Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street

In order to keep up with our holiday tradition of seeing movie musicals on Christmas, my family saw Sweeney Todd starring Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham Carter. It was as heartwarming, bright, and cheery as any holiday movie we could have seen. Mmhmm...

All in all I thought the movie was pretty decent. I love Tim Burton's style of filmmaking, how animated his live action work is pulled off. Although this film was a bit griddier than say, his Sleepy Hollow type stuff, it was still a successful film. It was also a successful musical film. So many times musical films fail to set up the feel of a musical, causing the audience to be confused when people suddenly start singing (eg Rent & Dreamgirls (halfway through)). But Sweeney succeeded in this respect, as did Depp and Carter as Sweeney and Lovett. Their voices were not as strong as I felt they should have been (Carter's especially sounded whispy and weak, and Depp brought in a rock-y tone to his Sweeney). Of course I was skeptical about their abilities to sing the score, but I suppose they pulled it off nicely. That is to say, the score of the show seemed flattened out either to fit their voices or to fit the screen, which I think is the former more than the latter? Perhaps Burton and Sondheim felt that they didn't need to rely on the heavy and bold music of the stage show to effectively tell the story, but rather the dialogue and visuals? I don't know. But that was one thing I disliked about the film.

The kids who played Anthony and Tobias were great, as was Sascha Baron Cohen. But my favorites of the film were Alan Rickman and Timothy Spall as Judge Turpin and the Beadle. They were so slimy and sleezy and sinister, I couldn't get enough of it! My favorite part of the film, however, was the montage with Sweeney killing his customers and sending them to the basement below. Very classy. Well, as classy as spraying and gurgling blood and crumpling bodies can be.

My parents favorite of the film? The Mamma Mia trailer before it even started.

The [title of show] Show

Stolen from My NYC Blog:

Unless you've been living under a rock, or anywhere other than New York City, you probably don't know about [title of show]. Allow me to enlighten...
[title of show] is a phenomenal off-broadway show from this last year about two writers writing, you guessed it, a musical. The two writers of the show also appeared as the two writers in the show, and it's nothing short of brilliant.
Confused yet? It gets better. There is a crazy high demand to bring the show to Broadway, although it's kind of a smaller scale show so it's difficult to find funding and a theater that could maximize the profits for the show. That's not stopping the guys from trying! You MUST check out this brilliant video blog, entitled "[title of show] Show." It's all about original cast members Hunter Bell, Jeff Bowen, Heidi Blickenstaff and Susan Blackwell's attempts to bring the show to Broadway. The video blog is reason enough for you to obsess over this show!

The [title of show] Show

Note: You MUST watch Episode 6, especially if you're a huge bway dork like me.

Jamie-Lynn's got the Preggers!

I got the heads up before the story broke from Daphne (holla!) via a text message: 'Totally confirmed. I work in the news, I never lie about headlines.'

I think this is absolutely fantastic, although I am more sick of hearing about it than I was about Ashley Tisdale's nosejob or Jessica Simpson causing Tony Romo to 'not focus' during his game (seriously? it's football. who cares?).

The best part of it all is that Lynn Spears, aka Mother to Mother of the Year and Mother to Be, was penning a book on motherhood, which she has now postponed. Smart idea, Lynn. Instead, you should team up with Dina Lohan to write the 'Mother' of all "Mothering" books.

Baby-V no longer in her 'big wheels'

Vanessa Hudgens was surrounded by papparazzi as she headed in to the DMV in Glendale, CA, to take the written portion of her driver's test (um, I didn't have to do that...is it because I did it for my learner's permit?).

Why do I feel like this is a disaster waiting to happen? Luckily for us, it seems like Lindsay has been hiring drivers (I think Britney should take a hint from her, don't you?), but it scares me to have so many starlets on the streets. Good thing I rely on public transportation now!

Fall TV

Because I know you were waiting with baited breath, here are the brilliant programs I'm watching this fall:

• Heroes: Not as good as last season, but hopefully I'll at least be able to keep up with it. Plus, Milo Ventimiglia is HOT.
• Prison Break: Finally caught up with this show. And they're back in jail. Hopefully they break out again.
• Nip/Tuck: The show got a facelift when Christian & Shawn moved to LA. Well they had to do something after cancelling Dirt
• Scrubs: It's the last season, I have to watch.
• Private Practice: The show is slowly growing on me. If Taye Diggs would just take his shirt off, I'd be hooked.
• Project Runway: Determined to FINALLY keep up with this show.
• Sarah Silverman Program: She's back, and as offensive as ever.
• Gossip Girl: Located and shot in my neighborhood, this is the next OC I've been waiting for. Now if they would just cast me as a series regular, we'd be in business.
• Grey's Anatomy: Will Izzie and George stay together or won't they? I don't know, but whatever the outcome, I hope it ends with Meredith dying a slow, painful death.
• Ugly Betty: Best show ever!
• The Office: Finally catching on to this one, it can get so awkward it's painful to watch. But I do anyway.
• Desperate Housewives: Haven't watched this show in two years, yet I can still follow it? Brilliant writing or trashy soap drama? My guess is a little bit of both.
• Brothers & Sisters: My favorite of them all, if they would just make it a little less depressing!

PATTI LUPONE?!

Has anyone else realized that Patti Lupone was the mother on Life Goes On??!!??

Recoupment

I have known I am a huge dork for a long time, and now it's official: I wrote a question in to Playbill.com, and it was published. For your enjoyment:

This week's question comes from Brian M. of New York, NY.
Question: What exactly does it mean for a show to recoup its investment?
Answer: To answer this question, Playbill.com talked with John Breglio, the producer of the current Broadway revival of A Chorus Line and a theatrical lawyer who has represented the likes of Stephen Sondheim and Andrew Lloyd Webber.
Theatre journalists write all the time about a show "recouping" its investment. Put simply, Breglio says, "Recoupment is the point at which the producer has repaid to his investors all the money that he raised to develop, mount and produce the show." All that money is referred to collectively as the capitalization. In the case of A Chorus Line, the capitalization was $8 million, but it can get much higher for bigger musicals. That's all the money a producer spends on a Broadway show from the day someone comes up with the idea to the day it officially opens on Broadway. Those costs include the sets, costumes, props, lighting design, rehearsal space, performer and crew salaries during rehearsals, the rights to the material, the advances paid to the writers and the out-of-town tryout.
Every week, whatever the show takes in at the box office — minus the running costs, which include actor and crew salaries, theatre rental, advertising and other costs — will help pay back that capitalization. "One week in November of last year after we opened, we did $800,000, say, in gross," Breglio says. "That week I probably made $350,000 in pure profit. That $350,000 now goes towards repaying that $8 million [capitalization]."
Determining the weekly profit can be rather complicated. For instance, for a Broadway musical, typically 65 percent of the profit every week goes to paying the investors back for the capitalization, while 35 percent goes to the profit pool, which includes the writers, directors, choreographer, designers, lead producer and other people involved in the show, each one getting an agreed-upon share of that profit pool money every week.
Some shows have an arrangement called amortization, in which every week, before the 65-35 split is made, an agreed-upon figure (typically one to two percent of the capitalization) gets taken out of the profits and is sent directly to the investors. Then 65 percent of the remaining figure also goes to the investors, and 35 percent of the remaining figure gets sent to the profit pool. The amount taken out for amortization is later paid back to the profit pool after recoupment. One can see how it gets rather complicated, and every show has a different agreement. (For more info on this topic, click here for a previous Ask Playbill.com column on writer salaries.)
The first time Breglio paid his investors for A Chorus Line, he handed them each a check on opening night in October 2006, since the pre-Broadway tryout in San Francisco and the Broadway previews had actually netted some profit already (typically, a show doesn't expect to make a profit during those performances). He then sent them each a check once a month until the $8 million was paid off 19 weeks later, in February 2007.
After recoupment, the weekly profits are divided differently. First of all, typically, the profit pool's portion rises to 40 percent, and the investors' share goes down to 60 percent. Second of all, Breglio says, before recoupment, the lead producers — whose day jobs involve developing and running the show but who don't typically invest their own money in the show, per the famous rule stated in the musical The Producers — only get paid their share of the profit pool plus an office charge of around $1,500-$3,500. But after recoupment, the lead producers start to take home a portion of that investors' share of the profits. The figure can be anywhere from 10 to 50 percent of the investors' share, depending on what was agreed upon before the show opened. (Note: On A Chorus Line Breglio is the sole lead producer, but on some shows it can be three or four or so. Also, if 30 people are credited as "producers" above the title on the musical's poster outside the theatre, not all of them are lead producers working on the show day-to-day — some are just big investors.)
The percentage that a lead producer gets depends on how hard a sell the show was to the investors before it opened. "If you have a show that is considered a good bet, a safe bet or slam dunk, you can keep a lot" of the profit that's made after recoupment as a lead producer, Breglio says. "If it's a show that has to struggle to raise money — and we all know which those are, you don't have to guess, even — then the lead producers will have to give away a lot because they have to attract these investors."
So what about the ultimate question: How can you tell beforehand if a show will recoup its investment? "It's a complete crap shoot," Breglio says. "People told me I had slam dunk with Chorus Line, and I said there is no such thing as a slam dunk."
Breglio does have one overall tip: "A lot of people focus on how much the show cost, and they go, 'Oh my God, the show cost $20 million.' Yes, it's important. But the key to successful shows is what your weekly expenses are, not your capitalization. Because if your weekly expenses are reasonable, and you keep them down, you have a shot at making money."

