Entertainment To Me!

In case you didn’t know, I’m following the latest season of Hell’s Kitchen . My last blog entry was about it. I really love the show itself, and have even gotten my hubby hooked on it!

But a lot of the drive behind my interest is the head chef, Gordon Ramsay. The man is not only a genius, but puts the chefs in the competition through their paces. I bet some of the most amazing chefs come out of his show, because I think if a person can work under the pressure of having him in their face–they could probably run any kind of kitchen and work under any type of heat.

Since my last blog, the final group had been under some rocky situtions. Last episode there was a closing of Hell’s Kitchen, and the group of 5 got to go to see the Borgatta, where one of them will win a restaurant/top position. They had a blast–except towards the end, when Robert excused himself from an important meal. He had secretly called the medics, and was experiencing chest pain, etc. So he went rushed to the hospital.

The remaining 4 contestants didn’t know anything about his condition till after they returned to H.K., where Robert did show up, but only to tell the group he couldn’t return to the competition. He has some instance of heart disease.

It was tough, because the group really liked him, and none of them seemed happy to see him go–even if it is a competition. That says a lot for his personality, me thinks.

But the show must go on. So the remaining 4 had a challenge–they had a short amount of time to create a signature dish, and whoever’s was best would win immunity from being eliminated at the end of next dinner service.

Ben was overly-cocky, as usual, sure his dish was the bomb. Turns out he was told the “definitly wasn’t safe” and didn’t win, heh. The other 3 had really great dishes. Andrea’s won, though, which I was glad about. So she was safe.

But then that night dinner service was pretty bad, especially for Ben and Andrea. She lost her focus, and screwed up the fish station pretty bad.

Paula got props, and then the 4 of them had to choose who went up on the block. Because she was safe, Andrea couldn’t be nominated–but they wanted to. So she put up Ben and Paula. Chef Ramsay almost immediately put Paula back in line, because she obviously didn’t deserve to be up on the block. Then he called Andrea forward for her crappy service.

In the end, he said she was worse than Ben, but because he was a man of his word, Gordon Ramsay didn’t send her home. And because he wanted a clear conscience–he couldn’t send Ben either. So no one left.

The latest episode saw a really nifty challenge for the 4 remaining contestants of Hell’s Kitchen; Chef Ramsay showed them 3 dishes from his own restaurants, and had them taste them, and decide which one of the three they enjoyed the most. They chose a Fish chowder dish. Then he said ‘ok, you have 30 minutes to recreate this dish’. It was cool. They had no other hints! So in the end, they all had some componants close, but Danny won. Which was nice, since he’s come so close to winnin challenges, but hasn’t really won anything.

He got to go with Chef Ramsay flying in a bi-plane! It looked like a blast, and once again, Gordon showed he’s just a normal guy by enjoying himself and being blown away, heh.

The other 3 had to clean Hell’s Kitchen, polish all the crystal, AND prepare for dinner service that night. Andrea was a bit whiney…

Before dinner service that night, Chef Ramsay gave the 4 contestants free sets of cookware from his own personal line. Stainless steel awesomeness, it looked like to me! I was jealous, heh. They were all happy, and started out the best dinner service the show had seen this season, I believe. Everyone was on point.

Except towards the end–Andrea came up 2 beef wellingtons short, and screwed up some. Also, Ben had made–as usual–some stupid mistakes. Things like putting spaghetti in water that’s not boiling…!

So Gordon was frustrated with that result. In the end, they had to pick one amongst themselves that went up on the block. But the vote was split–guys chose Andrea, girls chose Ben.

In the end, Chef sent Ben home. I was glad. The guy seems ok, but he’s pretty cocky, over-confident, and for some reason–makes stupid mistakes all the time. And once he starts to slip, he screws up bad.

Andrea can screw up too, but I don’t think she’s as cocky as Ben was.

