Friday, November 27, 2009

Summer of Sam

View Date: 10/17/09

This movie, starring John Leguizano, Mira Sorvino, and Adrian Brody, takes place in the summer of 1997. In New York during that summer, the serial killer Son of Sam terrorized the residents of the city, which was fully immersed in the lavish and extravagant lifestyle of the 1970s. As police try to track down the killer, the residents become more terrified, and some try to flush the killer out on their own.

This was a decent movie, but probably not one I'll watch again. It didn't hold my interest as much as I hoped it would. The acting was better than average, but I had a really hard time keeping my attention focused on it.

10 words or less: Wish it was as worrisome as that actual summer.

Gorillas in the Mist

View Date: 11/21/09

This is the story of Dian Fossey, who studied and died among mountain gorillas in the mountains of Africa. It shows her first starting off studied the group of animals, and particularly how her interactions with them allowed them to trust her. The way she studied them allowed her to learn more about how they act in social groups than any prior researcher. This is particularly evident as she compares her successes with those of the former preeminent scientist on gorilla studies.

It goes on to show her great work with the silverback gorilla, whom she named Digit. She was able to make herself such a part of their group that the animals started treating her like one of their own, as they copied each others movements to become more acquainted with each other.

The movie also detailed her courageous and sometimes insane fight against poachers. She started off by disabling their traps, but once they killed 5 adults to get a baby gorilla, she started going to more extremes. She employed her own group of rangers to protect against poachers, but money always won out. One day, they were hunting another child and killed the silverback she had grown so fond of. They beheaded him and chopped off his hands to sell as ashtrays. After that, she went quite a bit mad, and made more enemies than was good for her.

Throughout it all, she was accompanied by a tracker and friend, Sembagare. He was her best friend, and was always on her side throughout her struggles. She left a fiance behind in the US before departing for Africa, and had one lover that is known of while on her mountain.

Aside from some really bad 80s music, this movie was great. The cinematography was spectacular, and the scenes with the gorillas brought the viewer closer than seeing them in zoos, even though you're not seeing them in real life. It was like you could reach out and touch the animals, and see the beauty in them the way Ms. Fossey did.

10 words or less: Beautiful feature about beautiful creatures.

The Amazing Race

View Date: 11/22/09

Starting off in Estonia, the teams flew to Prague and found a man in a vintage convertible. Because this was the last leg before the finals, everyone was racing really hard and were kind of looking to screw the other teams over. They then needed to make their way to an outdoor adventure center to search for their next clue.

The teams found themselves facing a detour, Fast and Furious or Slow and Steady. In Fast and Furious, teams would need to travel down a white water rapids course and grab a ribbon containing their next clue. If the kayak capsizes before grabbing a ribbon, they had to start over again at the beginning. In Slow and Steady, teams had to maneuver along a ropes course to get their next clue. The brothers chose fast, while Meghan/Cheyne and the Globetrotters chose Slow. Both tasks were very difficult for the teams, with the brothers flipping over several times. The first part of the ropes course was fairly easy, but the competitors really struggled pulling themselves up the second part. Big Easy particularly had trouble due to his size and weight. The brothers wound up switching to Slow, and the married couple chose that as well. Then, once the brothers finished the course before the married couple, they tried to steal the taxi the spouses had requested to wait. The taxi driver wound up taking the brothers after they offered him more money, which did nothing but push the beauty queen to work harder.

After the detour, the teams had to interpret that the flags they grabbed during their last task were directing them to a theater. Cheyne started making enemies and was really rude with everyone, even his partner. They began working with the Globetrotters, then Cheyne left them behind at a tram to take a taxi to the theater. Once there, teams encountered a roadblock where one team member had to search the theater for a miniature mandolin. Once they found the mandolin, they had to bring it on-stage to an opera performer to get their next clue.

Meghan and Cheyne were the first team to find their mandolin and get their clue to head to the pit stop at the Prague Castle. Next were the brothers, followed by the Globetrotters. Brian and Ericka were the last team to arrive at the pit stop, and they found out it was a non-elimination leg. So, it also turns out that this was not the last leg before the finals, but that there would be at least one more episode.

10 words or less: Cheyne, Sam, and Dan should pay.

SYTYCD

View Date: 11/25/09

I did not get to see all of last night's episode, where the top 6 couples each danced twice. I did catch the last 2 ½ dances and saw some amazing work. I did get the basic scoop from my mother, so I generally know who did well and who should be in danger tonight.

Tonight's episode started off with a great routine from Tabitha and Napoleon, which I felt was inspired by Alice in Wonderland. It almost could have been choreographed by Sonya, because it was quite jazzy for a hip hop number.

Karen and Victor started off the night in danger, while Ashleigh and Jakob were declared safe. Nathan and Mollee were declared in danger, while Kathryn and Legacy were safe for the week. The final couple in danger was Ellenore and Ryan, which left Noelle and Russell safe and into the top 10.

The votes were in, and the judges were unanimous for the girls, but not with the guys. Karen was out, and I think that was the right decision tonight. Victor was asked to leave, even though Nigel would have had Nathan out of the top 10.

10 words or less: Not surprised by the votes tonight.

The Bourne Ultimatum

View Date: 11/27/09

This movie was the third in the Bourne series, with Matt Damon starring as Jason Bourne, a former government operative that had lost his memory and identity. For the past two movies, he has been trying to find out who he is, who he was, and why he knows the things he knows. In this movie, he finally got answers.

Not being the hugest fan of the series, this was a movie that I thought I could either take or leave. It was put together well, and the action sequences were exciting. While still not my favorite action movies, this was a satisfying conclusion to the trilogy.

10 words or less: Satisfying ending with some answers.

Rent

View Date: 11/7/09

This was a live production of the student version of this show, performed by a very talented group of teenagers at PCA in Middletown, Delaware. The actors were high school students from across northern Delaware, many of whom were attending high schools for the performing arts. This version was true to the original stage show as far as could be determined, minus one main song.

The talent of the performers was amazing! The kids ranged in age from 14 to 18, and in some cases it was very hard to believe. These kids could really belt out the songs, and their performances were well beyond their years.

PCA itself has been a great find. My daughter and I attended a family night for Halloween where we got to take part in various performing arts sessions. They also have performances throughout the year, such as this show. They will be having many more this year, and I highly recommend trying to attend at least one if you are in the general area. The theater is very small, basically only two rows of chairs with some additional ones brought in if there is room and need. So, if attending a show, get there early and buy the tickets ahead of time if possible.

10 words or less: Go see a show and support the performing arts.

Saturday, November 21, 2009

Survivor

Air Date: 11/12/09
View Date: 11/19/09

We started off seeing the tribes after the first merged tribal council, which showed us another blindside, this time of a former Galu member and a holder of an immunity idol. Russell used his idol as well, and his other tribe members are loving the fact that he no longer has that protection. The majority of the tribe plan to take him out next.

We then got a look at Natalie killing a rat and bringing it back to camp to use as food. She made a big show of how disgusting it was, but also how hungry she was. Russell is bound and determined to find the next immunity idol, and he had already started formulating his plan to retrieve it before leaving for the reward challenge.

At the reward challenge, the tribe members were split into two teams. Then, in groups of two, they had to race out onto the course and retrieve poles with black and white coconuts on them. They then had to arrange the poles as a team so that the white coconuts revealed a four digit number. The crew learned from past challenges and made each team's number different so they couldn't cheat. Then, a blindfolded tribe member had to use their sense of touch to find the same number on a combination lock which would raise a flag. The winning team would be taken to a natural rock slide accompanied by a picnic lunch. One person would have to sit out, which was Natalie. She got to choose one team to support, and would receive whichever outcome they got.