An R-Rated Apology

Since it’s October and Halloween is just around the corner, I feel it’s appropriate for me to issue a public apology. To my mother.

Dear Mom,
I’m sorry to have to tell you this, but I used to sneak into R-Rated horror movies before I was seventeen. I know you raised me to be an honest, law abiding citizen, but peer pressure and my own morbid curiosity caused me to break the rules on multiple occasions and ‘sneak in’ to films such as Halloween: H20, Scream 3, The Blair Witch Project, Valentine, I Know What You Did Last Summer, I Still Know What You Did Last Summer, and countless other slasher flicks. I’m also sorry for seeing such awful movies, but that’s not what this is about. This letter is about you, Mom. I betrayed your trust in the name of horror, and I’m sorry.
Remember that time I said I was going to see “Dude, Where’s My Car?” with friends? Well, I was actually seeing Scream 3. And that wasn’t the first time. Armageddon was actually Urban Legend. Hope Floats was Halloween H20. Anna And The King was House On Haunted Hill, and Titanic (the 3rd time) was Scream 2. A Bug’s Life? Well, that was actually A Bug’s Life. But what I’m trying to say is, I shouldn’t have lied.
But here’s the thing, Mom. Have you ever seen these slasher films? Not only are they gloriously gory (my enjoyment for Haunted Houses should tell you I love over-the top, gawdy horror), but they are so predictable and entertaining that I just could not resist my desire to see them before I was technically allowed to. As far as I can remember, none of the friends who accompanied me were of age, either. But please don’t take it out on them. They shared my same fascination with the genre.
I hope you don’t think that because I like horror movies and went against your judgment that I am some kind of serial killer. Hmm, let me rephrase that: I love you, don’t ground me.

Love,
Brian
P.S. What are you doing on October 26th? Saw IV is coming out!

Rent, A Decade Later

I saw Rent last night for the tenth time. That’s right, tenth. A milestone in itself, it was also the time I saw the show with Anthony Rapp and Adam Pascal, the production’s original Mark and Roger. I have a bootleg video of the original Broadway cast on opening night, but of course nothing compares to seeing these two powerhouse performers live and in person. After failing (at least 5 times) to get rush tickets, I broke down and bought a seat in the front mezzanine. After seeing the show from the front row in the past, it’s difficult for me to want to see it any other way. But the ticket didn’t cost me much, and I had a great view of the stage, so I couldn’t complain.
Well, I couldn’t complain about the seat. Don’t get me wrong, I’m so thankful to have had the opportunity to see these two new legends perform the roles that made them infamous in the musical theater world, as well as Tamyra Gray from Season 1 of American Idol. But this show has been around for 11 years, and it shows. Every time I see this show, I leave wondering if someone who has never seen the show before would be able to understand what was going on. And last night was no exception. Lines and important plot points are skipped over, and it seems as though the performers work under the assumption that everyone in the audience has seen the show before (which may have been true, in this case, but still). It was clear, however, that tiny changes were made to make the plot clearer to the audience (particularly the detail with Angel killing Benny’s dog), but these came off as passive and cheesy, at best. The mics seemed scratchy at times, which I couldn’t decide was because of the system, because the voices were too big for their mics, or a combination of both. And I felt as though the actors needed to add in quirky bits in order to entertain themselves, truly making the show the ADD student in high school of Broadway theater.
Let’s go character by character, shall we? As Mark, Anthony is flawless. I have always felt as though he had the strongest character analysis of anyone I’ve seen as Mark (with competition from Matt Caplan), and since he created the character he’s had over a decade of time and world experience to add to that analysis. The man is brilliant. He commands applause after “Halloween,” which is usually one of the more forgotten songs in the show (albeit one of my personal favorites). You will never hear me complain about this man’s performance. Ever. In anything. Adam Pascal, on the other hand, was vocally impressive, but his acting seemed tired and, well, he seemed bored. I felt this way about him when I saw him in Aida, but he had been in the show for three years or so and was getting ready to leave, so I dismissed it to him being over the show. But maybe that’s just his acting style. Fortunately for him, his vocal performance last night was almost enough to make up for it. Tamyra Gray baffled me as Mimi. Vocally, she was the most impressive one, and I should hope that she should be, as a recording artist, and would be runner-up of AI, if it weren’t for that MJ/Side Show Bob look-alike Justin Guarini. Her acting seemed robotic, static, and forced at times. But then there were moments where she shined, especially Angel’s funeral, “Without You,” and “Goodbye, Love.” I couldn’t figure out if I liked her or not, and eventually dismissed it to the old American Idol impression: ‘She was good…when she was singing.’ (see Fantasia in Color Purple and Diana Degarmo in Bklyn for more examples of this saying). Angel was another star of the show. That man has his character down pact. Even though he was the main culprit of letting lines and plot details slip through the cracks, he was so funny and fun to watch and his dancing and singing were so phenomenal that it was hard to care. Collins was equally as impressive vocally, and his performance and character development was some of the strongest of the entire cast. And, he was making his Broadway debut, which makes him that much cooler. Joanne was only okay. Her performance was good, considering all of her bits seemed a bit rushed by the band. But her voice a little too nasally, especially paired with the overly nasally and obnoxious Maureen. Her character was a little ‘out there,’ and her vocals were very nasally and almost too painful to listen to. Benny (played by Byron Utley, the original male “Seasons of Love” soloist on Broadway) brought compassion to the character, which was refreshing for a change. But just like every actor to play Benny, his character causes him to go mostly unnoticed. The rest of the ensemble had their moments to shine. Some of them did, some of them didn’t. Telly Leung, a Wicked veteran and understudy for Angel, was compassionate and gentle as the Squeegee Man, and very likable (easy on the eyes with an amazing voice to boot). The Seasons of Love soloist was good and bad, with an amazing voice but was overly expressive and a bit too loose with the free range of her solo. The other members did a good job supporting the others, but unfortunately were not strong enough to make an impression.
It will be interesting to see how much longer this show lasts. It seems very tired, yet it always envokes deep emotions about my feelings of performing and I just wonder if what it’s riding on right now are its guest stars (sound familiar, Chicago?), and its nostalgia for Rentheads who have helped keep the show a success for such a long time.

