Fictional Music Groups it’s Totally OK to Listen to Unironically

Posted in Choice Picks by Whitney Weldon

Mandonna (Happy Endings)

To this day, Mandonna’s rendition of “Like a Prayer” is the most hauntingly beautiful I’ve ever heard. Also, I love that they hum the intro for almost a full minute to give Penny (Casey Wilson) time to do the murderball bit. Team Friendship!

Robin Sparkles (How I Met Your Mother)

Phhfff. Like I needed an excuse to put on jelly bracelets and my cool graffiti coat.

Powerline (A Goofy Movie)

Wouldn’t it be, like, completely insane if I crafted this entire post for the sole purpose of posting another Poweline video? …Seriously, would it?

The Barden Bellas/ The Treblemakers (Pitch Perfect)

The Bellas and the Trebles make those Glee weirdos look like the S Club 7 of acapella.

The Sapphires (The Sapphires)

Fun Fact: The sapphires were an actual girl group that sang for the troops in Vietnam, but those chicks never put out a record on iTunes, so we must settle for the soundtrack version. And by settle I mean put it on repeat.

Billie Piper (Surprisingly, a real pop star)

When Robin Freaking Sparkles is a more realistic teen pop icon than you, your act must be remarkably whack. But clearly she did something right because I own, umm, three of her records.

Mouse Rat (Parks and Recreation)

I bet we all thought that there was no way Lady Di could ever be one-upped by a mini-horse. Then this happened.

Sex Bob-Omb (Scott Pilgrim V. The World)

I want to have this band’s adopted babies.

I am so in lesbians with this band

They are Sex Bob-Omb and they are here to sell out and make money and stuff.

(If that cluster-quote made no sense to you, you need to get less of a life).

–Whitney

19Sep2014

The Reviews are In: The Maze Runner

Posted in The Reviews are In by Whitney Weldon

In the spirit of full disclosure, I need to admit that I have not read the James Dashner books that The Maze Runner is based on. In fact, I almost didn’t end up seeing this movie at all; watching another end-is-nigh YA money-muncher is starting to feel a bit old hat. Not to mention that the film features an almost exclusively male cast that, judging from the trailer, spends most of the movie running around the set of Jim Henson’s Labyrinth wearing laser tag vests. But because I had a free afternoon today, and had literally nothing better to do, I saw it anyway. And I’m definitely not sorry I did.

For those of us who haven’t read the books, the story is about a group of boys who wake up in a mysterious glade with nothing but the clothes on their backs and a serious recall problem. None of them remember who they are or where they came from. Thomas (Dylan O’Brian), one of the unlucky amnesiacs, takes it upon himself to help the boys find a way out of the glade by exploring the ever-changing mechanical maze that surrounds them.

Maze Runner is carried completely by it’s young and pretty unknown cast, which from a film making point of view must feel like letting a toddler take a drivers test. It’s not like The Hunger Games, where Jennifer Lawrence was already making the Oscar-rounds before being cast as Katniss. That being said, Runner delivers some impressive performances, particularly from resident PYT O’Brian. One of the movie’s best moments is the very first, when we see a panic-stricken Thomas being propelled upward in a underground elevator like a human push-pop. I could also make a Lord of the Flies reference here, if I thought it hadn’t been done a million times; I will say, though, that the boys’ group dynamics are just as fun to watch as the action sequences. Which, just to be clear, were super fun to watch.

Verdict: Go see it. It’s not Citizen Kane, but it’s a pretty good time at the movies.

–Whitney

18Sep2014

Fangirly Love Letter: The Gilmore Girls

Posted in Get with the Program, Sweet Streams by Whitney Weldon

Being a Latchkey Kid was the best. My parents both worked full time, so in the afternoons I was left to my own weird devices. It usually went as follows:

1) walk inside, dump my backpack where ever convenient (almost always constituted a fire hazard)

2) Eat until the lower half of my face was numb from exhaustion

3) Get dance-y to whatever Now That’s What I Call Music album was collecting dust in the living room stereo

4)Try on all my mom’s old bridesmaid dresses

5) Drink rootbeer out of our fancy dinner glassware and “unwind”

…All of which took about 10-15 minutes. Then it was time to dial into The Gilmore Girls.

