Johnny Simmons

Can I just say I'm loving this idea, I was only recently thinking about Little Women (don't judge) and the similar game that occur somewhere in the novel, story-telling by a group. Well, Robert tagged me in this meme...a sentence in a story that has a final line already...all started by The Kid in the Front Row. Disclaimer: This sentence is horrid, but I'm blaming Simon for freaking me out with her addition (just guess).

          

1. Jane never expected to visit Belarus, but it was the only possibly solution after what had happened.

2. Her lonely planet guide had advised her that it was a great place for birdwatching- so she packed her binoculars- Todd would have been proud, had he not been lying in a coma.

3. Poor Todd; Jane remembered the incident so well: he had spotted a rare long-whiskered owlet, had ran out into the street to snap a photo, and had thusly been hit by an ice cream truck.

4. Except the ice cream truck was actually a roasted salmon!

5. Upon seeing this strange occurance, a Portuguese fisherman who happened to be standing on the other side of the street (and who was also, coincidentally, the resident expert on salmon) ran to scene and called 911, prompting Todd's speedy - albeit smelly - rescue.

6. Naturally, Jane was distraught over the entire salmon/ice-cream truck affair , moreover considering that she was the one who had wanted the photo of that owlet; they were both avid birdwatchers, but she was particularly fond of the owlet.

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30. The three of them left as quickly as they could and vowed never to return again, especially if Jane was in town.

I'm tagging Walter, he's always been strangely happy to be memed (I hope he gets the story back on track...I couldn't. Yikes.)

I'll admit, Glee's not my favourite show at the moment, but it's somewhere close and I just find it so irresistible. I hope the inevtiable backlash that ensues when people get tired isn't too harsh. Anyhow, Glee's going to be back on the 21st with the season premiere...meanwhile, I'm doing a Glee meme. I know, I KNOW another meme. But I was emailed this and I just couldn't NOT do it. I'll be starting tomorrow, which means I'll end on the day of the premiere.

I'll admit, Glee's not my favourite show at the moment, but it's somewhere close and I just find it so irresistible. I hope the inevtiable backlash that ensues when people get tired isn't too harsh. Anyhow, Glee's going to be back on the 21st with the season premiere...meanwhile, I'm doing a Glee meme. I know, I KNOW another meme. But I was emailed this and I just couldn't NOT do it. I'll be starting tomorrow, which means I'll end on the day of the premiere.



Day 01 - Favourite Female Character
Day 02 - Favourite Male Character
Day 03- Your Favourite group performance
Day 04- Your Favourite solo
Day 05- Your Favourite duet
Day 06- Your Favourite Rachel/Finn moment
Day 07- Your Favourite Tina/Artie
Day 08 - Your Favourite Quinn/Puck moment
Day 09 - Your Favourite Kurt/Mercedes moment
Day 10 - Your Favourite Santana or Brittany moment
Day 11 - Your Favourite Sue Sylvester moment
Day 12 - A scene/moment that pissed you off
Day 13 - A scene/moment that made you cry
Day 14 - A scene/moment that made you happy
Day 15 - The couple you ship the MOST
Day 16 - Your Favourite episode
Day 17 - Your least Favourite episode
Day 18 - Your least Favourite character
Day 19 - Your least Favourite performance
Day 20 - Your Favourite quote
Day 21 - Your Favourite guest-star
Day 22 - Your least Favourite guest-star
Day 23 - The character you most relate to
Day 24 - The character you would like to hear/see more of
Day 25 - Something that happened you wish hadn’t
Day 26 - Something that hadn’t happened but you wish had
Day 27 - Your idea for a future Glee episode
Day 28 - Your idea for a future Glee character
Day 29 - Your idea for a future Glee performance
Day 30 - Whatever tickles your fancy
       
Am I the only one unnaturally obsessed with Glee at the moment? Any takers to do the MEME with me?

Remember the grueling TV meme? Well it looks like a movie one is in the making. Blame Ryan: he's the one who keeps pointing me to them. This is going to be particularly tough, but it'll be less tough if I'm not the only one doing it. You've got five hours to submit your first post...here's to a stressful August!

           

Day 31 - Scene that made you stand up and cheer

             

After the last streak of memes I figured that we’d all been “memed” out. Obviously, not.

I’ve been lucky enough (all things being relative) to be singled out by two bloggers for my versatility. In all my 18 months of blogging I’ve never used the word. I’m not quite sure what they mean when they tell I’m versatile, but I’ll surmise it has something to do with my mind hopping to and fro without order. Apparently they do give out an award for general craziness and hysteria. Joy.

                   

Anna is a young up-and-coming blogger with a thirst for knowledge. She also happens to be one of the most prolific tweeters (twitterer?) I know and Darren of the M0vie Blog doesn’t grade his reviews, which means you’re forced to read his reviews. Luckily, they’re quite lucid and well written so it’s a win-win situation. Both of them are worth having on your blog roll.

                 

I’m obliged to nominate fifteen blogs, I can’t say if they all will reciprocate with the meme rules, but here goes. I can't count pass ten…hopefully they haven’t been struck with the disease er, tagged yet. They all are versatile.

