Crazy Knitter Reviews

Dance War - Round #3

2008-02-11T21:29:00.000-05:00

So tonight is the last night the viewers get to vote for their favorite team. Of course we will be losing a third contestant tonight before the voting begins. Here we go!

Team Carrie Ann: Conga
- that was really good. The dancing and singing were both right on point. I think it is their best performance yet.

Team Bruno: Sway
- not bad. One of the team's stronger peformances by far. Not as good as Team Carrie Ann's however.

Team Carrie Ann: I Need to Know
- another excellent performance. They just seem to be just head and shoulders over where Bruno's team is.

Team Bruno: Wind Up
- it was alright but I am not that impressed. The dancing was good but the vocals lacked somewhat.

Bruno is so cute. I loved his reaction whern his team was announced as the winner. So Carrie Ann eliminated Alyssa and I am shocked. I know Elizabeth worked hard but she is the weakest dance on the team by far. I think Carrie Ann's team will end up winning because they are just a lot better. We will see next week.

Dance War - Round #3

2008-02-04T21:27:00.000-05:00

So once again we will be losing one member of the team with the lowest votes. However, before that happens we get to watch the teams perorm two more routines. Here we go!

Team Carrie Ann: Devil Went Down to Georgia
- it was pretty good. Some of the dance moves were a little hokey but then again that song is hokey.

Team Bruno: Life is a Highway
- oh that was not good at all. Philip started 1/2 a key to low, Zach about fell on his ass and Tony was way out of tune. They really need to step it up.

Team Carrie Ann: Big Black Horse and the Cherry Tree
- first, this is not a country song. Second, I found the performance a little bland and boring. The only exciting thing was Qis shirtless.

Team Bruno: These Boots Are Made for Walking
- again, this IS NOT a country song. However, that was much better. Kelsey and Lacey were very hot and sexy.

So Team Bruno lost again and he eliminated Tony. I am not surprised since Tony can not seem to sing a note in tune. I am not sure who will win this week since they both had one bad and one good performance. If Carrie Ann's team loses I think it will be Elizabeth to go and if it is Bruno's team I have no idea who is going to go.

Dance War - Round #2

2008-01-28T19:59:00.000-05:00

So tonight we will learn which team received the lowest vote total and therefore has to lose a member. We also get to see the teams perform two more routines.

Team Bruno: Think
- it was ok. Lacey forgot the words at the start of the first chorus and went off key in some places.

Team Carrie Ann: Papa Was A Rolling Stone
- it was pretty good. There were some mishaps with the mike stands but nothing to bad.

Team Bruno: Caught Up
- the dancing was great. However, the vocals were brutal! Tony was especially bad.

Team Carrie Ann: Upside Down
- much much better. The best performance of the night by far. I do not get what Bruno and Carrie Ann are listening to!

So Bruno's team lost and he chose Kelsey and Charity for his bottom two. I think Kelsey got a raw deal and Tony should have been up there. I agree with his decision to let Charity go. Now we have to wait to see who else will be leaving us next week.

Dance War - Round #1

2008-01-21T21:33:00.000-05:00

So tonight is the start of the real competition. The two teams will compete for America's vote. The team with the lowest number of votes will lose a member next week.

Team Bruno: A Little Less Conversation - it was really good. All three of the guys - Tony, Zack and Phillip - can really sing.

Team Carrie Anne: Run It - it was ok but they need to step it up to compete with Bruno's team. It sucks that Chris' microphone wasn't working though.

Team Bruno: SOS - it was good but not as great as the first one. Charity lost her voice at one point in the song.

Team Carrie Anne: terrific job. Much better than their first performance. On this team it is the girls who can blow!

I think Bruno's team may have the advantage. Although if Carrie Anne's team does lose I have no idea who will go home. If Bruno loses either Charity or Philip could leave.

Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles

2008-01-21T19:51:00.000-05:00

The continuation of our favorite sci-fi movie series. In this show Sarah and John Connor are on the run from the authorities in 1999. They thought they had destroyed SkyNet, the computer defense system that declares war on mankind, but terminators are still hunting them. John is 15 and it is hard to believe that is is the leader or the human resistance movement. Soon John and Sarah learn that the future John has sent back a young female terminiator to protect him. Now they must travel to 2007 to destroy SkyNet once again.

I really like this show. Lena Headey is wonderful as the mother of the future Sarah. Thomas Dekker and Summer Glau are also very good as John and his terminator bodyguard Cameron. Finally, one of my favorite hotties, Richard T. Jones, is great as James Ellison, the FBI agent hunting for Sarah and John. If you are a fan of the movies you will really enjoy this show.

American Gladiators

2008-01-21T19:37:00.000-05:00

I am not afraid to admit that I loved this show as a kid. So of course I had to watch the new version when it came on. While there are no hotties on the new version, unlike Malibu and Nitro from the original, it is pretty good. All of the favorite games are back, like joust and my favorite assault. Also every show ends with a run through the classic eliminator. I could do without Hulk Hogan and Laila Ali as the hosts but they are not so bad that it would make me turn off the show. All in all this is just good cheesy entertainment.

The Boleyn Inheritance by Phillippa Gregory - #1

2008-01-13T20:05:00.000-05:00

Another wonderful book by one of my new favorite authors. This book is told by three very different women. The first is Anne of Cleaves, the fourth wife of King Henry the VIII. We learn that she can not wait to leave her homeland and go to England because her brother, the Duke of Cleaves, hates her. However, she has been told by her mother that she needs to be a proper young lady and appear to be a slut. When she arrives Henry hates her immediately and soon set her aside. Next is Jane Boleyn, the sister-in-law of Queen Anne Boleyn. She has returned to court to serve the new Queen Anne after her exile. She gave the testimony against Anne Boleyn and her husband, George, that sent them to the executioner's block. Now she is back to serve her uncle and help the family achieve greatness again. The final women is Katherine Howard. She is a young maid who is a Boleyn cousin. She comes to court at the age of 14 to serve the new queen and soon catches the eye of the King. Soon she finds herself the part of the Howard/Boleyn plot to regain the throne and is married to Henry, a man old enough to be her father. Soon she falls in love with one of his groomsmen and that is the beginning of the end for her.

I really enjoyed this book. I love how Gregory can make you feel connected to women who lived over 450 years ago. She was able to give these three different women their own distinct voice which I thought was amazing. Reading these books make me so thankful that women today have so many opportunities and freedom. We all really need to thank these women who paid the ultimate price for what we have. If you like historical fiction you will love this book.

Golden Globes

2008-01-13T19:53:00.001-05:00

Normally I would make my predictions on the winners of the Golden Globe awards. However, without the ceremony taking place some of the fun has been taken out of it for me. I was going to do it anyway but I figured since nothing else is the same this year than why should I? I will watch the press conference though but this really sucks. I support the writers 100% but it still sucks.

It Ain't All About the Cookin' by Paula Deen - #15

2007-12-19T20:21:00.000-05:00

The memoirs of one of the Food Network's most popular stars. In this book Paula opens up and is very frank about her life. She talks about her childhood in Albany, Georgia where the food her mother and grandmother made had a big influence on her at an early age. We also learn about her marriage at 18 and the difficulties she and her husband had. She also discusses her battles with agoraphobia and getting her business off the ground. We find out that she had a 10 year affair with a married man and that her blended family did not blend so well at first. She gives tips on how to start a restaurant and describes how she became friends with former president Jimmy Carter and his wife, Rossalyn.

I really enjoyed this book. It was full of the humor Paula is known for. I have always liked watching her show because she reminds me so much of my own mother. The book also contains some yummy recipes, including her mother-in-law's banana walnut cake which I can not wait to try. I really recommend this book to all my fellow Paula fans. With this book I reached my goal of 15 books for the year. Maybe next year I will aim for 20!

Rudolph, the Red Nosed Reindeer

2007-12-12T20:49:00.000-05:00

This is another favorite from my childhood. Rudolph is born to Donner, Santa's lead reindeer, but he has a problem. His nose is red and glows. His parents try to hide it but one day at the reindeer games his fake nose falls off. Soon the other reindeer are laughing at him and will not allow him to play anymore games. He decides to set off because he is such a misfit. He leaves with Hermey, a misfit elf who wants to be a dentist, and they soon meet up with a prospector named Yukon Cornelius. Along their journey the meet the Abominable Snow Monster and land on the Island of Misfit Toys. Soon Rudolph leaves his friends because the monster is following his nose and he does not want them to be hurt. When he arrives home he learns that his family has left to look for him. He manages to save the day and even leads Santa's sleigh during the worst Christmas storm in history.

I love this special. It gives a wonderful message to kids but it is also very entertaining. The music is wonderful and I always laugh at the end when Cornelius brings in Abominable to show he has changed. Burl Ives is also terrific as the narrator, a talking snowman named Sam. A great family classic.

Dr Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas

2007-12-12T20:40:00.000-05:00

This is my all-time favorite Christmas special. The Whos in Whoville love Christmas. Every year they open gifts, play with their noisy toys, sing songs and have a large feast. This really gets under the skin of their neighbor to the north, the Grinch. One year he decides that he can not take anymore Christmas from the Whos so he needs to stop Christmas from coming. He makes a Santa suit and hat, dresses his dog up as a reindeer and goes on his way. He goes into town an steals everything - the trees, food and toys of all the Whos. However, once the sun rises and he hears the Whos singing he realizes that he Christmas is much more than a feast and gifts.

I have seen this so many times that I know most of the lines by heart. I never saw the Jim Carey version because, to me, it can not even compare. Boris Karloff is wonderful as the narrator and the voice of the Grinch. If there is anyone left out there who has not seen this they need to be tied down and forced to watch it immediately!

A Charlie Brown Christmas

2007-12-04T19:36:00.000-05:00

This is one of my all-time favorite Christmas specials. Charlie Brown is depressed because he does not know what the true meaning of Christmas is. He is slated to direct a play with his friends as the stars and he is not sure how he is going to pull it off. Soon though everything is falling apart and he becomes very frustrated. He feels that everything he touches, including the sad little tree he bought, is ruined. Can his friends help him discover the true and important meaning of Christmas?

I remember watching this every year with my om when I was little. It is still as wonderful to me now as it was then. I love that Charles Schultz bucked the network and kept the religious monologue in the special. I hope to one day watch this with my children.

The Ghosts of Sleath by James Herbert - #14

2007-12-02T20:19:00.000-05:00

An interesting and creepy ghost story. David Ash works as a paranormal researcher. His newest assignment will take him to the small English village of Sleath. He has been called there by the daughter of the local priest, Grace Lockwood. Grace is very worried about the tension she can feel in the village. Everyone is on edge and several strange deaths have taken place. She wants David to prove the paranormal phenomenon but he always tries to disprove paranormal activity. However, Grace and David soon learn that they are both drawn to each other in a very strange way. It is almost like they are connected spiritually even though they have never met. Soon they are investigating the bloody history of the town, much to Reverend Lockwood's chagrin. It seems that his family has run the village for several centuries and that the sins of his forefathers maybe causing the horrors in Sleath.

I really enjoyed this book. Herbert really sets the stage for the ending well. While it was slightly slow at times overall he was really able to build the tensions. Some of the characters were not as well developed as they could have been but that was simply because of a lack of space. If you like scary stories this book is a definite must read.

Cowboy Spaghetti

2007-11-27T21:09:00.000-05:00

This recipe was the cause of a very rare occurrence in this household. My husband and I both loved it! We actually fought over who was going to take the leftovers for lunch tomorrow. Here is what I did or would do differently.

1) I would use more than 3 slices of bacon next time. Maybe 5 slices because I love bacon and it shrinks so much when you cook it.
2) I only used the tomato sauce. I do not like huge chunks of tomatoes and this made more than enough sauce for us.
3) I only used a half pound of spaghetti and that was plenty.
4) I substituted chicken stock for the beer. I would have used beef stock but I did not have any and the chicken worked just fine.
5) I added some cumin since I did not use the fire roasted diced tomatoes. I am not sure how much, maybe a 1/2 tablespoon, and it added a nice smokiness.

All in all this is a definite keeper!

Dancing with the Stars - Finale

2007-11-26T21:00:00.000-05:00

So we are at the end of another season. Tonight the final three will once again dance two dances. They will have to perform a dance style of the judge's choosing and a freestyle (which means lifts!) Here we go!

Judge's Choice:
1) Mel B. (Cha Cha) - another very solid performance. I really enjoyed it.
2) Marie Osmond (Samba) - it was not very good. It was not fast and hard enough for the Samba.
3) Helio Castroneves (Jive) - I think it was by far one of his best performances. If he does not win I will be very disappointed.

Freestyle:
1) Mel B. - it was pretty good. That last lift was amazing.
2) Marie Osmond - oh that was bad also. Jonathan is a genius though. The fact that she is acting as a mechanical toy means her dancing has to be bad!
3) Helio Castroneves - that was great! That is how to play on a theme and not take it overboard unlike the previous dance.

So who will win the mirrorball trophy? I hope it is Helio or Mel but I have a strange feeling the Osmond fans may take the prize.

Dancing with the Stars - Week #9

2007-11-19T21:29:00.000-05:00

I can not believe we are already to the semifinals. Tonight the three women and lone guy must dance two dances. They will pick their favorite Latin and ballroom styles. Here we go!

Ballroom Round:
1) Marie Osmond (Quick Step) - that was very good. Her footwork was excellent from what I could see. A big improvement over last week.
2) Mel B. (Waltz) - that was wonderful. Those moving splits were amazing! It was beautiful and elegant.
3) Jennie Garth (Tango) - it was pretty good. The first tango she did was so wonderful that this paled by comparison for me. However, much better than last week.
4) Helio Castroneves (Fox Trot) - that was great! Sometimes the Fox Trot can be boring for me but that was a terrific dance.

