Sunday, July 31, 2011

IDOL Tournament: Round 2 - Kellie Pickler VS Lauren Alaina

This will be very interesting. Two country girls going head-to-head today! Kellie Pickler versus Lauren Alaina. Both can sing and have a good amount of charisma to be inevitably likable. Which country girl will advance?

Poll is open for 24 hours only. If anyone's interested in the matchups DAM NATION planned for the coming weeks, click here to check out the entire 64-player bracket (then click again for a zoomed in view).

Kellie Pickler
6th Place, Season 5
Age: 19
Audition City: Greensboro


Lauren Alaina
Runner-up, Season 10
Age: 16
Audition City: Nashville


VOTE!


Saturday, July 30, 2011

IDOL Tournament: Round 2 - Jordin Sparks VS Alexis Grace

Can I say another lopsided matchup? Jordin Sparks against Alexis Grace. Obviously, the other one is an underdog just because during her season she didn't even make the tour and she's a wildcard entry going into Round 2 in this tournament. That's not to take anything away from the Season 6 Winner though.

Poll is open for 24 hours only. If anyone's interested in the matchups DAM NATION planned for the coming weeks, click here to check out the entire 64-player bracket (then click again for a zoomed in view).

Jordin Sparks
Winner, Season 6
Age: 17
Audition City: Seattle


Alexis Grace
11th Place, Season 8
Age: 20
Audition City: Louisville


VOTE!


Movie Review: Captain America: The First Avenger

To me, Captain America was arguably one of the most difficult superheroes to adapt just because the character in itself had such a one-note personality - a genuinely good guy! No, I'm not saying that it's particularly a bad thing, but in some cases this could actually be a problem as the lead character could eventually come off as boring and a tad earnest. Good thing, that wasn't the case in this film.

I mean, the character himself was possibly one of the things that impressed me about the movie. Despite Captain America's lack of dimension - at the very least, compared to Iron Man and Thor - I found myself rooting for him. The character never came across as anything less than believable, and I think a huge part of that was because of Chris Evans' great portrayal of the role.

Yes, Chris Evans nailed it! I admit, I had doubts with him playing the role of Captain America - I always thought he was just a pretty boy with not enough acting skills - but he proved me wrong. He may not be the best actor in Hollywood today, but he absolutely fit the role perfectly. He was very much likable, had great charisma and he really portrayed the role with subtlety, which I didn't expect.

The supporting cast were also quite stellar. Tommy Lee Jones and Stanley Tucci were both remarkable and brought a couple of good laughs to the film. Same with Hayley Atwell, Sebastian Stan and even Dominic Cooper as Howard Stark. As for Hugo Weaving, I thought he did good for the material he was given, but more on that later.

Visually, the film was obviously stunning. The look and feel of the movie was very authentic - coinciding its setting in the '40s - from the hairstyles down to the set pieces. Even the musical score felt more classic than modern, which to me was a nice touch. Of course, the special effects were absolutely grand. I did feel that some of the sequences looked a bit cartoonish and campy, but that execution somehow worked.

It wasn't without it's flaws though. I, for one, found the pacing of the film a bit uneven. Yes, I appreciated the time it took to establish and develop Steve Rogers as a character during the first half, but it was just a little too long and slow for my liking. Then, when the second half started, everything suddenly went relatively fast that I wanted to see more of Captain America in action! Don't get me wrong, the ones they had were fine, but I just would have liked to see more.

Also, Red Skull wasn't a particularly compelling villain. His character set-up was actually quite nice, but I somehow NEVER saw him as a serious threat to Captain America. I mean, all he really did was to give orders to his people right? Maybe it's just me.

Overall, Captain America was just exactly what it sets out to be - a solid blockbuster film that was guaranteed to entertain. It's flawed - no question about that - but it was immensely enjoyable. And yes, a good set-up for The Avengers next year.

RATING: 8/10

Oh, and stay through the end credits. Seriously? The Avengers trailer gave me goosebumps!! 

Friday, July 29, 2011

IDOL Tournament: Round 2 - Christina Christian VS Vonzell Solomon

Wow. We're halfway there! Today is another diva showdown with Christina Christian and Vonzell Solomon. Both are gorgeous women with powerful instruments, but who will win this one? Let's see.

