The Great Perhaps;

Laugh Out Loud Friday

2010-02-26T14:59:00.002-05:00

It's the Olympic season and Canada is kicking butt! And being Canadian, I'm pretty happy! So here's a funny comic to make you laugh and put you in the Olympic mood!

Laugh Out Loud Friday

2010-02-20T12:43:00.001-05:00

I've been at home for a week now because it's READING WEEK! :) I've been having a great time but since I don't have wireless internet at home, I've been spending significantly less time on the computer. Here's a picture that I hope will make you smile and laugh, as I have been doing plenty of that this week!

I came across this while surfing tumblr in class (Yes, I know, I shouldn't have been) and had to cover my mouth with both hands to keep from bursting out in laughter/tears.

Laugh Out Loud Friday

2010-02-12T13:38:00.004-05:00

To start off the weekend with a smile, I'm going to introduce 'Laugh Out Loud Fridays'. Basically I'll post a picture/video that made me laugh and hope it cracks you up too!

(I honestly laughed so hard I fell off my couch when I saw this.)

Beautiful Drawings by hellobaby

2010-02-12T13:21:00.002-05:00

While surfing on deviantART (my new hobby, apparently), I found these beautiful drawings by hellobaby. To see the entire collection of her works, visit her deviantART. Here are a few of my favourites of her work:

Painting a green world

Lying down

Feeling my red heart

Deity smile

Ballerina

Book Review: Tricks by Ellen Hopkins

2010-02-09T20:24:00.000-05:00

Title: Tricks
Author: Ellen Hopkins
# of Pages: 627
Published: 2009
Rating: 5/5
From the Publisher:

"When all choice is taken from you, life becomes a game of survival."

Five teenagers from different parts of the country. Three girls. Two guys. Four straight. One gay. Some rich. Some poor. Some from great families. Some with no one at all. All living their lives as best they can, but all searching...for freedom, safety, community, family, love. What they don't expect, though, is all that can happen when those powerful little words "I love you" are said for all the wrong reasons.

Five moving stories remain separate at first, then interweave to tell a larger, powerful story -- a story about making choices, taking leaps of faith, falling down, and growing up. A story about kids figuring out what sex and love are all about, at all costs, while asking themselves, "Can I ever feel okay about myself?"

Review:
From the moment I opened Tricks' pages, I was hooked. The story focuses on five teenagers: Eden, a preacher's daughter; Seth, a farm-boy dealing with the death of his mother and the discovery of his homosexuality; Whitney, who has always been second-best; Ginger, whose 'working mom' betrays her time and again, and finally, Cody, who does anything to make ends meet.

When I first began to read, I was a little worried that having five characters, five different stories, might be confusing. It turns out there was no need to worry; Hopkins distinguishes every character and story perfectly. She brings life and history to each trouble teenager, splattering their pain onto each page.

I don't want to give too much away because when I began the novel, I had no idea where it would end up and it had a great impact. I would have lost this impact had I know what was coming for each character. Tricks made me cry, and had me sick to my stomach; the stories were raw, painful and honest. What's scarier though, is that these stories are someone's reality.

Lovely Necklaces by somk

2010-02-08T16:20:00.002-05:00

These necklaces immediately caught my eye; they're beautiful, original and intricate. To see the full collection of somk's jewlery, which includes necklaces, brooches/pins, earrings and etc, visit somk's deviantART

Elderthings and Yellow Opal

Lovecraft Collection - Yargh

Lovecraft Collection - Caught

Shoggoth "aux garnets"

Cthulhu - Gold and Opal

Urnes style & chrysoprase

Beautiful Pendants by Jennifer Miller

2010-02-08T16:10:00.002-05:00

Browsing deviantART's jewlery section, I found these lovely pendants by Jennifer Miller, also known as Nambroth. To see the full collection, visit Jennifer's deviantART or her personal website. Here are a few of my favourites:

Vibrant Orange Labradorite

Blue ButterflyWing Labradorite

Checkboard Smokey Quartz

Oro Verde Citrine

Atmospheres Labradorite

Disney's Heroes

2010-02-08T15:09:00.002-05:00

After searching for Disney characters on deviantART, I stumbled upon a collection of Disney Heroes drawings. However, because the drawings were considered 'mature' on deviantART, I'm only going to post a few of the more appropriate drawings. To see the entire collection, please check out davidkawena's deviantART. (The mature content warning exists because the men are drawn in underwear - there's no full nudity.)

Hercules

Tarzan

Phoebus

Disney's Dark Princesses

2010-02-08T15:06:00.000-05:00

Lately, I've been watching Disney films on a daily basis. So when I stumbled upon these, I couldn't help but share this collection of "Dark Princesses" by deviantART's ClaireBeauchamp. For the whole collection, check this out.

Gorgeous Jewlery: Steampunk

2010-02-05T20:41:00.004-05:00

I've always had a fondness for unique and intricate pieces of jewlery and these creative pieces done by Drayok and Aranwen caught my attention. To see the full gallery, visit: http://drayok.deviantart.com/gallery/#Steampunk-Jewelry and http://aranwen.deviantart.com/gallery and http://www.etsy.com/shop/aranwen

Here are a few of my favourites:

Elemental Key Earth

Steampunk Time-Travel Key

Fate Key

Love Gives You Wings Watch

Dark Angel Pendant Gold Green

Stunning Paintings by Leonid Afremov

2010-02-05T18:23:00.002-05:00

I've been surfing deviantART today, and I've found some absolutely stunning paintings by Leonid Afremov. His use of colours are phenomenal and I wish so much I could have one of these paintings in my home.

Here are a few of my favourites of his work:

"She Left"

"Flaming Dance"

"Night Life"

"Friends Under The Rain"

"In The Ballet Class"

"Paris Tower"

"Angel Flight"

"Three Red Umbrellas"

"The Fog of Dreams"

"The Twirl"

To find all of his work, please visit: http://leonidafremov.deviantart.com/

The Beautiful Photography of Zhang Jingna

2010-02-05T17:04:00.002-05:00

After browsing deviantART for a couple hours, I found these beautiful photographs taken by Zhang Jingna, also known as zemotion on deviantart.com. Here are a few of my favourites of her work. To find all of her work, visit http://zemotion.deviantart.com.

Redemption

Prelude

Luna

Behind the Mask

Dreamer

Shirotsuki

Remembrance

The Beautiful Art of Audrey Kawasaki

2010-02-05T16:32:00.001-05:00

I stumbled upon Audrey Kawasaki's work on Tumblr, and I fell in love. Here are some of my favourites of her paintings and doodles.

From her biography:
The themes in Audrey Kawasaki's work are contradictions within themselves. Her work is both innocent and erotic. Each subject is attractive yet disturbing. Audrey's precise technical style is at once influenced by both manga comics and Art Nouveau. Her sharp graphic imagery is combined with the natural grain of the wood panels she paints on, bringing an unexpected warmth to enigmatic subject matter.

The figures she paints are seductive and contain an air of melancholy. They exist in their own sensually esoteric realm, yet at the same time present a sense of accessibility that draws the observer to them. These mysterious young women captivate with the direct stare of their bedroom eyes.

To see all of her work, go to: http://www.audrey-kawasaki.com/index.php

(* cross posted from the collective blog Collision)

Book Review: Go Ask Alice by Anonymous

2010-02-04T14:39:00.002-05:00

Title: Go Ask Alice
Author: Anonymous
# of Pages: 212
Published: 1971
Rating: 2/5

Summary:

From Wikipedia:
Go Ask Alice is a controversial 1971 book about the life of a troubled teenage girl. The book purports to be the actual diary of an anonymous teenage girl who died of a drug overdose in the late 1960s and is therefore presented as a testimony against drug use. Alice is not the protagonist's name; the actual diarist's name is never given in the book.

From Chapters.ca:
She doesn't want to get hooked on drugs. Every time after she uses, she feels guilty and low and vows to stay away. But she just can't resist the way the drugs make her feel - beautiful and popular and connected to the world around her. And since nobody understands how alone and miserable she is without the drugs, how can they possibly understand how much she needs them? We may not know her name, but we can imagine how she feels as her diary records a descent into drug-induced madness.

Review:

This review may contain some spoilers.
I had high expectations of this novel after hearing many good reviews and hearing that many high schools had read this book in their literature courses. Sadly, I was disappointed. I expected a detailed account of her drug use, her addiction, and the terrible consequences such as living on the street, starving, prostitution, rape, etc. I expected something that would really reach out to me, and make me feel emotionally involved with the speaker.

But no. Personally, I found the speaker way too immature to connect with. She would move back and forth incredibly often from loving drugs and saying they made her feel alive and that parents just couldn't understand to hating drugs and feeling extremely guilty. There was enough description about the way drugs affected her, but very little time spent on the consequences. In one entry, she states that she and her friend were raped and then she simply moves on. I didn't find it very believable for a 15 year-old girl to "move on" so quickly from being physically violated. It did not feel like I was reading a real diary, but in fact a novel pieced together in the form of a "diary". Certainly she spoke of personal matters, but her emotions felt fake - I couldn't connect with her at all.

Go Ask Alice has been published under the pretense that it was an actual diary of a 15 year-old girl who fell into the cruel world of drugs. However, Beatrice Sparks, the editor, claimed that Go Ask Alice had been based on the diary of one of her patients, but that she had added various fictional incidents based on her experiences working with other troubled teens. She said the real girl had not died of a drug overdose, but in a way that could have been either an accident or suicide. She also stated that she could not produce the original diary, because she had destroyed part of it after transcribing it and the rest was locked away in the publisher's vault. (Wikipedia - Go Ask Alice)

Personally, this sounds like a lie. After reading Go Ask Alice, I don't believe at all that this was diary of a teenage girl. I believe this was a novel intended to try and scare teenagers to stay away from drugs. Although an admirable cause, stating that this novel was a work of non-fiction when it isn't, takes away its best quality: its impact on young readers. If a reader felt they were reading the real, original diary of a addicted teenager, they may feel a much stronger connection and the story may have a much stronger impact.

Overall, I give Go Ask Alice a 2/5 for its false pretenses, its lack of description and its unconvincing account of a teenage drug addict.

(* cross posted from the collective blog Collision

The Luckiest Dog

2010-02-01T17:49:00.003-05:00

My friend's dog, Sprite, recently had a litter of puppies. Unfortunately only one lived. However, he's the cutest and most well-behaved dog I've ever seen! Here are some photographs of Lucky and my friend.

Me, giving Lucky a kiss :)

Sprite and her baby :)

Photoshoot!

2010-02-01T17:36:00.003-05:00

In January, Kiera, Alley and I decided to have a photoshoot for the heck of it. Here are a few of my favourite shots, edited by me. Credit for the photos goes to my friend, Kiera. Our collective blog can be found here: Collision.

(Myself)

(Alley & Myself)

(Myself)

(Myself)

(Myself)

(Alley & myself)

(Alley & myself)

(Alley) (My favourite of you, hun!)

(Myself)

Book Review: The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold

2010-02-01T17:31:00.001-05:00

Title: The Lovely Bones
Author: Alice Sebold
# of Pages: 325
Published: April 20, 2004
Rating: 4/5

Summary:

This 2002 debut novel by Alice Sebold tells the story of a teenage girl who, after being murdered, watches from heaven as her family and friends go on with their lives, while she herself comes to terms with her own death.

I first heard of this novel at the beginning of the year when I stumble upon a review online. I was intrigued by the idea of a murdered girl as the narrator, and I finally picked up the novel a week ago. Once I began reading, I couldn't stop. When the novel begins, we understand how her killer tricked her and how her murder unfolded.

Susie narrates her family's reaction to her disappearance and later, the news of her murder. The characters Sebold created are amazing but not unbelievable. The father who drowns in Susie's death; too focused on his loss to work or be a proper father and husband. The mother, numb and empty, who wants to escape haunted memories. The sister, who deals with being 'the sister of the dead girl' and the baby brother who can't understand why his oldest sister isn't home.