Across The Universe

One of the great things about living in large cities like LA or New York is having access to smaller-released films. While I missed out on Once, Ashley and I saw Across The Universe last week. I’m sure this is one of the wider released indie films of the year, but it is still considered a smaller scale film, which you would not be able to guess from the amount of talent and polished product that comes spilling off the screen during this film.
Don’t get me wrong. Any movie musical is bound to be a little cheesy in parts. And when it’s based to the music of The Beatles, you risk a campy Mamma Mia esque finished product. While Across The Universe did have a few such moments, for the most part the film is a beautiful, if not psychedelic, journey through the US during the Vietnam war (would you expect it to be set in any other era?).
Let me put this out there: Julie Taymor is a friggin’ genius. Genius.
The cast of this movie is stellar, not to mention the throng of NY theatre performers who make appearances: Curtis Holbrook, Matt Caplan, John Jeffrey Martin, Aisha de Haas, Orfeh, Antonique Smith, Diedre Goodwin, Tracy Nicole Chapman, Yassmin Alers, Luther Creek, Logan Marshall-Green, Saycon Sengbloh, Destan Owens, Nikki Snelson, Noah Weisberg, (P.S. You get major kudos if you recognize even a fraction of these names). I loved (repeat, loved) Evan Rachael Wood in Thirteen, and have always thought of her as one of those underappreciated young talents in Hollywood whose presence is outshined by the rehabbed, tabloided ones, but have recently began to get weirded out because of her directions in life (Marilyn Manson, need I say more?). What this film will do to her career, though. Wow. She was sensational. And her voice was pretty, too, who knew (I love finding out which actors can/can’t sing [Ewan McGregor/Amanda Bynes, for example])? Her two co-stars, Jim Sturgess and Joe Anderson were also highlights of the film as her lover and brother, respectively. And yes, they could sing, too.
While on the outset this film might seem like it would go the Mamma Mia direction, it ultimately sets out for something deeper (it is Julie Taymor, after all). And it succeeds, although perhaps not to its full potential. The release of this film is timed well, with negotiations on the war in Iraq and a looming Presidential election sparking new interest in war politics. Universe takes place throughout the Vietnam war, which one of the main characters is deployed for. The film had moments of brilliance in turning Beatles songs into political statements (“Let it Be” was chilling and intensely moving, “Blackbird” beautifully mind-opening, and “All You Need Is Love” equally effective). But then the “movie musical” in it took over, and the overall message was weakened by psychedelic montages (featuring Bono on a bus, Eddie Izzard as a circus ringleader, and Selma Hayek as a hospital nurse…all 10 of her!) and a few transitions and song choices that were hard to buy and ended up bringing the hoaky factor into the film. That was my big frustration. Visually, it was stunning. Audibly, it was pleasurable. The song connections were clever, the direction and talent flawless. But it fell short on its message, a message that could have resounded loud and clear if its attempt to be so artsy didn’t hinder it from going all the way.

Grey's Anatomy vs. Private Practice--Which Was Worse?

Ooooh, Grey’s Anatomy is gonna be weird this season. With the interns now the head honchos, George re-doing his residency, and a whole new slew of cast members (where was I when they were holding auditions?), the show has majorly changed—and hopefully not for the worse.
In the season premiere, not a whole lot went on…George complained about and made up excuses for not passing his exam, Meredith and Derek attempted to negotiate their relationship (what else is new?), Callie struggled as the new Chief of Surgery (with no help from Bailey), and Izzie saved a deer. Big woop.
The only saving grace of the episode came at the very end, when George showed up on Izzie’s doorstep and uttered the words, “I love you too.” God, pull my heart out and operate it, why doncha? My desire for George and Izzie to be together (which is weird for T.R. and Katherine since they’re besties) almost overshadows the fact that George is going to break Callie’s heart. My prediction: Callie will make George’s life a living hell, George & Izzie will struggle to maintain their relationship with Callie lurking, their status as student and boss, and not to mention their friends, and things will get really awkward when they break up. Isn’t this supposed to be a medical show?
Then there’s Private Practice, Kate Walsh’s spinoff from Grey’s. Either Shonda Rimes thought Walsh had the strongest character on the show or everyone was sick of hearing about the Derek-Meredith-Addison triangle. Regardless, and it pains me to say this because of my love for Taye Diggs, Audra McDonald and Tim Daly, the result is a cheap imitation of Grey’s that manages to pin itself up against a wall, limited by its very source material. I’m talking family planning, people. It is clear from the pilot that all of the medical story lines (as well as undercutting angsty character plots) are going to center around children, family, birth. Doesn’t that severly limit the material for the show? Call me crazy, but I think a spin-off is already limiting in its source material, and Private Practice is managing to do so even more. We’ll see how successful this show is. At least ABC was smart enough to put it on a different night from Grey’s, although it could possibly use the ratings boost that come from the Ugly Betty-Grey’s Anatomy powerhouse.

Kiefer Knocked on his Keister

New sweater to attend LA event: $200.00
Booze at event: FREE
Bail: $25,000.00
Seeing your face next to Nicole and Paris in celeb mug shot photo galleries: Priceles

The Kite Runner

I recently decided to read Khaled Hosseini’s The Kite Runner. I wanted to read it before the film comes out later this year, and I was traveling to Ireland, so it seemed like an appropriate time. I did not expect understand or enjoy the book as much as I did, not being as up to date on the conflicts in the Middle East as I would like to be.

The story of The Kite Runner focuses around the life of Amir, and follows him from his childhood in Kabul, his teenage and adult years in California (Fremont), and back to Kabul in search of a boy whom he feels can redeem the mistakes he has made.

This isn’t a total spoiler, but the book features a rape scene of a little boy. It is graphic and hard to get through, especially because it turns into a major plot point, and Amir revisits his memory of the incident frequently throughout the story. Now, the boy who plays the victim in the film, Ahmad Khan Mahmidzada, and his family, are requesting that the rape scene in the film be cut because they fear for their safety. Claiming the scene (that the actor reluctantly filmed) would offend Afghans and bring shame to their family, Mhmidzada fears his family would be ostracized because Afghans do not fully understand the difference between fantasy and reality of the film industry. While ethnic conflict has decreased greatly since the fall of the Taliban in 2001, the people of Afghanistan worry for any triggers to set the conflict back in action.

This is a major issue for the film, whose plot centers around this pivotal plot point. While the film's producers, Bennett Walsh and Rebecca Yeldham placed the sensitivity of the boys involved in the film as a number one priority, at what point does that involve compromising the integrity of the story and/or the film. The boy claims he was not given the script or the story prior to filming, and would not have agreed to the scene had he known. I was trying to think of how they could express this story without graphically depicting the rape, whether they could elude to it or could have used doubles to suggest the oncomings of the event and then cut to the next scene. But there is also something about the books honesty and rawness that shows the dark and ugly side of a country that was once beautiful and peaceful, and the rape is a pivotal moment not only in terms of the direct plot of the story, but also in the telling of the political history of the era in which the story takes place. They’ve certainly got their issues cut out for them, but they have until the end of November to reach an agreement. The Kite Runner hits theaters on November 22. Do yourself a favor and pick up the book beforehand.

The Preggers

If the notion of ‘Spring Fever’ really holds true, doesn’t that mean that more people should be getting pregnant at the beginning of the summer? Not in Hollywood, apparently. It seems as though so many celebs are popping up with the preggers! Here’s the list I came up with:
Nicole Richie & Joel Madden, Christina Aguilera & Jordan Bratman, Halle Berry & Gabriel Aubry, Isla Fisher & Sascha Baron Cohen, Tameka Foster & Usher, Selma Hayek & François-Henri Pinaut, any others I’m forgetting?

Let’s hope they do a better job than Britney! (that's right, I went there)

2007 Emmy's Recap

Since most of America decided to watch FOOTBALL instead of the Emmy’s (it happens once a year people, would it kill you to watch it?), let me sum the evening up…I got most of the categories wrong (apparently my mind is more in tune with Tony voters than Emmy voters. Who knew? Everyone, that’s who). The show was the first ever to be presented ‘in the round’ (arena-style, with audiences on all sides of the stage). They mae it seem like they were going to be rotating the angle that the awards were presented, but they failed to do so, making the cast of Ugly Betty not so honored ‘just to be nominated.’ In case you’re not one of the tens of people who watched the show, allow me to sum up the ceremony through the awards (the important ones, that is):

Best Drama: Sopranos (would have been a bit humiliating if Heroes beat them out after that tribute starring the 2nd national touring company of Jersey Boys, eh? I didn’t know what was cheesier, the look that Jarrod Spector (Frankie Valli) gave Drew Gehling (Bob Gaudio) towards the finale, or the four members of the Soprano family’s grand entrance through the floor at the end)

Best Comedy: 30 Rock (The next day I added the first season of this show to my Blockbuster Online queue. Just because Tina Fey thanked the “dozens and dozens of fans who watch this show” in her speech).

Best Leading Actor (Drama): James Spader, Boston Legal (Yeah, if I played the same role for 10 years on two different series, I’d bet I’d be a good actor, too.)
Best Leading Actress (Drama): Sally Field, Brothers & Sisters (I’m over the moon that she won. The producers of the awards, however, who had to censor her politically charged rant during her acceptance speech, were not so ecstatic.)

Best Leading Actor (Comedy): Ricky Gervais, Extras (I thought he was in The Riches, which just goes to show how much I know about the actor and the television show. But, like 30 Rock, it is now in my Blockbuster queue).