Poll is open for 24 hours only. If anyone's interested in the matchups DAM NATION planned for the coming weeks, click here to check out the entire 64-player bracket (then click again for a zoomed in view).

Christina Christian
6th Place, Season 1
Age: 20
Audition City: Miami


Vonzell Solomon 
3rd Place, Season 4
Age: 20
Audition City: Orlando


VOTE!


Thursday, July 28, 2011

IDOL Tournament: Round 2 - Adam Lambert VS Bo Bice

Yes, another tough competition is upon us! The battle of possibly two amazing runners-up! Adam Lambert going up against Bo Bice. This is definitely brutal no? So, don't waste your votes then.

Poll is open for 24 hours only. If anyone's interested in the matchups DAM NATION planned for the coming weeks, click here to check out the entire 64-player bracket (then click again for a zoomed in view).

Adam Lambert
Runner-up, Season 8
Age: 27
Audition City: San Francisco


Bo Bice
Runner-up, Season 4
Age: 29
Audition City: Orlando


VOTE!


Wednesday, July 27, 2011

Movie Trailer: New Year's Eve

Imagine a feel good movie with the following stars: Ashton Kutcher, Halle Berry, Sarah Jessica Parker, Lea Michele, Zac Efron, Katherine Heigl, Jessica Biel, Hilary Swank, Michelle Pfieffer, Jon Bon Jovi and tons more. That would be crazy no?

Well, if you remember the movie Valentine's Day with tons of celebrities, here's another one but with New Year as the central "theme" of the film. Of course, a new set of jaw dropping A-list stars are still present in this new production. Enjoy!

Cast: Ashton Kutcher, Halle Berry, Sarah Jessica Parker, Lea Michele, Zac Efron, Katherine Heigl, Jessica Biel, Hilary Swank, Michelle Pfieffer, Alyssa Milano, Josh Duhamel, Jon Bon Jovi, Sofia Vergara, Julie Andrews, Robert DeNiro, Abigail Breslin, Sienna Miller, John Stamos, Ludacris and more..

Release Date: December 9, 2011 (US)

Idol News: Haley Reinhart Signs With Interscope

UPDATE: It's official. Interscope's Press Release, HERE.

It looks like the rumors are true! Haley Reinhart has reportedly scored a record deal with Interscope - the same label where Pia Toscano is currently signed.

I didn't post this news a couple of days ago just because it wasn't anything official aside from Yahoo Music's Lyndsey Parker article. But since another article confirmed this news, this time with The Hollywood Reporter, I guess it's just a matter of time.

According to The Hollywood Reporter:
Though reports surfaced last week, The Hollywood Reporter confirms that Reinhart has joined the 19 Recordings family, after exiting the competition in third place.. An official announcment regarding Reinhart's deal is expected to be made public shortly.
Congrats Haley!

So, this makes Haley Reinhart the fourth Idol of Season 10 to get signed alongside Scotty McCreery, Lauren Alaina and Pia Toscano. Very interesting.

If a couple of them can actually make a decent career out of this, then Season 10 can seriously pull a Season 5 success story with Chris Daughtry, Elliott Yamin, Katharine McPhee, and Kellie Pickler. Mandisa also has a surprisingly good career in Christian music, Bucky Covington as a country singer, Lisa Tucker as an actress (Vampire Diaries), and Ace Young in Broadway. Of course, Taylor Hicks' career wasn't too shabby either.

Anyway, Haley Reinhart's record is one of the albums from Season 10 that I am most interested in hearing. Can't. Wait.

IDOL Tournament: Round 2 - James Durbin VS Josh Gracin

The oddest matchup so far. Rock versus Country. James Durbin versus Josh Gracin. Can't be any more extreme than that right? Good thing, they both finished 4th in their respective seasons. This will be very interesting because Josh is obviously unknown to a lot of people especially those who just tuned in to American Idol for the past few seasons. But, James Durbin is just a wildcard entry coming into Round 2. So, let's see how things will pan out.

