Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog

So this has got to be THE COOLEST THING EVER!  I daresay… it’s LEGENDARY!

Joss Whedon has done it again.  And with more pure brilliance.  Only this time he’s working with Neil Patrick Harris in the mix.  Also featured is Nathan Fillion (whom Joss LOVES and refuses to let die, so he gets put in EVERYTHING Joss does… LOVE IT!).

The name of this new project is Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog, a mini-webseries.  It’s the story of a low-rent supervillain who is desperate to be a part of the EVIL LEAGUE OF EVIL, but his application is still being reviewed.  Harris stars as Dr. Horrible, and Nathan Fillion plays his nemesis, Captain Hammer.  Felicia Day rounds out the cast by playing Penny, the girl of Dr. Horrible’s dreams, and Captain Hammer’s reality.

This webseries was born out of frustration during the Writer’s Strike, and Joss has pointed out that he created this to prove that so much more could be done with little money.  Whole franchises could be formed on very little budget, and so far, that seems to be the plan for the Dr. Horrible series.  There are plans for merchandise as well as DVDs and a soundtrack, and maybe even a sequel or two.

I found out about this yesterday, although I vaguely remember reading or hearing about it a looong time ago.  Anyhoo, I downloaded the 3 Act story, and have not stopped laughing since.  I’ve watched it about 3 times, and honestly, it is so very funny.  The writing (as any Joss fan would know) is so great, and the acting is fantastic.  And for a low-budget project, it was surprisingly well done.

You can find it on iTunes, and I’m sure the DVDs and soundtrack will be available eventually.

In the meantime, check out the websites, both official and unoffical.  Trust me, they’re so worth it.

Dark Knight

Yes.  Oh. My. God. Yes.

This was the single greatest Batman movie to date.   No.  Seriously.  I can’t get over how unbelievable this movie was.

Heath Ledger was absolutely, terrifyingly believeable.  He was very Jack Nicholson in The Shining reminiscent.  And Jack Nicholson  was terrifying in that movie.  Heath Ledger  was nothing short of amazing.  The characteristics, the idiosyncrasies as the Joker… all the little things.  It’s a shame he won’t be able to reappear in another Batman movie.

So.  Yesterday I took a personal day, in order to see this movie at the IMAX.  Every show was sold out.  SOLD OUT.  Completely.  I was smart enough to order tickets Sunday night for D and me… and by the time we got there, they were ALREADY making announcements that every show all day was sold out.  Unreal.

But it was a nice day off.  And so worth it.  I ordered the tickets Sunday night, like I said, and we picked them up at noon yesterday.  (Did I mention that this IMAX was in a Jordan’s Furniture Store?  So cool.)  And we walked around for a bit before they let us in through the top.  I was completely overtaken by the awesomeness that was the movie theater.

But Dark Knight was the perfect follow up to Christian Bale’s last movie, Batman Begins.  Batman is now a vigilante, but he is still the hero that Gotham deserves… just not the one they need right now.  That was a major theme.  Batman not being what Gotham needed at the moment.  It led to an interesting plot twist at the end. 

Things I LOVED:

• Heath Ledger’s performance.  Have I mentioned the phrase “deliciously bad” yet? 
• The Joker persona.  So crazy.  So insane.  So…. scary.  The crimes, the actions committed by the Joker.  All beautifully done. 
• The special effects were absolutely fantasitc.  Transitioning between the actual panaoramic scences and the full screen scenes was barely noticeable… except that they were AWESOME!  The full screen scenes were shot in that exclusive IMAX 3-D format, so it looked even cooler.
• Aaron Eckhart as Harvey Dent/Two-Face.  He was brilliantly two-faced, and it was superb.

 

Things I didn’t care for:

• Christian Bale’s raspy Batman voice.  I get that he’s in disguise, and he’s supposed to change his voice… but it was irritating for a minute.
• The Batman timeline is screwed up.  Was this supposed to be a remake?  Or is it replacing the original Michael Keaton Batman?  Are we supposed to just forget the other 4 movies?  And if we keep in mind things about the other 4 movies, things that happened would not allow the following movies to exist.  Yes.  I’m lost in a sea of confusion.  Hopefully I’ll understand it better by the next movie.

No, there was sooo much to love, and not much to hate.  But I’m definitely going to see this one again.  And again.

Batman at the IMAX

Alternately titled: “My first mobile blog”

Ok. Holy potatoes, gentle readers. I just got out of the movies. And judging by the title of this post, I just saw Dark Knight. And holy shit, it was the greatest thing I’ve ever seen.

Let’s just say that Heath Ledger definitely dominated this movie. The phrase “deliciously bad” comes to mind over and over.

But I’ll post more on this later, once I’ve taken it all in.

