This weeks fluff was a recap of the Highs and Lows of the last month. Janette told us about how much she loved her rocker girl costume, Kayla and Kupono talked about the challenge of getting a new partner, Evan mentioned how much he liked working with all the different choreographers, Caitlin shared how much pressure there is being in the bottom three two weeks in a row, Philip explained that he knew the moment his paint ripped, Melissa talked about how much she loved the first live show and Karla teared up over losing her partner last week.
Category: Reviews
Movie/DVD Review: Dance of the Dead
Tired of bleak, depressing zombie films? Miss the wacky, fun zombie flicks of the 1980s’? Want to see two zombies making out? Do you like me saying “zombie” so much? If the answer to any of these questions is “Yes”, then check out Dance Of The Dead.
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Movie Review: Justice League: The New Frontier
Buy Justice League – The New Frontier (Two-Disc Special Edition)
Hal Jordan is shot down in his plane, even though it’s just been announced that the Korean War is over. He is forced to shoot an enemy soldier in self defense and ends up in a hospital because of the trauma. His time in the hospital makes it difficult for him to find a position as a pilot in the future.
The Martian Manhunter has been accidentally transported to earth by a curious scientist. The scientist has a heart attack and Martian Manhunter takes on his persona, since he can’t return to Mars. He takes to learning about the human race by interacting and watching television.
Superman and Wonder Woman argue over justice and if superheroes should be allowed to distribute it. The Justice Society has disbanded and Batman is a fugitive. The government is distrusting of the heroes.
This is the set up for a full length animated movie about how the Justice League comes to be. The movie includes an all star cast. David Boreanaz as Hal Jordan, Miguel Ferrer as J’onn J’onzz, Lucy Lawless as Wonder Woman, Kyle MacLachlan as Superman, Kyra Sedgwick as Lois Lane, and Neil Patrick Harris as The Flash.
A Cult surrounding a mysterious being called the Centre is showing up in the lives of several of the heroes. Batman and J’onzz team up to investigate the Centre, until J’onzz decides to try and leave the planet. He finds out about Hal Jordan’s mission to Mars and tries to hitch a ride. He doesn’t feel at home one Earth with all the hatred and conformity. He misses his chance and is captured instead.
The Flash decides to quite the hero business, since no one seems to want them anyway. He doesn’t want to put his loved ones at risk.
Hal Jordan’s Mars mission fails and he’s rescued by Superman. Abin Sur, the Green Lantern of Sector 2814, is fatally injured and leaves Hal his ring and information about the Centre, who is a monstrous creature that fears humans and wants to rid the planet of them. Hal must now work to stop the Centre, as the new Green Lantern.
The Centre attacks and the heroes come together to fight it. After a rousing speech about trusting each other as human beings Superman goes to fight the Centre, but is defeated. Thinking Superman is dead Hal Jordan, Batman, Martian Manhunter, The Flash, and even the Green Arrow come up with a plan to defeat the Centre.
The New Frontier explores themes of teamwork, paranoia, freedom, trust, and justice. It has origins for Green Lantern and Martian Manhunter and some deeper insight into Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, and the Flash. It successfully focuses on more than one superhero with development for all of them. It would be great to see a live action Justice League movie as well done as this.
Favorite quote: Batman to the Martian Manhunter- “I have a $70,000 sliver of radioactive meteor to stop the one in Metropolis. With you, all I need is a penny for a book of matches.”
Movie Review – Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen
Want to catch up on Transformers before you go see the sequel? Buy Transformers
I went and saw Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen yesterday. It wasn’t bad – all in all I’d give it… maybe… a three-star rating out of five. Maybe. By now, it’s made its money back. The last time I checked it was at 201M USD and climbing. Second biggest blockbuster opening in history – second only to Dark Knight. The movie itself is about what you’d expect if you’ve seen either, A) the first Transformers movie, or B) anything else by director Michael Bay. The story continues with Sam, the slightly goofy, every-teen hero, and his life after the first adventure – where he discovers an alien race, helps save the world, and gets the girl. And since the first movie was also a Michael Bay movie, the aliens are visual-complicated CG robots, saving the world involves a lot of stuff blowing up, and the girl is incredibly hot.
Fast forward to post-high school. Sam decides to leave home and head east. Leaving behind the robots, stuff blowing up, and Mikaela. For what? 40,000 a year in tuition, his dad would say. But really – he wants to distance himself from all the baggage of the past – while not making a break with his girlfriend, who – according to his mother, talking under the influence… well, we’ll say that Sam and Mikaela are on ‘good terms’. Which is odd. And selfish. This sets the tone for Sam in this movie.