Poll is open for 24 hours only. If anyone's interested in the matchups DAM NATION planned for the coming weeks, click here to check out the entire 64-player bracket (then click again for a zoomed in view).

James Durbin
4th Place, Season 10
Age: 22
Audition City: San Francisco


Josh Gracin
4th Place, Season 2
Age: 22
Audition City: Los Angeles



VOTE!


Music Video: Far Away - Tyga (ft. Chris Richardson)

Here's the music video of Tyga featuring Season 6 finalist Chris Richardson. Chris sings the hook on Tyga’s single Far Away and the song is actually climbing up the Rhythmic Charts (US) and has reached Top 20. Not too shabby!

As for the video, it's quite nice. I like that it actually has a storyline that's appropriate for the song and the whole point is more poignant than I expected. Enjoy!

Tuesday, July 26, 2011

IDOL Tournament: Round 2 - Camile Velasco VS Didi Benami

Two very distinct singers. Camile Velasco and Didi Benami. Both had the potential to really last long in the competition, but one got swallowed up by her nerves and the other by her song choices. Such a shame. Let's see who will prevail in this tournament.

Poll is open for 24 hours only. If anyone's interested in the matchups DAM NATION planned for the coming weeks, click here to check out the entire 64-player bracket (then click again for a zoomed in view).

Camile Velasco
9th Place, Season 3
Age: 18
Audition City: Honolulu


Didi Benami
10th Place, Season 9
Age: 23
Audition City: Los Angeles


VOTE!


Concert: American Idol Season 10 Top 11 Live In Manila!!

It's official! The American Idol Season 10 Tour will extend it's run in Manila on September.

A month ago, I posted something about a rumored concert of American Idol Season 10 in Manila. Well, a tweet just a few hours ago confirmed the reports and apparently, Ovation Production will be the one to bring the group in Manila.

As per Manilaconcerts tweet:
AMERICAN IDOL LIVE IN MANILA SEASON 10 TOP 11 Brought to us by Ovation Productions
Also, there are reports that an ad/promo for the concert aired earlier on 2nd Avenue (Local TV Station) a couple of times and disclosed that the concert will happen on September 20, 2011 at the Araneta Coliseum! There!

So everyone, I suggest to start saving for this! 

Anyway, I’ll post more news and update this post - especially once the ticket prices are available - soon.

Ticket Prices after the jump!!




Ticket prices are as follows:
VIP - P12,000
Patron A - P11,500
Patron B - P10,000
Lower Box VIP - P7,500
Lower Box Regular - P5,500
Upper Box A - P3,500
Upper Box B - P1,500
General Admission - P700

Monday, July 25, 2011

IDOL Tournament: Round 2 - Katharine McPhee VS Kimberly Caldwell

Why not pit together two gorgeous talented girls? Today, it's time for some Katharine McPhee and Kimberly Caldwell.  Both actually had acting gigs under their belts - aside from their music careers, of course. Oh, and they are more visible on television. Kim hosts a lot of things for TV Guide Network and Kat will soon star in NBC's new series SMASH.

Poll is open for 24 hours only. If anyone's interested in the matchups DAM NATION planned for the coming weeks, click here to check out the entire 64-player bracket (then click again for a zoomed in view).

Katharine McPhee
Runner-up, Season 5
Age: 21
Audition City: San Francisco


Kimberly Caldwell
7th Place, Season 2
Age: 20
Audition City: Austin


VOTE!


Sunday, July 24, 2011

IDOL Tournament: Round 2 - Fantasia Barrino VS Taylor Hicks

The first of two American Idol Winners showdown! First up, Fantasia Barrino versus Taylor Hicks. Both have very distinct voices that probably propelled them into winning their respective seasons, aside from of course their undeniable charisma. Personally, I don't really know what will happen with this matchup.

Poll is open for 24 hours only. If anyone's interested in the matchups DAM NATION planned for the coming weeks, click here to check out the entire 64-player bracket (then click again for a zoomed in view).

Fantasia Barrino
Winner, Season 3
Age: 19
Audition City: Atlanta


Taylor Hicks
Winner, Season 5
Age: 29
Audition City: Las Vegas


VOTE!


Movie Review: Bridesmaids

A female version of The Hangover - but better!! 

