My co-book tart and myself are considering changing this blog from a book focused blog into a pop culture centered blog. we have a couple reasons as to why. First of all, we are both highly obsessed with pop culture. Secondly, we both definitely watch more tv than read books. Mostly because it takes less time and watching tv allows for multitasking! Also, you've probably noticed that I have been blogging about not books lately. And Jenny hasn't been blogging much as all.
So, in honor of a change to pop culture, I am going to blog about why I hate this season of American Idol!
I was going to watch Idol this season. I stop watching a few weeks into voting last season because all my favorite people were gone. And the best singer of the season was gone. There seemed no point. I was going to watch this season, but I just couldn't do it. I legit recorded the first few episodes, but I just couldn't get over how boring most of the singers were. And how pointless the judges were. However, I always read recaps of the episodes and watched Idoloonies on tvline.com (Michael Slezak and Jason Averett are amazing!). So I kept up on the season.
I watched the most recent episode because Jenny said I should and my friend Sarah was over and we both enjoy watching reality crap. So I watched the top 4. And the only thing I can say is that of the four singers left, I only really liked Haley. She was the only singer that was at all interesting and exciting. And she was also the only singer who got any negative feedback. I don't understand the judges at all. They love everyone. They have loved everyone all season. Except Haley, who has the best voice and makes the only interesting choices. They have given her negative comments all season, including last week when her vocal was amazing and they didn't like her song choice. The judges are so inconsistent! And if they tell everyone that they are amazing, it starts to mean nothing! Nothing! So frustrating. But now I have to watch Idol this week because I have become invested in Haley! Damn!
Saturday, May 14, 2011
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
Hunger Games Comprehensive Casting Review
I have been putting off commenting on the cast of The Hunger Games because new announcements are being made pretty much every day. But now Haymitch has been cast and it seems an appropriate time to review the entire cast so far.
First, we all know by now that Gale is being played by Liam Hemsworth, Josh Hutcherson is Peeta, and the lead role of Katniss went to Jennifer Lawrence. I have still never seen Hemsworth or Lawrence in anything so I am not commenting on that casting, but I watched Cirque du Freak, which Hutcherson is in and I cannot wait to see what he does with Peeta. He has a very sweet look, but can also play dark really well.
Second, we have the other primary characters:
Wes Bentley as Seneca Crane
Amandla Stenberg as Rue
Paula Malcomson as Mrs. Everdeen
Willow Shields as Primrose Everdeen
Woody Harrelson as Haymitch Abernathy
Stanley Tucci as Caesar Flickerman
Elizabeth Banks as Effie Trinket
Seneca Crane is the Head Gamemaker and really didn't make too much of an impact on me in the book as I had to look up who he was. Likewise, Bentley didn't stick out to me. Rue is a 12 year old tribute for the games and reminds Katniss of her own sister. Rue is a very important character and Stenberg is pretty much a complete unknown. I assume she will be excellent. Mrs. Everdeen is Katniss' mother and seems like a hard role to play due to the fact that in the book, she is both likable and unlikable at the same time. Malcomson has been in a lot of tv dramas, most recently Sons of Anarchy and Caprica, though I haven't seen her in much. Based on her CV, I think she will do well in the part. Primrose is Katniss' sister and though she isn't in the books much, she is a very important character. Shields is pretty much unknown, but has the right look.
Haymitch is the mentor of Katniss and Peeta for the games, being a previous winner. He is also drunk all of the time. And he's a bit of a dick most of the time. He does not seem to really like Katniss, but the feeling is mostly reciprocal. In my opinion, Haymitch is one of the most important and interesting characters in the book. And I am so excited about Woody Harrelson playing him. He has been in both comedy and drama, which I think is kind of the balance that Haymitch needs to strike. He might seem like an odd choice if you've only seen him in Cheers or Will & Grace, but I'd say his characters in Zombieland and No Country for Old Men show the range and balance between tough and silly. Though I never imagined him in the part, I think he will be excellent!
Caesar Flickerman is a reporter in the Capital who does the interviews for the Hunger Games. I definitely did not see Stanley Tucci in that role, but I am super excited about it. He is easy going and likable as far as people in the Capital go. I always saw Flickerman as super charming yet quirky; a bit humorous but with the ability to make both sides of any warring groups like him. I think Tucci will be able to play that really well.
Effie Trinket is the wrangler for Katniss and Peeta. She is a bit of an odd character. She and Katniss do not really get along, but they seem to have some respect for each other. I always saw Effie as outwardly bubbly and light, but with something brewing under the surface. I always feel like she is the slightest bit insane, but also well intentioned and possibly knows more than she lets on. I think Elizabeth Banks will be perfect for the role and is actually who I sort of pictured when I was reading. She has been in mostly silly comedies like The 40 Year Old Virgin and Zack and Miri Make a Porno, but I think her character in Slither shows what potential she has for the craziness of the Hunger Games. I really think that she is the most perfectly cast character in the movie so far.
