Ms. Amused

For those who have watched it, here’s a funny Q & A bit with Lee Pace for you

If you’re just walking down the hallway, do you ever brush up against Anna Friel and freak out?
We actually bump into each other all the time — all the time! Anna will kind of run up and give me a big hug — earlier this week, she did it, and I kind of flinched a little bit, and she kind of jumped back and was like, “Did you just flinch when I gave you a hug?” I was like, “I’m sorry, I don’t know where that came from!” It’s just playing Ned. I shouldn’t be flinching when a beautiful girl like Anna Friel gives me a hug, but I flinched! That’s weird, that’s odd, that’s not normal.

Source: BuzzSugar (click for full q & a)

Explanation for those who don’t know what Pushing Daisies is about. Read the rest of this entry »

Oh wow…  Just found a reason to watch my Twitter stream again… a fake Michael Bay twitter!

Sample twitters:

michael_bay WWMBBU. What would Michael Bay blow up? Jesus walked on water. I set it on FIRE

michael_bay No, I will not cut the crust off of Shia’s bread for him.

michael_bay I make all of my own furniture. Out of dynamite.

michael_bay Shots from today’s casting session. http://tinyurl.com/43tgu7

michael_bay Megan is humping a barstool again. This is why I don’t go out with the crew.

I don’t really know much about MB but watching the extras (lots of them and not boring either!) on Transformers gave me enough of an impression that these are hysterical to me.

Show that I’m most eager to see come up on the DVR list: Bones

If I previously were to give you my favorite must watch shows, Bones was an after thought even though last season I noticed that I was always very happy to get to click on a new episode of Bones. Of the early premieres this season, Bones had the best season premiere and has claimed the top spot in the excited to have a new episode to watch rankings.

I do still love House, NCIS, ER, etc but none of them have popped quite so well.

But the close on the heels of Bones is a new addition to my watch list though it’s into its 4th season: Supernatural. This year I’ve watched the first three seasons on dvd and while the 2nd season almost turned me off it altogether, the 3rd season was better than the first and I’m riding that momentum into the enjoyment of the 4th. But I agree with my friend Ally, that if they go too far in pitting Dean and Sam against each other in the overdone demon/devil vs angel battle. I’ll probably lose interest. But then again, Supernatural’s writers have a way of taking tired old plotlines and giving them a fresh twist.

I’ve only seen one episode of ER so far and I have to check to see if there was even an episode this week cause my DVR did NOT get it. It also didn’t get Grey’s or CSI. Hoping that the networks opted to skip because of the VP debate even though it was over by then. But the first episode of ER was sad. We’ll see where it goes from there.

I’m recording but not watching Grey’s Anatomy til I see the 4th season on dvd but the first disc is stuck in “long wait” status on Netflix… grr. Maybe I’ll just fork up some bucks and rent it from a Blockbuster store here so that I can get the rest and watch it. Same with Ugly Betty.

New shows… Fringe is proving entertaining and watchable. However I’m much more excited about The Mentalist thanks to a fortunate rebroadcast of the pilot. Catch is that I’ll have to give up the end of the Greek season. Yes I watch Greek. It’s cheesy as hell but I’m way too fond of “Cappie” played by Scott Michael Foster to let the guilt in guilty pleasure keep me from watching it.

Pushing Daisies: I haven’t really seen the whole first season but I liked what I saw and so when the DVR screwed up and didn’t record the premiere, I watched it online instead. I know people are mad that they apparently didn’t continue the plot properly from the end of the first season but I still like it a lot. I love the visual and the musical aspects. I’m looking forward to the new season based on the rumblings that they’re going to get more musical too.

After all, it really worked for Eli Stone which I’m anxious for to come back. And in other sophmore shows, I’m watching Lipstick Jungle too. Now that they killed off the one husband, I hope they bring the young lover back. He’s hot to watch and looks like a younger Simon Baker.

Oh yes… Simon Baker… he’s really divine in The Mentalist. Basic plot is he’s a slick con artist kind of guy who used to make a good living as a fake psychic when he’s just REALLY observational and good at interpreting all the subtle clues to get the real story. A natural profiler. And in shades like the show Profiler, he’s working as a police detective/consultant? now thanks to having been the target of a serial killer called Red John who remains uncaught. That’s all very close to the Profiler’s main character being the target of of  serial killer called Jack ofall Trades (if memory serves on the name).