The purple team consisted of Kelly, John, Shambo, and Dave. The yellow team was Brett, Mick, Russell, and Jaison. Purple's number was 4673, which was then passed on to a blindfolded Monica. 7346 was the number Laura needed to find for the yellow team, which was much slower in determining their number. Purple came through in the end and earned their reward. Natalie had backed yellow, so she accompanied them back to camp.

The team that won the reward challenge also received a clue toward finding the immunity idol, which they agreed to share with all of the members of the former Galu. They continued to stragegize while enjoying their day of relaxation, and all but Shambo wanted Russell out next. Back at camp, Russell set right to work looking for the idol and found it yet again without a clue. Russell is so the man! He originally planned to keep this information to himself, but instead chose to tell Shambo about it who responded with shock as expected. She shared the information that Russell's name was on the chopping block, which is exactly what he wanted so that there would be another complete blindside. Their plan was to take out Laura, but if that plan fell through then there could be some support for knocking off Monica.

At the immunity challenge, there was only one immunity necklace up for grabs. The tribe members would have to use grappling hooks to try to retrieve two bags containing puzzle pieces. The first three to retrieve their bags would move on to the next round. In the next round, they would have to try to place one of their puzzle pieces onto a board of shapes, thus toppling down another piece that they would have to place. The person who placed all of their pegs first would win immunity. Mick was the first to retrieve both bags and moved on to the next round. Shambo then got both bags and also moved on. Russell and Laura both snagged their second bag at the same time, but Russell's dropped and Laura proceeded on in the challenge. Once Laura got her first piece, she just blew through her entire board and kicked everyone's butts. With back-to-back immunity wins and just being generally disliked for her dominance around camp, particularly with the girls, she had better watch out. Personally, I think she is really cocky, but almost in a mean way, whereas Russell is cocky with a smile.

Shambo revealed during private interview that Kelly would be going out because Monica wasn't a threat. Jaison was let in on the secret, and he shared it with the other members of Foa Foa. They all agreed to keep the information from the former Galu and play up that Russell was next to go. Dave convinces that the former Galu that they did not need to worry about the idol now, even after some members expressed concern knowing that he found the previous one without a clue. Laura agrees with him, and the deal is done. However, Russell thought he overheard that Natalie would be going home, which leads him into a state of confusion. He shared this member with Jaison, who indicated that they still had a few hours to try to sway them to vote for Russell.

Eric was so pissed off sitting in the jury tonight that he looked absolutely thrilled when Russell pulled out that idol. He was practically jumping out of his seat with each vote for Russell. The first seven votes pulled out were for Russell, none of which counted. Yet all former Galu members' faces dropped as the votes continued to come. Kelly was blindsided, and Laura was pissed. She said something along the lines of “He just stirred up a whole lot of trouble with what he just pulled”. Honestly, he did exactly what he was supposed to with the idol, and it was one of the best uses of the idol in Survivor history.

10 words or less: Russell rocks! He is sooooo the man!

Survivor

View Date: 11/19/09

We started off this episode with the discussions around the tribe after the major blindside at tribal council. There are now just 6 members of the previous Galu tribe remaining, while all 4 of the Foa Foa tribe to make it to the merge were still in the game. We were also reminded that Shambo, while a part of the original Galu tribe, is conspiring with Russell, which evens out the vote.

The next morning while the rest of his tribe sleeps, Russell starts searching for his next idol. It also turns out that John knows that Shambo has flipped sides, and is trying to decide what to do with that information. When she approaches him, he will not commit to which way he would vote to take out Laura.

At the reward challenge, the tribe members were split into two teams of 5. One member of the team would lie face down on a cradle. The other four members would be manning ropes to pull the cradle around a ring bearing 15 flags. They then had to get the person in the cradle back to a log to place the flag. The first team to get all 15 flags into their correct slots on the log would win reward. They would be whisked away to an island with a waterfall and a picnic lunch. They were also provided with a Palm Pre (talk about advertising) so they could have a handheld device to record a once in a lifetime opportunity.

The purple team consisted of Brett, Russell, Laura, and Dave pulling Natalie in the cradle. Shambo, Jaison, Mick, and Monica pulled John in the cradle on the yellow team.

purple leads from the start, while yellow keeps losing their flags and falls behind. Yellow keeps it pretty close, natalie hangs out of cradle keeping as little as possible in to allow for the most reach. Purple wins with natalie almost falling out during the last two flags.

Back at camp, Jaison approached Monica looking for her vote, and Monica figures out that Shambo is voting with the former Foa Foa. Jaison should have probably left well enough alone, because now they're at a disadvantage in my opinion. After coming back from the reward, everyone goes off to look for the idol. Laura and Dave vow not to let it fall into Russell's hands, so she follows Jaison on his search while Dave follows Russell. Russell figures out what is going on and starts sprinting through the woods. Dave winds up losing him, and Russell heads back to where they were just searching. Flipping over his first rock, he finds the idol yet again!

During the immunity challenge, the tribe members get one chance with one rock to break a series of tiles hanging close together. Each member is assigned a color, and if a tile of their color breaks, they get a spear. The spears are then shot at a target in the next round. The person who lands closest to the center of the target wins immunity. Laura fails to break a tile, so she has no shot at winning this immunity and ends her streak at two. After the first round, Brett earned two spears, while Jaison, Mick, and Monica each had one spear. Monica was only able to get to the last round because Dave broke one of her tiles instead of his. All other members failed to connect with the tiles. Brett hit target, then the only person that came closer was Mick. On Brett's second shot, he lands low, and Mick won immunity.

On to the strategizing, and Shambo states hands down that she is voting Laura at tribal council, and she will not be swayed. Galu talk about voting for Russell yet, and John can't believe that his tribe members have absolutely no analytical skills. Monica tells Foa Foa that she will be voting for John, but will really be voting for Natalie with the other Galu members. Mick, being a pretty smart guy, doesn't trust Monica. However, Galu didn't let John in on the plan. On the other side, Russell decides the only way he can get this to work is to tell John that his team is after him. The talk turns to ties, and John was still trying to decide what his best move was.

At tribal, Russell chooses not to play the idol, and the votes come down to Laura and Natalie, and the first round ends in a tie. The next round, the eight members whose names were not displayed got to vote again, and they could only choose between Laura and Natalie. Meanwhile, Eric is sitting in the jury saying “This is good shit!” After the second vote, one person switched sides, and Laura was voted off. More stunned looks by former Galu members, and incredibly smug looks from both Foa Foa and the jury, at least Eric.

10 words or less: John's right: no strategic skills whatsoever.

Project Runway

View Date: 11/19/09

The final episode of the season started off with Carol-Hannah feeling miserable due to her illness was and really struggling. She started off the day very upset and overwhelmed, and was getting sympathy and hugs from both Christopher and Logan. The helpers then stayed in the work room continuing with the collections while the final three went to have their hair and makeup consultations. Some of the fittings were rather stressful, but Carol-Hannah really lucked out for once this week and her fittings went fairly well. The fact that this is the first time there were three girls in the finale and it could really be seen in the workroom, in a very stereotypical way. The ladies were feeling very overwhelmed all around, and emotions were running over.

The last day started with Carol-Hannah feeling much better, and the work continued. Their last day of work finishes with a flurry and stress all around. The day of the show, the designers needed to wake up very early in order to have enough time for all of the prep work with the models, etc. They make their way to the tent where they will be showing their collections in the customary Project Runway fashion, then head back to get ready. There is a huge time crunch, and even Tim Gunn flies off the handle quite a bit backstage. Even with two minutes left to go and the audience seated, models were still getting dressed, but everything comes together at the last minute.