           

Luke of Journalistic Skepticism: because he covers everything from the big screen to the small screen to list making, and more list making and Meryl loving and…well, you get it.

Jude of And All that Film: he’s young but he’s enthused about the whole blogging thing (bless him) notes on theatre, notes on film and notes on TV

            

Ryan T. of Sorta that Guy: he loves Federer to a fault and all things Josh Whedon (especially a certain wicca named Willow)

Crazy Cris of Here and There and Everywhere: a bit obsessed with the tube, and football and European things especially Spanish (particularly Nadal)

Rachel of Rachel’s Reel Reviews: recently began a podcast with Jess and is always skipping back and forth between film and TV with a very cool rating system.

              

Jess of Insight into Entertainment: A West Wing aficionado and a Friends lover that I'm now getting to know

       

Yojimbo of Let’s Not Talk About Movies: smart but personable, well written but simple to understand. If that’s not versatility…

                

Walter of The Silver Screening Room: a big fan of Drew Barymore, ALW and Glenn Close (but I don’t know in what order). Goes to film school and will blog about anything…or else…

            

Tom S. of Reinvention, the Journal of a Dog Lover...: Thoughtful essays on film and on platitudes of life (that end up seeming inventive). 

              

And now on to some random intimation that makes me lose a little bit of my privacy, in keeping with the theme it shall all be very versatile.

                 

1: I consider William Wordsworth to be the greatest poet of all time. I suppose today his “traditional” romanticism does not seem as innovative as some of the more contemporary rule-breakers, but I have special place in my heart for him. He can be light (and lithe) and carefree and then move to moving and poignant in one line.

    

2: On the note of artists, I’d probably say Stephen Sondheim is the greatest musician (at least of the last century). I’m never sure if I prefer his words or his music but they’re all so excellent together or alone. He’s worked with so many of the greats and has become a great himself – deservedly so.

          

3: One of my nicknames in high school was “The Human Dictionary”. I probably don’t need to deign to explain, Univarn recently told me I’m notorious for my big words which are never deliberate. I know they say people who use big words have some complex, but I just like the variety of the English Language.

            

4: I generally alternate between moments of excessive obsessive compulsion and moments of not caring at all. One thing I’m particularly neurotic about is school, which I hate but I still obsess over it. I’m an anomaly of a student, I don’t study regularly, I skip classes but I still end up doing quite well. I’m sensing my bad deeds will catch up with me sometime.

                

5: I’m infamous for hating (my) birthdays. I can’t remember when it started, but I was ill-fated enough to watch The Hours on one of them and ever since then Laura Brown just haunts my days (…and what’s to celebrate about the aging process, anyway?).

                   

6: I may have said this before, but post-Shakespeare I’d say Arthur Miller and Tennessee Williams are possibly my favourite playwrights of all time. I know Eugene O’Neill is often identified with them, but I generally loathe the man. I just find him to be a chore (“Strange Interlude? Ick.)

              

7: I said this on Heather’s blog recently; I’ve never seen a movie with my father. It’s weird, and embarrassing. We don’t live together, but we’re not estranged. I shall be rectifying that in due time. Incidentally, I’m always forcing my mother and sisters (and my nephew) to watch movies. My mother loved Places in the Heart, one of my sisters still thinks Streisand’s “So Long Dearie” in Hello, Dolly! is one of the greatest bits of comedic timing and the other one believes that Dangerous Liaisons has some of the greatest lines of the cinema.

             

There, take that for your inquisitiveness. 

ADDENDUM: Silly me, I didn't realise that the lovely Heather of Movie Mobsters tagged me too. I've been commenting on Heather's site very crazily this month, it started off as a shameless attempt to win the $10 I-tunes giftcard and then I realised that hers was actually an excellent blog (I'm glad I got around to following her and her Mobster Family).

I have not been dedicating as much time to the small screen over the past year, I’ve been keeping up sporadically only with some of my favourites and I haven’t seen as much of many. It wasn’t quite the banner year for new shows like years past but there were a number of auspicious new additions. It’s a bit clichéd to single this particular one out, but I’d feel a little overly stoic if I conduct a 30 day TV meme without focusing on the little show that could – Glee. Anyone could tell you that Glee has its issues – that I’ll admit too. Others might tell you that Glee is unrealistic – that I think is missing the point. in the same way that Grease is an unrelenting parody (albeit, a little ineffective at times) of teenage stereotypes Glee – complete with its missteps on occasion – aims at the stereotypes of high school. I don't particularly care for the word best, I'll go with favourite.

