September 28, 2007

Coming soon!

And now, thanks to Capitol Hill Barbie, I can confirm that Project Runway will premiere on November 14th!

Also there's a nice spread on the contestants in this week's Entertainment Weekly (print edition).

Oh, and did I mention I'll be seeing Tim Gunn next weekend?

Tee hee!

ZOMG!!!

Woo hoo! The season 4 designers for Project Runway have been announced! I am soooo excited.

Looks like a couple of cuties. And maybe a lesbian?

Anyone want to predict an early favorite?

September 26, 2007

Marvelous Mondays

At long last, the fall TV season is here! It's premiere week, and Monday was a return to favorites for me.

The night started with How I Met Your Mother. When we last left the fab five, Marshall and Lily got married, and we learned that Ted and Robin had broken up. Barney was stoked to have a fellow bachelor once again.

Well it didn't go so well, considering Robin brought back Enrique Iglesias as her new beau. This sends Ted into a jealous rage, and he goes off for a night of drunken debauchery with Mandy Moore (playing against type - what, Lindsay Lohan wasn't available?). In the end he was "tramp stamped" by a girly butterfly tattoo on his back. Schmuck!

But the highlight is Barney's line, "B the W..." Ha! IM-speak!

CBS is following up the show with The Big Bang Theory, which is basically about a bunch of super-smart geeks who befriend a waitress from the Cheesecake Factory. Seriously. I smiled a couple times, but I sincerely doubt there are enough laughs to last a season. (Next week I'll be trying CW's Alien in America instead.)

And then...there was Heroes. It's four months later, and what are our friends up to?

Well, the Bennet family has relocated to a place in California, and try their best to live unexceptional lives so as not to attract the attention of "The Company." It gets dragged out all episode, but we get it - they don't enjoy this thing. Claire is also having a pseudo-flirtation with a guy that turns out to be super-powered himself - he can fly. They're a match made in heaven - if they do the Superman kiss n' fly thing, if he accidentally drops her, no big deal!

Meanwhile, Matt got a divorce (um, wasn't his wife PREGNANT?), and is living with Mohinder (not like THAT, you gay conspiracy theorists). They are protecting Molly, who is having nightmares - are they about Sylar? Or something more sinister?

Nathan is now a drunk, as he appears to have survived, but thinks that Peter didn't. He's got a big ol' beard, which he manages to look hot in.

And Hiro finds himself in the past, meeting his "hero" Mr. Kenzei. Who appears to be not so heroic after all, and Hiro may have mistakenly altered the past. Will that affect the future?

Let's hope that he can correct it, as the future isn't so bright. Some mysterious hooded figure from "the remaining nine" threatens the lives of both Hiro's father and Mama Petrelli. Ando isn't in time to save Mr. Kaito. Nooo!!!! George Takei!!!! (We do manage to get a clear picture that Kaito and Mama P obviously know each other quite well - could there be other heroic parents in hiding?)

We also meet two new heroes, a brother and sister act from south of the border. Who are Maya and Alejandro? And what power does she have that can kill a truckload of people and leave their eyes bleeding? It doesn't sound pretty, that's for sure.

Oh, and Peter? Alive. With a better haircut. Locked in a crate in Cork, Ireland of all places. And he doesn't remember who he is. Did I mention he's wearing a necklace with that sinister S symbol?

Niki/Ikin, D.L. and Micah? I wish I knew!

September 23, 2007

Pleasant Surprise

While on our recent trip to Puerto Rico, our gracious hosts suggested that as a part of our day trip to Poncé (the island's second-largest city) we check out the art museum there. Sounds like fun, why not?

Well imagine our surprise at what a great little museum this was.

First of all, the museum had a traveling exhibition on Rodin - only my favorite sculptor ever! The exhibit included all kinds of treasures, including some models for The Gates of Hell as well as some for his famous Burghers of Calais. Such a treat!

