Kourtni and Matt Eliminated And Robert Muraine Performs!

The elimination process was last night and to no surprise hear Kourtni and Matt were the couple sent home.   Kourtni’s solo was actually stronger than Comfort’s, but for some reason the judges booted her instead.  I think her body of work on the show was stronger as well.  Thayne’s saved him 100% and Gev’s was brilliant as well.  Matt was definitely the guy who should have gone home.  Courtney’s solo was good as well, but when it comes down to it, it really was a toss up as to Kourtni or Comfort with the ladies.  Even though I prefer Comfort to Kourtni.  Goodbye to Kourtni and Matt and Good Luck!

Highlight of the Show?

Robert Muraines Performance to C & C Music Factory.  Here it is.  This guy is just amazing.

Top 14: So You Think You Can Dance

Last night the top seven couples performed two routines, and for the most part the night left me feeling a little dry, and I think I can attribute it to the choreography.  With exception to Mia Michaels and Tony & Melanie last nights routines had no really excitement to them.  Some were techinically more difficult, but at this point in the show I really prefer to see performances like Twitch and Kherington’s Mia routine over raw technicality.  And moreover I miss Shane Sparks hip hop.  I don’t like where it’s gone on the show, and a genre of dance that was once my favorite is now becomming as dreaded as the quick step to endure.

I agreed with the judges on most accounts last night though with exception of the last broadway routine, it left me dry, but in contrast I actually enjoyed their hip hop routine.  It was a lot of fun, and the judges responded in a lukewarm fashion to it.

A little off point here, as much as I adore the silly charismatic Cat Deely, who dresses her?  It always seems to be the result of a wardrobe malfunction, or perhaps someone finding her clothes in the dark.  Last nights dress was one of her worst ever, and that is a considerable feat in Cat land.  No meows for you tonight Cat.

Once again the night was filled with seedy, sexy routines, but also some nice classy performances, and unfortunately I think it was abundantly obvious who’s going to be in the bottom three this week: at list two couples on the list anyway. The right people went home last week, hopefully the same will go for tonight.  Here’s My Predictions:

Safe

• Katee and Joshua: They performed excellent in both contemporary and Benji’s West Coast Swing, even though I wasn’t a fan of it’s choreography
• Twitch and Kherinton: Awesome routines, each were SMOKING hot!
• Chelsie and Mark: Had a great jazz/hip hop thing and their foxtrot was absolutely lovely

Unsure

• Courtney and Gev: Did a fun hip hop routine and an ok Broadway that the judges really enjoyed, but not up to par with my top three couples.
• Jessica and Will: Had a GREAT and steamy Mandy Moore routine that I adored and an ok Jive that was easily forgotten. I predict them in the bottom over Courtney and Gev.  The judges want to give Jessica the boot anyway.

Bottom

• Kourtni and Matt:  It was their worst night ever.  The hip hop was so awkward, it was simply bad, and the Mambo lacked the heat needed to generate in a night fully of sexy routines.
• Comfort and Thayne: had a beautiful Waltz, but I don’t think it will be enough to sustain them as a top couple especially after their incredibly weak broadway performance.

Hot?

The Worst:

The Best!

Tin Man (2007)

Directed By: Nick Willing

Written By: Jill E. Blotevogel and Steven Long Mitchell

Adapted From The Novel: The Wizard Of Oz By L. Frank Baum

I haven’t been here before, but I know this place… -DG

Synopsis

This is not the Oz most of us remember.  In fact, it’s a creation all of it’s own, changed and altered with years past, with many different evil witches, beautiful queens, wizards, and variations of the land so richly described in L. Frank Baums original story.  This Oz has been taken by a vicious sorceress, with plans set on destroying the entire world and making it enveloped in complete blackness.  Between her sorcery and army, the resistance fights a losing battle until a girl from the Other Side comes into the O Z.  DG is naive and unknowing but becomes quickly hardened by the rough world surrounding her, though is not alone as she has found companions to aid her in her mission, which doesn’t become completely clear until you are already involved in a great amount of the side plots.  It’s a story of adventure, betrayal, love, and friendship, and doesn’t take a breath for even a moment.

Review

There was an immediate concern that this movie would be either a cheap rip off of the wonderful tale of The Wizard Of Oz, or that it would be a poor individual story that only used the basics to create it’s own Oz.  Those concerns were wiped away once DG flew into the OZ, or Outer Zone.  The story perfectly integrated a new dangerous interpretation of a beloved tale with the basics set up decades ago without becoming dependant or reliant on the original story, but also staying true to it’s basic nature.  It made it captivating and down right exciting to watch.