So now it’s down to the final 3! I’m really rooting for Paula. She’s got great character, skill, and hasn’t really screwed up anything major. She’s not alwaze most talkative, but she’s quick, consistant, and a good team player. Danny is good too, but a bit out of it.

So we shall see what happens! I really enjoy Hell’s Kitchen—have I said?!

I’d forgotten how much I loved Fox’s chef competition show, Hell’s Kitchen (which airs on Thursday nights)! The show is led by world-class chef Gordan Ramsay, who has quite a list of accomplishments. The often VERY vocal head chef takes a group of competitor chefs (this season started with 16) through a series of challenges and evening dinner services, splitting the group into the male and female teams. Each show, a contestant (sometimes 2) is eliminated, depending on who was put up on the “chopping block”.

Chef Ramsay is an amazing character, and always hysterical to watch. He knows how to break a person down, though, and doesn’t take any kind of crappy service in his kitchen–which has led to many people being told to “piss off” and leave the show in the middle of dinner service, right from the kitchen!

In the end, 1 contestant remains, and gets the prize–this season consisting of $250, 000, and the head chef position at Atlantic City’s new hotel and casino-the Borgata Hotel Casino and Spa.

The competition has been a great fun to catch up on this season, because of all the different personalities. I love how the chefs have to mix teamwork with trying to win individually.

There were some really bad characters this season–who seemed like they’d never even stepped into a kitchen before (like Colleen, who swore she was a cooking school instructor, and who Chef Ramsay said had great attitude, but who seemed clueless in the kitchen, and waay below par)…Or who snuck through eliminations–but who everyone hated and wanted gone (Lacey–who whined and complained and tried to play the victim on every episode. She was traded to the men’s team, and they ended up hating her too! They kept having to pick up her slack. Finally, when she had no idea how to cook meat, and screwed up the dinner service one episode, Chef Ramsay finally screamed her out of the kitchen, to everyone’s happines!).

Now, there are only 5 contestants left: Andrea , Ben, Robert, Danny and Paula. I am currently rooting for either Danny or Paula–both of whom haven’t screwed up really too much, and neither of whom runs their mouth or is cocky. They both have been more of the silent strong type, and seem to let things roll off their backs. Andrea is good too, but she’s had some screwed up services, which have cost the team. Robert is cute and does pretty well, but he has a bit of an attitude. And Ben just talks too much, heh. He’s screwed up pretty bad as well, though he can obviously cook. But I think he’s one of those people that thinks they’re better than they are.

The main reason I love this show so much is chef Ramsay. He’s a wonder. What makes him a great TV personality for the show as well, is that when you watch him screaming and cursing in someone’s face at their mistakes, you would never think he’s the kindhearted guy he is in real life. That’s why I love seeing him on challenge rewards, when he’s out of Hell’s Kitchen, and enjoying himself. Or when he deals with children, or a serious problem of a contestent. Then he’s all heart, and soft spoken. A nifty guy.

There have been some great rewards on this season so far, and some ridiculous loser “prizes”! I look forward to seeing what happens with the Final 5, and who comes out on top!

I just got done listening to my St. Valentine’s Day gift from hubby–the deluxe motion picture soundtrack for Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street! I love soundtracks, and really did love the movie.

For several reasons, of course–Johnny Depp was spectacular, Helena Bonham Carter did the role of Mrs. Lovett great justice, and even Alan Rickman was totally evil and great. When you’ve got a barber who’s slitting throats and helping his friend make the bodies into meat pies–it’s hard to find someone worse than him. But Rickman’s Judge Turpin is most definitely worse.

The soundtrack is clear and I really enjoyed how the music didn’t get in the way of the story, which can be semi-told through the words, just by listening to the soundtrack, though you have no idea really of the awesomeness of the movie unless you watch it!

I alwaze love hearing actors/actresses who can suddenly sing, and I love when movie musicals don’t dub them over. Johnny Depp, Carter, and Rickman (as well as the other supporting cast) all sing well, and fill their parts well vocally.

