Silver Linings Playbook

This film was great, absolutely fantastic and without a doubt, one of the best films from 2012.
Pat (Bradley Cooper, finally showing some real acting chops) is in a mental institution because he beat the crap out of some guy screwing his wife in the shower. He was diagnosed with bipolar disorder but he hates the medicines he has to take because they make him foggy and bloated. Upon his release, his mother Dolores (Jacki Weaver) drives him home to the not really open arms of his father, Pat, Sr. (Robert De Niro). Pat Sr. has his own issues, including OCD, even going as far as numbering his envelopes and freaking out when Pat takes one so he can write a letter to his wife, whom he still pines for though she has a restraining order against him.
Pat has his many issues, including his wedding song which causes him to freak out. He also has meltdown when he can't find the video of his wedding. Then one evening everything changes. He goes out to have dinner at the house of his old friend, Ron (John Ortiz). Ron has a crazy demanding wife Veronica (Julia Stiles) who has a sister, the young widow Tiffany (Jennifer Lawrence). However, Pat and Tiffany don't really get off to a great start as he doesn't follow Ron's orders and immediately asks Tiffany how her late husband, Tommy, died. She doesn't tell him. Instead, she leaves the dinner early and insists that Pat walk her home which he does. She also invites him into her house, which is in the back of her parent's home to have sex but he can't take her up because he is still married and loyal to the absent Nikki (Brea Bee), a lifeless person when we finally see her toward the very end of the film.
Soon, Pat and Tiffany become running buddies, though their first date ends horribly. Soon, however, things change as Tiffany promises to deliver a letter to Nikki as Nikki and Veronica are still friends. But Pat must learn how to dance so she can dance in this competition. And, it seems, that for some time, their crazy problems are at bay. Pat is no longer that crazy, as he is finally able to control his emotions. Tiffany, who is filled with her own issues, including claiming that she was fired because she felt horny after Tommy died and had sex with everyone else in the office. But she seems focused on the dance competition, so her problems seem also to ease. Pat is likewise focused and Tiffany is pleased with his progress that she gives him a letter from Nikki. But then Pat gets cold feet for the competition as his father, a bookie, puts money on the competition. Tiffany devices a plan to get Pat to show up at the competition. They (she and his parents) will lie and say that Nikki will be there. This works, but when Nikki does actually show up and Tiffany is devastated. Crushed actually.
However, they dance and get the minimum score needed so Pat Sr. doesn't lose all his money. And Pat goes to greet Nikki. Tiffany storms out in a huff. Pat, after some wise words from his father, chases her and gives her a letter. But this one is not for Nikki, this one is for Tiffany. Here he writes that he is glad that she wrote the letter claiming to be from Nikki, something which I did not realize earlier, even when Tiffany uses one of the lines against him. They kiss. Everything works out. Tiffany finally stripes herself of her engagement and wedding ring. She has finally moved on. Life is now wonderful.
The film is absolutely brilliant, with quick, witty dialogue and sensational performances, also with great editing and camera angles, truly showing the action from the actor's point of views. Bradley Cooper, Jennifer Lawrence and Robert De Niro are all certainly of an Oscar nomination, if not the award itself. Even Chris Tucker is great as one of Pat's friends from the mental home. It is also rare that a film focus so much on the sports of Philadelphia, but then again Pat Sr. is a bookie, these sports are his livelihood. There may be some problems with Tiffany's character, as you never know what her problem truly is, but that didn't stop the film from being enjoyable and funny. I don't know if I would classify the film as life altering or anything, but I would classify it as one of the best of the year. Grade: A

Les Miserables

Les Miserables (aka the film where the actors sing songs with the camera right in front of them) was released. Hailed to be the return of the Broadway musical, this film fell short, way short.
Now, the plot is a complicated one, so I won't go into all of that because it isn't necessary. The first problem came right in the very beginning. Jean Valjean (Hugh Jackman) is a slave for simply stealing a loaf of bread and then trying to run away. He is pulling a boat into the harbor with a bunch of other slaves, singing a great song "Look Down". However, I thought the whole thing, with water everywhere looked like a set and not at all realistic.
Then came something good,after eight years have past, Valjean has created a new identity and opened a factory. Fantine (Anne Hathaway, clearly the best of the film) arrives. She was brilliant as the long suffering mother of Cosette (Isabelle Allen, quite good). Upon the discovery that she has an illegitimate child, she is cast out of her factory job and forced to sell her hair, her teeth and eventually, her body. This causes her to sing "I Dreamed a Dream". The number was quite good and it was filmed in one uninterrupted take, with the whole song focusing on her face. Was it a good film choice, no, but will it win her an Oscar, maybe. Only time will tell, as it was one of the best scenes of the film, with heavy emotion and great singing.
And then she dies, as everyone knows. Valjean goes to fetch young Cosette from the nasty innkeepers who rob their customers blind, the Thenardiers (Helena Bonham Carter and Sacha Baron Cohen) who treat her horribly. However, there is a problem. That problem is Javert (Russell Crowe) who is a soldier who discovers that Valjean has created a new identity and thus has escaped parole. Valjean and the young Cosette must go into hiding.
Another nine years pass. Cosette has grown up and became Amanda Seyfried (the weak link of the film) and the citizens of France are starting an uprising again, led by Marius (Eddie Redmayne) and Enjolras (Aaron Tveit, great). Here we also meet Eponine, the daughter of the Thenardiers (Samantha Barks). She does not like her parents, but I could not feel sorry for her. She is jealous of Cosette, but I found no sympathy for her either. She dies, tragically, disguised as a boy, fighting for the crusade, with her love for Marius never being reciprocated. Instead, Marius only has eyes for Cosette. But Valjean and Cosette must run away, as his true identity has been discovered again. She writes him a letter, but Eponine discovers it and does not give him to him until she is nearly dying, trying to be a hero in her final breath. Marius then asks the small child Gavroche (Daniel Huttlestone) to deliver a letter to Valjean. Upon receiving this, Valjean joins the cause and sings of Marius's youth. After the barricade is fired upon, Valjean recuses an injured Marius and carts him through the sewers to save him. Once Marius recovers, he prepares to marry Cosette and Valjean finally tells him the truth about his past. This scene killed me. Valjean is revealing intimate details of his life, stuff he never told to Cosette and yet Marius's face remains unchanged. This got on my last nerve.
This sets up the wedding scene and Valjean's death finale. However, after his death, he walks away and the film ends with everyone that had died throughout the film singing "Do You Hear the People Sing?". It was odd. I perceived it to be heaven, but I don't really know what they were going for.
And what happens to Javert. He pretends to be joining to the rebels but is really a double spy. He is captured and is given to Valjean who spares his life, to his dismay. Later, he nearly kills Valjean again, but then commits suicide by tossing himself into the river, with a horrible sound effect included.
The main problems I had with the film were Cosette's awfully weak singing voice, and the fact that her character seemed one-dimensional. Marius was only slightly better. Sometimes his voice came across well, but other times it failed. Russell Crowe turned in a rather weak performance as the villain. He does hit the notes, but I found his voice to be different from what the character needed. Even Hugh Jackman could have done better as Jean Valjean, but at least he was mostly good, aging pretty well. Samantha Barks did have a nice voice, but she could also have been better. I blame Tom Hopper, who did so well with The King's Speech, but this was just too much to handle. I feel like having the actor's sing live, which is something I always wanted is also just too much as they focus on the words more than the emotions. And the camera angles, with some long uninterrupted scenes are also not that great. The costumes and art design is pretty good though the Thenadiers are certainly over the top. The death of the small child was also truly heart-wrenching especially after tragic shooting in Newtown. Still, the film covers a lot of ground and tells an epic story with great songs included. But I didn't find myself as invested as I would have hoped, barely crying at the end, when I should have been sobbing. However, Anne Hathaway was truly brilliant. Grade: B+

