Nine minutes of enjoyment is not a whole lot...

It's an unfortunate thing that happens when you anticipate a film too much.

"Totally normal," they say, "happens to everyone!" But the unfortunate byproduct of wanting to see a film so badly that you set your expectations through the roof is (obviously) that it can never live up to your heightened standards and you exit the theatre feeling cheated of the exhilaration that comes when a film truly captures your heart.

I have been looking forward to seeing Nine since I first saw the teaser trailer and realized that not only was there another musical coming out, it featured many of my favourite contemporary actresses and was based on a Broadway musical that was itself based upon Frederico Fellini's autobiographical film 8 1/2. How could this not be the film for me? And so I have waited patiently for this day to arrive, and lo: it has!

And it pains me to say that's when the film stopped being fun.

Although all save one of the featured actresses have won Oscars and they are all trying their very hardest (in addition to Daniel Day Lewis who convincingly plays an ageing director who's lost his Italian mojo) the film falls short of what I was expecting. Now it may be that after Chicago there is a certain expectation in terms of the construction of the musical film. Certainly Nine borrowed from the visual cues and tricks that were used to such great effect in its predecessor. However I think more than anything the issue lies in the fact that there are so very many layers and so many stories that need to be told to fully understand the main character (Day-Lewis' Maestro: Guido Cantini) that it cannot all be packed into one film.

Using visual cues to remind the audience of the source material is a good trick: the silent sound stage where the Maestro attempts to find inspiration is reminiscent of the set design found in the stage show, the black and white, grainy film technique used for shots of his boyhood which suggest the great Italian films of Fellini which inspired the original play. But ultimately the film falls short of being truly great because it simply cannot seem to find its focus (though this in itself suggests a parallel to the Maestro's lack of concentration).

Honourable mentions go to Judy Dench (that woman can sing her heart out, and with a French accent no less) and Maron Cotillard (I really need to hunker down and watch La Vie en Rose at some point) who both performed admirably and sang memorable and touching songs.

In the end, if you like musicals this may tickle your fancy (one of my friends truly loved the movie). But for myself I would say, wait until it can be rented and enjoy it in the comfort of your own home... this one's not really for public consumption. Come to think of it, nine is probably how many minutes of the movie I truly loved; that works out to seven percent of the film...poor form Rob Marshall, poor form.

Tom Ford's debut is A Singular Sensation

Having heard nothing but rave reviews for Tom Ford's debut effort A Single Man (a project he co-helmed with David Scearce, based upon the Christopher Isherwood novel) I was eager to spend a Sunday morning observing his take on filmmaking, figuring that at the very least I would get to spend some time with the absolutely exquisite Colin Firth. How I do love being pleasantly surprised...

While the film's aesthetic often suggest that you are in fact watching a two hour commercial for the Tom Ford Collection or a very elaborate perfume advert, the visuals manage to weave seamlessly with the story and compliment the minimalist writing in a beautiful way. The vast majority of the truly important moments in the film are absolutely silent, excepting of course Julianne Moore's desperate best girlfriend Charley who's constant chatter lends a perfect counterpoint to Firth's remarkably quiet George (in fact if it weren't for all the talking, I would call her performance effortless in its perfection). I must say, for his first time around the block Ford's visual style and assuredness is quite remarkable and manages to be light years ahead of a many of the veterans I have been watching lately (though it could simply be a case of laziness on their part).

One thing I should point out though is that Ford does not accomplish this feat entirely free of obstacles. There is one shot that bothered me quite a bit and while I know why it was there, I think that perhaps it did not accomplish what he set out to do. Near the start of the film there is a long scene in which we observe George existing alone in his home and near the end of the scene there is a push back to reveal how alone George truly is with the large wooden home standing empty around him. Unfortunately what this also manages to suggest (as it occurs within the first ten minutes of the film) is that this is the last glimpse we will have inside of George's mind. For a film that is paced almost entirely by George's thoughts and recollections is perhaps not what the filmmaker had intended. While it is a beautiful shot, it would perhaps have been better serviced as an insert rather than a moving shot. But that's me being picky...

Altogether a truly fantastic film, I was very pleasantly surprised by how Wonderfully complex the relationships were revealed to be in such a short time. While the film takes place over one day in November, a good part of the back story is supplied by George's recollections. This, of course, accounts for the entirely one sided view of his relationship with lover Jim. The intriguing thing about this pairing though is that while all the memories of Jim are positive, there is a suggestion of deeper emotional connection and the sense that there are old disagreements floating in the periphery. It ads a layer to the relationship that makes George's desire to remember only the good entirely palatable (and what's more, believable).

A crowning achievement, both in acting and directing (as well as set dressing, cinematography...the list could go on) I will be very surprised if we're not hearing about this one when Oscar comes a calling...

-Siobhan

P.s. When I was searching out the image above I came across this Elton John cover...I though I'd include it as an interesting layer...

Standout TV from this year...

It's that time of year again. The time when baking deserts and drinking too much becomes your paramount concern and the only way to keep new content on your blog is to resort to lists (Heaven forbid)! And so without further ado, my breakouts to watch for the coming post-holiday season (even if at least one of them doesn't return until April, once again reminding me why Fox is my nemesis).

Glee (http://www.fox.com/glee)
While Fox may be my nemesis when it comes to making it difficult for me to watch my favourite shows they certainly delivered with this smart, original and comedic musical series. With catchy tunes and a marketing machine that seems to run itself, Glee has become one of the most talked about new shows in recent years. Though it has been suggested that the momentum the show has now can't keep up for too much longer and while I think that it is often true that breakouts don't stay strong forever (see Grey's Anatomy), the value of "where do we go from here" is often overlooked and can sometimes be an even greater, albeit slower pay off. If you haven't had a chance to catch an episode, have a look see. At the very least you will get some great one liners out of Jane Lynch's Coach Sylvester.

Better off Ted (http://abc.go.com/shows/better-off-ted)
This series actually premiered March 2009 but I'm just getting around to watching it now and with the second season just gearing up it seems like as good a time as any to extol the virtues of the team at Veridian Dynamic. The series follows Ted, a middle management type, as he navigates the corporate environment and the everyday ups and downs of working with an overbearing boss (played to exquisite perfection by Portia DeRossi), a team of sometimes slow on the uptake genius product developers and a very pretty co-worker/love interest. With a corporate entity that literally steals the show (through cleverly played commercial inserts) and manages to be a secondary character to the whole mess, Better off Ted is a standout comedic series.

