12.23.2006

Happy Holidays Everyone!!!!


Hi everyone! I hope you're all doing well and ready for Christmas and New Year.
Since a lot of networks are taking a hiatus for the holiday season, I am gonna be taking a holiday as well when it comes to reviewing some of my fave TV shows. I might review a movie or two until the new episodes for my regular TV shows/series resumes again, but for now I'm going to take a rest.
Have fun & stay safe! If you're going to party-hardy, please DRINK RESPONSIBLY!!! Don't drink & drive! Other than that, ENJOY!

12.16.2006

"The Lost Room"

A detective investigates a mysterious motel room, which acts as a portal to alternate universe.

Rating: 5

I am not really a sci-fi fanatic, but I tend to enjoy watching movies/shows/series/minis about the paranormal or supernatural just as long as they were done in good taste and the gore justifies the plot of the story -- not because a lot of people these days are sadistic pricks who loves to see peoples' heads get chopped off or whatnot.

When I saw a preview for this 3-part mini series while watching one of the evening shows with my mom some time last week, I was intrigued by it. And my mother, knowing my taste so darn well, knew I'd be interested in it and voiced it out. I didn't pay much heed to it since I usually miss out watching these so-called 'interesting' shows that irked my fancy.

Why?

Simple. I see a preview for it days in advance, store it at the back of my head, then LIFE happens and I forget about it. -LoL- You'd think I'd sit down and write it in my agenda book or something, right?

Wrong.

I ain't really much of a TV-watcher these days. I have a set day or days when I am going to glue myself in front of the television, and that's only when my fave shows (the ones I watch every week almost religiously) is/are on. Other than that, I'd be lucky to turn on my TV to watch something other than one of my numerous DVD movies! -LoL-

So anyway, back to the movie (which was awesome, by the way), I was sitting watching Stargate SG-1 over at the Space Channel (it was Monday night and I was bored; I dunno why I was even watching TV that night). I was browsing for what other shows are there to watch when I found out tha The Lost Room will follow the show I was watching. Well, ain't I lucky, eh? I almost forgot about it until I saw it on my screen.

Anyway, so yeah, I waited until 7:00 pm when it finally came on. Usually movies that irked my interest in previews tends to not have a very good follow-through when I start watching it (I base my interest in it on whether I'll get hooked on it during its first 5 minutes or not), but this show...well, let's just say that I was hooked on it and I wanted to find out exactly what the heck was going on. Mind you I had to switch channels back and forth 'coz something else that caught my interest was showing in another channel (gawd, don't you just hate different networks showing all these good shows at the same time?!), but overall I ended up sticking to watching this show and was thankful when the continuation (each episode was 2 hours long) will be shown the following evening as opposed to most 2 or 3-part series that gets shown once a week.

I was confused about the Legion and the Order. I wasn't sure whether the Legion were the good guys or the bad guys and same goes with the Order. I was thrown into the confusion and experiencing the feelings Joe Miller (Peter Krause) was feeling by taking a leap of faith, so to speak, and trusting or not trusting this character or that.

By the end of the first episode I was unsure if one of the good guys, the homicide doctor helping Joe and his partner on the case, was good or bad. But it was soon resolved in the second episode. Also, the question about whether the Legion or the Order should be trusted or not was answered in the second episode. There was a twist in the third episode; something so predictable and yet I chose not to believe it until that scene appeared and the dialogues were spoken.

I will not divulge any more of this story's plot. It was a good show. Very well done. And I noticed that it was directed by TWO directors (the third episode was handled by a different director). Nevertheless it all stayed within context. The ending left me wondering; there were some loopholes left unchecked and I wonder...will there be a sequel to this? Will Joe be one of the Objects now?

If this goes on sale I'll buy it! -LoL-

12.11.2006

"Scoop" starring Hugh Jackman, Scarlett Johansson & Woody Allen


A student journalist, for a college paper, visiting friends in contemporary London happens upon the scoop of a lifetime. Along the investigative trail, she finds magic, murder, mystery - and perhaps love, with a British aristocrat.