Other tributes: Jeremy Marinas (Justin Starr in The LXD), Dakota Hood, Imanol Vepez-Frias, Annie Thurman, Samuel Tan, Mackenzie Lintz, Sam Ly, Leigha Hancock, Ashton Moio, Kara Petersen, Jacqueline Emerson, Chris Mark, Ethan Jamieson, Tara Macken (Luisa in Sons of Anarchy), Ian Nelson, Kalia Prescott, Jack Quaid, Leven Rambin (Riley in The Sarah Connor Chronicles, Lily in All My Children, Sloan in Grey's Anatomy), Dayo Okeniyi.
As you can see, except for a couple people, everyone is an unknown or a newcomer. And most of the tributes also have some stunt background, which is awesome! The tributes mostly run around and fight with each other so it is important that the actors can look good fighting. The most castings that get announced, the most excited I get about the movie. I think they are being smart going with mostly unknowns for the kids parts and going with some well seasoned actors in the adult roles. I look forward to seeing who gets cast as Cinna, Katniss' stylist (I am still pulling for Cillian Murphy), and President Snow, who has to be the creepiest and most sadistic person around (honestly, no idea who should be cast there).
Overall, though I still am unsure how the movie can possibly be anywhere close to as good as the books and concerned with how much they can't show to make it a PG-13 rating, I am getting excited. I look forward to seeing how it all pans out and who the round out the cast with. I will do another post on further castings. In the mean time, let me know what you think about who has been cast. Was it who you pictured? Are you upset over anyone? Who do you see as some of the other characters?
ETA: Last tributes cast...I should have waited a few more hours before writing this!
First, we all know by now that Gale is being played by Liam Hemsworth, Josh Hutcherson is Peeta, and the lead role of Katniss went to Jennifer Lawrence. I have still never seen Hemsworth or Lawrence in anything so I am not commenting on that casting, but I watched Cirque du Freak, which Hutcherson is in and I cannot wait to see what he does with Peeta. He has a very sweet look, but can also play dark really well.
Second, we have the other primary characters:
Wes Bentley as Seneca Crane
Amandla Stenberg as Rue
Paula Malcomson as Mrs. Everdeen
Willow Shields as Primrose Everdeen
Woody Harrelson as Haymitch Abernathy
Stanley Tucci as Caesar Flickerman
Elizabeth Banks as Effie Trinket
Seneca Crane is the Head Gamemaker and really didn't make too much of an impact on me in the book as I had to look up who he was. Likewise, Bentley didn't stick out to me. Rue is a 12 year old tribute for the games and reminds Katniss of her own sister. Rue is a very important character and Stenberg is pretty much a complete unknown. I assume she will be excellent. Mrs. Everdeen is Katniss' mother and seems like a hard role to play due to the fact that in the book, she is both likable and unlikable at the same time. Malcomson has been in a lot of tv dramas, most recently Sons of Anarchy and Caprica, though I haven't seen her in much. Based on her CV, I think she will do well in the part. Primrose is Katniss' sister and though she isn't in the books much, she is a very important character. Shields is pretty much unknown, but has the right look.
Haymitch is the mentor of Katniss and Peeta for the games, being a previous winner. He is also drunk all of the time. And he's a bit of a dick most of the time. He does not seem to really like Katniss, but the feeling is mostly reciprocal. In my opinion, Haymitch is one of the most important and interesting characters in the book. And I am so excited about Woody Harrelson playing him. He has been in both comedy and drama, which I think is kind of the balance that Haymitch needs to strike. He might seem like an odd choice if you've only seen him in Cheers or Will & Grace, but I'd say his characters in Zombieland and No Country for Old Men show the range and balance between tough and silly. Though I never imagined him in the part, I think he will be excellent!
Caesar Flickerman is a reporter in the Capital who does the interviews for the Hunger Games. I definitely did not see Stanley Tucci in that role, but I am super excited about it. He is easy going and likable as far as people in the Capital go. I always saw Flickerman as super charming yet quirky; a bit humorous but with the ability to make both sides of any warring groups like him. I think Tucci will be able to play that really well.
