Verse

A while ago I did a post where I pit The Twilight Gang against The Buffy Crew...I don't know, today I was looking through the bumper stickers on Facebook and there were so gd many Twilight ones, I couldn't help but make this...

It ended up being too big to submit, but I just feel like people don't even realize what a debt to Whedon the whole Twilight thing owes. ESPECIALLY the Edward/Angel connection...for the love of God they're practically the same character except Angel's way way cooler and totally more badass. And I made this:

This comes almost entirely from a conversation I had with my sister: "He doesn't kill people, he's immortal, and he's sparkly? Does he fly?" "Sort of." "That's not a vampire, that's a fairy!" I just get this feeling that that would be Buffy's reaction to Edward as well.

Maybe this is just my sense of humor, but I think its funny.

It's a scary place.

Sometimes I wouldn't mind seeing how things connect in my mind. The way it can go from one thing to another so quickly...for me, how it's possible to go from one thing so opposed to another with just a few clicks...

This morning I handed in a paper on Henry Fielding's novel The Adventures of Joseph Andrews. Joseph is a self righteous young hero...this made me think of Dawson Leery (let's be honest, a lot of things do), which reminded me that I had to watch last night's episode of Fringe...which reminded me that I have a meeting tonight during Lost, which reminded me that tonight during Lost there's going to be a sneak peek at Star Trek, which reminded me that I have to get tickets to a midnight showing, which made me wonder what trailers are going to be attached to the film...which made me wonder when the New Moon trailer is coming...which made me go off in search of New Moon news.

Saw some set photos, namely Kristen Stewart and Taylor Lautner on the bikes. YESSSS! So psyched, I cannot even begin to say. Honestly, I'm getting past my Twerd guilt. (Let's face the facts, I am a little old for it. But I'm a little old for my Chuck Bass lust too and my obsession with Degrassi, there are certain things that we just don't outgrow) So, I'm coming around. I've now read New Moon 3 times, Eclipse also. Since Eclipse is already green lit, and there are even talks about putting Channing Tatum in as Victoria's second in command Riley, (Can the Twilight movies even contain anymore hotness? I put it to your opinions) and the casting choices for the Volturi in place...(sigh, why don't I actually write letters...the results would be so much less disappointing to me then.)

I've also come around to Chris Weitz as a director. I watch The Golden Compass again recently (about a month ago) and although it's still not a particularly good movie, the performances don't lack, it's stunning visually and the FX sequences cannot be matched. If th Quileute wolves look half as good as the Ice Bears or the daemons of Compass I think we're going to be OK. Also, I don't know why it didn't click with me at first, but Weitz also has huge experience dealing with teen driven storylines. The man directed American Pie! Again, not one of my favorites (Although it does have two of my favorite underrated actresses in it, Shannen Elizabeth and of course Allison Hannigan, who isn't so much underrated as she flies under the radar) it's still a skillfully crafted genre movie. Which, let's be honest again...New Moon is a mix of three genres, epic romance, traditional horror, and buddy bonding. I think Weitz is up to it.

And truthfully? I'm hoping the trailer will be attached to Harry Potter...it makes sense no?

No Day But Today

For some reason (actually I know the reason) I've been connecting to my musical theater roots a lot lately. It culminated in my current activity, watching the filmed live closing night DVD of Rent.

As a pre HSM post Chicago era high school actor there are very few things more special to me than the music and experience of Rent. The 2005 movie version was good, if only because it introduced the world to Tracy Thoms and let Jesse Martin be seen for what he is beyond his Law and Order role...but it was such a fraction of Rent's power....there's nothing like actually sitting in the Nederlander, hearing the music and crying your eyes out...but somewhere in between the slick cleaned up movie version and the real thing, sits this DVD.

I saw Rent live on stage 3 times. Each experience was unique. The first was with my older brother, as my 16th birthday present. Mike and I hadn't been getting along (not much of a shock) but all was forgiven for the night. The second was with my mother, sister and the friends I grew up with. I've mostly grown apart from these friends but it's nice to know that I had that experience with them. The 3rd and final time was the most special. A few summers ago Adam Pascal and Anthony Rapp, the original Mark and Roger came back to Broadway for a limited engagement. My friend Deanna and I, mostly past our theater geek obsessiveness decided to meet up and try our hand at the lottery. See, at 5 o'clock before every performance most shows do a lottery for cheap tickets. Rent started the practice. Deanna and I got ours, and I remembered for at least that night why I was so obsessed with Rent.