Cougar Town (http://abc.go.com/shows/cougar-town)
Courtney Cox is back and she's better than ever as newly divorced forty-something Jules in this new family comedy on ABC. Although ABC trying to convince us that Courtney is a typical woman in her forties who's been thrown back into the dating pool is a little stale (any promo shot will immediately disprove all the things Jules is constantly saying about her body). The cast of secondary characters and sounding boards from which Jules' neuroses rebound are really the crowning achievement on this show since even though Courtney is working it as hard as she can she's always been about the team effort. There are a lot of great jokes in this one for the ladies so if you're bored and want a few laughs and drama-lite (no heavy stuff here folks) then tune it. It's worth a try.

I know it's a little heavy on the comedies but that's what I seem to have been into of late. Maybe it's an economic crisis thing but I haven't had the heart to sit down and enjoy Damages, The Wire, Flash Forward or any of the other shows that everyone's been raving about. If you have a show that you absolutely adored this season (whether it's new or old) post it, I'm always on the lookout for a decent show I can pull an all nighter with.

To that end, these returning gems deserve a nod:
Californication
30 Rock
The Big Bang Theory
How I Met Your Mother
In Plain Sight
Mad Men
The Mentalist
Supernatural
True Blood
Ugly Betty (has finally rallied! Check out the last episode!)

Alice is what Tinman wanted to be...

In 2007 Zoey Deschanel, supported by a slew of fairly well known actors, traipsed into the wilds of Oz for the three part mini-series Tinman. Though it boasted talents like Alan Cumming, Neal McDonough and Callum Keith Rennie (oh how I miss you Battlestar) in addition to Deschanel herself and was hailed as an achievement (it won an Emmy as well as a Critic's Choice Award), I thought it felt a little contrived and stale for my tastes. The attempt to modernize the story itself by making Dorothy into "DG," the motorcycle riding, don't-take-no-for-an-answer young heroin at the centre of the story became a cliché before the show had even begun. And as the series went on I found that every new tidbit we learned about Dorothy only made her more of a caricature and less of a character.

While much of the same feeling and general staging of 2009's Alice (also a production of the Syfy network), I found that it seemed to translate better to the screen. This may, in part, be to the effective casting of the series with mostly unrecognizable actors (excepting Kathy Bates and Colm Meaney who both take brilliant turns as the Queen and King of Hearts). While with Tinman it felt as though I was watching a bunch of famous people read lines and interact with each other in a pre-arranged manner, Alice's characters seemed genuinely surprised and scared when they needed to be and sad or happy when it was necessary as well.

But the real reason that I liked Alice (and I think this is the honest to God truth of my movie watching habits) is that there was hope. Even though everything went wrong and came back around again and the series ends with hope, something I found to be sorely lacking from Tinman's resolution. Yes, you may argue the point and you would likely be correct in saying that the final outcome of Tinman is hopeful but it is only hopeful in plot line and not in the actual feeling of the story and underlying message behind it.

Either way, give Alice a try...it' a little commercial but it's an enjoyable four hours.

Could VS have saved Megan Fox's ass?

So I'm not even going to try and make a case for underwear ads that don't objectify women because frankly I'm not entirely sure that it's possible (please prove me wrong). Here's the thing, do you remember how people were all up in arms about Megan Fox's part in Transformers being even more blatantly about her looks (is that possible) than the first edition? There was one scene in particular which caught the eye and it involved her fixing a motorcycle with her ass in the air...c'mon you know the shot. Slow push from behind into Megan on the motorcycle "fixing it", it's even overlaid with Shia LaBeouf's voice saying he got her a webcam "for her." Sure thing Shia, and you're dating her cause she's smart.

Perhaps (and this is just a suggestion) they should have made Michael Bay exorcise his pervie daemons with this commercial BEFORE he made Transformers 2...it could easily have helped the film (notice the use of "helped" as I'm not entirely sure anything could have "saved" that film). For your viewing pleasure...proof that advertising truly has reverted to sex + danger = sell sell sell.

Can we please stop talking about their personal lives?!

I mean honestly, I realize that to a certain extent the star machine runs on the voyeuristic urges of pre-pubescent (and embarrassingly enough, post-pubescent) masses but c'mon people, are we SERIOUS?! I don't want to know what Brangelina had for breakfast or that ScarJo and RyRy are fighting. I don't want to hear about Tiger's supposed affair or the messages that Mariah left on Eminem's voicemail.

Can we please just get back to the music/movies/humanitarian work/sport etc. that these people are known for and get the heck out of their personal lives? Rock Hudson was a leading man for many years and no one had to know that he was gay. Why do we feel the need to bust open the images that they work so hard to show us? I'm really okay with Vanessa Hudgens' kiddie image...I didn't need to know about the naked pictures she sent her boyfriend.

TOO MUCH INFORMATION people. Enough is enough. Let's draw the line; shall we?

Cards for special occassions...

Awhile ago I stumbled upon the site SomeECards.com which provides e-mail ready greeting cards for every occasion. They are based around line drawings of characters in action and feature tag lines such as "I hope you live twice as long and are half as creepy as Michael Jackson," or "I hope that wishing you a happy birthday does not constitute sexual harassment."

The nice thing is that you can customize the cards to fit whatever occasion you like and there are even a few gems that you can send for no reason at all. Visit the site, you may find something that tickles your fancy.

Goes without saying...

Top 20 Unfortunate Lessons Learned from Twilight

Proof that I am a petty child...

That is all.

Et tu Variety? Et tu?

Question: when did journalism suddenly turn into the ability to summarize factual information?

I was cruising Variety.com for new entertainment info and clicked a link to examine this article about Fox's new mid-season lineup. Unfortunately what I discovered was essentially a spoken word schedule chalk full of information I already know. Here's the thing, most of the blogs have at least a couple of these types of lists floating around and if I really wanted to read the Fox schedule, I would go to FOX. What I'm looking for from one of the foremost entertainment magazines is just that: ENTERTAINMENT! Or at least an article that doesn't look like a carbon copy of somebody's press release.

Dead man decals

Okay I know that I'm just perpetuating things by talking about it but I can't figure out which member of the cast and/or crew sold their soul for this damned Twilight thing to take off. It's insane! Speaking of insane I was looking at some interior decorating stuff and came across this:


Edward Cullen silhouette decals for your wall. In the tradition of the shower curtains, pillows, sheets, underwear and countless other things that have been released in tandem with the franchise this disturbs me greatly. Who wants to wake up in the middle of the night to a person in their room? Don't kids spend years GETTING OVER the idea that someone's going to sneak into their room at night.

