American Idol 10: Top 13

Hmm. This, to me, was an uneven performance night. A couple of people stood out, but nothing was over-the-top stellar. I don't know. Maybe I was just a bit underwhelmed just because they - especially the girls - were really good last week. But while no one really nailed it from start to finish, I could really see the potential in many of them.

Good thing, the judges did better tonight. Both Steven Tyler and Jennifer Lopez gave appropriately critical things towards a couple of contestants, which, to me, was a step in the right direction. They still let too many things go, but that's somewhat understandable - Hello, Ellen DeGeneres anyone?

Now, I also have to point out that I somewhat liked the involvement of music producers. I actually appreciated the fact that some attempted different arrangements with overdone songs - even if not all of them worked - but I think this is a year that the season will get better as it goes along. Somehow, I think by Top 10, we'll start seeing some breakout buzzworthy performances.. hopefully.

Anyway, here we go!

DISCLAIMER: I am no expert, but this is my opinion - to each his own - and yours will be in the comments below! Haha. 

13. Ashthon Jones

When You Tell Me That You Love Me
Vonzell Solomon pwned this song and Ashthon just paled in comparison. Seriously. Why this? I hated the arrangement, her adlibs were odd and she sounded rough all throughout the performance. I understand that she wanted to show a different part of her voice, but I kind of liked the sassy Ashthon - not this! So while I find her tone eerily similar to Beyonce - with less power - this just didn't work for me. The song was just too big for her. Sorry. 4/10

12. Jacob Lusk

I Believe I Can Fly
Wow. Jacob was seriously sharper than a diamond drill bit and the judges barely commented on it!! What gives? Maybe all the smoke and mirrors of over singing totally distracted them from the fact that he was wildly off key.. like really off key.It started when he absolutely destroyed that key change and began riffing like there's no tomorrow, which made the melody barely recognizable, and then continued to be off key for almost the rest of the song with ugly high notes until he got it back on that final redeeming note. Yes, I hated this performance. Everything was just SO overdone. The vocals, the cloudy background, and the choir. Oh, and  if people thought Pia's song choice was cheesy, Jacob's was an extra large bowl of nacho cheese. 4/10

11. Paul McDonald

Come Pick Me Up
Something about Paul really bugs me.. umm, stop moving ok? Ugh. I'm sorry, but I'm already getting sick of him hopping and jumping around the stage. Is that what people call stage presence? Moving aimlessly on stage? It's unfortunate because I seriously want to like Paul, but they better throw a guitar back at him before he bobble heads off the stage. I mean, the whole performance just didn't do him any favors, and I happen to like quirky voice. His lower range was weak, the vocals were uneven and the dancing didn't fit the song AT ALL. He kind of sounded a bit like James Blunt in this song - I'll give him that - but I think he isn't good by himself. He's definitely a band guy. Just saying. 4.5/10

10. Karen Rodriguez

I Could Fall In Love
So, wait. Karen is Latina? Ugh. We get it already! Stop! Haha. Karen, I admit, has a nice tone to her voice and I really think she's adorable, but  I have to say that she was boring like toast! Really. I just don't find her engaging at all. If she's going to do LATINA in capital letters, she might have to pull out a Shakira to get out of these ballad doldrums. She needs to ditch these boring cliche ballads and sing something interesting!! 5/10

09. Haley Reinhart

Blue
Ok. Haley's performance was a bit tricky. She started out really rough, but I actually thought she got better towards the end, especially going between the yodeling and a little bit of that sultry growling she’s more known for. I admit, the yodeling sounded strange for me, but everything else worked way better than I thought it would. The only problem I have with Haley now is that I have NO freakin' idea what kind of artist she is. I mean, she went from Alicia Keys to that old country music via LeAnn Rimes? Sure, I don't mind versatility with the themes and artists, but I'm so confused with her. I thought she was R&B soul? 6/10