The main characters that were both old and new, were easy to latch on to because of the familiarity with them, but distinct enough in their own right that you weren’t constantly comparing them to the characters their likenesses were developed from.  The small beats that did allude to the original creations were cute and symbolic rather than obvious and obnoxious.

The plot and theme itself was gargantuan in size and it truly made sense to make it a three part story.  For all the character developments to flow naturally and the transpiring events to occur in an even exciting momentum, it was best done this way.   The massive scale the story incorporated set the boundaries of the story in a million different directions and allowed it to create a massive adventure that made the finale always feel near the cusp, but always just missing with even more adventure left.  The actual finale arced perfectly and left the ending triumphant and satisfying closed on this particular story.

The visual imagery of the OZ was just astounding.  The sets were enormous and made with such delicate intricacies.  The CGI used to show a massive amount of the wide shots was exploited in a creative and tasteful way that didn’t stray too far into the fantasy world and away from a feeling of reality.  It never bordered looking cheesy or cheap.  It and the soundtrack as well, gave the story and it’s adventure the third dimensional texture it needed to make this OZ into a world very much so real.

Cast

• Zoey Deschanel as DG
• Alan Cummings as Glitch
• Neal McDonough as Wyatt Cain
• Kathleen Robertson as Azkadelliah
• Raoul Trujillo as Raw
• Callum Keith Rennie as Zero
• Richard Dreyfus as The Mystic Man
• Blu Makuma as Toto/Tutor
• Anna Galvin as Lavendar Eyes
• Ted Whithall as Ahamo
• Rachael Pattee as Young DG
• Alexia Fast as Young Azkadellia

The only real complaint I have for a film of this genre is the lead actress Zoey Deschanel.  From her first line to her last I cannot comprehend her being cast other than her physical appearance.  Her acting and delivery was a basic nuisance to brilliantly paced, written, and for the most part: cast story.  Her bland reactions and inability to emote any real feeling through her performance severely crippled important moments between characters throughout the story.  Luckily the rest of the cast and the story was well enough done, that this became a minor annoyance and actually funny to laugh at in certain points, instead of ruining the entire move.  But if the rest wasn’t structured so strongly her performance was bad enough to ruin it all.  In contrast to her, the rest of the cast was flawless in their performances and made the story that much more the take in.

Ratings and Suggestions

Tin Man turned out to be a wondrous adventure into a world we are all familiar with, but on very different terms.  It was a refreshing pleasure to take in.  The level of dedication to it’s creators and all involved is evident in it’s final display.  For a made for television movie, I can honestly say I can’t think of one I enjoyed more or was better done.  Thanks to Wicked for opening the proverbial door into entertaining new ideas about stories we love, by still giving them their due credit and making something new.  The Sci-Fi Channel hit this one right out of the park.  Tin Man receives a solid three out of four stars from me. 

Top 16: So You Think You Can Dance!

Katee and Joshua were my absolute favorite AGAIN. Other than Chelsie and Mark they are the only two really fusing as a couple.

The Best Performances were:

1. Josh and Katee

2. Kourtni and Matt (who had GREAT choreography!)

3. Twitch and Kherington

4. Chelsie and Mark

In the Middle:

1.Courtney and Gev

2. Will and Jessica

Just Plain Bad?

1. Comfort and Chris

2. Thayne and Chelsea H.

Comfort let me down again. I’m very disappointed. However I think Chelsea and Chris should be the two going home. Or Thayne even.  If Will and Jessica are in the bottom I wouldn’t be opposed to Jessica going.  She is beautiful, but her dancing isn’t up to par, and I don’t mean Will’s par.  I think that’s an excuse for her not rising to the occassion like the rest of the dancers.

P.S. Cat was being a naughty kitty last night.  Most of her comments on the dancers were all sexual in nature.  In fact, it was a very sexually charged evening.

Top 18: So You Think You Can Dance

 Thayne Jasperson and Chelsea Traille performed a jazz routine choreographed by Mandy Moore, danced to “Untouched” by The Veronicas. I’m not sure I understand what happened here.  The two are great dancers, Mandy Moore an excellent choreographer, but the couple circled each other and barely even moved.  It was horrible, one of the worst dances on the shows history.  And their costumes? MEH!

Mark Kanemura and Chelsie Hightower dance next to the Argentine tango, which is a comfort zone for Chelsie being a ballroom dancer.  Their performance was stunning.  Next to Katee and Joshua, these two work  best as a couple.