Best Leading Actress (Comedy): America Ferrera, Ugly Betty (she’s amazing and I love her in every way. She deserved the award tenfold, and if you don’t watch this show you need to start!)

Best Supporting Actor (Drama): Terry O’Quinn, Lost (I think of his acting like I thought of his neon pink silk shirt and black sequined tie…cheesy and over-the-top. But it’s about time someone from the show was recognized, even if I thought it should be Michael Emerson, who plays Ben.)

Best Supporting Actress (Drama): Katherine Heigl, Grey’s Anatomy (Don’t know who I could have thought otherwise, this underdog of Grey’s just became a major leading lady!)

Best Supporting Actor (Comedy): Jeremy Piven, Entourage (I guess he’s good on the show, but I still feel like he doesn’t have to try too hard to pull off ‘sleazy’ on the show.)

Best Supporting Actress (Comedy): Jamie Pressley, My Name Is Earl (She thanked her boyfriend for the gift of her son. Because he’s, (said in a faint, exasperated whisper) “the best thing that’s ever happened to me.” I’m just glad the camera pulled away before they both ripped off their clothes and gave the audience the show they’d been waiting for all evening).

Helen Mirren (who I swear rolls out of bed and she wins an award for it) won Best Actress in a miniseries (which I didn’t even know she did), and some guy from Bury My Heart At Wounded Knee who gave a boring speech won the Actor award for the same category.

But perhaps the biggest award of the night was that for Hoakiest Host of an Awards Show, which was given to Ryan Seacrest by, well, everyone but him. Fueled by jokes about his sexuality (and his past with Terri Hatcher) that only he thought were funny, his failed attempts at singing, goofy costumes that nobody thought were funny, and lackluster jokes earned him the prestigious award. “Seacrest Out,” indeed.

2007 Emmy Predictions

Here are my official predictions for the 2007 Emmy's!

Best Drama Series:
Boston Legal
Grey's Anatomy
House
Heroes
Sopranos

What Will Win: Sopranos
What Should Win: Heroes

While I'm not 100% positive, I'm pretty sure that Sopranos has one best series at least once in its run. And while it is custom and nice manners to grant an exiting show one last win, Heroes was the breakout show of the season. We'll see which direction the voters go.

Best Comedy Series:
Entourage
The Office
30 Rock
Two and a Half Men
Ugly Betty

Who Will Win: 30 Rock
Who Should Win: Ugly Betty

I'm a bit biased here because I've never watched 30 Rock, but I think it is the "intellectual" favorite of the season so I wouldn't be surprised if it took the prize. But Ugly Betty has the total package and is such an endearing show. It is so deserving of tons of awards, and this one would be the icing on the cake.

Best Leading Actor in a Drama:
James Gandolfini (Sopranos)
Hugh Laurie (House)
Denis Leary (Rescue Me)
James Spader (Boston Legal)
Kiefer Sutherland (24)

Who Will Win: James Gandolfini
Who Should Win: James Gandolfini

He deserves it.

Best Leading Actress in a Drama:
Patricia Arquette (Medium)
Minnie Driver (The Riches)
Edie Falco (Sopranos)
Sally Field (Brothers & Sisters)
Mariska Hargitay (Law & Order: SVU)

Who Will Win: Edie Falco
Who Should Win: Sally Field

Edie Falco went through a lot with her last season of the show, including overcoming cancer, causing the show to postpone the taping of its final season. As the matriarch of The Sopranos, she dealt with her fair share of drama in the show, and many voters may want to give her this last send-off. But anyone who has seen Sally Field in Brothers & Sisters will know the feeling of having their helt melt from her performance every week.

Best Supporting Actor in a Drama:
William Shatner (Boston Legal)
T.R. Knight (Grey's Anatomy)
Masi Oka (Heroes)
Terry O'Quinn (Lost)
Michael Emerson (Lost)
Michael Imperioli (Sopranos)

Who Will Win: Michael Emerson
Who Should Win: Michael Emerson

Everyone in this category could take the prize, but Michael Emerson as Ben on Lost is so above and beyond the best part of that show it is not even funny. I hope they recognize him for turning the show around and transforming a tiny guest starring role into a series regular and completely changing the course of show.

Best Supporting Actress in a Drama:
Rachel Griffiths (Brothers & Sisters)
Sandra Oh (Grey's Anatomy)
Chandra Wilson (Grey's Anatomy)
Katherine Heigl (Grey's Anatomy)
Lorraine Bracco (Sopranos)
Aida Torturro (Sopranos)

Who Will Win: Lorraine Bracco
Who Should Win: Katherine Heigl

Bracco plays Tony's psychiatrist on The Sopranos, and from what I understand she greatly carried along the story and character development in the show. But Heigl's plot tracks influenced Grey's immensely this season, and her performances flourished on the show. She is greatly deserving of the award, but her rookie status among the other nominees could play against her.

Best Leading Actor in a Comedy
Alec Baldwin (30 Rock)
Steve Carrell (The Office)
Ricky Gervais (The Riches)
Tony Shalhoub (Monk)
Charlie Sheen (Two and a Half Men)

Who Will Win: Alec Baldwin
Who Should Win: Steve Carrell

I know he's won before, but Carrell is a comedic genius who carries the show and whose performances and creativity stretch far beyond the TV world. That said, since it is a TV awards ceremony, Alec Baldwin's buzz is deafening, and I believe he will be recognized for his contribution to the success of 30 Rock.

Best Leading Actress in a Comedy:
American Ferrera (Ugly Betty)
Tina Fey (30 Rock)
Felicity Huffman (Desperate Housewives)
Julia Louis-Dreyfuss (New Adventures of Old Christine)
Mary-Louise Parker (Weeds)

Who Will Win: Tina Fey
Who Should Win: America Ferrera

Tina Fey's creative credits and acting chops on 30 Rock should earn her her first award. But nothing compares to Ferrera's Betty. She carries the show and she deserves more recognition than a Golden Globe. I guess it doesn't have to be this year, but boy should it.

Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy:
Jeremy Piven (Entourage)
Kevin Dillon (Entourage)
Neil Patrick Harris (How I Met Your Mother)
Rainn Wilson (The Office)
Jon Cryer (Two and a Half Men)

Who will win: Rainn Wilson
Who Should Win: Rainn Wilson

I'm a bit confused as to why Jon Cryer gets a supporting credit and Charlie Sheen gets a leading credit, but I don't think he's going to win so whatever. Rainn Wilson compliments Steve Carrell wonderfully, and his neurotic character has developed so much since the show's inception. It's time for his prize.

Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy
Jamie Pressley (My Name Is Earl)
Jenna Fischer (The Office)
Conchata Ferrell (Two and a Half Men)
Vanessa Williams (Ugly Betty)
Elizabeth Perkins (Weeds)

Who Will Win: Jamie Pressley
Who Should Win: Elizabeth Perkins

Jamie Pressley has a had a big year, and she continues to be a strong leading player in the show. Perkins' character on Weeds is amazing and deserves an award, but the show's controversial material might stand in her way.

Mission: Man Band is my mission to not watch

I was kind of excited about the prospect of this reality show on VH1: Four D-Listed former boy band members getting a second chance at a(nother) big break. I watched two episodes of this show, and I was left with nothing but a squirming feeling that came from being annoyed and uncomfortable, not the other kind of squirming I usually get when I think about Jeff Timmons or boy bands in general.

First off, in true boy band form (a la O-Town), they all live in a house together. In Miami. Tough life. Secondly, they have this annoying Manager hired by the network that they call Miss Kate. She pretty much does not do anything other than cause drama within the group and screw up her job, and their future at forming a successful 'man band.'

Then there are the guys. Each legends in their own right (pop music speaking), but within the show they are portrayed as washed up has beens with tons of talent but a tarnished reputation and very few chances of rising to the top like their former band mates who have already taken off (JT, Nick Lachey, etc.).

Bryan Abrams used to be in Color Me Badd, but then the band broke up and nobody has heard much from any of them since. To be perfectly honest, I am not familiar with Color Me Badd or any of its bandmates, so Abrams is kind of lost on me here. He has an amazing voice that shines through in his new group's mediocre-at-best musical performances. Other than that, his role on the show comprises of having a paranoid wife who is paranoid that he is going to fall into the galivanting, womanizing ways of some of his fellow bandmates.