Latin Round:
1) Marie Osmond (Mambo) - it was pretty good. She needs to loosen up more. It was a fun routin though.
2) Mel B. (Paso Doble) - that was excellent. She was scary with that whip in the beginning. She is by far the best woman left in the competition.
3) Jennie Garth (Cha Cha) - that was great! One of her best dances of the entire competition.
4) Helio Castroneves (Cha Cha) - another terrific performance. I love watching his, goofy smile and all.

So who will fall short of the final? In all honesty it should be Marie but I have a feeling Jennie may end up in the cold. We will find out tomorrow.

Dancing with the Stars - Week #8

2007-11-12T21:30:00.000-05:00

Tonight the stars will once again have to dance two dances - a ballroom and a latin. It is getting down to the wire so here we go!

First Round:

1) Jennie Garth (Jive) - it was good and entertaining. I just do not know if it is good enough to win the competition.
2) Cameron Mathison (Waltz) - that was very good. I think it is probably hard to dance to the Harry Potter theme.
3) Marie Osmond (Rumba) - that was actually pretty good. I am pleasantly surprised by her performance.
4) Helio Castroneves (Paso Doble) - that was excellent. Even though he left character once and smiled I still liked it.
5) Mel B. (Tango) - once again she was excellent. She is really becoming the star of the show.

Second Round:

1) Jennie Garth (Fox Trot) - once again to was good but not great. She maybe in trouble tonight.
2) Cameron Mathison (Cha Cha) - it was alright. He seemed a little uptight.
3) Marie Osmond (Jive) - that was really campy and cheesy. It was entertaining though but not good enough.
4) Helio Castoneves (Quick Step) - that was great. I loved how he kissed her at the end - from the look she gave him she was not expecting it.
5) Mel B. (Mambo) - another great performance. It was wonderful.

So who will leave. While I think Marie should she could get the sympathy vote. Jennie maybe gone after two weak performances tonight. We shall see tomorrow night.

Dancing with the Stars - Week #7

2007-11-05T21:45:00.000-05:00

So tonight should be interesting after Sabrina's shocking elimination last week. Again the couples will dance two different dances, a ballroom and a Latin. Here we go.

Ballroom Round:

1) Helio Castroneves (Tango) - a pretty good start. Maybe not his strongest dance but it was alright.
2) Marie Osmond (Quick Step) - I really enjoyed it! I think that was her best dance so far.
3) Mel B. (Fox Trot) - it was ok. I was not impressed. Plus that ugly outfit made her butt look really big.
4) Jane Seymour (Quick Step) - that was very good. Ballroom is definitely her thing.
5) Jennie Garth (Waltz) - that was beautiful. Very classy and elegant.
6) Cameron Mathison (Quick Step) - oh that was not good. He looked very awkward and his footwork was really off.

Latin Round:

1) Helio Castroneves (Samba) - it was good. He can shake his hips when he wants to. However, her fun fur outfit must go!
2) Marie Osmond (Cha Cha) - I really liked it. It was fun and entertaining.
3) Mel B. (Paso Doble) - it was good. I did not think it was her best but she is better than a lot of people.
4) Jane Saymour (Cha Cha) - it was ok. She is way to uptight and does not shake her hips enough.
5) Jennie Garth (Rumba) - that was wonderful! Romantic and sexy without being skanky.
6) Cameron Mathison (Jive) - that was excellent! His footwork was spot on and he did not oversell it at all.

So who will leave? After last week it could be anyone but if there is any justice it will be Jane.

Dancing with the Stars - Week #6

2007-10-29T21:30:00.000-04:00

So another week of our favorite reality competition. Tonight the stars must learn two dances, one in a style they have not danced yet and a group dance. Here we go!

1) Sabrina Bryan (Fox Trot) - it was not her best performance. I thought it was a little boring to be honest.
2) Jennie Garth (Mambo) - much better than last week. However, I still feel her holding something back.
3) Jane Seymour (Jive) - it was ok. Again not her strongest dance.
4) Cameron Mathison (Samba) - there must be something in the air tonight because no one is impressing me. It was not that good. Maybe it's because I'm sick.
5) Mel B. (Rumba) - finally a great performance. It was very passionate and wonderful.
6) Marie Osmond (Paso Doble) - it was again ok. She had a wonderful character though.
7) Helio Castroneves (Cha Cha) - it was pretty good. Again not his best dance but one of the better ones of the night.

So who will leave? I think Jane maybe in trouble. Cameron or Marie could also go home. We will see tomorrow.

Michigan Haunts and Hauntings by Marian Kuclo - #13

2007-10-29T19:51:00.001-04:00

A interesting book of local ghost stories, Marian Kuclo, aka the Green Witch Gundella, was a famous storyteller in the Metro Detroit area. As a descendant of the Green Witches of Scotland she was called into many paranormal investigations. This book is a collection of many local fables as well as her own haunting experiences. The book contains Native American legends, residual hauntings, out of body experiences, helpful hauntings and haunted houses among others. The stories, while not very scary, were all very interesting. I can see why Gundella was such a popular public speaker before her death in 1993. I love reading stories about places I can picture in my head. This was the perfect book to read just before Halloween.

Dancing with the Stars - Week #5

2007-10-22T21:30:00.000-04:00

Tonight it is Latin week. The contestants will either dance the sexy rumba or the upbeat samba. Here we go!

1) Marie Osmond (Samba) - it was ok but she has done better. She seemed a little uptight. I'm glad she is ok though - that was scary.
2) Jane Seymour (Rumba) - that was very good. It was very classy. Who says older women can't be sexy? On a side note I wish I had her body at 31 let alone at 56.
3) Mark Cuban (Samba) - it was ok. I thought it was one of his better performances.
4) Sabrina Bryan (Rumba) - wow that was hot! Again sexy and classy, not trashy.
5) Jennie Garth (Samba) - she has a couple of miscues but all in all it was pretty good. She is really starting to come into her own.
6) Helio Castroneves (Rumba) - wow that was amazing. By far the best dance of the night so far. I do not know what the judges were talking about!
7) Mel B. (Samba) - it was very good. However, having her dance to a Spice Girls song was a little cheesy.
8) Cameron Mathison (Rumba) - wow that was HOT! I swear they are a perfect match - they are both so beautiful.

So who will leave tomorrow? After last week I think anyone could be vulnerable. Mark and Marie maybe in trouble just because of the low scores. We will have to wait and see.

Dancing with the Stars - Week #4

2007-10-15T21:29:00.000-04:00

Tonight it will be the Paso Doble (another one of my favorites) and Viennese Waltz. This should be another interesting night. Here we go!

1) Mark Cuban (Waltz) - much better than last week. I think ballroom is his strength. He is not the best dance but I have seen worse.
2) Sabrina Bryan (Paso Doble) - another great performance. She really stayed in character and she looked sort of mean!
3) Jane Seymour (Waltz) - that was wonderful. A very graceful and elegant performance.
4) Floyd Mayweather (Paso Doble) - it was pretty good but he lost it in a couple of places. That leap was pretty amazing though!
5) Mel B. (Waltz) - another very solid performance. On a side note, what was up with Max's outfit? He looked like a drunk groomsman at the end of a wedding reception.
6) Cameron Mathison (Paso Doble) - a major improvement from the last few weeks. That was really good.
7) Marie Osmond (Waltz) - another good performance. It was not flashy but it was solid.
8) Jennie Garth (Paso Doble) - that was great! she is really coming into her own.
9) Helio Castroneves (Waltz) - that was wonderful. He is quickly becoming my favorite.

So who will be leaving tomorrow night? This is tough but I think Mark and Floyd maybe vulnerable. We shall see.

Back on Blossom Street by Debbie Macomber - #12

2007-10-11T19:05:00.000-04:00

The third installment in the Blossom Street series. In this book we once again meet Lydia Hoffman-Goetz, the proprietor of the yarn shop A Good Yarn. Once again she decides to start a knitting class to bring some new people together. Her prayer shawl class has two new faces and one old one. Susannah own the flower shop next door to A Good Yarn. She decides to take the class and invites her employee along. Colette Blake is a total mystery. She is a recent widow who quit her high paying job for minimum wage and moved from her large house to the apartment over A Good Yarn. Every one thinks Colette is just grieving but she has a secret. She had a one night stand with her former boss and is now pregnant. To make matters worse she found out that the father is involved in dangerous and illegal activities. The old face of the class is Alix Townsend. Alix has a completely different life from when we met her in the first book. She now works at the French Cafe across from the yarn store and is engaged to be married. However, she is soon disturbed by the elaborate wedding her future mother in law and best friend, Jacqueline, are putting on. Now as the women move through their individual problems we see how they become stronger. We also see how knitting can bring people together.

I also enjoyed this book. I loved this entire series and would love to see a fourth installment in the future. Macomber's writing style is very easy to read. I love how she makes me feel like I know these women personally. This is a very fun and light read and I highly recommend the entire series.

Pushing Daisies

2007-10-09T19:51:00.000-04:00

A very original and interesting show. As a little boy Ned (Lee Pace) learned that he had a special ability. When he touches dead people he can bring them back to life. However, there are two major problems with this situation. He can only keep them alive for one minute or someone else dies in their place and if he touches them again they are gone forever. As a child he brings his mother back but the person who dies in her place was his neighbor who was also the father of his crush, Chuck (Anna Friel). Now as an adult Ned shies away from affection and bakes pies instead. He owns a restaurant called The Pie Hold and this is where he meets Emerson (Chi McBride). Emerson is a private investigator who sees Ned's ability in action. He approaches Ned about teaming up to bring murder victims back to live, ask them who murdered them and collect the reward. Soon though they are on a personal case, Chuck's murder. Now Ned and Emerson, along with Chuck, must solve her murder. There is also the little problem of the two falling in love and not being able to touch each other.

This show was wonderful! I really enjoyed it, more than any show I can remember since Lost a few seasons ago. Even though the two leads, Pace and Friel, are relative unknowns they were wonderful. McBride was very funny as their straight man Emerson. This program is also beautiful to watch. The colors are so vibrant and beautiful. I can not say enough good things about this show. This one is definitely a keeper!

Dancing with the Stars - Week #3

2007-10-08T21:32:00.000-04:00

So tonight it is the tango and the jive. I love the jive so I a excited for tonight. So away we go ...

1) Sabrina Bryan (Jive) - another wonderful performance. She is just so cute and bubbly and the jive suits her personality.
2) Cameron Mathison (Tango) - it was alright. He always has a goofy look on his face when he dances and it is starting to get on my nerves. There was no passion in it though.
3) Mark Cuban (Jive) - that was not good. They were out of sync and it was not fast and up tempo enough.
4) Jennie Garth (Tango) - that was wonderful. It had passion and she was in character. Her best dance so far.
5) Mel B (Jive) - that was terrific. They were perfectly in sync and the turns at the end were wonderful.
6) Wayne Newton (Tango) - it was ok. It was more entertaining than Cameron's for me.
7) Floyd Mayweather (Jive) - I liked it. He has so much energy this was a good dance for him. I still want to pinch his cheeks - if he wouldn't knock me out that is!
8) Jane Seymour (Tango) - I think she did a wonderful job. Her mom is definitely proud of her.
9) Helio Castroneves (Jive) - another solid performance. I love his exuberance and excitement.
10) Marie Osmond (Tango) - that was very good. She is so good at becoming the character of the dance.

So who will be leaving? I think Cameron, Mark or Wayne could all be in trouble. We will find out tomorrow.

Moonlight

2007-10-06T18:08:00.001-04:00

An interesting take on vampires and romance. Mick St John (Alex O'Loughlin) is a private investigator in Los Angeles. He is also a 90 year old vampire. He was bitten by his former wife on their wedding night 60 years ago. Since then he has been feeding off of material from blood banks and solving crimes. The most recent crime he is trying to solve is the murder of a co-ed at a local university. She seems to have puncture wounds on her neck so of course the media is all abuzz with tales of "vampires". Of course they do not know that vampires are real. Now Mick is teaming up with a local reporter, Beth (Sophia Myles), who he saved from his ex-wife when she was a child. Now as they work together they become closer but will Mick allow himself to fall in love with a mortal?

This is an interesting concept but I do not know if it was successful. The second episode is on my DVR and I will watch it. However, if the acting and dialogue do not get better I probably will not record it again. St John was pretty good but Myles seemed wooden and stiff. Right now I am disappointed in what was a great idea.

Big Shots

2007-10-05T21:36:00.000-04:00

A very funny show that has been called the male version of Sex & the City. This is the story of four men, all successful CEOs, who can not get their personal lives straight. Duncan Collingsworth (Dylan McDermot) is the head of a cosmetics company. He is a womanizer who is trying to avoid a major scandal. He also has to deal with his stubborn 19 year old daughter who wants to embarrass him at every opportunity. Karl Mixworthy (Joshua Malina) heads a prominent pharmaceutical company. He loves his wife but he also loves his mistress. Now he is really in trouble because the two women in his life have become best friends. Brody Johns (Christopher Titus) is also married. His problem is that his wife is very demanding and wants everything her way. If she does not get then they both end up miserable. Finally, James Walker (Michael Vartan) earns his CEO position after his boss dies. However, no one knows that the boss fired him before his untimely death. Now James learns that his wife was having an affair with his former employer and he must deal with the consequences.

I really enjoyed this show. It was very funny. Of course having McDerott and Vartan eye candy to look at does not hurt either! It was also nice to see Malina and Titus back on network TV. I highly recommend this show and hope it sticks around.

