Supernatural season premiere

All I can say is OH MY GOD! I love this show! SPOILER ALERT





I can not believe they killed the dad. I knew as soon as the demon said he wanted something besides the colt that he was a goner. I also wonder what the demon wants with "Sam and the others like him". World domination? Winning lottery numbers? Who knows. I am so glad this got picked up by CW because it is a great show. Plus looking at this every week doesn't hurt!

Hubba Hubba!

Celebrity Duets - Week 5

So here we are at the finale (minus Jai - boo!).

Lucy Lawless & Bonnie Tyler - Awful! The both sounded horrible. I want Jai back!

Alfonso Ribeiro & Jon Secada - WOW! The was amazing. Alfonso is so good he should win!

Hal Sparks & Sebastian Bach - Hal was not that good - he pushed way to hard. At first I thought Sebastian had spent to much time on Broadway but he pulled it off in the end.

Lucy Lawless & Smokey Robinson - better but I still don't think she's that good of a singer.

Alfonso Ribeiro &

The Thirteenth Chair (1937)

3 out of 4 stars

This was a surprisingly good movie. It takes place in British Colonial Calcutta. A man is murdered and his best friend decides to hold a seance to find out who killed him. When the friend also ends up dead the pressure is really on and the main suspect is the psychic's daughter. The woman must then fight to determine who the real killer (once again not OJ Simpson) is. I thought this was an enjoyable whodunit. There are two other versions of the movie made in 1919 and 1929. It would be interesting to see how those compare to the last version. I recommend this to all my fellow detective and mystery lovers out there.

Joy in the Morning (1965)

2 out of 4 stars

I am ambivalent about this movie. It is the story of Carl Brown and Anne McGairy who are a young married couple. They are struggling while Carl is in law school. The film is the story of the ups and downs most young couples experience - money problems, sex issues, family troubles and learning to live together. The main problem I had with the movie was the acting of Yvette Mimieux who played Annie. She was so over the top and fake it grated on my nerves after awhile. Richard Chamberlain was very good as Carl, the saint of a husband. If you can get past Annie's dramatics it is a beautiful love story. It is not out on VHS or DVD so try to catch it when it's on TCM.

The Clairvoyant (1934)

3 out of 4 stars

This was a wonderful movie that I had not heard of before. It stars Claude Rains as Maximus. He travels with his wife (played by Faye Wray) and parents and performs as a music hall clairvoyant. The only problem is he is not psychic. Until one day when Christine comes to his performance and he is able to see the future. From then on he is only able to make his predications when Christine is around. This obviously causes problems in his marriage. When he predicts a major catastrophe in a mine he is put on trial as a fake who caused the disaster by his prediction. His wife Rene and Christine must come together to save the man they both love. The story is far fetched but I still liked it. I thought the acting was excellent and actually pretty believable. When it comes on TCM (it's not out on DVD or VHS) make sure to catch it.

Runaway

Ok I will make a confession here. I was a huge Donnie Wahlberg fan back in the day when he was in NKOTB. However, I think he is a great actor. His few minutes at the start of the Sixth Sense were chilling and I loved his show Boomtown and was sad when it was cancelled. I really enjoyed this show also. It is the story of the Rader family who are on the run from the law. Paul has been framed for murder and the real killer (no not OJ Simpson!) threatens to kill his family unless he runs and stays gone. The cast is good - it includes Sarah Ramos who played Patty on American Dreams (another show cancelled way before its time) as the daughter - and the story keeps you intrigued. I hope this makes it on the new CW network because I really enjoyed the first episode

Dancing with the Stars - Week 3

This week it's the jive (one of my faves) and the tango. Here we go!

Emmitt Smith (tango) - He was pretty good but not as good as he has been. I still think he has potential though.

Monique Coleman (jive) - WOW! I wasn't a fan of hers the last 2 weeks but this week was amazing!

Harry Hamlin (tango) - He was pretty good. I love how he gave Bruno the rose at the end - hilarious.

Willa Ford (jive) - Eh it was ok. She wasn't as crisp as Monique was.

Jerry Springer (tango) - I think he is so funny and very entertaining.

Sara Evans (jive) - definitely better than the last 2 weeks. She seemed to finally have fun.