From the moment Susie's murder is announced, I wanted to know if her murderer would be caught, if her family would become closer or fall apart from the tragic loss, and if Susie would pass from the 'in-between' to a final place of rest. This novel kept me reading till the wee hours of the morning, wondering just how Sebold would end the story.

I don't want to spoil anything for potential future readers (and there's a lot I could spoil), so I'll end by saying that although this novel wasn't perfect and I had hoped certain things would turn out differently, it was well-written and had my full attention from the first page.

(* cross posted from the collective blog Collision)

Book Review: The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky

2010-02-01T17:27:00.000-05:00

Title: The Perks of Being a Wallflower
Author: Stephen Chbosky
# of Pages: 224
Published: 1999
Genre: Teen
Rating: 4/5

Summary:

This is the story of what it's like to grow up in high school. More intimate than a diary, Charlie's letters are singular and unique, hilarious and devastating. We may not know where he lives. We may not know whom he is writing. All we know is the world he shares. Caught between trying to live his life and trying to run from it puts him on a strange course through uncharted territory. The world of first dates and mixed tapes, family dramas and new friends. The world of sex, drugs, and The Rocky Horror Picture Show, when all one requires is that perfect song on that perfect drive to feel infinite.

Through Charlie, Stephen Chbosky has created a deeply affecting coming-of-age story, a powerful nover that will spirit you back to those wild and poignant roller coaster days known as growing up.

Review:

I'd seen this simple cover many times at Chapters and one day, I finally decided to give it a shot. I'm really glad I did because this book is really great. Although it follows the daily trials of a teenage boy in high school, it's far from ordinary. Charlie sees life differently from others - he's wiser than his years and provides insights about human emotions and interactions that really hit home. As well, the underlying emotional trauma Charlie has repressed explodes at the end of the novel, shocking and frightening all at once.

This novel has a great collection of quotes that may be able to explain the book better than I can. Here are a few of my favourites:

"So, this is my life. And I want you to know that I am both happy and sad and I'm still trying to figure out how that could be."

"We accept the love we think we deserve."

"Because things change. And friends leave. And life doesn’t stop for anybody."

"Do you always think this much, Charlie?" "Is that bad?" "Not necessarily. It's just that sometimes people use thought to not participate in life." "Is that bad?" "Yes."

And probably it's most famous quote:

"And in that moment, I swear we were infinite."

(* cross posted from the collective blog Collision)

Check Out: Six Feet Under

2010-02-01T17:26:00.000-05:00

Six Feet Under
2001-2005

On one level, the show is a conventional family drama, dealing with such issues as relationships, infidelity, and religion. At the same time, it is a show distinguished by its unblinking focus on the topic of death, which it explores on multiple levels (personal, religious, and philosophical). Each episode begins with a death — anything from drowning or heart attack to Sudden Infant Death Syndrome — and that death usually sets the tone for each episode, allowing the characters to reflect on their current fortunes and misfortunes in a way that is illuminated by the death and its aftermath. The show also has a strong dosage of dark humor and surrealism running throughout.

The series follows the lives of the Fisher family, who own and run the funeral home 'Fisher & Sons' in Los Angeles. In the first episode, the father, Nathaniel Sr., dies in a car accident. He leaves behind his wife, Ruth, his sons Nathaniel Jr. and David and his daughter, Claire. The first season begins with the Fisher family trying to deal with the loss of a family member while taking care of funeral arrangements for the citizens of Los Angeles.

I had heard of HBO's drama Six Feet Under several times; my parents watched it religiously and it had been recommended to me a number of times. I finally settled down to watch it at the beginning of this school year, and all I can say is: WOW. I watched all of the episodes online, and the series was well worth the occasional frustration of online television sites. This series made me cry (and I mean bawl), laugh till my stomach hurt, and ponder the biggest questions in life.

With 24 Emmy nominations (9 wins), 8 Golden Globe nominations (3 wins) and 8 Screen Actor's Guild nominations (3 wins), it's safe to say that Six Feet Under is an outstanding drama series.

Unfortunately, Six Feet Under finished in 2005 with a fifth season. However, all the seasons are available on DVD and all episodes can be found online at www.sidereel.com. I would strongly recommend this TV series to anyone who enjoys dramas and who can handle mature content.

Below is the trailer for the first season of this fantastic HBO drama.

(* cross posted from the collective blog Collision)

Check Out: The Big Bang Theory

2010-02-01T17:25:00.000-05:00

Physicists Leonard and Sheldon understand everything from the inescapable gravitational pull of a black hole to the intricate structure of the atom. But take those atoms and assemble them into a woman, and their comprehension comes to a grinding halt. And when Penny, a women with all those atoms in all the right places, moves in across the hall, Leonard and Sheldon's universe beings to expand in ways they never could have imagined.

After stumbling upon an episode of this hilarious sitcom, I was hooked. The main characters all have their own unique quirks. Sheldon perfectly understands physics but can't understand social interactions. Leonard craves Penny's love and attention but can't seem to put away his love for comic books and video games. Howard considers himself a "ladies' man" even though he still lives with his mother. And Raj can't speak to women unless he's drunk. Combine this band of geeks with a loving yet ditsy girl named Penny, and hilarity ensues.

Also, it doesn't hurt that the theme song was written and performed by The Barenaked Ladies (a personal favourite of mine).

The Big Bang Theory is currently on their third season. It airs Mondays at 9:30pm on CBS. Here's a sneak peek of the first episode of Season 1. Go ahead, click it; you won't regret it!

(* cross posted from the collective blog Collision)

Book Review: Impulse by Ellen Hopkins

2010-02-01T17:24:00.000-05:00

Title: Impulse
Author: Ellen Hopkins
# of Pages: 688
Published: May 2008
Genre: Teen
Rating: 4/5

Summary:

Three lives, three different paths to the same destination: Aspen Springs, a psychiatric hospital for those who have attempted the ultimate act -- suicide.

Vanessa is beautiful and smart, but her secrets keep her answering the call of the blade.

Tony, after suffering a painful childhood, can only find peace through pills.

And Conner, outwardly, has the perfect life. But dig a little deeper and find a boy who is in constant battle with his parents, his life, himself.

In one instant each of these young people decided enough was enough. They grabbed the blade, the bottle, the gun -- and tried to end it all. Now they have a second chance, and just maybe, with each others help, they can find their way to a better life -- but only if they're strong and can fight the demons that brought them here in the first place.

Review:

I had heard of Ellen Hopkins' novels, and I was intrigued that her novels were written in verse. One of my roommates bought me this novel as a Christmas gift, and I was excited to give Hopkins a chance. At first, I found it difficult to read a novel written entirely in verse. However, after reading a few poems in, I understood that the story was clear. I had expected the story to be difficult to understand because it was written in verse but I was surprised to find dialogue and action clearly written.

I was very intrigued with the idea of three teenagers in a rehabilitation center, and so the story really appealed to me. The story slowly reveals the reasons behind the suicide attempts of Vanessa, Tony and Conner; problems with drugs, cutting and abuse. Once I began, I could barely stop reading; I was so eager to read and find out just what happened to each of them.

The stories of hardship did not disappoint; although the ending did surprise me. I don't want to ruin anything, but I did not expect such an ending and I was taken aback.

I would definitely recommend this novel and encourage people to try and look past the interesting style of writing and find the great story within.

(* cross posted from the collective blog Collision)

Book Review: Along for the Ride by Sarah Dessen

2010-02-01T17:22:00.001-05:00

Title: Along for the Ride
Author: Sarah Dessen
# of Pages: 384
Published: June 16, 2009
Genre: Teen
Rating: 3/5

Summary:

It has been so long since Auden slept at night. Ever since her parentsa divorceaor since the fighting started. Now she has the chance to spend a carefree summer with her dad and his new family in the charming beach town where they live.

A job in a clothes boutique introduces Auden to the world of girls: their talk, their friendship, their crushes. She missed out on all that, too busy being the perfect daughter to her demanding mother. Then she meets Eli, an intriguing loner and a fellow insomniac who becomes her guide to the nocturnal world of the town. Together they embark on parallel quests: for Auden, to experience the carefree teenage life sheas been denied; for Eli, to come to terms with the guilt he feels for the death of a friend.

Review:

When I hear Sarah Dessen had a new book coming out, I was excited. I'd read the majority of her other novels,and I always enjoyed her work. This novel was no different; the story was heartwarming and I felt for Auden, Eli and Heidi (Auden's step-mother). Auden and Eli's late night quests reminded me of my nocturnal habits and I couldn't help but agree with Auden's realization that "the night changed things, widening out the scope. What we said to each other, the things we did, they all took on a bigger meaning in the dark. Like time was sped up and slowed down, all at once,".

Although this novel appealed to my fantasies of late-night adventures and spending a summer in a small town or village, I couldn't help but feel slightly disappointed with Dessen. Her novels are all similar and I had hoped that she would depart a little more from her norm and explore her talents further. Even so, I would recommend this novel to any Dessen fan or anyone who enjoys a good teen novel.

(* cross posted from the collective blog Collision)

Check Out: Dexter

2010-02-01T17:19:00.002-05:00

Since the summer of 2008, I have been hooked on Showtime's Original Series, Dexter. I'm a big fan of this series, just as I know my fellow blogger, Michelle, is. Dexter Morgan is a 30-something blood splatter analyst for the Miami Metro Police Department, with a beautiful girlfriend and a love for steak...oh, and he's also a serial killer.

This series is excellent. Michael C. Hall, who plays Dexter Morgan, is a fantastic actor who really brings the character to life. All of the supporting characters, such as Julie Benz, who plays the girlfriend, Rita, and Jennifer Carpenter, who plays Dexter's sister, Debra Morgan, are perfect. Not only is the acting fantastic, but the storylines so well-written and they really make you think what's wrong and what's right in our world.

Showtime is currently airing episodes for Season 4, the latest episode being episode 7 (out of 12). Although the show is well-into it's fourth season, it's worth spending the time to catch up. I would recommend this series to anyone who enjoys suspense, thrill, dark humour, and has the stomach for a little gore.

Just for a little tease, here is the opening credits. Can you already tell something is wrong with Dexter?

And to incite you even more to share in my obsession, here is the promo for the first season.

The Summer Sisters Strike a Pose

2010-02-01T17:12:00.003-05:00

Anyone who knows me, knows that I love Buffy the Vampire Slayer. I own all of the seasons, and I've watched every episode about 5 times. While looking around for photos of the cast, I came across some stunning photographs of the Summer sisters, Sarah Michelle Gellar and Michelle Trachtenberg and I thought I would share them here.

Sarah Michelle Gellar
Photography by James White

Maxim Magazine cover

Michelle Trachtenberg
Mean Magazine photoshoot

(* cross posted from the collective blog Collision)

Photographs from Vancouver, Victoria and Alaska

2009-08-12T13:46:00.003-04:00

Recently, my parents went on a cruise to Alaska. They took a plane to Vancouver, visited Victoria, and then went to Alaska and stopped in three different cities. After seeing some of the pictures my dad took, I thought it would be nice to share some of my favourites! I don't take any credit for these photographs, all the credit goes to my dad.

A vine-covered building.

A leaning tree.

Floating homes.

A building in lights.

A butterfly (the sides look like snakes' heads)

Somewhere I'd love to spend an afternoon.

Rather cool fountain

Glacier

Oh, nothing... just WHALES!!!

A building made entirely of driftwood.

Ice sculpture

Beautiful Alaskan Sunset.

A small tree growing from a trunk.

Hope you enjoyed some of the photographs from my parents' trip! I wish I could have gone! Please comment and let me know what you think!