Dirty Sexy Money

2007-10-04T19:20:00.000-04:00

A new nighttime soap opera from ABC. Nick George's (Peter Krause) father is an attorney with one client - the Darling family. The Darlings, headed by father Tripp (Donald Sutherland) and mother Letitia (Jill Clayburgh), are the richest family in New York City. The Darling family and their demands drove Nick's mother away and kept his father from being there for him. Nick grows up and also becomes a lawyer, but he works on pro bono cases and makes little money. Now his father is dead and the Darlings want him to become their new lawyer. He reluctantly takes the position, mostly for the $10 million dollars Tripp will give him each year for charity. However, he soon realizes how much time and energy the dysfunctional Darling's will take from him. However, he soon learns that his father's plane crash may not be an accident and he becomes determined to learn who may have murdered his dad.

I did not think I would like this show but it is fun. Do not expect high brow entertainment from this show but if you liked 90210 and Melrose Place (like I did) you will like this. The acting is really good. Krause, Sutherland and Clayburgh are all at their best. I will definitely be watching this show all season long.

Dancing with the Stars - Week #2

2007-10-01T21:59:00.000-04:00

So Josie is out, and after her comments on Kimmel last week I am glad she is gone, and we are down to eleven stars. Tonight it is the mambo and the quick step, which is one of my favorites. Here we go!

1) Mel B. (Quick Step) - I think she did very well. Her footwork was really good. On a side note, I always feel bad for the female stars having to do this dance in those heels. That has to be hell to learn.
2) Mark Cuban (Mambo) - I liked it. I think he is doing wonderful for a guy who had a hip replaced a few months ago. You can see the drive that made this guy a billionaire.
3) Wayne Newton (Quick Step) - that was not good. He was clod hopping (as my mother would say) all over the floor.
4) Marie Osmond (Mambo) - that was Pretty dang good! Who know sweet Marie Osmond could shake her booty like that.
5) Albert Reed (Quick Step) - it was pretty good. His footwork was a little off but not to bad over all.
6) Helio Castroneves (Mambo) - that was wonderful! He can really shake it! I love his personality too and it comes through when he dances.
7) Jennie Garth (Quick Step) - it was alright. Her footwork wan not very crisp. I can not believe he fell at the end though.
8) Cameron Mathison (Mambo) - it was ok but it lacked something. He did not see to give it his all.
9) Floyd Mayweather (Quick Step) - another solid performance. He is so cute - I want to pinch his cheeks!
10) Jane Seymour (Mambo) - I think she did pretty well. On another side note I hope to look half as good as she does when I am 56!
11) Sabrina Bryan (Quick Step) - I really enjoyed it. I think she will be the one to beat in the competition.

So I think is might be Mark Cuban's night to exit. Wayne Newton has way to many fans who are going to vote for him. We will see tomorrow night.

Reaper

2007-09-27T18:21:00.000-04:00

This show is Supernatural meets Abbott and Costello. Sam (Bret Harrison) is a college drop out who works at a home improvement store with his best friend, Sock (Taylor Labine). On his 21st birthday strange things begin to happen. His parents are acting strange, he can move objects with his mind and he is being followed by a pack of rabid dogs. Not to mention the fact that the devil is in the backseat of his car. It seems that before Sam was born his parents sold his soul to the devil, payable on his 21st birthday and the devil has come to collect. However, he does not want to take Sam back to hell but he needs his help. He wants Sam to collect the souls that have escaped from hell and bring them back. Now Sam and Sock must collect souls to keep the devil at bay.

This show is hilarious! I thought it might be stupid but it is very tongue in cheek and not afraid to make fun of itself. Harrison and Labine have a great chemistry and play off each other well. I will definitely tune in every week for this little gem.

Dancing with the Stars Week #1 - The Men

2007-09-25T21:28:00.000-04:00

So tonight we get to see the 6 guys in action. Here it goes

1) Cameron Mathison (Fox Trot) - it was pretty good. He was a little stiff but I am sure it was nerves.
2) Floyd Mayweather (Cha Cha) - he was really really good. I think we have another early front runner!
3) Helio Castroneves (Fox Trot) - he was also very good. I was afraid that he would not have the charisma but he is very charming and it showed in his dance.
4) Albert Reed (Cha Cha) - ok I have to wipe the drool off the keyboard. That was hot! He was like Ricky Martin shaking his bon-bon!
5) Mark Cuban (Fox Trot) - not bad I think he has potential. I like how they put the billionaire in a patchwork tramp suit.
6) Wayne Newton (Cha Cha) - that was not the best I've seen but I liked it. He is just so cute! I love these old guys they get for the show.

So after tonight I still think Josie is in danger. We will see tomorrow on the results show.

Journeyman

2007-09-25T19:58:00.001-04:00

A very interesting concept for a show. Dan Vasser (Kevin McKidd) is a journalist living in San Francisco with his wife, Katie (Gretchen Egolf), and son, Zach. The live a normal like until one day when Dan is transported back to 1987. He saves a man, Nail Gaines, from committing suicide. However, when he comes back his wife informs him that he has been gone for two days. Of course his friends and family all think he is on drugs and want him to get help. Now while fighting to save his career and marriage he keeps going back in time and seeing glimpses of Neal's life. He sees Neal, his wife Nicole and son Jordan but does not know what he is supposed to do. Now he must figure out how to help this family before it is to late. Plus he must deal with the fact that he keeps seeing his former fiance, Livia (Moon Bloodgood) who died in a plane crash ten years ago.

I really enjoyed this show. It does not surprise me since one of my favorite books in The Time Traveller's Wife. McKidd's acting is slightly over the top but I can deal with it. It is nice to see the beautiful Bloodgood back on TV after the early cancellation of Daybreak. I think this show has great potential and I hope NBC gives it a chance to find its audience since it is up against some tough competition in Monday Night Football and CSI: Miami.

Dancing with the Stars Week #1 - The Women

2007-09-24T21:27:00.000-04:00

So season number 5 is finally here. Tonight we will be watching the 6 women perform and tomorrow it will be the 6 men. Here we go:

1) Jennie Garth (Cha Cha) - not bad. She seemed a little stiff which I think was from nerves. I think she has potential.
2) Josie Maran (Fox Trot) - it was ok but sort of boring. She maybe the first one to go.
3) Sabrina Bryan (Cha Cha) - I liked it. It was young and fun and suited her personality. She maybe an early favorite.
4) Marie Osmond (Fox Trot) - I think she did really well. It was very beautiful and elegant.
5) Mel B (Cha Cha) - she did really well. On a side note she looks darn good for a woman who had a baby just a few months ago.
6) Jane Seymour (Fox Trot) - that was wonderful. It was graceful and elegant.

So we will see how the guys do tomorrow. If I had to pick based on tonight's performances I would predict that Josie will go home.

Murder! (1930)

2007-09-23T21:22:00.000-04:00

One of Alfred Hitchcock's first talking films. Diana Baring (Norah Baring) is an actress in a local troupe One night another actress from the troupe is murdered and Diana is suspect number one. She soon goes to trial and is convicted of the murder and sentenced to hang. However, one member of the jury is not so sure that she is guilty. Sir John Menier (Herbert Marshall) was pressured by his fellow jurors to vote for Diana's conviction but he never believed that she was guilty. Now he has decided that he needs to investigate what happened to save Diana from her death sentence. He enlists the manager of the troupe, Ted Markham (Edward Chapman), and his wife, Doucie (Phyllis Konstam), to aid him in the investigation and enters the underworld of the show business.

This movie was pretty good. You can see Hitchcock's touches even if it is not up to the caliber of his later works. The interesting thing is that he made the same movie twice at the same time, this one and a German version. If you like a fairly good mystery then you will enjoy this one.

Gossip Girl

2007-09-22T21:54:00.000-04:00

This show is Cruel Intentions for the new generation. Gossip Girl is a anonymous blogger who follows the lives of a group of rich, elite high school prep students. The newest gossip is that former it girl, Serena van der Woodsen (Blake Lively) has returned from a year away at boarding school. She left suddenly and left everyone wondering exactly what drove her away. Now everyone is wondering why she has returned so suddenly. Especially curious is her best friend, Blair Waldorf (Leighton Meester), who is concerned that her boyfriend, Nate Archibald (Chance Crawford), may have feelings for Serena. Now Serena must maintain her reputation while trying to keep her deep dark secret.

I was not sure about this show but I enjoyed it. It is a soap opera like show so it can be cheesy but overall it is pretty good. Some of the acting leaves something to be desired but it is ok to over look that for me. I will definitely be watching this show for the rest of the season.

Back to You

2007-09-22T20:56:00.000-04:00

A new sitcom starring two TV heavyweights. Chuck Darling (Kelsey Grammer) has returned to the TV station in Pittsburgh he left 10 years ago. He was fired from a channel in LA for having an on-air outburst that made its way to You Tube. Now he must swallow his pride and go back to his roots. Of course not everyone is happy to see him return. His co-anchor Kelly Carr (Patricia Heaton) is definitely not glad to see him back. Now they must learn to work together despite their love/hate relationship. Not to mention the one night stand they had the night Chuck left town.

This was a cute show. I laughed once or twice but that was about it. It is hard to see Heaton and Grammer in anything but their signature roles. Hopefully with time it will be easier to not see Deb and Frasier instead of Kelly and Chuck. I will continue to watch but I hope things step up soon.

K-Ville

2007-09-18T21:14:00.000-04:00

The new "groundbreaking" series from Fox. Marlin Boulet (Anthony Anderson) is a cop in New Orleans during the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. One day outside of the Superdome his partner abandons him. Fast forward two years and Marlin is about to get a new partner. Trevor Cobb (Cole Hauser) is a ex-Army man from Cincinnati ready to help New Orleans get back on his feet. Their first case is the murder of a loved local jazz singer during a fund raiser for the 9th Ward Recovery Project. Now Boulet and Cobb must find out who is so willing to stunt the city's recovery process that they will murder for it.

This was a good show but I do not see how it is "groundbreaking". It is a typical cop show with the good cop who does not always do the right thing and the mysterious one we do not know much about. It is strange to see Anderson in a serious role since he is so good at the comedic ones. I love Cole Hauser and I hope this show will be his big breakthrough. I will continue to watch the show but I am not sure how well it will do against Dancing with the Stars and Heroes.

59th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards

2007-09-16T23:10:00.000-04:00

As always my picks will be in italics and the winners will be in bold.

Outstanding Comedy Series:
1) 30 Rock (NBC)
2) Entourage (HBO)
3) The Office (NBC)
4) Two and a Half Men (CBS)
5) Ugly Betty

Outstanding Drama Series:
1) Boston Legal (ABC)
2) Grey's Anatomy (ABC)
3) Heroes (NBC)
4) House (Fox)
5) The Sopranos (HBO)

Outstanding Made for Television Movie:
1) Bury My Heat at Wounded Knee (HBO)
2) Inside the Twin Towers (The Discovery Channel)
3) Longford (HBO)
4) The Ron Clark Story (TNT)
5) Why I Wore lipstick to My Mastectomy (Lifetime)

Outstanding Miniseries:
1) Broken Trail (AMC)
2) Prime Suspect: The Final Act (PBS)
3) The Starter Wife (USA)

Outstanding Reality-Competition Program:
1) American Idol (Fox)
2) Dancing with the Stars (ABC)
3) Project Runway (Bravo)
4) The Amazing Race (CBS)
5) Top Chef (Bravo)

Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Series:
1) Late Night with Conan O'Brien (NBC)
2) The Late Show with David Lettermen (CBS)
3) Real Time with Bill Maher (HBO)
4) The Colbert Report (Comedy Central)
5) The Daily Show with Jon Stewart (Comedy Central)

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series:
1) Alec Baldwin for 30 Rock
2) Ricky Gervais for Extras
3) Tony Shalhoub for Monk
4) Steve Carell for The Office
5) Charlie Sheen for Two and a Half Men

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series:
1) Kiefer Sutherland for 24
2) James Spader for Boston Legal
3) Hugh Laurie for House
4) Denis Leary for Rescue Me
5) James Gandolfini for The Sopranos

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series:
1) Jeremy Piven for Entourage
2) Kevin Dillon for Entourage
3) Neil Patrick Harris for How I Met Your Mother
4) Rainn Wilson for The Office
5) Jon Cryer for Two and a Half Men

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series:
1) William Shatner for Boston Legal
2) T.R. Knight for Grey's Anatomy
3) Masi Oka for Heroes
4) Terry O'Quinn for Lost
5) Michael Emmerson for Lost
6) Michael Imperioli for The Sopranos

Outstanding Lead Actor Miniseries or a Movie:
1) Robert Duvall for Broken Trail
2) Tom Selleck for Jesse Stone: Sea Change
3) Jim Broadbent for Longford
4) William H. Macy for Nightmares and Dreamscapes: From the Stories of Stephen King
5) Matthew Perry for The Ron Clark Story

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie:
1) Thomas Hayden Church for Broken Trail
2) Aidan Quinn for Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee
3) August Schellenberg for Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee
4) Edward Asner for The Christmas Card
5) Joe Mantegna for The Starter Wife

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series:
1) Tina Fey for 30 Rock
2) Felicity Huffman for Desperate Housewives
3) Julia Louis-Dreyfus for The New Adventures of Old Christine
4) America Ferrera for Ugly Betty
5) Mary-Lousie Parker for Weeds

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series:
1) Sally Field for Brothers and Sisters
2) Mariska Hargitay for Law and Order:Special Victims Unit
3) Patricia Arquette for Medium
4) Kyra Sedwick for The Closer
5) Minnie Driver for The Riches
6) Edie Falco for The Sopranos

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series:
1) Jamie Pressly for My Name is Earl
2) Jenna Fischer for The Office
3) Concheta Ferrell for Two and a Half Men
4) Holland Taylor for Two and a Half Men
5) Vanessa Williams for Ugly Betty
6) Elizabeth Perkins for Weeds

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series:
1) Rachel Griffiths for Brothers and Sisters
2) Sandra Oh fro Grey's Anatomy
3) Chandra Wilson for Grey's Anatomy
4) Katherine Heigl for Grey's Anatomy
5) Lorraine Braco for The Sopranos
6) Aida Turturro for The Sopranos

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or a Movie:
1) Queen Latifah for Life Support
2) Helen Mirren for Prime Suspect: The Final Act
3) Mary-Louise Parker for The Robber Bride
4) Debra Messing for The Starter Wife
5) Gena Rowlands for What if God Were the Sun

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Miniseries or a Movie:
1) Greta Scacchi for Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee
2) Anna Paquin for Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee
3) Samantha Morton for Longford
4) Judy Davis for The Starter Wife
5) Toni Collette for Tsumani, the Aftermath

Outstanding Individual Performance in a Variety or Music Program:
1) Ellen Degeneres for The 79th Annual Academy Awards
2) David Lettermen for The Late Show with David Lettermen
3) Stephen Colbert for The Colbert Report
4) Jon Stewart for The Daily Show with Jon Stewart
5) Tony Bennett for Tony Bennet: An American Classic

Nashville

2007-09-16T16:25:00.000-04:00

A new reality series showing the ups and downs of aspiring singer/songwriters in Nashville. In the first episode we get to meet the core cast. Chuck Wicks is preparing for the biggest night of his life, a showcase for executives of RCA records. Clint Mosley, the son of a wealthy jet owner. He is a womanizer who tries to convince one girl that he really cares about her. Rachel is the girl who falls for Clint's lines. She is the daughter of NFL legend Terry Bradshaw who is concerned that the only reason she will be successful is because of who her father is. Jeff Allen is another singer/songwriter who works closely with his roommate, Matt Jenkins. Matt is trying to get back on top after being let go by his record label. Lindsay and Sarah also want to be performers who hang out with Rachel and fall in her shadow. Finally, Mika is the new girl in town. She just moved to Nashville from little Hazard, Kentucky. She lives in the same building as James and Matt. They take her under their wing but can not save her from Clint's charms at th end of episode one. Of course Rachel is not happy and starts plotting Mika's demise.