The Guilt Trip

This film was not the greatest but it was not truly a waste of time.
The film is essentially a two person drama. Andy (Seth Rogen) is trying to start his own business. He has developed an environmentally safe cleaning product that is also non-toxic. However, businesses haven't bought this yet so he is ready to set out on a cross-country road trip so he can earn a living. Andy does have a problem and it comes in the form of his overprotective and annoying mother, Joyce (Barbra Streisand, doing well as the annoying mother). Though Andy's father died at least twenty years ago, she has barely dated since. Her life consists of calling Andy to tell him everything, visiting the GAP, doing yoga and joining Weight Watchers. Before Andy can begin his trip, she makes the mistake of telling him that she named him after her former boyfriend. So Andy looks this guy, it turns out he works in San Francisco. Andy decides to ask his mother on the trip with him, but doesn't tell her the real reason. It works, Joyce is in.
The rest of the movie plays out with them on the road and a few of the people they meet along the way. At the first hotel, the manager asks Andy if he and his lady need a room for the night. Then the car starts having some issues so they journey into a topless bar, but a stripper is able to mend the chair. It is after this when Joyce calls one of Andy's ex-girlfriends, Jessica, who is now married and hugely pregnant with another baby (though you never see the other children she claims she has). Here Joyce learns that Andy proposed to her a decade ago, when they were only eighteen. She said no, because they were too young and he promptly ended it with her. Too bad this was not discussed more, as the fact that Andy is still single is a big issue for Joyce.
Later, in Texas, Joyce succeeds in eating a fifty ounce steak in an hour and there she meets Ben, a potential love interest for her.
Then they arrive at Vegas, where Joyce hits the slots and Andy prepares for another presentation. They have not been going well up to this point. Here he also tells Joyce the truth about the trip and naturally she is devastated. Andy's presentation is not going well, until he decides to take his mother's advice and get the other person involved as this time it is being shown on QVC. He also drinks the gross liquid live on air. And it works, he gets an offer.
Joyce forgives him and they continue to San Francisco, only to discover that the man that has haunted her has died. It was his son (Adam Scott), named after the father, that he found. Joyce is crushed. But then she meets his daughter, named Joyce and all is right in the world. After all, she named him Andy because that name reminded her of someone and clearly he still thought of her, naming his daughter after a former girlfriend.
Later, they part ways at the airport, all the better for having made the trip. Joyce calls Ben, the guy from the restaurant in Texas, she is finally able to move on. Hopefully Andy can do the same.
The film is not bad, as there are a few laughs, though nothing truly hilarious along the way. The performances are fairly decent, though I just can't buy Seth Rogen as a geek organic chemist. But I can believe that he is Streisand's son. However, she is far too old for her role, though she doesn't look her age.
On the plus side, the plot is fairly good, with a few surprises along the way, which is always good. I also like how the movie is basically a two person drama, which are rare these days. Certainly, a love interest for Seth Rogen would have been much appreciated, but you can't always get what you want. Though there is nothing majorly wrong with this film, I doubt I will ever watch it again. I can't wait until Christmas when some good movies come out, movies that are actually worth my time. Grade: B

Elf (2003)

This film is another Christmas classic.
Here, a human accidentally crawls into Santa's toy bag and thus finds himself in the North Pole. Buddy (Will Ferrell), as he is named, thanks to the label on his diaper, spends his life believing he is an elf, though there are some noticeable differences, including his massive height.  He finds out after overhearing it from other elves, including Peter Billlngsley, forever known as Ralphie from the ultimate Christmas classic A Christmas Story. Naturally, he is devastated. Papa Elf (Bob Newhart) tells him the truth. He was put up for adoption, and his birth mother later died, but his father, who never even knew that he was born, is still alive, living in New York and on the naughty list.
Buddy journeys to New York and finds his father, Walter Hobbs (James Caan), a nasty book publisher, who cares only about money. Walter does not believe him and sends Buddy away. However, Buddy finds a home at Gimbels, a Macy's like replica. He is not even hired because he is wearing his elf outfit, which is what he always wears. Here he meets Jovie (a blond Zooey Deschanel), his one true love, because a good Christmas movie needs some sort of love story. Things do not get off to a good start because the next morning, Buddy goes into the women's locker room because he heard Jovie's beautiful singing voice and he was curious. Jovie doesn't take this well.
That morning, Santa shows up in the toy shop and Buddy is devastated to discover that it is not the real Santa. He ends up in jail and calls Walter, who reluctantly bails him out. A DNA test later, Buddy comes home with Walter. Walter's wife, Emily (Mary Steenburgen) and their son, Michael (Daniel Tay) take the news better than he does.
The movie plays out, coming to the climax when Santa's sleigh crashes in Central Park, Buddy is there to help, as during Walter's big conference with famous author, Miles Finch (Peter Dinklage), Buddy arrives and ruins everything. He is tossed out. He feels lost and forlorn, knowing he fits in nowhere. Luckily, he helps Santa with the sleigh and with help from Michael, who presents the naughty and nice list to the TV cameras. Jovie also faces her fears and sings in public, causing New York to get its Christmas Spirit back, which causes Santa's sleigh to fly on its own. The film ends happily, with Walter forming his own company and becoming a human being again. Buddy and Jovie end up together and have a daughter, named Susie after his mother, and visit Papa Elf from time to time in the North Pole. All is right in the world.
The film is quite good, with great performances all-around, though Jovie's character is horribly underdeveloped and underwritten. Will Ferrell is completely believable as an Elf struggling to find his way in the crazy town of New York City, sending his father some sexy underwear because the sign told him it was for someone special. The film is hilarious and heartfelt and clocks in at just over ninety minutes, so the timing is right. It is one that I will forever watch every Christmas. Grade: B+

It's a Wonderful Life (1946)

This truly is a wonderful movie. And timeless. A true Christmas classic.
Here, the viewer enjoys watching George Bailey (James Stewart, robbed of an Oscar) growing up in the small town Bedford Falls. Though he aimed high from a young age, he was unable to make any of his dreams come true. Thanks to his father's sudden death, he was unable to attend college because he had to take over his father's business so it doesn't fall into the hands of the nasty wealthy business owner Potter (Lionel Barrymore). Upon his brother Harry's (Todd Karns) return, he still can't leave because his brother has been offered an excellent opportunity that he shouldn't pass up. George remains in Bedford Falls and marries the attractive and intelligent, but only cares about the simple things Mary Hatch (Donna Reed). Instead of going on their honeymoon, the Great Depression arrives and George needs the money to keep his building and loan office open. They settle down into the old house that they had thrown rocks in when they were younger, still with hopes and dreams and have four children. World War II comes and goes. Harry does great, saving many lives.
But then tragedy hits. The kind, but simple-minded Uncle Billy (Thomas Mitchell) is set to deposit some money in the bank, but then Potter arrives and Uncle Billy decides to show him the article where Harry wins the Medal of Honor. Upon giving the newspaper back to Potter, the money is also lost. All 8,000 dollars. Because of this, George is ruined and will face jail time. This depresses him. He even gravels to Potter asking him for a loan, but Potter, who knows the truth, refuses to help him. George begins to contemplate suicide. Luckily, his guardian angel, Clarence (Henry Travers), desperate to get his wings, arrives. Clarence shows George his life as though he had never been born. The life is a miserable one. His former boss, Mr. Gower spent many years in jail over accidentally put poison in some pills, which in reality George had saved him from giving the sick boy the pills. His younger brother drowned when they were children, meaning he never saved the lives of many during the war. His wife is the town librarian and a spinster. Their children were never born. Potter has also taken over the town. People will never have a way out from under him. Life is truly awful. Only one person affected the lives of so many.
George prays that he never wished his life away and everything is restored. His wife managed to gather the town who present him with the extra money that they have because he was always there to help them earlier. In a book that Clarence presents to him, he writes to George that a man is never poor with friends. And George has many friends.
Here a man is shown the value of his life in a way that most people should never have to see, but it was the only way for George to realize how precious his life was. After all, Potter even told him that he was worth more dead than alive.
Now, there are a few problems with the film, namely when Clarence and George arrive at Harry's grave in the alternate world. Clarence states that Harry was nine, but the grave has the years 1911-1919, meaning he could have only been eight. This is only a minor problem, but a noticeable one. I do wish at the end, with George surrounded by his family and friends that they could have shown Potter, alone in his room, to further drive home the point of the film. The films also ends happily, and bells ring, meaning Clarence has finally gotten his wings.
This film deserves to be watched again and again. It's a crying shame that this film was not a success upon it's initial release. It lost money and entered into public domain, which is how it became the success that it is. James Stewart should have won an Oscar for this film, as he was better than the winner, Frederic March, and Donna Reed should have been nominated for her vital performance. Grade: A