08. Thia Megia

Smile
Her performance went downhill so fast, I didn't get to catch it. Haha. I don't know. She had a really great pitch at the beginning and she sounded beautiful, but suddenly when the band came in, the cheese had to explode out. Haha. Yes, it was an interesting jazzy arrangement, but she could have used a more traditional arrangement with this - or better yet, just the stripped down version of the song. Vocally, it wasn't even bad, but I could tell that the producers were trying to make her current and Thia just didn’t believe in it. She shouldn’t have picked such an old fashioned song again. Sad. 6.5/10

07. Stefano Langone

Lately
Wait, a disco version of Lately? Haha. Crazy! What's up with this arrangement? Ok. To be honest, a part of me thought that the arrangement actually worked for Stefano, but parts of it seemed a bit awkward as well. I don't know. I appreciated the fact that he took the risk of changing it up as it sounded really dynamic, which was good, but I was just a little confused by it as far as the emotions of the song. Vocally, I thought he sang it really well, if a bit flawed. 6.5/10

06. Lauren Alaina

Any Man Of Mine
The song that sent Siobhan Magnus and Mandisa home! Is this a sign? Doubtful. I think it's safe to say that Lauren will break the curse of this song. Having said that, I oddly prefer the impact that Siobhan's version had. True, Lauren had the energy coupled with her effortless vocals, but she did seem to slow down the lyrics a bit, which made the performance a bit timid. The background singers seemed to be overly supportive that I can barely hear her alone and her phrasing sounded choppy in parts. No, I didn't think it was bad, but like the judges said, she needs to just challenge herself more. It irked me a bit when she got criticized for it and then she started pouting. I guess, she got a little too used to the unadulterated praises. So now, she comes off - at least to me - as too entitled. Not good. Blech! 7/10

05. Scotty McCreery

The River
Oh come on Scotty! If you're going to do Garth Brooks, go all out and wear the hat! Haha. Truth be told, I'm not a fan of country music, but somehow Scotty managed to put a huge grin on my face while he was performing. No, this wasn't the strongest vocal of the night as I thought it actually didn't go anywhere, but he amazingly picked the perfect song to showcase his deep country voice. I wonder if America will ever get tired of him though. I mean, it doesn't seem like he even needs to try. All he needs to do is show up and sing some random country tune from his childhood. Haha. Whatever, I'm probably just nitpicking. 7/10

04. Pia Toscano

All By Myself
Yes, Pia. You convinced me. You can sing any cheesy song in the world and make it beautiful. Seriously. She's definitely one of the few contestants on American Idol who can actually tackle a REAL diva song and do it justice. I mean, I usually hate the diva-wannabe contestants on the show, but for some reason, Pia doesn't bother me. In fact, I'm still in awe of her vocal control and that impeccable power. A little too repetitive of an arrangement though, but she worked it with those vocals. Now, I’m at the point of wanting her to stop hammering home her upper range belting ability with key changes and glory notes though. I think it's time for her to prove that she can get the emotions right with a good uptempo song and also show the stage presence. She can do so much more with her impressive voice and I’d like for her to show it. 7.5/10

03. James Durbin

Maybe I'm Amazed
Again, let me eat my words now because I really spoke too soon about James. He totally surprised me again! He managed to tone it down a second week in a row, and everything just came off just right. His vocals were amazing - whether he was doing falsetto, singing regular or wailing - and he brought some soul into this performance. I thought Crystal Bowersox nailed this song last season, but James' version was just as solid. If he keeps this up, he might absolutely win me over. Oh, and he had no bandana and scarf tail on, which is always a plus on my book. Haha. 8/10

02. Naima Adedapo

Umbrella
Sure, this was far from being the best vocal of the night - not because she can’t sing, but because of everything else she threw in it - but Naima's performance was certainly the most relevant and exciting of them all. Really. Her rendition of Umbrella was incredibly AMUSING. Who knew? I highly enjoyed it and I loved the fact that I heard a bit of reggae on American Idol. She worked that stage and between the rapping and her dancing, yes, I died of laughter. This was so epic. Ha! Again, the vocals were off, but it's a Rihanna song. Big deal. 8/10