Effie Trinket is the wrangler for Katniss and Peeta. She is a bit of an odd character. She and Katniss do not really get along, but they seem to have some respect for each other. I always saw Effie as outwardly bubbly and light, but with something brewing under the surface. I always feel like she is the slightest bit insane, but also well intentioned and possibly knows more than she lets on. I think Elizabeth Banks will be perfect for the role and is actually who I sort of pictured when I was reading. She has been in mostly silly comedies like The 40 Year Old Virgin and Zack and Miri Make a Porno, but I think her character in Slither shows what potential she has for the craziness of the Hunger Games. I really think that she is the most perfectly cast character in the movie so far.
Other tributes: Jeremy Marinas (Justin Starr in The LXD), Dakota Hood, Imanol Vepez-Frias, Annie Thurman, Samuel Tan, Mackenzie Lintz, Sam Ly, Leigha Hancock, Ashton Moio, Kara Petersen, Jacqueline Emerson, Chris Mark, Ethan Jamieson, Tara Macken (Luisa in Sons of Anarchy), Ian Nelson, Kalia Prescott, Jack Quaid, Leven Rambin (Riley in The Sarah Connor Chronicles, Lily in All My Children, Sloan in Grey's Anatomy), Dayo Okeniyi.
As you can see, except for a couple people, everyone is an unknown or a newcomer. And most of the tributes also have some stunt background, which is awesome! The tributes mostly run around and fight with each other so it is important that the actors can look good fighting. The most castings that get announced, the most excited I get about the movie. I think they are being smart going with mostly unknowns for the kids parts and going with some well seasoned actors in the adult roles. I look forward to seeing who gets cast as Cinna, Katniss' stylist (I am still pulling for Cillian Murphy), and President Snow, who has to be the creepiest and most sadistic person around (honestly, no idea who should be cast there).
Overall, though I still am unsure how the movie can possibly be anywhere close to as good as the books and concerned with how much they can't show to make it a PG-13 rating, I am getting excited. I look forward to seeing how it all pans out and who the round out the cast with. I will do another post on further castings. In the mean time, let me know what you think about who has been cast. Was it who you pictured? Are you upset over anyone? Who do you see as some of the other characters?
ETA: Last tributes cast...I should have waited a few more hours before writing this!
Monday, May 2, 2011
Favorite Songs
Since my top list of favorite bands/artists went over so well I thought I would continue on the music trend and give a list of favorite songs. These are going to be in no particular order as I really don't have a "favorite" song.
As you can tell from my favorite bands list, I have an eclectic taste in music. A lot of the time, what I like to listen to is dictated by my mood, the weather, and what I'm doing at the time. My favorite songs list is going to be songs that I like to listen to at any time regardless. You should also assume that any song I mentioned in the favorite bands list is also a favorite song.
*I Like It by Enrique Iglesias feat. Pitbull--I fell in love with this song last summer, cemented my love when they performed on SYTYCD, and have listened to it more times than I can count and learned part of the dance from the SYTYCD performance. If I were to have a #1 song, this would probably be it.
*Party Girl by McFly--Besides being an amazingly catchy song, the music video is wicked awesome. And they made it into a 30 minute movie. I have also listened to this song more times than I can count.
*Little Lion Man by Mumford & Songs--Such a chill vocal sound, but super peppy beat. It is one of the most fun songs to listen to while out driving.
*Fuck You by Cee Lo Green--Besides being one of the catchiest songs ever, it is always fun to get to yell out swear words!
*Rock and Roll by Eric Hutchinson--I really dig a beachy, summer, singer-songwriter vibe and Hutchinson gives it in abundance.
* Rhythm of Love by Plain White T's--I like all of their stuff, but Rhythm of Love just really grooves in a nice way.
*Can't Speak French by Girls Aloud--Sometimes you just have to groove to a dancey girl group and Girls Aloud is exactly that.
*Live Like We're Dying by The Script/Kris Allen--I had heard the song before Kris Allen did it because I listen to UK music and I like both versions. I really like Breakeven and For The First Time by the Script, but since I love both version of Live Like We're Dying, it goes on the list.
*If I Had You by Adam Lambert--I have memorized all of the words. I had them all memorized before it was released as a single.
*Cinnamon Lips by OK Go--I like most of their songs, but something about Cinnamon Lips just makes it a song I can listen to over and over again.
*Scotty Doesn't Know by Lustra--If you've seen Eurotrip, you know the song. I can sing each and every lyric and do so often.
*The Monkees--Ok, so they should have gone on the band list. I forgot. But now I am trying to pick out my favorite Monkees song and can't because I love so many of them.
*Dog Days by Florence & the Machine--I love the original version and I love the Glee version. It is just a great song with a great groove to it.
*River Deep-Mountain High by Santana & Mercedes from Glee--Holy cow I cannot tell you how much I love this duet. It just works. Everything about it is good.
