And finally, I may actually ask for this for Christmas, because seriously? Seriously. Words fail.
You provide a photograph with the face and the pose, Paul makes the magic happen. Orders are NOT guaranteed for Christmas delivery, but the anticipation becomes part of the gift. Just like when you were 10, waiting for Jedi to be released so you could find out what happened to Han.
I kind of loved this movie. It's like a giant pink cupcake iced with glitter and served on a plate of camp - and I mean that in the best possible way.
The 'small town girl with big dreams makes good' story line is pretty paint-by-numbers, but that's not why you're there. You're there for the musical set pieces and gorgeous production design, and those are worth the price of admission. Christina Aguilera does a capable job with the material, and she's given ample opportunity to do what she does best - blow the roof of the mother.
Cher spends the movie being Cher, because she's already proven that she can act and made one of the greatest movies of all time *cough* Moonstruck *cough* and my god people she's a goddamn national treasure! What more do you want from her?
Oh, you say you want a patented Cher power ballad? Alrighty then. Seriously y'all, this is the show stopper number. Believe.
Stanley Tucci steals the movie and is amazing and needs to be in everything. That guy who plays the campaign manager on The Good Wife (tm my Mom) has the Joel Gray role. Julianne Hough is in it so people can say, "Hey isn't that the girl from Dancing with the Stars?" and then spend the movie waiting for her to show up because FAKEOUT! she's a brunette. The great Etta James also gets several shout outs because Christina worships her, as one does.
The one casting misstep is Kristen Bell. I didn't really buy her as the fading star who is eclipsed by newcomer Xtina. I just kind of sat there wondering, "Veronica Mars? Really?" She came off as more petulant than life weary, which is what I think the role really called for. Although she did get the best line of the entire film:
"I won't be upstaged by some chick with mutant lungs!"
3 tasseled pasties out of 5. Check it out.
In upcoming movie news, this was one of our trailers. I have no idea what this movie is about, but you pretty much had me at chicks with swords blowing shiz up in slow motion while the levee breaks. With robots! It's like director Zack Snyder made this movie just for me.
I love my iPhone, but there are times when I miss a physical keyboard. Think Geek feels my pain. That's why the developed the blue tooth enabled flip out keyboard.
Naturally Apple laughs at my pain. That's why it's not compatible with the 3G.
Break out the footie pajamas and burst your bonds! It's ...
THUNDARRRRRR THE BARRRRBARIAN!!!
Thundarr the Barbarian: The Complete Series at the wbshop.com via io9.
And finally, don't forget the reason for the season ...
Gwyneth Paltrow really, really wants to be a singer. And her "Country Strong" isn't a bad song. It's not the song's fault. The song probably wishes Shelby Lynne had gotten first crack at it too.
DC got eleventy inches of snow earlier this year. While it's too early to predict if the coming winter will be as harsh, that's no reason not to be prepared. If you found yourself trapped in a blizzard with no shelter, would you know what to do?
You'll want something with a little more square footage in the chest cavity. But don't imagine it's going to be easy. Careful planning and forethought - that and a steaming carcass - are your only hope.
Weigh your options carefully before tangling with a moose ... the best way to catch a moose is to tame a wolf pack and sick it on the moose.
Maybe Bison are more your speed ... if you can run them down:
They aren't afraid of shit. Bison expert Jim Pisarowics puts it well when he says, "they usually appear peaceful, unconcerned, even lazy, yet they may attack anything, often without warning or apparent reason." And when they come at you it's at 35 mph with a head the size of a truck engine and two razor sharp horns. In a word: gangster.
But lest you think COACISSW is all just macho bluster and posturing, it's not. MTL knows you can't survive an apocalypse if you don't take care of yourself.
It's a common misconception that survivalism and appendage maintenance are mutually exclusive. Nothing could be further from the truth. I never leave home without my mani/pedi set. I can't think of a more enjoyable way to spend several hours inside a moose than rejuvenating my feet with a combination of coconut oil, lanolin, and vegetable glycerin.
Have you gotten your pumpkin yet? I hope you got a bunch, because Pink Raygun has more carving templates than you can shake a proton pack at. There's one for each fandom - zombies and Time Lords and hunters, oh my!
The fabulous Duchess Jane Beth has started a photo project, and you should join in. Here's how it works:
Go to her Week Seven post. Watch the comments and pick a noun - or suggest one of your own. Take pictures inspired by said noun, and upload them to Flickr, in the dedicated game group. If there's a story behind the noun/photo, feel free to share.
Explosions, quips, geography that makes no sense, Ernest Borgnine, and a bone crushing fight scene wrapped around a surprisingly sweet heart. This movie is just fun.
Bobby discovers again some more that you should always read the fine print, especially when you're making deals with devils.
Written by Dabb and Lofflin
Directed by Jensen Ackles
When Dean picks the shots, do the actors have to shut their cake holes?
Jensen talked about his experience behind the camera at Comic Con this summer:
Q: Jensen: What was it like directing your first episode?
A: The main difference - and greatest challenge - was in the approach to the script. Normally he only has to make creative choices about his character, but as the director, he was making creative decisions about every word on every page.
He said it helped that the writers gave him a Dean-lite script, so that he was only acting 3 of the 8 shooting days, and directing the other 5. Working with Jim was great - he did all the heavy lifting- except that he never hit his marks.
It was a "cool, new, exciting" experience, but not one that he seemed too eager to tackle again. He also doesn't consider himself a director, saying instead that he was given a task and he tried to execute it to the best of his ability. It also helped that Jared wasn't there.
He didn't seem too eager to repeat the experience, but he won high praise from Jim Beaver:
"Seriously speaking, I've been doing this for 32 years and I've worked with a lot of really, really good directors and I've never felt any more secure and well guided as an actor than I have by Jensen Ackles."