The Middle: Twenty Years

This episode was better than the Christmas episode, which should have been aired this week, being closer to Christmas and everything.
Mike and Frankie are about to celebrate their twentieth anniversary, but things aren't looking that great. Frankie was passing Mike while running errands, but he wouldn't pick up her call and later he sneaked out of bed to eat a steak and TV at one in the morning. That doesn't stop Sue from trying to plan a surprise party for them, but Axl and Brick won't help out, so she's left to prepare it all by herself. Which doesn't turn out to well, as all the friends, relatives and venues vanish on them. And Sue leaves her planning binder on her parent's bed, meaning that Frankie and Mike are expecting something grand, because everything is crossed out, and that is certainly not the case.
The party is disaster, with Sue ruining all of the food and getting into a huge fight with Axl, imitating their parents perfectly, and becoming a sobbing mess. But the night turns out to be wonderful, though Frankie was somewhat disappointed. Mike managed to even surprise her by saying that he had a present for her, and he gave her a nice ring, she was really touched.
For the subplot, Brick was getting a new book in a series of seven books perhaps similar to Harry Potter, these books meant the world to him, but Axl, still upset over losing his guitar to him in the last season, decided to spoil the ending for him, causing Brick to enter a coma-like state. Brick just lies around, depressed over what he is going to do for the rest of his life. Finally, he explains to Axl what the books meant to him, because he doesn't have sports or friends to fall back on. "I know these characters better than my own family," he pleads at one point. Eventually, Axl tries to create a new ending for Brick, though it is horrible. Instead, Brick decides to show Axl the power of books and begins reading out loud to him as the episode ends.
Though the episode was quite simple, there were still a few funny moments, mainly when Sue ventured out to visit Grandpa Big Mike who is a man of very few words, and doesn't help her out at all with cute stories of her parents and broke down to her parents. Rarely does anything ever work out for that girl. It's really sad. Though this episode lacked the craziness of the Thanksgiving episode, it was nice for the show to finally focus on the family, with only two tiny roles for guest stars. Hopefully something will finally go right for this family, though I might be upset if that happens. Grade: A-

Flight

This film was interesting. To me, it wasn't as good as the reviews made it out to be, but it is certainly an excellent film in many respects.
Captain Whip Whitaker (a great Denzel Washington, playing a character that is a hero, but you still can't admire him) is a pilot, and a secret alcoholic, something he can't admit to himself until the final minutes of the film, but something the viewer realizes early on. He also is sleeping with one of his flight attendants, Trina (Nadine Velazquez), and to hide his painful addiction, he snorts cocaine. Whip is falling apart, but he hides everything so well and he seems able to do his job, after all he does fly the plane through some crazy turbulence in the horrible storm as the plane takes off, much to the dismay of his co-pilot, Ken Evans (Brian Geraghty). Then, while talking to the people, slips three small vodka   bottles into his orange juice and then goes to sleep for a little while.
Next, things take a turn for the worse when the plane literally starts falling apart, and Whip gets serious. He does everything he can to stop the plane from crashing including turning it over and gliding to a place without people. And the plane lands, albeit in pieces and Whip loses consciousness. He is taken to a local hospital with basically everyone else on the plane. Six people did die, including two flight attendants, one of them was Trina.
His friend Harlan (John Goodman, great, though weird as Whip's cocaine dealer) arrives but Whip, for a time being, decides to stop drinking. But that changes after the union president and Whip's longtime friend, Charlie Anderson (Bruce Greenwood) and the lawyer he hired for him, Hugh Lang (Don Cheadle) tell him that he was drunk and high on cocaine when the plane crashed and that he spend the rest of his life in prison.
While he is still at the hospital, he meets Nicole (Kelly Reilly, excellent) who is an addict like him. They develop a romantic relationship, as she loves the farm that used to belong his grandfather. However, Nicole, who did nearly just die, is trying to recover and she wants Whip to recover with her, but after she comes back from an AA meeting, she finds him drunk and high and she leaves the following morning. She's out of his life.
In the meantime, Whip has a nasty run-in with his ex-wife and their son, but then he does get sober, only to have it all ruined the night before he faces an interview with the NRSB investigator, Ellen Block (Melissa Leo, disturbingly chilling and professional). Though his hotel room is stocked with non-alcoholic drinks, the door to the adjoining suite is accidentally left open. Here, he opens the fridge to find it stuffed with alcohol. He opens a bottle and sniffs in and then leaves on top of the fridge, and started to walk away and then grabbed the bottle, causing me to jump. That next morning, both rooms are completely trashed and Whip, is completely passed out, But that's nothing some cocaine can't cure.
During the testimony, all Whip has to do is lie, and he tells Hugh not to tell him how to lie, he's been doing it all his life to cover up his drinking. He just has to tell the crowd that the vodka bottles found in the plane's trash were from Trina, but as he looks at her picture, he can't implicate her in his mistake. She died after buckling in a little boy who had fallen out of his seat. He can finally admit that he's an alcoholic.
He goes to jail and finally gets sober. He may be in jail, but he feels free for the first time.
The problem I had this film was it's opinion of God. When Whip goes to visit his co-pilot, he tells him that he thought that Whip was drunk from the moment he walked into the cockpit. His wife also looks at him suspiciously. Though they may blame him, they quickly change their tune when they say that it was truly a miracle that he landed the plane and they ask him to join in their prayer. This scene just seemed over the top and out of place.
Still, the performances were fantastic, including Tamara Tunie as the surviving flight attendant, Margaret. Denzel is also great and the performances all around him are magnificent. And the crash scene is also great and disturbingly realistic. The story line is also great, too bad they had to put in so many crazy religious references, still, this film raises many important issues, including whether Whip should be admired or hated for saving as many lives as he did. After all, Hugh says that all the flights in the simulator crashed, with everyone on board dying. I thought what he did was heroic, but I can't admire him. He betrayed the public's trust, as the judge told him. This film is no Argo, but Denzel Washington turns in a great performance. As of right now, only second to Lincoln's Daniel Day-Lewis. Grade: A-

The Middle: Christmas Help

This episode had its ups and downs.
What I didn't like: Mike's brother, Rusty, was back and this time, he brought some furniture that he may or may not have stolen and stored it in Mike's garage. Needless to say, this did not make Mike happy. He got more and more mad at Rusty as the episode wore on.
Axl, on the other hand, turned the furniture into his own crib, and actually made it look nice, which is something he normally would not have done.The fact that he had moved out of the big house was only a minor plot and probably should have been made into a bigger deal than it was.
What I liked: Reverend Tim Tom was back and cast Brick as a wise man in the nativity story. He asks Sue to bake the Christmas cookies, and she actually doesn't mess up, which is a Christmas miracle in itself. When it came time for the pageant, Brick, who looked so cute in his costume, was horrible. It was hilarious, he forgot his lines and looked at the back of the stage for part of it and walked around in a circle with his squeaky shoes. He even ate one of Sue's cookies (which weren't selling) on the stage. Axl though his performance made the show more interesting and his acceptance of his crazy brother made Mike want to accept Rusty back in his life and they work through everything. Reverend Tim Tom decides to bring Sue's cookies with him on his next journey.
Frankie finds a job for the Christmas season, but her employee discount doesn't kick in right away, so she tries to hide her presents around the store, but people still snatch them up. Finally, her discount does kick in, but when she tries to hide her presents on the top shelf, her ladder is wheeled away so she is trapped, meaning her family receives no presents until the day after Christmas. Then they all go shopping and everything is right in the world.
This show tried to cram in four separate lines into one slim twenty-one minute episode and I thought that each plot line could have been more developed. Still the acting was brilliant as it always is. The pageant scene was especially hilarious. I can't wait for more new episodes. Grade: B+