You may not recognize this guy because you can't see the top of his head. Imagine the top of a pineapple sitting on top of this guy's head, and you may suddenly recognize him as Chris Kirkpatrick from *NSync. Since being one of the two members to fade into the background of the most popular boy band of the 90's, Chris started a new group (that failed), as well as voiced a cartoon character and launched an ugly clothing line. On the show, he serves as the ringleader of the group (which is funny because of his *NSync status as the one singing the high harmonies in the background), and pretty much makes rude comments about women and argues incessantly with Miss Kate. Oh yeah, and also being the most annoying one on the show.

Ah, Jeff Timmons. The sweet sounding hunk of a crooner who founded the hottest boyband to come out of the '90's, 98 Degrees. Ah, 98 Degrees. Put Jeff Timmons and Nick & Drew Lachey together and I don't care what happens, I'll salivate. But after Nick's solo career "took off" (and by that I mean since Newlyweds: Nick & Jessica), Jeff struggled to get ahead with his own solo career. Throw in the fact that he's married and has a daughter, and an incident with a DUI in Florida a few years ago, and the poor guy had a few rough years. On the show, of course he shows off his impressively strong vocals, but other than that he just complains about how embarrassing it is to be on a show where they kind of make fools of themselves and he doesn't want to fail with the band. He's kind of the whiny paranoid one on the show. He's Tonya from The Real World: Chicago, if you will.



Rich Korbin was in LFO. Apparently he likes girls that wear Abercrombie & Fitch. He'd take 'em if he had one wish. The group kind of disappeared after only one album (and I think it was for the best, don't you?). Rich was the rapper of the group, and he carries this over into the new group. Other than lukewarm 'skillz,' he also brings a chauvanistic pig quality to the show that rivals Chris's, as well as the emotional. He's a leukemia survivor and frequently brings it up, if for nothing else than to get the ladies's attention.

So far they've had two appearances in Miami nightclubs, crooning tunes with hot female backup dancers who do all the work for them. Their music sounds exactly like something that might be created by their former groups, leaving them looking awkward and their image tired and tainted. Better luck next time guys. Oh, I hope there won't be a next time...

A Chorus Line

Just saw the year-old revival of A Chorus Line. Amazingly, for being the theater buff that I am, I had only seen one production of the show, produced by the Stanford University theater department when I was in high school. So it was a real treat to not only see the show on Broadway, but to see a recreation of the original production.

There is honestly very little complaining I can do about this show. Certain actors were definitely stronger than others, but that also comes with the territory of certain songs having become more iconic than others (read: Cassie's number, "At the Ballet," "Nothing," etc.). The cast was probably half original to the revival, half new at the beginning of the summer. But as an ensemble, they were so tight and cohesive that it seemed as though they had been performing together for years. I was also surprised at the amount of passion and energy that spilled from them after having been in the show for nearly a year and a half.

And as an audience, we all ate. it. up. Every last note, ball-change, pirouhette and punchline. And we would do it over and over again if we could.

Britney does Vegas...sorta

I am not ashamed to admit that I have Britney's Live From Las Vegas show on DVD. Not the trashy one where she masturbates onstage that was shown on Showtime. I have the classy HBO concert on DVD. When she was big (but not overweight). And hot (but not passing out).

Now she has done Vegas in a different way...attempting to turn her career back around and stage her big comeback by opening the MTV VMA's.

Her appearance was doomed from the start. I don't really understand what MTV was going for, but they basically had some of today's biggest artists making fun of her on the side while she was performing. Not only was this distracting, but also not a good sign of what the performance was ACTUALLY like, not just how it played on television.

Everyone is saying she looked fat in her skimpy outfit. She did not look fat. She looked healthy and normal. But unfortunately for Britney, that meants looking overweight.

And um, I thought her dancers were good.

Broadway Headliners

What is going on here? I leave the country for 9 days and all of a sudden the theater community goes up in arms, and crazy things happen!

• There is yet another new tour cast of Rent launching the show in October, featuring two American Idol finalists. The first South African Idol winner, Heinz Winckler, will play Roger, and, I called this next one, Anwar Robinson from AI Season 4, will play Collins. I was in love with this guy and his voice when he was on the show, and I am really excited at the prospect of him playing Collins. Not to say that if I wanted to see Rent I wouldn't just go down to 41st & Broadway and walk into the Nederlander Theater. But you know what I mean.
• MTV will record and broadcast Legally Blonde on its network at the end of this month. I have mixed feelings about this. Of course I think it's great that the network is attempting to reach out to its young target audience in an attempt to get them interested in theater. But ultimately, I think this is predicting the downfall of the show. The tweeny audience is the show's target audience to begin with, and to make it so widely accessible to them on MTV, it may be harder to get an audience in. Judging from the Playbill attendence percentages from last week, now that school has started, attandance is way down all over Broadway, not just Legally Blonde, and that cannot bode well for the show. But I'm still excited to watch it, don't get me wrong!
• Speaking of Rent, Denise Van Outen, who co-hosted "Grease: You're The One That I Want," landed the role of Maureen in the newly re-invented Rent going up in London. Yeah, this is the newly orchestrated version of the show, updating it and giving it a "new" sound. 'Cause the current sound isn't new enough.

The beginning of the end...

Poor Vanessa Hudgens. She probably thought the throng of sex tape and nude photo scandals with celebrities was over. Little did she know, for her, they were just getting started.

That may sound a bit over-the-top, I know. But the poor girl is a Disney starlet! A nude photo surfacing is like finding out Britney's not a virgin. It's like realizing the water in Lindsay's water bottles isn't actually water. It's like Vanessa Williams losing her Miss America crown for posing nude. It's like Miss Teen USA behaving badly. It's like...like...well, a nude photo surfacing on the internet.

Apparently the photo was emailed to some kid named Drake Bell, another Disney actor, before she was a star.

I feel really bad for her. With at least one more HSM film in the works, a second solo album on the way, an ad deal with Neutrogena, and much more on her plate, I hope her fragile teen heart can take it all.

What am I talking about, this is the drama I live for. Zac & Vanessa are the Justin & Britney of the new teen generation. And this photo is the beginning of the drama...comparable to the first time Britney cheated on Justin. I'm holding my breath, waiting to see what's next.

Oh, Lindsay!

This is a hilarious article on Linday Lohan's troubled life in last month's issue of Rolling Stone, written by Rob Sheffield.

Lindsay! It's been way too long, what are you up to, besides Page Three of youre to-blow list for the day? I know, that crazy DUI thing. Wait--another one? Busted at the corner of Pico and Main? After allegedly flooring your Denali in pursuit of your assistant's assistant's grandma? Lindsaaaaaay! I'm in no mood! Don't! Ever! We are not having this conversation. No! I'm disappointed. No product placement for American Apparel hoodies? No paparazzi shots of you reaching nirvana on the windshield? I expect a little more from a Lindsay bust. You've let me--all of us--down. Cocaine in your pants--why the hell were you wearing pants?
Can't you get pinched for dogfighting or something? We'd like to see you busted for running Fyrecrotch Kennel, training bitchy Pekingeses for walk-offs against Britney's Yorkiez of Doom.
Still, I have to hand it to you, and by "it," I mean more drugs. You don't waste any time, do you? Heck you just turned twenty-one, right before you got out of fun-hab. That SCRAM ankle bracelet should be a Denver boot. Your knees haven't been on speaking terms with each other in years. But nothing stops Lindsay. I love the email you sent out the next day: "Did not do drugs they're not mine" and "i appreciate everyone giving me my privacy." Of course, the strain of sober writing might have jumbled you words--clearly, what you meant was "Did not do privacy" and "I appreciate everyone giving me my drugs."
It's been quite a big year for the Big Three: Britney, Lindsay, and Paris--the Beatles, Stones and Dylan of party-tardism. If shaving her head was Britney's White Album, and Paris' jail term was John Wesley Harding, Lindsay's new bust is her back-to-basics "Jumpin' Jack Flash." Together, they've achieved whole new levels of probation-flouting, tabloid-humping and career-throttling, but I worry they're not mentoring the next camera-whore generation. What about the new breed--who will be the Guess Who or Elton John? Who will inherit the torch? Hayden Panettiere? Kim Kardashian? Not likely. This troubles me. Brit, Lindz and Gay Paree need to start grooming protogees to crash tomorrow's Denalis into tomorrow's assistants. For the sake of the legacy, they need to reach out to freshly fallen child stars and daddy-punishing heiresses. It's called giving back ladies. It's called the future.