Althea was first to present her collection. She explained her inspiration as Sci Fi movies of the 1950's and 1960's, and that she was presenting a take on what the modern woman would wear in a future scenario. I didn't see her inspiration in many of her pieces, and the construction on her final dress, which fit like a glove, was quite poor as it puckered where it wasn't supposed to.

Carol-Hannah was up next, looking fabulous and presenting a beautiful line. So many of her pieces could be worn by women of many shapes and sizes, which was really nice to see. Even the outfit she was wearing fit really well with her collection.

Irina explained how her collection was inspired by New York itself, as home is where the heart is. I likes the way her clothes looked going better than coming down the runway, because the backs were very detailed and flattering. I could have lost the hats, but her collection was very good and very detailed.

Of the three, I liked Althea's collection the least. I really like the wearability of Carol-Hannah's line, but Irina's was stunning. The judges commended how well finished Irina's line was, but disliked that the whole line was black. Carol-Hannah's line was respected for structured draping, but Heidi commented that the collection didn't really flow well. The judges questioned that Althea's inspiration didn't quite come through in several of her pieces, but were very excited by the separates and sportswear.

Carol-Hannah was the first to be declared out, which was a tad disappointing that she was out first. Irina won this season, and rightfully so. She has consistently been the best throughout the season, and put together a very detailed and cohesive collection. Obviously, Althea was then out. The right person won this season, based not only on her collection but on the season as a whole.

10 words or less: Another season in January already?!?

Revolution OS

View Date: 10/10/09

This documentary provides the story of the development of the computer operating system Linux. There are interviews with the original creators of the operating system, as well as the developers of free software sharing. Specifically, the software developed to counteract the consumerism and profit quest of Microsoft.

I felt that this film was very preachy about the horrible big business methods of other software companies. It was dry and rather boring. I think the only people that would really enjoy this movie were major computer guys and those anti-big business.

10 words or less: Won't be watching this again.

Project Runway

Air Date: 11/12/09
View Date: 11/13/09

This was the first part of the two-part finale, where we got to see the start of the top three's collections as Tim Gunn went to their homes. Irina did run into a problem with a main part of her collection. She was originally going to use T-shirts with pictures of Coney Island under a more tailored outer design. Unfortunately for her, the pictures were copyrighted and not available for use. This really stressed her out because now she had to rethink her whole line.

Then all of the designers headed back to New York about 7 days before fashion week. While sitting around in their rooms, Althea and Irina find out that Carol-Hannah is very sick and wouldn't be coming in that day. She did come in the next day, but still felt pretty awful. Everyone got down to fitting their models and working on their collections when a surprise was thrown their way: they had to create another look that fit in with the feel of their remaining collection. But they would not be alone. The last three designers eliminated from the competition were brought back and randomly chosen to work with the remaining contestants. The six headed off to mood with $150 and gathered their supplies, and their main models picked the girls for the 13th look. Back to work, then on to home. But once back in their rooms, Carol-Hannah's illness returns with a vengeance and she's not sure if she can go on with Fashion Week. And that is the cliff hanger we were left with leading into the season finale.

One unusual thing that happened was that Michael Kors and Nina Garcia met with the designers to provide them with advice regarding putting on a runway show. Ideas included how best to set up a line presentation, with some basic ideas like start big, end big.

10 words or less: I really hope Carol-Hannah can continue. She's my favorite.

Searching for Schindler

Author: Thomas Keneally
Completed: 10/14/09

This book, by the author of Schindler's List, about the writing of the book and then the production of the movie. Basically, this is the tale of the author's involvement in the story of Schindler. It starts with Mr. Keneally learning about Schindler from a salesperson and store owner who was saved by him in the war and had been collecting information for years. As the author learned more about the history of the Schindler Jews through interviews, letters, and historical documents, he felt more and more compelled to write the tale.

The book Schindler's List was written and became a critically acclaimed and award winning hit. It got into the hands of Stephen Spielberg, who wanted to make it into a movie but was involved with other projects at the time. He did keep it in the queue. 10-15 years after the book was written, the movie director felt it was finally time to make the film, and that he could do it the justice it deserved. Keneally and the person who started the book's journey were on-site during the construction and filming. They were even able to accompany the filmmakers to awards shows.

This was a very interesting book. Prior to reading this, I had only seen the movie. Since seeing this and learning more of the story behind the film, I have decided that I need to read the book and learn the parts the movie left out or changed. And anything that leads me to want to read and learn more is good in my book.

10 words or less: Made me want to read more of the story.

Y: The Last Man- Unmanned

Author: Brian K. Vaughn, Pia Guerra, Jose Marzan Jr.
Completed: 10/29/09

This graphic novel is about the world after a virus wipes out all living creatures with a Y chromosome. Or so it appears at first. It then turns out that there are two known males remaining in the world, a man and his monkey. At this point, however, the world, or at least the United States, is in total disarray. The women have split into factions, some who want to take over the formerly male roles held by their significant others, Amazons who follow in their namesake's path, and women who want to change how the world works. It has become very much a fend-for-yourself society where one of the most important possessions is a motorcycle.

The lone guy, on the other hand, wants nothing other than to travel to Australia and find his girlfriend, whom he wants to marry. He and his monkey are threatened by every woman they meet on their way to Washington DC, where he encounters his mother. She and a few others figure that he could be the answer to the future of the species, and they send him on a mission to find a doctor's research in Boston. He must travel in disguise, but they start their trip.

I really liked this book. After I finished reading this, I was so upset because there wasn't more. Unfortunately, I only had the first volume, but I will definitely have to pick up more in the series.

10 words or less: Must read more...

Toy Story and Toy Story 2 in 3D

View Date: 10/3/09

These two classic Pixar movies were remade in 3D. They were then released for a limited engagement as a double feature, and had an all new intermission video as well. I believe these were re-engineered and re-released as preparation for the release of Toy Story 3 in the next few years.

These stories were always good, but not my favorite Pixar movies. But it was a great way to spend an afternoon with my daughter, and the 3D effect was enjoyable. It was particularly noticeable during the credits, but other parts were also enjoyable.

10 words or less: Looking forward to Toy Story 3.

Edge of Seventeen

View Date: 10/16/09

This movie is a standard coming of age movie with a twist: the person finding out about themselves is a gay man. He starts to discover who he is while employed at his summer job, and the realization becomes clearer after the school year begins. He starts frequenting a friend's gay bar and engages in several sexual episodes with various people. His best friend, a female, is in love with him, but she doesn't outwardly accept his leaning. Things get especially bad when they attempt to be romantically involved, but of course it doesn't work out.

This movie, supposedly made in the late 1990s, had a distinct feel of the mid 1980s, which was when the story took place. Other than that, I thought it was really cheesy and not as good as the reviews I had read.

10 words or less: Don't understand the hype.

Ballerina

View Date: 10/17/09

This documentary followed the lives of 5 Russian ballerinas during different stages of their careers. It gives a peek into the most famous Russian dance school. It also looks into several dance troupes, ballerinas striving to become prima ballerinas or at least principals, and dancers at the peak of their careers. Finally, we get to see the struggles encountered by a principal dancer who is trying to come back from injury.

I found this film fascinating. I have loved dance for years, and took lessons a long time ago. The film was really able to get across the struggles of a dancer, and shows that to achieve the ultimate levels in this field, huge sacrifices need to be made. It then updated us on the careers of the five main dancers, which I enjoy in a film.

10 words or less: An interesting look into a grueling lifestyle.

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

Slaughterhouse Five

Author: Kurt Vonnegat
Completed: 9/30/09

This classic novel was written from the perspective of a man who gets “unstuck in time”, after is kidnapped by aliens from Tralfamadore. Therefore, we experience his life in a scrambled manner, jumping from one important event to another in no particular order. There is particular attention paid to his time in WWII, where he experienced the firebombing of Dresden and was deeply shaken by it.