01. Casey Abrams

With A Little Help From My Friends
In Casey's words, "I want to be felt". I think I did. Haha. Ok. So while this performance really gave off a strong Taylor Hicks vibe, I actually enjoyed this. Sure, the last 30 seconds was more talk-singing than an actual singing, but I seriously like that he lives in the music, if that makes any sense. The vocals were on point, his musicality was absolutely impressive and he was enthusiastic, which was so refreshing. I thought this performance almost had that classical appeal. Now, I’m looking forward to the week when he sings a song straight. I wonder if it'll have the same impact. Let's see. 8.5/10

American Idol 10: Ranking the Top 13

.. and here I am again, this time trying to size up this season's Top 13.

Truth be told, I sucked at this last year, where I predicted Didi Benami - at this same exact point last season - as the winner of Season 9. Well, I obviously guessed wrong because she got eliminated on her third performance - yes, Top 10. Haha. Who knew? I mean, I was able to predict a David Cook and Kris Allen win. Haha.

Now, before anything else, let me revisit my “fearless” American Idol 10: Top 13 Prediction last week - just before everyone's actual performances - and my scorecard is as follows: 5/7 for the girls and 4/6 for the guys. That's not too shabby for a prediction without taking into account their live performances.

But like what I've said before, this is just all about that proverbial guessing game of who will end up where and I have to say that this year is particularly hard to predict just because this season has become possibly one of the most competitive years EVER! Seriously. I'm kind of rackin' my brain here trying to predict how this season will go and it's tough.

Yes, there are a couple of standouts that will likely make the Top 5 based on personality, talent, fanbase and, of course, the pimping, but I honestly think that the game has changed since Simon Cowell left the show and we are definitely now in an uncharted waters, which makes this an unpredictable season. 

These rankings are not just about singing skill or how they did during the semifinals - though those things definitely count. But, I can tell you that I also take into consideration the performances we have seen of them, the buzz about the contestant, how a contestant relates to the audience, the audience perception of the contestant, the judges’ critiques, the show's pimping, the contestant’s overall Idol-worthiness and of course, personal preference. Haha. Sure, it's not scientific, but whatever.

Well, here is my best guess on how this season could turn out. 

13. Ashthon Jones

POSSIBLE RANK: 10 - 13

The Black Diva Just Never Dies! Haha. I think the reason Ashthon made it to the Top 13 is so she can be the Paige Miles and/or Jasmine Murray of the season. Notice how she fits into that mold perfectly? Well, I like myself some Ashthon Jones. I think she got some spunk, her performances are usually sassy and she is pretty talented. I kind of liked her performance of Love All Over Me because she was able to prove herself as a viable mainstream RnB artist. But then, And I Am Telling You happened and she just showcased her vocal limitations. So while Ashthon has attitude, she lacks the true vocal talent of a Jennifer Hudson. When she can no longer hold out a note, she simply cuts it off in mid-wail. She's going to have to figure out that she does not have the vocal chops of a true talented diva before she becomes another Lil Rounds.

12. Karen Rodriguez

POSSIBLE RANK: 10 - 13

Ok. I take back what I said on my blog with regard to Ranking the Top 24 that I wouldn't be unhappy to see her advance in the Final 13. What changed? Her song choice: Hero. Haha. I honestly thought that her idea of mixing Spanish with the song was more of a gimmick than anything else. Disregard that fact and we're left with a mediocre performance. I must say, her vocals are not great when she sings in English and she polarizes a lot of people when she sings in Spanish. Plus, I can't see her doing the mix thing every week. It will get very old.. fast! Sweet girl, but she maybe this year's Jorge Nunez. Remember him? Haha.

11. Haley Reinhart 

POSSIBLE RANK: 8 - 13  

Somehow, I have this funny feeling that Haley is going to surprise a lot of people in how far she goes - think of Haley Scarnato. Haha. But kidding aside, while I'm not entirely a fan of her, I think she's far more interesting than Karen Rodriguez. Her voice is unique and she can sing in key and on pitch and that may sound simple and obvious, but after last season that's something I don't take for granted anymore. Haha. Let's see. Time will tell and who knows, I could be completely wrong and she could go home next week.