There is not one show, not Veronica Mars, not Buffy The Vampire Slayer, not 30 Rock, that means more to me than TGG

Everything I learned about the kind of woman I want to be came from this Amy Sherman Palladino brain baby. (My mom is a super close second). This mother-daughter double act was so funny, so clever, so heartwarming/ breaking that Act 1 Whitney was in perpetual awe. In fact, I can date my media mania directly back to Gilmore. Suddenly there just wasn’t enough of this show to meet my consumption needs.

Lorelei and Rory were so classy,

So articulate,

So forward thinking.

And then, seemingly out of nowhere, the ax fell.

Gilmore Girls, a network staple and my TV spirit animal, was canceled. It was over almost as soon as it began.

But from the ashes, a hero emerged. One who would help me to piece together the shambles of my Gilmore-less existence, all for the super-low price of $7.99. That’s right dweebs, Netflix has the streaming rights for Gilmore Girls. Those of us who loved the show will, on October 1, have a chance to relive the magic again and again, and those of you who didn’t love the show will have a chance to pull your head out of your butt. (Sort of joking. Mostly serious).

Give it a chance guys. You will not be sorry.

–Whitney

16Sep2014

Choice Picks: New Fall Shows You Should Get Excited About NOW

Posted in Choice Picks by Whitney Weldon

Sunday

Mulaney (Fox) 9:30

Wait, I’m confused. If the show is supposed to be named after him, then why isn’t it called Whitney’s Future Husband?

Monday

Gotham (Fox) 8:00

I wish I could say this was the first time I’ve been sexually attracted to The Penguin.

Tuesday

Selfie (ABC) 8:00

Amy Pond stars in a My Fair Lady retelling. I’ve told you all you need to know.

The Flash (CW) 8:00

You got to hand it to the CW, they know when they’ve found a winning formula: cute boy + comic book premise – waiting months and months for next installments.

Marry Me (NBC) 9:00

Full Disclosure- I have no idea what this show is about. They had me at Casey Wilson. And they really had me at Ken Marino. In summation, they really have me.

Forever (ABC) 10:00

Ioan Gruffudd stars as a medical examiner who enjoys a fulfilling career and a normal human lifespan. Oh, scratch that, he lives forever. I gotta learn how to pick up on context clues.

Thursday

Gracepoint (Fox) 9:00

From what I can tell, David Tennant stars in the US version of last years Broadchurch, which also starred David Tennant. Hey, reduce, reuse, recycle.

A to Z (NBC) 9:30

My only hope for this show is that Cristin Milioti doesn’t die at the end of the 9th season. Sorry, too soon?

How to Get Away with Murder (ABC) 10:00

Ironically, Viola Davis probably could get away with murder.

-Whitney

12Sep2014

Fangirly Crush of the Week: Benjamin Booker

Posted in Crush of the Week by Whitney Weldon

This is a conversation I have with my musically inclined brother on almost a biweekly basis:

Him: Whitney, you should listen to blah blah blah blah.

Me: Oh, cool. How much hipster cred is it worth?

Indignant Him: That’s not what it’s even about! These guys are really reminiscent of, like, blah blah blah blah (I love him ever so, but at this point in the chat he kinda loses me. Bless his little indie heart).

Eric, I know you wanted me to grow up to be that cool chick drummer from the White Stripes, and instead you got the sixth spice girl (Sister Spice! I slay myself sometimes). In Benjamin Booker, though, I think we might finally find some common ground. You can appreciate his Jack White Certified musical chops, and I will appreciate the rest of him. For those of you who don’t share mitochondrial DNA with us, here is a Booker tune so you can join the conversation too.

–Whitney

8Sep2014

Anglophiles Anonymous: James McAvoy, Natalie Dormer, Benedict Cumberbatch, Anthony Head Star in BBC Radio Adaptation of Neil Gaiman’s Neverwhere

Posted in Anglophiles Anonymous by Whitney Weldon

As far as I can tell, there are only two types of people in the world: people who love Neil Gaiman, and people who don’t know they love Neil Gaiman. If by some cruel twist of fate you find yourself in the latter category, then don’t panic. BBC Radio has produced an audio adaptation of Gaiman’s novel Neverwhere, the story of a Scottish mensch (James McAvoy) who gets trapped in a secret London underworld and is shanghaied into assisting Door (Natalie Dormer) in eluding the subterranean sociopaths that murdered her family. You can get your hands on the audiobook version on Audible.com, or you can be thrifty and just listen to it on youtube like the cool kids. Here is part 1, my gift to you.