*shudder*

Why?!

Precious...

Every once in awhile you see a film that truly touches you, makes you examine life and love and all those things that you take for granted.

You see a film that makes you think.

Although it doesn't sound like a relaxing Friday, I went to see Precious with a few friends at the Varsity VIP last night. After seeing the trailer a few months back we have been anticipating this film and with it finally coming to theatres in semi-wide release it was time for us to settle in and experience the story.

I'm not sure I can properly express to you the power of this film. It is a truly unique and moving portrayal of terrible acts perpetrated upon a young girl who, in some ways, genuinely believes that she deserves this sort of treatment. That said, the power of Clareece Precious Jones (and Gabourey Sidibe's portrayal) is that she also believes she has the ability to grow and it is that overcoming of the incredible obstacles in her path that is the crux of the film.

A good deal of the film involves the catastrophic relationship between Clareece and her mother (portrayed with absolute abandon by Mo'nique) and both women give tour de force performances. Was the conflict difficult to watch? At times. But the film remains conscious of its audience and balances showing just enough to drive the point home but not so much that you are overwhelmed. There is humour and light, there is camaraderie and sorrow, and there is a certain amount of horror but the balance is absolutely pitch perfect.

Please see this film; it will stay with you in a positive way that is entirely inexplicable.

EDIT: Gabbe has been doing the rounds of the talk shows. Laineygossip.com has posted the videos of her on the Conan O'Brian show so click here if you'd like to see (I can't get the video to embed for Canadians).

Backstage pass to impatience...

Doesn't this just make you want it baaaad? This movie is already heartily anticipated but somehow the powers that be have managed to make it worse by dropping this little tidbit of behind the scenes footage, neatly wrapped up in the instrumental version of the film's calling card song "Be Italian".

Check it out...

Betty for Humpday!

I've been saying this for years but Ugly Betty is a highly underrated show. Are there more finely crafter shows on television? Maybe, but the key with Ugly Betty has always been the heart, something that many other programs either over or undersell consistently. The show's audience understands that on occasion dramatic instances need to be humorous and are comfortable with the silly tactics sometimes employed by the writers to undercut any seriousness inherent in dramatic plots. Recently I haven't been overjoyed with the series (read: last week's episode is still in my queue) but I'm still not ready to jump off the band waggon just yet...even if ABC has recently made some decisions which could easily have doomed the series for good.

That said, E Online has stated that "According to sources, ABC higher-ups are considering moving Ugly Betty to Wednesdays at 10 in January as part of a flashy relaunch of the show in an effort to save it. The thinking is that Betty would complement new hits Modern Family and Cougar Town nicely, and make ABC a solid destination for comedy on Wednesday night" (Ugly Betty May Steal Eastwick Slot From Lost, E! Online). This is welcome news to me as I'm hoping it will give the Ugly Betty writers the kick in the pants they need to bring the series back to where it found its niche.

Oh goodness me...

So I've just been informed that not one but two twitter account holders have landed major development deals based solely upon their ability to produce one liners that many will ascribe to. Really? Are you kidding me? Some of the stuff that comes out of my mouth is f***ing gold (yes, mostly because it's profane) but honestly, I could get a development deal just by having thoughts and sharing them?

That's it. It's a new campaign....TCMC is going global my friends. It's on!

(in case you're interested the feeds are Shit my dad says and Texts from last night).

Siobhan is concernicus...

What is it about being between thirteen and sixteen/seventeen that makes your blood run hot at the sight of the latest popular movie stud? I imagine the hormones are part of it but that can't be the reason that perfectly normal thirty to fifty year olds are also gaga over this boy. I don't remember every being that overwhelmed by any celebrities, let alone one who appears to be little more than a mouth-breathing over-actor. It does, however, seem to be the year (maybe two or three) of the effeminate boy-child star...

What's up with that?

The pictures from Robert Pattinson's participation in this upcoming month's issue of Vanity Fair have surfaced and they've got me once again questioning why anyone thinks this kid is attractive. He looks like his legs and torso are too short for his body and his head's going to topple over any second. One thing I can say for R.Pat (as I'm told the masses have nicknamed him) is that he seems to be fairly self aware: he's even trying to punch himself in the face for being annoying.

Why can't we celebrate some men of substance? Plenty of the cute ones have more to offer than looks...Johnny Depp or Brad Pitt anyone?

Just sayin'...

The Wintour Issue

Just got back from a lovely Sunday morning date with an old friend and thought I would put down a few words about the film before it went out of my head. This morning's fare was the long anticipated "Anna Wintour movie": The September Issue (btw: movies before noon at AMC are $6 in case anyone's super cheap). As many of you know, Anna Wintour is the celebrated and famously icey editor-in-chief of American Vogue. Her demeanour is so famous in fact that a former personal assistant wrote the bestselling novel The Devil Wears Prada about it (later turned into the popular film starring Meryl Streep in the role in question).

Ultimately this film seems to take a softer view on Anna's personality (which is to be expected considering how much influence she has amassed in the fashion and entertainment worlds). It does not, however, shy away from her emotional disconnect as one would think, rather addressing it directly to her and those who work with her. While everyone freely admits to her distance, the underlying implication is that this is how she remains efficient. In a world where many of the creative types normally tapped to produce work for her magazine are flighty and unfocused, Anna Wintour remains the engine driving the train towards greatness. Her ability to strike fear into those around her means that she does not have to say much in order to get what she wants, and get it quickly.

The surprise in this case is actually the appearance of Wintour's long time Creative Director, Grace Coddington (a former model and brilliant stylist in her own right). Grace is brilliant and driven, opinionated and intent on getting what she wants and a good portion of the film features the complicated relationship between the women. In the end, it is this relationship and the conflict that defines it which manages to keep the film moving forward as everyone at Vogue struggles to put together the largest September Issue in Vogue's history.

I had some concerns going in that it was going to be two hours of Anna Wintour being mean to people and it is certainly not that. The filmmakers jump effortlessly from place to place and work chronologically with the magazine employees to follow the story as it develops; which in this case is probably the best way they could have structured the film. The numbers involved in the production of this magazine are astounding (at one point Grace mentions that Anna has, in fact, cut about $50,000 worth of work from the issue in taking out a few outfits from one of the early shoots).

