Elmo

Sesame Street did a parody of LMFAO's "I'm Sexy and I Know It," calling it "I'm Elmo and I Know It."  It's so cute and hilarious. 

http://popwatch.ew.com/2012/01/30/elmo-sexy-and-he-knows-it/

I also can't wait for the documentary Being Elmo: A Puppeteer's Journey to come out on DVD.  It's the story of Kevin Clash, the puppeteer behind Elmo.  You can see the trailer here: 

http://beingelmo.com/trailer.html

My son does not watch Sesame Street regularly anymore, but he still lights up whenever he sees Elmo.  What's not to love?  Cute, small, polite, sweet, and forever 3 1/2 years old.  

2012 SAG Awards The Show

The SAG Awards is usually a pretty good indicator of who will in at the Oscars, and this year's SAG Awards just threw a wrench into a lot of Oscars predictions.  

The Help won Best Cast, instead of The Artist.  This is a big upset, since the Artist was considered the favorite. The Artist will probably still win Best Picture, but this win for the Help just made it more interesting.  

Viola Davis and Jean Dujardin won Best Actress and Best Actor, respectively, beating out their chief rivals Meryl Streep and George Clooney, who won the Golden Globes.  At this point it's a two-men and two-women race for these categories.  The only winners who continue their march to surefire Oscars are Octavia Spencer and Christopher Plummer in the Supporting categories.

The winners in the Television Categories were more predictable.  Alec Baldwin won for the sixth time as Best Actor in a Comedy Series, and Steve Buscemi won for the second year in a row as Best Actor in the Drama Series.  Betty White also won Best Actress in a Comedy Series for the second year in the row for her role in Hot in Cleveland, and sweetly thanked her other co-stars.  Boardwalk Empire and Modern Family won again for Best Cast in a Drama Series and Comedy Series, respectively.  The only new winner is Jessica Lange for American Horror Story.  

Mary Tyler Moore won the Lifetime Achievement Award, which was presented by Dick Van Dyke.  Lovely speech, and lovely woman.  

2012 SAG Awards Red Carpet

Ah, another award show and another red carpet.  This time it's the 2012 Screen Actors Guild Awards.  I like this show, because it's just the actors, so it's all the people that you know.  I know the behind-the-scenes people are also important, but it's fun to just see the famous people.  :)

Nothing too crazy on the red carpet this year.  Even Tilda Swinton looks relatively normal.  A lot of black and gray dresses, as well as sparkles.

BEST DRESSED

Michelle Williams - Valentino.  She looks beautiful in red.  For once she did not look like a hippie girl on the red carpet, even though it's still a sheath with sleeves.

http://www.eonline.com/photos/gallery.jsp?galleryUUID=4392#164810

Lea Michele - Versace.  This dress is not as daring as her dress at the Golden Globes, but still pretty.  I don't really like the hair, though.  Looks too messy.

http://www.eonline.com/photos/gallery.jsp?galleryUUID=4392#164790

Emma Stone - Alexander McQueen.  Some people will hate this dress, but I think she looks fabulous.  I love how she always experiments with different silhouettes and colors.  I also love those shoes.

http://www.usmagazine.com/sags-2012/red-carpet-pictures/emma-stone-at-the-2012-sag-awards

Jessica Chastain - Calvin Klein Collection.  Beautiful color, beautiful hair.  She looks amazing.

http://www.eonline.com/photos/gallery.jsp?galleryUUID=4392#164774

Sofia Vergara - Marchesa.  As usual, she looks amazing.  The silhouette, the color - all perfect.  She knows what works and she sticks to it.

http://www.usmagazine.com/sags-2012/red-carpet-pictures/sofia-vergara-at-the-2012-sag-awards

Emily Blunt - Oscar de la Renta.  I love that color on her, and I have to give her props for going for a daring color.  The best accessory?  Her husband, John Krasinski.

http://www.usmagazine.com/sags-2012/red-carpet-pictures/emily-blunt-at-the-2012-sag-awards
http://www.usmagazine.com/hot-pics/sag-awards-sweethearts-2012291

Melissa McCarthy - Badgley Mischka.  Love the color, love the jeweled neckline, and love the hair.  She looks fantastic.

http://www.usmagazine.com/sags-2012/red-carpet-pictures/melissa-mccarthy-at-the-2012-sag-awards