Robin Tunney is in it and I can’t help but wonder if she’ll bail out early like she did with Prison Break. She’s nothing but annoying now but her character hasn’t served much purpose yet but to be a foil for Simon’s charm.

Speaking of Prison Break, hard to get too excited about it. That show really was best in its first season. After that, it’s just too corny and contrived.

Lives up to its subtitle “an eco thriller”. Re-read this for nth time and I still really enjoy it. It’s fast paced and witty with zero fluff. There’s a lot of jargon thrown around but not enough to impede following the plot.

I would imagine, people who love watching Mike on Dirtiest Jobs would love this book.

What makes this my favorite of my top 3 Stephenson books (others being Diamond Age & Snowcrash) is the ecological bent to the story. But this is no Greenpeace tale.

Joss Whedon shuts down Dollhouse

*gasp gasp gasp* NOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!

Oh wait… not permanently like you’d think from “shuts down”. Whew…

I know this will be spun as a bad omen for the show but I’ve faith in Joss, he’s not steered us wrong yet.

I still want Firefly. I know it won’t happen, people are scattered to the winds and some characters are now dead (I could live with Shepherd being dead but not Wash).

Helen Mirren has revealed that she researched her role in upcoming movie Love Ranch by spending time in a brothel.

The 62-year-old Oscar winner admitted that visiting Nevada’s Mustang Ranch was vital in helping her prepare for the film role, in which she portrays Grace Botempo, the madam of the state’s first legal brothel.

The Sunday Mail quotes her as saying: “I loved the girls and the madam was wonderful - she became our advisor. She was invaluable - a wonderful woman.”

Mirren added that she is in favour of legalised prostitution: “I am a complete believer in legal brothels. The girls are protected and free and it takes out that horrible situation of pimps and drugs.

“Also the men who go there know the girls are medically checked and it is very carefully controlled - everyone is in a safe environment.”

Mirren’s husband Taylor Hackford directed Love Ranch, which also stars Joe Pesci, Gina Gershon and Bai Ling.

-Source

If you are flummoxed at how Helen could support legalized prostitution, I highly recommend reading Whores & Other Feminists which is what settled it for me (YES).

My first introduction to Helen was Teaching Mrs Tingle and she stole the movie IMO. I was lost after Calendar Girls. And I LOVE that she signed on for National Treasure 2 because watching her character kick butt was one of the best things about that movie.

I still have yet to see The Queen but I’m sure I’m in for a treat. In the meantime, I will be sitting here enthralled at the thought of her playing a madam! Also, who else isn’t surprised to see Gina Gershon (Showgirls) & Bai Ling (Wild Wild West) rounding out the cast in this?

Hey Ally! Looks like I’ve become a fan. Proof in the pudding was seeing this today on ONTD and squeeing to myself to read about the set and all.

Over Friday/Saturday I blasted through all of Season 3 which was just released on DVD. Not long ago I watched all of S1 and then S2 (with a couple weeks separation in between the seasons). The show’s really grown on me.

At first, I rolled my eyes a little because it felt like they were pulling out every overtold urban legend in the book. But they got me with the personal tale of the brothers and their family and the yellow eyed demon. Plus I’d recently fallen in love with Jeffrey Dean Morgan because of “Denny” on Grey’s Anatomy only weeks before so everytime he showed on screen as their dad was bonus.

I don’t know if it’s that my jadedness faded away or the writing really hit a groove but the “every urban legend” thing really gelled with the overall Winchester story and I don’t even notice it anymore. Even tropes like the “groundhog day” (endless repeats of a day) that I HATE work! There’s a “Groundhog Day” type episode in the 3rd Season where Sam is forced to relive Dean’s death over and over and over again. It actually goes through the most repeats of a day that I’ve seen in any tv episode yet both in what scenes you see and also what is “told” by the character. Yet, the writers managed to keep the story interesting enough and the actors of course pulled it off famously.

Given Jared & Jensen’s predilection for pranks and clowning around, I can only imagine what it was like to film THAT episode with each day ending in Dean’s death.

First season was good but the 2nd season started to falter some. Third season came back with a vengeance and I think for me, even topped the first season. Wonder if it’s just better storytelling or did the anticipation of the 3rd season coming soon prime me? I also wonder if the shorter season due to the writer’s strike actually helped as there was less deviation from the overall story. In fact now that I think about it, I seem to remember that it got a little slow towards the middle which was going into the strike. When they came back, the writers would have had to shove the rest of the story into fewer episodes. A lot less filler = better overall albeit shorter season?