Parts of this novel are based on Vonnegat's own experiences. He was an American prisoner in Dresden during the bombing and was, rightfully, deeply shaken by the event.

I enjoyed this book. I did wind up listening to it, but at some point I may go back and read the hard copy. I love books that jump around as this did, and the prose was interesting. The story kept me involved, but I think that by listening to it I was more easily confused.

10 words or less: Need to pick up a hard copy.

SYTYCD

View Date: 11/17/09

The night started out with a quirky and inventive group dance that looked, aside from the costumes, that it would have come out of one of the main American dance studios or troupes. It reminded me very much of performance art, especially in the odd poses and reveals by removing sheets. Of course, the number was choreographed by Wade and Amanda Robson, who seem to be presenting more and more oddball numbers that are either absolutely loved or dreadfully hated.

Ashleigh and Jakob were the first couple of the night declared safe tonight. Karen and Kevin were in the bottom three couples, and were the first to know that they had to dance their solos. Ellenore and Ryan's contemporary routine left them safe for another week. Noelle and Russell performed the Foxtrot last night, which left them safe. Channing and Victor's jazz routine, inspired by blackbirds, unfortunately left them in the bottom three couples and forced them to perform their solos tonight. Finally, Mollee and Nathan were in danger, which left Kathryn and Legacy safe.

While the competitors prepared for their solos, we got to see NDM Bollywood Dance Productions, which included the choreographer of all the Bollywood numbers seen on SYTYCD. I always enjoy watching the choreographers perform, because it reminds you that they actually are amazing dancers themselves.

After the solos and while thejudges were deliberating, we were treated to a musical performance by Arianthe. A note on the solos, Mollee and Nathan by far had the best performances of the night.

The judges were unanimous in their decisions for both the boys and girls. For the girls, Mollee and Karen were safe while Channing was eliminated, more because her personality has not come out as much as others while on the show. For the guys, Nathan and Victor were allowed to continue, with Kevin sent home. Both of those eliminated are amazing dancers, but I do understand and agree with the judges' decisions tonight.

10 words or less: While sad, the right people were sent home.

American Meth

View Date: 10/1/09

This documentary explores the methamphetamine problem taking over many areas of the country. We learn about the reasons for the increase in meth use, and “meet” meth users/addicts. The movie looks into why meth is more popular in certain areas than others, and interviews people both in the scene and impacted by the drug's local effects.

This was a rather dry representation, and I have seen better. It was interesting to see some of the towns hardest hit by this particular drug and hear from the local teens of those areas. But I wouldn't recommend it.

10 words or less: I've seen better.

Step Brothers

View Date: 10/10/09

This movie has Will Ferrell and John C. Reilly playing adults who live at home and are basically drains on society. When their parents get married, they reluctantly, or you could say violently, are forced to become family. They soon discover that they have more in common than just their hatred of each other, and become best friends. Of course, they wind up getting split up by various circumstances, but come back together in the end.

I had hesitated to see this, finally doing so only reluctantly. It was really pretty funny, even if the basic story line is routine. These guys go way over the top and they do make an incredible pair. Unfortunately, all of Will Ferrell's movies are starting to look alike, and I'm kind of getting tired of them. John C. Reilly can pull off the stupid-funny, like in this movie or Walk Hard, but that makes it hard to remember that he has actual talent, as seen in Chicago.

10 words or less: Funny, but enough already.

Help! I'm a Boy

View Date: 10/10/09

This movie is in the classic “Freaky Friday” style, where two people who believe they have nothing in common, magically switch bodies and live each others' lives. In this case, it is about a boy and a girl who vehemently hate each other in school and while pretending to be on opposing sides of an ancient war. This time, there is actual magic involved in the switch from a book of magic.

OK, I realize that that explanation just doesn't do this movie justice. I have seen many movies with this type of premise, but this was one of the best of the genre. This was a foreign film that was overdubbed, and had a more whimsical quality than most American-made films. I also enjoyed the fact that the switch was between a boy and a girl rather than a parent and child. It added a different dynamic to the common storyline. It also provided some interesting wardrobe issues, and really delved into the aspects of life that are influenced by gender, or at least as much as a kid's movie can. It also looked at how kids are affected by the lack or abundance of attention from their parents.

My daughter and I loved this movie. I would definitely watch it again or recommend it to a friend. The magic aspect was cute, and it really showed how different people could learn to appreciate each other if given the chance.

10 words or less: An excellent representation of this movie genre.

Top Chef

View Date: 11/17/09

The final five chefs were competing in tonight's episode, which was to be the last challenge in Vegas. The four that make it out of this episode would then move on to the finale in

Quickfire Challenge: Gavin Kaysen was the guest judge for this challenge, who had competed in essentially the “cooking Olympics” per Mike. The challengers had to make their own version of his winning dish, which consisted of a protein in a protein in a protein. The winner, while not receiving immunity, would receive a significant advantage for the Elimination Challenge. The chefs had more time than usual to complete this challenge, with 1 ½ hours. Jennifer won the challenge, and really took a step back in the right direction. The two least successful dishes per the guys judge

Elimination Challenge: It was then announced that the chefs would be participating in the Top Chef version the “Cooking Olympics”. The chefs needed to create a dish as regal presentation platter with one protein and and two garnishes, but the garnishes needed to be very intricate. Lamb or salmon were the only protein choices for this challenge. Jennifer received an additional 30 minutes to cook as her reward. Thomas Keller, the only American chef to have two restaurants to simultaneously have 3 Michelin Stars, was a judge for this challenge. Finally, the contestants would be presenting to 12 tasters, and complete the plating from the platter to the individual servings at the table. After shopping, four of the five chefs watched a DVD that was left of the actual competition. Also, Kevin asked Bryan for advice on a cooking technique, and Bryan helped him because sharing information is the true nature of cooking.

Michael is very confident in his abilities, even more so this time because he has participated in cooking competitions before. Tom came back and announced that the winner of this challenge would win $30000, which just added more pressure than the already pressure-cooker levels involved with this dish. The tasters found Kevin's food delicious but simply constructed. They then criticized Michael for a lack of harmony among his dishes, as well as finding a bone in a serving of his fish. Bryan's plating was complemented, but the execution was not the best. The judges felt that Eli's dish was unpleasant, and the lamb was significantly undercooked. Jennifer was up last, but the judges felt it lacked direction and parts were undercooked.

A final surprise was that one chef would be presented with the opportunity to compete with the next American team for the international competition. At the disclosure of that information, the contestants' jaws essentially hit the floor as they realized the true weight of this challenge.

All of the chefs were requested to stand before the judges together tonight. Michael's direction was questioned, while Bryan had to defend his quite rare lamb. Kevin's complexity was questioned, while Jennifer's salmon cooking was investigated. Eli was criticized for the fattiness as well as the done-ness of his lamb.

The winner of tonight's challenge, including the money and the competition spot, was Kevin. He also received the chef coat and reading material to help him prepare for the international stage. Eli was the chef to go tonight, which surprised me a little based on the judges' comments. But in the end, the best four chefs, those that have been consistently best throughout the season, made their way into the finals.

It was an emotional exit, but Eli knew that the four chefs going on were amazing, and he was proud to have made it as far as he did.

Thus, moving on, we have Michael, Bryan, Jennifer, and Kevin. Any of them would be totally deserving of the title of Top Chef. I am so glad it will come down to these guys as the final four. While we have seen some great dishes and I respect the work put forth by the other contestants this season, these four are truly the best this season has to offer.

10 words or less: This is the way it should be.

Tuesday, November 17, 2009

Tricks

Author: Ellen Hopkins
Completed: 9/29/09

This book is another one of Ms. Hopkins wonderful works of poetry, yet told a very striking story. This volume tells the story of a set of very different teenagers who find themselves in remarkably similar situations. Each comes from a different background, and make trips to the same destination based on their circumstances. Yet the stories all become intertwined, more so than originally disclosed.