10. Naima Adedapo

POSSIBLE RANK: 6 - 12
 
She’s unique, can sing and has a good back-story. Is she possibly the next American Idol? No, I don't see it. I don't think her voice is as strong as the others and her vocal technique simply needs more improvement. To be honest, I find her voice just slightly above average, and if you disregard the fact that she looks off beat, she, to me, is just mediocre at best. That said, I think her Wildcard performance of For All We Know will guarantee a week to survive, but I'm not so sure anymore after that. Just saying.

09. Jacob Lusk

POSSIBLE RANK: 5 - 10
 
He's talented and the things he can do are more than astonishing - there's no doubt about it - but his style is just very Season 2. I don't know. I think the sheer strength of his rendition of A House Is Not A Home will guarantee him a couple more weeks, but his over-the-top parody of a gospel-style singing will get old soon and possibly be the reason for his early ouster. Plus, I can sense that Jacob will eventually polarize too many people as he's too.. umm, flamboyant for a lot of Idol viewers. But, what do I know, Adam Lambert went on to become a runner-up. Haha. Still, I can see him pulling a Mandisa type of American Idol journey: good but got eliminated early. 

08. James Durbin

POSSIBLE RANK: 5 - 10

Yes, I'm going to have to eat my words now because I guess I spoke too soon about James. No, I'm still not a fan, but he did prove me wrong when he performed a Judas Priest song - a first on Idol - and performed with some impeccable range that wasn't grating at any point.  I mean, I've been used to seeing him over the past few weeks trying to go all out and leave an impression by hitting crazy notes that, to me, was nothing but showboating. I know better know as I finally saw a glimpse of what he can do when he is forced to limit himself. I still don't he will go as far as Adam Lambert did, but give him vocal restraints and he will do very well.

07. Stefano Langone

POSSIBLE RANK: 5 - 10

If not for his stunning rendition of I Need You Now, he'd probably be dead last on my list. But since he currently holds what I think is the best performance of the season (so far!), I don't see him going anywhere up until maybe Top 10 night - where everything's scary! Haha. If he can maintain that momentum complete with his undeniable  boyish charms, I can seriously see him outlasting other heavy favorites like James Durbin and Jacob Lusk. He’s got to remember though that America wasn’t convinced on his first crack. So, he has to make it his job to prove he belongs there every single week. Think, Syesha Mercado! She fought hard, and I want to see him get far.

06. Thia Megia

POSSIBLE RANK: 3 - 8

Thia, to me, is honestly the most unpredictable contestant this season - the same reason why she receives my middle of the pack award. Haha. I mean, she could be another Jasmine Trias and last really long in the competition or bore everyone just like Ramiele Malubay and get an early boot. Yes, she could get further and maybe even sneak into the Top 3, but I really think she needs some great performances to make that happen. Also, she needs to loosen up! Seriously. Thia may alienate the audience with her mild, zen expression and interpret that as being cold and a little standoff-ish. It will not - in any way - help her campaign to be the next American Idol. But, I'm pretty sure the Filipino voting block on American Idol is solid, thus, I expect her short of a Top 8 finish. Unless, of course, if she suddenly delivers a trainwreck performance.

05. Paul McDonald

POSSIBLE RANK: 2 - 10

Yes, I admit, there's something inherently cool about Paul, but I just can't get into his vibe. I don't know. Maybe it's because he sounds so much like Rod Stewart - not fan, either - but with less depth of tone. But why am I ranking him this high? Simple, he's a mega frauen bait! Look, the current Idol demo - lot's of middle-aged women and their kids - loves their White Guys With Guitars (See: David Cook, Kris Allen and Lee DeWyze). So, in that case, I wouldn't be surprised if Paul actually gets into the Finale because aside from Casey Abrams, he's the only one who fits that bill. He needs to be really smart with his song choices though. I can sense that once as he falls into “safe”, he will be in trouble. I think his challenge now is going to be keeping the audience intrigued and engaged.