I’d been configuring the DVR before I got to watching the third season and had decided to just skip Supernatural due because at the time I believed that Supernatural was fading and wasn’t going to be worth putting on the DVR. Could always catch it later on DVD. But now I’m gonna forgo Dancing With the Stars instead. I had a good time watching it when Marlee was on it but now I definitely want to find out what happens to the Winchester boys now.

One thing though, throughout the third season I kept expecting to see their dad show up but he never did. I don’t remember all of the 2nd season finale but did Daddy Winchester escape from hell and move on to the good beyond for good? Or is it that JDM was unavailable to come back? After all, he’s been busy lately with PS I Love you, Watchmen and more! Hoping some diehard Supernatural fan can answer that question (looking at you Ally!)

Minor trivia: Everyone’s talking about how the Twilight fans are pretty fucking crazy but Supernatural’s not without its own. From girls stalking the set to a fan launching themselves off a riser to tackle Jensen… I’m appalled. I’ve been the hardcore fan before (former hardcore nutball Xenite here among others) but never did I do insane shit like that. Nor did I hear about others in the fandom doing it either. No wonder, it’s been said that Jensen & Jared use bodyguards for fan appearances now.

So my favorite icon making duo posted a set of Hocus Pocus icons last night and I was scanning through them and giggling at the comedy ones.

One face was familiar, very cherubic with big pouty lips but it wasn’t til I got to the bottom that I went… OMIGOD THAT’s ______!!!

Last night, I spent a little time rebuilding the series recordings in the new DVR. The old one had developed a bias against Bruce Campbell and kept eating all the Burn Notices… so it had to go.

It’s annoying because it’s hard to find a website that tells you about ALL the new & returning shows, as in what’s on FX, USA, TNT, etc and not just the “public broadcast” ones.

I’ll be adding Grey’s Anatomy & probably Private Practices to the regular watch list. New shows? Not sure. Dollhouse isn’t til January so definitely not an issue now. Alan Tudyk is in the new show from the Will & Grace people but I don’t know the name or when it starts.

I added a bunch of stuff figuring that if I find myself not interested in watching what’s been recorded, I can just delete the eps and recordings. Did that last time around and it worked fine.

Thinking back, I remembered having to keep up with the stuff being recorded because otherwise it’d fill up really fast and I’d start losing things. Which meant I didn’t really watch movies or older TV stuff on dvd for a while. Which sucks cause I’ve a lot I want to see.

But at least now I’m full scale into my revived yarn hobbies so couch potato time will also be productive time

No I haven’t watched the premiere of Prison Break yet but I did watch the series premiere of “Raising The Bar” which is a legal show focused on the public defenders. Oh my word does Mark Paul look like a ringer for Heath Ledger! With the long dark hair and earnest emoting of his character, I kept being reminded of a medley of Heath’s characters. I’m so used to Mark Paul as a bottle blond and features too big for his face (of his teen years on Saved By The Bell) that I just don’t really recognize him as an adult.

I couldn’t tell you their names but it was nice to see the blond gal that played the ADA to MP’s defender. She’s played the much put upon girl in at least one of those stupid “comedies” of late. I think she’s one to watch. As is the black guy that was on Angel.

The pilot episode itself, was interesting but nothing that really grabbed me and kept me riveted. I thought the judge was a little over the top cause if real life is anything like that then heaven help us all!

I’m more excited about Eli Stone coming back though. That show really hit a nice mix so even with its stumbles, I still wanted to know what came next!

Dancing With The Stars might make it on the roster and if I wasn’t imagining it and it really is being made, then Rock of Love 3… how can I not watch another season of catty girls and Bret Michaels looking ridiculous? Throughout season 2, I was convinced that he was really dating Heather. Her multiple appearances plus hissy fits towards Daisy (the closest thing to a real rival on either show - Bret needs to get over it and realize that Heather & Daisy are the kind of girls he’ll be happiest with) seemed to support that. Oh and Lacey’s on some new game show with a bunch of the ROL girls so ….., reality tv is sucking me in and I hate it!

I don’t know when season 3 of American Gladiators will come but I love that show so much! The revival is almost as good as the original and with some of the new gladiator lineups (HELLO HURRICANE ME LOVE YOU LONG TIME) & events (Earthquake!!) making up for where it falters.

