Monthly Archives: May 2013

Fangirly Crush of the Week: Oliver Jackson-Cohen

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oliver-jackson-cohen121201012929pmOne thing that Ellen and I have always prided ourselves on is our ability to crush (usually pretty hard) on people who may not be considered classically handsome, especially if we find them hilarious. I’m going to be honest and admit this is NOT one of those instances. This weeks crush, the painfully pretty Oliver Jackson-Cohen (Mr. Selfridge, Going the Distance, Faster), was motivated purely by appetence. Not that he doesn’t have a lot of other great qualities. He was awesome as the lovelorn artist in Mr. Selfridge, and he’s pretty hysterical in FOD’s Will and Kate: Before Happily Ever After. But that’s not why we’re here. How can I put this delicately?…He’s in the advanced stages of acute Hottness. If handsomeness were a disease, he would need to be hospitalized. Stat.  I could go on.

If you like what you see (and I have a feeling you do), you can see Oliver Jackson-Cohen in the TV miniseries World Without End, now available to stream on Netflix. It’s pretty great. And by “it” I of course mean his abs, which do make an appearance.

-Whitney

The Reviews Are In: Another Take on Arrested Development Season 4

Posted in Sweet Streams, TV by

arrested-developement1Yesterday, Whitney gave her review on Arrested Development‘s 4th season. While I will always respect her opinions, no matter how wrong they may sometimes be, I felt like I needed to step in and give my opinions, as well.  Not in contradiction to her thoughts, but in addition.

I feel that it is impossible to not be somewhat disappointed by things you are excited about, especially when it comes to TV and movies.  AD was facing a huge obstacle with this girl considering that I have been waiting with bated breath for this moment for 7 years.  At first, it was just a dream, a silly fangirl’s whimsy, but when it was announced that a fourth season was actually going to happen I was more excited than Lindsay with diamond cream.  Every production photo made scream like Tobias at a fire… sale and the trailer made me weep like Gob (“Taste the happy, Michael”).

When I watched the first few episodes, I will admit to being slightly disappointed.  I missed having all of my Bluths together eating Skip’s Scrambles, doing chicken dances, or asking Michael for money.  The jumping timelines were also confusing and I was having difficulty figuring when everything was supposed to be taking place.

However, around episode 5, when Tobias was getting ANUSTART, I realized Hurwitz and Co. were using this fourth season to build on what always made me love AD so much: this show makes you work for the best laughs.  I have always loved that I could go back and watch the past seasons over and over and still find new jokes or small nuggets of information that I had previously missed.  It seems that with this new season, they are really catering to that quality of the show.  They are trusting that we, the stalwart fans who were smart enough to realize the brilliance of this show, are smart enough to connect the story line dots.  After a few episodes I was doing just that and being reminded anew of that brilliance, born again to much more daunting levels with this fourth season.   I was loving the reveals of everyone’s part in each other’s stories, I was noticing the recurring bits (tipping African-Americans, sexual predators, etc.), and I was getting more and more excited to re-watch all of it to catch all the things I am sure to have missed.  The only question now is:  How soon is too soon to do just that?

What did you think, “bluepies”?  Have you been disappointed?  How far have you gotten through the fourth season?  Who has your favorite plotline?  (I loved Gob, Buster, and Tobias).

– Ellen

The Reviews Are In: Arrested Development Season 4

Posted in TV by

imagesListen people, no one, and I mean NO ONE, was more excited about the Netflix release of a 4th season of Arrested Development than me. In fact, this whole month has really just been one big AD cluster-quote (“I’ve made a huge mistake”, “I’M A MONSTER”, “Mr. F”- I could go on). This is why it hurts like a taping of “Boyfights” for me to say that I’ve been fantastically underwhelmed so far with the new season.

I’m not sure what about this season has been rubbing me the wrong way, like cut-offs on a Never-Nude. Maybe it’s because Michael (Jason Bateman), usually the smart brother, is now just as clueless and self-involved as the rest of the Bluth clan. One of the reasons the show worked is because Michael’s character gave the audience someone to root for. Now that Michael’s out of the running for Most Likeable Bluth, it’s a toss up between George Michael and Franklin the Puppet.

This season also has me asking the question, is it possible to be too self-referential? I’m going to have to say yes. The constant allusions to the unfortunate and premature cancellation almost seven years ago are getting a little tired. And while we’re on the subject, I can’t say I’m loving Ron Howard’s transition from wry narrator to on-screen Jerry Bruckheimer rival. I’m fully aware that the purpose of this new season is to serve as a set up for the up coming AD movie, but do we need to be remind of the fact ALL THE TIME?

It’s possible that I’m being altogether too fastidious. I mean, it’s just a show right? WRONG. Some shows just walk in the light (I’m looking at you Veronica Mars, 30 Rock, and Happy Endings). This whole experience has left me wondering if I really want these shows to come back, bringing with them the possibility of disappointment, or just remember them as they were. I hope we’ve all learned something….

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ALWAYS LEAVE A NOTE.