Alternately funny and intriguing, the film reads a little like a television special but keeps the audience interested.

I think I'm on overload...

...I may need to dance it out.

The nice thing about So You Think You Can Dance in the past has been that there is always a breather between seasons, and with the Canadian version wrapping up as the American one takes the stage again I'm finding it a little hard to concentrate on what's going on. Not having ever really been a fan of the reality genre, I've found that this is the one show that has kept me interested but if they keep this up....well they may lose me in the shuffle.

For visual stimulation, see below to watch the intro/photo shoot for the new top 20.

-enjoy!

Seriously Good...

Prior to hitting up the Cumberland last night I wasn't sold on the idea of going to see A Serious Man (the Coen Brothers new cinematic offering). The previews made it look as though it was going to be another film that you sit through in silence (with the odd uncomfortable chuckle) and end up appreciating later when you've had a chance to mull it over. Needless to say, after the whole Visage debacle at TIFF I was a little apprehensive about another "artsy" film-going experience so soon. But I have a friend to whom I promised last night's movie choice and thusly I found myself squished into a packed theatre in Yorkville, apprehensive but prepared for my movie-going experience.

I should have known better. After Fargo and No Country for Old Men there should have been no doubt in my mind that they could pull it off. And they did. The Coen brother's style and control effortless crafts the suburban nightmare of Larry Gopnik, middle-aged physics proffessor, into a thing of wonder and hilarity. Though it could easily have become predictable and sad as they piled misfortune after misfortune onto one man's shoulders, the Coens manage to avoid the obvious laugh and go for the slightly less commercial one, simultaneously cutting the tension and allowing us to sidestep the growing feeling of sympathy one begins to experience on Larry's behalf.

Now there is one thing about this movie that I didn't like, and it's really more of a criticism of myself than anything else. I don't speak Yiddish. I think if I did there were a lot more jokes (which our compatriots in the theatre were laughing at) that I could have enjoyed had I known more Yiddish than "Naches" (Joy) and "Goy" (non-jew). That said, if you have some time, check this movie out.

It's seriously worth it.

"You're just a boy in a dress..."

It is a time honoured fashion in Hollywood for famous male leads to take parts in which they dress in drag. In the past is has been alternately touching, funny, conversational and just plain fun. So when I found out that Ryan Reynolds is being tapped to don women's clothing in order to "win back his ex-girlfriend by befriending her" it got me thinking (and not just about how bad I think this film will be).

There have been many quality films working with this as their premise. I have put together a must-see list of gender bending film forays that I think everyone will enjoy. Each has a different aim or message but ultimately they all take a moment to make us examine ourselves (as any good film should).

So enjoy!


To Wong-Foo Thanks for everything, Julie Newmar (1995)
After Vida Boheme and Noxeema Jackson win a major New York drag contest and a trip to Hollywood, they are persuaded to take the inexperienced drag princess Chi-Chi with them. They hire a beat-up old Cadillac and set off for Los Angeles, but their car breaks down in a small town in the middle of nowhere. With just their wits and an endless supply of garish costumes, they transform the town and everyone who lives there--until homophobic cop Sheriff Dollard catches up with them...

Tootsie (1982)
Michael Dorsey is desperate; he can't find a job. That is, until he gets a female role in a soap opera and becomes very famous. Of course, nobody knows that this new television star is a man... But, after a while, he falls in love with the leading actress of the series, and here is the big problem: how can he express his feelings, since she thinks that Michael is a woman?

Some Like it Hot (1959)
Two struggling musicians (Tony Curtis and Jack Lemon) witness the St. Valentine's Day Massacre and try to find a way out of the city before they are found and killed by the mob. The only job that will pay their way is an all girl band so the two dress up as women. In addition to hiding, each has his own problems; One falls for another band member but can't tell her his gender, and the other has a rich suitor who will not take "No," for an answer.

...That's all for now but feel free to post your own suggestions!

A.K.A. The Pacifier: Redux

Shorties: quick and dirty reviews for fall

In a stroke of "what do you mean she's NOT chained to her desk?" I have been out and living my life of late and have thus negated my duties in completing reviews of the films I've seen. To that end-- and in hopes that you too are out experiencing the world and its many pleasures-- I have put together few short reviews so as not to take up too much time that you could be using effectively.

See! I'm being a good citizen who encourages her fellow to go outside. But first read on.

EXTRACT...
...was not what I was expecting it to be and I was quite pleasantly surprised. And you know what I was thinking. As soon as you see Ben Affleck's Jesus hair in the trailer you find yourself pushing aside images of your friends shoving chemical enhancement on you so you'll enjoy the movie as much as they do. That said, there IS certainly a scene of that magnitude but overall I found the movie went for the commercial laugh rather than the underlying stoner one (a la Pineapple Express). Plus, I really can't get enough of Kristin Wiig. I think I have another girl crush (those of you who read often will already know I have a thing for Sandra Bullock).

WHIP IT...whip it goood!
Ellen Page, Kristin Whigg (again!), Juliette Lewis and Drew Barrymore, with a special mention to Zoe Bell (for Kathy) and Eve (for Matt) come out swinging in this girl power commercial offering from first time director Barrymore. Although the roller derby scenes could have (in my opinion) been a little tighter and more action packed, Barrymore does a remarkable job of balancing the two aspects of the film: that of the young Bliss (Page) who is growing into a woman and that of the fledgling Hurl Scouts who have never won but are fighting Rocky-style for the top. While this is not the indie darling it could have been (especially with Page in the lead) the film does "legitimize" itself a little through its soundtrack, which is full of hipster tracks that will really make you feel you're unique. Is it commercial? Yes. Does it push boundaries? Less than you'd think, but it remains an enjoyable romp through an as yet commercially unexplored world. Did I ultimately come out wanting to know more about roller derby?

Hells yeah I did.

COCO AVANT CHANEL
Went to see this over the long weekend and frankly I was quite disappointed by the offering. Having been a huge fan of Audrey Tautou since the French darling Amelie swept her to mainstream stardom I really wanted to love this film but the pacing just killed me. The premise (for those who are unaware) is the life and times of Gabrielle "Coco" Chanel before she hit it big as the designer who would create the now infamous fashion house. The problem being that a lot of her life prior to the designing wasn't particularly interesting. Certainly Chanel was an interesting person and as character studies go the film is constructed well but the slow pacing and the manner in which she is framed (which frankly isn't very sympathetic) caused me to wonder if it wasn't simply a representation of history. I have never found historical re-creations in themselves to be interesting...it has always been the questions raised and the tensions and obstacles met that compel me to sit through "another historical drama" as they say. For me this film fell flat, but there are others that I was with who appreciated the slow pacing. To each his (or her) own I suppose but if you're not a fan of the slowly paced, quiet character study...skip this one.