Sparkle

Though this film was filled with good performances, the film ultimately fell flat with its serious flaws.
The idea is simple. Sparkle (Jordin Sparks, appropriate with her name and everything) is a songwriter, but is too nervous to sing. Her oldest sister, Sister (a great Carmen Ejogo) to sing them instead. Sister, who has a history that is not revealed) is loaded with sex appeal which appeals to the men in the audience. Sister is dating this good but bland guy Levi (Omari Hardwick) who lives with his cousin, Stix (Derek Luke) who is a budding agent. He wants the group of sisters to become famous. Sparkle is in as is the middle sister, Dolores, but called Dee (a scene-stealing Tika Sumpter) is in, but only until she gets into medical school so she can become a doctor. Finally, Sister also gives in. However, they all have to sneak around their mother, Emma (Whitney Houston, in her last role) who also has a history that is never fully revealed. She was also a budding singer who had almost made it, but then at sixteen, she became pregnant and never went anywhere. Still, she must be making a pretty good living for herself as she owns her own clothing store and a large house with a color TV, and this is 1968, color TVs were rare. Emma is also quite religious, church is her main purpose. She demands that her daughters curl their hair and go to bed so they can be ready for church in the morning.
Soon, a conflict arises. Sister dumps Levi for no real reason and becomes engaged to a comedian with a drug problem, Satin (Mike Epps). Needless to say, Sister is kicked out of the house. She goes to live with Satin and soon also becomes addicted to drugs. This ruins the sisters one chance at becoming famous. By that time, they were a huge hit in the nightclub scene and men drooled over them constantly.
After Sister ruins their chances, Sparkle and Dee go to rescue her from her abusive fiance, but that  ends horribly. Satin ends up slapping Sparkle and the sisters try to defend her. The fight turns nasty and Dee ends it when she picks up a poker and whams it across the back of Satin's head, killing him. Sister takes the blame for this, going to jail for a few years.
In the meantime, Dee gets accepted into medical school and Sparkle, sick of dealing with her mother, gets her own place and finally gets the guy at Colombia to give her another chance and he does. Stix, who left after their chances were ruined, returns proposes to Sparkle and this time, she says yes, like she should have the first time and creates an amazing show for her. Sparkle will get her record deal and become famous. Emma even comes around, though her motives are not at all clear or known.
The performances were great. Jordin Sparks starts off weak, but that's because her character is poorly written until Act III. Whitney Houston does what she can with the weakest character in the film, she deserved better. Carmen Ejogo is great with the juicest and most dramatic character in the film. Tika Sumpter provided the comic relief and made her small, unwritten role unforgettable. The songs were also quite good as all actors had great voices. There were some awful editing choices, including opting to have one of the fight scenes between Satin and Sister in slow motion, making it much more comedic than it should have been. There were also the huge plot holes, including never fully explaining Sister's past, though Dee says that is near thirty and not yet married. And why does Emma change so suddenly at the end? And what is her real history? Why is she so religious when she was probably never married, but still managed to have three daughters? And how can she afford that house? The actors deserved, especially Whitney deserved a better finished product than what they received. Grade: B-

Glee: Thanksgiving

I hated this episode and had tons of issues with it.
The first issue, if this episode is titled Thanksgiving, then why didn't it air on Thanksgiving? Whatever, that's the least of its issues.
Also, it's reunion time. Mike, Mercedes, Quinn, Santana and Puck are all back and Finn pairs them up with the new members. However, the only pair the show really focuses on is Kitty and Quinn. Kitty just adores Quinn and worships her. Quinn, on the outside, looks like she'd be a good role model, but she's not. What with her wild faze, her teen pregnancy and trying to pin it on the wrong guy, these are both things to be admired. Not. In the meantime, Santana discovers laxatives in Marley's backpack though Marley says they are old. Santana doesn't believe her, but lets the issue drop. Bad idea, Santana.
Ryder and Jake are actually getting along. They reach an agreement, Jake can have Marley but Ryder gets the dance lead. In the end, Ryder bails, because he knows that Jake can do it better than he can. One problem solved. However, Marley is dieting too much and side effects are arriving. She can't sleep at night and is sweating constantly.
Finally Sectionals arrive. The Warblers sing first, and their first number is pretty awful, as it is "The Whistle Song" which is just disgusting and it is not sung well. Luckily the second number from One Direction and is sung by Sebastian, who actually has a good voice. Then New Directions perform the Youtube sensation Gangnam Style, which finally gives Tina a solo but a cheap solo. The performance is certainly one of their weakest ones. The reviewer at EW gave the performance an F, which is somewhat low, but the performance was God awful. I don't think they deserve to win Sectionals, which would just be humiliating. And then the show ends with Marley fainting because of something that Kitty did. I hope Kitty gets her just desserts in the next episode.
Meanwhile in New York, Rachel and Kurt decide not to journey home and instead decide to have Thanksgiving in New York. Brody apologizes for his actions and Rachel forgives him and lets him off the hook and soon is back to flirting with him. He did not deserve to be forgiven that easily. Kurt also invites his boss, Isabelle (aka Sarah Jessica Parker) over and she brings her friends, which leads to an awful musical number and probably my second least favorite scene of the show. However, there was a sweet moment in the middle of this. Kurt finally takes his boss's advice. He calls Blaine and says that he misses him because they are friends but Blaine is not forgiven yet. That was probably the best scene of the episode.
Overall, this episode was horrible. The songs weren't that great and the fight between Quinn and Santana seemed odd and out of place but it did let the audience know that Quinn is dating one of her professors and says that Santana is jealous of Quinn's life. I wouldn't be jealous of Quinn's life if I were Santana. Grade: C+

Life of Pi

This movie was great! I, unlike my mom and sister, have not read the book.
The concept is simple. Pi (played for the majority of the film by Suraj Sharma) is alone on a lifeboat with a Bengal tiger, named Richard Parker. His family, who owned a zoo in French India, but decided to sell the land and move to Canada. However, along the way a bad storm comes upon them, which causes the ship to become a perilous situation. Pi, venturing out to see the storm, notices tons of water coming on the ship. He falls into a lifeboat and a zebra joins him. Eventually, a wild hyena and orangutan and tiger also joins him. However, the hyena kills both the zebra and orangutan before being killed by the tiger. Pi is also risking his life every time he ventures on board the tiny lifeboat as he spends the majority of his time on a raft he made for himself.
Life is utterly awful for him, with little water and only crackers to eat. He learns how to catch fish for Richard Parker but he does not eat them himself until a whale comes along and he looses all his crackers, because Pi is a vegetarian. Soon, Richard Parker and Pi learn how to coexist but nothing more.
Just as Pi finally gives up on life, he arrives on an island filled with meerkats. But, for some reason, the island becomes toxic at night, so he loads up on food and continues his journey, eventually arriving at Mexico, where the tiger just disappears, leaving Pi alone and devastated.
The story does have a happy ending, as the main story is framed by adult Pi (The Amazing Spiderman's Irrfan Khan) is telling his childhood and his craziest adventure to an unnamed author (Rafe Spall). He is married and has two children, so everything there works out.
The main part of the story that leaves you wondering is whether the story with the tiger is right or whether the even more tragic one he told to the Japanese authorities doing an investigation about the ship's sinking. I decide to believe the one with the tiger, but we will never know.
Though the plot is vital to every film, this film relies more on the acting, which is great, especially from the newcomer Suraj Sharma. But the cinematography (by Claudio Miranda) is amazing, certainly some of the best I've ever seen. The CGI are also fantastic as the tigers and animals seemed as real as possible.
This film may not have completely moved me, but it is certainly one of the best I've seen so far this year, not as good as Argo, but a great film nevertheless, and this is one that the whole family can watch. Grade: A

Glee: Dynamic Duets

This episode was interesting, but certainly one of the better ones so far this season, and there was a plot twist and everything, it was great!
First off, the Nationals trophy was stolen by the Warblers and Blaine, seriously missing Kurt, went to retrieve it. Surprise, it wasn't stolen by Sebastian, but by the new captain. He is holding the trophy hostage until Blaine rejoins the Warblers, and he almost does, as Kurt was the main reason he transferred. But luckily, Sam shows him the way and what is so great about being at McKinley and he decides to stay put. Crisis avoided.
Which leads us to the other main plot and the one I found much more interesting. Finn, struggling to find his way, decides that duets will get the enemies to form bonds and become closer. At first this doesn't work, at least with Ryder and Jake. Finn forces them to reveal their weaknesses to each other. Jake first tells (and that's important) Ryder that he never fits in anywhere as he is half white, half black and half Jewish, so everyone picks on him for some reason or another. Ryder, then, decides not to tell him his and Jake gets mad. Ryder says, "I made you tell me because I couldn't read it." At first I thought it was because Jake's handwriting was so bad but then I realized something deeper. Ryder couldn't read. I was quite surprised.
Jake tells Finn who gets Jake to see a specialist who diagnoses Ryder as (both my sister and I guessed and bet) dyslexic. Ryder, who is mad at first, is glad that Finn told someone. He can finally get the help he needs. Yey.
Also, Marley has two guys fighting over her, though her self-esteem needs some work. Kitty, still being mean, pretends to join forces with her, sneaking in cruel remarks whenever she can. In the end, Marley becomes upset when Ryder can't hang out with her because he has to meet with a specialist, but she stands up to Kitty and decides to hang out with Jake instead. Jake has won this round, so now the game is even. Ryder may have gotten the first kiss but Jake has the first date.
As for everything else, the songs (three of the five) were quite good and there was nothing from New York, which is perfectly fine with me. And I didn't even miss Mr. Schuster, though Finn is starting to look a lot like him, wearing the same clothes and everything. It's weird, but it works. Grade: A-