–Whitney

4Sep2014

Sweet Streams: Whitney’s TV Binge and Purge

Posted in Sweet Streams by Whitney Weldon

If TV is my addiction, then Netflix it absolutely my enabler. Because like any junkie, I tend to gorge myself on any trash I can get my hands on (Say Yes to the Dress, Hoarders, Family Guy, any CW show), and Netflix is always ready with my next fix, at 19 second intervals. Not that the streaming site exclusively offers garbage; there are plenty of quality, critically acclaimed movies and shows that have been sitting in my queue, gathering dust. Stuff that I always meant to watch, but decided could wait until I was finished re-watching all seven season of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Again. An idea that always seems good at the time, until I go all Carol Anne-y…

But a girl can change. I am embarking on a strict media diet, and each week I will bring you my picks for the best streams that won’t make you feel like a total TV burnout.

The Obligatory Rom-Com: Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day

Because you can only watch Clueless so many times. (False, but you get what I mean.)

The Odd-Ball : Mary and Max

Let’s just call this one a palate cleanser.

The EW Must-List Rip Off: A Young Doctors Notebook and Other Stories

Ok Entertainment Weekly, stop haranguing me already! You had me at Hamm.

The Academy Darling: Breaking Bad

Can I be cool now, please?

–Whitney

28Aug2014

Fangirly Crush of the Week: Evan Peters

Posted in Crush of the Week, TV by Whitney Weldon

Seriously, where did this guy come from? Has he always been a thing? Maybe it’s the distinctly Clockwork Orange-y vibe he throws off, or maybe I’m losing my uncanny ability to scope out even the most obscure of Hotties. Either way…

I never had a mind to crush on Mr. Peters till I got around to watching American Horror Story: Asylum. First, I would like to say, YIKES. AHS is rough stuff, even for a gal with a deep appreciation for even the most depraved examples of the horror genre. Second, I would like to personally apologize to Evan Peters for not getting it before now. You are smoking; You should know that about yourself. Also, your turn as Quicksilver in one of this summers watchable movies, X-Men: Days of Future Past, was bananas. You stone cold scene-stealer, you.

In summation, if you haven’t yet started crushing on Evan Peters yet, here is the chance to get the jump on all your friends. He is going to be huge, and you don’t want to be the last one to crash the Evan Peters Party. If you’re still not convinced, you can watch him in American Horror Story: Freakshow this fall. I guarantee you will be terrified and twitterpated in equal measure. Try not to think about it too much.

–Whitney

28Aug2014

Somebody Convince Me: Pretty Little Liars

Posted in Somebody Convince Me, TV by Whitney Weldon

I’ve tried, I swear. I have looked high and low for a reason to watch Pretty Little Liars, but so far I have only found one…

A real shame, considering Piper (sorry, Holly Marie Combs) gets maybe twenty seconds of combined screen time in the first three episodes. Which, coincidentally, is about as much as my gag reflex will allow me to swallow. Excepting the aforementioned 1/3 of the Halliwell coven, I cannot find one character that I like, or at least find compelling enough to make the story palatable. In the few episodes I’ve seen, the four Lead Liars have shoplifted, withheld information from the police, made-out with their English teachers, stolen their sisters’ fiancees, and accidentally(?) maimed a classmate. In the first three episodes. Now, I’m not saying that every female on TV needs to be a paragon of womanly virtue. Fangirly loves complex female characters, which might explain why we dedicated our own little corner of the internet to writing about them. But there is a pretty well-defined line between being a complicated person and being a crappy person, and these girls can’t seem to find it.

I swear I’m not trying to be mean. I know that this show has a lot of fans, and not just the tweenage kind. I know several women with impressive taste who are completely caught up in this show, and I am just trying to figure it out. So convince me, please.

–Whitney

26Aug2014

Fangirly Presents: The 2014 Femmie Awards!

Posted in About Last Night, TV by Whitney Weldon

If I had to pick one word to sum up last night’s Emmy Awards, I would have to go with unprecedented. I mean, who could have possibly foreseen that Modern Family would pick up Outstanding Comedy Series for the fifth consecutive time? Or that the dark horse nominee from Breaking Bad (you know, Malcolm’s dad) would take home the award for Outstanding Lead actor? Not to mention all the other left-fielders like The Big Bang Theory, American Horror Story, and Steven Moffat’s little known passion project Sherlock. And while all the wins last night were richly deserved, we decided to recognize all those performances that would otherwise have gone unnoticed. We present to you, our seven readers, the 2014 Femmie Awards.