Dexter on my iPod

Everybody’s favorite serial killer can be found on an iPod near you.

Yes, that’s right.  I finally bought both seasons through iTunes.  I own the first one on dvd, but to put it on my iPod would require too much precious time.  So I bought it again, in small format so I can watch it anywhere I have my iPod anytime I want.

And let me tell you.  It was so worth it.

I’ve mentioned before that Dexter makes me uneasy.  But in a way that makes me want to be his friend.  He’s friendly and caring, apparently.  But he kills bad people. Never the innocent.

I’m nearly done the first season, in 3 days.  (The first time I went through the series, M and I marathoned it in a Saturday).  And maybe tomorrow I’ll start the second season. 

It’s creepy.  All the blood and death and being deep inside the mind of a serial killer.  It’s terrifying.  But at the same time, it’s clever.  The writer’s are unbelievable and they make the story witty and scary.  Dexter is such a character that is dapper and cool, and screaming on the inside.  Whether or not it is to feel something, or because he’s trying to quence a thirst.  I don’t know.

But it’s awesome.  And now it’s portably on my iPod.  I love this show.

Oh, and Michael C Hall is hynotic.  Eyes cannot be taken off him for a second.  Two words: deliciously bad.

5 Reasons I am annoyed by the new iPhone

I never thought I’d get to this point.  And I don’t think it has anything to do with the iPhone… more like Apple and AT&T have given me reasons to be annoyed.  And I knew this was coming, I was just crossing my fingers that it wouldn’t be like EVERY OTHER CELLPHONE.  But I guess it is. 

And my list is in no particular order…

1.  The hype.  It’s been nearly a month since the OFFICIAL announcment, and I can’t even begin to go into detail about all the hype involved.  If you’ve been keeping watch, you know what I’m talking about.  All the advertisments that it’s the BIGGER, BADDER SMARTPHONE on the block.  And I agree, it’s an awesome phone, but you’d think they ease up just a little.

2.  The cost.  Actually, this is probably the MOST ANNOYING part of the whole process.  As advertised, if you are a new customer, you can purchase the phone at the advertised costs.  HOWEVER, if you are a LOYAL AT&T customer, you can purchase the iPhone at an inflated price.  I’m sorry, but I don’t have 500 beans to throw away…

3.  Customer Loyalty.  I suppose this one goes hand in hand with my issues with the cost.  I am a LOYAL AT&T (and Apple/Mac as well) customer.  I bought the first iPhone when it came out and payed the inflated price for it.  The downside is that when my ex and I split, the phones were in his name, and they needed to be switched over.  And I was considered a NEW customer all over again.  Meaning I am not eligible for the upgrade… unless I want to pay extra.

4.  The lines.  There’s a good chance that if you don’t leave work right now… no, I’m serious.  Leave.  RIGHT NOW!  And stand in line at your local Apple or AT&T retailer chances are, you will not get one right away.  I’ve read articles and heard rumors that there are already people standing in line.

5.  Apple and Advertising.  I really thought that Apple was going to come through for me.  The iPhone was announced and hyped up at one cost, and all of a sudden, it’s not going to cost me what I thought.  I understand that both companies are trying to be competitive and make money off the deal, but seriously… It would be nice to catch a break.

I spent the better part of the night last night feeling annoyed with a twinge of depression… OVER A PHONE!  It’s not something that is terribly important, but I like immediate gratification.  However, there is a list of other things on my list of things to get, so I will be putting off throwing down 500 beans for awhile.  I plan to wait and see what will happen with my bonus check from work.

Charisma Carpenter and Divorce?

I’m not entirely sure why this is news NOW considering the one time Angel star (as well as AWESOME cameos on Veronica Mars among other things) had filed divorce papers last August and a detailed document indicating her financial woes, due to the Writer’s Strike.

I guess that means she’s available *wink wink.*

Anyway, her and her Hardy (her husband) will share physical joint custody of their son, alternating holidays, as well as getting two weeks a piece for vacation time.

Well, I doubt she’ll have financial issues for long.  She’s talented AND beautiful.  Who wouldn’t want to see her onscreen again?  I know I would.

Now, the only issue I’m finding is that she filed for divorce in August of last year, stating that she new about the impending Writer’s Strike, which is probably true.  I think a LOT of people had know about it beforehand.  But “irreconcilable differences”?   The kicker in this story (and you can find the full article here) is that Carpenter will be required to pay $6000 in legal fees for her ex, as well as $300 a month in alimony.  Poor Cordy.  I guess all we can do wait for her to make her grand reappearance.

TV Theme Song Quiz

We all know how much I love a good quiz.  And this one is probably VERY appropriate for a TV associated blog.  So, I took the TV theme song quiz.  And I scored a 5 out of 10.  Which means  I scored “an honorary membership in the Mayberry Glee Club.”  GO ME!