I'm sure there are more movies (and thus reviews) in my immediate future but for the moment I will leave you with this suggestion: it is the Shakespeare Festival at Stratford. GO!

That is all.

Best. PSA. EVER.

Okay so this is obviously an important subject but done in such a campy/clever way that even the younger generation will enjoy. Plus it's nice to see Emily Deschanel playing off type.

Afterschool special

I was trailer hopping again today and came across this preview of Antonio Campos' new film Afterschool which follows the death of two young women at a private school through the eyes of their classmates. Chilling and more than a little tense I am intrigued by the trailer and find myself in anticipation of the film.

Check it out and see what you think:

Apple.com - Movie Trailers - Afterschool

Visage: the miss-spent youth of moi

I've been plugging TIFF to anyone who will listen (for those of you "not in the know" TIFF is the short form and this year's re-brand of the Toronto International Film Festival). I love having the opportunity to see little-known but critically acclaimed films in larger venues and with much less effort than it would normally be possible to. I love standing in line with other "cinephiles" and chattering about black and white films that make us all think we're cool. I LOVE that guy who's always behind me on the escalator afterwards, telling the girl he brought what she should think about the film in pretentious intellectual speak he has no business using.

I love it all.

So when Matt asked if I wanted to see a film this week I jumped. We're both trying to curb our spending heading into the pricey months (November through February) and so we settled on one film that we were both looking forward to. Unfortunately that film ended up being the Franco-Thai produced film Visage by filmmaker Tsai Ming-Liang.

Upon revisiting the film in my mind there are certainly elements of it that in retrospect were quite good. The film definitely didn't suffer from a lack of talented actors as all gave fairly nuanced performances, but the way the shots were constructed just made it impossible to sit through. Each shot comprised approx. 6 minutes (give or take) and was usually framed from such a strange angle that it was difficult to get any feel for the setting or context. What's more, the film consists of minimal dialogue and even fewer scenes which include an exchange of any kind. I'm fairly sure that the longest of these consists of the almost exclusively Thai speaking lead Lee Kang-sheng and French actor Jean-Pierre Léaud volleying directors' names in an aping of actual conversation.

All in all I was pretty upset and very disappointed that this was the one film I have the time and money to see. I'm proud that we branched out but I think next year I'm going to see something I can actually find a trailer of. That is two and a half hours of my youth that I'm not getting back...

Inglorious Review (or how I learned milk could be thrilling)

It's been a few weeks and I'm actually quite behind on my reviews so I'm going to do some quick and dirty reviewing. Went to see this with a friend and based on his reaction it occurs to me that there may be an aspect of the movie's premise and ultimate aim that I miss by being me (i.e. a British mutt and not Jewish). More on that later...

The film itself is reasonably entertaining if a little full of itself, but I certainly didn't find myself checking my watch. Rife with Tarantino's effusive dialogue, the film plays out in typical revenge fantasy fashion. those who have been identified as in the wrong and monstrous in their own right are punished and the victims get their moment to exact revenge upon their oppressors. One would expect, then, to be completely satisfied by the outcome of each small victory rather than horrified by the violence being visited upon the violent.

I know, the paragraph is a little convoluted. Let's try this again.

I enjoy Tarantino movies, his films have been some of my favourites and I really do love his style of dialogue and the way he tweaks the violence to catastrophic levels. That said, I think in this case I was too busy being horrified by the carnage that was taking place on screen to have even the slightest regard for what could potentially have been a deliciously satisfying look at what "repaying the nazis" would have looked like. I did mention my friend (who happens to be Jewish) and he loved the film while I had my reservations. Part of me that is keenly aware that while both my grandfathers fought to defend their respective countries from the tyranny of Germany's leadership, they were not in any of the categories that were being directly affected by the atrocities. And it's hard not to wonder if that changes my perspective on the film and revenge in general. But perhaps a longer discussion for another night with friends...

Bottom line: not my favourite Tarantino film but it was enjoyable nonetheless. Included one of the more tense scenes I've seen in a wide-release film in quite some time and of course the effortlessly charming Mélanie Laurent. Definitely worth your time but beware if you're squeamish.

Someone, somewhere...just lost a bet to me

The first teaser trailer for Valentine's Day is has finally arrived and as I theorized they would in July, they provide a cast list at the end of the trailer. Judging by this first look I would say I will probably go see it against my better judgment. I'll probably also vault between loving certain things (Shirley McLaine and Hector Elizondo, Topher Grace and Anne Hathaway) and hating others (Jessica Biel and Jessica Biel).

I have to say though...I am pretty miffed that Shirley, Hector, Queen Latifa and Eric Dane weren't mentioned. Then again, they might be saving it for the full length trailer. Do you think that they're upset about not being featured?

Hmmm...

Poster Review: All About Steve

I love Sandra Bullock, and although the reviews have been terrible will probably end up seeing All About Steve. But this poster is just terrible. The way she's holding that umbrella makes it look like she's going to try and kill everyone on the other side and Thomas Haden Church is the only person concerned. It's like the movie poster version of this trailer.

Better luck next time folks.

I love pretentious intellectuals...

...for THIS reason:

Check out the clip after the jump for a video representation of why Twilight really is as creepy and you thought it was. As a special bonus, make sure you read the author's description on the side. It just adds so much texture to the hilarity.

Buffy vs. Edward: Twilight Remixed -- [original version]

Arguably the best part (I know there are too many goodies) is that after the credits roll there are all sorts of links to "serious" Twilight videos.

500 Days of Summer, District 9, and Paper Heart

I've been lagging on my reviews of late so I thought I should sit down and write a bit about why I'm still doing my best to PR 500 Days, why I told some random guys in line for a movie today that they should go see District 9 and why I think I only saw Paper Heart for the air conditioning.

I suppose we should probably go chronologically:

500 DAYS OF SUMMER
I told friend today that I have a crush on Joseph Gordon-Levitt and she balked at me. Yes, that's right...balked. It always struck me that this was one of those things described in novels but never actually done in person; well now I've seen it. But I'm getting off topic.