I was probably disturbed by the story of this book than any other I have yet read by this author. While all of her books focus on teenagers in dangerous or disturbing situations, this one explored what to me is an even darker topic. If a teenager were to read this, they need to understand that it is a story of what not to do and not try to emulate it. Although fiction, it provided a stark view of reality for many teens.

10 words or less: A stark look at a disturbing subject matter.

SYTYCD

View Date: 11/17/09

Tonight, the top 14 dancers were up, and we got a special treat by seeing pictures of the judges as children. Cat was looking very nice, but the real standout in the looks department tonight was Mary. She was more covered than usual, but her hair was pulled back and she truly looked lovely.

Ashleigh and Jakob: Tabitha and Napoleon choreographed a hip hop piece for this duo about a couple where the man has cheated on his wife. This couple continues to impress me. Even though this was completely out of their style comfort zones, I thought they did a really good job with the number.

Karen and Kevin: Broadway was their randomly-selected dance tonight, and Spencer Liff provided the choreography. This was probably the least exciting number this couple has done this season. The steps were all there, but the performance wasn't quite there. There were brief moments of crispness and flamboyance, but it just didn't gel tonight.

Noelle and Russell: Eddie Simon designed a Foxtrot for this couple, who had actually chosen it the first week when Noelle was injured and Russell performed with Melanie, the choreographer. I don't quite get this song with a Foxtrot, and it was not a very flattering costume design for her. My eyes were definitely drawn to him, and he also looked more comfortable in the number. Their technique was commended by the judges, and huge improvements were noted in Russell's work.

Channing and Victor: This couple had to perform a Tyce DiOrio jazz routine tonight. The story behind this dance was that they are two jazzy night birds out for a little fun. The couple even used a giant birdcage facade as a prop, which just enhanced this number. It was a fun performance, and quirky enough to be remembered.

Kathryn and Legacy: This couple received a Tony Meredith Paso Doble to perform tonight. Legacy is just FINE shirtless. This was a very strong performance, and Legacy was able to keep the powerful persona throughout. The ending was a bit awkward, but I could not keep my eyes off the rest of the performance.

Ellenore and Ryan: This pair danced a Travis Wall contemporary routine tonight. Travis' routines are always memorable, as was this one. It was a very pretty number, but I thought Ryan was rather weak when it came to the dancing itself. It kind of looked like he was just there to lift Ellenore and carry her around the stage. The judges disagreed with me, but I wasn't a Ryan fan tonight.

Mollee and Nathan: Laurieanne Gibson put together a pop jazz routine for this couple, the youngest of the season. The performance was OK, even with Mollee channelling a 1980's Madonna. Nathan received a similar lecture from Nigel that Victor did, in that they now need to grow, no matter how exceptionally gifted they are.

10 words or less: Legacy and Kathryn on top, who's on the bottom?

The Amazing Race

View Date: 11/15/09

The teams departed Sweden and headed to Estonia, where they had to use a set of provided keys to unlock their next clue. To get to their destination, they had to take a 16 hour ferry ride, and all teams were on the same boat. The next clue was a roadblock, where one member had to join the Brotherhood of the Black Hats to solve a mystery. First the teams had to make their way to the basement, then locate a candelabra with a designated room number. In there, they were to locate an apparently blank scroll which had a hidden message only revealed by heating the parchment.

Prior to the roadblock, the father/son team had their speed bump to complete due to coming in last place in the previous leg. The guys had to make their way to a sauna, strip down, and take a 5 minute sauna with locals prior to proceeding to the road block.

Back at the road block, the teams had some difficulty discovering the invisible message. Flight Time and Big Easy had one of the hardest times and colored their paper prior to holding it up to the light. The son was selected to complete this challenge, and could not figure out what a candelabra was. The son did not read the word “garden” in the clue, and ran around the tower several times prior to finding the clue box.

After finding their next clue based on the invisible message, the teams encountered a detour. Their choices were Serve or Sling. In Serve, the teams had to play volleyball in a bog against a local team, generally sunk in the mud to their knees. They would earn their next clue once they earned 5 points. In Sling, the teams had to wade out into the mud and fire assorted rocks at a moose sign. Hitting the sign would drop a pile of cabbages and their next clue.

Meghan and Cheyne made it through the roadblock and to the pit stop first by completing Serve. Three other teams all arrived at Serve at the same time and had a lot of trouble finding the marked path to the challenge. Since only two teams could play volleyball at the same time, Miss America and her husband chose to default to Sling located very close by. The Globetrotters and the brothers both had a very hard time at volleyball, not just because of the mud but also just trying to hit the ball up in the air. They did eventually get the hang of it. However, the Globetrotters headed the wrong way after the roadblock, and tried to compete in a foot race against the brothers. In the foot race, there was some jostling and falling off the path, putting the brothers in front.

Miss America and her husband did succeed at Sling, but wound up coming in fourth. The father/son team wound up coming in last after completing Sling and were eliminated from the race. It was a tough day for them even by their own accord. They left proud of their performance and proud to have raced with each other.

10 words or less: Definitely sad to see them go.

Fame (2009)

View Date: 9/26/09

This was a remake of the classic movie, which followed the lives of a group of students from the auditions through graduation. It followed the same basic idea and included the songs and dance scenes as in the original, which I have reviewed previously. It did take a different turn at some points, and changed some storylines significantly.

At over an hour shorter than the original, the movie could not go as in-depth into the lives of the students. Thus, I did not get as invested in their stories, and did not care as much about what happened to them. The actors chosen to play the teachers were phenomenal, and I never knew Meghan Mullaly could sing the way she did in the karaoke scene. The dancing, acting, and singing were of course unbelievable.

But the film did disappoint me. I think, no matter how great it was, I was never going to be overly impressed with it because of how much I love the original. Kherington, who appeared on SYTYCD, was great when she was dancing, but they didn't let her speak much and her part was much too small. I would have enjoyed seeing more of it all, even with the story updated to the current decade. On its own, it was a pretty good movie, but nothing compared to the original.

10 words or less: Not the original.

Fame (1980)

This classic movie is about a high school in New York for the performing arts. It focuses on a group of students and follows them from their auditions through their graduation from the school. We get involved with actors, dancers, and musicians. The students break out into song and dance in the lunchroom, in the middle of the street, whenever they want. This movie won award for the songs released, and is in the hearts of many people who grew up in the 1980's.

I may not have gone into the performing arts, but I have always had an appreciation for them and other forms of art. I love musicals, and this is no exception. Several of the actors have gone on to prominent careers, while others have gone on to careers in theater and music. This movie brought light to this school, and spawned a TV series that ran for several years. At almost three hours, it is a long movie, but it is well worth watching.

10 words or less: A classic that everyone should see.

This Christmas

View Date: 9/22/09

This Christmas is a movie about an African American family who gathers together for Christmas. Several members have personal agendas, while others are running from or hiding secrets. Everyone in the family has something to hide, yet all secrets are revealed during the time the family is together.

This was a great movie. It had some fantastic actors and a gripping storyline. I love Loretta Devine, and she played the foundation of the family as the mom. The stories of the children, while separate, all tie together into an interesting tale of family tale of apparent betrayal, strife, and love.

10 words or less: Watch this any time of the year.

The Amazing Race

Air Date: 11/8/09
View Date: 11/12/09

The teams start off from Holland and start heading to Stockholm to go to an amusement park for their next clue. And Happy Birthday to Flight Time! Once at the airport, three teams are able to get onto an early flight, and the other two have to wait for a flight almost 3 hours later. After arriving in Sweeden, the teams raced to get a train to Stockholm, then had to take a ferry to get to their destination. The Globetrotters missed the train the first teams got on and thus got behind.