04. Pia Toscano

POSSIBLE RANK: 2 - 7

No, I don't think her rendition of I'll Stand By You was anywhere near Fantasia's Summertime territory, but I agree that her performance instantly made her a dark horse in this year's competition. To me, she was biggest surprise of the semifinals. She's gorgeous, showcased an amazing range with great vocal control and a fantastic stage presence to boot. Plus, she also seemed to be very genuine. Now, the only thing that will keep from advancing to, at the very least, the Finale would be her fanbase. Unless, ALL the fans of the eliminated contestants join Pia's fans and vote for her,  I sadly don't see her reaching the Final 2. I'm also crossing my fingers that she didn't peak too early a la Siobhan Magnus.

03. Casey Abrams

POSSIBLE RANK: 1 - 5

Another reason why I don't think Paul will last that long is because he and Casey are both kind of quirky and I think Casey's personality and how funny he is will help him grab more votes from eliminated contestants than Paul will be able to. I mean, there isn't room for both of them beyond the Top 5 - perhaps Top 4. In other words, Casey and Paul will cancel each other out and, yes, I'm backing up Casey on this one. But while I think that Casey stands out because of his unique style and look, it's a sad fact that America - or at least, American Idol viewers - is not that into jazz and he comes off a little too bluesy and jazzy. Now, you may take this whatever you want, but I think he's the second coming of Taylor Hicks, and I have to say that the Soul Patrol was an unstoppable force made up largely of older women during Season 5. Just saying.

02. Lauren Alaina

POSSIBLE RANK: 1 - 5

Let's get this out of the way: I DON'T LIKE HER! True, she may be able to sing, but nothing she's said or done has warmed me up to her. I find her precocious, entitled, and downright obnoxious. She's too confident and needs to eat some low calorie humble pie. I mean it. If I'm being honest, I wouldn't vote for Lauren even if she were the only one in the competition - or even if it's between her and Kermit the Frog! Just no! Now, the only reason why I ranked her this high is because of the unbelievable pimping she got from the show. Of course, they will do everything just to make her this year's winner. But as history suggests, contestants who were shoved down to our throats NEVER won the competition (see: Adam Lambert, Danny Gokey, Lil Rounds and maybe David Archuleta). So, I'm really hoping for a backlash anytime soon. Haha. Besides, why would I like someone who sounds like Carrie Underwood and Kelly Clarkson if I can listen to them instead?

01. Scott McCreery

POSSIBLE RANK: 1 - 7

Are you shocked? I am. Haha. I don't love Scott - the same way I love David Cook, Kris Allen and Katharine McPhee - but I like him and I honestly think that he could very easily win this thing. He's talented and he's wildly popular. And while I don't like to see another guy win American Idol on it's fourth consecutive year, I'd rather have him than the annoying Lauren Alaina. Scotty's voice is country gold and they will sign this boy the first chance they get. They are probably already having songs written for him to record and are already planning his career. Heck, he could very well be the most successful contestant EVER! Think, a male Taylor Swift. The only thing working against him is his versatility. I just can't see him being able to cope with the demands of Idol. Yes, they won't be doing as many harder themes from what I've heard, but there will be themes. He pretty much has only a 1 octave range - he sounds great doing it, but he's really not entirely original.

Oh, and on a shallow note: Scotty is the only one who could actually complete the Kristy Lee Cook winner prophecy. You know, Kris Allen, Scotty McCreery, Lee DeWyze and David Cook. Haha. It all makes sense right? It's silly, I know.

How do you think this season will turn out? Any specific rankings?  

Glee Season 2: Sexy Episode Review

Sexy

Season 2, Episode 15

Ugh! Another meandering episode. Frankly, I've given up on expecting any semblance of continuity or sense with the plot of Glee. I don't know. This, to me, was a lame and disappointing episode. I liked the first 10 minutes and then it went downhill for me. But maybe that's just me.

THE GOOD:

- Although I still think that Holly Holiday contributed absolutely nothing to the show, I find her character hilarious. I like a couple of her quotes, especially the "my lips are sealed, just like your legs."