Favourite Dances (...So far)

2009-08-08T02:00:00.001-04:00

Since I've begun watching So You Think You Can Dance, I've really grown to love dance. Dancing is so beautiful, and can really express so many emotions. Over the course of 2 seasons of SYTYCD, I've grown to love certain routines. Here are my favourite dances (so far):

What: SYTYCD Season 4, Top 14 Contemporary Group Performance
Song: The Dance by Charlotte Martin
Choreographed by: Mia Michaels

What: SYTYCD Season 4, Twitch and Katee Contemporary Routine
Song: Mercy by Duffy
Choreographed by: Mia Michaels

What: SYTYCD Season 4, Twitch and Kherington Contemporary Routine
Song: Dreaming With A Broken Heart by John Mayer
Choreographed by: Mia Michaels

What: SYTYCD Season 4, Twitch and Kherington Viennese Waltz
Song: A New Day Has Come - Celine Dion
Choreographed by: Jean-Marc & France Genereux

What: SYTYCD Season 4, Katee and Will Pas De Deux
Song: Imagine (Beatles' Cover) by David Archuleta
Choreographed by: Desmond Richardson

What: SYTYCD Season 4, Katee and Joshua Lyrical Jazz
Song: Slow Dancing in a Burning Room - John Mayer
Choreographed by: Wade Robson

What: SYTYCD Season 4, Katee and Joshua Contemporary
Song: Hometown Glory - Adele
Choreographed by: Mia Michaels

What: SYTYCD Season 3, Lacey and Kameron Contemporary
Song: Dancing - Elisa
Choreographed by: Mia Michaels

What: SYTYCD Season 4, Courtney and Mark Jazz
Song: The Garden - Mirah
Choreographed by: Sonya Tayeh

The Garden (Mirah by Sonya Tayeh)
by yonibest

What: SYTYCD Season 5, Kupono and Kayla Contemporary
Song: Gravity - Sara Bareilles
Choreographed by: Mia Michaels

What: SYTYCD Season 5, Randi and Evan Jazz
Song: I Only Have Eyes For You - Jamie Cullum
Choreographed by: Tyce Diorio

What: SYTYCD Season 5, Kupono and Kayla Contemporary
Song: Eyes On Fire - Blue Foundation
Choreographed by: Sonya Tayeh

What: SYTYCD Season 5, Caitlin and Jason Pop Jazz
Song: Creator - Santigold
Choreographed by: Brian Friedman
Sidenote: You might wonder why this is one of my favourites. Basically I think it's really out there, and so unique that I had to love it!)

What: SYTYCD Season 5, Jeanine and Jason Contemporary
Song: If It Kills Me - Jason Mraz
Choreographed by: Travis Wall (old contestant on SYTYCD)

What: SYTYCD Season 5, Melissa and Ade Contemporary
Song: This Woman's Work - Maxwell
Choreographed by: Tyce Diorio
Sidenote: This routine is about a woman with breast cancer; it's very touching.

What: SYTYCD Season 5, Kayla and Brandon Contemporary
Song: All I Want - Ahn Trio
Choreographed by: Stacy Tookey

What: SYTYCD Season 5, Ade and Jeanine Hip-Hop
Song: Move (If You Wanna) - Mims
Choreographed by: Napoleon and Tabitha

Hopefully you enjoyed those dances as much as I did! Please comment and let me know if you loved or hated any of the dances posted! If you're interested in watching SYTYCD, Season 6 is beginning in the fall (premiering September 9th) and it plays every Wednesday night from 8-10pm (performance show) and Thursday night (elimination results) from 9-10pm.

SYTYCD Season 5 WINNER ANNOUNCED!

2009-08-07T23:48:00.003-04:00

It's already the end of So You Think You Can Dance Season 5; can you believe it?!

Last night's show was the Finale, where all of the judges chose two of their favourite routines from the season and these routines were performed once more (but this time at the Kodak theater in Hollywood! Oh wow!).

Adam Shankman chose Phillip and Jeanine's first Hip-Hop routine choreographed by Shane Sparks and Randi and Evan's 'Butt Dance' choreographed by Mia Micheals.

Lil C chose Jason and Caitlin's Bollywood routine and Janette and Brandon's Disco routine.

Debbie Allen chose the Top 16 group routine and Asuka and Vitolio's Waltz choreographed by Louis Van Amstel.

Mia Michaels chose Kayla and Max's Samba and Melissa and Ade's Breast Cancer routine choreographed by Tyce Diorio.

Mary Murphy chose Jeanine and Jason's routine choreographed by Travis Wall and Jeanine and Brandon's Paso Doble choreographed by Louis Van Amstel.

Nigel chose Janette and Brandon's Argentine Tango and Kupono and Kayla's Addiction routine choreographed by Mia Michaels (I have to say, I was so happy to see this latter routine because a) it's my favourite and b) Kupono is GORGEOUS!)

After re-watching all of these fantastic routines, the eliminations began:

Kayla was the first to go. I wasn't all that surprised after the previous night's reviews.

Evan was 2nd to go, and I have to say I was very happy he didn't win and wasn't runner up.

Then it was between Jeanine and Brandon... Cue the drumroll...

and finally the winner was announced...
...
...
...
...
...

CONGRATULATIONS JEANINE MASON!

I'm very happy with America's choice! Jeanine is an amazingly talented dancer, she's got great personality and she can do anything! She really deserves the title, so congratulations Jeanine!

Hasn't it been a great season, everyone?! :) Can't wait for Season 2 of SYTYCD Canada and Season 6 of SYTYCD US! :D

Book Review: The Kite Runner

2009-08-06T12:56:00.000-04:00

Title: The Kite Runner
Author: Khaled Hosseini
# of Pages: 401
Published:
Genre: Fiction
Rating: 5/5

The unforgettable, heartbreaking story of the unlikely friendship between a wealthy boy and the son of his father's servant, The Kite Runner is a beautifully crafted novel set in a country in the process of being destroyed. It is about the power of reading, the price of betrayal, and the possibility of redemption. And it is also about the power of fathers over sons -- their love, their sacrifices, their lies...

After having this novel for approximately a year and letting it gather dust on my bookself, I finally decided to read it. I really should have read it sooner because this book is phenomenal.

This emotional story is told from the point of view of the protagonist, Amir, as he recounts his childhood and the horrible event that scarred him and his life afterward. Set in Kabul, beginning prior to the Russian invasion and the Taliban regime, Afghanistan's violent history acts as a backdrop to this powerful story.

The Kite Runner surprised me several times, and had me completely immersed within the first couple pages. This novel is not for the faint-hearted; some of the events are chilling. It's shocking to realize that many of the events in this novel really did happen or do happen. This book really touched me, and I'll admit I did cry quite a few times. I don't want to give much away because this novel really did surprise me, and it would have much less impact if the storyline was completely revealed. I'm very happy to have an Afghan novelist writing in English to give a native perspective on a country that's so present in political life.

This novel is well-written and the style was easy to read and follow. Hosseini added a lot of Farsi words (with English translation) that really connected the story with it's strong culture. I greatly enjoyed this novel, and I would recommend it to anyone. I award Khaled Hosseini's spectacular debut novel, The Kite Runner, a 5/5 for a compelling and touching story.

SYTYCD Season 5 Last Performance Show

2009-08-06T11:15:00.003-04:00

Tonight's show took place in the Kodak Theater in Hollywood! It was very weird not to see the SYTYCD theater but the Kodak is massive and really did give the show a different feel.

From left to right: Kayla, Brandon, Jeanine and Evan.

The first dance of the night was a routine choreographed by Wade and Amanda Robson and performed by the Top 4! The idea was that the boys were football jocks and the girls were cheerleaders. It was a very entertaining, fun and cute routine but it was so far from what I normally see from Wade that I was disappointed. I'm used to Wade doing something different and this was so...Americanized.

The first couple of the night was Jeanine and Evan. They performed a Jazz routine choreographed by Sonya Tayeh; the idea of the routine was a guy who's trying to keep his girl but she's over him. I thought that it was kind of dull for a finale performance and Jeanine did better than Evan. Jeanine continues to impress me but Evan always falls flat.

Brandon performed the first solo of the night, and it was really quite amazing. He's so athletic, it's insane! He's definitely one of the best of the Top 4!

The second couple of the night was Kayla and Brandon. They performed a Broadway routine choreographed by Tyce Diorio. I loved the outfits here and the Rocky Horror Picture Show vibe. There was a lot of great moves, and it was a very strong routine!

Jeanine performed the 2nd solo of the night. Oh wow! The pirouettes were amazing; I loved tango vibe with the music and the rose. She's really grown during this season and I'm so impressed with her!

The Top 2 boys performed a pop jazz routine choreographed by Laurieann Gibson. I thought this routine was rather weak for a Top 2 Boys finale performance. I've seen such impressive skill from past years that this routine disappointed me. I was hoping for something more masculine, more athletic. Even though, Brandon was clearly outshining Evan. Evan can't do nasty, and Brandon really pulled it off.

The Top 2 girls performed a contemporary routine choreographed by Mia Michaels. This routine was representative of the journey they’ve been through in the competition and having to shred all these layers. Wow. I love Mia Michaels. Her routines are really very interesting and different. Both Jeanine and Kayla were amazing, and the costumes were fantastic. Now THIS is a Top 2 girls routine!

Evan performed the 3rd solo of the night. It was a variation on his audition piece, which Adam Shankman said was sort of risky. He's great in his own style, but he needs some new moves. Nigel doesn’t think he’s grown enough this season, and I have to agree. Even in other styles, he continues to look Broadway-ish.

The 3rd couple of the night was Kayla and Evan. They performed the jive choreographed by Tony and Melanie. This jive had a very country feel, and if you know me, then you know I'm not a big fan of country. Although I was put off by the song and the boots, the routine had very good lifts and the ending was sweet!

Kayla performed the final solo of the night. Her solo was a little bit dull. I've seen her do all of this before, and I have yet to see her try for a different style. She's lacking personality in her solos and that's really making me wonder about her.

The 4th and final couple of the night was Jeanine and Brandon. They performed a Paso Doble choreographed by Louis Van Amstel. Oh WOW, this was BY FAR the best Paso Doble of the season! The song wasn't my favourite, but the choreography was great and the ending was fantastic! Jeanine and Brandon really pulled off this sexy, sultry, angry vibe that the Paso Doble demands. This routine got them a standing ovation from the judges. This was a really great way to end the show!

Overall, this final performance show was a little disappointing. I've seen better routines for the Top 4 and the Top 2 boys and some of the couples routines were not really 'finale' material. After tonight, I'm really certain that I want Jeanine or Brandon to take the title of 'America's Favourite Dancer'. Good luck to all of them, and I can't wait to see the Finale tonight! :D

"A photograph is memory in the raw."

2009-08-04T18:53:00.005-04:00

As some may know, I really enjoy photography. I just do it for fun, and I enjoy taking photographs of anything. So here's some shameless promotion of some of my favourite photographs:

The majority of these pictures have been taken with this camera, a Canon EOS Rebel XS.

My friends Edward and Danielle; how romantic!

A day lily outside my house

A marigold on my porch

Flowers from the garden

My friends Andralyn, Danielle D, Steven, Stephanie and Danielle C posing on a sculpture in Confederation Park.

Ice hanging from a lookout near Duchesnay Falls

Duchesnay Falls

I'm aware that I'm in this photograph, but I love everything about it. From the bear statue made of metal to the bright red front door. This was taken on Wolfe Island.

Hello kittycat :)

Canada Day Fireworks :)

Bonfire.

A pretty epic fail while tubing.

My friend Danielle D just hanging on.

These few photographs were taken with my old crappy digital camera but I like them none the less:

During a dress rehearsal for 'La Ballade Des Planches' performed by Quiproquo.

Laying in nature.

Playground.

SYTYCD Top 6 Elimination Results

2009-07-31T13:58:00.003-04:00

For last night's episode, two more dancers were eliminated from the competition and the Top 4, the dancers in the finale, were revealed!

For an extra special touch, four Emmy nominated routines from last season were danced once again!

"Mercy" choreographed by Mia Michaels and danced by Stephen "Twitch" Boss and Katee Shean!
These were my two favourites from Season 4 so I was super happy to see them again! I wish I could still watch them dance!

"A Los Amigos" choreographed by and danced by Chelsie Hightower and Joshua Allen (the winner of Season 4).

"Bleeding Love" choreographed by Napoleon and Tabitha and danced by Chelsie Hightower and Mark Kanemura

"Silence" choreographed by Tyce Diorio and danced by Will Wingfield and Jessica King!