Outstanding Use of Grocery Bags, Loose Fitting Clothes, and Tony Goldwyn’s Knee to Hide a Baby Bump in a Drama Series

And the Femmie goes to…

Scandal!

Most Outstanding Comedy Series to Ever Get Cut Down in It’s Prime, Thereby Denying Viewers What Should Have Been Years of Comedy Gold

And the Femmie goes to…

Subergatory! (Kind of a Win/Lose)

Outstanding Performance by a Smart, Strong, Sensual Woman in a Comedy Series

And the Femmie goes to…

Tina Belcher! (Bob’s Burgers)

Outstanding Miniseries that Attempts to Make the Idea of Getting Knocked Up by Patrick J Adams Less Appealing, and Ultimately Fails

And the Femmie goes to…

Rosemary’s Baby! (NBC)

We here at Fangirly would like to extend our congratulation to all our winners! You will be going home with… nothing. Statues were not in the budget.

-Whitney

21Aug2014

How to Make Friends and Stop Alienating People at the Movies

Posted in Fan-Rants, Movies by Whitney Weldon

This is the post I hoped I would never have to write. Because by doing so, I’m forced to acknowledge and address those dinguses who seem utterly incapable of spanking their inner moppet and acting like grown-ups at the movies. If this post comes across as, ummm, combative, I apologize in advance. After an appalling experience at the movies yesterday (a second viewing of my new favorite Oscar contender, Guardians of the Galaxy) I know that this particular bug will stay firmly lodged up my butt until I speak out. And as we all know, Hell hath no fury like a lady whose enjoyment of Chris Pratt was compromised by some jabroni with an iPhone. In an effort to prevent such atrocities in the future, I present Whitney’s Rules of Movie Theater Etiquette.

1) Arrive Early. I mean, going to the movies is supposed to be a leisure activity, right? Why not make it leisurely by giving yourself enough time to look at movie posters, visit the Pee Palace, get your concessions, and get to your seat in a timely fashion, rather than trying to squeeze in during the previews. Because some of us like the previews, and having you crawl over our knees like a terrier while you try to nab a seat does not enhance the experience. You might ask, How early is early enough? Excellent question. I like to get there anywhere between 20-30 minutes early. Be cognizant of how long it takes you to get there and how long lines at the ticket booth might be.

2) Once the movie starts, ditch the snacks. Ok, this one is harder to justify, as it’s really just kind of a pet peeve. Hearing someone swan-dive into their worryingly large vat of buttered popcorn is a real mood killer. If you want to chow during the previews, then by all means, go to town. But if you are a non-child or non-diabetic, then you should be completely capable of going two hours until your next Junior Mint pick me up.

3) Let the credits roll. After every movie, there is always that one dude who tries to pole vault over seats in order to be first out of the theater. Why? If science tells us anything, it’s that watching three minutes of credits will not kill you. I’m not saying you need to sit there until an usher gives you a dirty look; once they roll the post-production departments you are probably good to go.

What is your biggest theater pet peeve? Go ahead. Let it all out in our comment section.

–Whitney,

14Aug2014

Summer Movie Chutes and Ladders!

Posted in Cinema Chutes and Ladders, Uncategorized by Whitney Weldon

I did not end up seeing very many movies this summer. In part, because I’ve just been way too busy having a fun, sexy, Newport Ad summer…

…And also because I just haven’t been that spoiled with choice. It’s no ancient Chinese secret that this has just not been the summer for movies. I did see a few, though, so I thought I’d play a game of Cinema Chutes and Ladders with some of this summers releases.

Chute: The Amazing Spider-Man 2

Ok, I’m going to say something that is going to sound kinda mean, but is only meant to be constructive: The entire film felt like a really, outrageously expensive piece of Peter/Gwen fanfic. Oh jeeze, that looks just as mean on paper as it did in my head. But the truth is, when you center the entire script of your Big-Budget Superhero Blockbuster on your leads perpetual game of relationship ping-pong, your story is going to suffer. And suffer it did. Everybody knows that Emma Stone and Andrew Garfield have bananas on/off screen chemistry. Doesn’t mean we want to watch a movie about it.