When you see the trailer for this film you think "okay, quirky love story" and you go into the theatre thinking the same thing (even though the film explicitly says many times over that it "is not a love story"). There are certainly elements of the indie, boy-meets-girl-and-changes-his-outlook quirky comedy (i.e. the entire opening sequence) but the film does a good job of tweaking this genre just enough to keep you guessing. The characters are interesting and three-dimensional (read: believable, though I do think Gordon-Levitt's Tom may be a touch too neurotic). The situation is familiar and yet somehow it seems fresh and interesting and although clichés abound, they are never overdone.

However, the most striking thing about the film for me were the visuals. When I think of independently made summer love stories, I have images of close-up, brightly lit, soft focus shots of the lead characters ogling each other. Now don't get me wrong, there's plenty of that in this film, but the interesting thing about the way the visuals have been constructed is that the shots are SO close that you can see the age in the faces of the respective players. I'm not sure if this was a conscious choice or an unfortunate by-product of the digital film medium, but it works to cut down on the saccharine sweetness of the framing. This of course mirrors the film itself which, as it claims again and again, is NOT a love story.

You know what? I liked it that way.

DISTRICT 9
Saw this last night on a whim with a friend and was pleasantly surprised to find that it is in fact an intelligent and thought provoking film. You know, with aliens and lots of exploding heads.

For those of you who haven't seen the trailer the film is based on the premise that in 1982 alien refugees arrived on earth and have been, for nearly the last 30 years, housed in a restricted area called District 9 (refreshingly not located in the United States, rather in Johannesburg, South Africa). The film picks up as the country decides that due to rising tensions the refugees must be moved farther from the human population to a specially built camp approx 200 miles outside the city. Confrontations aside, the film is constructed like a documentary which tells the story of one man's struggle to stand up for what he believes in, even as those beliefs are being held up to the microscope for the whole world to see.

Intelligent, with enough gore and action to satisfy most hard-core action buffs District 9 successfully manages to toe the line between action and academia. Bravo.

PAPER HEART
In a turn that gives away my lack of air conditioning at home I went to another movie this afternoon mostly for the sake of the fresh and cold air. Paper Heart is a mock-umentary about comedian/musician Charlyne Yi's quest to discover what love is after claiming she doesn't believe in it, and ends up chronicling her budding relationship with Brampton's own Michael Cera.

As films go it was cute and there were a few moments that made me chuckle but by in large it was what I thought 500 Days of Summer was going to be (and didn't want it to be). I enjoyed the film, mostly because Yi is either really strange or just fantastic at playing strange, as she manages to helm some horrendously awkward moments. All in all it's cute and if you like Michael Cera you will likely enjoy it but I think my ticket price was mostly worth it for the air conditioning.

I could have waited to see this one.

Kate Winslet...aiming for an Emmy?

It's been less than a year since Winslet finally managed to grab the Oscar she's been campaigning for and already there are rumours that she's headed for TV. According to Variety.com Winslet is attached to a television adaptation of James M. Cain novel which was previously made famous by Joan Crawford's Oscar winning portrayal of the titular character; Mildred Pierce.

With the success of shows like AMC's Mad Men it seems that television audiences are looking for edgier and more complex portrayals of our past. What's more, the show is being shopped to HBO, which is roaring through the year with successful returning shows (True Blood, Big Love, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Entourage etc.) and is well known to give its shows more...breathing room, shall we say. With the story centring on a female entrepreneur who becomes embroiled in a romantic entanglement leading to betrayal and murder, they've certainly got a lot to work with.

I have to say, I'm looking forward to this one; here's hoping it gets picked up.

Legion...

I've always been a fan of the idea of looking at a famous story from a new and exciting angle. To that end, I was intrigued when I first read about the new movie Legion starring Paul Bettany (and incidentally a supporting cast made up of a collection of TV actors you will likely recognize). However, I've embedded the trailer below and I'm really not sure. It looks a little like Supernatural and the Matrix gave birth to a pseudo-mythological action film and decided cut it down to a minute and a half. Seriously, the art of the trailer is dead...and my jury is still out on the film.

FYI - it's a restricted trailer.

Cheers,

They finally made my life into a movie...

...and it features someone who has to be introduced as starring in the Travelling Pants movies.

So sad.

At any rate, it got me thinking: if your life was a movie, which would it be? If I'm being honest my life is actually this film:


Followed closely chronologically by Office Space:


And I'm really hoping that the triumvirate is completed with the Princess Bride:

...but that's just because I'm optimistic and would like an excuse to sit in bed all day while a grandfather figure reads me bedtime stories and I pretend I'm six and don't have bills to pay.

So what movie (or movies) would your life be?

It's...complex?

I've been talking about how the roles for women are changing in the current entertainment climate but the trailer for the upcoming It's Complicated got me thinking. I've been making a case for the idea that the roles for women in television are stronger than in film, and overlooking the fact that we have come a LONG way in terms of what the public wants to see of the modern woman.

Allow me to get a little film school on you for a second:

When I was in first year we watched a film called All that Heaven Allows with Rock Hudson and Jane Wyman. It was about a widow (Wyman) who falls in love with a gallant gardener (Hudson) who is younger than her by at least a few years. Now throughout the movie they talk again and again of how old she is and how it's not proper for a lady of her age to be carrying on in such a way. Let's be clear: and say that by "carrying on" they are referring to her going out on dates with this man and that at the time of the film's release Wyman was 38 years old (meaning she was likely 36 or 37 at the time of filming).

The majority of the household names in romantic films these days are well into their thirties: Sandra Bullock is 45, Cameron Diaz is 37, Jennifer Aniston is 40, Angelina Jolie (who many still consider one of the hottest women on the planet) is 34. So while the film is likely formulaic in the way that Romcoms tend to be...it is a pleasure to see that Ms. Streep (who turned 60 this year) is front and centre, and shooting sex scenes no less!

Check out the trailers and let me know what you think...

What I did this summer: moviewatcher edition

Seeing as the summer is winding down I thought I would do a quick re-cap of my summer movie watching. This summer has been full of disappointments but I have had a few pleasant surprises that I'd like to share...here we go.

HOW I DID WITH MY SUMMER LIST OF FILMS:

(500) DAYS OF SUMMER - I was really excited to see this movie and was sure it would be a quirky art-house film and while it does have aspects of the genre it surprised me in a wonderful way. Definitely worth re-visiting and I would recommend it if you aren't sure what you'd like to see.