I'll go out on a limb and say that Bridesmaids will probably be THE funniest movie of the year - and that's a huge statement. I laughed so hard that I cried. Heck, I even clapped in one of the film's most hysterical scenes. Haha.

True, the premise was fairly simple and it was quite a straightforward narrative, but the surprising amount of depth the film had completely caught me off guard. I honestly didn't know what to expect from a female-driven Apatow production, but this was actually a refreshingly well paced comedy that obviously took it's time to develop the characters.

Thanks to the hilarious yet cleverly written script by Kristen Wiig herself. I thought that the writing was incredibly knowledgeable of the dynamics between women that the movie actually maximized the potential of the material - exhausting every possible chuckle on different situations. I sure was slightly worried as the first few minutes arguably resorted into cheapish slapstick gags, but as the plot thickens, the humor became more and more subtle and brilliant.

Before I even noticed it, the film threw everything right in front of me - toilet humor, physical comedy, sight gags and even dead pan delivery. Plus, the fact that Bridesmaids wasn't afraid to pull any punches just because the characters were all female.

Which brings me to the movie's most admirable element - the cast. Really. All gave solid, believable and occasionally completely over the top performances with particular standouts being Melissa McCarthy as Megan and Rose Byrne as Helen. And then there was Kristin Wiig. I wasn't sure if her brand of comedy could sustain an entire film, but she blew me away! Not only was she consistently funny, but she also gave her character that vibrant and dynamic life. 

Oh, and can I just say that the scene with Rose Byrne and Kristin Wiig together were undoubtedly some of the most hilarious scenes I've seen this year! Better yet, the best cat fight I've seen without reaching to an actual physical fight. Haha.

Now, the film wasn't entirely perfect. As with all Apatow movies, some scenes were admittedly a little too long that it could probably do with some editing. There were also a few too many subplots - some of which were left unexplored. But then again, everything else about the film worked well so these things were little more than nitpicks no?

To be honest, I'll be very shocked if there's a BETTER mainstream comedy released this year. I mean, I had smiles plastered across my face after watching this film. I couldn't even stop taking about it with my friend for the next couple of hours. Yes, it's that good! And in an era saturated with unnecessary sequels, I actually left the movie hoping to see these girls again - and  that's a rare feeling these days.

 RATING: 9/10

Saturday, July 23, 2011

IDOL Tournament: Round 2 - Tamyra Gray VS LaToya London

Diva Off!! Tamyra Gray going up against LaToya London. This will be interesting as both got eliminated 4th during their season and both were arguably shocking. So, which diva will prevail in this diva showdown? We'll see.

Poll is open for 24 hours only. If anyone's interested in the matchups DAM NATION planned for the coming weeks, click here to check out the entire 64-player bracket (then click again for a zoomed in view).

Tamyra Gray
4th Place, Season 1
Age: 22
Audition City: Atlanta


LaToya London
4th Place, Season 3
Age: 25
Audition City: Los Angeles


VOTE!


Friday, July 22, 2011

IDOL Tournament: Round 2 - Haley Reinhart VS Ryan Starr

This is a bit of an odd pairing, but interesting enough? Today will be the head-to-head matchup of Haley Reinhart and Ryan Starr. One from the most recent season and the other from the first season.

Poll is open for 24 hours only. If anyone's interested in the matchups DAM NATION planned for the coming weeks, click here to check out the entire 64-player bracket (then click again for a zoomed in view).

Haley Reinhart
3rd Place, Season 10
Age: 20
Audition City: Milwaukee



Ryan Starr
7th Place, Season 1
Age: 19
Audition City: Los Angeles


VOTE!


Thursday, July 21, 2011

Movie Trailer: The Amazing Spider-Man

Another trailer for possibly one of the most anticipated films of 2012 got released today! It's the Spider-Man reboot sans Toby McGuire and Sam Raimi (director).

Ok. To be honest, not a fan of Spider-Man. I only saw the original Spider-Man film and that's it. I'm not sure why the franchise needed a reboot when it actually did really well in the box office and it's been what.. 4 years since the last Spider-Man sequel. I think the trailer looks promising, especially with Emma Stone in it, but I just wish the special effects wouldn't be as cartoonish as this. But, we'll see..