Summary written by Focus Features
Rating: 2
OK, I know I am not a huge Woody Allen fan nor have I seen of his movies he has done in the last how many years since he's made a name for himself, BUT for the sake of wanting to see two of my fave actors on screen together, I went and bought the DVD. Mind you it took me a while before I removed it from its plastic wrapper and popped it in to my DVD player. I was just bored last night and so not wanting to sleep yet so I decided to watch the movie that has been beckoning me to watch it ever since I bought it.
What got me to wanting to see this movie was the really intriguing summary concerning the plot. Then I found out Hugh Jackman's playing the 'eye candy' male and Scarlett Johansson's the leading lady. And I read in the newspaper as well a pretty intriguing review about it so it got me curious.
Well, all I can say is: Thank God I didn't spend over $10 bucks for tickets!
Hmmm...come to think of it, I paid more to buy the darn DVD! Anyway, at least I can always pop the DVD in and drool over the debonair Hugh any time I want. -LoL-
OK, on with the review (since I sooooo love to digress here).
The movie started off with a funeral for a famous journalist who has passed away. Cut scene to his buddies praising him at the local pub, drinking to his happy descent (or ascent -- whichever) to wherever he (the deceased journalist) was going. Another cut scene; it was night and a boat with people were on it. Focus on the Grim Reaper standing at the front of the boat and this guy comes up to him and asked where they were going. Of course no answer. A fellow female passenger told him she has tried, then they got the introductions out of the way.
Ever the journalist (reporter), our deceased named Joe Strombel (Ian McShane) was intrigued by his fellow passenger's tale on how she suspected her boss poisoned her.
I won't be spoiling too much. A series of rather mundane, not so laugh worthy scenes followed, then it was time for Sandra (Scarlett Johansson) to find out who this Peter Lyman (Hugh Jackman) is and scoop out the truth about the so-called Tarot Card Murderer.
Scarlett and Hugh were awesome! Made me love them as an on-screen couple. And I applaud Hugh's ability to be both a comedian and a serious actor. And Scarlett...well, she's just a gem! I mean, I watched her in An American Rhapsody and the Island and In Good Company portraying three different characters. She was awesome.
Scoop served a few good laughs, but honestly, I was soooooooooo glad I could press the forward key and skip through the scenes that bore me.

12.08.2006

Supernatural Ep. 7-009 "Croatoan"


Rating: 4
I watched the series premier of this show last year and I have to admit, I was freaked out by the storyline. I ain't much a fan of this type of genre shows/movies, but for some reason I found myself drawn to it.
Why?
Maybe it had something to do with Jensen Ackles & Jared Padalecki -- two hottie young actors whom I assume both hailed from Texas. Anyway, aside from the two aforementioned leads of this series being eye-candies, I kinda stopped watching it after the third episode from season one (the series was good, but my heart can handle only so much suspense, ya know?).
This season, however, I found myself getting back to watching the series yet again.
In last night's episode Dean (Jensen Ackles) must come face to face with his demons and either kill or be killed when his little brother, Sam (Jared Padalecki) got infected by the demonic virus that wiped out an entire small town in Oregon.
Although the person 'carrying' the virus was kinda predicatable (if you've seen that teen-flick The Faculty with Josh Hartnett & Elijah Wood from way back in the late '90s you'll know what I'm talking about here), the twist in the end (which I ain't going to spoil for those of you who haven't seen the episode yet) was kinda unexpected. But I did get the feeling that it wasn't over yet; the brothers couldn't have escaped such peril without further casualties.
Mind you Sam escaped a near-death experience after his blood was mixed with the psycho nurse, but that was only expected. There was a heart-to-heart moment between the brothers when Dean gave the keys to his precious car to the civilian he befriended and was the only one not infected and stayed behind to be with Sam.
Dean started off telling Sam that he was sick and tired of the chase; he wanted to 'retire' from demon hunting, but he knew he couldn't. Of course Sam played a big role in him not wanting to quit just yet. It was the mystery their father told Dean before he passed away in the first episode of this season.
Now it wasn't revelead by the 'Yellow-Eyed Demon' was after Sam to begin with, but Dean obviously knows, only he wouldn't tell Sam. He did, however, mention to his brother that he made a promise to their father before he passed away about something concerning Sam. And like all series wanting to keep their audience at the edge of their seats, that was how last night's episode ended.
Suffice to say I'm hooked on the series and this time I'll do my damnedest to watch each and every episode this season to understand what the heck's going on! -LoL-

12.01.2006

"Angel" Beverley Mitchell

Song Title: Angel
Artist: Beverley Mitchell ('Lucy' on 7th Heaven)

OK, I know this is not a TV critique/review, but I just found out about it this evening while browsing the CW site.

Now who would've thought that Beverley Mitchell ('Lucy Camden-Kinkirk' from 7th Heaven) was an aspiring singer????

I remembered a few seasons back (before everyone of the Camden kids decided to get hitched!) that she sang in a Valentine episode or something (that particular episode's kinda foggy now -- it has been years since I last saw that episode!), but never in my life did I expect a country album will come off it! -LoL-

Now I just listened to the first track off her debut album and...well, I didn't know it was a country song until I went to her site and read more about this latest venture of hers, but I knew it sounded kinda country-ish to me, with a Christian-vibe to it.

I ain't gonna thrash her here. I actually kinda like the song. It's soft, sombre and...well, it fits with the mood of her hit TV series that's been going on for like ever now. It was just recently featured in an episode of the show hence how I found out about it (go browse the CW site).

Not bad for her debut single. And I have to say, she definitely took a different route with her choice of music genre. I mean, country? She's like the Carrie Underwood of the already established actors/actresses venturing off to make it big in the music business as well! -LoL- Wasn't Carrie Underwood an American Idol winner or finalist? She went to pursue the country-music route while majority of the AI winners ventured to mainstream pop; and some of the other celebs go the 'pop'-route when making an album.

So major props for Bev Mitchell for not going with the flow! -grins-