Oh man, seeing all of those dances once again made me miss Season 4! It was a really great season of SYTYCD :)

Well, onto my least favourite part of the night... the elimination.

The bottom two girls were Kayla and Melissa, which I predicted. The bottom two boys were Evan and Ade, which I also predicted. In the end, the two eliminated were Melissa and Ade. I had wanted Melissa to leave for weeks, and I was very surprised when Janette was eliminated instead of her, so I wasn't heartbroken. Although I have to say that I was very sad to see Ade go; I really wanted him in the Top 4. I'm really afraid that Evan might win this season. Sure, he seems like a nice guy and he is a good dancer, but he's not the best. He keeps getting these mixed reviews, and yet he's in the Top 4? C'mon America.

So goodbye Melissa and Ade! Good luck in the future, and you'll be missed! :(

So the Top 4 dancers for So You Think You Can Dance Season 5 are Brandon, Kayla, Jeanine and Evan!

Just one more performance show, and then the elimination show and we'll find out who is America's favourite dancer! :)

SYTYCD Top 6 Performance Show Review

2009-07-30T03:13:00.002-04:00

Finally, here we are! The last performance show before the FINALE!

Here's the Top 6 Dancers:

Melissa, Ade, Jeanine, Evan, Kayla and Brandon!

The night started off with a BANG thanks to a jazz routine choreographed by Sonya Tayeh and danced by the Top 3 guys: Ade, Brandon and Evan!

This routine was really edgy with great choreography! It had awesome back flips and lifts and all of them did really well. They did great as a group and individually they stood out.

The first couple of the night was Jeanine and Ade and they danced a Samba:

Despite the judges critiques, I really liked this routine! I thought they had great chemistry, and it was definitely H-O-T! They had a great attitude, and the song choice was really great for the Samba (even though I'm not a Lady GaGa fan). The only thing I was disappointed with was the ending position.

Kayla's solo was very cute but it was lacking a little bit of personality. The song choice was great though; You Found Me by The Fray.

Second couple of the night was Melissa and Evan and they danced a Broadway routine choreographed by Tyce Diorio.

I thought this routine was very cute, very happy and very energetic! Melissa held her own; she did better than I thought she would. Although it did seem to lack something. It was good, but not great.

Ade's solo was very nice! He's really shining and he's probably my favourite boy in the Top 6.

The third and last couple of the night was Kayla and Brandon and they danced a contemporary routine choreographed by Stacy Tookey (from SYTYCD Canada). The story of this routine is a mistress of a married man and what happens when she's not strong enough to leave him.

My first thought: WOW. They had great chemistry (much better than I was expecting!) and the choreography had some cool new moves! The song went perfectly with the dance, and the dance itself stood out last night!

Melissa's solo was a little bit dull but overall her technique is great.

Jeanine and Ade's second routine of the night was a Hip Hop choreographed by Napoleon and Tabitha. The story was friends getting evicted from their apartment.

Oh wow! It was one of the best hip-hop dances of the season! They had a really rough and dirty attitude which was just perfect for the dance. They were hitting really hard and they had some amazing moves with the boxes! I loved the ending with the sad faces drawn on the boxes, it was so cool! It wasn't the most meaningful dance but it really shined from a choreography stand point!

For his solo, Brandon did his solo from his audition and the judges gave him a standing ovation!

Melissa and Evan's second routine was a Quickstep (oh no, the dreaded Quickstep!).

I thought this dance was a little bit awkward, and ended up being pretty lackluster. It was supposed to have such high energy but it fell a bit flat. The judges were iffy about it and I agreed with their reviews.

For Jeanine's solo, the song (Feedback by Janet Jackson) seemed to outshine her dancing. The song was very happy and energetic and I didn't think it necessarily suited the pace of her movement.

Evan's solo was very fun and charismatic! He's very talented in his own genre, and he always puts a smile on my face when he does Broadway.

Brandon and Kayla's second routine of the night was a disco choreographed by Doriana Sanchez.

This disco was ridiculous! It was so fast with so many difficult lifts and moves! I was happy to FINALLY see a girl doing some lifts. The double deathdrop was really fun to see! I noticed a teeny tiny bit of fumbling but it was excusable because this choreography was so challenging! When the judges' reviews came along, Nigel made my day! He jumped up, starting screaming and dancing around! I laughed SO hard!

To finish off the night with a BANG, the Top 3 girls performed a contemporary routine choreographed by Sonya Tayeh! The story of the routine is that the girls are superheroes! Kayla is Storm; Jeanine is Wonder Woman and Melissa is Buttercup!

The costumes and makeup were amazing! I adored their looks! This routine had some really sweet moves, and overall it was such a great dance! The girls all shined on their own but kept together as a group. I'm impressed with this Top 3 girls! :)

I'm expecting Evan/Melissa to leave the competition tonight, but I've been shocked quite a few times during this season so I could be completely off.

Tonight is the elimination episode that will reveal SYTYCD Season 5's Top 4 Dancers and which dancers made it into the FINALE! NEXT WEEK AMERICA'S FAVOURITE DANCER WILL BE REVEALED (CAN YOU TELL I'M EXCITED?!) !

Film Review: Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

2009-07-30T01:23:00.005-04:00

I was very excited for this movie because the 6th book is one of my favorites. Although I’ve felt a roller coaster of emotions from the 5 previous films, ranging from utter disappointment (the 3rd film) to complete satisfaction (the 4th film), I was trying to keep in mind that it’s just a movie and it can’t please everyone.

Surely that mindset kept me from hating the film, but it couldn't help me love it like I so wanted to. After seeing all of the trailers, I was so ridiculously pumped to see this film! I went to the midnight showing, and waited in line for 2 1/2 hours. In the end, I left feeling confused about just what I thought about the film. Since then, I've mostly sorted out my feelings towards the 6th Potter flick.

I'll begin with the negative comments so that I can finish with the positive comments and thus end the review on a positive note.

1) No fight scene at the end! I knew that the fight scene between the Hogwarts students/teachers and the Death Eaters was going to be left out from the film, but I still felt disappointed that the end was so anti-climatic.

2) I wanted a bigger fight scene between Snape and Harry. Harry is supposed to HATE Snape, to be absolutely FURIOUS with him but I didn't really sense that emotion. Harry seemed to give up really quickly, and Snape was not as angry (I do recall a "I AM NOT A COWARD!" in the novel) as I had hoped.

3) David Yates concentrated too much on the romance aspect of the story. Other parts of the story weren't explored as thoroughly as I would have liked because of the focus on the teenage romance. Oh, and the kiss between Harry and Ginny that the fans eagerly waited for? LAME. I'm sorry, but there was no passion at all there.

4) I agree with Caitlin that there was definitely not enough Voldemort memories! I wanted badly to see the Gaunts, and I felt that Voldemort took a back seat in this film.

5) The Half-Blood Prince storyline took the 2nd backseat in this film. It seemed so unimportant and I even had friends who hadn't read the series asking why it was named "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince".

6) Burning down the Burrow. Why exactly did the Death Eaters (well, Bellatrix and Fenrir) attack the Burrow? Nothing really came out of that lackluster fight except for the burning of the Weasley's home which didn't take place in the novel and wasn't explored later in the film.

7) The inaccuracies. Harry's supposed to kiss Ginny in front of approximately 50 people. Harry's supposed to be immobilized beneath the invisibility cloak while Dumbledore dies. These little details might have made both those scenes so much better for me.

OKAY, now after such negativity (sorry everyone!), here's the positive comments:

1) HILARIOUS. OH MY GOODNESS, this film was SO FUNNY. I was laughing so hard; the script was funny and the actors did such a great job at comedy! The Felix Felices part was ridiculously hilarious,and definitely one of my favourite parts of the movie. My favourite lines of the film were:
"Not to mention those pincers. Click click!"
"Harry!" "SIR!"
"All hands on deck, Granger!"
"So you and Ginny did it?"
"...Well, she has nice skin..."
Really, some great comedy there!

2) Slughorn! When I saw the trailers, I was disappointed that the actor did not have a walrus-like mustache and didn't really fit my physical idea of the character. But man, oh man, did Jim Broadbent impress me! He was downright hilarious and really made the character come to life. His movement, his speech...everything was just flawless!

3) Ron and Hermione. I'm a huge fan of this couple; I've loved the idea of them since the first couple novels and I was so happy to finally see a more pronounced loving tension between the two. When Ron is in the hospital and he whispers Hermione's name in his sleep, I'm pretty sure I "Aww"'ed for a good 5 minutes.

4) Lavender Brown. This actress was perfect for this character! Her performance was hilarious, and really enjoyed her over-the-top acting!

5) The acting. The quality of the acting from all of the actors, young and old, has really improved over the years. It's been a subtle growth but I really noticed how much work they put into their acting in this film. I was really impressed with all of the actors here.

6) Fred and George's Jokeshop. Although it wasn't shown all that much, I was impressed with how well the shop corresponded with my image of how it would look. It was very well done, and I loved the moving statue of the twins outside!

Overall, I enjoyed this film. It did lack on several accounts, but it made up for it in other ways. It wasn't the action-packed adventure I had hoped, but it was much more of a comedy then any of the previous films and had me almost crying from laughter! I'll give it a 3.5/5 because on the whole it kept me entertained and has a good chance in ending up being one of my favourite Potter films!\

(* cross posted from the cooperative blog Collision)

SYTYCD TOP 8 Performances and Elimination Results

2009-07-25T12:21:00.003-04:00

Wednesday night's performance show was another night of random pairings between the top 8 dancers. The couples were Janette and Evan, Kayla and Jason, Brandon and Jeanine and Melissa and Ade (re-united!).

The first dance of the night was a Jazz routine choreographed by Sonya Tayeh and danced by Janette and Evan:

I thought Janette did wonderfully in this dance, but Evan fails to impress me once again. His lines just aren't nearly as good as the other boys, and next to Janette he seems clumsy. Overall this dance wasn't all that memorable, and it wasn't a favourite Sonya routine of mine.

Janette and Evan's 2nd routine was a Rumba:

First, I love this version of 'Heartless'! It's really classy, and it works so well with the slow sensuality of the Rumba. Second, Janette looks gorgeous; her dress is amazing! Just like the previous routine, Janette outshined Evan. I noticed a couple stumbles on Evan's part but to his credit, he did pull off a couple of very nice moves! Overall I thought this was a good routine :)

Melissa and Ade's first routine of the night was a Cha-Cha:

I'm not certain why but I just didn't care for this dance. I didn't feel any heat between the pair of them, and I thought it fell really flat. Mia Michaels commented and said she thought this was Ade's worst performance and I have to agree with her. Ade is an amazing dancer, but he just didn't shine in this routine.

Melissa and Ade's 2nd dance was a very emotional contemporary routine choreographed by Tyce Diorio. The subject of this dance was breast cancer; Melissa is a woman fighting breast cancer and Ade is her strength.

This piece was definitely the stand-out of the night, and definitely one of the best routines of the season. Melissa and Ade were amazing in this routine; Melissa put her full trust in Ade, leaping into his arms and everything. It had me crying, and it had all of the judges crying too. This is one of those routines that really reaches out to people, and touches them. <3

The third couple of the night, Brandon and Jeanine, first danced a Waltz:

I wasn't very impressed with this dance. The beginning of the dance, with Jeanine high over Brandon's head was VERY impressive but it all felt flat after that. It certainly wasn't terrible but it was just a forgettable routine.

Brandon and Jeanine's 2nd dance was a Pop Jazz:

This was a cool routine and I was finally impressed with this couple. The song's a good choice, the outfits a good choice but the only thing I didn't care for was the lack of contact between Brandon and Jeanine. It would have been nice to have them dance together a few more times.

The last couple, Kayla and Brandon, danced a lovely Broadway routine:

I actually really liked this routine! The song was great, the lighting effects were great and of course Kayla and Jason are amazing dancers! They fit together nicely, almost as though they could have been an original couple.