I like the show although I am not sure how much of it is reality. It seems a little to staged to me but I will take it all with a grain of salt. I hope this show will let us know the dirty underside of the business and does not just sanitize everything for TV. The music was pretty good and I will buy Chuck's album when it comes out for sure!

The Friday Night Knitting Club by Kate Jacobs - #11

2007-09-16T16:12:00.000-04:00

I loved this book. Georgia Walker owns a successful yarn shop, Walker & Daughter, in New York City. She began the shop with the help of her dear friend and mentor Anita, a rich widow. The daughter part of the shop is Dakota, now 12 years old. Georgia has raised Dakota on her own but now Dakota's father, James, has returned. He has decided that he made a mistake in leaving Georgia when she was pregnant an now wants to make it up to both ladies. As time goes on in the shop a group of core women come together to create the Friday Night Knitting Club. KC is a publishing executive and old friend of Georgia's who has recently lost her job. Lucie, a 40-something woman who works a dead end job and wants to have a child, with or without a husband. Darwin, the feminist doing research for her thesis. Her husband lives is doing his residency in LA and she commits a betrayal he may not forgive. Cat, Georgia's best friend in high school turned miserable wealthy trophy wife. As the months go on these women all meet their own challenges and problems but they always know they have the support of their knitting group to fall back on.

This book was a pleasure to read. This was Kate Jacobs first novel but it feels like she has written 100. I love how she takes the acts of knitting - selecting yarn. casting on, ripping it out, etc - and uses them as a theme for the chapters in that section. However, even if you do not knit I think people would enjoy this book. I normally do not like books that shove "we are women hear us roar" themes down your throat but this one was the perfect balance of feminism and reality. There is a movie version of the book in production starring Julia Roberts as Georgia.

The Brave One (2007)

2007-09-11T21:03:00.000-04:00

Hubby and I got to see a sneak preview of this film last night. Erica Bayne (Jodie Foster) is a New York radio personality. She hosts a talk show on a small station about the things she sees and hears while walking the streets of the city. She is engaged to a handsome doctor, David (Naveen Andrews), and all is well until one night. Erica and David are walking their dog through Central Park when they run across a gang of punks. One of them videotapes while the others beat Erica and David. They are rushed to the hospital where David dies and Erica lies in a coma for three weeks. When she awakens she is scared and can not leave her house. She buys a gun illegally and set off on foot in the city she once loved. She is in a convenience store one night when a man comes in a kills the clerk. He stalks her and is going to kill her but she gets to him instead. Now Erica walks the streets at night looking for chances to be, what the media has coined, the vigilante. However, she does not expect to strike up a friendship with Detective Mercer (Terrence Howard), the man investigating her case.

This movie was really good. Foster and Howard had a wonderful chemistry. However, it was strange to see Terrence playing the good guy since he often plays the opposite. It was strange to hear Andrews talking in his native accent rather than his Sayid voice. This film brings up a lot of questions about right, wrong and what you would do in a similar situation. The ending was pretty unbelievable but overall I recommend this movie highly.

The Jane Austen Book Club by Karen Joy Fowler - #10

2007-09-04T20:15:00.000-04:00

A wonderful book about how different people can come together. Jocelyn, Bernadette, Prudie, Allegra, Sylvia and Grigg make up the all Jane Austen book club. They meet each month in each others homes to discuss one of Austen's novels. The idea for the club cam from Jocelyn, a unmarried woman in her 50's who raises ridgebacks. Her best friend Sylvia, whose husband just left her, and her daughter Allegra, a lesbian, are the first two members of the club. Jocelyn also invites Prudie, a high school French teacher, Bernadette, a older woman twice divorced, and Grigg, a young man she met while attending a convention. As the book progresses each member takes on the discussion of their favorite book. This is when we see how their lives are connected to Austen's novels. We also learn that they each have their own personal Austen that the other members do not always agree with. Over the course of their meetings we learn about their dreams, trials and heartaches and we see how they become a real family even though they do not always see eye to eye.

I really enjoyed this novel. I loved how Fowler wrapped the characters lives up with the Austen books. I enjoyed how each of the books characters had their own section dedicated to them because it helped to learn a lot about them in a short manner. Of course many of their stories intertwine and that is also interesting to read. There is a film version of the book coming out in limited release at the end of September. I recommend this book if you like well developed characters, whether you like Austen or not.

Julie (1956)

2007-08-31T20:38:00.000-04:00

This is not your typical Doris Day movie, Day plays Julie Benton, a woman terrorized by her husband, Lyle (Louis Jordan). Lyle is extremely jealous and possessive of Julie and her friends are concerned. her friend Cliff (Barry Sullivan) soon has her thinking that her first husband did not commit suicide but was actually murdered by Lyle. Once this suspicion is concerned Julie decides to go on the run. She heads home to San Francisco and resumes her former job as a stewardess. However, Lyle will not let her go that easily and decides she must die. Soon he finds her and boards one of her flights to finish her off. Now Julie must keep her head because the lives of a plane full of innocent people are in her hands.

This movie was just alright. It was very predictible and the ending was pretty cheesy. The acting by Day was almost over the top but was passable. However, Jordan was chilling as the psychotic Lyle Benton. If you have nothing better to do them this movie is a good time waster.

The Hound of the Baskervilles (1959)

2007-08-31T20:18:00.000-04:00

A nice version of the Sir Arthur Conan Doyle book. According to legend the Baskerville's are cursed because of the actions of one of their ancestors. It seems he roused a hound of hell and paid with his life. Now it seems that the curse is continuing to take victims. When Sir Henry Baskerville (Christopher Lee), the last of his family, inherits the title from his uncle who was murdered there is much concern. A family friend, Dr. Richard Mortimer (Francis De Wolff), decides to consult with Sherlock Holmes (Peter Cushing). Holmes agrees that there is a problem so he sends his sidekick, Dr John Watson (Andre Morell) to the Baskerville estate to see what is going on. Is the hound of hell after the last of the Baskervilles or is it a less supernatural stalker at work?

This was a very good movie. The entire cast was wonderful. I only wish that Cushing made a bigger appearance in the film. I have read that this version is slightly different from the novel so that maybe a problem with fans of the book. There have been several film versions made, but I think this one is worth checking out.

The Honeymoon Killers (1970)

2007-08-28T20:54:00.001-04:00

A strange movie based upon true events. Martha Beck (Shirley Stoler) is an overweight nurse. One day her friend, Bunny (Doris Roberts), convinces her to join a lonely hearts pen pal group. Soon Martha is corresponding with a man named Ray (Tony Lo Bianco). After a few moths of correspondence Tony comes down from NYC to meet Martha. What she does not know is that Ray is a con man who takes women for their money. After he returns he does not contact her again. Bunny and Martha decide to tell Tony that Martha committed suicide and will continue trying to kill herself unless he sees her. He agrees and once he sees her he comes clean about what he does. She agrees to help him by posing as his sister. Soon they are conning women out of their life saving but eventually it turns to murder and this is where things begin to come unravelled.

This movie was not the worst I have ever seen but it was not great. The acting, especially by Stoler, was way over the top. It was interesting to see Doris Roberts in her young days and she was pretty good in her small role. I also do not understand how anyone would ever believe that Martha and Ray were brother and sister. If you have time to kill then go ahead and watch this but if not then leave this one alone.

Jane and the Unpleasantness at Scargrave Manor by Stephanie Barron - #9

2007-08-28T20:27:00.000-04:00

This book takes an interesting look at one of history's greatest authors. Jane Austen has arrived at Scargrave at the request of her friend, Isabel, the new Countess of Scargrave. The Earl and Countess have been married for three months and have just returned from their honeymoon. The Earl is throwing a ball in his bride's honor and she wants her dearest friend there to celebrate with her. However, tragedy befalls the Earl during the party. He becomes very ill and eventually passes away. Soon it is realized that the Earl's death was not an accident but murder. Now suspicion falls upon Isabel and the new Earl, who she has had an intimate relationship with, and Jane must work to save her friend and the Earl from the gallows.

This is the first book of the series and it is pretty good. It is written in journal form which I really like. Barron gives a lot of footnotes so the reader can learn about the lingo and traditions of the era. It was slighly slow for my taste but I still read it fairly quickly. There are nine books in the series so far and I think I will read the second one as soon as some other books are off my list. If you like Austen and mysteries then you may enjoy this book.

The Picture of Dorian Gray (1945)

2007-08-20T20:25:00.000-04:00

This was an interesting and somewhat distrubing film. Dorian Gray (Hurd Hatfield) is a young man who is having his picutre painted by Basil Hallward (Lowell Gilmore). One day while the painting is taking place Basil confides to his friend Lord Henry Wotton (George Sanders) that he feels that the painting has an almost supernatural quality. While posing Dorian remarks in front of an ancien Eqyptian statue that he wishes he could stay young forever while the portrait grows old. Amazingly enough the impossible happens and DOrian does not age at all. It is ten years in the future and he looks exactly the same. However, the portrait soon turns ugly. He meets a young woman named Sibyl Vane(Angela Lansbury) who sings in a local club. They soon fall in love and are engaged. However, Lord Henry gives Dorian the idea to test Sibyl's innocence and she fails. He breaks up with her very cruely and the portrait begins to show signs of distress. As the years wear on the portrait continues to deteriorate with all of DOrian's sins while he stays the same. Now he needs to figure out what he is going to do about his immortality before he loses his soul.

I really enjoyed this movie. I love how they filmed the entire thing in black and white except for when they showed Dorian's portrait. Sanders was a bit of comedic relief in this serious film. Lansbury was wonderfuly innocent and so young and Hatfield wlaked the line of sanity and madness very well. There have been several versions of this film made but I think this one is worth checking out.

The Two Coreys

2007-08-20T20:16:00.000-04:00

I was so excited when I heard about this show. As a child of the 80's I loved all the Corey movies. I was always a Haim girl myself - he was a tween girl's dream! Now they are all grown up (how we all got to be in our 30's I will never know) and have had some interesting lives. The premise of the show is that Haim moves in with Feldman and his wife so he can get his life back on track. He is hoping that the show will help prove that he is clean, sober and ready to work. Of course having another person move in with you is never wasy but it is especially difficult in this case. The Feldman's are vegan neat freaks and Haim is a meat eating slob. He is also very lonely and resents the fact that Corey and Susie are so happy. Now can the two best friends, plus the wife, live together happily or will it end in disaster?

Now this is not a great show by any means but it is entertaining. It brings back childhood memories so I enjoy watching it. If you are not in my age range or were not a Corey fan than you probably will hate this show. They say it is reality but it seems that a lot of it is scripted. For me this is just a bit of brain candy and I am not ashamed to admit it!

Damages

2007-08-17T20:44:00.000-04:00

All I can say about this show is wow! This is one of the best shows I have seen in years. It begins with a young woman stumbling down the streets of Manhattan covered in bloods. When she is picked up by the police we learn that she is Ellen Parsons (Rose Byrne), a young lawyer at Hewes and Associates. In flashbacks we learn how she came to work for one of New York's toughest litigators, Patty Hewes (Glenn Close). Hewes is working on litigation against businessman Arthur Frobisher (Ted Danson). He encouraged his employees to buy stock in the company and sold his before it went belly up. The employees lost their entire life savings and he became a multi-millionaire (think Kenneth Lay). Now Hewes is suing him on behalf of those employees. While Ellen is lead to believe that she was hired simply for his mind we soon learn that Patty had ulterior motives. It seems that Ellen's future sister-in-law, Katie Connor (Anastasia Griffin), catered the party where Frobisher spoke with his stock broker about the situation. Patty needs her to verify that this meeting occured and make Frobisher pay and she will stop at nothing, even murder, to win this case.

I LOVE this show. The first episode was commercial free and it did not seem to last over an hour. Close is wonderful as the single-minded Patty Hewes. Byrne is wonderful as the naive Ellen. She plays the character with just the right amount of sweetness and innocence. I can not reccomend this show enough - it keeps me on the edge of my seat!