A show like Glee is a bit of an anomaly on the small screen and I’m quite surprised at the cultural phenomenon it’s turned into. I’m a bit worried it’s heading to the ultimate letdown, for with all the hype and all the success it’s attained there seems no way to go but down. But it is what it is. Matthew Morisson’s attempts to revive the Glee Club at his high school while facing opposition from the dastardly Sue Sylvester present the crux (seemingly at least) of the show. But like so many school dramas, the importance of Glee rests on the shoulders of the student. I’ve had an affection for Lea Michele since hearing her on the cast recording for Spring Awakening and her bit part on Ragtime in the late nineties. Thus, perhaps I’m a little bit overly fond of her – even her role is more of a double edged sword than is obvious. It’s particularly difficult for anyone to make the ludicrousness of Rachel’s craziness works, and though Lea has her moments of doubt – she still stands out as my favourite of the cast. Not that she works alone though, the aforementioned Lynch and Morisson are important to the show, even if Morisson’s bland charm is hard to appreciate at times. But each cast member has their role and each fulfils it Amber Riley brings the sass with just the right amount of heart, Chris Colfer does a good job as the pocket gay, Mark Salling, Naya Rivera and Kevin McHale are just a fraction of Glee regulars contributing to the diversity of the show.

And then of course, there are the guests. No primetime show can match Will & Grace when it comes to excellent use of guests but Glee does a good job of using stars that are often forgotten – particularly those from the stage. It’s a part of its charm, and though it has its issues it’s nice to see the actors we probably wouldn’t be seeing on the big screen any time soon. Glee doesn’t exactly give us a fresh perspective on life or high school but week after week it (attempts to least) gives a little bit of joy. It’s not perfect, and I’m unsure on what will happen at the Emmy’s…but if I remember anything from the last television season it will be Glee.

This entry is part of my ongoing meme on TV Moments

Crime drama procedurals are really a dime a dozen. Yet, when I think of show that more people should pay attention to I can't help but gravitate to a particular show about a police from Georgia who arrives in Los Angeles to deal with crime head on. The Closer is a show that grew from one I liked to one I can't help but love and considering that it's "merely" a crime drama, you may wonder...what makes it worth seeing? Good question. Two words - Kyra Sedgwick.

At this moment Ms. Sedgwick has earned four consecutive nominations for Best Actress in A Drama at the Emmy's. She had the misfortune to  lose to Mariska Hargitay of that dreaded crime show in her first year - a year where she was head and shoulders above the competition. Sedgwick has continued turning out excellent performances, but I'm unsure who's watching. Still the vieweriship of 5ML per season is not horrible, but it deserves better because The Closer is more than just a run of the mill show focusing on crimes week after week. It fails to fall  into the trap that so many procedurals do. The Closer has a cast of "people" and not "types".

Week after week the show's main cast are more interesting than the guests and that's what makes The Closer special. It's supposed to be like that. We're invested in the machinations of Brenda and Fritz. We like to see her fighting with J.K. Simmons' perfectly played Assistant Chief Pope. Sometimes it seems The Closer even forgets that its a crime procedural and not a straight drama - and it's all for the better. I don't know if Kyra will ever get that Emmy it deserves, I don't know if this upcoming sixth season will be its last. But I do know that I love The Closer, and chances are you might too.

Television is a dastardly mistress. The existence of a show is ever more ephemeral than that of a film, especially in a time when few shows are in demand on DVD and only a select few are lucky enough to be aired after their time has expired. If a show doesn’t go completely all out or suffice to a bland, generic niche in its first few episodes the dreaded c word emanates – cancelled. In the wake of the 2007-2008’s writer’s strike a marvellous new show was put on hold. It reappeared half a year later, even more innovative than before. I suppose, though, in a way it was ahead of its time and it was cancelled with only 24 episodes in two seasons. Such was the story of last decade’s comedic masterpiece Pushing Daisies.

Pushing Daisies was – not by coincidence, I’m sure, just like the euphemism from which its title derives. What is the phrase pushing up daisies if not a whimsical and perhaps irreverent title given to the dead. And it’s this same whimsicalness which is inherent in the atypical hilarity, blindingly bubbly colour palette and ferociously original concept of the show. The story…? A young boy realises he has the inexplicable gift of reviving dead things, but like all gifts it comes with stipulations. If he allows the undead thing, or person, to live for more than one minute something of similar “life value” dies (a man for a man, a flower for a flower, an animal for animal). He revives his dead dog while a bird falls dead; he revives his mother after a heart attack precipitating the death of his childhood sweetheart’s father. What Ned does not know is that if he touches the revived again they die again – permanently. Thus, a good night kiss from his mother renders her dead eternally. Ned becomes a pie maker and happens upon his childhood sweetheart – dead. He revives after some emotional conflict, and therein lays the crux of one of the show’s main conflicts. Chuck and Ned are in love, but alas, cannot touch.

Pushing Daisies does something special. Each episode surrounds the dead and their story, yet each episode leaves you with convinced of the joy in life. It balances the dark (and perhaps more realistic) overtures of disaster in the world with a blind faith and glee that is completely charming. I don’t know why Pushing Daisies met such a woeful end. Can a show be too good for the public? I never know why more weren’t watching, I don’t know why ABC performed one of its most cruelly inane acts. But cancelled it is. Nonetheless, Pushing Daisies is a marvel and I’ll soon be buying it on DVD. Chances are you haven’t seen it.