The energy and emotion of the show are like nothing else. The only thing I've ever experienced close to it was In The Heights.

As for this performance, it sits somewhere in the middle too. I'm grateful that I've now seen Eden Espinosa's Maureen. I've thought she was a superior singer to Idina Menzel for years (Honestly, Brooklyn had its flaws, her vocals was not one of them) and Will Chase's Roger is really good too. My problem falls with Adam Kantor as Mark. Anthony Rapp's Mark is the icon, and Matt Caplan is the one that I saw first and always used as a measuring stick. Kantor's performance falls somewhere in between Rapp's manic interpretation and Caplan's straight sarcasm. It's always what I pictures Neil Patrick Harris's version to be like, only still lacking something.

Overall, I highly recomend checking this DVD out if you're a Rent fan, or if you're someone who only saw the movie and didn't understand what all the fuss was about...I know quite a few people who felt that way.

Connections...

So, I watched this weeks 90210 in its encore presentation last night.

And I am right now watching a rerun of the original on Soap Net.

The episode I'm watching right now is when Mel and Jackie bring Baby Erin home from the hospital.

This week's 90210 was almost entirely focused on classic BH characters, specifically on Donna and Kelly, and on Silver (Baby Erin) it was nice to see, although I'm so mad that the new writers broke Donna and David up I could spit! But Donna is staying in Beverly Hills...so nice to have you back where you belong Tori!

And I just have to keep remembering that Terminator is probably getting cancelled (nothing official yet, but the rumors are ablaze) which will free up Brian Austin Greene to come back and fix this travesty that is Donna and David getting divorce!

Interdimmensional whats-its?

Got caught up on Fringe this morning.

Turns out Olivia is a recruit for a special army of humans with superior powers that is meant to fight a coming onslaught of interdimensional beings...

Or aliens.

We all knew it would come to aliens, but why oh WHY did they have to call them interdimensional beings?

Just call 'em what they are...

Either way...Fringe has gotten absurdly good.

Too bad JJ had to steal from George Lucas and Steven Spielberg so very early in the series. But I guess as long as Olivia and Peter don't go off in search of the Crystal Skulls, everything will be OK!

Summer Movie Preview Part I: Sci-Fi Fantasy Edition

It's coming! It's almost movie season...yes, I refer to that blockbuster blitz period between memorial day and labor day as movie season...its like following a sport after all. Anyway, here's my summer movie preview...

Part I: Sci-Fi Fantasy Edition
Since the dawning of the new millenium we geeks have been brought out into the mainstream. God bless the comic book movie and the various publishing phenomenons that did it. As a result every summer the multiplexes are flooded with Sci-Fi/Fantasy offerings, and we eat it up.

X-Men: Origins: Wolverine

Now, let's prepare ourselves now, awesome Sci Fi/Action trilogy that peaked in its second part, and now a prequel, with two colons in it...let's remember what happened last time we got hyped up about this. It was called Star Wars: Episode I: The Phantom Menace. I happen to like that movie, but for some reason most people disagree with me, anyway, I really want to see Wolverine. If only because we finally get to see Gambit. Personally, I want to see how this whole Origins franchise pans out too. We know they're working on Magneto, but I'd really like to see Storm. But I can't wait to see Logan's story unwind. Apparently they take Wolverine back to his gritty roots. I'm not sure what that means, since as I remember it, Wolverine's roots involve yellow spandex, but I think it's an admirable goal.

Harry Potter and The Half Blood Prince
Remember those publishing phenomenons I was talking about? This is one of them. I was among the less outraged when they bumped this movie's release from Christmas to summer, mostly because it then allowed for Twilight to be bumped from January to Christmas (Why they thought that they couldn't release them one after another I still don't know...but Hollywood execs are still baffled by the minds of teenage girls. Let me let you in on a little secret, you want to appeal to them, you give them cute boys, and lots of different ways for those cute boys to get together with average girls, so they can write fanfiction about it.) Anyway, the movie looks fantastic, and I really really can't wait to see the way it all is shown, especially *SPOILER ALERT*


Dumbledore's Murder.