But then we see the big surprise - Fredrick Lord Leighton's original painting of Flaming June. This work is one that ScottE and I have admired for years (a print hangs in our bedroom). To see it up close and in person was astonishing. The sumptuous colors and sensuous curves were intoxicating. Truly a masterpiece. And it's tucked away in a Puerto Rican museum of all places! (Imagine that the museum's founder, Luis Ferré, bought the piece for only $6,000.

The upper floor of the museum is also nothing to sneeze at. This little place has works from a lot of other famous painters too - Rubens, Velazquez, El Greco and van Dyck. The museum is laid out in a pleasing format of several circular galleries.

All this, and the building itself was designed by Edward Durell Stone, the same man who was the architect for the Kennedy Center, the National Geographic building, and the MoMA in New York.

So should you find yourself on the Caribbean isle of Puerto Rico, do yourself a favor, and check out this little treasure of the south. You won't be disappointed!

September 20, 2007

Cruising and Losing

Ladies and bitches - America's Next Top Model is BACK, baby! At long last we return to a world of hair weaves, concave poses and fierce runway walks. To a world where a woman is judged not on the size of her boobs, but on her ability to drop it like it's hot. To a world where a Jay may be addressed as "Ms." or "OJ". So come on board for Cycle 9! We're expecting you...

We begin with Tyra reminding us why she does the show. She wants to show young girls their potential and so forth. Also she knows that she and the show are hot shit, so why stop? (There is a brief shot of fucking Melrose, and I vomit a bit in my mouth.) Anywho, she starts placing calls to the 33 girls that will have been named semifinalists. Screaming ensues. Actually that happens a lot in the premiere, so if you see any empty spaces in this post, just assume it's filled with girls screaming.

Eventually they all fly to their destination - San Juan, Puerto Rico! Which is hott, as I was just there about 30 hours ago. The girls are blindfolded and taken to their final destination, which is a cruise ship, and of course the purser is Ms. J in full-on Love Boat gear. He tells them they will be on the ship for the next week. Screaming. Then a tour of the ship (which looks like a mall inside - damn, I need to go on a cruise), but he reminds them that they are there to work. As in, "WORK IT, girl!"

After that there are many little introductions of the girls, but considering 20 of them will be cut in the next 45 minutes, it's not really worth focusing on all their names. Rest assured that someone is bitchy, someone lacks self-confidence, someone is overcoming adversity, etc. There is a girl named Ebony who looks like she's angling for position of Alpha Bitch (see also: Jade, Melrose). And there is seriously some girl named Spontaniouse. What parents are so fucked up as to name their daughter that? Damn.

Anywho, it's time for an initial runway walk rundown with Ms. J up on the poop deck. Oh, and they strut whilst wearing big orange life preservers. Not hott! Predictably, a few are strong right out of the box, and a few should learn how to walk, period.

As the girls dine in a small showroom, out comes Tyra doing a ridiculous "musical" number with some male back-up dancers from the road show of Chicago. Screaming. Tyra reminds them that they were all hand-picked by her (and a staff of 18, I'm sure), and now is the time for them to really bring it. Interviews are commencing tomorrow. Soon we'll be making another run...

Tradition dictates that we see a couple weirdos, a couple crybabies, and a couple works in progress. Highlights of the interviews include:

- Ambreal has it goin' on in a swimsuit, but the girl also wears jean bottoms (just below the knee) as some sort of denim leg warmers. Not hott!

- Heather was diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome, a type of autism (good sob story!). This causes her to be somewhat socially awkward. She is this cycle's poster girl for "ugly beautiful."

- Victoria is a student at Yale (ooo - shades of Cycle 1's Elyse), but has a horse face.

- Janet is an aesthetician, which is a nice way of saying "bikini waxer." For some reason Tyra hops up on the table for a demonstration of how it's done, and my lord, Janet touches her va-jay-jay! Tyra feels this bonds them. Indeed! (Didn't take long for the lesbian escapades to begin this year, did it?)

- Marvita has the big-time stob story of a childhood. Which means she will either win, or be cut before the finals. Jennifer has the sob story of being a bartender with a Boston accent, which pretty much assures the latter.