 Jessica King and William Wingfield peform a hip hop routine, dancing to “Whatever U Like” by Nicole Scherzinger.  William is pure and simple pleasure to watch and unfortunately because of it I missed most of Jessica’s performance.  These two have not been paired well.  If she is good, each week she continues to look weaker next to him.  He needs a new partner.
Matt Dorame and Kourtni Lind have drawn the foxtrot and they danced to “A Foggy Day in London Town.”  They did a really nice job.  It’s always hard to tell the way the audience will vote to the waltz or the foxtrot unless it’s incredibly remarkable though.

 Courtney Galiano and Gev Manoukian are up next and they dance a contemporary piece choreographed by Mandy Moore.  This is a step up from Mandy’s earlier rountine and Gev really shows his growth and his ability to partner Courtney, who got critiqued harshly by Mia, but I found her performance lovely.  A big improvement from last week for these two.
Katee Shean and Joshua Allen dance a Tyce Diorio Broadway routine this week.  It was pure and simply amazing.  These two have an amazing chemistry and diversity.  They are simply nailing everything.  So far they are my favorite couple and certainly the best.

Susie Garcia and Marquis Cunningham danced the salsa.  It was difficult to follow Katee and Joshua, but being Susies speciality I expected fireworks, and not only was it bland, technically it was horrible.  Marquis was all arms all over and Susie was going through the motions.  They were almost as bad as Chelsea and Chris.

Twitch Boss and Kherington Payne drew the Viennese waltz, choreographed by Jean-Marc Genereux.  It was a personal routine made for the eyes and enjoyment of his daughter that suffers from a motor dysfunction disease and between Kherington electric smile and their beautiful lines together it was a lovely routine to be remembered.

Comfort Fedoke and Chris Jarosz are subject to krumping and dance to “Come and Get Me” by Timbaland.  I had high expectations for Comfort and hoped Chris didn’t make a complete ass out of himself.  He did and she didn’t live up to them.  A major disappointment.

RESULTS SHOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It was no shocker that Comfort and Chris, Susie and Marquis, or Thayne and Chelsea were in the bottom three.  Each earned their place and should have danced for their life.  I feel America got it right for once. 

Comfort’s solo was jaw dropping.  It was seriously amazing, while Susie was solid and Chelsea’s on the weak side.  Nonetheless, Chelsea being the stronger dancer was kept and Susie sent home.  I agree. 

Marquis, Thayne, and Chris all being contemporary dancers made the mens performances intense.  All but Chris.  Thayne’s was lovely, but nothing to speak of, and Marquis’s amazing.  Chris’s was dreadful and bland.  Yet he and Thayne stayed while Marquis was sent home.  Disagree with this one judges.

It was a good night though.  I can’t wait for next week!  For your enjoyment here’s Comforts Solo!

Stargate Universe

The talks about a third Stargate series titled, “Stargate Universe” have flying around for well over a year now.  With Atlantis’s continued success and the success of the Stargate movies it’s clear a new series is something to take on.  However, many things have kept the show from going into production, including the production of The Ark Of Truth and Continuum.  The staff would be spread too thin over two films and two different series, which leaves me begging the question now: When will the new series start?  An official date is promised soon, and it will be based on whether or not more Stargate films will be scheduled for next year.  So hopefully we will hear something in the near future.  For more information go to Gateworld.net where they have many different articles on the show itself.  In the meantime Season Five of Atlantis is just around the corner along with the much anticipated release of Continuum.  More stargate in our future is always a pleasant thought for tomorrow.

So You Think You Can Dance: First Elimination

Predictions weren’t wildly off when it was considered that Jamie and Rayven would be sent home, but even so I’m a little surprised that Jamie went.  Though I wasn’t fond of the hip hop routines choreography they danced to (not their fault) Jamies performance was stronger than many of the men’s the previous night, and while his solo was on the weak end, he is still the only partner dancer in the competition and that makes him a valuable resource.  Instead, the competition is flooded with contemporary dancers.  While the dancers are certainly great this year, the lack of versatility bothers me.  I’m very much so missing some Russian latin dancers as well.

Also distressing this season is the absence of Wade Robson and Shane Sparks.  Shane is busy doing that terrible MTV show while Wade was holding out for more $$$$$$ from my understanding.  Please pay Wade what he wants and and beg Shane to come back.  The only choreography that was really interesting was Tony Meredith’s and of course Mia’s.  The hip hop was so soft and so weak.  It won’t matter how good some of the performers are if we are missing some of the cutting edge choreography that makes them stand out.  Anyway, it was still a pretty good night.

Here is the opening performance choreographed by: Wade Robson, and is what we’ll be missing in the couples performances this season-