Kayla and Jason's 2nd routine of the night was a zombie Hip-Hop:

This hip-hop was awesome!! Kayla's quick makeup change at the beginning had me hooked! They were both 100% in character, and the final move at the end with Jason choking Kayla was so cool!

For Thursday night's elimination episode, I was expecting Evan to leave the competition. I wasn't sure which girl would leave, but even though Melissa was part of a very emotional routine, I was getting less and less impressed with her on the whole.

Thursday's episode was SYTYCD's 100th episode and thus they bought back some past routines that were Emmy nominated and had a few special moments.

Here's a montage of So You Think You Can Dance throughout the seasons:

The three Emmy nominated dancers were:

Ramalama choreographed by Wade Robson and danced by Season 2's Top 20

This time, Wade Robson himself danced in this routine, making it even more special! I love this routine, and the song is perfect!

The Hummingbird and the Flower:

and The Bench:

At the end of the night, Janette and Jason were eliminated. Nigel admitted that Janette was his favourite, he really thought she was going to win this season and he thought America had it wrong. I was really sad to see Janette go because she's so great, and she always shined in every routine! :( Jason was great, and he delivered some amazing routines! Gooodbye Janette and Jason, you'll be missed! Good luck in the future <3

C.R.A.Z.Y.

2009-07-23T20:20:00.004-04:00

A couple weeks ago, I was added to the great group of people blogging on the lovely Collision. For my first post, I introduced one of my favourite films: C.R.A.Z.Y.

It’s a french language film from Québec directed by Jean-Marc Vallée and starring Marc-André Grondin, Michel Côté and Danielle Proulx. IMDb describes the film as “a story of two love affairs. A father's love for his five sons and one son's love for his father, a love so strong it compels him to live a lie. That son is Zac Beaulieu, born on the 25th of December 1960, different from all his brothers, but desperate to fit in. During the next 20 years, life takes Zac on a surprising and unexpected journey that ultimately leads him to accept his true nature and, even more importantly, leads his father to love him for who he really is. A mystical fable about a modern-day Christ-like figure, "C.R.A.Z.Y" exudes the beauty, the poetry and the madness of the human spirit in all its contradictions.”

The acronym C.R.A.Z.Y. stands for the names of the five sons: Christian, Raymond, Antoine, Zachary and Yvan although the story focuses mainly on Zachary’s struggle to accept his sexuality and to have others accept him for who he is. Struggling for answers and acceptance, Zac turns to God; in his younger years through prayer, in his rebellious teen years through the songs of rock legends such as David Bowie and as a young adult by attempting to follow the footsteps of Christ.

I absolutely adore everything about this film. The story is phenomenal, the actors are extraordinary and the wardrobe and soundtrack are amazing. The story was created by various anecdotes from Vallée's old neighbour, Francois Boulay, with who he co-wrote the script. Vallée states: “This, of course, is the stuff of families, where some of the warmest things are said and done but also some of the harshest and cruellest. I told him to write it all down and we'll make a great film.” Vallée was being modest, this film is far better than great. I would recommend this to anyone, and all those I know who have seen it have enjoyed it very much.

Here are a few more pictures from the film and the trailer:

Zachary (Marc-Andre Grondin) as a young adult.

Zachary riding on the back of his brother, Raymond's, motorcycle.

Zachary and his father (Michel Côté), singing on Zachary's 20th birthday.

Zachary's parents (Michel Côté and Danielle Proulx)

And finally, the trailer! Here it is WITHOUT English subtitles

and here it is WITH English subtitles:

C.R.A.Z.Y. is really everything I look for in a film, and Hollywood would do well to take some cues from this Québecois film.

(* cross posted from the cooperative blog Collision)

SYTYCD Top 10 Elimination Results!

2009-07-23T18:37:00.005-04:00

This post is a week overdo now, but I thought it was best to keep up with my SYTYCD Season 5 show reviews.

This was NOT a good elimination episode in my opinion. The bottom two girls were Randi and Melissa and the bottom two boys were Kupono and Ade. Although the results were already in, the bottom 4 performed solos to remind America who they are. Out of the girls, Randi was eliminated. I saw this coming, and although she has been amazing, others have been outshining her lately. Out of the boys, Kupono was eliminated. I saw this coming because Ade is an amazing dancer and he's more of a main-stream type of dancer than Kupono. Even though I wasn't necessarily shocked, I was really upset because Kupono was my favourite of the season. I loved him since his first performance on the stage until his last, and it makes me very sad to know that I won't be able to witness him grow and perform other amazing dances!

(I know some people may think "What in the world is Kupono wearing? He looks ridiculous", I think his outfit is very unique, completely original and very 'Kupono'. I love his outfit and his makeup!)

Here's an interview of Kupono and Randi after the elimination:

Both these dancers will be very missed; I loved them both! Good luck to you both in the future! ♥

Here's a little tribute to one of my favourite dancers: Kuponohi’ipoi (Kupono) Aweau! ♥ ♥ ♥

Week 1 with partner Ashley Valerio: Jazz routine choreographed by Wade Robson

Week 2 with partner Ashley Valerio: Hip-Hop routine choreographed by Shane Sparks

Week 3 with new partner Kayla Rodomsky: Viennese Waltz choreographed by Jean-Marc Genereux

Week 4 with partner Kayla Rodomsky: Contemporary choreographed by Sonya Tanyeh

Week 5 with partner Kayla Rodomsky: Contemporary choreographed by Mia Michaels

My FAVOURITE ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

Week 5 with partner Kayla Rodomsky: Broadway choreographed by Joey Dowling

Week 6 with new partner Randi Evans: Paso Doble choreographed by Tony Meredith and Melanie Lapatin

And lastly, here's a tribute video made by youtube user tolewe86:

So You Think You Can Dance Season 5: Top 10 Performance Show

2009-07-16T00:58:00.003-04:00

It's finally here!

AMERICA'S TOP 10 DANCERS!

Here's a little reminder of who exactly are the top 10 dancers!

The top 5 guys:

Ade Obayomi (Contemporary)

Brandon Bryant (Contemporary)

Evan Kasprzak (Broadway)

Kuponohi’ipoi (Kupono) Aweau (Contemporary)

Jason Glover (Contemporary)

The top 5 girls:

Jeanine Mason (Contemporary)

Kayla Rodomsky (Contemporary and Jazz)

Randi Evans (Jazz)

Melissa Sandvig (Ballet)

Janette Manrara (Salsa)

Last night's show started off with a BANG! The top 5 girls did a bollywood routine!

I thought this was the best Bollywood dance I've seen on the show so far! I loved the costumes, they're so beautiful, so intricate! The masks on the back of their heads was a cool trick! I thought all the 5 girls danced amazingly and overall, I loved it! Nigel agreed with me, putting the girls on his 'Hot Bangers and Mash Train' (I sense someone is making fun of Mary... haha) and Mary screamed 'BollyWOW!'

The first new couple of the night was Kayla and Evan and their routine was a Viennese Waltz!

I was worried when I saw these two were paired together because I didn't know how well this would look with Kayla being the tallest girl and Evan the shortest guy. Plus, I was worried there would be no chemistry whatsoever since I couldn't even picture them as friends really.
This routine surprised me a lot actually! Evan held his own, and he did not seem to be the shortest guy in this dance! They looked a lot better together than I had anticipated! There were great lifts, good kicks, a cute ending and the song 'Kiss from a Rose' by Seal is just great! Overall, I really enjoyed it!

The 2nd new couple of the night was Ade and Janette and their routine was a Hip-Hop choreographed by Napoleon and Tabitha.

I have to say I laughed a little when Janette picked out Ade; she was paired with Brandon for the longest time and now she's got the other black partner! The idea of this routine was that Janette had no funk and Ade had to make her find it! I thought it was really great, and I was very happy to see Ade doing something other than doing just great lifts for MelissaT. I think being with other dancers will really show the audience what he can do! The routine was very funky, there was great lifts and there was a cool ending too!

The 3rd new couple of the night was Jeanine and Jason and their routine was a Contemporary piece choreographed by Travis Wall, a SYTYCD veteran from Season 2. This was Travis Wall's first piece, and it was AMAZING! The choreography was brilliant, and I was so impressed when I heard he was new at this!

I LOVED IT! Oh my god! There was so much chemistry between them, I was so surprised by this couple! I really like them together and I kind of wish it had been this way the whole time! This routine was very emotional, and very well danced! The song: "If It Kills Me" by Jason Mraz went perfectly with the idea of the song and with the flow of the dance. The necklace with the heart pendant was a really good tangible representation of giving yourself away, and the way they threw it across the stage so often was really great. Also, I have to say that when Jason takes the necklace from Jeanine mouth with his mouth, HOT mmkay?! That was passionate! Oh, and the kiss at the end looked pretty real (hm, some sexual tension there? hahaha) I really loved this dance, it's definitely one of my favourites from this season! (Favourite remains Kayla and Kupono's addiction dance)

The 4th new couple of the night was Kupono and Randi and their routine was a Paso Doble.

I got worried the moment I saw this. Kupono and Randi don't seem to have any chemistry, and the other Paso Doble's of the season have stunk. Sadly, I can't say I loved this dance. I wanted to love it because Kupono's my favourite but this dance just fell short. Randi seemed to dance really heavy tonight, and I HATED the wig (not her fault, but it was so distracting). I wasn't a fan of this dance at all, and I was really sad to see my favourite in the worst dance of the night. I'm really hoping that he gets a chance, stays in the competition and can show everyone more! I really really hope so! *crosses fingers*

The 5th and final new couple of the night was Melissa and Brandon and their routine was a Broadway choreographed by Tyce Diorio.

I didn't really care that much for this routine. It was well danced, and Melissa and Brandon are both great, but it's the routine of the night that was sort of forgettable. The judges enjoyed it, and so did I but it was nothing too special.

At the end of the night, the Top 5 guys performed an African Dance!

This dance was awesome! There was so much energy, so much stamina from all the guys! None of them fell short, and they all definitely found that African swagga, haha. (Sidenote: Kupono at the end was OMFG RIDICULOUSLY GORGEOUS *Sa-woon*)

My favourite routine of the night was definitely Jeanine and Jason's contemporary and my least favourite of the night was unfortunately Kupono and Randi's Paso Doble. I really don't know who will be in the bottom tomorrow, and I'm very worried for Kupono since this was not his strongest week. But here's to hoping I'm pleased with tomorrow's elimination results!

Cherrybomb: Sex, Drugs & Violence

2009-07-11T00:06:00.004-04:00

Earlier this summer, I came across a trailer for an upcoming movie called 'Cherrybomb' starring Rupert Grint with co-stars Robert Sheehan, Kimberly Nixon and James Nesbitt.

With their exams over, best friends Malachy (Grint)and Luke (Sheehan) are out to have one hell of a summer. However, the arrival of Michelle (Nixon), a captivating but troubled beauty, tests their friendship to the limit as she encourages the two boys to carry out increasingly dangerous and illegal deeds in the battle for her affections – with fatal consequences.

Trailer:

This film will be Rupert Grint's first love scene! Doesn't he look amazing?! (I'm looking forward to it ;) haha)

Two very short clips:

Rupert stated in an interview that “It gets quite serious, it gets a bit crazy. Really violent and out of hand and lethal at the end.”

Interview about 'Cherrybomb' with Rupert Grint and co-star Kimberly Nixon:

Rupert Grint, Kimberly Nixon and Robert Sheehan.

Interview about 'Cherrybomb' with Rupert Grint and co-star James Nesbitt:

I was so excited when I saw that Rupert was in a movie outside of Harry Potter! I saw the film 'Driving Lessons' earlier this summer, and I loved Rupert in a different role than Ron. Although I simply love Ron, I don't want Rupert's acting career to end there! He's a great actor, and hopefully he'll have a long and successful acting career!

I don't believe this film is being released in Canada (unfortunately) so I think I'll have to wait till it comes out on DVD to see the film. It sure does look work the wait though, right?!