Saving Grace

2007-08-17T20:29:00.000-04:00

This is another show I was unsure about but I am glad that I gave it a chance. Grace Hanadarko (Holly Hunter) is a rough and tough Oklahoma City police detective. She lives a life of work, drinking and men. Needless to say she is not the most virtuous woman in the world. Currently she is sleeping with her partner, Ham Tipton (Kenny Johnson), who is married. One night as she is leaving a bar, drunk obviously, she hits a man with her car. She begs God to help her and Earl (Leon Rippy) arrives. He is an angel but is not what you picture when you hear that word. He tells her that he can help her but that she needs to believe and have faith. When she wakes up the guy is gone and all traces of the accident have been erased. As she researches what happened, with the help of CSI officer and her best friend Rhetta Rodriguea (Laura San Giacomo) she learns that the man she hit is sitting on death row. When she visits him he tells her that Earl is also his angel and that he is a last chance angel. It seems that this is their last chance to redem theselves before they souls are lost ofrever.

I really enjoy this show. Robyn has refered to this as Touched By a Cranky Angel and it really is. I love that it is not as gritty as most police shows but is not to sappy at the same time. I love how Hunter and Rippy interact with each other. I can not compare this to any other show but if you like an interesting drama with a good premise then you will enjoy this one.

Rock of Love

2007-08-16T20:16:00.001-04:00

Another great trashy reality show from our friends at VH1. This time instead of Flava Flav looking for love we have Bret Michaels, former lead singer of Poison. The episode starts out with 25 woman who are hoping to win Bret's heart. Outside the house they are greeted by Bret's security guard, Big John, where in picks out five girls who are not given VIP access and are told to go home. Of course this does not go over well but on woman, Tiffany, is especially peeved. She hangs around and eventually weasles her way into the mansion. Once inside she sees the crazy scene that is going on. Woman are drunk, dancing on the bar and acting crazy. Of course their are the usual dramas that occur in these situations. As the season progresses the woman compete in challanges to win dates with Bret and the chance to be his Rock of Love.

I love these train wreck shows. The cattiness and drama is just so much fun to watch. Some of these women are rough and tough and I would not want to meet them alone in a dark alley. I used to LOVE Bret back in my hair band loving middle school years but he has not aged well. There is something about at 40-seomthing year old man wearing eyeliner that is just not sexy. If you are looking for some mindless brain candy that is pretty entertaining then you will enjoy this show.

State of Mind

2007-08-12T21:33:00.000-04:00

I only recorded this show because it stars one of the most underrated actresses (in my opinion), Lili Taylor. However, I was surprised to enjoy it as much as I did. Ann Bellows (Taylor) is a therapist in New Haven, Connecticut. She shares an office with her husband, Phil (Chris Diamantopoulos), two other therapists, Cordelia Banks (Theresa Randle)and James Lecroix (Derek Riddell), and a doctor, Taj Kalid (Mido Hamada). They share a very quirky office manager, Fred (Kevin Chamberlin). In the pilot episode Ann finds out that her husband is having an affair with their couple's therapist. She starts to realize the irony that a therapist's life is in shambles. However, while meeting with her patients she can not keep from daydreaming about the mess her life has become. She kicks Phil out of the house and office and finds a young lawyer, Barry White (Devon Gummersall). The show is the story of Ann trying to get her life back together as well as the craziness that ensues in the office.

I really enjoyed this program. The cast is wonderful, especially Taylor. It is nice to see her in a role that can be very funny at times. I also enjoyed seeing Gummersall all grown up from the days of playing Brian on My So Called Life. All in all this dramedy is worth checking out.

The Woman in Black by Susan Hill - #8

2007-08-12T21:20:00.000-04:00

A creepy little book. Arthur Kipps is a young London lawyer eager to make a name for himself. One day his boss sends him to a town in the English countryside to deal with a case. It seems that a client of the firm, Mrs. Drablow, has died and Arthur needs to take care of the estate. He is to attend the funeral and then go through all the paperwork at Mrs. Drablow's home, Eel Marsh House. While at the funeral he sees an emaciated young woman in black and begins to feel sorry for her. He is sure that she must be a friend or relative of Mrs. Drablow and asks one of his fellow mourners about her. The look on his face is enough to make Arthur's blood run cold. Everyone in town seems to be scared of Eel Marsh House but no one will tell him why. However, as he begins to spend time there he realizes that he is not alone. There are ghostly screams of a child, a rocking chair moving on its own and of course the woman in black. Now Arthur needs to complete the work at Ell Marsh House before he is scared out of his mind.

This was a very creepy book - especially reading it up north in the middle of the woods. The book is ilustrated which is interesting to see in a horror novel. A lot of reviews I have read compare this to The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson and I would agree that it is in the same vein. I was wondering about many things of the book and those questions were not answered until the very end. I love it when a book keeps me guessing. If you like a good story this is a wonderful book for you to read.

The 40 Year Old Virgin (2005)

2007-07-29T22:07:00.000-04:00

A hilarious film. Andy (Steve Carell) is the inventory manager at a local electronics store. One night while out with the guys from work he announces that he is still a virgin. Of course the guys decide that they must help him overcome this horrible fate. The proceed to take him to sleazy bars and give him "help" in picking up women. Of course none of this is working and Andy just ends up embarrassed. One day a beautiful woman, Trish (Catherine Keener), walks into the store and Andy falls head over heels for her. He decides that he wants her to be the one but his friends have other ideas.

This movie was very funny. However, if you do not like crude humor then you should not see this film. Carell was very sweet in his portryal of the virgin Andy. Paul Rudd, Seth Rogen and Romany Malco were hilarious as Andy's friends who will stop at nothing to get him laid. If you like silly and crude movies (like I do) then you need to see this one.

A Good Yarn by Debbie Macomber - #7

2007-07-29T21:49:00.000-04:00

The second of the knitting books by Debbie Macomber. This time it is a year after Lydia Hoffman has opened her yarn shop, A Good Yarn. After her first successful class she has decided to hold another class on how to make socks. Once again she has an eclectic group of people in her class. Courtney is an overweight teen who has moved to town to live with her grandmother for her senior year of high school. Bethanne is a recently divorced mother of two teenagers who needs to finally do something for herself. Elise is a retired librarian who has lost her life savings and is living with her daughter's family. When her pro-gambler ex-husband shows up there is trouble. Through the process of making socks these women become friends and knit their lives together (pun intended).

I loved the first book in the series, The Shop on Blossom Street, so I knew I would like this one. I like how Macomber introduces these new characters as well as keeping us updated on the three students from the original book. A third book in the series, Back on Blossom Street, was released earlier this year. Macomber is quickly becoming on of my favorite authors and I can not wait to read some of her other books.

Stranger Than Fiction (2006)

2007-07-29T21:27:00.000-04:00

This is a very cute movie. Harold Crick (Will Ferrell) leads a very boring life. He does the same thing every day at the same time. His life is all about numbers - he is an IRS agent after all. Soon his world is turned upside down. One morning he begins to hear a woman's voice (Emma Thompson) narrating everything he does. eventually she states that Harold is going to die. He tries to go about his life as normal as possible but that is very difficult. He turns to a literature professor (Dustin Hoffman) to help him make sense of what is going on. He also has a new challange in his way - a beautiful young woman named Ana (Maggie Gyllenhaal) he is auditing. Now he needs needs to find a way to stay alive as well as a way to win over Ana's heart.

This movie was not at all what I was expecting. It was funny but not your typical Will Ferrell slapstick funny. He was excellent though and made you forget his usual zaniness. Maggie Gylenhaal was also terrific as the tough Ana Pascal. Finally, the Emma Thompson storyline was also very interesting. I recomenmd this film highly.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling - #6

2007-07-22T20:56:00.000-04:00

I am not going to spoil this for anyone who has not read it yet. I will say that I loved this and thought it was a wonderful way to end the series. I laughed and I cried (a lot) and really enjoyed reading it. I will read it again sometime soon because I know I missed some things reading it so fast. If you have not read it yet you need to run out and do so soon!

Side Order of Life

2007-07-22T20:42:00.000-04:00

A very cute show. Jenny McIntyre (Marisa Coughlan) is a photographer for a popular magazine. She is about to be married to businessman Ian (Jason Priestley). Her life is going well until her best friend, Vivy (Diana-Maria Riva), tells her that her cancer has returned. Now Jenny is questioning everything in her life. Vivy is trying to get Jenny to realize that life should not be taken for granted and that Jenny needs to wake up and live her life. Of course the guy on the other end of a wrong number she dialed is not helping her any. Now she is torn between her fiance Ian and a guy she has never met but who makes her feel wonderful.

I was not sure about this show but I am glad I decided to give it a try. Coughlan is wonderful as Jenny, the woman whose world is turned completely upside down. Riva is also very entertaining as the spunky Vivy who tries to live life to its fullest while she still can. All in all this is a great show.

Harry Potter and The Half-Blood Prince by J.K. Rowling - #5

2007-07-22T20:22:00.000-04:00

It is now the sixth year at Hogwarts for Harry and his friends and things are not going well. Everyone now knows that Harry was telling the truth about Lord Voldemort's return but there are other problems. Many deaths have occurred and parents are naturally frightened to send their children away to school. Now Harry has to be concerned with what Draco Malfoy is up to. They see him in one of the Dark Arts shops outside of Diagon Alley and they know he is trying to fix something. Now Harry is concerned about Draco, is buried in homework and he has private sessions with Professor Dumbledore. The professor is hoping to show Harry the connection that exist between him and Lord Voldemort so that Harry can know how to destroy the Dark Lord.

This was a wonderful set up to the last book of the series. I cried so hard at the end of the book. It was nice to reread this before the end of the series.

Scott Baio is 45 ... And Single

2007-07-22T20:12:00.000-04:00

This show is quite hilarious. Scott Baio of Happy Days and Charles in Charge fame has never been married. In fact, he has never even been fully committed to a woman. Now he is dating a woman he feels could be the one and he wants to make sure he does not blow it. He hires a life coach to help him figure out why he is 45 and still single. She makes him break off all communication with his girlfriend as well as take a vow of celibacy during the 8 week process. He must go back to his former girlfriends and find out what went wrong in their relationships. Some of his friends think this may help him but his one friend. Johnny V, is not happy. Scott it seems is the only reason this guy has ever gotten laid so he is not to happy about losing his pick-up buddy. Now he is doing everything in his power to make Scott fall off the wagon.

I love these cheesy reality shows. Especially the ones that try to make us feel sorry for celebrities and the difficult lives they lead. This show is pretty funny to watch but do not expect high brow entertainment while you are checking this out.

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2007)

2007-07-22T20:05:00.000-04:00

This was a pretty good adaptation of the longest book of the Potter series. I think the screenwriter did an excellent job in condensing the non-essential parts of the book and getting to the really important parts. This film had a new director, David Yates, and I loved what he did with the film. The last two films were very choppy to me and this one flowed better. I loved what he did with the climatix battle scene at the end of the film. This is one of the better Potter films in my opinion.

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by J.K. Rowling - #4

2007-07-21T22:47:00.000-04:00

This is the fifth installment of the adventures of our favorite boy wizard. This time Harry is rescued from the Dursley's by the Order of the Pheonix - a group of wizars reunited to fight Lord Voldemort. Not only is the deadliest wizard ever known looking to regroup his Death Eaters Harry has other problems. The Ministry of Magic does not want to admit the He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named is back so they are working very hard to discredit Harry. Now he must deal with the strange looks from his fellow students at Hogwarts as well as prepare for his Ordinary Wizarding Level exams. Plus, to top it all off their is the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, Dolores Umbridge, who also works for the ministry who thinks Harry is a liar and wants to make an example out of him.

This is the longest of the Potter series but I still enjoyed it. I know many people thought it was to drawn out but I enjoyed the detail this book went into to. This was one of my favorite books of the series. Another winner from J.K. Rowling.

Happy Feet (2006)

2007-07-21T22:43:00.000-04:00

A delightful film for people of all ages. Mumble (Elijah Wood) is a young lad born into a colony of emperor penguins. However, from the very beginning is is different from the rest of the colony. When he busts out of his shell everyone soon realizes that Mumble can not stop dancing. As time goes on and Mumble grows up this continues to be a problem. While in school the teachers try to help all the younger penguins to find their heart song, the mating song of the penguins. However, it soon becomes clear that Mumble can not sing and has no heart song. The elders of the colony are not happy with this and it especially becomes a problem when there is a food shortage. The elders feel that Mumble has angered their god and they banish him from the colony. Soon Mumble sets off to find the real reason for the food shortage so he can go home.

I loved this movie. It was very cute and had a wonderful message about accepting differences and environmental responsiblity. The animation was wonderful and I love how it was mixed with live action. If you love animated films this is a must see.

Knocked Up (2006)

2007-07-17T21:09:00.000-04:00

This movie is hilarious. Alison Scott (Katherine Heigl) is a carrer minded young woman. After she receives a huge promotion she goes out to a club with her sister, who is married with two kids, to celebrate. There she meets Ben Stone (Seth Rogan), a burnout with no job who is in the country illegally from Canada. They have a one night stand and do not see each other for several weeks. Soon Alison learns that she is pregnant and has to tell Ben. They then embark on a complicated relationship - trying to get to know each other while preparing for parenthood at the same time. Now they need to figure out if they really want to be a couple or if it is only the pregnancy keeping them together.

I loved this movie and laughed a lot. however, I will warn you that if you can not stand a lot of cursing and frank sexual talk then you will want to stay away from this movie. The acting is not that great but that is ok. I was happy to see one of my favorite underrated actors, Paul Rudd, as Alison's brother-in-law Pete. If you like stupid humor then you will like this film.