Episode Review: Star Trek:TOS – 1×02 – Charlie X
Captain’s Log, star date 1533.6. Now maneuvering to come alongside cargo vessel Antares. Its Captain and First officer are beaming over to us with an unusual passenger.
So much is made of Cap. Picard’s dislike of children, but in this episode we get to see that Kirk’s seems to have the same opinion; in the first scene Kirk’s tells the kid he’s being rude, then after that he tries to avoid the boy as much as possible.
Unfortunately, Charlie’s got a crush on Yeoman Rand, and some freaky mind power, which means Kirk gets sucked into playing Dad.
Things That Stood Out:
Uhura’s song about how seductive Spock is, and Spock’s sly little grin while she’s singing.
Kirk’s red workout tights.
So You Think You Can Dance – Top 16
This episodes fluff bit was “If you weren’t a dancer…”. We had dreams of being a jewelry maker, pilates instructor, set and lighting designer, banker, model, costume designer, teacher, newscaster, soccer star, inventor and actress.
Karla & Jonathan – Hip Hop
This was a rather bland program. True, there were some cool partnered moves, but over all there was nothing to pull me in.
Asuka & Vitolio – Jazz
Mandy Moore created an amazing routine, but it was lacking the almost frantic energy needed to match the song.
Melissa & Ade – Rumba
What a stunning dance! The emotional connection was just smoldering, the technique was wonderful and Malissa’s costume was beautiful.
Episode Review: Star Trek:TOS – 1×01 – “The Man Trap”
Captain’s log, Stardate 1513.1. Our position, orbiting planet M-113. On board the Enterprise, Mister Spock temporarily in command. On the planet the ruins of an ancient and long-dead civilization. Ship’s surgeon McCoy and myself are now beaming down to the planet’s surface. Our mission, routine medical examination of archaeologist Robert Crater and his wife Nancy. Routine but for the fact that Nancy Crater is that one woman in Doctor McCoy’s past.
The episode really does pack a punch – lost loves, alien life forms and an ethical struggle. The alien costume seemed kind of corny now, but the effects, like Nancey’s transformations, still hold up.
Things That Stood Out:
Uhura’s silver nail polish and Jance’s woven hair-do. They’re both just too cool.
“He’s Dead” count: 2
Episode Review: The Unusuals: S1, Episode 8: “The Dentist”
Having gotten back into the swing of this show last week, where it re-appeared after a multi-week hiatus, this episode packed a punch – sometimes, quite literally.
(Spoilers after the jump)
Book Review: Around the World in 80 Dates
Buy Around the World in 80 Dates (Sydney Alexander Series, Book 1)
I’ll freely admit it. I was skeptical about this book. Recently I signed up for NavPress’ blogger review program and was checking out the books they had available for review and I thought, “a Christian chick-lit book? That must be awful.”
Now, you must understand something. I’ve been in the Christian culture since I was prenatal. I know how ridiculous items made in our culture can get (*coughLeftBehindFilmscough*). Though, do not go ragging on the Left Behind books since my uncle went to college with Jerry B. Jenkins at my alma mater.
But I digress.
Despite my reservations, I decided to give Around the World in 80 Dates a try. After all, the cover looked compelling and, as a Christian single girl, I felt I needed some feel-good chick-lit. If nothing else, I’d have something serious to say in my review about the lack of realism in Christian fiction.
Boy was I wrong. I picked the book up and two days later had the entire thing read (I would have had it done sooner, but I have a friend visiting). It’s been a long time since I consumed a book like I did Around the World in 80 Dates.
Episode Review – Star Trek:TOS – The Cage (Unaired Pilot)
Buy Star Trek: The Original Series – Season One (DVD/HD DVD Combo, Remastered Edition)
The copy I found aired after the first movie came out. It had an introduction by The Great Bird of the Galaxy himself, in which Gene talked about the process that brought about the pilot, the reasons way it was rejected and how parts of it managed to make into the show.
The special effects really got my attention. While today we can have a computer make a life-like rendering of a ship moving through space, back then a lot of thought went into how to do things – the credit shot with the backdrop, moving stars, scale modal combo is effective in conveying motion.
Also, I need to mention the fact that Jeffery Hunter was hot!
Moments That Really Stood Out:
1. The character of Spock – in this episode he isn’t the Vulcan we know, but just some alien who is fine smiling when he comes upon a humming plant.
2. The line said by Vina – “They rebuilt me, everything works, but they had never seen a human. they had no guide for putting me back together.” This stood out because of it similarity too a line from the Doctor Who episode Empty Child/Doctor Dances.