*When I Get You Alone by Darren Criss--The original is really kind of bad, but the Glee version is bangin'.
*Ain't No Rest For the Wicked by Cage the Elephant--What can I say? I like a good beat, a quirky vocalist, and anything I can dance to.
*Big Spender from Sweet Charity--I've never seen Sweet Charity, but I've seen this number. Anytime I can dance around like Fosse, I am happy.
*She's So Lovely by Scouting for Girls--Super poppy fun UK stuff. I love it so much. No explanation needed.
*I Predict a Riot by the Kaiser Chiefs--Indie Rock band from UK who is not nearly famous enough. This song is just a fun party song.
*Right 'Round by Flo Rida--I freaking love this song always, though especially when covered by the Beezlebubs on The Sing-Off.
*I Believe in a Thing Called Love by the Darkness--A 70s glam rock throw back. If on, I will sing it loudly and in falsetto. Nothing makes me happier than singing this song.
Ok...enough songs for now. I know that I have missed a bunch and I know that you are now thinking about your favorite songs, so definitely share those. I love listening to new music! Or old music! Or music that I have forgotten that I love! Please share!
As you can tell from my favorite bands list, I have an eclectic taste in music. A lot of the time, what I like to listen to is dictated by my mood, the weather, and what I'm doing at the time. My favorite songs list is going to be songs that I like to listen to at any time regardless. You should also assume that any song I mentioned in the favorite bands list is also a favorite song.
*I Like It by Enrique Iglesias feat. Pitbull--I fell in love with this song last summer, cemented my love when they performed on SYTYCD, and have listened to it more times than I can count and learned part of the dance from the SYTYCD performance. If I were to have a #1 song, this would probably be it.
*Party Girl by McFly--Besides being an amazingly catchy song, the music video is wicked awesome. And they made it into a 30 minute movie. I have also listened to this song more times than I can count.
*Little Lion Man by Mumford & Songs--Such a chill vocal sound, but super peppy beat. It is one of the most fun songs to listen to while out driving.
*Fuck You by Cee Lo Green--Besides being one of the catchiest songs ever, it is always fun to get to yell out swear words!
*Rock and Roll by Eric Hutchinson--I really dig a beachy, summer, singer-songwriter vibe and Hutchinson gives it in abundance.
* Rhythm of Love by Plain White T's--I like all of their stuff, but Rhythm of Love just really grooves in a nice way.
*Can't Speak French by Girls Aloud--Sometimes you just have to groove to a dancey girl group and Girls Aloud is exactly that.
*Live Like We're Dying by The Script/Kris Allen--I had heard the song before Kris Allen did it because I listen to UK music and I like both versions. I really like Breakeven and For The First Time by the Script, but since I love both version of Live Like We're Dying, it goes on the list.
*If I Had You by Adam Lambert--I have memorized all of the words. I had them all memorized before it was released as a single.
*Cinnamon Lips by OK Go--I like most of their songs, but something about Cinnamon Lips just makes it a song I can listen to over and over again.
*Scotty Doesn't Know by Lustra--If you've seen Eurotrip, you know the song. I can sing each and every lyric and do so often.
*The Monkees--Ok, so they should have gone on the band list. I forgot. But now I am trying to pick out my favorite Monkees song and can't because I love so many of them.
*Dog Days by Florence & the Machine--I love the original version and I love the Glee version. It is just a great song with a great groove to it.
*River Deep-Mountain High by Santana & Mercedes from Glee--Holy cow I cannot tell you how much I love this duet. It just works. Everything about it is good.
*When I Get You Alone by Darren Criss--The original is really kind of bad, but the Glee version is bangin'.
*Ain't No Rest For the Wicked by Cage the Elephant--What can I say? I like a good beat, a quirky vocalist, and anything I can dance to.
*Big Spender from Sweet Charity--I've never seen Sweet Charity, but I've seen this number. Anytime I can dance around like Fosse, I am happy.
*She's So Lovely by Scouting for Girls--Super poppy fun UK stuff. I love it so much. No explanation needed.
*I Predict a Riot by the Kaiser Chiefs--Indie Rock band from UK who is not nearly famous enough. This song is just a fun party song.
*Right 'Round by Flo Rida--I freaking love this song always, though especially when covered by the Beezlebubs on The Sing-Off.
*I Believe in a Thing Called Love by the Darkness--A 70s glam rock throw back. If on, I will sing it loudly and in falsetto. Nothing makes me happier than singing this song.
Ok...enough songs for now. I know that I have missed a bunch and I know that you are now thinking about your favorite songs, so definitely share those. I love listening to new music! Or old music! Or music that I have forgotten that I love! Please share!
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