- Some of the things that happened in this episode were funny because of it's absurdity - but not all though.

- For me, the only potentially redeeming part - aside from Holly's existence - was Santana. I mean, I really liked her in this episode and her potential growth. I'm just hoping the writers wouldn't f*cked up his character too.

- Emma was hysterical. That is all.

THE BAD:

- Umm, how is having two gay guys sing and sound like a robot supposed to be sexy to a bunch of girls? I just don't understand.

- Arguably, this episode had the lamest song choices EVER! Sorry. Just not a fan. Also, why did they let Holly Holiday sing three of the five songs in this episode - mind you, the other one was performed by the Warblers! The last time I checked, this was supposed to be about the New Directions right? Did I miss something?

- Tell me, where the hell did Quinn's character development go? I mean, she seemed to have come out a better person after the pregnancy experience and now all that disappeared in what, two episodes? I guess, the writers didn't know what to do with Quinn despite the fact that she had a baby last season and that kind of thing cannot be ignored just like that.

- Quinn and Finn's relationship has no development and, yes, it's becoming extremely contrived.

- True, I kind of liked Kurt's interactions with his dad, but I have to say that it wasn't entirely consistent with how he was in the last episode. Really. Last episode, Kurt wanted his dad to talk to him about sex, and suddenly now he's not? What gives?

- All the kids joining the celibacy club was just stupid because I know that it’s not going to mean a thing by next week. Lame.

- Oh, and still annoyed me to no end that Lauren Zizes - though I love her - got so much scenes, while other characters like Mercedes and Tina were basically props in the background.

- Yes, I mentioned that I liked Santana in this episode, but the romance between her and Brittany just felt weird. So while I understand why they addressed it, everything just felt forced like all relationships on this show.

- Finally, even though Sue didn't appear in this episode that much, her character has jumped the shark. The last show that featured her character was so over-the-top, it wasn’t even funny - it was just stupid.

THE MUSIC: 

DO YOU WANNA TOUCH ME was entertaining. It wasn't as compelling as her rendition of Forget You, but it was still fun to watch. I like the choreography and, again, this number had that Season 1 feel to it.

ANIMAL. Hated their cover of the song - both Blaine and Kurt sounded too robotic with all the autotunes - and I didn't care for this performance as well. I don't know. Maybe I feel like the Warblers are getting more group numbers - some even pretty random - compared to New Directions, which is weird. Heck, the set up of this just didn't make sense to me.

KISS was laughable - in a bad way. Haha. Will Schuester's opening falsetto ruined this performance, I think. Sure, the choreography was decent and the set design looked good, but then again, it would've been nice to see the Glee club perform a group number than to watch Will and Holly gyrate at each other. Not cool.

LANDSLIDE. Now, this, I thought, was beautiful. Holly sounded great and so was Santana and Brittany. However - and I'll say it again - I didn't like the fact that Holly lead this performance. I mean, why didn't they just let Santana and Brittany sing this??? Santana is a better singer than Holly Holiday. Enough said.

AFTERNOON DELIGHT. Hands down, the best musical performance of this episode. This was hysterical. Seriously. I loved how they made the song extremely wholesome and innocent - even if the song, in itself, is inappropriate. Haha. Emma and Quinn sounded good together, who knew? And Rachel's expression during the song was priceless. Oh, and Emma telling Rachel the recipe of Afternoon Delight was pretty funny! Thank God!

So yeah I’m done with my whine fest now.

Download music HERE.
Download episode HERE.

American Idol 10: Top 13 Song Spoilers

Ok. Apparently, American Idol is still taping their next two episodes just because they need to fix a few technical kinks they're experiencing. So, this means more song spoilers!! Yay!!

Anyway, I'll try to post a couple of tidbits of what actually went down later, but for now the song spoilers!

Read at your own risk!!