Three things and it’d be perfect:

1) Bring back the original bungee event, Swingshot. I much prefer this one to the new version whose name I refuse to remember.

2) Get rid of SkyTrak, the original version was better but even then not nearly as fun to watch as other events. There’s a reason why you edited all SkyTrak events to be the “view online for more action” events for the 2nd season.

3) GET RID OF HULK HOGAN. You want hulk? Bring out Lou Ferrigno or someone cooler. Hogan’s made such an ass of himself in his public private life that it just makes me sick to see him at all.

Ok enough about the shows I love from a genre I hate.

What I’m looking forward to: (in no particular order)

House, Grey’s Anatomy, Bones, NCIS, Law & Order SVU, Pushing Daisies (sophmore!), Eli Stone (sophmore!) and I’m sure I’ll thump myself for forgetting Shows X Y and Z.

ER is NOT on the list because I really get the feeling that a lot of people jumped ship instead of sticking around for the final season. I will watch it though and I hope I’ll still enjoy watching it but the hope is thin.

I’m also debating about whether to even bother recording Boston Legal. Because as much as I love Crane & Shore, what I saw of Season 4 left me seriously underwhelmed though I was pleased to see Saffron Burrows added to the cast. Saffron was the only new thing to the show that didn’t leave me going “WHY?” and Crane/Shore just got too far out there. I ended up deleting half of it unwatched.

Earlier this year, I decided to make it a mission to fill in some big gaps in my pop culture knowledge and finally watch old classics so that I’d know what people were talking about or referring to!

Last week I watched Singin’ In The Rain and in love! Now I see why Gene Kelly was thought of so much. And wow does George Clooney look a lot like him.

The girl was adorable and I was tickled later to realize that was Debbie Reynolds in her first acting gig!

Donald O’Connor isn’t a name that was familiar to me but IMO he stole the show repeatedly!

I’ve always loved musicals and why did I wait so long to get into the best musical era of them all?

I’ve got Anchors Aweigh waiting for me now but first…

Last night I watched “Breakfast At Tiffany’s”, which filled in a lot of gaps for me. I noticed that it’s based on a story by Truman Capote. Ahh so that’s what he wrote. Ironically I’m at the tail end of reading To Kill A Mockingbird by his best friend, Harper Lee!

I don’t recall if I’ve watched Audrey Hepburn in a movie before but wow I can see why she was so popular.

Now I understand why people want to be Holly Golightly. But even before Paul’s big speech at the end, I was wondering whatever for because she’s not “free” at all! She’s so busy running away or towards things that she doesn’t ever seem to just be.

And perhaps I’m jaded but I found myself being annoyed because this is how love is being portrayed but they’re leaving out all the hard parts

Here’s the shocker for me about BaT… Paul Varjak. At first I thought, wow he looks like my neighbor Dan, kind of. But then it was starting to bug me that he looked like someone else. Earlier during the credits, I’d noticed a name that was familiar but I couldn’t place. But it all came together when I realized that Paul was none other than Hannibal of the A-Team!! One of my favorite shows to watch in the 80s!

So very weird to see him as a young man playing a lovelorn suitor. Not at all like the confident, always has it together, man with a plan Hannibal!

This has definitely been fun for me, to take this trip down vintage lane past when I was born. Netflix emailed me an hour ago to tell me that I’ll have My Fair Lady tomorrow. I’ve seen bits and pieces of this and probably in school as a girl but I don’t think I’ve ever really seen the movie.

There’s also Casablanca. And I haven’t even begun to crack open a dvd set I’ve owned for 8 years: Rodgers & Hammerstein musicals containing many classics including the uberclassic: Sound of Music. All of which I’ve never seen.

I also need to watch the three Mae West movies I also bought back then. And after watching Debbie last week, I want to see Annie Get Your Gun which I know I bought but I think I got rid of last year

Plus my friend Jen, recommended a bunch more!

Almost forgot, while watching Breakfast… I was struck by how much some of the people in the bit players or even just background looked like people from today. For example, the drunk lady crying in the mirror at herself: Alison Janney. The black man in the library the first time they go there, you see him at the edge of the screen as he watches Holly & Paul walk away from him and I had to convince myself that Tim Meadows was not an immortal vampire who remains eternally young.