Though Sweeney Todd: T.D.B.of F.S. is a horror/musical movie, the soundtrack isn’t scary, but lets one hear the hearts of the characters, and story.

My favorite part keeps being at the end of the song “My Friends” (sung by Todd and Lovett), where Depp calls out :

“At last, my arm is complete again!”

The soundtrack came in a nice box set with a photo book filled with lyrics and a note by Tim Burton, as well as a short biography of Stephen Sondheim.

So, the other day I was watching the 2004 disaster movie, The Day After Tomorrow, and I realized a couple of things.

While I do like Dennis Quaid–that movie was pretty bad. I don’t like Jake Gyllenhaal at all, but he was just as good in the film, I guess, as the others. The movie is one I enjoy because it’s got a cool theme, and entertains me.  The Entertainment factor comes from the fact that while the graphics are not that great–you’re dealing with end of the age as we know it themes here!!–I loved the concept of global warming making the ice caps melt suddenly, so rapidly, that everything would freeze over in the top half of the world, and create a new Ice Age.

Mainly I think I watch it thinking–man, it’d be cool to be the kids in that library! I love the cold, and think trying to survive would be awesome! But of course, if truth be told–it’s not THAT entertaining, because in real life, if something ever happened that fast–no one would’ve survived. Which brings me to another aspect of why the movie is bad…

Goofing That Badly…

If you look at this link, HERE, you’ll be able to see a great list of mistakes in the movie that are not really all that hidden. In fact, I love looking at messups, and finding glitches in movies. But these are doozys. I think when you’re dealing with a disaster movie, if you make such blatant errors of any sort of judgement–the film is bound to fail.

The Internet Movie Database is where the list comes from, and I had a ball reading the messups–most of which I was able to find myself. I mean–when you hear that it’s so freezing, the oil in a helicopter pipeline froze instantly, then someone opens the door of the helicopter, and does NOT freeze (or, rather, is not already frozen!!)–you wonder!

There were a slew of disaster movies that all came out around the same time–this one just failed to check its facts, methinks. I enjoy the movie every once in a while, cause I still think it’d be cool to base-camp in the NYC Library…but sadly, I think I’d end up dead–just cause of real life.

Up at 5am posting in my other blog (link HERE), I also watched this amazing video on the latest CNN updates page.

I can’t seem to show it here, but this LINK will take you to the video. It’s an amazing video only showing a group of firefighters rescuing a dog from a ridiculously dangerous looking ice flow in Hingham, MA. The video doesn’t really show much else, but it doesn’t need to.

I was watching it, and thinking how far people in the line of duty will go to help save a life. They probably didn’t know the dog, and maybe even thought it was just an animal. But it was probably someone’s pet, and someone’s friend, and by saving it, the firefighters would later warm a heart or two. This is humanity at its best, y’know?

If only we could all be so kind and compassionate in our lives…

Stars are known for their ranting and raving, as can be found throughout the news stories in today’s society. But this latest, a blowup by superstar Christian Bale on the set of Terminator: Salvation, tops what I’ve seen in the usual star crazy-talk. I saw it last night on a Fox News show, and of course it was the edited version.

Christian Bale seems to get extremely pissed off at a lighting guy who gets in the way of his shot, or crosses his line of vision, or makes some sort of other minor mistake. The poor guy just has to take it whilst Christian just reams him out, cursing in almost every other word.

Not just cursing, though, but F-bombing the guy’s ears off! You can watch the YouTube video version HERE ! WARNING, though–it’s NOT edited, so there is a lot of language, hence why I am not posting the video here in its whole form.

It took me about 5 seconds for me to lose all respect for Bale, like, really. I understand he’s a working man, and I understand he’s a top star, and in high demand. And I understand his shirts probably cost more than everything I own…But just because you’re rich does NOT mean you can treat the people below you–who, oddly enough, make your movie set and do all the labor that makes you look good–like crap! It was so very demeaning and uncalled for. And it doesn’t stop!!!