- Mila is a ridiculously perky blonde, who will probably be kept around just to annoy the bitchy girls.

- Sarah is for some reason up for debate as she's neither plus-sized, nor is she model-sized. In other words, she's normal. Which means she serves no purpose for this show, apparently. (Hey, I'm just the messenger.)

- Lisa is basically a stripper that doesn't go all the way (she only strips to a bikini). Thus, by being a slightly higher-class of "exotic dancer" she may stand a chance.

- Bianca has a cheap weave. Ebony brags that hers cost a fortune. I believe we have our set-up for the alpha bitch smackdown!

Ooh - it's a break time to check in with Jaslene's life as a Cover Girl! It's been amazing and she'll tell us about it all season. Hey, Cha Cha!

And now it's time for the first photo shoot, on the beach of Antigua. And who's there to kick it off? Jas, of course! I miss her.

There is posing in water. There is wet hair. There is bravado. There is low self-esteem.

Then the group is cut down to 20 with the usual bum-rush of the Js, this time for tickets to stay on the cruise. The 13 left will be marooned in Antigua. (Oh, the horror.) They run, they scream. I don't really know any of the girls who are cut, so it doesn't matter. Moving on! Plot a course for adventure...

The girls get one last chance to tell Tyra why they should be picked, and then she heads into final deliberations with the Js. There is the usual snap judgements (too commercial) and cutting remarks about physical flaws (poor Victoria's face). And that's that.

20 girls stand before Tyra who is on a catwalk hanging above a pool (the hell?). She will now announce the final 13. They are Ambreal, Heather, Victoria, Janet, Mila, Bianca, Ebony, Sarah (!), a leggy blonde from Texas named Chantal, bug-eyed Jenah, and Kimberly (seriously, who?), and a self-confident Saleisha (good name). The last choice is clearly down to Marvita (family sob story), Jennifer (Boston bartender sob story), or Lisa (basically a stripper sob story). And the spot goes to...Lisa! Which is good, as she is by far the best-looking of those remaining.

Tyra gives the departing 7 girls a pep talk, which amounts to, "Bon voyage, bitches!" And then she cheers with her final 13.

And so there you have it! Our rundown to begin the season is complete. Will the winner be Horse Face? Cheap Weave? Alpha Bitch? Socially Awkward? That girl I don't recall was in the premiere at all? Or will the shocker be that it's actually Ms. Normal-Sized? My gut right now tells me we'll be looking at Heather and Lisa as prime contenders.

Stay tuned, bitches!!!

And for those that are curious, yes, I have plenty more to post about in the coming week. I've got a few movie reviews (thank you, Ted Airlines), some Netflix to catch up on, and more. Keep checking in - I'm back, baby!

September 08, 2007

Falling Down For Fall TV

Woot! It's almost time for the fall TV season! And thanks to Entertainment Weekly's fall TV preview, I've decided on my tentative plan for what I'll be watching. As is my custom, I'll be trying out a few new shows to see if I can discover a new obsession. That's what I did in the cases of Heroes and Lost, and look at them now!

So here it is, my plan. But I'll keep an open mind, you never know what buzz might sway my mind!

SUNDAY

Still a virtual wasteland, at least I can count on The Simpsons and King of the Hill for laughs. But I will need to try out Viva Laughlin. At first I thought it was just some Vegas show featuring occasional appearances by Hugh Jackman. But it turns out, it's a MUSICAL. It will be either awesome or tragic. I can hardly wait to find out which. The real question is when the next season of The Amazing Race will start?

MONDAY

Starting the night will be How I Met Your Mother. And thank you, EW for the big spread highlighting the show! Man, it's so good. At 8:30, I'm going to give the CW's Aliens in America a spin. It sounds like an interesting take on the classic fish out of water genre - a Pakistani kid gets plopped down into a midwest school. After that, of course we'll be watching Heroes - anxious to see what's happening with Hiro in feudal Japan!