Songs and Performance Order

1. Lauren Alaina - Any Man Of Mine Shania Twain
2. Casey Abrams - With A Little Help From My Friends The Beatles
3. Ashthon Jones - When You Tell Me That You Love Me Diana Ross
4. Paul McDonald - Come Pick Me Up Ryan Adams
5. Pia Toscano - All By Myself Celine Dion
6. James Durbin - Maybe I'm Amazed Paul McCartney
7. Haley Reinhart - Blue LeAnne Rimes
8. Jacob Lusk - I Believe I Can Fly R. Kelly
9. Thia Megia - Smile Michael Jackson
10. Stefano Langone - Lately Stevie Wonder
11. Karen Rodriguez - I Could Fall In Love Selena
12. Scotty McCreery - The River Garth Brooks
13. Naima Adedapo - Umbrella Rihanna

I don't want to react prematurely, but I can't help it. There is so much cheese in these songs I think I'm constipated. Haha. But seriously, I’m not loving any of these song choices. Most of them are pretty predictable and I really think someone needs to push these guys out of their comfort zones. I mean, Pia Toscano doing another power ballad and Jacon Lusk with THAT song choice? Seriously? Plus, Thia Megia with Smile? Isn't this the song that made Paige Miles cry about Michael Jackson last season? Haha. What is wrong with these people?

Good thing, I kind of like James Durbin's song choice because at least we get to see if he can keep his control again. I'm also quite intrigued as to how Paul McDonald works on the lyrics of his song choice. I mean, there are some serious adult words in that song. Haha. And yes, Naima Adedapo's song choice. I mean, she really pulled a left field song choice and I'm more than happy with it. If she pulls that one off, I might root for her. Let's see.

Movie Review: How Do You Know

No, this isn't the worst movie I've seen, but I admit that I have NEVER had the desire to sleep during a movie.. until now. I mean, I seriously kept thinking that it would get better, but I was wrong.

To me, there is nothing more frustrating than a comedy that is all but non-existent, and a romance that is both distant and lame. This was billed as a romantic comedy and I didn't get any of that! It just didn't work as a comedy - as there weren't enough laughs - and the romantic part wasn't very romantic either.

Somehow the plot dragged, the narrative fell flat and, yes, no kind of excitement whatsoever. There was no climax to the film, nor did I feel any empathy towards any of the characters. It was almost like nobody in this movie cared about anything. I don't know. Maybe it's the insipid script, the uninspiring story, or just the overall banality of the production. Whatever it was, it all contributed to producing a movie that was dull, pretentious and mediocre.

Obviously, no amount of charm from Reese Witherspoon could actually salvage this movie from just being ok, at best. Even she was unable to overcome the weak script. Plus, Paul Rudd was extremely chaotic, and Owen Wilson was.. well, himself. Haha. Heck, I even got nothing from Jack Nicholson that remotely approached comedy, or drama for that matter. It's disappointing.

The film wasn't horrible, really. I just thought that the film could've been executed much better. The problem wasn't the complexity of the material but the unnecessary amount of dialogue they put into it that made it long, verbose and equally unentertaining.

It's a passionless film, that's all.

RATING: 5/10

Glee Music 2: Sexy

So, I posted earlier the original songs that New Directions will perform at Regionals - Get It Right and Loser Like Me - but before that here are the songs for Episode 15 entitled, Sexy. This will air March 8, 2011 (US) - one week hiatus - because American Idol will take their timeslot on March 1, 2011 to give way for it's first live performances.

ETA: iTunes versions are up!

Landslide

Ok. I was told that this will be Holly Holiday (Gwyneth Paltrow) and Santana's duet but this is basically all Holly and Santana as a freakin' second voice. Don't get me wrong, I think Holly sounds amazing in this song, but why couldn't they give at least one verse to Santana? Sad. That would've been epic. Oh well, at least they blend well together and the cover is actually pretty good. 8/10

DOWNLOAD

 Kiss

I have to say, I like this cover song after the falsetto - which is after it hit the 1 minute mark. Haha. Will Schuester's high notes are kind of creepy to me. I don't know. It doesn't really sound that much different from Prince, although he has a better falsetto than both Schuester and Holly Holiday. That said, neither of them have the voice to pull off this song. Just saying. 5/10
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Do You Wanna Touch Me