The Middle: Thanksgiving IV

Though this TV show has been on the air for four years now, I only just started watching it last month, but I have been missing out. I also started watching Modern Family (which has now won three Emmys for Best Comedy) and Suburgatory. However, this is the best show of the three I feel. (I refuse to watch The Neighbors.)
The show is simple and the situations are real. So far this season, Frankie (Patricia Heaton) lost her job in car sales and decided to return to school to become a dental assistant, only to have a strict and awful teacher who uses Frankie as the living example for the rest of the class. Axl (Charlie McDermott) is the king of the school, as this is his senior year, only to have everything be tossed away when his younger sister, Sue (a great Eden Sher) ran over his foot while trying to drive. Brick, the younger of the Heck clan (Atticus Shaffer) ate too much Halloween candy and turned normal for a brief period of time. Mike (Neil Flynn) hasn't done that much, but his mere presence is enough.
Though the latest episode was supposed to be about Thanksgiving, it came across as more of a Valentine's Day episode. Here Frankie decides to invite some marines over for the big holiday, which Mike doesn't like, though he is also less than thrilled that her parents (Marsha Mason and Jerry Van Dyke) are coming to visit. Sue is devastated over her mascot chicken head being stolen by the other team. Brick is, as per usual, buried in a book, in this case the real story of the book Love Story became a movie. When his grandmother asks if he wants to watch it with her, he glances up from his book, "Now why we would do that?" because he is all about the books and nothing else even matters. Axl is dealing with a huge crush on his tutor, Cassidy (Galadrial Stineman), who claims to have a boyfriend in college (I doubt this ). I doubt this because she left the room immediately when Axl impulsively kissed her and smiled secretly to herself and she flirted with him when he criticized her handwriting, stating that she needed a handwriting tutor. But she shows no interest in him, especially after his broken foot (thanks to Sue running over it) heals and he can play football again.
The show plays out quickly, as they only have twenty-two minutes and tons of plot to cram in. The Thanksgiving dinner with the marines goes horribly, as Frankie's parents are fighting over everything, as her father is convinced that food is poison because of the refined sugar and insists on telling the marines his stories of Korea. She ends up telling everyone the story of her parent's first date, screaming at how wonderful everything turned out, causing the marines to become uncomfortable and leave.
Though Sue is unable to find her chicken head and has to settle for a bear head, she is the one who tells Axl not to think about football, just play the game which works. That scholarship offer is back on the table. And Cassidy broke up with her (supposed) college boyfriend and now she and Axl are together. Even Frankie's parents make up. All is right in the Heck's world.
Modern Family may scope up all the Emmys, but this show is funnier and packed with talent. Eden Sher shines as Sue, who is the constant butt of her older brother's jokes and never seems to catch a break when it comes to anything. Patricia Heaton is still the underappreciated housewife, just as she was in Everybody Loves Raymond, another great show, but now she is more likeable and Mike is not an idiot so we don't have to wonder why she decided to marry him.
The Heck family is just like any other, struggling to make ends meet, doing the best they can with the typical situations and the results are hilarious, at least to the outside observer. Grade: A-

Lincoln

This film finally came to theaters! And I got to see it with tons of other people.
The Civil War has been going on for nearly four years, many families have lost their sons, husbands, fathers and brothers. Naturally, the president, Abraham Lincoln (the magnificent Daniel Day-Lewis) wants the war to end, but he also wants to abolish slavery and will go to almost any length to get the necessary votes so the amendment can pass before the war ends. He enlists the help of Biblo (James Spader), whose name fits his character well, Latham (John Hawkes) and Schell (Tim Blake Nelson, finally in movies again). These men go around to all the democrats who will be out of a job in a few months and tell them that if they support the bill, then they will be given a job. Many fall into this trap, though others need more convincing. And the New York representative, Fernando Wood (Lee Pace), is completely against the whole thing. On the other side, occasionally belittling and making fun of his fellow representatives, while other times, brewing in his own thoughts, is Thaddeus Stevens, representing my home state of Pennsylvania (Tommy Lee Jones). Later, Jones provides one of the few surprises in the film. It certainly shocked me, but you learn why he truly supported freeing the slaves.
On the home front, things are probably even more interesting. Mary "Molly" Todd Lincoln (a brilliant Sally Field) is a bundle of nerves, still devastated over her son Willy's death. She also has a fantastic breakdown scene where she yells at her husband for not locking her up in the mental hospital when he had the chance. There is also their youngest son, Tad (Gulliver McGarth) who constantly demands and receives his father's attention. Lincoln is quite devoted to his youngest son. The same cannot really be said for his eldest, Robert Todd Lincoln (the underused Joseph Gordon-Levitt). Upon Robert's arrival for a party, his father is busy secretly meeting with Preston Blair (Hal Holbrook), who will meet with some southern officers and try and work on negotiating for peace. Though Lincoln shakes hands with Robert, he almost scolds him and tells him that he will talk to him later. I guess family doesn't come first. Later, in another extremely powerful scene, Robert tells his father that no matter how many hospitals he visits, he must serve in the army. There is no reason why he should be exempt from fighting just because his father is the president. He even talks back to his father, saying the only reason he is not fighting is because Abraham won't stand up to his wife. Robert receives a smack as a reward. However, Robert does join the army, but as Lincoln explains to his wife that he will never see combat, working as a messenger under Grant (Jared Harris).
The plot plays out, ending as everyone expects, with the amendment passing, the war ending and tragically, Lincoln being assassinated. There are some interesting moments along the way, with one representive suggesting that after blacks get the right to vote, what would be the next step? Women being allowed to vote? Ironically, women would get the right to vote, before the southern African Americans truly would.
The performances are what make the film. Daniel Day-Lewis will deservingly receive another Oscar nomination for embodying the 16th president. He physically looks like him and creates a voice all his own. He also walks with a permanent crease in his back. When he gives his son, Tad, a piggy bank ride, I was worried that his back wouldn't be able to support the weight. But it did. He also is most happy when he is telling stories of times long ago, including his one case of an old lady accused of murdering her husband. His stories are just fascinating. Sally Field is a bundle of nerves as the fragile first lady, sometimes literally shaking as she listens to her husband's dreams. I'm glad Sally Field fought for the role as much as she did. David Strathairn, as the secretary William Seward, is also quite good, though not as good as Tommy Lee Jones, who loves being cruel to the other representatives. It is the only fun thing he gets to do in the day. James Spader adds some necessary comic relief as Biblo. Joseph Gordon-Levitt is also brilliant as the eldest son, determined to show the world that he is not a coward. He deserves more credit than he has been receiving for this role.
Overall, the film is long and confusing, with tons of characters, who often don't receive an introduction, but the cast is packed with talent, every inch of it. The cinematography is also great, with minimal lighting, just as it would have been, with only candles for light. This film is definitely one of the year's bests, though I liked Argo more. Grade: A

Glee: Glease

Tonight, okay last night, Glee performed Grease, to interesting results.
First off, we returned to New York where Rachel is preparing for her first Off-Broadway audition, an avant-garde production of The Glass Menagerie. Cassandra advises her against it, though Rachel doesn't listen. Instead, she encourages Cassandra to audition for the role of Amanda, the southern belle mother. Cassandra rightly took this as an insult. Thus, she strongly encouraged Kurt and Rachel to return for the opening night of Grease, which they did. Cassandra had her own agenda, asking Brody to be her TA. While Brody is helping her choreograph something and they kiss. Really, Brody? I thought you were better than that, but obviously not.
Back in McKinley, Mr. Schuster announces that he is leaving and the club takes the news hard and they are also not pleased that Finn is now in charge. Sue is even more upset and does everything in her power to ruin the club and the musical. She calls Unique's parents to inform them that their son was bullied. His parents then encouraged him to drop out of the musical and wear boy clothes at school. Poor Wade. However, Finn and Artie had the perfect Rizzo up their sleeves: Santana, who can just come back for the musical. She, after all, had the part memorized since she was one. And she did well, though part of me felt that Tina (who needs more attention, as she has been forgotten since season one) would have done just as well. Oh, and by the way, she and Mike are working things out. At least one couple can be mature about it.
Kurt refused to listen to anything Blaine (the perfect teen angel) had to say. Rachel and Finn also have a nice talk, but that's because Rachel goes crazy and sees herself as Sandy for the finale of Grease with Finn as Danny. When she calls Brody, Cassandra picks up the phone, so the audience assumes that the two probably slept with each other. Did they? I hope not, but I would put nothing past Cassandra. Finn decides, after a sweet conversation, proving that they both can act, that they must avoid each other. We'll see if that works out.
As for Sandy, Kitty (that nasty witch) in an effort to get her revenge, takes Marley's Sandy costume and sews it tighter every night, causing Marley to think that she's gained weight. Kitty then tells Marley to force herself to throw up to lose the weight. Marley seriously considers this, but lucky Ryder comes in to save the day and the show. Though I do like Marley, you would think she would figure out that something is up because none of her other clothes are getting tight, but whatever, that issue was unresolved.
Now, though the performance of Grease received a good review from the hard to please sophomore critic, I would have loved to see more of it, and not had Rachel's crazy hallucination imagining her and Finn and Kurt in the musical, because the finale was really, really good.
Ultimately, I didn't like this episode much. I wish they would focus more on the actual members of the Glee club and more on the musical itself. Still, this episode could have been much worse. Grade: B