After arriving at the amusement park and finding the tallest ride, the teams discovered a road block, where one team member needed to ride the ride and look for an arrow that would direct them to their next clue. The first two teams worked together and spotted the clue on their first attempt, then took the giant plunge on the thrill ride. The teams then made their way to a roaming gnome ring toss. They had to toss rings onto giant gnome hats that hid Travelocity roaming gnomes containing their next clue.

Sweden is best known for two things, the Vikings and Nobel, which set up the detour on this leg of the race. In Nobel Dynamite, the teams had to fill sand bags to create a protective barrier. After the formation was complete, they would then set off dynamite that would blow up a portion of the rock quarry and reveal a box containing their next clue. In Viking Alphabet, teams must decipher a message using an ancient Viking alphabet. Once that is done, they will receive their next clue. All teams wound up choosing the dynamite task. After donning protective gear, the teams made their way to the blasting site. The teams didn't realize how hard it would be to construct a sand bag wall.

The teams then had to drive to a farm used during a former season, the first time Phil ever had to go out and stop a team during the competition. That task involved unrolling hay bales looking for clues, but there was not a clue in every bale. The task was recreated in a switchback, where only 7 flags were available in well over 100 bales. This time, the farm was also the pit stop for the race.

The Globetrotters were successful, which was a great birthday present, and came in first place on this leg, winning a trip from Travelocity. The last two teams showed up while everyone but the basketball players were still in the field. The father/son team finished in last place, but this was a non-elimination leg. So next time, they will have to complete a task no other team will need to do, and time is not on their side.

10 words or less: Happy Birthday Flight Time!

The Amazing Race

View Date: 11/1/09

First off, the teams departed from the Dubai pit stop and flew to Amsterdam. At the airport, all of the teams caught up with the leaders and were on the same flight out of the country. While sitting around the airport waiting for their flight, the Globetrotters shared stories while the brothers came out to the group.

After arriving in Amsterdam, Brian and Erica had trouble getting their car into gear, and started off the driving portion in last place. After getting their next clue, the teams had to make their way to the tallest building in the city and complete a road block. One team member had to count the bells located on two floors in a tower. Once they found the right number, they would receive their next clue. The father/son team came out ahead after this challenge, and made their way to a large windmill, but they got passed on the road.

At the windmill, the teams found a detour, where they had to either complete a Farmer's Game or a Farmer's Dance. Teams had to wear traditional Dutch costumes for either task, one male and one female, and ride bikes to the next part of the detour. For the game, the team members had to strip down to their costume underwear and swim across a creek, then play a crazy game of golf and complete each hole in 8 strokes or less. In the dance, the competitors had to first hit a strongman bell, then had to participate in a traditional Dutch folk dance and eat salted herring with onions.

The golf presented teams with an additional challenge of very unique clubs and incredibly high winds. Most teams chose golf and eventually figured out some tricks to mastering the technique. The brothers made it to the pit stop first after the detour, and won sand buggies as an added reward. The poker players had a huge problem hitting the strong man bell, so they decided to switch to the golf. However, that didn't work much better, so they switched back. During this time, the Globtrotters had lots of fun dancing, and the married couple even caught up and completed the dancing, after taking a wrong turn by not taking bikes to their detour choice.

In the end, the married couple overcame their time penalty for not using the bikes and beat the poker players. The ladies just weren't having any luck with either detour choice, and chose to give up amid tears.

10 words or less: Sad to see the poker players go.

Wednesday, November 11, 2009

Top Chef

View Date: 11/11/09

Quickfire Challenge: The chefs started the day off at a kitchen in the Venetian. Padma then called them and instructed them to prepare room service for herself and Nigella Lawson. Specifically, the chefs were to prepare breakfast in bed for the two ladies, using anything they could find and had 30 minutes to complete the task. Robin and Eli were in the first group to serve. Unfortunately, Michael followed Robin at her workstation and insisted on spending the first 5-10 minutes cleaning up before he started cooking. He then got into a confrontation with Robin during his cooking time, which totally pissed off Robin. Michael and Kevin were in the second round, while Jen and Bryan followed in the third round. The least favorite dishes in this challenge were Bryan and Robin. The favorite dishes included Kevin's and Eli's. The winner of this quickfire was Eli, who would be the only chef from this season whose recipe would be included in the Top Chef Quickfire Cookbook.

Elimination Challenge: The chefs were to create a dish based on a casino, the specific one determined by choosing knives. The chefs were going to be catering to 175 people, and had the day to gain inspiration from their assigned location. Michael chose New York New York, while Jen headed off to Excaliber. Mandalay Bay was to be the source of inspiration for Bryan, and Robin headed off to the Bellaggio. Kevin chose the Mirage and had a great time with the dolphins, which left Eli with Circus Circus.

The favorite dishes of the night belonged to Kevin, Michael, and Bryan, with the winning dish belonging to Michael. For winning, he received a very large bottle of Terlato wine and a trip to the Terlato vineyards in Napa Valley. Obviously, the least favorite dishes of the challenge belonged to Jennifer, Eli, and Robin. In the end, Robin was eliminated, and honestly, it was past time for her to leave.

10 words or less: It's about freakin' time.

JCVD

View Date: 9/22/09

This critically-acclaimed movie, named after the main actor Jean-Claude Van Damme, is about the actor returning to his Belgian homeland in the midst of financial problems. He goes to a bank to transfer money after taking pictures with fans, and finds himself in the middle of a robbery. The onlookers think, based on what they saw, that Van Damme is actually robbing the bank.

This received huge buzz, and I immediately put it on my list to watch. It was a little hard to watch at times because it kept switching between English and French with subtitles, but that can be the case with many foreign films. It was kind of sad to see the actor in this kind of role, which was so different from the roles he is best known for. But even in the middle of a rather depressing story, he is able to make fun of himself and his situation. I understand that parts of this may be based on his life. If that's the case, I really feel for him. This was a well performed role, and I hope it can act as a comeback for JCVD himself.

10 words or less: Sad story, especially depending on how much is true.

Alpha Dog

View Date: 9/21/09

This movie is about a young man who becomes a drug lord in his town, supported by several of the adults in his community. After a deal gone wrong, he seeks revenge on the person who screwed him over. The opportunity falls right in his lap when he and his friends find the screw-up's younger brother walking alone while they are driving out of town. They kidnap him, and then realize what they have done is a crime. They shuffle him between different hideouts and some of them befriend him along the way.

Now, this is based on a true story, and true stories focused on drugs usually don't end well. Several great actors were involved in this film, including Emile Hirsch, Anton Yelchin, and Bruce Willis. A very surprising performance was put forth by Justin Timberlake as a punk with a heart. This was a gritty movie with a traumatic ending, and it even caught me off guard at times.

10 words or less: A strong stomach is needed for this true story.

SYTYCD

View Date: 11/11/09

The top 16 dancers started off the evening performing a group dance choreographed by Dave Scott. The costumes were very tribal, and started with a solo shot of Russell who looked quite a bit like the first slayer. Of course, Ryan was the big strong king character who got to throw a female across the stage, yet he also had the smallest part.

All of the outfits for the judges and Cat, excluding Adam's, were a little off tonight. Cat's makeup was particularly kooky, with both her eyes and her lips too dark. Nigel's outfit made him look very gray. I realize his hair is gray, but the shirt/jacket combo really washed out his color.