Mario Lopez (tango) - Holy moley that was GREAT! Makes you wonder if those rumors about them are true! Maybe it broke some of the rules but like they say no guts no glory.

Vivica A. Fox (tango) - She was excellent again. I agree with Bruno - the was very Dorothy Dandridge like.

Joey Lawrence (jive) - By far the best of the night! The judges need to lighten up! The jive is supposed to be a fun dance - it's the antithesis of the tango for pete's sake.

I really don't know who will be voted off. Maybe Willa since she has been in the bottom the last 2 weeks in a row but who knows!

Spellbound (1945)

4 out of 4 stars

The title of this film is fitting - the movie left me spellbound. Ingrid Bergman stars as a psychoanalyst who falls for a patient. Gregory Peck (who was very handsome in the movie) is an amnesiac who believes he may have murdered the doctor who is taking over the hospital where Bergman's character works. As they run from the police they try to crack the amnesia and learn what really happened. There is a very trippy dream sequence that was actually designed by Salvador Dali. Even though the psychoanalyst angle is somewhat hokey the movie is a wonderful romance full of suspense. You may even get a good laugh out of the special effects in the skiing sequence. All in all though it is a very enjoyable movie.

Celebrity Duets - Week 4

Here is this weeks pairings. This week two people are eliminated.

Jai Rodriguez & Patti LaBelle - Why did they make the gay guy sing Lady Marmalade? It wasn't good and I loved all his other performances. I hope this horrible song selection doesn't hurt him.

Lucy Lawless & Richard Marx - I actually like this performance. I still don't think she's the best singer but that was good.

Hal Sparks & Dee Snyder - I love that he played guitar on this song. He is a rock star no matter what David Foster says. I just wish they would have laid off the eyeliner a bit.

Cheech Marin & Al Jarreau - He seems like such a nice guy but he is not that good of a singer. I will be surprised it he survives this week.

Alfonso Ribeiro & Chaka Khan - He was excellent again. I think he is a wonderful singer and needs to record an album NOW!

I am so glad they finally let Wayne Brady sing! He is excellent as well.

I think Cheech will be going home but I'm not sure who the second one will be. It could be Hal or even Jai after that horrible song selection. I am hoping it's Lucy though because I love Hal and Jai!

Lovers and Other Strangers (1970)

3 out of 4 stars

What a delightful movie. The story centers around the upcoming wedding of Susan (Bonnie Bedilia) and Mike (Michael Brandon). Not only do they have a wedding to stress over but their families are not helping matters. Mike's brother and his wife Joan (Diane Keaton in her movie debut)are getting a divorce, Mike's friend Jerry only wants to sleep with Susan's cousin Brenda, Susan's sister (Anne Meara) and her husband are fighting over whose the boss in their relationship and Susan's father (Gig Young) is sleeping with her mother's cousin. I am sure that for 1970 this movie was very risque with talk of sex and gender roles but it is very tame by today's standards. It is still a very cute movie though. The all-star cast is amazing and the story is very funny. A great uplifting film.

My Reputation (1946)

3 out of 4 stars

Another film that has not been released in any format. This is the story of Jessica Drummond, played brilliantly by Barbara Stanwyck, a young widow. In her loneliness and despair her friends take her away on a skiing trip to Lake Tahoe. While on the slopes she meets Major Landis, a very handsome man who is interested in her. Once she realizes that he has been stationed near her home she decides to start a relationship with him. Needless to say this gets the high society tongues wagging. The real problem starts when her sons learn of the rumors and believe them. This is when she decides to confront her "friends" and not worry about her reputation. What a wonderful movie. It is so hard to fathom the customs of 1940s when widows were expected, even at a young age, to basically wither up and become recluses. While the ending is left open it is wonderful and uplifting. Another must see when it comes on TCM.

The Unknown Man (1951)

3 out of 4 stars

This movie is not out on DVD (or VHS for that matter) and I could not find a picture to go with the post. This is the story of civil attorney Bradley Mason. He is convinced by his friend Andrew Layford, a high ranking anti-crime official, to take the murder case of Rudy Walchek. He is able to get Rudy an acquittal but he then learns of a conspiracy that involves Rudy, the mob and his friend Layford. When Layford turns up dead all evidence points, wrongly, to Rudy and Bradley must once again defend him on murder charges. I had not heard of this movie but it was very good. There is an interesting twist at the end that I thought made the ending interesting. If you can catch this movie on TCM I recommend it.