SYTYCD Top 12 Elimination

2009-07-09T20:59:00.006-04:00

It's Thursday and that means So You Think You Can Dance's 1 hour elimination episode. Tonight we will find out the Top 10 dancers of SYTYCD's Season 5! This marks the beginning of the judges losing the power of eliminating the dancers. Now it's all up to America to vote for one dancer, and each week, the two dancers (always one guy and one girl) with the lowest amount of votes will be eliminated.

Sidenote: Cat Deeley didn't cut her hair! I really thought she did. And today is Nigel's 60th birthday, so Happy Birthday Nigel Lythgoe and thank you for helping make this show happen! :)

Last night I stated that I believed Randi/Evan, Caitlin/Jason and Phillip/Jeanine would be the bottom 3 couples of the week. I was mostly right because the bottom 3 couples of the night were Caitlin and Jason, Phillip and Jeanine, and Melissa and Ade! (Oh man, it was between Melissa/Ade and Kayla/Kupono. I almost had a heart attack when I thought maybe Kayla/Kupono were in danger! Phew.)

After a 30 second solo from all 6 dancers, the judges were unanimous about both eliminations and they eliminated Caitlin and Phillip.

I'm sad to see these two go, but I was sort of expecting it after tonight's solos. Caitlin did well, but she was outshined by Melissa and Jeanine. Phillip has an amazing and unique style, but he lacks formal training and struggles with dances outside of his own style. The judges mentioned Caitlin and Phillip will be going on tour with the rest of the Top 10 so that's great for all those Caitlin/Phillip fans out there!

My favourite dance by Caitlin was her and Jason's first performance, the bollywood!

My favourite dance by Phillip was his and Jeanine's chained hip-hop routine!

They're both amazing dancers, and I do hope they go far! Goodbye Caitlin and Phillip, you'll be missed! <3

On another note,
SAY HELLO TO YOUR TOP 10 DANCERS!

Ade!

Randi!

Brandon!

Kayla!

Jason!

Melissa!

Evan!

Janette!

Kupono!

and Jeanine!

SYTYCD Top 12!

2009-07-08T19:26:00.007-04:00

Here's a recap and my review of So You Think You Can Dance Season 5's Top 12!

The top 12 dances are:
Kupono (Contemporary)

Jeanine (Contemporary)

Evan (Broadway)

Melissa (Ballet)

Phillip (Popping)

Janette (Salsa)

Ade (Contemporary)

Caitin (Contemporary)

Randi (Jazz)

Brandon (Contemporary)

Kayla (Jazz/Contemporary)

Jason (Contemporary)

Starting this week, each couple performs TWO difference dances in two different styles!

Sidenote: I do believe Cat Deeley, the wonderful host of SYTYCD USA, got a haircut! It looks really nice! :)

The first routine of the night was a disco choreographed by Doriana Sanchez and danced by Melissa and Ade!

This disco was actually really good! There was so much energy, and a bunch of really amazing lifts! Ade is so strong, my goodness! I think Ade did better than Melissa though, he was hitting harder and just seemed more confident in his movement then his partner. At first I wasn't a big fan of Melissa and Ade, but they're really growing on me! They keep doing well every week, always impressing the judges and the country! The judges loved this dance, as they always do with Melissa/Ade, haha.

The second dance of the night was a contemporary piece choreographed by Mia Michaels and danced by Kayla and Kupono. This dance is about addiction; Kayla is an addict and Kupono is her addiction. The clip beforehand showed Kupono speaking to the camera and saying that his family and a good friend of his have suffered from addiction, and he's having a hard time playing the character of addiction. The poor guy starts to cry, and I just felt like crying myself!

I FREAKING LOVED THIS DANCE! Oh wow. This was so powerful, so beautiful, so painful...
Kupono was AMAZING in this dance. Even though it was very tough for him to do this, he was brilliant and he kept his villainous attitude throughout every step of the dance. He's my new favourite dancer. From the first moment, when Kayla runs to him and he gets this smirk on his face, I fell in love. I got shivers when he was holding her and he rubbed his face along her side and her leg. His moves are murderous in a way; he continues to put his hands on her mouth, basically suffocating her which remains true to the feeling of suffocation that comes with such a strong addiction. I also loved when he threw her behind him, that was amazing! I honestly felt like I was going to start crying during this dance! It's my favourite dance this season. I wasn't happy with Kayla/Kupono being paired together but it's turning out to be REALLY wonderful!

The third dance of the night was a foxtrot danced by Caitlin and Jason!

Firstly, Caitlin's dress is beautiful! I loved her whole look tonight! This foxtrot was danced beautifully! The song was perfect for this type of dance; I really love all the trumpets and that old world class. The lifts were lovely, and they did a good job keeping their form. It was lovely to finally see Caitlin and Jason in a more formal, ballroom type of dance because they’ve been doing everything but since they began the show.

The fourth dance of the night was a Russian folk routine danced by Phillip and Jeanine! This is the first Russian folk dance done on the show, although last season Top 2 guys did a Russian dance.

This dance was very folk-like and not really something that I think will win over a lot of viewers. Phillip and Jeanine did very well in this dance, but the choreography itself wasn't the best and it wasn't really difficult enough. Nigel stated that he thought maybe they shouldn't have done that type of dance on the show because it resembled little kids dancing.

The fifth dance of the night was a hip-hop routine choreographed by Napoleon and Tabitha and danced by Randi and Evan!

I was really worried when I heard that this couple was doing a hip-hop dance because I just couldn't see Evan being gangsta, haha. But thankfully the story was about a happy couple who's in love and going to have a baby. The story was cute, and it really worked in favour of this couple. This dance was set to Halo by Beyonce, a really good song and it worked well with the idea of the dance: a couple who loves each other.
I actually liked this routine! Evan wasn’t as amazing as other guys could have been, simply because of his background, but I think he pulled it off! And Randi surprised me too, she did really well here. She was hitting hard and she was in character. They had a lot of chemistry here, and I think this was a really sweet story! When Evan proposed, and Randi sat on his knee, nodded and smiled, it melted my heart! Oh, how I wish she wasn’t married cause they would be such a cute couple! Evan’s a total cutiepie! The open-legged lift was really cool, as well as the sort of arm-tube thing! Good choreography Napoleon and Tabitha!

The sixth dance of the night was an Argentine Tango choreographed by [add names] and danced by Brandon and Janette!

Oh wow, that was great! The legwork, the lifts, the passion! So great! The judges gave them a STANDING OVATION for this piece! Nigel said that this was the best ballroom dance he's seen on this show! Mary put them on the Hot Tamale Train, of course! And then Tyce made some sort of analogy with orange juice...haha, I was a bit confused!

Now for the couples’ second routines of the night! Two routines, two different styles in one night, these dancers don’t have it easy! Tonight is the last night that the dancers will stay in their respective couples (Melissa/Ade; Caitlin/Jason; Kupono/Kayla; Brandon/Janette; Randi/Evan and Phillip/Jeanine) because next week they’ll begin to move around to work with different partners. So tonight each dancer was asked what they would miss most about their partners.

Melissa and Ade’s second dance of the night was a waltz to the song ‘Natural Woman’.
Melissa said that she would miss everything about Ade. She said that he’s been great and she loves him (platonically, she is married).
Ade said that he loved getting to know her, and he's going to really miss dancing with her.

This dance was beautiful, and they had really beautiful lifts but this couple has been doing almost too many ballroom dances that this has become forgettable. I don’t think this will be a favourite for anyone, really. I think that had they gotten something more edgy, it would have been better. However, it’s not their fault. But personally I’m getting tired of this couple always doing such classical dances.

Kayla and Kupono’s second dance of the night was a Broadway routine choreographed by Joey Dowling.
Kayla said that she would miss Kupono's energy and his positivity
Kupono said that he would miss Kayla’s sweaty hands and feet; stating that her clammy hands were comforting to him. (A little odd, but isn’t that Kupono for you? Haha)
The idea of this dance is that Kayla and Kupono were kids on a rooftop who bump into each other and its love at first sight.

I thought they danced this routine very well. They were cute though, and they looked genuine when they looked into each other's eyes. I wasn’t very fond of the song choice; at some points it felt almost too...dark (or something) for this sort of idea. Although I enjoyed it, the judges weren’t all that fond of it. Nigel said it wasn’t really good enough, and Mary said she could see where Nigel was coming from but thought they danced it well, even calling them “a force to be reckoned with.”

Caitlin and Jason’s second dance was a lyrical jazz choreographed by Mandy Moore.
Caitlin said that she would miss Jason’s hugs and that he was always good at calming her down Jason said he would miss her quirkyness, her personality and her stupid jokes; she’s so full of life.

candj2 12 @ Yahoo! Video

I was not all that fond of it. It was good, but nothing really special, nothing memorable. I thought there was too much going on on the floor at the beginning, and it was a slow start. The judges were so-so about it. They seemed to agree with me: they liked the dance, but it was nothing spectacular; good but not memorable.

Phillip and Jeanine’s second dance was a jive choreographed by Tony Meredith and Melanie. The idea is a sailor who’s been off for a while and his wife teasing him.
Phillip said he would miss her uplifting spirit and her kooky personality; he stated that she stayed positive throughout the whole show.
Jeanine said she would miss his big heart. She stated that she’s been blessed to work with him, and they have lots of memories together.

Oh wow, this was a lot better than I was expecting! Jeanine was really fiery out there, and Phillip was doing really well! I loved Jeanine’s attitude, and she’s beginning to really shine! I liked the song to this routine too, it worked well with that 40’s style of dance. The judges were really impressed with their routine, saying that they didn’t think either of them would be leaving next week. Nigel said that he thought this was the best Phillip’s been out of his own style, and I have to agree with him. He’s really picking it up (finally). Mary put them on the Hot Tamale train for this routine, and I think I would have too!

Randi and Evan’s second dance was a samba choreographed by SYTYCD’s old contestants Pasha and Anya!
Randi said that she would miss this look that Evan gives her when he’s acting like he’s trying to get her.
Evan said he would miss getting to laugh in rehearsal, and he stated that they had a lot of fun together.

This danced started off so well even though I wasn’t fond of the song. The lifts were AMAZING and it really began with a bang! Unfortunately it was a bit downhill after that for me. Randi’s got this sexy attitude, but Evan’s more a sweetie, not really rough or aggressive enough to pull off a sultry samba. His dancing was well executed but his attitude just wasn’t right. Nigel said that it just wasn’t hot enough, and Mary agreed saying that it was a great routine but it wasn’t really dynamic enough and they needed to go that extra mile and find the fire.

Brandon and Janette’s second dance was a pop jazz piece about two thieves, one calculating and one crazy, choreographed by Wade Robson.
Brandon said that Janette really brought him outta his shell by just being around her positivity, her spicyness.
Janette said she was nervous about losing him, stating that she doesn’t know if anyone can live up to him.

When this dance first started, all I could think was: Willy Wonka. The outfits were just weird, and I wasn’t really feeling it. But then once the dance really began, it was really great! They had really amazing technique, and they were in character the whole way through. The judges were in love with this routine. Nigel said that he would be shocked if they don’t get the most votes while Mary screamed that they kept the best of last! Although I wouldn’t go that far, I did enjoy this dance even though I thought it could have ended a bit stronger.

Well that’s a wrap! I hope you enjoyed the dances as much as I did!
Tomorrow night is the elimination night, which means one guy and one girl will be going home. I predict that the bottom 3 couples will be Randi and Evan, Caitlin and Jason and lastly Phillip and Jeanine. I’m really unsure about who will leave tomorrow, but I don’t think things are looking too good for Evan. Any way it goes tomorrow, I’m certain a little piece of my heart will break! If you have any comments about the dances, feel free to leave a comment on this post. I would love to hear other people’s opinions!

All we need is a little hope...

2009-07-08T00:20:00.002-04:00

www.givesmehope.com

This site is formatted like the popular fmylife.com but instead of stories that scream "f my life", it's little stories of hope. They're beautiful, inspiring and so real it'll make you cry.

A friend of mine, Dyan, introduced me to this site and I really want to spread the word out there.

Please take a moment and visit this site, it's just amazing.