*END SPOILERS*

Star Trek
I'm not a Trekkie, until I was in college I'd never even seen an episode of Star Trek. But quite a few of my friends are big fans and we have plans to see the movie, since we'll be at school. I've now seen maybe ten Star Trek episodes and I think I get the jist. Also, JJ Abrams directed it and he's admittedly not a Trekkie so that makes it much less intimidating, and I'm still hoping that maybe he'll give us a clue to what the numbers mean. And I really can't wait to see what Zachary Quinto does with Spock. I mean, will it just be Sylar with Spock ears? (Which I have been told by my Trekkie roommate would be a total travesty, me, I think it would be funny!) Oh, right and Simon Pegg is Scottie, and Harold from Harold and Kumar is Sulu...I still sort of wish it was Masi Oka...haha, get it? That would be worth the price of admission.

Transformers: Revenge of The Fallen
I'm not sure what the plot is. Not that it matters. The point is that they're robots in disguise, and I don't hate Michael Bay as much as most people in the blogosphere. I kind of like Michael Bay's movies. Pearl Harbor especially. So, yeah, it's going to be good. Or at least fun. Also Shia, I love Shia sooo much.

GI Joe: The Rise of Cobra
See: Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen Substitute: for Shia...Joseph Gordon Levitt.

Icons

So I've been really into Southland (Ben McKenzie + Gun + Cop Uniform + Gun + Motorcycle = Melty Reenie) but that's not what this post is about. Life magazine's website did a photo retrospective on Audrey Hepburn. One of the pictures stood out to me:

The blonde is Grace Kelly. My mom and I have garnered comparison to HRH for years, mostly because we're Irish women and the Irish as a people only have like 4 profiles among us, and we happen to share hers...it's a blessing. But Grace and Audrey (aside from making some of my favorite movies) have been a huge part of my life.

My mother has a rule when it comes to personal style. If you are questioning whether or not something should be purchased or held onto or worn, "Would Grace or Audrey wear it?" If they wouldn't, then it's out. I pretty much follow the rule too, and my roommate, who has christened me her style guru, a title I took humbly but with great honor, asked me one time how I did it. I shared with her the rule and now she follows it as well.

I've recently amended the rule to include Blair Waldorf, not much of a surprise, because she pretty much follows the rule too.

The smell of freshly cut grass...

I'm about to show you all a completely different side of myself. Or at least those of you who haven't actually met me...

See, from reading this blog over the past few months you've clearly gathered what a huge girl I am...and I mean that in the sense that I am extremely girly, it's just my way...but there is one tomboyish thing that I've always had, and will always have.

I love baseball. Specifically, I love the New York Yankees...and Alex Rodriguez.*

I love the Yankees for lots of reasons...I was raised by Yankee fans, my grandparents grew up in New York City, when I was eight, the first time I could really understand what it meant to win something like that they began the most amazing winning streak in the history of sports...its all of these also blended with the amazing history of the team. I'm a nerd, I like things that I can research.

With opening day of the new Yankee Stadium looming tomorrow, and me eager for another exciting summer of watching the boys in the Bronx I couldn't help but share it!

*See the asterix? He's still my favorite player ever even if he is a slimy cheater. I'm loyal and it takes more than half a season of steroid use and an affair with a too old for him pop star to shake my devotion. Even in his "slump" for the past few years he still has one of the best averages in baseball.

Well, well, well..

So I'm so so sorry that I'm so behind! I was crazy behind on what I needed to watch and I spend most of last weekend in Church. (Welcome to my life!) Anyway, here we are, with all kinds of news.

OK, first of all, Terminator has been canceled! Which makes me sad, for Summer, luckily there's Dollhouse, I think Joss would put her there immediately. Or maybe he wouldn't who knows.