The Campaign

I saw this movie purely because they showed it at my college. It wasn't the worst way to spend a Saturday night. There were some laughs, coming at the expense of others but some of them were quite disgusting and disturbing.
Here Cam Brady (Will Ferrell) is a Democratic Congressman who is also a horn dog. His pretty blonde, but shallow wife, Rose (Katherine LaNasa) is only with him because he keeps winning. However, two brothers, Wade and Glenn Motch (Dan Akyroyd and John Lithgow), who are pure evil and care only about money, decide that they need a candidate who would support their interests, which are buying the free space in the district, selling it to China so their company could build factories there. Then Chinese workers would be imported, still paid cheaply to make the goods and then the goods would be shipped to the American consumers. It would save them a fortune on shipping fees. (Sarcasm here people.) They choice the tour guide giving, pug loving Marty Huggins (Zach Galifianakis), and he decides to run because it will make his never happy father happy with him for once.
Though Brady has been untouchable, thanks to a disturbing message meant for his mistress, but was left on someone else's answering machine, which was one of the many disturbing scenes of the movie. 
The movie plays out; they candidates spend tons of time trash talking each other and once Marty's campaign manager comes along, things start to go in his favor. Tim Wattley (Dylan McDermott) arrives and rearranges Marty's house and gets rid of his Chinese pugs to be replaced by the All-American retrievers. However, the campaign is quite demanding and Marty is abandoning his wife, Mitzi (Sarah Baker). This drives her to have an affair with Brady, in a disturbing scene.
Eventually, Marty realizes that he is nothing more than a pawn in a bigger game than he could have ever imagined and announces that he won't follow their plan as he loves this country. So the Motch Brothers join the Brady bandwagon in an interesting plot twist.
The film ends with the guy you want in office in office, though in a way I would have never expected. The film was definitely entertaining, and the performances were pretty good, with flawless, unwavering accents from the characters. Marty's father's maid (Karen Maruyama) was especially hilarious as she was paid extra to put on an accent so it would remind his father of the good ole days. Despite all of this, I really don't care if I never see the film again, give me Elf any day. Grade: B

Glee: The Role You Were Born to Play

Well, after a five week hiatus, Glee finally made its return and it was a pretty good episode.
This episode was what I hoped the entire season would be like as everything took place in the world of McKinley High.
Auditions for Grease were upon the Glee Club and Artie managed to convince Finn to co-direct with him and Finn agrees, somewhat reluctantly.
Blaine sings "Hopelessly Devoted to You" for his audition, which is odd as he cheated on Kurt, but whatever, and then tells Artie and Finn that he doesn't have it in him to play a romantic lead. He is later cast as the Teen Angel.
However, this means that Grease won't have a Danny so Finn sets out to find one. He discovers Ryder Lynn, an underachieving dancing football player, played by the Glee Project winner, Blake Jenner. Finn tells Ryder that he used to be just like him, but joining Glee club helped him pick up his grades, surprise, surprise. Thus after tons of encouraging, Ryder auditions and discovers Marley whom he likes. However, Jake doesn't like that someone is flirting with Marley, so he decides to audition and Kitty comes with him and they dance their way to a callback, though Kitty is determined to destroy Marley.
Also, Unique longs to be Rizzo, the role he feels that he was born to play. Artie doesn't agree with that but he's glad that Finn believes in something. Sue, however, has a major problem with Unique playing a role that normally a girl would get. Finn stands up for Unique by bashing Sue, but in the process, he calls her baby retarded, enough to cause me to be shocked and gasp loudly, as that was truly uncalled for and cruel. Sue will punish him in someway and, quite frankly, he deserves it. In the end, Unique gets the part.
The only other area of interest was Will's upcoming trip to Washington, which Emma reluctantly agreed to go on and finally, at the end of the episode changes her mind and though Will doesn't want to be apart but he doesn't want her to be unhappy so he will go by himself, but they will trade off weekends, which sounds fair to me.
As for the parts, Ryder will be Danny and Marley, yey, though Artie doesn't like that she's not a blonde, gets Sandy. Next episode will be interesting.
The only part I had a problem with was Artie calling in Mike and Mercedes for creative input for the musical. Seriously, these guys are in college now, they can't just come back whenever you want and Mike and Tina (still grossly underused) didn't even get any closure in their relationship, which would have been nice. Still, overall it was pretty good and the songs were enjoyable and well-done. Hopefully next week wil lalso be good. Grade: B+

Argo

This film was great. It really was.
Now, before the story begins, there is a brief history of Iran before the 1979 crisis, which I found to be incredibly helpful. Here, until 1979, Iran was ruled by a man who was Western and cared little about the people. He was also lavish, as it was said that his wife bathed in milk, which is just weird if you ask me.
In 1979, power had switched hands, which made the people of Iran happy, but the old president, sick and dying of cancer was granted sanctuary in the US, making the Iranians unhappy. They begin to storm the US Embassy, while the people rush to burn and shred very single document in the building. The six people granting visas simply run out into the streets which the rest of the people are immediately taken hostage. These six are given asylum by the Canadian Ambassador (Victor Garber). The six are: Bob Anders, Lee Schatz, Mark and Cora Lijek, and Joe and Kathy Stafford (portrayed by Tate Donovan, Rory Cochrane, Christopher Denham, Clea Duvall, Scoot McNairy and Kerry Bishe). Each have a history and a personality, and they look like real people, not overly attractive actors.
Back in the US, the CIA is trying to get the people out of there, and their plans are awful, including providing the people with bikes so they can bike the 300 miles to the Turkish border and not get caught while trying that.  Tony Mendez (Ben Affleck, in his best role that I've seen) is to come up with an idea of getting them out. That evening, while talking to his son via telephone and watching the same movie as him, he comes up with an idea; the six are a film crew searching for locations to film their next movie. The CIA is skeptical, but they can't come up with anything better.
Mendez recruits John Chambers who won an Academy Award for Planet of the Apes (1968); the CIA also has him under contract. Mendez proposes to him the idea of making a fake film and Chambers (John Goodman) rolls with the idea. He and Mendez, now called Kevin Harkins, bring the idea to an old-time producer, Lester Siegel (Alan Arkin, great, even better here than in Little Miss Sunshine) who also jumps on board, though after some reluctance. But this fake film is going to be a fake hit. And so it is. They sort through old scripts and eventually settle on Argo, a science-fiction film with an exotic location, just what they need. After some negotiating, the script is purchased and Mendez begins his mission.
The remainder of the film deals with Mendez trying to get the people out without anyone getting killed, much easier said than done. There are twists and turns along the way, constantly leaving the viewer on the edge of their seat.
Affleck is a great director and this film shows why. The film is gritty and realistic, with authentic props and everything, utilizing tons of actual footage. The performances are great and the dialogue is made real with real emotion behind it. Everyone in this film, including the TV actors Chris Messina and Kyle Chandler, is fantastic, with kudos going to both Bryan Cranston, as one of the CIA directors and Alan Arkin.
Often times the characters aren't admirable, but that is how the events actually happened. Certainly, the film is about cooperation between countries but also a simple story about a man just wanting to get home to his son, as in Inception. This film deserves a second viewing because that's how great it is. So far, this film is the best of 2012; everyone should go see this film. Grade: A