WORST DRESSED

Zoe Saldana - Givenchy Haute Couture.  Oh, Zoe.  I can appreciate that it's a haute couture dress, but  I think it looks all kinds of weird.

http://www.eonline.com/photos/gallery.jsp?galleryUUID=4392#164792

Maya Rudolph - Naeem Khan.  The dress does not look like it was fitted correctly, and the top is just odd.

http://www.eonline.com/photos/gallery.jsp?galleryUUID=4392#164852

Glenn Close - Zac Posen.  Would have been better without the sleeves.

http://www.eonline.com/photos/gallery.jsp?galleryUUID=4392#164738

Jane Krakowski - Antonio Berardi.  That is a weird bodice and it doesn't work on her.  

http://www.eonline.com/photos/gallery.jsp?galleryUUID=4392#164979

Rose Byrne - Elie Saab.  You should only wear a sparkly jumpsuit if you're an Elvis impersonator.

http://www.usmagazine.com/sags-2012/red-carpet-pictures/rose-byrne-at-the-2012-sag-awards

Gretchen Mol - L'Wren Scott.  Huh?  Is she trying out for a new Star Trek movie?

http://www.usmagazine.com/sags-2012/red-carpet-pictures/gretchen-mol-at-the-2012-sag-awards

Amber Riley - Badgley Mischka.  A big bow, especially in the front, is never a good idea.

http://www.usmagazine.com/sags-2012/red-carpet-pictures/amber-riley-at-the-2012-sag-awards

Heather Morris.  That train and the 80s hair and makeup -  

http://www.usmagazine.com/awards-season-2012/red-carpet-pictures/heather-morris-at-the-2012-sag-awards


Kaley Cuoco - Romona Keveza.  The color is pretty, but the skirt really overwhelms here, and the hair is jarring with the dress.

http://www.usmagazine.com/awards-season-2012/red-carpet-pictures/kaley-cuoco-at-the-2012-sag-awards

Busy Phillips.  She looks like she's going to the beach instead of to an awards show.

http://www.popsugar.com/Busy-Philipps-Pictures-SAG-Awards-2012-21538715


SPLIT DECISION

Angelina Jolie - Jenny Packham.  She looks fabulous, but a bit boring for her.

http://www.usmagazine.com/sags-2012/red-carpet-pictures/angelina-jolie-at-the-2012-sag-awards

Oscars Nominations 2012

The Oscars nominations came out on Monday.  You can see the full list here:

http://insidemovies.ew.com/2012/01/24/oscar-nominations-2012-announced/?ew_packageID=20311937

For the most part, the nominations were to be expected.  There were a few surprises.

- Michael Fassbender, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Ryan Gosling were not nominated.  Gary Oldman and Demian Bichir edged them out of the race.  It's hard to be upset with the choice of Gary Oldman, though, since this is his first nomination.  I didn't see Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy, but people who have seen it thought he was wonderful in it, even if the movie is really confusing.  Never saw A Better Life, but I'll take the critics' word that Bichir was fantastic in it.

- Rooney Mara got the nomination over Tilda Swinton or Charlize Theron.  Even though the movie The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo divided people, there has been universal praise for Mara's performance.  I think she deserves it after all the piercings she had to go through for the role (ouch!).

- I'm very excited about the nominations for Bridesmaids - Melissa McCarthy for Supporting Actress and Kristen Wiig and Annie Mumolo for Original Screenplay.  It's hard for comedies to break into the Oscars, and even though it really should be nominated for Best Picture as well, it's nice to see it get some recognition.  As an aside, I didn't know until recently that Melissa McCarthy and Jenny McCarthy are cousins.

- Only two nominees for Best Song?  I might be the only one who actually enjoyed the Best Song performances during the Oscars.

- I also just found out that Berenice Bejo, the Supporting Actress nominee for The Artist, is married to the film's director and fellow Oscar nominee, Michel Hazanavicius.  I never saw this movie and probably never will, but it sounds interesting.  Wonder if it will end up like Slumdog Millionaire, who started small but then rode all the goodwill all  the way to Oscar gold.  When will the backlash start against The Artist?  Cynically, I'm sure it's coming.

- I know it was a long shot, but I am still disappointed that Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part II didn't break into the Best Picture race.  I think it's underrated and easily one of the best movies this year.