Here are some of my favourites from GMH:

Last summer I was working as an assistant wedding photographer in California during the brief period when gay couples could marry there. While working a wedding at the San Fransisco City Hall, I watched two old men in tuxedos help each other up the stairs in order to finally get married after over 30 years together. GMH.

I woke up one morning to hear the birds outside my window and my mother cooking breakfast downstairs. I've never cried so much in my entire life. I had been deaf since the age of 8. GMH.

Freshman year, there was a crippled girl bound to a wheelchair. For 4 years, she
did physical therapy and progressed to crutches. When we graduated a few weeks ago, she handed her crutches to an officer and walked across the entire stage. The applause from the seniors was deafening. She cried the whole way. GMH

Last week, my grandma who had been diagnosed with cancer lost all her hair. My grandpa told me he had never seen a more beautiful woman in his life. They have been married 49 years. GMH.

I have a heart defect that's incurable resulting in minor heart attacks&fainting spells. One day after a nasty episode, I posted a vlog crying about how I felt helpess. The next morning, I learned 10,000 dollars had been donated in my youtube name to the Fight Against Heart Disease, anonymously. GMH

I adore this site. <3 <3 <3 <3

Continuing the Potter Craze...

2009-07-06T23:24:00.005-04:00

Here's a hilarious interview (part one and part two) with actors Rupert Grint and Daniel Radcliffe about Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince:

And Rupert, I love that you're a ginger ;)

Here's HBO's First Look at the Series, part two so that we can explore some of the other characters:

And to end the interviews, here's a really funny rifftrax of Harry Potter and the Prizoner of Azkaban and one of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets.

My favourites:
POA:
"I coulda sworn I heard a cheesecake in here.."
"Young Notorious P.I.G. is right!"
"Whatever did this, I'll find it and be hideous at it."
"Observe the picture of the red dragon, it's pretty sweet."
"Keep your hands off my dress!"
"Grandpa's off his meds again..."
COS:
"Get away from me demon, we're all doomed!"
"Not hookers. Not at all like hookers."
"ROADTRIP!"
"Grasp your mandrake... but never in public."
"Settle down, muddy." (Okay, mean, but funny.)
"I raise my eyebrow at you, sir."
"Hm...yeah...we may have to call J.K, do you have her cell number?"

So, in conclusion, HARRY POTTER = LOVE <3 and...

HARRY POTTER AND THE HALF BLOOD PRINCE IS OUT IN 8 DAYS! ALMOST A WEEK!

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince...

2009-07-05T17:07:00.003-04:00

IS OUT IN 10 DAYS!!!!!!!!

Oh man, I'm freaking out. I'm such a huge HP fangirl, and I'm really hoping I'll be able to go see the midnight showing (and then go like 3 times after that haha)

I read this on Wikipedia though: There are a number of changes from the book in the film. Much of the book's ending has been changed, with the climactic battle and Dumbledore's funeral being removed. Heyman commented that the end battle was removed to "(avoid) repetition" with the forthcoming adaptation of Deathly Hallows. The funeral was removed as it was believed it did not fit with the rest of the film.[74] The collapse of a Muggle bridge mentioned briefly in the book serves as the film's opening sequence.[75] Scenes of Diagon Alley being demolished by Death Eaters and an attack on the Burrow by Bellatrix Lestrange and werewolf Fenrir Greyback are added, as can be seen in the trailers. All but two of the memory scenes, including that of the Gaunts, have been cut. Only the flashbacks of Tom Riddle at the orphanage and Riddle asking Slughorn about Horcruxes, shown twice, remain.[75] Yates said they made the decision to compress the memories, but still "got some really cool ones".[76] Characters who are cut include the Dursleys, Kreacher, Dobby, Bill and Fleur, Rufus Scrimgeour, Cornelius Fudge and the Muggle Prime Minister. However, Quidditch[77], being excluded from the previous film, returns. Bellatrix Lestrange will also participate in the battle of the astronomy tower, whereas she did not in the book, as seen in a picture with the Carrows and Greyback, celebrating Dumbledore's death. In the book, on the Hogwarts Express, after he is paralysed and hidden under his Invisibility Cloak by Draco Malfoy, Harry is rescued by Nymphadora Tonks. In the film, Luna Lovegood saves him instead, using her Spectrespecs to find him.

and I'm not too pleased... but we'll see. I'll probably be mad they changed a lot but at the same time, love it anyways.

Here's the trailer and a couple scenes from the movie:
Trailer 1:

"In Love" Scene:

Behind the Scenes:

I hope this movie is great and everyone enjoys it!

"Vampires of the world, beware!"

2009-07-03T01:25:00.012-04:00

I'm a huge fangirl for this dark and deadly show.

BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER

Buffy is pretty much my biggest obsession. I have loved the series since the 8th grade, and thus my love has been going on for 6, almost 7 years.

The main characters of the series are (from left to right):
Buffy Summers, Willow Rosenberg, Xander Harris and Rupert Giles

Buffy, Willow, Xander and Giles are often referred to as "the Scoobie Gang" or "the core four" as they are the main characters of the series. Although Giles does tend to have only a guest role in the 6th season, he remains part of the "Scoobie Gang".

Additional yet highly important characters include (from left to right):
Joyce Summers, Dawn Summers, Angel, Cordelia, Oz, Spike, Drusilla, Faith, Anya, Riley Finn, Tara Maclay, and Andrew Wells.

My favourite character of the whole series is SPIKE <3

Spike is a vampire that first appears in the 2nd season. He and his vampire girlfriend, Drusilla, come to Sunnydale. In the 3rd season, Spike only appears in one episode, and yet helps in breaking up three major couples. In the fourth season, he is neutered by 'The Initiative' (a demon-hunting army) and can no longer hunt or feed on humans. This dramatically changes the character from villain to somewhat of an allie to the Scooby Gang. In the fifth season, Spike discovers that he's in love with Buffy, and proves his love for her by risking his life for her and her sister. In the 6th season, Spike and Buffy begin a rather toxic relationship (that I very much enjoyed!) but break up because Buffy believes she is simply using Spike. In the 7th season, Spike has regained his soul and although he remains funny and aggressive, he is plagued by memories of the atrocities he's caused. In the final episode, Buffy finally says "I love you" to which Spike says "No, you don't. But thanks for saying it.". I ADORE this character, as well as the actor! He really made this series a million times better for me.

Favourite Spike Quotes:

"Out. For. A. Walk. *pause* Bitch." (counting off 5 words on his fingers)

"I do remember what I said. The promise. To protect her. If I had done that... even if I didn't make it... you wouldn't have had to jump. But I want you to know I did save you. Not when it counted, of course, but... after that. Every night after that. I'd see it all again... do something different. Faster or more clever, you know? Dozens of times, lots of different ways... Every night I save you."

"Poor watcher. What's the matter, life flash before your eyes? Cuppa tea, cuppa tea, almost got shagged, cuppa tea?"

"What's this? Sittin' around watching the telly while there's evil still afoot? It's not very industrious of you. I say we go out there and kick a little demon ass! What, can't go without your Buffy, is that it? Let's find her! She is the chosen one, after all. Come on! Vampires! Grrr! Nasty! Let's annihilate them, for justice, and for... the safety of puppies... and Christmas, right? Let's fight that evil! Let's kill something! Oh, come on!"

"Oh, listen to Mary Poppins. He's got his crust all stiff and upper with that nancy-boy accent. [Everyone looking at him.] You Englishmen are always so... [pauses] Bloody hell! [Counts off on his fingers] Sodding, blimey, shagging, knickers, bollocks, oh God! I'm English!"

"Dad can drive. He's bound to have some classic midlife-crisis transport. Something red, shiny, shaped like a penis."

"Why does a man do what he mustn't? For her. To be hers. To be the kind of man who would nev-- to be a kind of man. She shall look on him with forgiveness, and everybody will forgive and love. He will be loved. So everything's OK, right? Can--can we rest now? Buffy...can we rest?"

"They put the spark in me and now all it does is burn."

And here's a HILARIOUS Spike scene in an episode of Angel.

And know I'll end this 4th and ridiculously long post with a bunch of awesome Buffy icons:

A room without books is like a body without a soul.

2009-07-03T00:08:00.005-04:00

I was reading a review of one of my favourite novels, and I thought that I would share my favourite novels here!

I'm a total sucker for the Harry Potter Series by J.K. Rowling.
Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone; Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets; Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Askaban; Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire; Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince and finally, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.

(SPOILERS AHEAD! DO NOT READ IF YOU HAVEN'T FINISHED THE SERIES)

My favourite novels of the 7 book series were: the 4th book, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire and the 6th book, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince and the 7th and final book, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. Goblet of Fire is one of my favourites because of the whole idea of the Triward Tournament. The competition was the main idea of the novel, and the introduction of the two other schools of witchcraft and wizardry (Beauxbatons Academy from France and Durmstrang Institute from Bulgaria) just expanded Rowling's magical universe! Also, the first meeting with Voldemort in his own body was just breathtaking. I believe Cedric Diggory's death at the hands of Peter Pettigrew really brought the darkness of the series into light. The 3 previous novels had toyed with death, such as all petrified students in the 2nd novel, but the 4th installment finally went there. Although some complain that Cedric's death qualified the books as unsuitable for children, I don't believe the series is necessarily intended for 10 year olds. The 4th novel really begins the complex issues involving Voldemort, and I just adored it.
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince was another favourite because this book was just so darn funny! All of the drama going on between Ron/Hermione/Lavender was so amusing and I often got into laughing fits over this love triangle. Dumbledore's lessons with Harry, visiting memories in the Pensieve, were just exceptional. I especially liked the memory of a ministry official questioning the Gaunts. The title of the novel, the Half-Blood Prince, was brought about by Harry finding a potions book with written comments, alterations and spells by a previous Hogwarts student who nicknamed themselves "the half-blood prince". This was very intriguing, and trying to figure out who owned the book kept me hooked.
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows is my final favourite simply because it is the final installment of the series. There is so much that happens in this novel. All loose ends are tied by the end of the novel, and every event in the novel was incredibly important. I greatly enjoyed the part where Ron stabbed Voldemort's locket, and ghosts of Harry and Hermione appeared and exposed Ron's biggest fears: that Hermione did not love him. I thought that was unbelievably sweet, and when they FINALLY kissed at the end of the novel, I'm pretty sure I screamed! I'm a huge Ron/Hermione fan :) Also, the fight scene at the end, with deaths that would make the readers cry and scream, was very realistic. I was so sad to see Fred, Lupin and Tonks die, and although I wish they hadn't, it was a realistic portrayal of a war. Not everyone you love will end up alive, and Rowling did not try to sugarcoat this war.

One of my favourite authors wrote four of my favourite novels, however none of these are part of a series. These novels are written by the fabulous Sarah Dessen.

The Truth About Forever (my favourite of hers)

Dreamland (my 2nd favourite of hers)

This Lullaby (my 3rd favourite of hers)

Lock and Key (my 4th favourite of hers)

This following novel is A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini.

A Thousand Splendid Suns is a breathtaking story set against the volatile events of Afghanistan's last thirty years-from the Soviet invasion to the reign of the Taliban to post-Taliban rebuilding-that puts the violence, fear, hope, and faith of this country in intimate, human terms. It is a tale of two generations of characters brought jarringly together by the tragic sweep of war, where personal lives-the struggle to survive, raise a family, find happiness-are inextricable from the history playing out around them.

Propelled by the same storytelling instinct that made The Kite Runner a beloved classic, A Thousand Splendid Suns is at once a remarkable chronicle of three decades of Afghan history and a deeply moving account of family and friendship. It is a striking, heart-wrenching novel of an unforgiving time, an unlikely friendship, and an indestructible love-a stunning accomplishment.

This novel is The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky.

This is the story of what it's like to grow up in high school. More intimate than a diary, Charlie's letters are singular and unique, hilarious and devastating. We may not know where he lives. We may not know to whom he is writing. All we know is the world he shares. Caught between trying to live his life and trying to run from it puts him on a strange course through uncharted territory. The world of first dates and mixed tapes, family dramas and new friends. The world of sex, drugs, and The Rocky Horror Picture Show, when all one requires is that perfect song on that perfect drive to feel infinite.

