she is not the stereotypical weak female in some of her final scenes where she kills two "bad guys" and saves Ethan's life.

The only reason I didn't rate this movie higher is because of Philip Seymour Hoffman. I find him extremely annoying and dry; his acting lacks the character needed to portray a villain. However, the damage he does to the movie is not substantial. This movie is definitely worth seeing and worth buying.

I rated this movie 8 out of 10 stars at IMDB.com