High School Musical 2!

I'm a bad tweeny. I waited until the morning after the premier to watch HSM2. But now I'm watcing it as we speak, and I am already going crazy for this movie. It's like exactly like the original, only the stars are more glammed, and they have twice as many extras.

This movie is supposed to pick up right where the original film ended. So that means that Troy gets a fake tan, gets rid of his highlights, and gets a hipper wardrobe (what kind of high schooler wears Diesel jeans, anyway?), Gabriella manages to look even dorkier, Sharpay gets even bitchier (didn't she have some sort of revelation at the end of the OG?), Ryan somehow becomes EVEN GAYER, Taylor actually starts to look cute, Kelsi goes back to dorkidom, and Martha is upped to supporting role status. Disney is right, character development is so overrated.

Anybody else notice that Yearbook signing at East High greatly resembles an autograph session?

I love how the sound engineers who worked on this soundtrack didn't even attempt to mask the artificial pitch perfection. I mean, who knew Ashley Tisdale can magically duplicate her voice? And sing her own backup without even opening her mouth?!

God, the sexual tension between Troy & Gabriella is driving me insane. Why don't they just bone already?! Oh, right. Disney. (How scandalous would it be if Zac Efron & Vanessa Hudgens came out with a sex tape?!) But aren't they SO talented? I mean, both in the original and the sequel, they can magically learn the songs that Kelsi teaches them without needed the sheet music. And what kind of piano does Kelsi play on that can create bass, guitar, synthesizer and percussion in addition to piano?

The golf scene is hilarious! First of all, who knew Troy was not only a Basketball star, brilliant with singing and dancing, and a golf genius to boot?! And secondly, Troy reminds me of every guy i've ever been interested in...TOTALLY. OBLIVIOUS (as Taylor puts it, "Just because he's a nice guy doesn't mean he's not prone to 'Boy Disease,' forgetting things you shouldn't forget). It annoys me almost as much as Sharpay's tiara. But despite the tiara, Ashley Tisdale steals the scene with her giggling, prancing, and slapstick with Lucas Grabeel and Corbin Bleu.

Ooh, and the plot thickens. Sharpay's new way of winning Troy's heart is to ambush him with dinner reservations, convert him to a golf protoge, and use her parents to get him thinking about scholarships. Very cunning and deceptive, Sharpay. But a date in the pool with Gabriella calls, and I think I can guess which one Troy will choose in the end. But keep it up with those pink golf balls and those amazing hair style, Sharpay, and you may have a chance! You are "skin tone compatible" afterall.

I love Ryan's plotline in this movie. I love how he is "sticking it to the man" and showing up Sharpay with the other Wildcats. I loved his number on the baseball field with Chad (although Corbin Bleu kind of drives me crazy) , and how they are going to perform in the country club's talent show together. And I love how Troy seems to think that something is going on between Gabriella and Ryan (what did I say--TOTALLY. OBLIVIOUS. Too funny).

Sharpay's greatest line of the movie: "Give me a beat!" (She needed the beat to make a dramatic exit. Priceless.). Second favorite: "To tell you the truth, I like you more than I like myself right now. [gasp] Did I just say that?!" And I'm loving the fight scene between Gabriella and Sharpay. FINALLY we see some of the true issues in high school--catty girls, relationship drama, wet and shimmery concrete, dramatic exit lines, bad transitions into breakup songs...maybe I'm getting a bit carried away.

What would a HSM movie be without Vanessa Hudgens sulking as she sings up against a locker, wall, staircase, etc.? And Troy chasing after her (only this is the sequel, Troy! Chasing after her isn't going to work this time! You really screwed up, with your golf swing and Univ. of Alberquerque Letterman's jacket. What you need is a good pep talk with your dad, Coach Bolton, over some burnt hamburgers and some cheesy dialogue. Oh look, here it comes now).

Well here's something I wasn't expecting: A dramatic plot developing breakout song where Troy jumps from climate to climate (grassy field, mountains, sand, back to grass, pond lined with trees, back to grass, finishing up with a cocked knee, arms up in the air on top of the mountain with a mesa in the background...very effective). And of course Troy realizes the error of his ways, and sets things right with everyone. He's Troy Bolton, afterall. Practically perfect in every way. And just to show you how great you are, we'll allow you to kiss Gabriella (FINALLY!) at the end of this one. And that kiss went on and on. Let's hope, for the sake of Disney's wholesomeness, there isn't a third installment to this series. Who knows HOW far they'll go next time!

Aw, I knew everything would turn out well in the end. All it took was a cheap "Breaking Free" rip off, complete with the rest of the Wildcats (and ultimately the entire country club) joining in for the grand finale. Ah, Disney, you destroy me every time. But next time, but a little more effort into the deigital effects. Stars do NOT twinkle like that, and shooting stars also do NOT look like that. And since when do jpanese lanterns float away on their own? Oh, am I getting ahead of myself again?

Harry Potter & The Deathly Hallows

Harry friggin' Potter and the Deathly friggin' Hallows. It took me a bit longer to read this book than I wanted it to. The book was just too bulky for me to carry across the country, so I opted to wait for Tina to bring her copy to me once she finished it. Which means I looked a bit goofy reading it on the subway after everyone had already read it, ducking and running away from any spoilers that might cross my path. But it was sooooo worth the wait. I used to say Year 3, ...the Prisoner of Azkaban was my favorite installment of the series. But no longer, my friends. ...The Deathly Hallows is by far the best of the series, and I think everyone will agree with me when they say it was a great way to go out.

By the way, the rest of this post is going to be loaded with spoilers, so don't read any more if you haven't already finished the book. I mean, like, totally and completely finished it and read every single word. But then again, if you haven't already finished the book, you should not be wasting time reading this! Get to reading, already!

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I think this book should be renamed Harry Potter and the 12,000 Deaths. Seriously. People started dying on PAGE THREE of the book. And it didn't stop until the second to last page of the book. Some were sadder than others (like the first woman who died...we didn't even know who she was). It was sad to lose Mad Eye, but he was missing an eye so it wasn't even like a while person or anything. :) Losing Fred was the saddest, I think, but also Lupin and Tonks. And the non-human deaths, like Hedwig and Dobby. Hell, I can't even keep track of everyone who died.

[By the way, Aaron told me a funny story about his boyfriend, Michael. He was talking to Michael about the books (Michael has never read any books or seen any movies...from the series, I mean), and I think he mentioned Cedric Diggory dying in the fourth book. Michael looked at him, shocked, and said, "Wait, people are dying in these books?!" I just thought it was funny.]

Ok so overall this book was SO intense. Every sentence was important. I contantly found myself having to slow down so I could get the story fully, even though I really wanted to speed up and get through it as quickly as I could. It was that intense!

Things got especially crazy toward the end when the mysteries of the series were wrapped up and everything was revealed. Speaking of that, I'm really glad that everything was answered in this book, because I was kind of embarrassed that I didn't fully get understand the whole story! And I was afraid to admit it, since it's written for kids! But I am happy to say that all of my questions were answered, and I fully understand the prophecy and all that stuff (maybe with a little help from Sarah).

Even though the most intense moments of the book were at the end, I do feel like a lot of stuff was anticlimactic...

Take Snape for instance. We got 6.5 books thinking he is this evil guy (even though he wasn't officially revealed as evil until Year 6, Harry never trusted him, even for a minute). He hardly appears in Year 7 at all, and then there is one chapter where we learn that he is actually Dumbledore's sidekick in the whole prophecy being carried out and he was afctually the least evil of them all. Oh yeah, and we found this out after he died. Um, what?! It was so anticlimactic.

And is it just me, or did Voldemort die kind of quickly? Like, there is this really intense moment where Harry is walking through the Dark Forest, with the ghosts of Sirius, James, and Lily, and he becomes one with himself and realizes he has to die for the sake of the prophecy, and he's ok with it, and Voldemort kinda kills him. And then he and Dumbledore talk on a cloud or something, and we find out that Harry is a horcrux and Voldemort only killed a part of his own soul in Harry, then Harry plays dead, and McGonnagal screams and everyone mourns, Neville cuts of a snake's head, and Harry jumps up to save the day, he puts a protective charm around him and Voldemort so nobody can interfere, and you think there is going to be this really huge crazy battle. But instead, they both fire spells simultaneously and the next thing you know Voldemort is dead. HELLO?! Talk about a whole lot of working up to nothing.