THE BROTHERS BLOOM - Haven't had a chance yet but it's still on the list.

BRÜNO - Saw it. HATED it. There's really nothing more to say.

HARRY POTTER AND THE HALF-BLOOD PRINCE - I was sure I was going to do this to myself (i.e. anticipate so much that the film couldn't live up to my expectations) but I did really enjoy the film. My only concern is-- and for those who've both read and watched this intsallment you'll know what I mean-- that they haven't emphasized the right things in order to properly set up the next two movies. Basically there's too much love and not enough danger.

THE HURT LOCKER - Still haven't seen it. Still really itching to watch.

THE PROPOSAL - Saw it, liked it. It's exactly what you want from a Romcom.

PUBLIC ENEMIES - I really liked this and enjoyed Johnny Depp's performance.

SURROGATES - Still don't want to see this film but I'm reading the graphic novel. At times it's a little formulaic (i.e. it's trying too hard to be the Watchmen) but it brings up some interesting points. When a book can make me angry it gets my seal of approval.

EVERYONE'S BEEN TELLING ME TO WATCH THESE, SO I DID:

SECRETS AND LIES (Not the greatest trailer but the best I could find)
HAPPY-GO-LUCKY (This was a quiet one at the Oscars this year and I think, well deserved)
MANHATTAN (Saw this at the Bloor Street Cinemas earlier in the summer. Fantastic)

AWARD WINNER FOR "UPCOMING MOVIE WITH MOST CELEBRITIES IN ONE FILM":

NEW YORK, I LOVE YOU I'm not even going to bother listing all the names...because the trailer (in that way that trailers do) manages to read like a CV for the film. In the battle between this and Valentine's day, which I posted about earlier this summer...I think New York wins. Not really surprising if you think about it, but interestingly both films feature Bradley Cooper. Looks like he's having his "it" moment. Get ready to be sick of him by the end of the year ;)

The Lovely Bones...

...was the most heartbreakingly beautiful book I have read in the past few years and being that it centres around the rape and murder of a 13-year-old girl it's no wonder it broke my heart. But the reason the book was so beautiful is that it really made an effort to explore what happened to her after she was killed and expand upon the love in her family. It manages to (by the end) show you the beauty of life through the absolute horror of the event at the beginning of the novel.

To that end they've made a movie and I'm a little concerned it's not going to meet my expectations; there's a lot of subtlety and contradiction that the film needs to explore in order to live up to its source material. Check out the trailer and let me know what you think. Will you check out the lovely bones?

http://www.apple.com/trailers/paramount/thelovelybones/

HD is to newscasters as 3D is to teenagers...

In recent years the government has come up with new fangled "holographic" driver's licenses that are supposed to be harder to replicate (there's a reflective/holographic replication of your license photo in the bottom corner among other things). I have managed to hold onto my old one dimensional photo ID from University but recently my license expired and I've had to renew. What--might you ask-- is the point?

Well, after accidentally sleeping in this morning and rushing into work with my glasses on, wet hair pulled back, and no makeup I had to renew my license this afternoon. I am quite excited to see how my ID photo turned out; especially in view of the fact that I'm going to have to display it proudly in liquor stores and concert halls for the next five years.

I bet I look like Megan Fox.

What the whole holographic angle did make me begin to wonder (after the second "glasses-on" picture in which the top half of my face was obscured by the glare of my crazy-thick lenses, and I was standing back to the wall waiting for the flash from an object I could not see) is how the new craze for 3D movies will effect actors in the years to come. I've heard stories about news casters who've had to adjust their beauty habits solely due to the HD experience making it easier to spot imperfections. How will 3D effect that?

Can you imagine: Zac Efron's acne in 3d?!?!

I shudder to think...

For shame: the TV vs. Film Dilemma

I am actively boycotting the Ugly Truth as there are many far superior movies in theatres at the moment. Unfortunately-- my friends and I aside-- the film seems to be doing quite well at the box office and it leads me to wonder about movie watchers' habits. Obviously the Romcoms tend to do quite well but for an actress who complained about not having enough meat to warrant an Emmy for her role (not that, you know, she was thinking she had a chance of winning or anything) it's an interesting choice of roles for Katherine Heigl.

Lo and behold someone thought the same thing! Check out this article and let me know what you think...are the TV roles for women more plum at the moment?

"Shew vs. shrewd" (chicagotribune.com)

The ladies of Emmy's drama nominations certainly think so! Check out their round table discussion when you're done reading about my currently least favourite blond (my most favourite being Edie Falco).

And the award for best marketing plan goes to...

I-- along with a good portion of the continental United States-- have been obsessed with Glee since FOX aired the pilot to tease the upcoming September premier (which has now been pushed up one week to September 9th). Apparently those lucky enough to attend Comic Con and make it to the Glee panel were treated to a preview of the second episode, but cyberspace has lucked out with this clip of Amber Riley working "Bust your windows" by Jazmine Sullivan.

It's a testament to the shows popularity (before actually being on the air) that there has even been a term coined for those fans of the show, a la "twi-hards" and "chucksters". The new term for those who lie in wait for episodes and new tidbits to be released have been dubbed: "gleeks".

Enjoy.

Statues in the dark...

As previous posts can attest I'm feeling a little bit older of late, but I'm not quite at the age where I've managed to purchase my own home. I do, however have a penchant for cruising the decorating sites and hoarding ideas for later when I do own my own home.

So I was reading through ApartmentTherapy.com today and I came across a regular post that they do which centres around tours of people's homes. This picture is from a woman's home in South Africa, which the article calls a "shrine."

I have to say-- ignoring the fact that I'm not particularly religious-- I would not want to stumble into this dining room in the dark. You could easily scare yourself silly with a life-sized figure of Christ nailed to your wall! What's more, I imagine that smashing a figure of Christ because you think it's an unusually nimble cat burglar in the dark likely brings about more bad luck than, say, breaking a mirror?

Just a thought. *shiver*

Apparently this is news...

I have reached the age where I'm no longer able to understand the gibberish that spews from my younger compatriots' mouths about their favourite stars.

I don't understand why anyone would want to be a part of a 'Robsten' (as it sounds suspiciously like a dirty middle-aged baseball player). I'm entirely unconvinced of the allure of the two-toned singing nasal cavity that is Miley Cyrus. And I cannot wrap my brain around the phenomenon that is the Jonas Brothers. These boys singing on stage at the Grammy's with Stevie Wonder was almost physically painful.

