The Week In Review



After boycotting American Idol season 10 for a week, my curiosity got the better of me, and I decided to watch the final 2 episodes.

I definitely had very high hopes for this bunch. There was a lot of talent ( except for Paul McDonald, whom I consider the biggest fluke ever. ), but voters were inconsistent, especially in their treatment of Casey Abrams.

I've said it before, and I'll say it again. He's the best of the lot, and deserved to be in the finals. The only other contestant I deem a worthy contender is James Durbin.

As Simon Cowell and Randy Jackson have said countless times: this is a singing competition. Instead, AI10 has turned into some weird popularity contest, and I can bet the new Facebook voting option ( which allows up to 50 votes per person ) resulted in tweens and teens staying glued to their computers / iPhones / iPads, frantically clicking away.

How else to explain the freakish success of the mediocre? Lauren Alaina has a voice, but Pia Toscano beat her hollow before being unceremoniously eliminated early in the competition.

And Scotty McCreery? I fail to understand the appeal. He looks very ordinary, sounds bland, and lacks charisma. I'm sure he's a nice, innocent young man, but winner of the AI title? Nah...

I'm sure Lauren and Scotty will gain confidence and maturity with time. But will they be lucky enough to attain Carrie Underwood's degree of success? Something tells me they probably won't.

Always rooting for Casey and James. I hope they get recording deals and outsell the 2 finalists. :)



Are you excited about X-Men: First Class, due for worldwide release on June 3rd? Can't believe I didn't post a picture till now.

The star-studded cast includes Kevin Bacon, January Jones, Rose Byrne, and Jennifer Lawrence ( Best Actress Oscar nominee from True Grit, in case you're wondering ), but none of them compares to the 2 leads, James McAvoy and Michael Fassbender ( pictured ).

McAvoy fans will know him well from The Last King Of Scotland, Atonement, Becoming Jane and Wanted ( I own many of his films on DVD :)). When I first learned he landed the role of the young Professor X, I was practically swooning. Because it's one of the coolest superhero roles ever, and this fine actor is perfect for pulling it off.

If the special effects don't swallow him up, I'm prepared to be awed by his talent once again. I predict a sensitive yet strong performance, peppered with heart-pounding action sequences that show off his physicality in the best possible way ( remember his turn in Wanted? I love that movie! :)).

Someone I'm watching closely - already mentioned in the previous entry - is, of course, Michael Fassbender. This being perhaps his biggest role yet, I hope he does well so it will lead to even better offers in the future.
After remaining just under the radar for years ( audiences might have noticed him in Inglourious Basterds, but didn't catch his name ), this could be his breakthrough performance, and he definitely has an edge over McAvoy with his tall lanky frame and movie star looks. But Jane Eyre isn't his best moment. Blame the makeup artist.



Last but not least, the movie poster for Tintin! I don't know about you, but I think it's fabulous. :D

Short post. Am still in the midst of a bad week, and nursing a painful mouth ulcer.