Cast: Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone

Release Date: July 3, 2012 (US)

IDOL Tournament: Round 2 - Megan Joy VS Paul McDonald

Quirky! Yes, the best word to describe our Idols for today. It's Megan Joy versus Paul McDonald!

Poll is open for 24 hours only. If anyone's interested in the matchups DAM NATION planned for the coming weeks, click here to check out the entire 64-player bracket (then click again for a zoomed in view).

Megan Joy
9th Place, Season 8
Age: 23
Audition City: Salt Lake City


Paul McDonald
8th Place, Season 10
Age: 26
Audition: Nashville


VOTE!


Wednesday, July 20, 2011

Movie Trailer: Glee: The 3D Concert Movie

Did I say that I will take the "movie trailer" part of this blog more seriously? Haha. Well, here's a first peek at the upcoming Glee 3D Concert Movie, which will hit theatres on August 12 (US) and September 21 (Philippines). Yes, one day after the American Idol Live Tour 2011! Crazy!

Color me excited, but this really looks like a pretty great concert experience. Yes, I'm obviously a Glee fan and although I slightly hated Season 2, a concert movie of this well loved series sounds incredibly fun - at least to me. I have no doubt that this will be SO much better than the Justin Bieber: Never Say Never. Haha. Sue me.

Cast: Lea Michele, Chris Colfer, Cory Monteith, Dianna Agron, Amber Riley, Mark Salling, Darren Criss, Kevin McHale, Naya River, Heather Morris, Jenna Ushkowitz, Harry Shum Jr., Chord Overstreet, Ashely Fink

Release Date: August 12, 2011 (US); September 21, 2011 (Philippines)



Oh, and notice how the trailer goes on and say, DAMovie. DAMusic. HAHA. It's silly, I know. But whatever. :P

IDOL Tournament: Round 2 - Kimberley Locke VS Pia Toscano

Today, it's a diva matchup, Kimberley Locke against Pia Toscano. It will be interesting which Idol will prevail in this one because both are undeniably great singers with impeccable range. Let's see..

Poll is open for 24 hours only. If anyone's interested in the matchups DAM NATION planned for the coming weeks, click here to check out the entire 64-player bracket (then click again for a zoomed in view).

Kimberley Locke
3rd Place, Season 2
Age: 25
Audition City: Nashville


Pia Toscano
9th Place, Season 10
Age: 22
Audition City: Jersey City


VOTE!




Tuesday, July 19, 2011

IDOL Tournament: Round 2 - Trenyce VS Nadia Turner

It's time for some underrated finalists no? Today, it's between Trenyce and Nadia Turner. Both great singers, but clearly underrated during their respective seasons. Who do prefer then?

Poll is open for 24 hours only. If anyone's interested in the matchups DAM NATION planned for the coming weeks, click here to check out the entire 64-player bracket (then click again for a zoomed in view).

Trenyce
5th Place, Season 2
Age: 22
Audition City: Nashville


Nadia Turner
8th Place, Season 4
Age: 28
Audition City: San Francisco


VOTE!


Trailer: The Dark Knight Rises

It's been ages since I last posted a movie trailer on this blog. What gives? Anyway, I'll work on this part of my blog more than usual - starting today!

Let me kick things off with the release of The Dark Knight Rises' trailer! I'm not exactly a big fan of Batman in general, but the last Batman film blew me away. So, I'm pretty excited to see what Christopher Nolan and company will do with the franchise this time. Oh, and Anne Hathaway as Catwoman? Count me in!

Cast: Christian Bale, Anne Hathaway, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Tom Hardy, Marion Cottilard, Morgan Freeman and Gary Oldman

Release Date: July 20, 2012 (USA)

Monday, July 18, 2011

2011 Mid Year Box Office Result: Transformers: Dark of the Moon is #1

Last year, I blogged something about this as well with Toy Story 3 as #1. It's now time to look at how movies of 2011 are doing so far.. and it's not looking good.

Exactly one year ago, three movies have surpassed the $300M mark with Toy Story 3, Alice In Wonderland and Iron Man 2. This year, only one movie did that. Even the films that people expected to be blockbuster hits were lackluster in terms of sales. Just take a look..