Nashville: Pilot

This show is crazy. So much stuff happened; there are tons of characters and this was only the first episode.
Rayna Jaymes (Connie Britton) is a famous country singer. She has won nine Grammys, four CMAs and has stayed with the same record company since before they were anything, for twenty-one years. But her new record is failing, her tour is losing money at an increasing fast speed. Rayna is no longer on top.
Juliette Barnes (Hayden Panittere) is the next best thing. Though her voice is sometimes auto-tuned, she is famous and popular. Everyone loves her, even Rayna's young daughters, but Rayna herself.
Juliette and Rayna do not get off to a good start when the two are introduced. But because of Rayna's failing tour ticket sales, her record company has ordered her to team up with Juliette or else they will stop supporting her new but failing record. At a meeting with the new head of the company, as Rayna tries to explain her loyalty, reason and a compromise are not reached. Rayna walks out the door. She is no longer supported by the company.
In addition to her failing career, Rayna's personal life is not that great. Sure her husband may appear to be supportive, and he is, but also, Rayna is his meal ticket. His own career has been sidelined by the recession and as the episode progressed, Rayna's father chose his only son-in-law, Teddy (Eric Close) to run for mayor of Nashville for the sole reason of allowing him to build a ballpark in the city. That's a great reason to decide to make your son-in-law your puppet. Now, you should also know that Rayna does not get along with her father (Powers Boothe) at all, even though, as he admitted late in the episode that he was the one who paid for her first record, not that little pissant record company, almost a direct quote from that scene. Rayna's sister is his handler.
Now back to Juliette. She has a crack head for a mother, so the audience can understand why she's a witch, but so far I feel more sympathy for Rayna.
Also, Juliette has recruited Deacon, Rayna's longtime guitarist to play on her tour, if he chooses, and then she also wants to record one of the songs he wrote. Rayna has never done that because she knows that all his songs are about her, and he admits that they are. Needless to say, Juliette and Deacon are soon sleeping together, though Rayna warns him to stop getting married and start dating again. So who knows how many ex-wives he has.
In yet another plot line, you have Scarlett, Deacon's young waitress niece who writes poetry. There is also her boyfriend (nice to see you Jonathan Jackson, finally in something after Tuck Everlasting) and another waiter, all of whom are trying to make it to the big time. The episode ends with Rayna hearing one of Scarlett's poems being put to music. Who knows what the rest of the series will bring, but I will be there watching every second. Grade: B+

Pitch Perfect

I don't really know where to go with this film. I could choose to criticize the ridiculous and predictable plot or how much I did like the film.
Beca (the always lovely Anna Kendrick) is a freshman at Barden University. She doesn't really want to go to college, instead she wants to journey to LA and become a famous DJ. Her father, who is a professor at Bardem, finally makes a deal with her, if she joins one club and makes an effort at college, then he will support and even fund her trip to LA. She takes him up on this deal, and tries out for the a cappella groups on campus. But lets back up, at the end of the previous year's competitive season, the Bardem Bellas made it to the finals but one of the leads puked during her solo. Therefore, when it comes to forming a team, they get the last picks. By the end of the auditions, they have this one girl, Lilly (Hana May Lee) who barely talks in anything but a whisper, Fat Amy ("You call yourself Fat Amy?" "Yes, so thin twigs like you can't do that behind my back."), and Stacie, who has big boobs. Beca also makes the cut. Aubrey, aka the girl who spilled her guts at Nationals, (Anna Camp) is a senior and one of the leaders of Barden Bellas who runs the club with an iron fist and won't let the others talk or even voice there opinions. Beca doesn't like her.
Now, like any good film, there is an enemy. The enemy in this case is the Tremble Makers, the guy a cappella group. The hatred is so deep that if a member of the Bardem Bellas has sex with a member of the Tremble Makers, she will be kicked off her team; the Bardem Bellas lose two members before the first practice can even begin. A new member of the Tremble Makers, Jesse (Skyler Astin), works at the radio station with Beca and really likes her. She doesn't even look his way, while she does but not in the same way. In her mind, they are merely platonic friends.
Needless to say, the competition season moves on. The Bardem Bellas come in second in their first competition, but all they sing are old songs (from the 1980s) and have unimaginative choreography. At their second competition, Beca adds in her own mix which causes Aubrey to kick her out of the club and no one can help her though they try to plea her case. But it doesn't matter, they come in third and their seasons is over. Then, in what everyone thought would be a crazy plot twist, one of the teams is disqualified because one the students is still in high school. So the Bardem Bellas are back together, but without Beca, who is seriously missed. But after a heart to heart with her father, where she realizes that she always pushes away the people that care about her.
So with Beca back on board, and after Aubrey is usurped, Beca takes over and finally brings the club into the 21st century and they perform a kick-ass performance at Nationals. This time they win.
Jesse and Beca also end up together. Life will move on, but for just one moment life is perfect.
Now, though the plot may not be much to work with, and the songs aren't the greatest, the dialogue is priceless. John Michael Hickey and Elizabeth Banks, who are the commentators for the competitions, are also hilarious. Rumor Wilson, as Fat Amy, can actually sing and is easily the funniest person in the whole cast. Brittany Snow (as Chloe) also does well as the other lead singer who has vocal nodes and thus singing is literally painful for her. The dialogue is snappy and hilarious. I will watch the film again but only because it is funny. Grade: B (but it is more enjoyable than most)

Glee: The Break-Up

Though critics may have loved this episode, I did not. It was only slightly better than last week's and that was because of the good songs.
First, Finn is back. Apparently, while cleaning his rifle (which he calls Rachel, because you're supposed to name it), it went off and thus he shot himself in the leg, though injuries were only minor, but that ended his career in the military. Now, he's been wandering around, lonely and lost. He's ashamed of himself. Rachel, despite her moment with Brody, is glad to see him and even insists that he come to all her classes with him. But that only makes him feel more lost and unsure of his future.
Kurt and Blaine are, likewise, having tons of relationship issues. Kurt just doesn't have the time to Blaine (also at McKinley, it's perfectly acceptable to talk on your cell phone in the hallway) and Blaine really misses Kurt, even though he basically forced him to journey to New York. So he simply hops on a plane and surprise visits Kurt, two weeks early. Then, the four of them go to a local karaoke bar and sing. Finn doesn't feel like singing so she sings a duet with Brody. The song is Demi Lovato's "Give Your Heart a Break" which I like, though I thought this duet was missing something. Then Blaine sang an acoustic version of "Teenage Dream" the first song he ever sang to Kurt two years ago. This was the worst scene of the episode. Blaine was trying to evoke tons of emotion but I thought he was trying too hard and the scene totally fell apart. It was completely overblown.
Afterwards, Rachel admits to Finn that she kissed Brody but that was all. Blaine, then, dropped the biggest bombshell yet, he had cheated on Kurt and Kurt was rightfully furious. Then, the four of them sang No Doubt's "Don't Speak", and performed it well. That next morning, Finn just disappeared and journeyed back to Lima. Rachel, who somehow managed to have the money to just jump on a flight and return to Lima, but she can't afford a better apartment, found Finn. She was less than pleased with him. Then came the best scene of the episode and one of Rachel's best scenes in the series. She told Finn that at first she was furious at him for forcing her to go to New York but then realized that only a real man would have done that, but now, slinking away in fame, he was no longer a man. He was also the first person that made her feel sexy. And no matter what happened, no matter where her career took her, she would always want him. He was also the first man that she had ever loved and she prayed he would be the last, but she couldn't do it anymore. After one last kiss, Rachel left. They joined Kurt and Blaine as one of the couples who called it quits.
Another couple did this as well. Santana always comes home to do her laundry so she will always have an excuse to see Brittany. Brittany really misses Santana and, though Santana feels the same way, they have to be in different places right now. After the second Taylor Swift song of the series, "Mine", Santana ends it with Brittany, though it appears to be temporary.
Will got the position he wanted as a role on the review board for art programs but it's in Washington D.C. and he wants Emma to join him, even though that means giving up her job for awhile. "But that's what ten-year's for," Will tries to justify his request. Emma is rightfully mad; she can't just gives up her life and follow him around like a puppy dog. Who knows where there relationship will take them.
Also at McKinley, the new couple, Kitty (who is borderline insane, as she fakes a rapture scene at a local restaurant to prove her point) and Jake break up. Jake tries to justify the reasons that he is with her to Marley, because he doesn't feel that he fits in with everyone else, he always feels that he belongs with her. Then, he breaks up with her, right in front of Marley. Kitty doesn't take it well, because she is like a bad Carrie Underwood song once she gets going. Though Marley immediately asks him out, he does shoot her down, which is good. I was yelling at her to do the same.
In other areas of interest, Finn returns to McKinley and advices Mr. Schuster that the musical should be Grease, and so it is. Finn will be directing in once Glee returns, in five weeks.
Though the episode was interesting and the songs were so much better than last week, I felt that this show focused too much on all the old characters without giving the new ones time to shine. I also hated what they did with Blaine's and Mr. Schuster's characters; the decisions seemed out of place. I really do have to have a serious talk with Ryan Murphy; he and I have some issues to work out. Still, the Grade is a B+.