Ladder: Edge of Tomorrow

There really are not words to express how little I cared about seeing Tom Cruise’s latest attempt at career dialysis. I figured it was just another two-hour excuse to eat buttered popcorn, watch Tom gaze steely-eyed into the face of danger, and flirt with his under aged, underwritten leading lady. I’ve probably been more wrong before, but nothing immediately springs to mind. Edge was surprisingly funny, inventive, and (whoa!) kind of female driven. Emily Blunt’s character is allowed to be a hero in her own right, and not just as Cruise’s best girl. Not to mention that this is probably one of my favorite Tom Cruise performances EVER. I mean it. He’s smarmy and self-deprecating, and gives us a compelling hero to root for.

Ladder: Snowpiercer

It’s really is hard for me to put into words how I feel about this movie. If you (understandably) assume that my enthusiasm for this one stems from a longstanding and ever increasing Chris Evans crush, I totally get it. But in reality, once I saw the trailer back in May, I knew I was going to see it one way or another. It just looked so different from anything else we were likely to get this summer. And because I ABSOLUTELY refuse to dole out any spoilers on this one, all I will say is that I walked out of that movie theater shaking. It was disturbing and violent and sad and exciting and (once you got over being disturbed, grossed-out, sad, and excited) pretty funny. Just, go see it. For me. Please. Don’t be a weirdo. Just go. Now. Thank you.

Ladder: Belle

This one pretty much has all the makings of a super-cute chick flick: Racism, sexism, capitalism, imperialism. All the isms. Joking (briefly) aside, this movie is balls-to-the-wall wonderful. Also, hey there Sam Reid. We’ve never met before, but I like everything about you. Including, but not limited to, your face, your eyes, your voice, your smile, and your formidable acting chops. The ladies of the American Colonies salute you, sir.

Chute: Begin Again

Oh boy. I guess I know where they were trying to go with this one. I mean, it’s like Once, but in New York, right? I guess you lost me when Kira Knightly announced that Frank Sinatra, Stevie Wonder and that song from Casablanca were her guilty pleasures. No. Those are the songs you pretend are your guilty pleasures when a cute boy is going through your iTunes library. Honestly. You know what’s a pleasure to feel guilty about? “Having Fun” by Britney Spears. The only thing you have to feel guilty about is not fooling anyone.

Ladder: Guardians of the Galaxy

Every time I try to think of a way this movie could have been better, I get nothin’. Soup to nuts, one of my new favorite movies of all time. Chris Pratt slays the competition in the Most Boffable Man of the Summer 2014 race. And while I loved B Coop as Rocket the Raccoon, I think I prefer him in his 20 piece suits.

Kidding. Love you, Coop.

What do you think? Did I miss any?

–Whitney

14Aug2014

Another Fangirly Birthday Tribute: Happy Birthday Eric!

Posted in Uncategorized by Whitney Weldon

August is something of a Birthday Blitz for our family. At least four of us get a little saggier during this particular summer month, one of which being my favorite/only brother, Eric! As older brothers do, he taught me so much about life, love, and how to sneak into the house at 5 AM through an open window. To honor that, I’ve made a list of all the little gems I’ve gleaned from stalking him over the last couple of decades.

5) Never, EVER confess to anything, especially when you have been caught red-handed. If people respect one thing, it’s a person who does not know when they have been made.

4) Choose good, positive heroes and mentors.

3) Beware of the Establishment.

2) A smile is your greatest asset

*Fun Fact: Here is a picture of his actual smile. Don’t look for too long, or you will ruin your night vision.

(I think it took hours to coax that out of him).

1) Remember that a little humility can get you far…

…But also know where your strengths lie.

Oh Eric, how I love you so. I’m sorry this kind of turned into a roast. The truth is, you are the best brother a lady could ask for, and I hope that 27 is good to you.

Happy Birthday, ya mook.

Love, Whitney

13Aug2014

Whitney’s Birthday Ode To Ellen: 2014!

Posted in Fangirl Poetry, Movies, Nostalgia, TV by Whitney Weldon

August 13, it’s safe to say,

Is bigger than Rex Manning Day

In terms of Joy and Jubilation,

It’s a birthday craze that is saaa-weeping the nation

And who’s the cause of all this racket?