01. Transformers: Dark of the Moon - $302,800,000
02. The Hangover Part II - $251,377,150
03. Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides - $237,341,000
04. Fast Five - $209,147,000
05. Thor - $179,500,000
06. Harry Potter & the Deathly Hallows Part 2 - $168,550,000
07. Cars 2 - $165,326,000
08. Bridesmaids - $161,290,000
09. Kung Fu Panda 2 - $160,063,000
10. X Men: First Class - $143,445,000
11. Rio - $141,926,000
12. Rango - $123,257,581
13. Super 8 - $122,242,000
14. Green Lantern - $112,680,000
15. Hop - $108,085,305
16. Just Go With It - $103,028,109
17. Gnomeo and Juliet - $99,967,670
18. The Green Hornet - $98,780,042
19. Bad Teacher - $88,505,000
20. Battle: Los Angeles - $83,552,429

*as of 07/17/2011

Note: Harry Potter's numbers are just for three days alone!! 

IDOL Tournament: Round 2 - Chris Richardson VS Carrie Underwood

Possibly the first lopsided matchup of Round 2. It's Chris Richardson against Carrie Underwood. Is this a given poll or can the other pull an upset? This random showdown is pretty brutal, don't you think?

Poll is open for 24 hours only. If anyone's interested in the matchups DAM NATION planned for the coming weeks, click here to check out the entire 64-player bracket (then click again for a zoomed in view).

Chris Richardson
5th Place, Season 6
Age: 23
Audition City: New York City


Carrie Underwood
Winner, Season 4
Age: 21
Audition City: St. Louis


VOTE!


Sunday, July 17, 2011

IDOL Tournament: Round 2 - Diana DeGarmo VS Scotty McCreery

A teen country battle is upon us. Diana DeGarmo wasn't exactly a country singer during her season, but she's been doing country stuff recently - aside from her Broadway gigs. As for Scotty McCreery, he's obviously a country singer, so whatever.

Poll is open for 24 hours only. If anyone's interested in the matchups DAM NATION planned for the coming weeks, click here to check out the entire 64-player bracket (then click again for a zoomed in view).

Diana DeGarmo
Runner-Up, Season 3
Age: 16
Audition City: Honolulu


Scotty McCreery
Winner, Season 10
Age: 17
Audition City: Milwaukee


VOTE!


Saturday, July 16, 2011

IDOL Tournament: Round 2 - Lee DeWyze VS Chris Daughtry

A pretty tough matchup today! It's between Lee DeWyze and Chris Daughtry. They are almost on the same genre of music - with only Lee on the indie side of rock - so this will be very interesting.

Poll is open for 24 hours only. If anyone's interested in the matchups DAM NATION planned for the coming weeks, click here to check out the entire 64-player bracket (then click again for a zoomed in view).

Lee DeWyze
Winner, Season 9
Age: 23
Audition City: Chicago


Chris Daughtry
Fourth Place, Season 5
Age: 26
Audition City: Denver


VOTE!


DAM NATION: July 2011 Playlist

Now on it's seventh month, here's another set of 15 songs for the month of July. I admit, the last two months were actually tougher than usual just because there weren't enough songs to include on the playlist and there's not enough diversity. Well, July is actually a complete turn around. Too many good songs for a playlist that consists of 15 songs ONLY.

Anyway, just like any other compilations or album that I've posted in this site, the download links will be available for more or less 24 hours ONLY. Oh, and little disclaimer: the format is a little uneven here - most songs except for two are already on .m4a version. There! Enjoy!


01. Moves Like Jagger Maroon 5 (ft. Christina Aguilera)
02. Best Thing I Never Had Beyoncé
03. Tonight Tonight Hot Chelle Rae
04. No One Gonna Love You Jennifer Hudson
05. Inventing Shadows Dia Frampton
06. I Wanna Go Britney Spears
07. Won't Back Down Eminem (ft. Pink)
08. Next 2 You Chris Brown (ft. Justin Bieber)
09. Super Bass Nicki Minaj
10. Lighters Bad Meets Evil (ft. Bruno Mars)
11. If I Die Young The Band Perry
12. Skyscraper Demi Lovato
13. Science & Faith The Script
14. This Time Pia Toscano
15. Swagger Jagger Cher Lloyd

DOWNLOAD
THANK YOU FOR DOWNLOADING!