Um, I really hope nobody was reading this who hasn't already finished the book. Because if you haven't, I just ruined it for you.

There were some great funny moments in the book too, and they were definitely a welcomed change from all of the intense deaths and revelations. Ron & Hermione's flirtation cracked me up, and I'm glad Voldemort mocked Harry's power that he got from 'love,' because I always thought that was a bit silly. But I think the greatest part (I literally laughed out loud on the subway) was when Mrs. Weasley came out of nowhere and shouted, "NOT MY DAUGHTER, YOU BITCH!" It is, perhaps, the single greatest line in the entire 7-book series.

Oh yeah, and the Epilogue kind of creeped me out. Like, it was weird for me to imagine Ginny and Harry getting married, and Ron & Hermione. It made me uncomfortable. And Harry and Ginny named their second oldest Albus Severus? Sandwiched in between a James and a Lily, talk about a Jan Brady complex! Not exactly sure where Ron & Hermione got Hugo and Rose (the only thing I can think of was that the first letters are the same, with the genders switched), but it beats Hugo and Rose. What's with Harry and Ginny getting all Hollywood with the names?!? It's a good thing they didn't have a fourth child, or else it could have ended up Rubius Kreacher (or Myrtle Minerva?)

Needless to say, by the end of this book, I was sobbing. Not, like, tears trickling down my cheeks. No. I broke down with audible wheezes and sobs. I'm not exactly sure why. But I did it, and I'm kind of embarrassed about it. Thank God I wasn't still on the subway by that point. Um, and how amazing is this movie going to be? I hope they don't cut too much out (like they did for the 5th film), and actually have a brilliant script for it. It's going to be super intense. And I won't go see it with Sarah because she might drown me in her tears. But I will DEFINITELY be seeing it in IMAX-3D. If you haven't tried it yet, it's the ONLY was to see HP films!

The greatest thing about J.K. Rowling is that she has this entire world down to a T. Not only has she published the encyclopedia Magical Creatures and Where to Find Them, (fictionally written by a wizard, whose grandson ends up marrying Luna Lovegood), but she also gave further details beyond the Epilogue about what happens to some of the other supporting characters. She revealed all of the info in some online chat, and it was posted by someone on Wikipedia. So here it is, straight from J.K. herself:

Harry becomes an Auror for the Ministry of Magic, and is later appointed head of the department. Harry owns Sirius's motorcycle, which Arthur Weasley repaired for him. Because Voldemort's soul fragment inside him was destroyed, Harry can no longer speak Parseltongue.
Ron works for a time with George at his store, Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes, and eventually becomes an Auror.
Hermione initially works for the Ministry of Magic in the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures, greatly improving life for house-elves and their ilk. She later moves to the Department of Magical Law Enforcement and assists in eradicating oppressive, pro-pureblood laws. She also finds her parents in Australia and removes the memory modification charm she put on them.
Luna Lovegood searches the world for odd and unique creatures. She eventually marries Rolf, the grandson of the famed naturalist, Newt Scamander.
Ginny Weasley plays for the Holyhead Harpies Quidditch team for a time, then leaves her athletic career behind for marriage and family with Harry. She eventually becomes the lead Quidditch correspondent for the Daily Prophet.
George Weasley runs his successful joke shop, helped by Ron. He names his first child Fred, after his late twin brother.
Slytherin House has become more diluted and is no longer the pureblood bastion it once was. Nevertheless, its dark reputation lingers.
Voldemort's jinx on the Defence Against the Dark Arts (DADA) position is broken with his death, and there is a permanent DADA teacher.
Firenze is welcomed back into his herd, who acknowledge that his pro-human leanings were not shameful, but honourable.
Kingsley Shacklebolt becomes the Minister for Magic, with Percy Weasley working under him as a high official.
As part of the changes introduced by Kingsley Shacklebolt, Azkaban no longer uses Dementors. As a result, the world is now a "much sunnier place".
Dolores Umbridge is arrested, interrogated, and imprisoned for crimes against Muggle-borns.
The Quibbler has returned to its usual condition of "advanced lunacy", and is appreciated for its unintentional humour.
A portrait of Snape was not in the headmaster's office as he abandoned his post before dying. Harry intends to fight the absence of Snape's portrait, and reveals to all Snape's true allegiance.

Um, so now what am I supposed to do with my time, sit around and twiddle my thumbs? Maybe I should go back and re-read. Yes. I will re-read the books and then watch the corresponding film immediately. I am excited to actually be able to figure out what was left out and what they changed. I'm SUCH a nerd.

So You Think You Can Dance, Season 3!

The following is a hilarious recap of the third season of So You Think You Can Dance?. I wish I was, you know, not moving across the country, and was able to keep better tabs on the show, and blog about it. Next season, I promise! But for now, I guess I'll just have to watch the finale and enjoy the recap below...

by Adam B. Vary

Danny should win. Yeah, Sabra's brilliance brings us all in, and Lacey's a crack entertainer, and it's the women's turn this year, blah blah. Danny should win. Not just because he's the best dancer So You Think You Can Dance has ever seen, either; as Nigel pointedly noted, this is a competition for America's favorite dancer, and last night, Danny was mine. He should win. And, you know what, I think he actually might.
To be fair, Danny had the best night, in part because, of the four finalists, he had by far the best combination of routines in a night when the choreographers mostly failed to showcase the dancers' strengths. We'll get to all that in a bit, but I also have to say that, really, if any one of these dancers takes home the $250K, I'll be totally happy — one of the few times in any TV reality competition show that I'm able to say that. Which is, all of my snarkiness about costumes and choreography throughout this season aside, reason #1932 why I love this show.
Speaking of clothing — Cat, we need to talk. It's getting serious. At first, Grandma was excited that you were ''borrowing'' her things to wear on the show. But she was really counting on wearing her gold Going Out dress — which she purchased at the Detroit Loehmann's on final markdown in 1972, and such a steal it was then, too! — to the church canteen dance last Sunday, but when she went to her closet to put it on, all she found instead was one of those single pink daffodils you keep leaving behind. So, look, after the show's over, give us a call and we'll set you up with a guy I know. He's really great with people who have your condition — geri-kleptomania, I believe it's called — and Grandma won't press any charges.
Phew. Okay, with that bit of unpleasantness behind us, let's take on each dancer in the order of their solos and sit-downs with Cat-burglar Deeley:
Lacey Pretty much the front-runner entering last night's show, Lacey didn't so much make any major performance missteps — okay, there was that totally unflattering silver dress she wore in her otherwise acceptable solo — as she was just outclassed and outdanced by Danny and, to a lesser extent, Sabra. (Sidebar: I noticed that some of you people on the message board have said you were at Monday's taping of the show, so can anyone tell the rest of us what Adam Shankman yelled out from the audience when he heckled Lacey?) It was telling to me that the producers placed her solo first and chose to remind viewers once again that her brother won the show last year — neither choice did Lacey any favors, and the judges were even a bit muted in their praise for her. It all made me wonder if someone had decided that as much as it would be good for the show for a woman to win this year, it would be just as bad, if not worse, for the sibling of last year's winner to win. Just putting that out there.
Of her partner routines, surprise surprise, I liked Lacey's Viennese waltz with Danny the best — elegant, fluid, classic, and yet, with Avril singing backup, surprisingly modern. The pairing also produced the best line of the night: Lacey giggling, ''My head hit Danny's goodies!'' after her head, well, hit Danny's goodies. And I actually liked Lacey's ''fox'' routine with Sabra; it was certainly unlike anything we'd seen this season, and, for once, I couldn't tell that Wade Robson had choreographed it. Liked, but didn't love; it did seem more like a top 10 number than one for the finale, especially considering Wade's killer group number from last year's top 4 show. And as far as Lacey's Lindy hop with...
Neil, well, I kinda hated it, which I guess makes me a boring person. I actually had to watch it twice; the first time, I completely spaced out as it was unfolding, too busy contemplating how obnoxious I found Lacey counting down the number of times she fell during rehearsal. Best I understand, falling is to dancing what typos are to writing — it happens, a lot, and I could see on Neil's face how wearying Lacey's complaints were becoming. Thing is, Neil took that weariness to the stage; he caught his partner, sure, but I'm pretty sure the Lindy hop is supposed to be about four times faster, and the kicks about four feet higher. And yet the judges raved.
Maybe they felt bad that they'd harped so much on Neil's ''tricks,'' or that, of the four, Neil is the only dancer pretty much guaranteed not to win, even if he was peaking at the end of the season. Not that he really got a chance to prove that theory; other than his solid solo, Neil was either felled by exhaustion (performing a Lindy hop after doing four other routines learned in less than 96 hours), sidelined by lackluster choreography (Shane Sparks' disjointed hip-hop), or asked by Mia Michaels not to dance so much as act royally pissed off while being taunted and thrown around by
Danny, who, it seemed to me last night, could do no wrong — and, more important, was finally comfortable enough in his own skin to drop his guard and just be himself. Which, it turns out, is a shy, doofus-y kid with a pretty awesome family. My favorite moment from last night, in fact, was after Danny's (powerful, masterful, insane) solo, when the camera cut to his brother Travis jokily razzing him from the stands before rocking all the way back into his chair and then forward again, his cheeks expanding in a gasp of deep pride and amazement. Sorta said it all, really. (Anyone catch Ivan from season 2 sitting with Team Danny? Anyone catch Ivan's totally ridiculous hair? Just wondering.)
Indeed, if Neil's talent was supposedly peaking at the right time, Danny's personality was never more relaxed and appealing than during rehearsals for the last — and best — routine of the night, Danny's cha-cha with...
Sabra Poor Sabra. Despite the judges' unending praise and acclaim, she really only got to shine once, with Danny — though, boy, did she shine brightly, between a dress so hot it had me contemplating switching teams and a routine (choreographed by this season's true breakout discovery, Bette Midler — I mean Melanie La Patin!) that finally brought the unexpected, crowd-pleasing panache missing from the rest of the finale (save Danny's solo). So of course the judges had to get all nitpicky and technical about it even as they tried to say that nitpicky technicalities aren't important anymore.
Otherwise, however, Sabra was saddled with the aforementioned lackluster Shane Sparks hip-hop number and Wade's love-it-or-hate-it time with the foxy ladies. Even her solo was a little underwhelming, especially after her final flip, which looked to me like she landed a bit wrong on her ankle, causing her to dribble through the rest of her allotted time. Not the best turn of events for the dancer who came into the night the not-so-underdog to win.
And yet I think she still could. Really, this is a three-way race. If the votes are based mostly on last night's performance, I'd give the edge to Danny. If, however, voters heed Nigel's surprisingly direct pleas to take into consideration the dancers' growth through the season — and that a woman ought to win — then I'm going to go out on a limb and place Sabra a hair above Lacey.
Who do you think will win? Who do you think should win? If your favorite lost, would you be upset? And how many of you can't wait to see Nigel and Cat cut a rug on tonight's season finale?