Heather Champ is encouraging people to document today, 10/10/10, in photographs. Your pictures can be shared at the tententen flickr group; you have 10 days to upload them and join in the tengasm with the rest of tenopedes. Random images will also be displayed starting tomorrow at her site - here.
So what's so significant about today, other than a randomly cool symmetry that won't happen again for another gigabillion years? Well, if you look closely through your lens, you may just discover the meaning of life.
"There is a whole silly world out there filled with Birkins and hobos and diamond-encrusted clutches you can't fit your Tampax in, but you are none of these.
I've been composing this in my head for weeks. It seemed impossible to condense a life into just a few paragraphs. Where do you even begin? There are so many stories to tell, because Dad was someone who was always up for an adventure. When his Uncle Harry would say, "C'mon Joe, let's go", Dad never asked where. It didn't matter.
In that spirit of adventure, he was always on the lookout for hidden treasure. Coming through Newport News on Thursday, it was like a greatest hits of Dad's favorite thrift stores. He loved a bargain, and he loved to show off his latest find and ask, "How much would you pay for this stunning item?" His dumpster diving is legendary. I had a housewarming party years ago. Mom walked in alone, and someone asked where Dad was. I jokingly said, "He's checking out the dumpster." Point of fact - he was. A neighbor was moving out of her apartment, and he was happily loading up the truck with gems she no longer wanted. They were still perfectly good.
He was a member of the NRA and the ACLU. Dad believed in personal freedom. He also never missed an opportunity to stick it to the man. Cars were registered not where we lived, but where the tax exposure was lowest. This is a trait he passed down in varying degrees to his children. Kyle worked at a little restaurant in high school, and at Christmas the owner, Hans, sent him and another kid out to buy a Christmas tree. Dad found them in the garage looking for his small collapsible hand saw. Kyle didn't see any reason that Hans should be out 50 bucks when Christmas trees grow free on the state right of ways.
Dad took his time. He moved at his own, slower pace. That was a gift that he shared with his family in so many ways. He took time to help with science fair projects, boy scout projects, showed me how to change a tire, took us fishing, fossil hunting, biking through the Dismal Swamp, on Sunday drives, and trips to museums. He taught Kyle and I that we were capable of doing anything, but if we needed his help, he would be there, without question.
On the day of my wedding, about an hour before we needed to leave for the church, I realized I hadn't eaten anything. I raced into the kitchen to grab something. Dad had been sitting at the table, reading the paper, trying to avoid the chaos. Without saying anything, he stood up and hugged me. He just held me, and for a moment, time stopped.
Dad's illness was difficult on all of us, but certainly hardest for a man who was happiest when he was outdoors - digging in his garden, or walking through the woods stalking the always elusive bambi. Through it all he faced each challenge with good humor, and rarely missed an opportunity to crack a joke, or tease the nurses and therapists who helped care for him. When he was coming out of anesthesia after his surgery, one of the residents put him through the usual cognitive drills. What day is it? What year were you born? What is your name? To this last one, Dad answered, "Sarah Palin". We quickly realized that we needed to warn the hospital staff of his sharp wit, and dry sense of humor, before they began worrying about his mental state or confused gender identity.
He also rarely lost his temper, or raised his voice in anger or frustration. This may come as a surprise to many - especially those of you who remember the great lawnmower incident, when a truculent starter met a messy demise at the end of a 50-pound monster maul. He endured it all with grace and dignity.
Dad was a big man, and his passing has left a huge hole in our lives and we mourn his loss deeply. We knew we didn't have much time, but we thought we had more than this. Even so, the time we did have was a gift. We were able to enjoy and appreciate so many little moments together. We can take comfort in a life lived and loved well. Please hold him in your thoughts. When you plant a seed, and watch it grow into something green and beautiful, think of him. When you go out to dinner, order dessert. Order two. Ask for the corner piece of the birthday cake. Don't be shy about inquiring if there is supplemental icing. When you travel, if you're going by car - check your fluids. Before you go home, buy a patch as a memento of your trip, and think of him. When the weather turns crisp and cool, take a walk in the woods and think of him.
At last! New season, new night, new(ish) show runner ...
CAN
NOT
WAIT!!
This time last year I speculated - with some concern - about the possibility of a sixth season. Where could the show possibly go after the Apocalypse, and how would it go on without Kripke?
The answer seems to be that you don't try to top yourself. You pull back.
Well, the trick is to not go big but go intimate. We talk about returning to a stripped-down version of the show that’s almost similar to season one, in which the mythology was just as simple as finding their father and finding something that’s really personal and meaningful to Sam and Dean.
One of the things that’s hard about the end of the world is sometimes it’s hard to have your characters emotionally connect with it, because it’s so big. But if their emotional storyline for, say, season six is to save a loved one, then that’s something you can really understand and get behind and actually have some really emotional storytelling that takes you through a lot of the scary episodes.
Add to that Monsters of the Week that are an integrated part of the myth arc, and the capable and seasoned hand of Sera Gamble, and I am ready for the ride.
Promos after the jump, but first, get up to speed on the past five seasons courtesy of YouTuber Loki.
I've been having an ongoing discussion with NoShowMo and Duchess Jane about organizing books by color.
It started with this, which Jane and I agreed we did not like.
I'm also not a fan of this, although sweet fancy do I covet the apartment.
I found this arrangement strangely appealing. I think it has to do with the soothing symmetry of books of similar size and binding grouped together. Also, effing hipsters.
But then Mo hit on something that just turned the whole discussion inside out.
I quote:
Not organizing books by color. Organizing them by SURPRISE! Spines facing in. What shall we read today?