Holly Holiday's voice sounds so thin on this song. Yes, she has a good voice for someone who isn't a professional singer. But listening to all three songs in a row, I really don't think she should have sung this much. Her voice isn't amazing, and listening to it so many times at once really emphasizes that. Having said that, the context of singing this to kids in the name of Sex Education will be entertaining. 6/10
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Animal

No. Just no! I love Blaine and, yes, even Kurt, but this is bad. Seriously. Kurt sounds like a robot and Blaine sounds off compared to the original. It seems they both didn't have the voice to sing this. The very beginning of the song where some words are sang slowly is especially dreadful, while it's one of the best parts on the original. Nowhere near as good as the original. Sorry.  3/10
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Afternoon Delight

Hmm.. This actually sounds quite nice and pleasant, it's surprising. I like how they made this sound so innocent even if the song, in itself, is inappropriate. Haha. I'm taken aback by how good Emma and Quinn sound together. I never really thought of that combo before.This is delightfully good. 7/10

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(all 5 songs)

Glee Season 2: Regionals Spoilers!!

Ok. Last time, I gave you a couple of Sectionals spoilers. Now, I have here a few spoilers for Glee Season 2's Regionals, which will air next week. Songs, costume and a possible twist. Again, read at your own risk!

Sectionals spoilers after the jump!!

- Pavarotti (Warblers' bird) dies.

- Regionals will feature 2 judges, the first is played by Kathy Griffin while the second is played by Loretta Devine. Griffin is supposed to be a 'Sarah Palin' type of character while Loretta is a playing a nun who used to be a stripper - something like Sister Act!

- The Warblers perform first, with Kurt and Blaine performing a duet of Candle followed by Raise Your Glass.

- Again, they are dressed in their school uniforms.

- Aural Intensity perform second with Jesus Is Friend Of Mine.

- New Directions sing Get It Right and then Loser Like Me.

- New Directions performance involves them throwing a slushie at the crowd. Guys are dressed in all black, girls black tights, combat boots, and teal-ish tops. (See picture above)

- The episode is apparently very Quinn oriented. Her deep desire to be Prom Queen will appear again this episode.

- Someone significant to the Regionals Competition dies. According to Michael Ausellio, "The Grim Reaper, of all people, will be crashing Regionals! Rumor has it someone will sing their swan song just prior to the big competish. And to say the tragedy has a significant impact on the long-awaited event is big freakin’ understatement."

- This episode involves a 'Game Changing Speech'.

- Apparently Kurt is coming back to New Directions soon, definitely this season and Blaine might follow because Glee ended contracts with the school the Warblers film at, so it’s possible we’ll be seeing the end of the Warblers very soon.

- During Kurt and Blaine's duet at Regionals Quinn grabs Finn’s hand.  

- Lastly, there's a 6 episode story arc that will lead to the confrontation at Nationals. Sue Sylvester after losing at Regionals is determined to make sure that New Directions lose at Nationals and begins to enlist what producers have current called The Legion of Doom in order to give Vocal Adrenaline the edge at Nationals. So far confirmed members include Dustin Goolsby (Cheyenne Jackson), Terri del Monico (Jessalyn Gilsig) and Sandy Ryerson (Stephen Tobolowsky).

- April Rhodes (Kristin Chenoweth) and Sunshine Corazon (Charice) will return during this 6 episode arc and Holly Holiday (Gwyneth Paltrow) will be making her third appearance during this arc.

- There are also rumors of Jesse St. James (Jonathan Groff) will also be making a comeback.

Songs to be performed on the episode:

- Get It Right (Original Song) - Rachel (Lea Michele)
- Loser Like Me (Original Song) - New Directions.
- Raise Your Glass - Dalton Academy Warblers.
- Candles - Kurt (Chris Colfer) and Blaine (Darren Criss)
- Jesus Is A Friend Of Mine - Aural Intensity. (not recorded)
- Blackbird - Kurt (Chris Colfer)
- Misery - Dalton Academy Warblers
- Hell To The No - TBA

Listen to New Directions original songs, HERE.