Christian Bale just won’t let the guy go. He even says “You’re a good guy, but…”, then continues to F-word him to dust. Where’s his dignity??! And what threw me off the most? No one else does ANYTHING. What, is Christian Bale a god?! Where is the respect of others?

Do stars think they’re above us commoners? Most of us don’t know their lives off-screen/set/YouTube. Till something like this surfaces, and we wonder what’s going through their heads.

Yahoo Buzz Log for today quotes the assistant Director on “Salvation” as saying that Christian’s rant was “just a moment” and that the actor isn’t like that normally….So what–it was just a thing he was trying out?! Does he need meds?!!

Famous people–if it wasn’t for us common folk, your movie/TV/music sales would plummet, and you would fade into obscurity. Just remember that.

Last night I just watched the 2008 movie adaptation of the novel The Secret Life of Bees . I must read the novel of this story, now, and see how well the movie matched up with the book.

The Secret Life of Bees stars Dakota Fanning, Queen Latifah, Jennifer Hudson, Alicia Keys, and Sophie Okonedo. It takes place in S.C. in 1964, and centers around a young girl, Lily–wonderfully played by Dakota–who is struggling with crushed and cofused memories of her mother, and who is living with her good-for-nothing dad, who treats her less than lovingly. Her father always told her her Mother was a loser who left her, and takes very little  notice of the girl, except to berate and punish her. So one day, after witnessing her friend Rosaleen–played by Hudson–getting beaten by some white trash, she decides to go seek info on her Mom in a town in S.Carolina. She carries a picture of a black Virgin Mary, which her Mother left her, and which carries the name of the town on the back in S.C. that she heads to.

So Lily and Rosaleen take to the road, eventually ending up at a pink house in S.C., which is the home of May, June, and August Boatwright–played respectively by Sophie, Alicia, and Queen Latifah, who is awesome, heh. Queen L. is a master honey gatherer, and owns hives (hence the bee theme). She makes the best honey in town, and on each bottle is a picture of the black Virgin Mother, the same as Lily’s Mom carried with her.

Lily and Rosaleen stay with August and her sisters, bonding with them, learning from them, suffering with them, as tragedy strikes. Lily is convinced she is unlovable, and it’s all her fault. But things aren’t always what they seem.

The end of the movie is touching and great, and the story is wound together well, with all of the lead actresses shining, while not out-shining each other. I thought Alicia Keys did a great job, and I think Dakota Fanning is one of the most amazing actresses out there today, even running against the older gals. She has a great skill for one her age, and can play just about any part, I’m sure!

The Secret Life of Bees is a great movie to watch with gal pals, without being a “chick flick” type. It’s drama, but not gushy, or overdramatic. The underlaying theme of the times (blacks were just getting to vote, and still were segregated in the South like crazy-glue) is tastefully, yet powerfully done.

The movie also has a great theme about friendship and family, and even about the Blessed Mother (which, as a Catholic, I appreciated!).

I thought The Secret Life of Bees was one of the best movies I’ve seen in a LONG time, and certainly of 2008.

I have come to realize that “entertainment” doesn’t always mean something having to do with the TV set. So I wanted to share a really cool site with you all..

Etsy.com is a website I discovered through a blog the other day. A person was talking about selling her needlework, and gave the link. Because I’ve been getting into more of a creative mindset lately, I wondered if they also listed artwork, or if I could sell any thing I’d make in the future there.

Well, Etsy (like “Betsy” without the “B”) is a wonderful site gaining popularity all over the crafters/artists world. It’s a place where you can buy and sell all things handmade–from accessories to woodworking–and everything inbetween! It’s pretty easy to search for any type of craft you may seek, as each catagory has a sub-list.

You can also purchase custom made items, by asking for a specific color/item if you don’t see it–kind of like a classified want ad!

It’s a great link for any crafter, but also for anyone who makes anything and would like to maybe get it out there. As I mentioned, I’m hoping to put up some artwork there soon.