TUESDAY

Potentially a Netflix night, but I do want to test drive the CW's new show, Reaper. A guy finds out his parents sold his soul to the devil. Now he has to catch escapees from hell. Weird, wild fun, right? Sure, it may have some icky bad guys, but I can't imagine it would be any scarier than Charmed or Buffy. In some ways the lead sounds like he's a pseudo-superhero, and you know I dig that.

WEDNESDAY

As usual, the networks insist on cramming all the juicy stuff on one night. Damn you! As much as I'd like to try out ABC's unusual Pushing Daisies or the potential train wreck of CBS's Kid Nation, you know I'll be strutting the catwalk with America's Next Top Model. After that, I will be crossing my fingers that Private Practice is good stuff. You know I love me some Kate Walsh, and now they have Audra McDonald, whom I adore. And although we must wait until February, Lost will be there. (Although there is a rumor about the show being relocated to Sunday, which is fine by me.) Fortunately, we should have Project Runway coming up in October, which will make life oh-so-sweet.

THURSDAY

Not much on this night, but I'll be alternating between Grey's Anatomy and The Office/Scrubs block. (Watching the latter when the former is in reruns, or if it gets sucky.) The bad news is that NBC is pulling its shows from iTunes, so no more downloading episodes of The Office or Battlestar Galactica (NBC owns the SciFi channel)! It's as if NBC is determined to have me hate them even more. It almost makes me want to avoid My Name Is Earl!

FRIDAY

If we're at home, it's Netflix all the way.

SATURDAY

In case you missed the memo, the networks no longer air original programming on this night (other than Cops - ick). So go outside and party like it's 1999. (Or watch a Netflix movie.)

And that's my plan. Looks like my weekly schedule won't be drastically different than last season, other than a potential show for Tuesdays. Thank goodness we started our Netflix subscription - it's really made life more enjoyable!

September 07, 2007

Short DVD Reviews - Part 4

As always, I promise you reviews of our latest Netflix rentals in 25 words or less!

Company - Short documentary on the making of the Company original cast album. Lots of faces I didn't know were in the cast! Elaine Stritch - drunk.

The Eyes of Tammy Faye - Another documentary. Did you know she used to do religious puppet shows on television?

Perfume: The Story of a Murderer - Sick and twisted movie based on the book (which ScottE read for book club). I couldn't finish it. Boiling a woman? Ewwww.

Small Town Gay Bar - A simple documentary on how gay bars in small towns in Mississippi give people hope and a place to live freely. Well done.

Elizabeth I - British miniseries featuring Helen Mirren. I'm sad to say I got bored real fast. Mirren was good, though (of course).

Love Life - Horrid acting, awful script. Equal opportunity soft-core porn for narcoleptics. A hot guy can't save this one.

Gay Sex in the 70s - A documentary on...duh. No new information (gay men had lots of frivolous sex, but AIDS ended that), but one can admire all the pornstaches.

September 05, 2007

Favoring Some Curry

I'll be honest - summer has been a real drag for me and blogging. I just haven't had anything to write about in weeks! TV sucks it. The only shows we've really been watching are reruns that TiVo picks up. Haven't been moving through Netflix movies very fast. Nothing has struck my fancy at the movies since we saw Superbad. I'm plowing my way through a 1000 page book. And no new music to speak of.

If only it was already the 19th, so I could revel in Top Model!

Fortunately we'll be heading out of town for a vacation next week, so that will be a great time.

Still, we do our best to make our own fun. This weekend, we had a Tim Curry double feature! We watched two of our favorites - Rocky Horror Picture Show and Clue. It's surprising some of the similarities - the main one being inane humor, of course! (Wouldn't it be nifty to be an actor and put "Party Attendee at Frankfurter Mansion" on your resume?)

So take it easy, my sweet transvestites. Summer is nearly over and soon we'll have much to discuss. New seasons of our favorite shows (except Lost)! Elizabeth: The Golden Age and The Golden Compass in theaters! And a review of my favorite book of all time!

Hold tight and talk to you soon.