Then on to the results. First up, Ellenore and Ryan were pronounced in danger right away based on their hip hop routine. Channing and Victor, based on their contemporary dance, were safe tonight. Kathryn and Legacy's Broadway number left them safe for another week. Ashleigh and Jakob's Mandy Moore jazz routine left them safe from elimination, and it was well deserved. Peter and Pauline's quickstep left them in danger, and I'm not surprised. Russell and Noelle danced an amazing African jazz number that left them rightfully safe for another week. Kevin and Karen's hustle left them in danger, which is a little surprising. Mollee and Nathan performed a very poor salsa number, which somehow kept them safe based on America's voting.

While the bottom 6 dancers prepared for their solos, we were treated with a beautiful performance by the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. After the solos and a judges conference during a commercial break, the announcements were made. Of the three ladies, Pauline was eliminated. I think this was a good choice overall, as she had been at risk before. From the guys, the judges decided to send Peter packing. As a side note, both of the decisions tonight were unanimous. I think Ryan should have been sent home. I've been really impressed by Peter this season, and it's absolutely horrible to see the last tapper sent home.

10 words or less: Right girl, wrong guy.

SYTYCD

View Date: 11/10/09

The top 16 dancers competed tonight, and America got its first chance to actually vote for their favorites. We also got a lengthy description of a new Dizzy Feet Foundation dance show being held in LA at the end of the month. On a completely different note, Cat's dress reminds me a lot of the original series V (I haven't seen the new version yet).

Karen and Kevin: This couple took on a Maria Torres hustle. To me, this looked kind of like a slow disco. It was executed well, but didn't really grab me. I'll have to see how this routine compares to the ones to come later. This couple keeps growing on Karen's strength, and Kevin improves every week.

Ashleigh and Jakob: Mandy Moore choreographed a jazz number utilizing a cane for this couple. This reminded me, in a very good way, of Sabra and Neil's table dance from several seasons ago. This was very well done, and the stark black and white appearance went really well with the music. This couple continues to grow and the competition goes on. Nigel nailed his comparison of Jakob to Joel Grey on the head.

Pauline and Peter: This duo got saddled with the quickstep tonight, created by new choreographers JT and Tomas. The story and the dance were both very cute, and Pauline was able to pull off a hula girl well. The performance seemed to make up for any technical issues in the judges' eyes. Peter impresses me more and more each week, while Pauline is still in the middle for me.

Kathryn and Legacy: Andy B choreographed a Broadway number for these two which included both a chair and a hat as props. Legacy followed up his phenomenal performance from last week with another unbelievable number. This couple could be almost unstoppable if allowed to proceed, especially if Legacy continues to improve by the leaps and bounds as he has. The judges and I will just have to disagree about this dance, particularly Kathryn's performance.

Channing and Victor: This new pairing danced a Stacey Tookey contemporary routine. This was a very pretty routine, and I like Stacey Tookey more every time she's on the show. Will I remember this number for years- no. That makes me wonder if I'll remember this by the end of the night.

Ellenore and Ryan: This week, this couple received the task of a Lil' C hip hop number. I found the routine boring, and Ryan didn't get into it as much as was required. Worst routine of the night so far.

Mollee and Nathan: Salsa was the dance picked by this couple, who worked with choreographer Gustavo Vargas, another new choreographer to the show. This was definitely her dance. When she was dancing alone, she was great and looked like almost a different person. He, on the other hand, looked awkward, and didn't partner her well at all. There was a definite lack of trust during this routine.

Noelle and Russell: An African jazz routine was designed for this duo by choreographer Sean Cheesman. This was a nice routine, and a good way to end the night. Both members of the pairing really lived up to this dance, which was lively and interesting to watch. I am a little confused by the judges' take on Russell this season. They say that he is a king and a star of this season, and yet they have been close to eliminating him each of the past two weeks. He is another who surprises every week, and continually improves every time we see him.

10 words or less: Not a great show, but some standouts.

Survivor

Air Date: 11/5/09
View Date: 11/10/09

With Foa Foa down to four tribe members, they are desperately hoping for a merge to try to save any of their numbers. Lucky for them, the two tribes walk toward each other down the beach and discover the two tribes are merged. Accompanying the news is the typical feast. Foa Foa went right to work trying to save their butts by getting to be buddy-buddy with the members of Galu. The tribe renames themselves Aiga, which means “extended family” in Samoan. Russell starts bargaining with former Galu tribe members by letting them in on the fact that he has the immunity idol. After all of his worming around, he seemed to have the majority of votes going to Laura for the next tribal council.

The elimination challenge consisted of “Survivor T-Ball”. Each person would hit the ball off a tee and score the number of points indicated by the section landed in. The sexes were split, with the guys playing against the guys and same for the girls. Two immunity idols were up for grabs, one for the guys and one for the girls. John took the prize for the guys on the last hit, while Laura snagged the women's. There were several looks of disappointment around the tribe now that their plans were foiled.

Monica and Erik conspire to flush out the idol, and several members of the former Galu tribe want to vote off the Foa Foa members one by one. There are all kinds of discussions and suspicions flying around camp before tribal council. Jaison comes up with the idea of getting rid of Erik in a complete blindside, mostly because of a lack of trust. Then the girls start discussing voting off Erik, brought up originally by Natalie. No one yet knew that Erik has the idol in his pocket on the way to tribal council.

Lots of means and petty words were slung at the former Foa Foa members, shown mainly coming from Erik. Yet even while that was going on, there were lots of rolling eyes from members of both former tribes. Russell plays the idol, for apparently no very good reason. After two votes were shown for Jaison, Jeff kept reading Erik's name, and he started looking really confused. Erik was voted off, and became the first member of the jury. As it was a total blindside, he didn't think he needed to play his idol, so both should be back in play after being rehidden.

10 words or less: Things fell into place for former Foa Foa.

Project Runway

View Date: 11/5/09

This was the final challenge for the designers before moving on to Fashion Week at Bryant Park. The contestants were taken to The Getty Museum to find inspiration in anything they found there. Althea was inspired by the architecture of the museum, while Irina chose a painting by Rubens. Gordana was moved by a Monet which reminded her of Europe and made her miss home. Carol-Hannah and her model were both completely enamored by a European history room, particularly a 17th century bed. Christopher felt that he chose the most unusual inspiration in a fountain on the grounds, with grey stones and places of green algae.

It was determined that all of the designs were great work this challenge, even though the designers had a critical eye toward each dress. Christopher was eliminated based on the judges feeling that he needed more experience and advised him to continue working hard because he had much potential. The judges advised that Gordana had some construction issues in her dress during this challenge, but I though it was beautiful. Althea was deemed to have a mess of a dress, but the judges were impressed by the risks she took and the complexity of her designs. In the end, Gordana was eliminated, leaving Carol-Hannah, Irina, and Althea moving on toward Fashion Week.

10 words or less: I think the right people are moving forward.

The Amazing Race

View Date: 10/25/09

The teams started out in Dubai, and were first instructed to take a locked briefcase to a yacht and golf club to find their next clue. Once there, the couples found a roadblock, where one member of the team had to row an inflatable dinghy to a yacht anchored off-shore. There, a sheik handed them a watch, which they had to interpret as their next clue. The time on the watch was the code to open their briefcases and obtain their next clue. This was a really tricky task for the Globetrotters, while everyone else zipped right through it.

The next clue was a detour, where the teams had to choose between gold or glass. In gold, the teams had to go to a jewelry store and weigh out exactly $500,000 of gold based on the exchange rate. However, the rate changed approximately every minute, so the teams had to work very quickly. In glass, the teams had to assemble twelve hookahs based on those displayed. Most teams chose glass, but the poker players, the gay brothers, and the Globetrotters successfully completed gold.

Once the detour was completed, the teams made their way to a water park and go down a very steep water slide to receive their next clue. That clue directed the couples to the pit stop, also located at the resort containing the water park. The water slide was real trouble for several teams, but none more so than Mika and Canaan. Mika, terrified of both heights and water, absolutely refused to go down the slide, and were eventually passed by the last place Globetrotters. Thus, Mika and Canaan were eliminated from the race.