Dancing with the Stars - Week 2

This week the women are dancing the mambo and the men are performing the quick step. Here we go!

Willa Ford - I thought she was gonna shake her thing right out of her top! She was very good however.

Harry Hamlin - He was much better than last week. Maybe the laughing yoga instructor worked!

Monique Coleman - Pretty good. She still looks either pissed off or scared though.

Mario Lopez - Holy crap he is good. And those dimples - yum! But the judges are right that it was not a traditional quick step.

Shanna Moakler - I never thought the mambo could be boring but this proved me wrong. What is up with the music? I mean Kris Kross - WTF?

Jerry Springer - He was actually pretty good. They are so cute!

Vivica A. Fox - Very good - she can really shake her booty!

Joey Lawrence - definitely the best of the night!

Sara Evans - Much much better. She's still a little stiff.

Gerald's Game - #9

3 out of 4 stars

This book was interesting to say the least. It is the story of Gerald and Jessie (whose a knitter) Burlingame. While Jessie is handcuffed to the bed in their summer home Gerald dies accidentally. Now Jessie is alone - or is she? While tied to the bed Jessie begins to fight her demons in her mind and night begins to fall. This is when she realizes that she has a visitor that belongs in a nightmare but is it real? This is a very dark book. Although what else would one expect from Stephen King? I did not expect the twist that came at the end of the book though. I will just say that it is a pretty happy ending for a King book. This book also proves my theory that people in reality are always scarier than the monsters of fiction. If you're faint of heart you need to pass over this one. However, if you're a King fan or suspense/horror fan in general you will enjoy this one.

The Phantom of the Opera (1925)

4 out of 4 stars

All I can say about this movie is wow. It is so amazingly good. I have never been a fan of silent movies but this one was excellent. I read the book earlier this year and this movie is the closest adaptation of the book I have seen. Lon Cheney is excellent as the Phantom. Even though his make-up is not scary by today's standards I can see how people fainted at the sight of it in 1925. I highly recommend this film for all my fellow Phantom fans out there.

Freaks (1932)

3 out of 4 stars

I was surprised that I actually enjoyed this movie. This is the story of the circus sideshow performers who are the freaks of the movie. The leader,a dwarf named Hans, is seduced by the beautiful trapeze artist Cleopatra. She and her boyfriend, Hercules, enjoy making Hans fall in love with Cleo and make fun of him. The real problem begins when Cleo learns that Hans has inherited a very large sum of money and decides to marry him. She wastes no time and starts poisoning him at the wedding feast. Once the others get wind of the ploy they decide to take action and get their revenge on Hercules and Cleopatra. This movie was way ahead of its time. You are actually rooting for the freaks of the film which is not something you would expect from a film made in the 1930s. This movie was banned in several countries as well as in several town in America. It was very controversial for its time and still is.

Peeping Tom (1960)

2 out of 4 stars

I really did not enjoy this movie. I thought of only giving it 1 star but decided to give it 2 just because of its cult status. Like most movies that become cult hits this film - to me - is just bad. It is the story of Mark who enjoys filming women as he kills them. He meets Helen and tries to cure his compulsion while vowing to never harm her. The ending is hokey and the acting is way over the top. It's one of those movies like Pink Flamingos that you hear such a buzz about you have to see what it is all about but don't ever want to see again. I deleted it off the DVR as soon as it was over.

Celebrity Duets

Week 3 pairings

Lucy Lawless & Dionne Warwick - uh I didn't like it. I like Rupert Everret's version in My Best Friend's Wedding better.

Alfonso Ribeiro & Deniece Williams - even with throat issues he is so good. He should be there at the end for sure.

Carly Patterson & Jesse McCartny - I love Beautiful Soul and she killed it. She always sings out of tune - please let her be gone tomorrow!

Hal Sparks & Dennis DeYoung - He is not the best singer but I still love him and think he did great.