Harvey (1950)

2007-07-17T20:07:00.000-04:00

The Jimmy Stewart comedy classic. Elwood P. Dowd (Jimmy Stewart) lives in a small town with his sister, Veta (Josephine Hall), and niece, Myrtle Mae (Victoria Home). Of course there is also his buddy, Harvey, a 6'3" white rabbit that only Elwood can see. of course his sister and niece are very embarrassed by Elwood's invisible friend and after he embarrasses them at a luncheon they decide to send him away. Of course nothing goes as planned. The psychiatrist believes that Veta is the one who is crazy and puts her in the asylum. Once the doctors realize their mistake they must do everything in their power to find Elwood and keep Veta from suing.

This movie was very fun. Even though it is considered a comedy it is somewhat sad. It was nice to see Jimmy Stewart in a different role than we are used to seeing him in. Josephine Hall was also wonderful in her Oscar winning role of Veta. There have been 3 made-for-tv remakes of this film in 1972, 1985 and 1998. However, nothing can compare to this movie classic.

The Awful Truth (1937)

2007-07-06T22:01:00.000-04:00

Another cute Cary Grant film. Jerry Warriner (Grant) has been away on holiday. He told his wife, Lucy (Irene Dunne) that he was in Florida but that is not true. When he returns from his "vacation" he learns that Lucy has not been sitting at home counting the days til his return. She has been out with her vocal coach, Armand (Alexander D'Arcy), and even had to spend the night with him after being stranded on their return from a performance. Soon Lucy learns that Jerry was not telling her the truth about his trip and they file for divorce. Soon Lucy and her aunt, Patsy (Cecil Cunningham), move into an apartment. There Lucy meets a oil tycoon named Dan Leeson (Ralph Bellamy), who is visiting New York from Oklahoma with his mother. Soon Lucy and Dan are engaged and Jerry does not like it. Can Jerry and Lucy overcome their suspicions of each other before it is to late?

This was a very enjoyable movie. Grant and Dunn had great chemistry together, which explains why they worked together two more times after this film. Bellamy stole the movie as the sweet but ditsy oil tycoon. There were tow earlier version of this film made in 1925 and 1929. There was also a remake made in 1953 called Let's Do It Again. However, this film is worth watching for Grant and Dunne alone.

Bringing Up Baby (1938)

2007-07-06T21:38:00.000-04:00

The screwball comedy classic. Dr David Huxley (Cary Grant) is a scientist at a large museum. He works there with his fiance, Alice Swallow (Virginia Walker). He is working on a fossil recreation of a dinosaur in for the museum and is waiting on the last bone he needs. In the meantime he must meet with the lawyer of a potential benefactor for the museum. While on the course he runs into a young lady by the name of Susan Vance (Katherine Hepburn). This meeting, along with all the other times they meet, is a complete disaster. However, Susan begins to fall in love with David and does everything in her power to keep him around. On the other hand David tries to escape every chance he gets. Soon David learns that Susan is the niece of his potential benefactor, Elizabeth Random (May Robson). Now the aunt's dog has stolen the bone David needs to complete his skeleton, Susan has a leopard named Baby roaming her house and Aunt Elizabeth thinks David is off his rocker.

While I did not find this movie highly amusing I can appreciate it for the classic it is. Hepburn was very annoying as Susan but that was her character so she played it perfectly. It was nice to see Cary Grant play a dowdy character instead of the suave ladies man. There have been several movies spun off from this film. Including the terrible Who's That Girl? starring Madonna (which I LOVED as a kid). However, as always the classic is what you should see.

The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova - #3

2007-06-30T20:28:00.000-04:00

A wonderul novel that transports the reader to far off places and times. It is 1972 and a young woman finds some old yellow papers in her father's librabry. She begins to read them at once and realizes that her father has a major secret. She convinces her father to take her on a trip where he begins to tell her the horrifying tale. It seems that it all started with his mentor, Professor Rossi, and a book he found while he was a student at Oxford. The book contained only one thing, an image of a dragon holding a banner that says Drakyla. Soon the horrifying tale of horrors thought to be made up is unfolded. It seems that Dracula, Vlad Tepes, is alive and well somewhere in Eastern Europe and the father, Paul, had tried to track him down to find his kidnapped mentor. Soon Paul disappears and the young woman is on her own mission to find someone she loves. However, there are people who will stop at nothing to keep the secrets of Vlad Tepes and want to stop Paul and his daughter before all is revealed.

This was a wonderful book. While on the surface it seems to be about Dracula there is actually a much deeper story being told. It is a story of lose and longing. Kostova descripes in amazing detail some exotic and far off places - Istanbul, Hungary, France and Bulgaria. Many people may feel that she could have left a lot of detail out and made the book shorter but I think it adds to the richness of the story. I highly recommend this novel and please do not let the fact that it is 600-plus pages detour you - it is well worth the time invested.

Bowery at Midnight (1942)

2007-06-30T20:09:00.000-04:00

Not a typical Bela Legosi flick but it was interesting. Legosi plays Professor Frederick Brenner aka Karl Wagner. During the day he is a preofessor of psychology at the local college but by night he is a gangste. He runs a bowery at night where local criminals come together. There he recruits some of the underworld's finest to commit crimes for him. They do so gladly never knowing what awaits them once their job is over - death. Now one of the professor's students has found out about him the professor must get rid of him and quick.

This movie was not great and not bad - it was just alright. Legosi was not his usal self in this film which was the major disappointment. Also, there was an entire storyline that was never fully explained or resolved which was very annoying. Worth checking out if it is on TV but do not waste your money on it.

When a Stranger Calls (2006)

2007-06-30T19:49:00.000-04:00

A so-so remake of a classic. Jill Johnson (Camilla Belle) is being punished by her parents for going over her cell phone minutes. They make her babysit for Mr and Mrs Mandrakis (Derek de Lint and Kate Jennings Grant), a wealthy doctor and his second wife. While at the huge deserted mansion she starts to receive phone calls. At first she thinks it is her ex-boyfriend playing a prank on her. Soon though the calls become menacing in nature. The caller keeps asking her if the children are ok and if she has checked them recently. To make matters worse the maid and her friend who came to visit have seemingly disappeared. Soon the police trace the calls and they are coming from inside the house. Now she must try to take the children and escape from the maniac who is stalking her.

This movie was alright but probably not as good as the original. There were no moments that made me jump which is unusual for me. Most of the "scares" were manufactured horror movie stereotypes. However, the last 15 minutes of the the film were very intense and enjoyable. Belle was slightly annoying as the girl who is being stalked but did an alright job overall. This is the remake of the 1979 film of the same name starring Carol Kane and Charles Durning. I think your time would be better spent watching the original than this so-so remake.

Washington Melodrama (1941)

2007-06-30T19:37:00.000-04:00

A nice little drama. Calvin Claymore (Frank Morgan) is a Sentor living in Washington DC. He is trying to push through a bill that will help the people of Europe out financially and is coming up against a lot of resistance. To make matters worse his wife, Elizabeth (Fay Holden), and daughter, Laurie (Ann Rutherford), are in South America for the summer and he is extremely lonely. One night a friend takes him out to a local club run by Whit King (Dan Dailey), a real sleeze ball. While Calvin is there he meets a beautiful young woman named Mary Morgan (Anne Gwynne). They strike up a platonic relationship and spend a lot of time together. Soon Claymore's wife and daughter are due to return from their holiday so Calvin decides to end the relationship. Soon though Mary ends up dead and Whit decides to blackmail Calvin to keep it quiet. However, Claymore does not realize that it is Whit that killed Mary.

I really enjoyed this little mystery. Morgan and Rutherford were both wonderful as the father and daughter team. Dailey was also wickedly great as Whit, the murderer/blackmailer. All in all this was a nice little movie for an afternoon in.

The Starter Wife (2007)

2007-06-25T21:23:00.000-04:00

I was not sure about this series but I really enjoyed the first episode. Molly Kagan (Debra Messing) seems to have everything. She is the wife of a top Hollywood studio executive, has a beautiful daughter and anything her heart desires. She runs her home very efficiently so her husband never has to worry about any small detail. However, that all changes when one night after a studio party her husband, Kenny (Peter Jacobson), tells her that he wants a divorce. This is when she realizes that she is a starter wife - the wife who supports her husband on his rise to the top and is dumped almost as soon as he gets there. Soon she is shunned at her usual hangouts and by her "friends". One of her best friends, Joan (Judy Davis), allows her to stay at her house in Malibu while she goes away for the summer. It is here that she begins to rebuild her life and look for love again. Will it be Lou (Joe Montegna), he husband's boss, or Sam (Stephen Moyer), the local beach bum, who helps heal her broken heart?

This was a very cute show. I have not watched beyond the first two hours but I enjoyed it and will definetly watch them (they are all on my DVR). If you are a Debra Messing fan then you have to see this show.

A Global Affair (1964)

2007-06-25T20:57:00.000-04:00

A nice movie with a wonderful message. Lisette (Michele Mercier) is a tour guide at the United Nations building. One day after a tour she finds a baby abandoned in the foyer. She takes the little girl to the security office to figure out what to do. It seems that this child will become the pawn in a global custody battle if things are not handled correctly. This fight could lead to an important resolution benefiting the children of world being defeated. The Under Secretary (Nehemiah Persoff) decides to leave the baby with Frank Larrimore (Bob Hope), a UN employee who was just on the radio the other night talking about the importance of the children's resolution. However, he is a bachelor and has no idea how to raise a child. Soon word of the baby gets out and Frank is charged with finding appropriate adoptive parents for the little girl. Soon women from all over the world are throwing themselves at him so he will choose their country for the baby to live in. Of course this has disaterous effects on his budding relationship with Lisette.

I really enjoyed this film. It had a wonderful message - that all children are children of the world. Hope was funny but his comedy was toned down in this film. Look for Yvonne de Carlo (aka Lily Munster) as the femae representative of Spain. All in all this is a funny and uplifiting movie.

Bachelor in Paradise (1961)

2007-06-25T20:41:00.000-04:00

A cute little sex comedy. A.J. Niles (Bob Hope) is the best selling author of a series of bachelor books describing the wants of women all over the world. Even though he has made a lot of money he is in trouble with the IRS. It seems that his accountant has run off with his money and has not paid A.J.'s taxes for several years. To save A.J. from prision his publisher has a wonderful idea. he will set him up under an assumed name in Paradise, one of the best subdivision's in America. There he will write about what the American suburban woman wants. However, A.J. causes a major rift in the neighborhood. All the husbands are jealous and want him out. However, there is one woman who really wants him to stay - his landlady Rosemary Howard (Lana Turner).

This was a fun movie to watch. Hope and Turner were funny as the mismatched pair of A.J. and Rosemary. Paula Prentiss was also wonderful as one of A.J.'s disciples, Laura Delavane. All in all it was a nice movie to watch on a Saturday afternoon.

The Old Dark House (1932)

2007-06-19T22:04:00.000-04:00

A spooky classic film. On a very stormy night Philip Waverton (Raymond Massey), his wife Margaret (Gloria Stuart) and their friend Roger Penderel (Melvyn Douglas) are driving though the Welsh countryside. Eventually the road they are on is washed away and they have to stop for the night. The go to a large old castle nearby to seek shelter. There they are greeted by the a mute man who we soon learn in named Morgan (Boris Karloff). He is the butler for the Femm family who live in the house. Horace (Ernest Thesiger) and his sister Rebecca (Eva Moore) live in the home with their 102 year old father, Roderick (Elspeth Davidson). Soon they soon realize that they are not alone in the house. It seems that the Femm's brother, Saul, is locked in the attic. He is a psychopath and will burn the house down at any moment. Now Morgan has let him out of his room and everyone is afraid.

This was a nice suspenseful movie. The acting was a tad over the top but that was very common for this era. Karloff, however, was wonderful as the must butler who is not all there. It is also nice to see a young Gloria Stuart since all I really know her from is Titanic. There was a remake of this film made in 1963 starring Tom Poston. However, the original is well worth watching if you like this genre.

And Baby Makes Three (1949)

2007-06-19T21:49:00.000-04:00

This was a very sweet comedy. Jackie Walsh (Barbara Hale) is about to be married to Herbie Fletcher (Robert Hutton), heir to the Fletcher matress fortune. However, at the alter Jackie faints. her Uncle Bill (Lloyd Corrigan) soon discovers that she is pregnant. Jackie was recently divorced from her first husband, Vern Walsh (Robert Yooung), and he is the father of the baby. Of course this causes a major problem for Jackie. Her future in-laws, Mr and Mrs Marvin Fletcher (Nicholas Joy and Billie Burke) do not want a scandal so they want Herbie to convince Jackie to share custody with Vern. However, Jackie is convinced that Vern would be a bad influence and the child and wants sole custody. Of course when the beautiful Wanda York (Janis Carter), the named other woman in the Walshes divorce, comes to town and becomes engaged to Vern things get really compicated.

This was a very cute movie. Robert Young was very funny as the father-to-be. Barabara Hale was also wonderful as Jackie, the woman caught in the middle of this crazy story. If you like romantic screwball comedies you would enjoy this little gem.

Army Wives

2007-06-12T21:36:00.000-04:00

The story of four very different women who all meet at the army post where their husbands are stationed. Denise Sherwood (Catherine Bell) is the perfect wife and mother with a major secret she is hiding. Claudia Joy Holden (Kim Delaney) is the wife of one of the highest ranking officers on post and is looked up to by almost all the other wives. Pamela Moran (Brigid Brannagh) is a woman who does the unthinkable to keep her family out of financial ruin, with a major tarnish to her reputation. Roxy LeBlanc (Sally Pressman) is the newest wife on the block, having just married one of the soldiers after knowing him for four days. There is also an army husband, Roland Burton (Sterling K. Brown) is a psychiatrist whose wife, Joan (Wendy Davis), has just returned, changed, from Iraq. As their lives become intwined what problems will arise for the group.