 

Go ahead, try it.  It’s funny.

100 Facts, You always wanted to know, but were too afraid to ask…

Again, here I settle into boredom, and have decided to create yet another list.  This time of facts that you didn’t know about me, things you always wanted to know, but were afraid to ask.  Or maybe you didn’t want to know… either way, TOUGH!

1.  I like to be girly.
2. I have an obsession with vampires (in case you weren’t already aware).
3. I LOVE blooper reels for my favorite TV shows.
4. I name EVERYTHING from the spider that tried killing me last night to the stuffed animal won for me at the carnival/fair/amusement park.
5. I’m writing a book.
6. I have thought about writing a book on Buffy.
7. I love dogs, I just do not have the attention span to be able to care of one.
8. Which is the same reason I still don’t have kids.
9. When I was 10, I wanted to be a Marine Bilogist.
10. I used to watch soap operas. I work during the day and don’t have time anymore.
11. I’m still going to school.
12. I’m afraid I’ll be in school forever.
13. I love cheesecake.
14. I like doing Sodoku puzzles in order.
15. I’m terrified of heights.
16. Someday, I want to get a tattoo, but I’m afraid of needles.
17. I enjoy making references random pop culture references.
18. I’m a podcast junkie.
19. I like making random lists.
20. I am insanely insecure when it comes to new relationships.
21. I often come off as cocky or arrogant, or even stuck up, but I’m really not.
22. Shyness comes naturally.
23. I used to teach CCD.
24. I don’t wear a lot of jewelry.
25. My dreams would terrify an average person.
26. I don’t like talking about Religion or Politics.
27. I like to bite.
28. I usually sleep with the TV on.
29. I love giving people presents.
30. My childhood friend’s mom used to call me “Kerri Berry.”
31. I’m afraid I’ll never get married.
32. I love California.
33. Someday, I want to live there.
34. Dr. Pepper is my caffeineated drink of choice.
35. I tend to keep a lot of clutter around.
36. My friends think I’m funny.
37. I already have my wedding dress picked out, as well as a location.
38. I prefer to own books than borrow them.
39. I scribble on paper while taking notes on the phone.
40. I don’t really like Mexican food, unless it’s rice and tacos with cheese.
41. I don’t have faith in people to be able to do things I know I am capable of doing.
42. I can be unintentionally disruptive.
43. I wear glasses, but only when I need them.
44. I am a chronic ice cruncher.
45. I have a crush on James Marsters… and I’m pretty sure he knows, but doesn’t care.
46. I’m pretty sure if I went to church, I would be burned at the stake.
47. I don’t like the taste of milk.
48. My brother and I once coated the entire kitchen in brownie batter and flour while our parents were out.
49. I hate my boobs, and want to have them reduced.
50. I am in constant search mode for the perfect bra.
51. I want to take pictures.
52. I have never broken any bones.
53. However, I consistently trip UP the stairs.
54. I hate guilt trips.
55. I don’t take compliments well.
56. I think diet pills/miracle treatments are a waste of time and money.
57. I still count money like I work in a bank.
58. I would marry Tony Soprano.
59. I have a thing for powerful men.
60. I am hard on myself.
61. I collect the fortune cookie fortunes from the Chinese restaurant.
62. “Small, infrequent doses” is my mantra for dealing with annoying family or friends.
63. I was once in love with a milkman.
64. I sometimes get annoyed easily.
65. I have no dexterity.
66. I love to laugh so hard you nearly cry.
67. I like to cook, but seldom do I have the time.
68. I am chronically early for almost everything.
69. I kissed a girl.
70. I hate roller coasters.
71. I want to take a cross-country road trip.
72. I have a wealth of useless knowledge (mostly about TV/pop culture) stored in my brain.
73. If I could go back in time to change something, I wouldn’t do it.
74. I could not survive without my iPhone.
75. If I were stuck in the Panamanian Rain Forest, I would probably die. Even Bear Grylls would not be able to save me.
76. I am a Scorpio.
77. I was fully prepared to vote for Hilary Clinton.
78. I don’t know who I will vote for.
79. My favorite colors are black, pink, and blue.
80. I remember numbers better than I remember names.
81. I like the smell of thunderstorms in the summer.
82. I like a good combination of sweetness with salty goodness.
83. Mood rings are funny, especially when they really change colors.
84. My parents consistently tell me that I am the favorite child.
85. I believe that I am the favorite child.
86. I procrastinate. A lot. But I’m trying to change that.
87. I would do anything for anybody, if they needed it enough.
88. Also, if they asked.
89. I love going to karaoke night with my friends.
90. I find certain celebrities incredibly annoying.
91. Bartenders look at me funny when I order a Tom Collins.
92. I miss my best friends from high school.
93. I sometimes think about the “good ol’ days.”
94. Usually while cringing.
95. Someday, I would like to own a home directly between the country and the city.
96. September 8-10, 2006 was the best weekend of my life.
97. People like to tell me things.
98. For some reason, scary and unattractive women like to flash me.
99. And hit on me.
100. This was far more difficult than I had thought. Wanna try it? Go ahead!