Superman Returns

I was flipping the channels tonight and caught Superman Returns on AMC.  One of the worst casting decision ever - Kate Bosworth as Lois Lane.  I don't think she's a bad actress necessarily, but she was so miscast.  She had none of the spark and gumption that Lois Lane is supposed to have, and she has no chemistry with Brandon Routh or James Marsden.  I actually don't think the movie is that bad, but it's hard not to wince every time she comes on the screen.

Giants and Patriots Meet Again In The Super Bowl

Whew - both the AFC and NFC Championship games today are really exciting and came down to the wire. The Patriots won when the Ravens missed a last-second field goal. The Giants won in overtime after a series of mistakes by both teams.

I am not an official Giants fan, but I really, really hate the Patriots. So I'm rooting for the Giants, just like in 2008. Maybe they should bring David Tyree back as a good luck charm.

Glee Casts Rachel's Gay Dads

Glee has finally cast Rachel's gay dads, Hiram and LeRoy Berry, and they are to be played by Jeff Goldblum and Brian Stokes Mitchell.  They will appear and sing in the February 14th episode, titled "Heart."

http://www.tvline.com/2012/01/glee-season-3-rachels-dads-brian-stokes-mitchell-jeff-goldblum/

I think this is brilliant casting.  Jeff Goldblum is a great actor and he can also sing, having made his debut on Broadway and he is also a jazz musician.  He is probably best known for his role in The Fly, Independence Day, and Jurassic Park.

Brian Stokes Mitchell is a Broadway legend.  I saw him on Broadway in Ragtime (where he co-starred with a young Lea Michele) and Kiss Me Kate, and he was amazing.  He won a Tony for his role in Kiss Me Kate.  You can see how these two combine to raise Rachel to be the person she is.

By casting these two the producers are also nodding to the sight gag they had in the pilot, where Rachel stated that her dads did not know which one of them was her biological dad, but when they briefly showed a picture of her dads, one was black and one was white.  Ryan Murphy had apparently mentioned that the people in those pictures were not actors, plus back when they showed that picture, there was no plan of bringing Rachel's dads to the show, so clearly the casting has to be changed.  But they did cast one Jewish actor and one black actor, so they are following the spirit of that pilot picture.

Can't wait to see the episode!

Glee - Yes/No

Just finished watching this week's episode of Glee titled Yes/No, and I absolutely loved it.  It's so over-the-top and unabashedly romantic.  Granted with any episode of Glee you do have to check reality at the door, but I am completely happy to just enjoy the ride.

SPOILER ALERT!

The end proposal was surprising, but looking back they definitely telegraphed it throughout the episode, with Finn finding out that his dad was not the war hero that he thought he was, and Rachel singing "Without You" to him.  Corey Monteith did a great job at showing Finn's desperation to hang on to the one good thing he has in his life.

The opening "Summer Nights" number is a fantastic nod to Grease.  I'm glad Chord Overstreet came back - he's a great addition to the cast.  The chemistry between him and Amber Riley is very strong.  Santana as Rizzo was obviously perfect, but I thought the best part was Sugar as Frenchie.  She got the look down pat.  I'm starting a campaign for Rory and Sugar to get together - I think it would be hilarious and a great match.

The proposal scene between Will and Emma was so crazy.  Various Glee cast members have mentioned about how the shoot in the water was so miserable because it was so cold and intricate, but the end result was certainly eye-popping.  The best part was Artie driving into the pool with his wheelchair.  That was a great sight gag.  The professional synchronized swimmers were amazing, and the girls look so cute in their 50s-inspired bathing suits.

I think Glee has found its footing again after starting a little slow this season.  Let's hope next week's Michael Jackson episode lives up to the hype.

2012 Golden Globes - The Show

OK, now it's time for my impression of the actual Golden Globes show.  I was a bit disappointed of Ricky Gervais.  He wasn't as daring and therefore not as funny as last year.  Perhaps the problem was also because there was so much hype.  Some of his jokes were funny, like when he hassled Johnny Depp about whether he had watched The Tourist, the exchange between him and Madonna, and when he called Kim Kardashian the trashier version of Kate Middleton.  

I thought the funniest bit actually came from Sofia Vergara's speech in Spanish and Steven Levitan's "translation", and when George Clooney carried Brad Pitt's cane on stage and joked that he had to give it back because Brad could not get to the bar without it.