It’s ELLEN, who just reached another age bracket!

In the “Hottie” department, she’s a repeat offender

And can make even the slickest good guys surrender.

She’s a brainy broad, with lots in her head,

Just let her regale you with all that she’s read.

She’s fast with a grin and quick with a joke

A girl you could take out for pig-in-a-poke.

If your taste is a gal with all the right moves

Then you’ll look no further once you’ve seen how she grooves

Forget that I-G-G-Y, cause Ellen’s twice as Dance-y

And it’s easy to see that she’s three times as Fancy

She’s a certified babe, from her shoes to her hair,

When she walks down the street, people stop and they stare.

She’s funny and sassy like a Lady Nick Miller

But, you’ve been warned, she’s a stone-cold Killer

She can be a bit quirky, nothing too odd

And I’m sure you won’t care once you’ve checked out her bod

It must be rough, being so super-fine

Er day dealing with boys that pine

But she deals with the stress in her own special way,

“Is this wi-fi Organic?” as Drunk Uncle would say.

And her far-away cousin, whose love won’t erode

Sat down at a laptop and wrote her this Ode

I hope you enjoyed this digital toast,

‘Cause I’ve poured all my love into this dumb little post

Happy Birthday, you Boob Punch

–Whitney

9May2014

Fangirly Crush of the Week: Adam Pally (again)

Posted in Uncategorized by Whitney Weldon

I can stay silent no longer. The truth is, I’ve wanted to renew Adam Pally’s “Crush of the Week” status ever since his character Peter Prentice was introduced during this latest season of The Mindy Project. This is due to not only his stone-cold sex appeal…

but also to the fact that Peter is an almost exact reprisal of his Happy Endings character, Max. Ok yes, Max was unambiguously gay and Peter is a raging hetero, but their respective dating philosophies are basically identical-

The addition of Peter Prentice is really what made this season of Mindy what it was. That, and also the writing and acting and the rest of the supporting cast. Otherwise, this season was Full-Pally. And because he was our favorite part of our new favorite show, we (me) felt the need to salute him once more. Objections? Anyone?…

I thought so.

-Whitney

7May2014

Fangirly Exposed! : Whitney’s Road to Binge-Watching Recovery

Posted in Fangirly Exposed! by Whitney Weldon

Ellen has taught me a lot through the years. Like, who is the coolest of all the Spice Girls (Baby Spice, duh), or how to dance in a car without endangering myself and others. But perhaps the most enduring skill she ever taught me is how to binge-watch. Harder than it sounds. It takes real strength of will to spend 36 straight hours watching the first two seasons of The Vampire Diaries, but at the end of it we emerged, unshowered and victorious. We’ve been self proclaimed world-class binge-watchers ever since.

But recently I’ve started to wonder if binging is the best way to watch TV (at least in terms of, you know, mental health and productivity). But even this wasn’t enough to make me consider changing my watching habits. As long as I was still able to drag myself away long enough to go to work and earn enough money to feed my habit (and myself) I deemed everything else a totally just sacrifice to the TV Gods. Then I discovered The Americans and officially hit rock bottom.

Maybe it was when I forgot what decade I was living in. Or maybe it was when I almost referred to another human as capitalist scum. Either way, two days later I was caught up and all I had to show for it was 48 misspent hours and some pretty worrying Soviet sympathies.

I realized that just because I was addicting to binge watching doesn’t mean that I enjoyed it. Maybe the binge just isn’t for everyday watching. Maybe TV was designed as a way to tell broad stories in short bursts. Or maybe I just need more of a social life.

Agree? Disagree? Too busy cramming Breaking Bad to care? That’s fair.

-Whitney

14Apr2014

Fangirly Crush of the Week: Colin Jost

Posted in Crush of the Week, TV, Uncategorized by Whitney Weldon

So much has happened the last few months- unrest in Eastern Europe, Kate Middleton’s first ever fashion misstep, ect.- that we here at Fangirly have been neglecting our duties. In the flurry of movie premiers, award show stumbles , and diplomatic crises, we forgot to take a moment to geek out over SNL’s new head writer and Weekend Update co-anchor Colin Jost. He’s got the doofy good looks of a passable TV nerd and the biting wit that makes us hope this could be the start of a whole new SNL. Colin Jost, we salute you.