I really enjoyed this show. It was nice to see two actresses from two of my favorite shows, Catherine Bell from JAG and Kim Delaney from Philly (which was cancelled WAY to soon), back on TV. However, I love Sally Pressman as Roxy. Some people on IMDB have called her character white trash but I see her as a woman who has made mistakes and is now changing her life for the better. I highly recommend this show, good dramas are hard to come by these days.

Bubba Ho-tep (2002)

2007-06-12T21:12:00.000-04:00

A very silly and cheesy movie. At a nursing home in East Texas we meet a man who claims to be the real Elvis Presley (Bruce Campbell). We learn that he traded places with an impersonator and that is the man who died. He fell off a stage while performing as an impersonator of himself one night and broke his hip. In the home he befriends a man who believes that he is John F. Kennedy (Ossie Davis). Together they soon realize that something is not quite right at the home. One night JFK is attacked by a soul sucking Egyptian mummy. Soon JFK and Elvis are researching how to get rid of the ancient soul sucker before it is to late.

This movie is not for everyone but I enjoyed it. It was not the best movie I have seen but it was mildly entertaining. It was nice to see Ossie Davis in a comedic role. I love how he walked around saying the government painted him black to cover up the fact that he is still alive. Bruce Campbell was at his usual cheesy best as Elvis. There is a sequel scheduled for release in 2008 called Bubba Nosferatu and the Curse of the She-Vampires. Sounds like another interesting one. However, if you like B horror movies you will enjoy this movie.

Ball of Fire (1941)

2007-06-04T20:29:00.000-04:00

This was a very cute romantic comedy. Bertram Potts (Gary Cooper) is a professor specializing in grammer. For the last several years he has been working with 7 other scholars on an encyclopedia for the Totten Foundation. He is working on the slang entry when he realizes that he knows nothing about his subject. That is when he decides to go out into the real world and learn the lingo of the day. He ends up in a club where a beautiful young woman named Sugarpuss O'Shea (Barbara Stanwyck)is the star. He decides that she must join his roundtable discussion and goes into her dressing room to invite her. This is when we learn that she is the girlfriend of Joe Lilac (Dana Andrews), a gangster who is wanted by the police for murder. Joe's thugs decide she needs to hide out and she knows the perfect place - the foundation with the 8 professors! However, things get very complicated when Bertram and Sugarpuss fall in love.

I really enjoyed this little gem. Cooper and Stanwyck had a wonderful chemistry. It was nice to see the out of their usual dramatic element. All the actors who portrayed the professors were terrific. There was a remake made in 1948 called A Song is Born starring Danny Kaye and Virginia Mayo. However, I think this original is worth seeing first.

Reunited: The Real World Las Vegas

2007-06-04T20:09:00.000-04:00

Our favorite roommates are back! Five years ago the cast of the Real World: Las Vegas made reality TV history. There was a lot of sex, alcohol, fights, sex and more sex. Now they are back and seem to be better than ever. The first episode centered around Arissa, who alienated herself from the rest of the cast. It seems that 4 years ago she was living with former roommates (and lovers at the time) Alton and Irulan. Something happened in a bathroom between Arissa and Alton that brought their tight knit friendship to an end. Now the claws are out and the girls are ready to fight. If you liked this season of TRW then you have to see this show!

American Idol Finals - Week #11

2007-05-22T20:56:00.000-04:00

So we are down to Jordin (yeah) and Blake (boo). Tonight they will be singing three songs each. They will do an encore of a song they have already performed, a song of their choosing and the Idol winner single. Let's go!

Encore Round:
1) Blake Lewis (You Give Love a Bad Name) - I know why he picked this song but I still don't like it. He was off key in a couple of places.
2) Jordin Sparks (Broken Wing)- I'm very glad she chose to sing this song again. It was beautiful and gave me goosebumps! How she taps into the emotion of that song at 17 I will never know!

New Song:
1) Blake Lewis (She Will Be Loved) - I hate Maroon 5 so I find it ironic that the two performances of his I liked best were both Maroon 5 songs. The high notes were a little rough but good overall.
2) Jordin Sparks (Fighter) - she started a bit flat and timid but by the middle she was in her groove. Not the best we have seen from her but pretty good overall.

Idol Single: This is My Now
1) Blake Lewis - it was ok. I like the song but he was somewhat flat. He also had that monotone thing going on again.
2) Jordin Sparks - she was amazing. Her version blows Blake's out of the water. I loved how she choked up at the end - it brought tears to my eyes.

If there is any justice Jordin will win because she is the better singer by far. On a side note, why is Constantine still hanging around the Idol set? Get a life already fella!

Dancing with the Stars - Week #10

2007-05-21T21:02:00.000-04:00

So here is the big moment - the finale! Tonight the three remaining stars will dance a style chosen by the judges and then there is a free style round. Tomorrow they will also dance their favorite routine which the judges will score. Here we go!

Judges Selection:
1) Laila Ali (Paso Doble) - it was good. I do not think it is the she has danced but it was a solid performance.
2) Apolo Anton Ohno (Rumba) - another solid performance by Apolo.
3) Joey Fatone (Cha Cha) - I thought it was very good. I knew the judges would not like it though.

Free Style:
1) Laila Ali - it was good but she seems a little stiff through it. I did like her ripping Maks' shirt off though!
2) Apolo Anton Ohno - wow that was great! I loved the breakdancing and that first lift was incredible.
3) Joey Fatone - another wonderful performance! His lifts were terrific.

So who is going to win? Well I voted for Joey but I think Apolo could possibly be the champion. However, Laila could also scoot in there. It is a very close race this season.

American Idol Finals - Week #10

2007-05-15T21:08:00.000-04:00

So the final three sing three songs tonight. The judges each choose a song for one contestant, the producers pick one and then they choose their final song.

Judge's Selection:
1) Jordin Sparks (Simon Cowell: Wishing on a Star) - a solid start to the night. I still can not believe the poise this girl has at 17. When I was 17 I couldn't get up in front of a class to do a presentation and she is in front of millions of people.
2) Blake Lewis (Paula Abdul: Roxanne) - uh, that was brutal. Someone needs to tell him that trying to copy Sting is not a good idea. These judges are crazy!
3) Melinda Doolittle (Randy Jackson: I Believe in You and Me) - they always tell them not to try and sing Whitney songs but he chose one for her - that makes no sense. She did a good job but all I could hear in my head was the Whitney version.

Producer's Choice:
1) Jordin Sparks (She Works Hard For the Money) - that was much better. That was wonderful
2) Blake Lewis (This Love) - much better than his first song. However, I still do not think he is that great of a singer.
3) Melinda Doolittle (Nutbush City Limits) - again another hard singer to sing. She did a good job and brought out her inner Tina Turner.

Finalist's Choice:
1) Jordin Sparks (I Who Have Nothing) - that was brilliant. I loved it the first time she did that song and I got goosebumps again.
2) Blake Lewis (When I Get You Alone) - it was ok. He just lacks the soulfulness that Robin Thicke has.
3) Melinda Doolittle (I'm A Woman) - that was really good. I love her no matter what she does.

So I really hope Blake leaves tomorrow but who knows what will happen.

Dancing with the Stars - Week #9

2007-05-14T21:31:00.000-04:00

So tonight it is the semi-finals. Tonight the couples again dance twice. They choose their favorite dances and perform them again with new music and choreography.

Ballroom Round:
1) Apolo Anton Ohno (Quick Step) - it was good. I was not blown away like the judges but it was a solid performance.
2) Ian Ziering (Tango) - it was also pretty good. Again I was not blown away but he is improving. The song sucked though.
3) Laila Ali (Quick Step) - it is a trend tonight but it was good, not great, for me. Seriously, who is picking this music? Walk Like an Egyptian - please!
4) Joey Fatone (Fox Trot) - it was another solid performance but again I do not think it was great. I hope the Latin round is better.

Latin Round:
1) Apolo Anton Ohno (ChaCha) - much better! That was a really fun performance to watch.
2) Ian Ziering (Jive) - I think that was his best dance yet. It was a wonderful performance.
3) Laila Ali (ChaCha) - again I was not blown away. I'm a little disapponted in this performance actually.
4) Joey Fatone (Jive) - I LOVED it!! That was the performance of the night for sure!

So who is going home? It will either be Apolo, Ian, Laila or Joey. Honestly, I do not know who will leave. Tomorrow should be interesting!

American Idol FInals - Week #9

2007-05-08T21:01:00.001-04:00

So we are down to the Final Four (please don't sue me NCAA!). Tonight they will each be singing two Barry Gibb songs.

Song #1:
1) Melinda Doolittle (Love You Inside and Out) - again she delivers an amazing performance. This chick is the real deal like Holyfield!
2) Blake Lewis (You Should Be Dancing) - that was brutal! His voice was like nails on a chalkboard for me. Plus I have and enough of the beat boxing already!
3) LaKisha Jones (Staying Alive) - I really liked it. I loved the slower and funkier feel to the song.
4) Jordin Sparks (To Love Somebody) - wow - I am speechless. That was a beautiful rendition of a beautiful song.

Song #2:
1) Melinda Doolittle (How Can You Mend a Broken Heart) - very good. I was getting bored when she hit that big note and got my attention again.
2) Blake Lewis (This is Where I Came In) - uh, please let him leave tomorrow! I am so sick of him and his smug expressions.
3) LaKisha Jones (Run To Me) - again I loved it. The last note was off but all in all she did a great job.
4) Jordin Sparks (Woman in Love) - she is in it to win it for sure! Another amazing performance. I disagree I do not think she was that pitchy at all.

So as much as I want Blake to leave I think it maybe LaKashia's turn to leave tomorrow.

Dancing with the Stars - Week #8

2007-05-07T21:33:00.000-04:00

Again this week the stars will be performing a Latin and a ballroom dance.

Ballroom Round:
1) Ian Ziering (Fox Trot) - that was very good. I am so glad he is loosening up!
2) Joey Fatone (Waltz) - it was just ok for me. Len may not like the razzle dazzle but I do!
3) Billy Ray Cyrus (Fox Trot) - much better than last week. The part in the middle when they broke the hold was very good.
4) Laila Ali (Waltz) - that was wonderful. It is so sweet that she dedicated that to her parents. It made me cry!
5) Apolo Anton Ohno (Tango) - I LOVED it! It was very fun and energetic.

Latin Round:
1) Ian Ziering (Rumba) - it was ok but not great. Plus, who picks a song like Imagine for a sexy dance like the rumba?
2) Joey Fatone (Mambo) - it was good but he has been much better.
3) Billy Ray Cyrus (Mambo) - it was alright. He gets and E for effort for sure!
4) Laila Ali (Jive) - that was wonderful. Another solid week for Laila.
5) Apolo Anton Ohno (Paso Doble) - another great dance. There was a bit of a miscue on her part but all in all it was good.

So I think either Ian or Billy Ray will be leaving tomorrow but as we know anything can happen.

American Idol Finals - Week #8

2007-05-01T20:58:00.001-04:00

So tonight it is the music of Bon Jovi. I have a feeling this is going to be interesting.

1) Phil Stacey (Blaze of Glory) - it was actually very good. This week he actually started the song of well for a change.
2) Jordin Sparks (Living on a Prayer) - the verses were not very good. The low notes were out of her register. However, once she hit the chorus she sailed through the rest of the song.
3) Lakisha Jones (This Ain't a Love Song) - so Kiki is back! That was a beautiful performance.
4) Blake Lewis (You Gove Love a Bad Name) - it was original and all but I am in the 50% who Simon said would hate it. I thought this was a singing competition. You can be original and sing the entire song.
5) Chris Richardson (Wanted Dead or Alive) - he just butchered one of my favorite songs! It was whiny, screetchy, nasally and just plain bad!
6) Melinda Doolittle (Have a Nice Day) - even in a genre she is not comfortable with she blows everyone else away. That was really good!

So I think it is between Phil, Lakisha and Chris to leave tomorrow.

Dancing with the Stars - Week #7

2007-04-30T21:45:00.000-04:00

Tonight our stars will be dancing two dances. First is a ballroom and then a Latin.

Ballroom Round:
1) Laila Ali (Quick Step) - it was very good. Her outfit made it hard to see what her feet were doing though
2) John Ratzenberger (Fox Trot) - that was good. Again he is not the best dancer but I still find him very entertaining to watch.
3) Apolo Anton Ohno (Fox Trot) - again that was excellent. He is really becoming the one to beat.
4) Ian Ziering (Tango) - he loosened up a bit which was nice to see. His posture was bad in spots but it was good over all.
5) Billy Ray Cyrus (Waltz) - it's hard to critique when he did not do much. Karina was great though!
6) Joey Fatone (Fox Trot) - by far the best of the night so far! It was fun and wonderful.

Latin Round:
1) Laila Ali (Samba) - that was also excellent. Latin is definitely her strong suit.
2) John Ratzenberger (Rumba) - that was not to bad. It was not all that sexy but again very entertaining.
3) Apolo Anton Ohno (Mambo) - again he was terrific. I love watching him dance.
4) Ian Ziering (Mambo) - again he was very good. The ice is beginning to melt.
5) Billy Ray Cyrus (Samba) - oh that was bad. I think the two dances really messed him up.
6) Joey Fatone (Jive) - again I think that was the best of the night so far. His footwork was wonderful.

So I think either Billy Ray or John will be leaving us tomorrow. We will see then.