Cheech Marin & Aaron Neville - I didn't like it but I think that's more because I can not STAND Aaron Neville

Jai Rodriguez & Taylor Dayne - Again he rocked the house! He needs to come out with an album NOW!

I hope Carly is going home but I have a feeling it will be Cheech.

Dancing with the Stars

Another season of my second favorite reality show (American Idol being #1). For the first week the men do the Cha Cha Cha and the women dance the Fox Trot. Here it goes.

Joey Lawrence - when did he shave his head bald? All I can say is Whoa! Sorry, I couldn't resist. He's no Drew Lachey but not bad.

Sara Evans - She is just as cute as a button! Pretty good - kind of boring though.

Tucker Carlson - I love how he had his bow tie on at the beginning. It was entertaining but not good - kind of like Kenny Mayne in season 2

Monique Coleman - I did not even know who she was - I am getting old. Not bad but I thought she was going to fall over at one point.

Emmitt Smith - I was very impressed. He was very good - best so far.

Willa Ford - Very good. She is very graceful.

Mario Lopez - WOW!! He was AMAZING! The Latin boy can shake his bob bon like Ricky Martin.

Shanna Moakler - By far the ugliest dress of the night. She lost me half way through also.

Harry Hamlin - Not bad but kind of stiff - I think he'll be great at the more traditional dances. He is still so handsome too!

Vivica A. Fox - The best woman of the night without a doubt. She seems very natural.

Jerry Springer - He is the one I have been looking forward to seeing for awhile now. I think he just maybe this year's George Hamilton.

My predictions for who's going home is either Tucker Carlson or Shanna Moakler (though she may get the sympathy vote).

I think the front runners are Joey Lawrence, Emmitt Smith, Mario Lopez and Vivica A. Fox.

The Time of Their Lives (1946)

4 out of 4 stars

I absolutely adore this movie. This was the second, and last, movie where Abbott and Costello did not play a team. Costello plays Horatio Prim who, along with Melody Allen (played by Marjorie Reynolds), was wrongly shot for being a traitor to the Colonial troops during the Revolutionary War. There is a cursed placed on their souls and they are bound to the grounds of Melody's fiancee,Tom's, plantation. Then 160 years later Abbott arrives with a young couple who have restored the mansion. They all must find the proof to set Horatio and Melody free. This is a very funny and cute movie. I will add this to our DVD collection - I can see myself watching this many times.

The Incredible Shrinking Man (1957)

3 out of 4 stars

A great sci-fi classic. When Scott Carey and his wife Louise spend a peaceful day on his brother's boat they never imagined what would happen. After Louise goes below deck to get Scott a beer a strange fog rolls in. Scott is covered in a mist of unknown origins. Once Scott and Louise get back from their vacation, Scott starts getting smaller. The doctors determine that he was exposed to intense radiation but don't know how to help him. As he shrinks he begins to see the danger in the world around him - a spider, a flooded basement, even his own cat. The ending is very thought provoking. I liked that this movie was not "dumbed down" like so many others like it made in the 50s. I highly recommend it.

Celebrity Duets

So another week of celebrity duets. Here are my reviews of tonight's pairings.

Hal Sparks & Wynonna - I really like him. His voice is so gravely and rock and roll - I love it!
Lea Thompson & Belinda Carlisle - that was just bad. She is so out of tune all the time - are these judges deaf? Whatever happened to Belinda Carlisle? I LOVED her!
Cheech Marin & Clint Black - he is not the best singer but I like him. Again, what happened to Clint Black? I remember that the critics said he would be bigger than Garth Brooks - man did they ever get that wrong!
Alfonso Ribiero & Jeffrey Osborne - This was really good. You can tell Alfonso has been performing since he was very young. Why though do they insist on having two guys singing On the Wings of Love?
Carly Patterson & Anita Pointer -she still sounds like she's in a high school talent show.
Jai Rodriguez & Brian McKnight - I am so glad he got Brian McKnight! Their voices and styles blend so well together. Plus Brian is one of my favorite artists. Even though Jai was sick he was amazing!
Lucy Lawless & Kenny Loggins - uh no that was horrible. You could barely hear her.