So it is with supreme confusion that the following news fell across my desk: the second of the Jonas brothers has apparently decided to split with longtime girlfriend Camilla Bell (you know her and her eyebrows, I promise you). Which for me begged the question, what took them so long to figure out that they're siblings?

"You wanna join me?"

Cruising the net earlier today I discovered a preview for the rest of True Blood's second season and I must say...I have tingles! Check out the clip below for more but it looks like it's going to be a good one:

Got you all fired up with your Tabitha and Napoleon complex!

So, what was wrong with the show last night!? Cat looked creepy in that shiny garbage bag, it was worse than the crap outfit she wore last week. Ellen looked crazy. I kept thinking she couldn't move her face properly because of botox. My dad thinks they just didn't do her make up very well. Mary looked subdued, but she needs to shut up. Mia is Mia and I love her more and more.

Group Routine
Travis is my god. Yeah, he's hot. The camera work for the routine was the most pathetic ever and I couldn't even concentrate to watch the dancing. It really made it difficult to watch. I didn't notice Brandon at all.

And Siobhan says: I think I might have liked this dance if I could actually see it. Whoever was working the steady-cam for Ade's flips needs to be reminded that they're not Scorsese and it's not about the shot but the dancing. Unless it's a crappy shot in which case it's ALL about the shot.

Evette (or Janvan if you prefer)
I wasn't too sure of this partnership. Evan is cute. Janette is sexy. Sometimes it just ends up awkward. It's like Travis and Martha, it was often awkward. The Sonya jazz had some nice moments and Janette looked super fierce. Once again the song didn't seem very Sonya-esque, I'm surprised you didn't mention this. And again it was another remix. They really have been picking on Evan and it doesn't seem valid most of the time. I wasn't surprised Mia said that Janette was her favourite of this season... she is a fantastic dancer. The rumba did seem awkward, on both parts. There was a move when she went down his side with a spin, which I remember Chelsie doing--and Chelsie did it so much better. Plus Janette's solo was weak. Why didn't she do any of her Salsa dancing... she needed an up tempo song to really make her remember what she did. All I remember is that I was bored.

And Siobhan says: Evette sounds cutesier...which I think is appropriate in view of the diminutive stature of the couple. Seriously, how do they manage to stand beside Cat without laughing hysterically. I think that if they stuck together there would be more trust. I think it might partially stem from the fact that she doesn't do contemporary so she doesn't necessarily know how it's supposed to feel but with the Latin dances she knows exactly how her partner should feel in relation to her, which may cause doubt. Problematic. I didn't think they made a very good couple. Bottom two for sure.

Branine
So, this partnership is the bane of my existence. I hate Brandon. I hate Brandon. I hate when he smiles. I hate when he tries to be sexy (like in his awkward-to-watch-because-he-treats-it-like-porn solo). The Waltz really sucked. It was awful. I was glad they were called out on it. I was more focused on whether Brandon used the word ponder properly in the video clip. I thought you had to ponder a question, or something specific. Can you really ponder squirrels

And Siobhan says: I think you can technically ponder squirrels, it's just not used? Also, this partnership is the bane of everyone's existence; especially the dancers. Have you ever seen two people dance so completely separated? The waltz was terrible (that dress was not flattering, and I really wanted it to be because they really haven't figured out how to dress Jeanine, and that sucks). I really liked the Lorianne routine but as you mentioned the song choice could have been better.

Melade
Did Ade seem slightly annoyed to get Melissa again? Is that why he seemed awkward and clumsy during the cha cha? Gotta love Melanie Lapatin! Ade's solo was much better than last week and I appreciated that Melissa tried something a little different. It seems like her age is making it more difficult for younger viewers to relate to her. Now, for the second dance I didn't pay any attention to the intro video because I think Tyce is a cancer on the program. I realized it had to have been about cancer because Melissa was wearing the head scarf. It seemed clunky and awkward to start and then all of a sudden it was just WOW and I wanted to cry. I wasn't surprised with the judges reactions. It seems like everyone has been touched by cancer. I thought Mia's crying was beautiful, and it made me have a new appreciation for the routine she did with Lacy and Neil.

And Siobhan says: I'm not going to lie: I cried. But not because of the routine, only because everyone else was crying. Honestly, they couldn't have driven that point home any harder. Shot of Melissa crying, cut to Tyce tearing up, cut to Nigel unable to speak, cut to Melissa again because Ade's not crying. Cut to Ellen, who still looks stunned, yet touched. Cut to Mary who's crying (big surprise). Cut back to Tyce, who looks more upset. Cut to Mia. Cut to Tyce crying. Cut to Mia. Cut to Melissa. Cut to tears....cut to... Cat. Standing in the middle of it all; the ice queen. I have new found respect.

Kayson (I'd call it Jayla, but there was a girl on ANTM named Jayla... and she was a bitch)
So how lucky am I to get my two favourites together?! I never got Travis and Natalie. But they got stuck with Tyce and Shane Sparks... two of the most underwhelming choreographers this season! I think my problem with Tyce is that his Broadway routines have featured really boring songs that just fail to catch my attention. This number worked better and I would say that it is the best he has done all season but it's still a far cry from what he's done in the past. The hip hop was definitely the best Shane Sparks has done all season, but I don't know if I'd say the best ever. But there were some pretty amazing parts to it. I definitely loved the beginning and the end.

And Siobhan says: I was super excited for you when I saw these two together. Thing is, I think it actually turned out to be a pretty solid partnership. Honestly, I don't think that they'll be in the bottom this week. I am, however, so over Kayla that it hurts me physically. They need to stop talking about her like she's already won. That said, if she and Brandon end up in the final two...you know which girl I will switch my allegiance to.

Bottom two girls: Melissa and Janette.
Bottom two guys: Evan and Ade. (or whatever he said)? I was really impressed with the new choreographer and how she dealt with Jeanine wanting to cry. But I think the song really ruined the routine and all the hardcore bullshit she was talking about during the video clip. I haven't re-watched it with a different song because A) Jordin Sparks is awful. B) The song (called "Battlefield") just makes me think of "Love is Battlefield". C) Brandon is awful.

Going home: Evan and Melissa!

So Siob and I agreed on the bottom two. And we were so wrong. I only had one right! I really wanted to pick Janette to go home after her lousy night, but just didn't have the balls to pick the Natalie over Allison Top 8 elimination! I shall miss Jason and his hotness!