Friday, July 15, 2011

Movie Review: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2

Where to start?!

Ok. Let me start by saying that although I'm not really a HUGE fan of Harry Potter - maybe until recently - this last film was just absolutely incredible! Not only was this one of the best in the series, but dare I say one of the best films this year.. so far!

On technical merits alone, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2 was arguably on a different league. It was exceptionally shot, faultlessly rendered and carefully photographed. The visual effects were quite stunning and the cinematography gave the film a genuinely epic aura with grand shots and sets designs that were ridiculously detailed.

The scoring was also exceptional. I admit, I rarely notice this aspect in a film, but this one seemed to have a special attention given to them that drew me in right from the beginning. The quietness of some scenes gave the movie a sense of poignancy that's quite heartbreaking. Same with the pounding musical score, which was not overly memorable, but was beautifully composed. To me, the musical scoring lifted the material immensely.

Oh, and the battle sequences actually felt sharper, well choreographed and I found it to be robust and exciting. True, the showdown spectacle wasn't as big of a scale as, say Lord of the Rings, but it was actually more visceral and dynamic than I expected. The fact that this film managed to successfully intertwine action sequences with dramatic progression in the narrative was already an impressive feat.

Which brings me to the screenplay. To be honest, I wouldn't know if the adaptation have stayed true to the book, but I personally thought that the narrative was consistently riveting and, yes, everything just came together superbly in the end. The script was well written and surprisingly fast paced - thanks to David Yates' outstanding direction.

Now, as for acting performances of the cast ensemble? Well, let me just say that words cannot do justice for how excellent their performances were. I mean, the acting was spot on from every character - none of it seemed forged or out of place. Daniel Radcliffe had to carry this film on his shoulders, and he did just that. He was brilliant, which was also complemented with great support from Rupert Grint and Emma Watson. Here, they all came into their own as they moved beyond the script and elevated their characters to a level not seen in the previous films.

The supporting cast were also beyond incredible. Maggie Smith was a delight to watch. I liked how I saw the pain in her eyes, and then suddenly cracked a joke to lighten up the mood. Alan Rickman as Snape was also great. The real star, however, was Ralph Fiennes as Lord Voldemort. He was just sensational! His performance resonated in every single scene he was in. He gave the character an extra dimension and there's a subtlety to the nuances of his portrayal.

Ultimately, this, in my opinion, was a monumental achievement for the Harry Potter franchise. It wasn't perfect by any means, but it was a beautiful farewell for a HUGE series like this. Sweeping cinematography. Immersing score. Amazing acting performances. Compelling story. Yes, it's the best I could have hoped for and more.

Goodbye, Harry Potter.

RATING: 10/10

IDOL Tournament: Round 2 - Casey James VS Danny Gokey

It's a male country duel this time with Casey James and Danny Gokey doing a head-to-head matchup. It'll also be interesting because they both finished third in their respective seasons.

Poll is open for 24 hours only. If anyone's interested in the matchups DAM NATION planned for the coming weeks, click here to check out the entire 64-player bracket (then click again for a zoomed in view).

Casey James
Third Place, Season 9
Age: 27
Audition City: Denver


Danny Gokey
Third Place, Season 8
Age: 28
Audition City: Kansas City


VOTE!


Thursday, July 14, 2011

IDOL Tournament: Round 2 - Crystal Bowersox VS Carly Smithson

Today, it's the battle between two strong female vocalists, Crystal Bowersox and Carly Smithson.

Poll is open for 24 hours only. If anyone's interested in the matchups DAM NATION planned for the coming weeks, click here to check out the entire 64-player bracket (then click again for a zoomed in view).

Crystal Bowersox
Runner-Up, Season 9
Age: 24
Audition City: Chicago


Carly Smithson
6th Place, Season 7
Age: 24
Audition City: San Diego


VOTE!


Wednesday, July 13, 2011

The X Factor: Preview!