I think either Lea Thompson or Carly Patterson will be going home. We will see tomorrow.

"Til Death

I wasn't sure about this show - it seemed like a Everybody Loves Raymond rip off. I am glad I gave it a chance. Brad Garrett and Joely Fisher play a couple who have been married for 20 years. They are just plodding along when their new neighbors move in - and they're newlyweds. The show was pretty funny and I actually laughed out loud when Eddie and Jeff are driving to work together and discuss Jeff's last name - Woodcock - and at the pool table scene at the end. All in all it seems to be a pretty cute show.

The Palm Beach Story (1942)

3 out of 4 stars

This is such a cute movie. Claudette Colbert and Joel McCrea star as Tome and Geraldine Jeffers. They are a young married couple who happen to be broke. One day "Gerry" gets the brilliant idea to leave her husband, marry a rich man and give Tom money to make his dream - an airport suspended over the city. She leaves him and takes the train to Palm Beach where she meets one of the richest men in America. The only hitch in the plan is that Tom has followed her. She has to cover so she says that he's her brother - and the millionaire's sister can't wait to get her claws into Tom. The ending is pretty hokey but a lot of them were back then. All in all this is a funny and enjoyable movie

Ragu No Frying Chicken Parmesan

This is an excellent and easy recipe. I have made it a couple of times and it is always good. I usually make this with only two chicken breasts. I put more sauce on Jerry's and less on mine. I am not a big tomato based sauce fan and Jerry loves sauce of any kind. I serve angel hair pasta on the side with the left over spaghetti sauce. I highly recommend this for all my fellow chicken parm lovers out there.

It Came From Outer Space (1953)

3 out of 4 stars

This is one of the best space invaders movies of the 1950s. It revolves around an astronomer, John Putnam, and his girlfriend, Ellen, who see something crash into the Arizona desert behind his house. When they go to investigate John finds a flying sauce. Unfortunately there is a rock slide that covers the space ship so no one believes him except Ellen. However, once the people in the town start acting strange the other citizens decide to fix the "martians". I love these old sci-fi and horror movies. Most of them actually have a good message behind them. The message of this movie is that just because someone looks different and comes from a different place they are not necessarily a danger. This movie is considered by many sci-fi aficionados to be one of the best of its genre. It is a fun movie and I highly recommend it.

12 Angry Men (1957)

4 out of 4 stars

This is one of the greatest movies ever made. The story revolves around a jury determining the fate of a 18 year old boy on trial for murdering his father. If they find him guilty he will be executed in the electric chair. Henry Fonda is brilliant as the only juror who wants to even discuss the possibility of the boy being innocent. As the debate continues he manages to put reasonable doubt into some of his fellow juror's minds. The rest of the cast is also amazing - including Jack Klugman and Jack Warden. This is #15 on the IMDB all time greatest films and I could not agree more.

Sorry, Wrong Number (1948)

4 out of 4 stars

I absolutely love this movie. It stars Barbara Stanwyck as an invalid who overhears a conversation. She hears two men plotting the death of a woman that night at 11:15pm. As the story unfolds through flashbacks she realizes that it maybe her death the men were discussing. This is a wonderful and suspense filled film-noir. Even though I feel that Stanwyck was sometimes over the top with her acting she does make you feel her fear and apprehension. The ending is one of the best in film history. I highly recommend this for all the suspense fans out there.

The Mouse Who Roared (1959)

3 out of 4 stars

This is one of the funniest movies I have seen in awhile. The nation Grand Fenwick, the smallest country in the world, is in trouble. The main source of the country's revenue, a wine they export to California, has been reproduced in America at a much lower price. The powers that be in Grand Fenwick decide that to get out of their problem they will invade the USA, start a war, lose and reap the bountiful rewards America lavishes on the countries it defeats in war. However, they invade New York City on the day that the new Q bomb, which is stronger than the H bomb, is being tested. No one is out in the streets and no one pays attention to their deceleration of war. They capture the bomb and and the scientist that invented it and go home where everyone is surprised they actually won. Now the USA has to backtrack so they can save face. Peter Sellers is hilarious in his triple roles of the Prime minister, a soldier and (my favorite) The Grand Duchess. I definitely recommend this one!