Glee: Makeover

This episode was not great. I did not enjoy it. In theory, it wasn’t a bad episode, though the plot was good, the songs failed to impress me and some of the characters are just getting annoying.

In New York, Kurt finally landed his internship. Sarah Jessica Parker was well-cast as Isabelle Bright from Columbus. She is sweet and perky but unsure of her position. Though she had some great ideas, she just can't say no to people and business suffers because of it. Even after Kurt breaks into Vogue to get Rachel new clothes for her makeover, Isabelle is happy about the whole thing. She loves makeovers. The video that Kurt makes of Rachel is a hit with Vogue though it will all be re-shot with famous people. Kurt has finally made it, but in fashion, not on Broadway, which is his first dream.

Back in Ohio, it is time for Student President Elections. It's Brittany and Artie (but she forgot that they even went out for several months in season two) versus Blaine and Sam. Brittany is determined to win and though Artie brings the necessary brains to the party; she still ruins it by saying that she would cut summer vacation and weekends so they could spend more time together because she loves school so much. Artie mutters to himself that they just lost the election, which they did. Blaine won. Also, during the debate, Sam admits that he is not ashamed of his stripper past.

Still, Blaine misses Kurt and has joined many extracurricular activities to fill the void. He is upset and their relationship is headed toward disaster.

On the other hand, Rachel is heating things up (almost literally) with Brody. They had a hot debut number together and finally, she asked him out on a date. After a quick make-out session with him, the door bell rings and she opens the door and it's Finn. Wow, shocker. Their relationship is also headed toward disaster.

Overall, this episode ignored the newly created characters for this show, just when I was starting to like them. The songs weren't great. And for goodness sake, give Tina some screen time, she's been part of this show since season one, and has been ignored since then as well. And stop making Brittany seem so stupid, that is also getting on my nerves. Glee, you need to get better, or else I will stop watching. Grade: B

Trouble with the Curve

This was a pretty good movie, no Moneyball but still enjoyable.
Gus (Clint Eastwood) is a baseball scout for the Braves, but he is getting older and his eyesight is failing. He also has a daughter, Mickey (the always great Amy Adams) who is a successful lawyer. They live separate lives because Mickey believes that is what her father wants. But Gus's old friend and boss, Pete Klein (John Goodman) calls up Mickey and warns her that something is wrong with her father. Though she is also worried, she is reluctant to accompany him on his journey to scout out this kid, Bo Gentry (Joe Massingill), who is the big shot around the baseball world and the attitude to go with it, plus he looks way too old to be a high school student. But, yes, he is a good baseball player and can really hit the ball, but I found him horribly annoying throughout. The kid that caught my attention was the son of the hotel owner, who also sold peanuts at the local ball games. He threw the peanut bag so hard, I knew there had to be more to it. The film would eventually get back to him, but it would take awhile.
Mickey finally joins her father, though she is in the middle of a big case and about to make partnership at her law firm though she has only been there seven years. Her father is not pleased to see her; he wants her to return to her own life. She notices the scratches on his car so she drives, though the next day, she lets her father drive, which is not a good idea as a car hits them, but luckily no one is seriously hurt. along the way to seeing all the games, Johnny Flanagan (Justin Timberlake) arrives. He is a former baseball pitcher who was recruited by Gus, but then he blew his arm out so now he picks players for the Boston Red Sox.  Needless to say, sparks fly between Mickey and Johnny, though Mickey is still very much dedicated to her job.
Long story short, it turns out that Gentry can't hit a curve ball. All Gus needs to do is hear how the ball came off his bat. Gus advices the Braves not to sign him, but he is overruled by the new hotshot scout, Phil Sanderson (Matthew Lillard) who deals with computers. They sign him. The Red Sox don't because Gus told Johnny that he would not work out. Thus Johnny loses his job and is furious with both Gus and Mickey. So much for their budding relationship, which had only just begun. Then, after another confrontation between Gus and Mickey where he finally reveals to her the reason why he sent her away after her mother died was because he lost her and found her being hit on by a man in the horse barn near the ball park. She said being spent away, twice, first to her aunt and uncle's and then later to boarding school, made her feel rejected. Gus leaves and while Mickey is packing, she hears this weird pounding sound coming from outside. She investigates and finds  the peanut kid pitching the baseball to his younger brother. She approaches said kid, whose name is Rigo Sanchez (Jay Galloway) and watches him pitch. Despite not being able to play baseball for school as his grades aren't good enough for his mother, Mickey likes what she sees as Rigo can even throw different types of pitches. She begs Pete to try him out which Pete reluctantly agrees to. The big moment has arrived. Rigo pitches flawlessly and finally the big man on campus is shutdown. Phil is out of a job while Gus can stay on longer though he is aging severely. Mickey is offered the partnership because the other guy being considered choked when his time finally came up. Johnny even shows back up and the film ends with Johnny and Mickey kissing and Gus walking away calmly, saying his has to take the bus.
Overall, the film is flawed. The bad guy is too bad. The arrogant kid is too out of touch with everyone else, not caring about his other teammates, when baseball is a team sport after all. Rigo is so polite and normal you root for him from the very beginning, though I doubt someone with no experience whatsoever could pitch that well. The love scene in a local watering hole between Mickey and Johnny is just an excuse for Justin Timberlake to take his shirt off. Yet the film is enjoyable. No, there is very little depth to the film and probably should have been released during the summer not closer toward Oscar season, but yes, it was good and enjoyable but it handles the sport too lightly for my taste. Luckily, Eastwood, Adams and Timberlake redeem the fairly simple and predictable plot. Grade: B+

Glee: Britney 2.0

They had another Britney episode where some great songs were sung and some bad decisions were made.
Bad Decision #1: Brittany had a breakdown after being kicked off the Cheerios after Sue feels that she sets a bad example, which she kind of does. This triggers a Brittany breakdown, which she does in epic fashion, including nearly shaving her hair off at one point because if she can't wear her high pony, then she doesn't want hair at all. Luckily, her hair is saved. To further save her spirit, Blaine decides to let Brittany sing the song at the assembly, but she wants to lip synch. Though they try to turn her against it, that is what they end up doing. Naturally, they are caught because Brittany walks around like a zombie on stage and shoves food down her mouth. Mr. Schuster is furious at the club and warns them that if the nationals police caught them, they could be bared from competing for the year. But Brittany, having hit rock bottom, is ready for her comeback, just as the real Britney was. She pulls her life together, including getting tutoring sessions from Mr. Schu and Emma and her grades are coming up. Sue allows her back on the Cheerios.
Bad Decision #2: Rachel is still having difficulties with Cassandra July and then Kurt alerts her to July's breakdown on youtube when she was trying to make it on Broadway. While she was performing, a man's cell phone rings and she freaks out. Meanwhile, Rachel was told that she was not sexy enough to learn the tango, so she plans her own dance with the help of Brody, who really likes Rachel, but July still didn't like it. Then Rachel said that she was just jealous because Rachel still had a chance while her broadway life was over. July then kicked her out. Luckily, because of school policy, Rachel is given a second chance but July warned her that things don't work lie that in real life. She was never given a second chance. Rachel is on probation but things are looking up her.
Now to the relationships. Brody really likes Rachel, though she is not yet over Finn. Finn, however, hasn't been heard from in months. And then Brody says, though he will respect her boundaries, every time they are together, he thinks of kissing her. The show ends up Rachel painting over the heart with Finn's name in it in her new apartment that she now shares with Kurt.
Back in Lima, Marley is harboring a super huge crush on Jake even though Unique warns her to avoid him because he dates a whole bunch of girls. Nevertheless, she meets him and they have a beautiful duet together and he even gives her his jacket to wear. Later, when kids are mean to Marley's mother, he picks a fight with them. Mr. Schuster doesn't tell the principal, but instead brings Jake to talk with his brother, Puck (yay, Puck). Puck gives him some good advice and tells him that this club made him a man, not all the girls he banged. So Jake decides to join the club, and Marley is pleased. Then, her heart breaks when Jakes says that he is seeing Kitty. Naturally, Kitty is pleased with herself. Marley sings the final song of the show, Britney Spears's Everytime, the song that should have ended the first Britney episode two years ago. She did an amazing job, filled with pure heartbreak.
This was a pretty good episode. Lessons were learned by several members. The songs worked well and the show just meshed together better than last week as the characters are becoming more engaging. Marley is easily my new favorite character and has an amazing voice. I hope to see more from her to come. Grade: A-