This novel is White Oleander by Janet Fitch.

Astrid Magnussen, the teenage narrator of Janet Fitch's engrossing first novel, White Oleander, has a mother who is as sharp as a new knife. An uncompromising poet, Ingrid despises weakness and self-pity, telling her daughter that they are descendants of Vikings, savages who fought fiercely to survive. And when one of Ingrid's boyfriends abandons her, she illustrates her point, killing the man with the poison of oleander flowers. This leads to a life sentence in prison, leaving Astrid to teach herself the art of survival in a string of Los Angeles foster homes.As Astrid bumps from trailer park to tract house to Hollywood bungalow, White Oleander uncoils her existential anxieties. "Who was I, really?" she asks. "I was the sole occupant of my mother's totalitarian state, my own personal history rewritten to fit the story she was telling that day. There were so many missing pieces." Fitch adroitly leads Astrid down a path of sorting out her past and identity. In the process, this girl develops a wire-tight inner strength, gains her mother's white-blonde beauty, and achieves some measure of control over their relationship. Even from prison, Ingrid tries to mold her daughter. Foiling her, Astrid learns about tenderness from one foster mother and how to stand up for herself from another. Like the weather in Los Angeles--the winds of the Santa Anas, the scorching heat--Astrid's teenage life is intense. Fitch's novel deftly displays that, and also makes Astrid's life meaningful.

This novel is A Spell for Chameleon by Piers Anthony. This is the first novel of the Xanth series, and it is my favourite of the ones I've read so far.

Xanth was the enchanted land where magic ruled--where every citizen had a special spell only he could cast. That is, except for Bink of North Village. He was sure he possessed no magic, and knew that if he didn't find some soon, he would be exiled. According to the Good Magician Humpfrey, the charts said that Bink was as powerful as the King or even the Evil Magician Trent. Unfortunately, no one could determine its form. Meanwhile, Bink was in despair. If he didn't find his magic soon, he would be forced to leave....

And as many girls out there, another favourite series of mine is the Twilight Series by Stephenie Meyer. Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse and finally Breaking Dawn.

My favourite novel of the series is the 3rd, Eclipse. By this novel, the Bella/Edward/Jacob love triangle has reached a peak and it's a constant guessing game of what's gong to happen next. Plus the drama with the vampire gang in Seattle and the upcoming battle between Victoria and the Cullens really kept me hooked. The fight at the end was the best of the series, and I really enjoyed the whole novel. Personally I'm a HUGE Jacob Black fan, and his attempts to win Bella's love confirmed that I am very much Team Jacob, haha.

So if you're in a bookstore, and you're looking for a great novel, pick up any of these novels and enjoy! They're all fantastic and I promise they won't disappoint!

SYTYCD Top 14 Elimination Results

2009-07-02T23:34:00.010-04:00

Tonight was So You Think You Can Dance (SYTYCD) Season 5 Top 14 Elimination Episode.
In my previous post, I stated that I believed Randi/Evan, Vitolio/Karla and Caitlin/Jason would be the bottom 3 couples. I was right about only one: Vitolio and Karla. The other two couples were Phillip/Jeanine and Kayla/Kupono. Both of those couples surprised me when they were sent into the bottom 3 because I thought they did really well last night. Although, when I heard Phillip/Jeanine were in the bottom 3, I was hoping that at least Phillip would be eliminating because he's just not growing in this competition.

After a 30 second solo from each dancer, the judges ended up eliminating Vitolio and Karla. I was really sad to see Vitolio gone but honestly he didn't seem to be fighting very hard with his solo. I really really enjoyed his 2nd routine with his old partner, Asuka. It was so moving, and I have to say I fell in love with that couple during those steps. Here's a video of the beautiful Viennese Waltz:

See? Wasn't it just amazing?

Now onto Karla. She was a great jazz/contemporary/hip-hop dancer and she did perform well yet she didn't really stand out much to me. However, she did do this amazing contemporary dance with her previous partner Jonathan and I think it deserves to be shown. It's so beautiful:

So goodbye Vitolio and Karla! You will be missed! <3

Numero Un

2009-07-02T13:14:00.005-04:00

Hello everyone!
Well I'm very much completely new to the art of blogging, haha. (read: n00b) But hopefully I'll do alright.
For my first post, I thought I would review and comment on last night's dances from So You Think You Can Dance Season 5 - Top 14!
The top 14 dancers are:
Janette (Salsa)

Vitolio (Contemporary)

Caitin (Contemporary)

Evan (Broadway)

Randi (Jazz)

Brandon (Contemporary)

Melissa (Ballet)

Jason (Contemporary)

Karla (Jazz/Contemporary)

Ade (Contemporary)

Jeanine (Contemporary)

Phillip (Popping)

Kayla (Jazz/Contemporary)

Kupono (Contemporary)

(Yeah, I'm aware there's wayyy too many contemporary dancers.)

And the judges were:
Nigel Lythgoe
Mary Murphy
and guest judge Mia Michaels

So 1st dance of the night was a Cha-Cha choerographed by Jean Marc and France Genereux and danced by Janette and Brandon.

They did really well! I'm usually not a huge fan of these types of dances because generally there's not much of a story, it's just supposed to be sexy. This dance was definitely that (hell, they did earn two first class tickets on the Hot Tamale Train haha) but they also brought a lot of personality to the dance as well. I caught Brandon's little eyebrow raise when he moved Janette slowly! To me, they finally had some chemistry! I hadn't really seen it as much in their other dances but this one had some heat!! Haha :)
The judges loved this dance; Nigel even said that it was the best Cha Cha he'd seen on the show!

The 2nd dance of the night was a Contemporary dance choerographed by Sonya Tayeh and danced by Kupono and Kayla.

This dance's story was dark and deadly. The story has a vampire-esque quality about it; Kupono has come to terms with death, while Kayla is pulling away from it. I'm pretty sure this routine was at least somewhat inspired by the Twilight craze out there. The song they danced to was Eyes On Fire by The Blue Foundation (sidenote: great song) which was on the Twilight Movie's soundtrack and I'm pretty sure that wasn't coincidence.
Right as the dance began, I fell in love! Kupono dragging Kayla across the stage while she tries to get away... that's exactly how I think of a vampire/human relationship! Dangerous, dark, dominant. It started off really great! Kayla and Kupono were very much in character which is so necessary to pull off a dance like this!
All the movements with Kupono holding onto Kayla's wrists were perfect because it was so dominant and controlling! I loved it!
The only part I wasn't very fond of was the end. It just seemed sort of anti-climatic and I have to say I was basically waiting for a death scene.
The judges loved this dance also and they gave a lot of credit to Kupono (which I think he deserved).

The 3rd dance of the night was a Broadway routine chorographed by Joey Dowling and danced by Randi and Evan.

This is Evan's style, and so I knew the judges were going to be watching him like a hawk. The idea of the dance was that they had a toxic relationship. I was really disappointed by this dance. I didn't care for the choreography at all. The only part I remember liking was when Evan is lifting Randi and she continues a walking movement. All the wrist movements and the "punches" came off as weak and almost like a joke. I think that with a different choreography the couple could have done much better.
The judges weren't very impressed with the dance, and I definitely agreed with them. Though I don't believe it's because of the dancers, I honestly thought it was the choreography.

The 4th dance of the night was a Pop Jazz routine choreographed Brian Friedman and danced by Caitlin and Jason!

The story of this dance is Caitlin is an alien that blew up Earth and she's coming down to Earth to find the last living male to procreate with (Jason). It was definitely a very weird story and so I was a little bit worried.
First off, the dance was set to the song Creator by Santogold which is amazing and worked so well with the choreography!
From the moment the lights hit Caitlin and Jason, they were completely in character and I truely believed the story.
When Jason is crawling across the floor and Caitlin is dragging him from his mid-section and she pulls this type of roar, I fell in love! All of the movement, every time Caitlin would possess Jason and control him, it was so in character!
This dance was truely unique, and very much out there. I had goosebumps during the dance and this is definitely one of my favourite routines from this season!
Unfortunately, the judges didn't like it. Nigel commented on Caitlin's outfit, saying it looked like a condom. I didn't care much for her costume either but it didn't distract me from the dance. Mary said that it didn't sit right with her but she still loves this couple.

The 5th dance of the night was a Hip Hop choreographed by Tabitha and Napoleon and danced by Phillip and Jeanine.

The idea of this routine was to physically represent the bond that the dancers have. They've paired together from day one and they are forced to work together throughout the competition. And this physical representation was... a chain. Oh, Tab/Nap, you guys are great.
Before I comment on this routine, I have to ask how the hell Phillip/Jeanine got ANOTHER hip hop routine? First week they had a hip hop routine, and now at week 4, another? This seems a little too convenient, especially after Phillip failed to impress the judges in week 2 and 3 with a tango and a broadway routine. Even though Phillip/Jeanine got mixed/bad reviews in week 2 and 3, they were never in the bottom 3 couples and I strongly believe that is because of Phillip's unique hip-hop talents. Although his style is amazing, and he does some things I've never seen before, he doesn't seem to be mastering any of the other styles of dance and this show is all about an all-around amazing dancer, a dancer who can do any style! And I just don't think Phillip is that dancer.
Onto the routine: great song choice! Love Lockdown by Kanye West fit this dance perfectly, with all the chest pops right at the beginning. The musicality of this routine was really great.
I have to say that I think Jeanine did so well here! Her attitude, the dancing, it was all just right. She's beginning to really impress me! Phillip was great as well, as he always is with hip hop.
I have to give props to the couple because dancing with a chain chained to your ankle and then chained to your partner has to be a new level of difficulty. I'm impressed that they did not slip or mess up during the routine, and there was several chances for them to.
The judges loved this dance, although Mia commented that the chain was distracting to her.

The 6th dance of the night was a Pas De Deux choreographed by Thordal Christensen and danced by Melissa and Ade.

Me thinks that it's convenient that the only ballet dancer picks out Pas De Deux, a very classical type of ballet, from the hat. Is the selection really that random?
The story behind this routine was Romeo and Juliet's first meeting alone. I have to say, I really liked that this Romeo and Juliet were black and white! It gave it a different taste then the typical white European idea of Romeo and Juliet.
This routine was danced very beautiful. It was so soft, so elegant and really well choreographed! Melissa is an amazing ballet dancer, and Ade is an extremely flexible dancer, excelling at every type of dance he's taken on on this program.
The judges loved this routine, and I agreed with them!

The 7th and final dance of the night was a Quickstep choreographed by and danced by Vitolio and Karla (the new couple, both of them having lost their previous partners the last elimination round).

First, I have to say that I was very mad that the judges eliminated Asuka (Vitolio's previous partner) because I really enjoyed her style and she really kept my attention. I've always felt sort of lukewarm about Karla, and I was really nervous about this new couple. However, the minute this dance began, they worked really very well together!
Karla's dress change was a big shocker and I think I shreiked a little, haha! I loved the dance, it had a lot of energy, plenty of personality, and they really did change the Quickstep from a "kiss of death" to a "kiss of joy" (Oh, Vitolio, you're so cute.).
The judges enjoyed the dance, saying that over all they mastered the technique of the Quickstep!

The night overall was GREAT! I was so pleased with the dances of this week, and I have to give props to all of the choreographers and all of the dancers. They are all so amazing! I wish I could dance anywhere near as great as these people!

My favourite routines of the night were the Pop Jazz by Caitlin and Jason, the Contemporary routine by Kayla and Kupono and the Quickstep by Vitolio and Karla!

Tonight is the elimination night (9pm on CTV), and I'm going to predict that Randi/Evan, Caitlin/Jason (because the idea was probably too weird for most people to appreciate) and Vitolio/Karla (generally the Quickstep doesn't really win over fans).

Let's see how right I am!

If you want to watch SYTYCD, it's on every Wednesday night from 8-10pm on CTV and every Thursday night from 9-10pm on CTV. It's a great show!