10 words or less: It can be very hard to overcome your fears.

Top Chef: Reunion Dinner

View Date: 11/4/09

Tonight's Top Chef was a little different than before. Several fan favorites from seasons past returned for a dinner and talk.

Fabio (5) hosted a dinner for fellow former cheftestants (with season number in parentheses), Tiffany (1), Harold (1), Marcel (2), Ilan (2), Casey (3), Hung (3), Dale (3), Lisa (4), Richard (4), Stefan (5), and Carla (5). We got to hear a brief summary of what the chefs had been up to since their season, then saw them mingle over drinks.

Fabio then had the chefs gather around and brought out a knife block, having one representative from each season choose a knife. Each season was to prepare a course based on the order of the knife pulled. Each team would also have $500 for shopping. Fabio, being the host, did not participate in the cooking and essentially acted like Tom. It was really nice seeing the chefs relaxed in the kitchen and really doing their thing. The only team that seemed to be a little stressed was Marcel/Ilan, who had issues during their season, and Marcel continued to push buttons.

Season 3 had the first course, and did a trio of seafood. Season 1 made the second course with a scallop dish, but included a very high end wine. Season 2 had the third course with a salt encrusted snapper and a ratatouille. Season 4 prepared corn-fed beef with a corn theme throughout the dish. Season 5 prepared the dessert for the meal. While the chefs ate the delicious meal they had prepared, we got to reminisce about the past.

10 words or less: They need to stop inviting Marcel to these things.

SYTYCD

View Date: 11/3/09

The World Series interfered with this show yet again. It was decided that, due to scheduling concerns, the judges would eliminate two more dancers at the end of the show. Additionally, it was determined that Brandon, eliminated last week

Noelle and Russell: This duo performed a Jamal Sims hip hop routine with tennis racquets. This routine was a lot of fun to watch, and a really interesting concept from a new choreographer. She looked rather sloppy several times. The judges weren't thrilled with the routine, and I agree that Noelle may be in trouble at the end of the night.

Ashleigh and Jakob: The pair performed a Viennese Waltz choreographed by Tony and Meredith, to be modeled on a couple's first dance at their wedding. It was a very pretty routine, and the two looked, from an unexperienced eye, like they were made to dance this number. She has really come on since joining the top 20, and he is probably the best dancer in the competition.

Bianca and Victor: Tyce DiOrio choreographed a Broadway number for these two based on The Color Purple. I thought they could have brought more energy to a number that was obviously meant to be jumping. Something just fell a little flat to me, but she did better than he did. The other thing I noticed was that they weren't in step when they should have been. I agree with the judges in that they needed to lose themselves more in the dance and the characters, rather than as technically they did.

Mollee and Nathan: Nakul Dev Mahajan choreographed this season's first Bollywood number. I haven't really liked a Bollywood number since Katie and Joshua's in Season 4, but I think this probably came the closest. I really liked his performance, and thought he really captured the character and the dance style. Mollee had a notable performance as well, and I think this number will be remembered in a good way.

Channing and Phillip: This duo performed a Tony and Meredith samba that was described by the choreographers as a very technical piece. There were definitely some awkward moments in this piece, and it didn't have the energy the music demanded. The dancers readily admitted that they struggled with this number, and it showed. If the best thing they can say is that the costume color really suits her well, that's really not a good thing.

Karen and Kevin: Tabitha and Napoleon choreographed a hip hop number for this duo, placing Kevin in his comfort zone while Karen was in hers last week. You could totally tell he is a hip hop dancer, but you really couldn't tell she wasn't. She kept up with him, and her sexiness was amazing as always. Tabitha and Napoleon gave us a routine unlike just about any hip hop number we have yet seen on this show, including several lifts and gyrations.

Kathryn and Legacy: This couple performed a contemporary number by Stacey Tookey. It reminded me of Ivan's number in Season 2, where someone really puts forth something totally unexpected. Legacy went above and beyond anything that was anticipated from him. His partnering was wonderful, and he looked totally confident in his abilities. He is a much smaller person than others on this show, yet he made the lifts look effortless. She was beautiful, the number was beautiful, and this partnership is wonderful.

Pauline and Peter: The couple was provided a Wade Robson jazz number based around the theory of discarded characters from Van Gogh's Starry Night coming back to haunt him after getting rid of them. He really captured the character in this performance, while her performance was somewhat lacking. He has really impressed me, and has continued to impress me since making the top 20. This was a fun routine, and a yet another very memorable Wade Robson number. It reminded me of the

Ellenore and Ryan: Miriam and Leonardo, who performed on the show last season, choreographed and Argentine tango for this pair. This number received a standing ovation from the judges, which always says good things. His power in the lifts was phenomenal, and the number made her look incredibly sexy. They continued through her dress getting stuck on her heel, and did not lose their concentration throughout.

Noelle, Russell, Channing, Phillip, Bianca, and Victor were called out as the couples in danger, with Russell and Channing being asked to stay. These were very appropriate choices and, after reviewing the numbers, I think the judges chose correctly. I am very happy that Russell got to stay this week and the judges didn't eliminate him before the public got to vote. Noelle performed very much a standard female contemporary solo, but Victor chose a very powerful piece of music unlike most in his style of dance. Bianca seemed rather frantic in her solo, while Phillip was so into his dancing he seemed to not notice the end of the song.

If I were the judges, I would send home Phillip and Noelle, but alas, my vote doesn't count. Both of the guys had much better solos than the girls. The vote for the girls was not unanimous, but it was determined that Noelle's solo saved her tonight. The guys received almost no discussion, but Phillip was let go tonight. So that leaves only one tapper left in the competition.

After last week's episode, there were many complaints that the public's opinion was not given a chance to count in the eliminations. This week, I am even more upset because, while the eliminations were fair, they did get rid of two people who had a fan base that may have saved them for another week.

10 words or less: No public vote for two weeks is ridiculous.

Naked

Author: David Sedaris
Completed: 9/18/09

This memoir features snippets of the author's life that are pieced together chronologically. He is an observer of nature, and provides witty commentary about his history.

This book, and this author in general, have received rave reviews. Honestly, I didn't think that much of it. I had a really hard time getting through it. And for being one of America's most renowned humorists today, I really didn't find it that funny. There were some points that made me smile or even chuckle, but those were few and far between.

10 words or less: I don't get what all the fuss is about.

Ella Enchanted

This is a lovely fairy tale starring the truly enchanting Anne Hathaway as the aforementioned Ella. Ella is presented the gift of obedience at birth by her fairy godmother. But it is unlike most other gifts, in that she immediately had to do exactly as anyone told her, and in literal interpretation. As a young adult, she had learned to hide her situation or at least make an acceptable excuse in most circumstances. After her mother's death, her father marries another woman who brings her two spoiled daughters, and your standard Cinderella situation proceeds.

Ella, by this time, had become a protester against the current regime. The current prince and soon-to-be king, Char, was the talk of the kingdom and essentially had rock star status. After a protest, Ella gets in trouble in the woods and is saved by char. He then finds out just how his uncle, the regent, is abusing the powers of his role and destroying his kingdom. Char and Ella travel across the kingdom, she trying to find her fairy godmother to remove the spell, and him trying to right the wrongs and discover just how awful his uncle really is.

This is a family favorite, even though the younger generation has not seen it as much as the adults. This is just a very cute movie that draws on stories that everyone knows, yet is unique in its own right. The cast is wonderful, with Joanna Lumley and Minnie Driver joining Miss Hathaway in key roles. Just a great family movie that is appealing not only to kids but adults as well.

10 words or less: A must-see family favorite.