But see the good news about this is that it frees Brian Austin Greene up to come on home to Beverly Hills!!!! With Silver's bipolar, I think David should come home, don't you?

Also in 90210 this Liam kid who's hooking up with Naomi is like Jess Mariano the second coming. He even has his time slot.

Also in New Moon news, they've announced an Aro...and its not Atonio. SIGH, my dream will not be, so it looks (For newer readers I was really hoping the Volturi would be played by Tom Cruise, Antonio Banderas and Brad Pitt, and Jane by Kirsten Dunst...just get a little Interview action in there. Kirsten was the real stretch since she said she doesn't want to go near another franchise with a ten foot pole. After Spiderman 3 can anyone really blame her?)

Heroes is back full strength and I'm grateful for it. Like really grateful. I still have to watch this weeks epsiode, but the past 3 have been very very good.

I'm addicted to The Number 1 Ladies' Detective agency and its on my summer reading list, which is as always hugely fluid although right now it looks like this:

1. On The Road - Jack Kerouac (I try to read at least one of those books that everyone should read every summer)
2. The Host - Stephanie Meyer
3. Watchmen - Alan Moore
4. The Sookie Stackhouse Novels - Charlaine Harris
5. Pretty in Plaid - Jen Lancaster
6. The End of The Jews - Adam Mansbach
7. Angry Black White Boy - Adam Mansbach (He came to speak at my school, he's brilliant!)
8. Queen of Babble Gets Hitched - Meg Cabot
9. Being Nikki - Meg Cabot
10. Size 12 is Not Fat - Meg Cabot (I love Meg!)

If anyone has any suggestions, I'd love to hear them! Thanks a bunch!

All over it

So this morning I watched this week's 90210. The joy of this episode was that it was directed by Jason Priestly.

And it had his fingerprints all over it. Or at least, the fingerprints of someone who intimately knew the old show...and if that's anyone its Priestly.

The episode centered around Silver's nervous breakdown, but more specifically, how the Wilson family was dealing with Dixon's reaction to it. Because as much as the later episodes of BH 90210 were about the way the gang related to each other, the first few seasons were about the Walshes, and their life in Beverly Hills. Hell, Deb's freak out over how the kids in California grow up too quickly could have been delivered by Cindy.

As for the actual storyline, I think it's good that they gave Silver bi-polar and that they portrayed it so well. It's been a long time since Craig, and Abby's mom and brother on ER, teenagers need a new educational outlet. Plus it gave Jenny Garth the chance to you know, act and stuff. Although I kept waiting for Brandon to walk over and hug her and do that weird thing with his eyebrows and tell her everything was going to be alright.
You know, that weird thing with his eyebrows.

Bye Bye DAG

David Alan Grier left DWTS last night. I'm a little bummed, because I really did think that he and Kym would be a good match and they just weren't. It was down to him and LT...here's the thing, I said it it my initial analysis. Lawrence Taylor is SCARY! It's not like Jason Taylor or Emmit Smith, he's not the charismatic big teddy bear football guy. He's frightening. He broke a guy's leg for Christ's sake. I am terrified of this man, and I have been since I was like six. And the judges finally are too, thanks to the Paso Doble.



(Video of LT breaking Theisman's leg. Seriously, I fear for Edyta!)

And did anyone else notice the complete look of adoration Mark has in his eyes when he looks at Shawn...I think he's falling in love with her or something. SHARK all the way. This is the first time I'm actively rooting for another couple when Julianne is still in the competition...I must be growing.

Everything's Shiny

Today on Castle, Castle and his daughter played laser tag.

It was nice to see Fillion with a laser gun in his hand again. It just looks right.

Everything's shiny here Captain!

Making it work for 5 more years

Good news everyone! (To quote another saved piece of brilliance, 10 points if you guess the reference!) Project Runway has been saved! This summer is coming and with it the joy of summer TV...including Runway. It's being moved from Bravo to Lifetime, but I'm OK with that. I happen to like Lifetime a lot. They give me Will and Grace reruns.

I'm even more grateful that Lifetime has agreed not only to show the new season coming up, but 5 more.

5 more years of Tim Gunn...I can absolutely live with that.