-Whitney

9Apr2014

Web Bytes: Tonight Show Lip Sync Battle with Paul Rudd

Posted in TV, Uncategorized, Web, Web Bytes by Whitney Weldon

This week has been rough. I inadvertently made a twelve-year-old boy cry in public (a proud moment for both of us). I just realized that my library books are so overdue, I think it might be punishable by law. And, the cherry, I read that Kim and Kanye may have to call off their wedding, for which we’ve all been breathlessly waiting. HOW MUCH MORE CAN THE HUMAN SPIRIT ENDURE? Anyway, whenever I turn this particular shade of blue, I like to watch clips of The Tonight Show to remind me of how beautiful the human experience can be. Ladies and probably more ladies, I give you the Tonight Show lip synch battle with Paul Rudd.

And because I am a generous soul…

-Whitney

7Apr2014

The Reviews Are In: Captain America: The Winter Soldier

Posted in Movies by Whitney Weldon

There are so many reasons why Ellen and I could never review movies professionally. Number one has to be the fact that objectivity continues to elude us. No one ever said “Oh, Ellen and Whitney? I know those chicks. They are straight-up dispassionate“. (If you read quote that in Tracy Morgan’s voice, then we are all on the same page). My point is, I walked into The Winter Soldier pretty much determined to love it. There honestly was no possible outcome that involved me not going gonzo over this movie. So you can imagine my relief when it actually turned out to be genuinely good.

Ok, yes it was kinda long and the ending had more set up than an Adobe update and some characters (COUGH Agent Thirteen COUGH) had no reason to be there at all, aside from the aforementioned set up. But honestly, unless you are Aunt Linda that probably won’t bother you.

It’s hard to synopsize this movie because the potential for spoilers is pretty high. In a nutshell, Cap learns that SHIELD may not be entirely on the up and up, even for a subversive spy organization. That’s his real conflict; the titular bad guy is more of a complication. A super, super hot complication.

This film also had some of the best character moments in the franchise so far. Early on there is a scene between Peggy Carter and Steve that will emotionally decimate you. I mean it. In other great news, we get see Black Widow do more than just kick and quip. The ex-KGB mama jamma gets to finally open up in ways that the other movies haven’t afforded. She and Cap also punctuate the movie’s many action sequences with some bone-dry banter, most of which is about Steve really needing to get some. (Which begs the question: are we supposed to believe that Steve is still, umm, untapped, so to speak? Exactly how far are we supposed to suspend disbelief!?) Now that Winter Soldier is a record-breaking hit, we can only hope that Captain America is finally feeling the love.

Verdict: I thought it was pretty great. What do you think, Cap?

-Whitney

2Apr2014

Web Bytes: The Amazing Spider-Man 2 Trailer

Posted in Music, Web, Web Bytes by Whitney Weldon

This trailer gives me Reels-Feels. Still trying to decide whether my undying faith in Marc Webb can overcome my fear of the Superhero Sophomore Slump.

-Whitney

Fangirly

Where smart girls go stupid for pop culture

Author Archives: Whitney Weldon

Fictional Music Groups it’s Totally OK to Listen to Unironically

The Reviews are In: The Maze Runner

Fangirly Love Letter: The Gilmore Girls

Choice Picks: New Fall Shows You Should Get Excited About NOW

Fangirly Crush of the Week: Benjamin Booker

Anglophiles Anonymous: James McAvoy, Natalie Dormer, Benedict Cumberbatch, Anthony Head Star in BBC Radio Adaptation of Neil Gaiman’s Neverwhere

Sweet Streams: Whitney’s TV Binge and Purge

Fangirly Crush of the Week: Evan Peters

Somebody Convince Me: Pretty Little Liars

Fangirly Presents: The 2014 Femmie Awards!

How to Make Friends and Stop Alienating People at the Movies

Summer Movie Chutes and Ladders!

Another Fangirly Birthday Tribute: Happy Birthday Eric!

Whitney’s Birthday Ode To Ellen: 2014!

Fangirly Crush of the Week: Adam Pally (again)

Fangirly Exposed! : Whitney’s Road to Binge-Watching Recovery

Fangirly Crush of the Week: Colin Jost

Web Bytes: Tonight Show Lip Sync Battle with Paul Rudd

The Reviews Are In: Captain America: The Winter Soldier

Web Bytes: The Amazing Spider-Man 2 Trailer