Not everything on the site looks like a professional did it, but that’s what’s so entertaining–you can find all sorts of unique items that are not to be seen again or elsewhere! It’s a great spot for gift-searching if you don’t have anything to sell of your own!

So, I suggest you give www.Etsy.com a lookover, and explore the wonderful world of the handmade!

1. Mike Wazowski/ Billy Crystal
There are so many reasons to love this movie, and Billy Crystal’s Mike Wazowski is just one of them. The little green, one-eyed monster, with his short, sarcastic wit, makes for some of the greatest lines and moments in the film! One of my favorite scenes is where Mike is trying to disinfect his & Sulley’s home from “Boo”–the little human child–and she sneezes, so he freaks out, and sprays disinfectant on his eye. It’s a great scene, animated with great comedic timing.

2. James P. “Sulley” Sullivan/ John Goodman
Funny, kind, gentle-giant type. Perfect casting. When I first saw the previews for this movie, I can remember thinking I didn’t know what to think of a purple and teal-ish monster…but Sulley is a great character. You really feel in touch with him, and his position in the Monsters, Inc. world. And he plays opposite Mike/Billy Crystal perfectly.
Greatest scene? When he thinks Boo has gone through the trash compacter, hehe, and comes out as a little square…the face he makes behind the glass before he falls down (several times), alwaze makes me laugh like crazy!

3.Randall/Steve Buscemi
Is there anything Steve B. is in that I don’t love? I don’t think so, heh. But his character in this movie is a great one. The facial expressions fit the voice so well, and he is so shrewd and sneaky and greedy. Plus, I love his “chameleon” feature, which allows him to blend in to whatever background he’s against–nifty! One of those bad guys you love, most def. Classic pairing of actor to character.

4.Boo
Boo is one of the greatest features in the film, actually, I think. She’s also one of the most adorable cartoon/computer animated film kids I’ve ever seen, if not the. The googling sounds she makes, and the adorable expressions the animators gave her, added to her appeal. It just makes you feel so much more for the movie. I mean, when she sees Sulley practicing his scare, and freaks out, I really just want to hug her and tell her it’s ok!

5.”Put-That-Thing-Back-Where-It-Came-From-Or-So-Help-Me!”
Ok, I have to add this joke/scene as a personal fave. I mean, when they’re almost caught (Mike and Sulley), and they have to explain what they’re doing, and they come up with “a musical”, then Mike starts up sort-of singing this line, with Sulley going “bum bum bum” in the background, I alwaze crack up! It’s such a little part of the movie, but it’s such a grand part. Some people immediately remember that joke. Classic ridiculously funny!

6.Sulley’s fur, Mike’s expressions, graphics in general–
Overall, the movie has amazing ability to grab you, tell a story, use great color and graphics, and have you feeling, deeply, by the end. Very few regular movies can do that, let alone a computer animated cartoon type. So many things about Monsters, Inc. are amazing. The expressions they make the characters have, the amazing attention to detail; Sulley’s fur was a marvel of it’s time, the signs and colors of background and scene, etc. –all of these things and more make Monsters, Inc. one of my favorite movies!

Star Trek: The Motion Picture–
If you’ve watched this movie, then you don’t need me to elaborate much. This movie–and trust me, I am a HUGE Trekkie–just lacked, well, everything. The plot was weak and boring, the movie was the first ST movie, so I guess tried to capitalize on putting classic ST elements into a motion picture. But they lost so much of the aforementioned elements. Like, what was up with the costumes/uniforms of the entire crew, and basically everyone in the movie?! They were not only hideous, but very un-ST-crew-like. They were gone next movie, so the producers/writers/director obviously realized their mistake with that aspect. The music is great. But there is SO much drama to it! And God-forbid you watch the golden-oldie VHS version of this movie; the music becomes ridiculously loud for many points in the film.
But the worst aspect of this movie? The elongated scenes of boring terrible graphics–whether it be a fade-away scene of a bright planet, or the loooonnnng side of a starship, or the same exact scene of an electrical force/field over, and over, and over again–they are enough to make a person go crazy! It’ll show the crew, then cut away to this loooonnnng shot of whatever-it-is, then the crew, then the shot (perhaps slightly closer this time, to give the effect that they crew is getting nearer the phenomenon), then back and forth. All the while silence from the human/alien creatures around–just the loud, dramatic music!
This ST movie is most def on the “ok to miss” list.