Her Highness and the Bell Boy (1945)

2007-04-30T17:28:00.000-04:00

Another romantic comedy I really enjoyed. Princess Veronica (Hedy Lamarr), has arrived on vacation in New York City. She has come to America to reuinte with the man she loves, Paul MacMillan (Warner Anderson). Paul is a newspaper reporter she met in her country and they fell in love. However, when they realized they could not be together he left and came back to New York. After being couped up in her room Veronica decides to go out and find fall. This is when she runs into a bell boy at the hotel, Jimmy Dobson (Robert Walker). He thinks she is a new maid in the hotel and they go out and about through the city. This is when Jimmy lets Veronica know that he is friends with Paul MacMillan. When they return to the hotel Jimmy learns who Veronica really is and she asks him to be her assistant while she is there. He accepts the position and begins to fall for her. His best friend, Albert (Rags Ragland), and His paralyzed girlfriend, Leslie (June Allyson), are not happy with the new arrangement. Soon Jimmy finds himself falling in love with the princess and thinks they could be together. However, he does not know about her feelings for Paul. Things become very complicated when Veronica's uncle, the King, dies and she becomes Queen.

This movie was very cute. Lamarr was beautiful as she always was. June Allyson was also beautiful, and incredibly sweet, as the paralyzed Leslie. Ragland was hilarious as the oaf with a heart of gold, Alfred. A great romantic movie to watch on a night in.

The King and the Chorbus Girl (1937)

2007-04-30T16:34:00.000-04:00

A very sweet and cute romantic comedy. Ex-King Alfred Bruger (Fernand Gravey) lives a life of leisure in Paris. It seems that since he no longer runs a nation of two million people he drinks instead. He has not seen daylight in years and really does not like to leave his apartment. His subjects, Count Humbert (Edward Everett Horton) and Duchess Anna (Mary Nash), are very concerned about Alfred. His doctor says that Alfred needs to feel like he has something to live for, to feel the thrill of the hunt. The count and duchess are not sure how to help Alfred so they decide to take him to a local club. There he sees and falls for one of the chorus girls, Dorothy Ellis (Joan Blondell). Once the count and duchess realize that Alfred likes Dorothy they decide that she can help the, get Alfred out of his funk. They recruit the girl to spend time with Alfred and play hard to get. Of course, the real trouble begins when Dorothy begins to fall for Alfred as well.

I really enjoyed this little film. Gravey was very funny in the role of the king who lost his throne. Blondell was also wonderful as the chrorus girl who is swept off her feet. A nice movie to watch on a lazy morning.

Cover Girl (1944)

2007-04-29T21:13:00.000-04:00

The all-time Rita Hayworth classic. She plays Rusty Parker, a young dancer and singer at a club in Brooklyn. The club is owned by her boyfriend, Danny McGuire (Gene Kelly). One night she learns about a contest to be the new cover girl for a prominent magazine. She decides to go for it and try out for the contest. She thinks she has blown it when the publisher, John Coudair (Otto Kruger), and his assistant, Cornelia "Stonewall Jackson (Eve Arden), come to the club to see another girl. However, John is taken with Rusty because she reminds him of the fiancee, Maribelle Hicks, who left him at the alter. As it turns out Maribelle is Rusty's grandmother who was very happily married to her grandfather, the man she left John for. Once Rusty becomes the new face of the magazine she gains instant fame and the people come to the club to see her. However, Danny is not happy with the new situation. He is also unhappy with the new man, Noel Wheaton (Lee Bowman), who wants to take Rusty to Broadway. Now she must decide if she will choose a career on the Great White Way or love.

This was a wonderful movie. The chemistry between Hayworth and Kelly was wonderful. The singing and dancing was fun to watch and did not seem to overtake the movie like it can in many musicals. This movie was the predicessor to Xanadu in 1980 with Olivia Newton-John. Gene Kelly was also in that film and that was his last movie role. However, the original can not be beat and is a must see for all classic movie buffs.

Fog Over Frisco (1934)

2007-04-29T17:51:00.000-04:00

A fairly well done mystery. Arlene Bradford (Bette Davis) is a young woman who becomes involved with shady characters. One of these shady people is Spencer Carlton (Lyle Talbot). Spence gets Arlene involved in a plot to steal securities. She takes them from her step-father, Everett Bradford (Arthur Byron), because she hates him. However, this is a very dangerous business and soon Arlene disappears. Her step-sister, Val (Margaret Lindsay), is worried sick over Arlene's disappearance. She enlists the help of a reporter, Tony Sterling (Donald Woods), to find her sister. Tony and his photographer, Izzy Wright (Hugh Herbert), find Arlene's body stuffed into the trunk of her car. Now they, along with Val, must find Arlene's killer because he strikes again.

This was not the best mystery ever but it was not to bad. Davis was touted as the star of the film however she is in it for only a few minutes. The rest of the cast is ok but they are nothing great to watch. Another movie to watch when there is nothing else on.

That Touch of Mink (1962)

2007-04-29T17:09:00.000-04:00

A very cute romantic comedy. Cathy Timberlake (Doris Day) is on her way to a job interview. She is standing on a street corner when a Rolls Royce limousine owned by Philip Shayne (Cary Grant) splashes her with mud. Well of course she does not get the job. Shayne does not have time to stop but he feels guilty for what happened and sends his assistant, Roger (Gig Young) out to look for her. When he finds her he brings her up to meet Mr Shayne. Well of course he finds her extremely attractive and wants to have an affair with her. The only problem is that she is still a virgin and wants to remain so until marriage. Cathy's roommate, Connie (Audrey Meadows), tries to warn Cathy about a man like Shayne but she will not listen. She ends up going on a trip to the Caribbean with Philip and that is when the real comedy begins. Now what will happen with the pure young woman and the handsome bachelor?

This movie was very cute even though it is outdated now. Day and Grant were wonderful as the mismatched couple. Look for cameos by Micky Mantle, Yogi Barra and Roger Maris. If you like romantic comedies then this is a must see.

The Terror (1963)

2007-04-29T16:47:00.000-04:00

A typical cheesy Roger Corman horror flick. Andre Duvalier (Jack Nicholson) is a lieutenant in Napoleon's army. He is separated from the rest of his unit and becomes lost. As he is riding along the beach he sees a beautiful young woman, Helene (Sandra Knight). He follows her and she disappears into the ocean. He passes out and when he comes to he is in the home of an old woman, Katrina (Dorothy Neumann). She claims to know nothing about he woman but the man who works for her tells Andre otherwise. He tells Andre that he must go toe the home of Baron Victor Von Leppe (Boris Karlof) to find her. When he arrives at the Baron's home he sees a painting on the wall of Helene. However, he soon learns that this is Ilsa, the Baron's wife. She has also been dead for twenty years. Now Andre must find out what is going on before it is to late.

This wasn't the worst movie I have ever seen but I have seen better. The acting was pretty bad, even by Nicholson. It is hard to believe that he and Knight were married at the time because they had no chemistry on screen. If you like horror movies it is worth watching just for the cheese factor.

The Swan (1956)

2007-04-29T12:52:00.000-04:00

A very delightful romantic comedy. Princess Beatrix (Jessie Royce Landis) lives for only one thing. She wants to make her only daughter, Princess Alexandra (Grace Kelly), a Queen. She has worked her entire life to make sure this happens and it seems that her wish my finally come true. She receives a telegram from the palace that Crown Prince Albert (Alec Guinness) will be arriving in two days to visit. Beatrix is sure that he has finally come to ask Alexandra to marry him after touring all of Europe looking for a bride and coming up empty. They begin to prepare for the Prince's arrival and Alexandra tries her best to make a good impression. However, when Albert arrive he sleeps for 24 hours and does not seem at all interested in Alexandra. That is when Beatrix comes up with another plan. She decides to host a ball in Albert's honor. To peak his interest she has Alexandra invite her tutor, Dr. Nicholas Agi (Louis Jourdan), to the ball to make Albert jealous. However, the plan falls apart as Nicholas and Alexandra begin to fall in love. Beatrix must now fix everything because Albert's mother, Queen Maria Dominika (Agnes Moorehead), will be there the next day.

I really enjoyed this film. Kelly was elegant and beautiful as she usually was. Landis was a hoot as her mother, Princess Beatrix. There were two versions made prior to this one. The first was also called The Swan, made in 1925 starring Frances Howard and Adolphe Menjou. The second was One Romantic Night from 1930 with Lillian Gish. However, nothing watching Princess Grace shine in this version.

The China Syndrome (1979)

2007-04-29T12:27:00.000-04:00

A very good and intense drama. Kimberly Wells (Jane Fonda) is a reporter at a TV station in LA. She does mostly fluff pieces and really wants to move onto more important stories. She gets her chance when the station sends her to the Ventana Nuclear Power Plant to do a story on nuclear energy. While she is there with her cameraman, Richard Adams (Michael Douglas), and sound guy, Hector Salas (Daniel Valdez), something happens. There is an "incident" in the control room with the water pressure in the towers. The control room , lead by Jack Godell (Jack Lemmon), is in a panic and Richard secretly tapes everything. When they arrive back at the station the general manager decides they can not air the footage because Richard violated Federal law by filming the the plant without permission. However, Kimberly is not going to let that stop her. She decides to investigate the situation on her own. She talks to Jack Godell and tries to get him to help her. What they uncover is extremely dangerous and people are willing to do anything to keep in covered.

A lot of people think this movie is outdated but I do not feel that way at all. There are still several nuclear power plants in operation today, one very close to me in Toledo, Ohio. The acting in this film was superb. Fonda and Lemmon were both nominated for Oscars for this film. A wonderfully tense thriller still worth watching today.

Turnabout (1940)

2007-04-29T11:49:00.000-04:00

A very interesting movie. Tim (John Hubbard) and Sally (Carole Landis) Willows are an unhappily married couple. The fight constantly and their staff have learned to deal with the weirdness in the house. However, soon the weirdness is intensified. Tim is a partner in a very powerful advertising agency. He resents the fact that Sally does nothing all day. She stays in bed all morning, goes to lunch with his partner's wives and goes shopping. One night they are arguing, which is not unusual, however someone is tired of the bickering. They have a statue of a man in a turban that is on a high shelf in their bedroom. This night the statue comes alive and asks them if they really want to change lives with each other like they always say they do. They agree and the next morning they wake up as the other person. Of course this causes some problems with the partners and their wives. It seems that maybe Tim and Sally had it better than they realized.

This movie was not wonderful but I found it pretty entertaining. The acting was a little over the top but that was fairly common in the 1940s. There was a TV series in 1979 based upon the novel this movie was also based upon. All in all this is a good movie to watch when there is nothing else to watch.

The Bride Came COD (1941)

2007-04-29T11:15:00.000-04:00

A very cute little comedy. Joan Winfield (Bette Davis) is the heiress to an oil fortune. She is bored with her life and decides it needs some excitement. She meets Allen Brice (Jack Carson), a bandleader, and they fall madly in love in a few days. They decide to elope to Las Vegas and hire a plane to take them there from California. The pilot, Steve Collins (James Cagney), has serious money troubles. Soon the bank will repo his plane and he will be out of business. When he hears that Joan's father is concerned about he elopement Steve makes a deal with him. He will return Joan to her father, unmarried, in exchange for the money to buy his plane outright. When Joan's father agrees Steve kidnaps her and they fly off towards Texas. However, they soon encounter plane trouble and they soon crash in the desert. They come across a ghost town where a lone man lives. Soon they begin to get to know each other and eventually start to like each other. However, Allen soon arrives and wants Joan to marry him. Which man will she end up choosing?

This was a cute movie. Davis and Cagney were wonderful even though they were not know for their comedic prowess. Eugene Pallette was also very funny as Joan's oil tycoon father. This is a great movie for a lazy weekend afternoon.

American Idol Finals - Week #7

2007-04-24T19:57:00.000-04:00

So tonight the top 6 sing songs of inspiration for Idol Gives Back week. I hope you all vote your hearts out because each vote is worth real money for a great cause.

1) Chris Richardson (Change the World) - it was pretty good. Still somewhat nasally but not bad. Maybe the clips of Ryan & Simon in Africa (that made me cry dammit!) softened me up?
2) Melinda Doolittle (There Will Come a Day) - all I can say is Amen sister. I loved the gospel feel she gave this beautiful song.
3) Blake Lewis (Imagine) - it was uh. I realized what it is I do not like about him. He sings in a monotone a lot of the time.
4) LaKisha Jones (I Believe) - it was much better than last week but still not her best. I never thought I would say this but I like Fantasia's version better. Fantasia put a lot more heart into it than LaKisha did.
5) Phil Stacey (The Change) - he ruined an absolutely beautiful song by my all-time favorite artist. It was awful! I don't know what the heck the judges were listening to since they loved it.
6) Jordin Sparks (You'll Never Walk Alone) - it started off rough and was a little pitchy but it was pretty good overall.

So who's going home? Phil if there is any justice but who knows.

Dancing with the Stars - Week #6

2007-04-23T21:31:00.001-04:00

So the stars have to learn two dances this week. They have a latin dance and a group swing. I love the group dances. I think I watch it for the same reason people watch NASCAR - the chance of a crash! Here we go.

1) Joey Fatone (Samba) - I think that was as manly as ballroom dancing gets. Great job again.
2) Heather Mills (Paso doble) - it was pretty good. Her arms were a little jiggly but not to bad.
3) John Ratzenberger (Mambo) - he is not the best dancer but I enjoy watching him. He seems to have fun and really gives it his best.
4) Laila Ali (Cha Cha) - that girl can shake it! Very good again this week.
5) Billy Ray Cyrus (Jive) - oh that was a mess. I'm glad he had fun but it was awful.
6) Apolo Anton Ohno (Rumba) - that was wonderful again. I think he is becoming the front runner very quickly.
7) Ian Ziering (Paso doble) - he is still holding back. It was good but I know he can do better.

Group Swing: I liked how this was choreographed and not just everyone dancing in a circle and getting their solo moment like past group dances have been. I loved how Laila picked up Apolo that was hilarious. It was also nice to see Ian loosen up a bit and just have fun.

So I think John or Billy Ray will be leaving tomorrow. I will miss whoever leaves because I actually enjoy watching all of them.