-Whitney

Fangirly Crush of the Week: Chris O’Dowd

Posted in Crush of the Week, Movies, TV by

bridesmaids-rhodesBlame it on my recent viewing of Bridesmaids, where he plays the perfect male (that is not hyperbole).  Blame it on his meteoric rise to hotness on The IT Crowd.  Blame it on the recent feature on him in Entertainment Weekly, where he was utterly charming.    Blame it on the billboards all over LA for Family Tree with his adorable face.   Blame it on whatever you want, but it will not be denied that I am feeling Chris O’Dowd in a major way right now.  I mean, look at how adorable he is?!  And seriously, watch Bridesmaids and try to not fall in love with him.  It can’t be done unless your heart is made of cold, hard, unfeeling, black granite.

Or, better yet, you can just watch the video below and try to avoid his wonderful blend of humor and charm.   It can’t be done!  (Also, try to not hear Whitney and I squealing at Ewan McGregor, Chris O’Dowd and Graham Norton being in a room together).

– Ellen

Grade A, Choice Picks: Top 10 Tumblr Blogs

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tumblrWith my current job, I have a lot of free time to browse the internets and I have to say that my browsing has not been the same since I discovered Tumblr.  The memes, the gifs, the videos, the internetiness of it all.  The hours one (I) can waste on this site are astounding.

Tumblr can be a little daunting to any newcomers, so I thought I would list my top 5 favorite Tumblr blogs, in no particular order, as a good jumping off point. Continue reading →

John Hurt As the Doctor? Sign. Me. Up.

Posted in Anglophiles Anonymous by

iknowwhoyouareI’ll be the first to admit that I’m not 100% sure what the deal was with the appearance of John Hurt in last Saturday’s Doctor Who finale. Here is what I do know:

1) Hurt (Harry Potter, Merlin, 1984) will be playing a previous incarnation of the Doctor. I know that there are those folks who think that Hurt is the “forgotten” 9th Doctor (which, in actuality, would make Eccleston the 10th, Tennant the 11th, and Smith the 12th regenerations of the Doctor, respectively). I’m not going to rule this one out, but really, since when has Moffat ever made it that easy for us? I say back to the drawing boards, kids.

2) Is it just me, or did John Hurt suddenly become a fox? Please, if the producers didn’t want us to crush on him then they wouldn’t have put him in that leather get-up.

3) November is going to RULE. Oh, wait, what’s that? IT’S ONLY MAY!?! …Blerg.

-Whitney

Run-On Sentence Reviews: Star Trek Into Darkness

Posted in Movies, Run-On Sentence Reviews by

star-trek-2-into-darkness-pictures-28With this review keep in mind that I really liked the first (new) Star Trek which I know a lot of people didn’t but I really liked it and it just so happens that I really liked this one too because it was funny and of course Benedict Cumberbatch was amazingly awesome as the surprise villain and it was just overall a fun sci-fi adventure.

Verdict: Go see it.  Especially good on the big screen.

– Ellen

Fangirly Crush of the Week: Adam Pally!

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adampallyJack and Rose. Romeo and Juliet. Joey and Pacey. Whitney and Adam Pally. These are just some of history’s most endearing and tragic love stories, where couples are torn asunder by war, icebergs, teen drama, and insufficient ratings. I guess now that Happy Endings has been unceremoniously axed by ABC, we’ll never know if Max, Pally’s character on the show, and I could have made it work. Sure, he was gay and gynophobic and kind of a burnout and not super hygienic (and did I mention he was gay?) but I like to think those trivialities wouldn’t have stood in our way.

Well Max, this is good bye for now. I’ll treasure our moments together, and raise a glass of Sweet n’ Creamy in your honor.

–Whitney

Must-Have TV Merch: Nick Miller Panic Moonwalk Shirt!!!

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If you’re anything like me, then you encounter awkward situations anywhere between 15 to 1,000,000 times a day (what can I say, I’m an UNCOMFORTABLE person to be around).  In fact, if I were a super hero, my name would be The Odd Broad, and instead of a dope cape or figure-flattering mask, I would wear this Nick Miller panic moonwalk shirt from Redbubble.com.  For those of us who need to brush up on our panic moonwalking, I’ve provided the following clip. Also, it should be noted that what Nick does isn’t so much actual moonwalking as it is just walking backwards. Not to split hairs.

-Whitney

Mixin’ It Up: May’s Playlist

Posted in Mixin' it Up, Music by

rilo-kiley-rkives-cover-art“I Remember You” Rilo Kiley – I really should just list the whole RKives album here, but that’s not how this list works. That being said, you should also check out “Emotional“, “Patiently“, “Let Me Back In” and “I’ll Get You There” My only complaint against the album is that it is not a reunion album and just a compilation of unreleased tracks.  Come back to us, Rilo Kiley!  This song just happens to be the track I have been rocking the hardest.  What can I say?  I’m a sucker for bouncy, happy songs.

“S.O.S. in Bel Air” Phoenix – I have been rocking this album pretty hard lately, as well.  There is something about Phoenix’s music that just make me want to dance!  You know?  Really let loose and dance like no one is watching.  This happens to be the track that I enjoy doing that to the most.