Night Listener–
Robin Williams is a favorite actor of mine, really. But this movie is on my list of “no thank you”s, due mainly to it having a great desire to be thrilling, but failing miserably…As well as the story having homosexual undertones that seemed to not have been important to the overall story (not knocking the gay theme, just saying it had nothing to do with the rest of the movie, really).
Armistead Maupin, Terry Anderson, and Patrick Stettner wrote a story that seemed interesting enough, I’m sure, when it was read: night radio-talk show host gets a copy of a manuscript that appears to be written by a foster mother of a young boy, all about his story of being sexually abused for child pornography by his own parents, as he told her his traumatic tales…the boy is also terminally ill…the boy gets the phone number of the host, who is intensely touched by the story, and they strike up phone conversations–the man coming to deeply care for the boy’s wellbeing, and ending up talking even with the foster mother. When he tries to see the boy one day, for holiday–something comes up, and the woman and boy are no-where to be found…Robin Williams’ character, who is a gay man whose younger boyfriend has just moved out of his life–is suffering from a need to care for someone, to fill the void, it seems. Whatever…Anyway–the plot thickens as Gabriel (Williams) starts to suspect there may not actually BE a boy…
Turns out, after chasing this woman to a creepy over-protective little town, and finding out she’s supposedly blind–he is right. The woman–played by Toni Collette—is an over-compulsive liar, and suffering from some other psychosis where she needs to fill a void in her own life, and have people be sympathetic towards her. So she makes up a sick/troubled/traumatized boy–who is ALWAYS in the hospital.
The whole story had an ok premise, but Director Patrick Stettner didn’t do a very good job with the rest of the characters (other than Williams), really, and the movie borders on boring. As well as eerie, and ridiculous sometimes. Like the random pedophile scene towards the beginning of the movie that turns out, due to the whole thing being made up–didn’t need to be there.
Maybe it was to make the story believable, but just goes to show, once again, that Hollywood sometimes are weird morons.
This movie, though I talked a lot about it, was a terrible watch, and lacked any motivation. My only consolation is that I borrowed it, and didn’t actually have to spend money on it.

Wanted–
Now, I love Angelina Jolie, and I love Morgan Freeman, and I loved the previews for this movie. Then I saw it. and I was glad again that this was a movie I hadn’t actually rented/paid money to see. Basically, this movie was set up to be a great action adventure. But wow. It bombs. There is so much hype, that you see it expecting it to not be completely pointless, and are then disappointed.
There is such a degree of graphics and fakeness, that the movie gets lost. The whole ‘bending/curving’ the bullet thing is cool when you see it in the preview. And it’s cool when you see it the first 2 or 3 times in the movie. But it’s the signature move, and every main character does it. Probably 3 times or more.
The worst, most ridiculous bullet move is actually my favorite scene (go figure), where Angelina shoots a bullet, curves her shot, and makes the bullet go in a CIRCLE around the entire room, through several guys’ heads, killing them, then herself.
Oh! And another “twist” that’s ridiculous? The secret society apparently gets their “killing orders” from a loom. That’s right. A LOOM. As in, y’know–a machine spinning thread?! It does. And the assassins get a piece of cloth, and using a code from who knows where, they make numbers which corospond with letters, and spell out names of who the “Loom” assigns them to kill. God forbid it someday spells out “XPLLIVZ NNMMDELLSA”!!
This movie is ok, and had great potential. But I think it was hyped up to be much better than it turned out.