Hana Yori Dango

Translation: Boys Over Flowers, OR Boys Before Flowers.

I recently got into this Japanese show because of a coworker who got really excited about it.  And did I mention it was in Japanese?  I’m not sure if I’ll be able to do the show any type of justice, considering that it is just plain awesome.  There were only two seasons ever made, which make the series fast paced and to the point.  And I’m left wanting more.

I have only just started watching the second season, and it’s just as good as the first.

A breif synopsis of the show:

Makino Tsukushi is the only poor student at Eitoku Gakuen, the school of the ridiculously rich and privileged that is ruled by Flower 4 or F4, a group of four boys who come from extremely powerful families: Domyoji Tsukasa, the leader and heir of the Domyoji World Finance Group; Hanazawa Rui, the introverted son of a large company; Nishikado Sojiro, a player who is the heir of a tea ceremony school; and Mimasaka Akira, a madam killer with ties to the underground. If a student gets on the F4’s bad side, he/she gets a red notice and is bullied and driven out of school.

Makino hopes to pass her days quietly– without drawing any attention to herself– but one day, she stands up to Domyoji in defense of her friend. The next day, Makino gets the dreaded red notice. Even though she is harassed, Makino decides to keep going to school because she is a “tough weed”. She declares war right back on the F4. Her resolve gets the attention of her crush Hanazawa Rui and oddly enough, rouses romantic feelings in her worst enemy, Domyoji Tsukasa.

The series is based on the Japanese shoujo manga “Hana Yori Dango” (Boys Before Flowers) by Kamio Yoko.

It’s addicting, and funny, and dramatic, and everything you could ever want in a show.  AND a movie has already been released in Japan, so we can expect to see it sometime next year. 

Right away, I hated Domyoji because he was an arrogant ass, but as Makino began to see the nicer side of him, I did too.  The F4 no longer are a threat, but boys who I would want to have as my friends to protect me.

I definitely recommend checking the show out.  Because there are subtitles, it does require full concetration, but I found it was definitely worth it.

Hancock Review

Happy (late) fourth of July (considering it’s the 7th of July, I’m actually 3 days late)!  I actually had a pretty busy weekend, considering the holiday and all.  Not much in the way of television.  And of course, what I did watch for TV I will definitely include that in a different post.

Anyhoo, my Fourth was spent with D milling around the bookstore, having dinner and seeing a movie.  Hancock actually.  I will be honest.  I didn’t hold out much hope for this one.  I love Will Smith.  He’s good in everything he does.  But I didn’t have much faith in this one…especially after Zohan.  BUT I actually liked it.

Hancock is the story about a misfit superhero who has no sense of belonging, no sense of place and no sense of self, so he finds solace in alcohol while trying to save lives.  Simply.  Until he discovers that his OTHER HALF is somewhere nearby.

As far as expectations go, I really didn’t expect much from a 90 minute movie, but I was pleasantly surprised by the time it was done, it felt lunch a much lengthier flick.  But in a good way.  There was so much going on, and so much story, but it was not burdening or unfunny.  In point of fact, the previews were what made me so skeptical, but they really weren’t a large part of the movie at all.  They were pretty nonexistent and easy to forget once the movie picked up speed. 

I definitely think this was a good choice for a movie to see when not wanting to watch fireworks.  (AND the theater was nearly empty.  There were only 2 other couples, who clearly had the same idea as me).

Now, things that made me giggle:

• JOHN HANCOCK.  That was his actual name in the movie.  How did he get it?  The nurse at the hospital he was at asked him for his “John Hancock” (as in signature… duh!), and he thought that was his name.
• Hancock’s OTHER HALF was the wife of his Publicist.
• The French bully.  Since when are bullies French?  But it was hilarious.
• I really enjoyed how the subtleties were linked between the Super Hero couple.  Hancock hated being called an “asshole”, while his WIFE hated being called “crazy” or a “crazy bitch.”  “Call me ASSHOLE one more time…”  “Call me CRAZY one more time…”  Wicked cool.

Yup, I definitely enjoyed this one.  Can’t wait for the DVD release.  Perhaps I’ll buy it.  Maybe I’ll rent.  But I do want to watch it again.

(Which reminds me, I wonder when Forgetting Sarah Marshall comes out.  Definitely excited for that one.)