“Diane Young” Vampire Weekend – It must be the oncoming summer season that is really drawing me to all these peppy songs.  If you saw Vampire Weekend on SNL last week, you probably already downloaded this song, but in case you didn’t, I suggest you get this one and begin blasting it in your with the windows rolled down.  I know I have been.

“That Girl” Justin Timberlake – I know there are some haters out there for my boy JT’s latest album, and while it is not as good as FutureSex/LoveSounds, I enjoy the throwback quality of 20/20, perfectly exhibited with “That Girl” and my other fav from the album “Pusher Love Girl“.  Don’t hate.  Just get down and dirty.  It’s what JT would want.

Do-Nick-Jess-Get-Together-New-Girl-Finale-Video“I Always Knew” The Vaccines – If you saw the New Girl finale, you should not have to ask why this song is on the list.  Nothing like a good Nick Miller snog to endear a song to me.  How perfect is the line “Let’s go to bed, before you say something real” for Nick and Jess?  Also, the song is just plain catchy and cute.

“Blurred Lines” Robin Thicke feat. T.I and Pharrell – This month’s playlist was missing a good solid pop/dance track.  Then this song came out.  Have you heard this song?  I am incapable of not dancing to this song.  Please tell me that I’m not the only one.

“Romeo and Juliet” The Killers – This song is obviously old news because the original is 30 years old and this cover has been around for a few years, but it doesn’t hurt to remind ourselves of how perfect this song is.  Really listen to this song and tell me that it isn’t one of those perfect songs where every aspect just comes together to create music magic.  That is your homework for this post.

“Sunday Girl” She & Him – Admittedly, I have been a little disappointed with Volume 3.  I don’t think anything will ever live up to Volume 1, but this cover of Blondie’s “Sunday Girl” is pretty darn infectious and a definite highlight on this latest album.  “London” and “Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me” are my other highlights if you were interested.

Random-Access-Memories“Doin’ it Right” Daft Punk – I feel pretty cliche listing a Daft Punk song from their new album, Random Access Memories because the internet seems to be pretty obsessed with it right now, but this song is LEGIT.  Check it out.  Definitely my favorite from the album so far.

“Back to Black” Beyonce and Andre 3000 – I have yet to see The Great Gatsby and I know there are mixed reviews on how the music works within the context of the movie, but regardless of that, the soundtrack for this movie is a pretty dang awesome compilation of music.  This is just one of many highlights on the album.  (Did not mean to have so many covers on the list).

– Ellen

TV Obituaries: RIP (?) Happy Endings

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ZACHARY KNIGHTON, ELISHA CUTHBERT, ELIZA COUPE, DAMON WAYANS JR., CASEY WILSONI write this with an extremely heavy heart.  This wrongful cancellation is right up there with Arrested Development, Veronica Mars, and Pushing Daisies in my book.  I have already attempted to put my love for this show in a post, so I won’t try and persuade you into seeing how a-mah-zing this show is again.  It would fruitless now, anyway.  (Goes in a corner to quitely sob)

Okay, now that that is done, I will just bemoan how upsetting this is and why.  I believe I can say that Happy Endings was one of a few shows on TV that had me literally (and yes, I am using “literally” correctly) rolling on the floor with laughter during each episode.  Some say it had gotten a little too zany this season, but that has just endeared it to me more.  Characters that once were my least favorite (Alex and Dave) were finally delivering just as many, if not more, LPEs (that’s laughs per episode).

AGH!  I cannot curse ABC enough!  And I have yet to find a gypsy woman who can tell me how to make a voodoo doll for a corporation.

Making this slightly less painful is the conviction of the cast, crew, and production company to keep it alive and USA Network’s supposed interest in helping with that endeavor.  I hope with all my heart that my little band of weirdos will find a home that will show them the respect they deserve.  Until then, sleep well, Happy Endings.  Say hi to Ben and Kate for me.

– Ellen

Get With the Program: Hemlock Grove

Posted in Get with the Program by

hemlock-groveI had an epiphany this week: I’m obsessed with supernatural TV dramas. This is made all the more embarrassing by the fact that I’ve been so very vocal about NOT liking them. So when Netflix announced a few months ago that they were airing their original series Hemlock Grove, all about a town plagued by a healthy population of creepy-crawlies, I knew that it was destined for my ever growing list of guilty pleasures. And, in a totally unsurprising turn of events, I absolutely loved it. Shows of this nature usually only appeal to a certain demographic (a human being with two X chromosomes between the ages of 14 and 30), but Hemlock Grove has something for the whole family. Well, the adult members of the family anyway. There’s plenty of gore for the dudes, a well-written story and complex characters for mom and dad (snooze), and an abundance of crushable fellas for us ladies (Yeah!).

But you don’t have to take my word for it. Netflix has made all 13 episodes available at once, so, you know, clear your schedule. Because if your anything like me, you’re not going to get anything done this week.

-Whitney