Simon Cowell said it well, "What else do you expect?" Haha. To be honest, after the whole Cheryl Cole incident, I'm not looking forward to this other reality show. But I admit, this promo looks really good if a bit overly stylistic complete with those annoying product placements.

I'm also not sure if I like the fact that this is actually a show that's ALL ABOUT SIMON with three other people and a guy who's also British. That said, American Idol and The Voice were all about the judges as well, so whatever. Oh, and it's weird to see Simon wearing a pink sweater! HAHA.

IDOL Tournament: Round 2 - David Archuleta VS Jasmine Trias

To kick things off, we'll start with David Archuleta and Jasmine Trias. Both of them went deep into the competition, David Archuleta finished 2nd during Season 7 and Jasmine Trias got voted off just before the Finale.

Poll is open for 24 hours only. If anyone's interested in the matchups DAM NATION planned for the coming weeks, click here to check out the entire 64-player bracket (then click again for a zoomed in view).

David Archuleta
Runner-up, Season 7
Age: 17 
Audition City: San Diego


Jasmine Trias
Third Place, Season 3
Age: 17
Audition City: Honolulu


VOTE!


Tuesday, July 12, 2011

IDOL Tournament: Round 2 Introduction

Round 1 is done and we now proceed to the more exciting part - the head-to-head matchup!

So, I've split the bracket into 4 groups according to the number of votes they got during the Qualifiers Round (#1, #5, #9 and company are in one group; #2, #6, #10 and company are in one group. You get the picture.) and randomly pair them up in their respective groups. Yes, some will be a bit of a lopsided battle, but it is what it is.

Every day at 10PM EST over the next few weeks, I’ll launch a new set of duels. The polls will be up for 24 hours, and the winner will obviously move on to Round 3. Oh, and just to make things interesting, I'll feature something for every round.

Round 2 - The Idol's basic information and audition video (if available)
Round 3 - The Idol's best performance
Round 4 - Makeovers!!
Round 5 - Where Are They Now?
Round 6 - American Idol Journey

Anyway, if anyone's interested in the matchups DAM NATION planned for the coming weeks, click here to check out the entire 64-player bracket (then click again for a zoomed in view).

Music: This Time - Pia Toscano

UPDATE: Yes, I'll stick with what I said about the song a couple of days ago. The song is very Jordin Spark's Tattoo in terms of the production - not exactly a bad thing - and Pia does have a beautiful voice.

Distinct? Not really, but at least she has that voice to work with. Given the right material, I can really see Pia as a HUGE recording artist. To me, this is a pretty decent-to-good debut single for someone who finished 9th. Just saying.
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Two days ago, I posted something about Pia Toscano getting signed and the release of her song ON TOUR. Well, last night was the American Idol 10's first tour stop - Salt Lake City - and here's a live version (video!) of her debut single, This Time.

As for the song, I can hear a potential hit. Sure, there's nothing particularly groundbreaking about it - not a fan of the lyrics, to be honest - but  the melody is catchy and, yes, Pia's voice just soars on this song. The back track actually reminds me of Jordin Sparks' Tattoo with a little touch of Beyonce's Irreplaceable. I'm still reserving my final judgment until I hear the studio version though, but this is actually better than I expected.


Saturday, July 9, 2011

IDOL Tournament: Round 1 Qualifiers

The results are in - well, most of it - and I will now reveal the qualifiers per season for the head-to-head battle! Did your favorites qualify? If not, there will be a Wildcard Round to complete the 64 slots.

RESULTS after the jump!!

VOTES: 581
Closed: June 28, 2011

 VOTES: 509
Closed: June 29, 2011

 VOTES: 553
Closed: June 30, 2011

VOTES: 536
Closed: July 1, 2011

  VOTES: 549
Closed: July 2, 2011

VOTES: 546
Closed: July 3, 2011

VOTES: 1069
Closed: July 4, 2011

VOTES: 669
Closed: July 5, 2011

 VOTES: 587
Closed: July 6, 2011

 VOTES: 799
Closed: July 7, 2011

VOTES: 332
Closed: July 9, 2011

*this is in order of their placement on the show and not on the actual poll
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