The Top 4: Danny, Sabra, Neil, Lacey

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

There's only one way to see the Harry Potter movies these days. That's right, I'm talking IMAX-3D. This movie was LARGER THAN LIFE!!!

Of course I refer first and foremost to Richard Griffiths, who only seems to be gaining weight by the hour. At this rate, he'll need his own theater to perform Equus on Broadway next season. Daniel Radcliffe and the rest of the cast next door. And seeing him on an IMAX screen doesn't make him look any skinnier. Luckily he did not appear in any of the 3D scenes.

All fat jokes aside, this movie was weird. The 5th and 6th installments of the 7 book series are the darkest and serve mostly as development and set-up for the final book, so the book was largely uneventful until the final 15 minutes or so. Regardless, the dream sequences with Voldemort, and the dilectably evil Dolores Umbridge reminded me how tense I can get while watching these movies, especially on the big screen (man, the 7th movie is going to be INTENSE!).

I am always so amused by some of the interpretations the films take on characters, images, and scenes that I inevitably conjure up to be completely different in my head. The dementors and Death Eaters were so different from my vision that it was like I was watching something completely different. And Luna Lovegood was so glam! Do you remember the Disney cartoon Recess from Disney's One Saturday Morning? Well, I pictured Luna to be like that awkward bean pole of a girl with stringy brown hair, glasses and bucked teeth. Anybody?!

This was the shortest movie in the series thus far, but it's the longest book. Needless to say, they took some liberties adapting it to the silver screen. The movie was entertaining overall, especially the final battle scene and Harry & Cho's liplocking session (gives mistletoe a completely new meaning). But it wouldn't be a Harry Potter movie if I didn't feel like I would be completely lost had I not read the book. They details are already blending together from book to book in my mind, and I can't figure out what will come in the next film, what they expect the viewer to know already, and what they are leaving out altogether. Looks like I've got some re-reading and re-watching to do!

P.S. Can you imagine if Daniel Radcliff and Emma Watson pulled a High School Musical and got together like Zac Efron and Vanessa Hudgens? Or would it be Emma and Rupert Grint? Either way, they just seem too sophisticated for something like that, no?

Is it sick that I am transfixed everytime I see a photo of Zac Efron and Vanessa Hudgens together (in other words, am I 13 years old?)? I am just fascinated by this new power couple. Think about it...they are the new Britney and Justin.

Everyone is transixed by them. They are stars of the biggest pre-teen/teen movement of this generation. They probably get freaky in the bedroom but have to keep it clean in public for their 11 year old fans (um, did I just write that?).

They are definitely the publicist's dream: the perfect looking couple. What many teens will try to live up to. Like Joni and Chachi. And I can't wait until their scandalous breakup, and their songs about the other one cheating on them ("Cry Me A River," anybody?)

But I guess everyone is allowed to be freaky every once in a while (how bizarre is this photo?!):

Rent Rent Rent Rent Rent We're Not Gonna Pay Rent

That creaking sound that you hear must be Jonathan Larson rolling in his grave....

London's Duke of York Theatre will be the home of a newly re-worked version of Rent beginning October 16th.

The Director, William Baker, says "Because of Jonathan Larson's untimely death at the first preview, the show has become frozen as a kind of sacred text. It looked and sounded very much of its time. Audiences have changed since then, and I think it needed reappraising for a London audience." Baker added his Rent is a "digital production for a digital world — more a pop opera than a rock opera." Each song has been reorchestrated to match the character who sings it. "All great songs can always be remixed," Baker explained. "We've kept the vocal melodies, but the sound is completely different."

Oy.

I just wanted to share this picture...

Making Up For Lost Time

I haven't been updating this blog very much recently, and for that I apologize. It's just too tough when you're hiding from the Beckhams. And by hiding I mean scouring the city for a sighting.

I would also like to issue an apology to my dear Lindsay Lohan for being rough on her in the past. The truth is, La Lohan is actually one of the kindest, most considerate people in the Business. Think about it...never to be one to steal the spotlight, she stepped aside and entered rehab to give others some time in the limelight. For a month we once again enjoyed Britney's crazy antics (disowning her mother, making up poor excuses for attacking cars with umbrellas, wearing mismatching underwear, etc.), Paris's jail behavior, Nicole getting knocked up, and the like.

But La Lohan has finally had enough. After turning 21 and leaving rehab (how anticlimactic for the party girl to be sober on her 21st...or was she?), girlfriend has been ALL over the tabs lately, including partying in Vegas, sporting her alcohol detection ankle bracelet (ya know, just to prove it's ACTUALLY water inside that water bottle), and most recently, turning herself in to the LAPD over her DUI a few months ago. I cannot WAIT for that mugshot! I'm saving a spot for it on my wall right between Paris and Nicole's.

And so, with a short break for us to be reminded just how much we love her, La Lohan has returned in full force. Thanks for being so considerate, Lindsay. You have no idea how much it means to me.

No no no!

Lance Bass is going to make his Broadway debut this fall as Corny Collins in Hairspray. In what has now become the battle of the boybanders, Hairspray currently features Ashley Parker-Angel of O-Town as Link Larkin. Funny how Lance Bass, former member of the hottest boyband of the 90's is taking a supporting role to a former member of O-TOWN! And hey, if those two can be on Broadway, why can't I???

Doesn't Lance realize that aerosol hairspray is bad for the environment? What kind of astronaut would endorse something that kills the ozone layer?

Perhaps a boybander who was desperate for media attention so he used wanting to go into space as a media ploy. Too bad it backfired and he failed! Hopefully he'll do better at the Neil Simon than he did at NASA!