Split decision on Seth Rogen's erection joke.  We thought it was funny, but it became less funny when we saw how uncomfortable Kate Beckinsale was.  Poor woman -- must be so awkward.  I hope she was at least forewarned.

There were some unexpected winners, like Kelsey Grammer over Bryan Cranston, Martin Scorsese for Hugo, Woody Allen's screenplay in Midnight in Paris, Madonna's win and Matt LeBlanc.  Elton John's face when Madonna won was pretty funny - love how honest he is.  For the most part, the winners were the favorites, like  Meryl Streep, The Artist, and Jean Dujardin.  Some movies continue to gain momentum, like The Artist and The Descendants, while others are losing some steam, like Moneyball and War Horse.  It will be interesting to see how the Oscars nominations will shape up.  

2012 Golden Globes Random Facts

Random facts I learned while watching the Golden Globes:

1) Alan Ruck, from Ferris Bueller's Day Off and Spin City, is married to the star of The Killing, Mireille Enos.

2) John Goodman is in the silent movie The Artist.

3) Frances Fisher and Morgan Freeman are dating.

2012 Golden Globes Fashion

It's that time of the year - awards season!  The 2012 Golden Globes is tonight, and the fashion is certainly memorable.  There aren't a lot of boring gowns on the red carpet, and not as many obvious trends.  There are a lot of mermaid-style gowns, but there does not seem to be one dominating color.

My favorites: 

1) Lea Michele - Marchesa.  Sexy, beautiful, and elegant.

http://www.usmagazine.com/celebrity-style/pictures/2012-golden-globes-what-the-stars-wore-2012151/20039

2) Emma Stone - Lanvin.  Beautiful silhouette, beautiful color, and she carries it well.  

http://www.usmagazine.com/celebrity-style/pictures/2012-golden-globes-what-the-stars-wore-2012151/20033

3) Sofia Vergara - Vera Wang.  Sofia wears a lot of Vera Wang dresses, and no wonder.  She always looks flawless.  

http://www.usmagazine.com/celebrity-style/pictures/2012-golden-globes-what-the-stars-wore-2012151/20021

4) Dianna Agron - dramatic dress and color, and she wears it well.

http://www.usmagazine.com/celebrity-style/pictures/2012-golden-globes-what-the-stars-wore-2012151/20032

5) Kate Winslet - Jenny Packham.  Love the black and white color scheme.

http://www.usmagazine.com/celebrity-style/pictures/2012-golden-globes-what-the-stars-wore-2012151/20037

6) Paula Patton - Monique Lhuillier.  Love the color and the fit.  She looks amazing in it.  

http://www.peoplestylewatch.com/people/stylewatch/package/gallery/0,,20552369_20560502,00.html#21106258

My least favorites:

1) Madonna - Reem Acra.  What the heck is she wearing?  The bottom looks like a bunch of gift wrap ribbons sewn together, and the top looks terrible.

http://www.usmagazine.com/celebrity-style/pictures/2012-golden-globes-what-the-stars-wore-2012151/20040

2) Sarah Michelle Gellar - Monique Lhuillier.  It's never a good idea to let your two-year-old daughter chooses the gown.

http://www.usmagazine.com/celebrity-style/news/sarah-michelle-gellars-daughter-chose-her-golden-globes-gown-2012151

3) Salma Hayek - Gucci.  She looks like the Chrysler Building, and not in a good way.  

http://www.peoplestylewatch.com/people/stylewatch/package/gallery/0,,20552369_20560502,00.html#21106305

4) Julianna Margulies - Naeem Khan.  I thought this dress was too severe on her, especially with the pulled back hair.  Lovely color, though.  

http://www.peoplestylewatch.com/people/stylewatch/package/gallery/0,,20552369_20560502,00.html#21106256

5) Freida Pinto - Prada.  I thought the fit was a little weird, especially up top.  She actually looks pregnant.  But the jewelry is beautiful.  

http://www.peoplestylewatch.com/people/stylewatch/package/gallery/0,,20552369_20560502,00.html#21106248

Split decision:

1) Michelle Williams - Jason Wu - some people is going to love this dress, others is going to hate it.  I don't know how I feel about it.  She really looks good wearing it, but that headband is a little much.  

http://www.usmagazine.com/celebrity-style/pictures/2012-golden-globes-what-the-stars-wore-2012151/20041

2) Charlize Theron - Dior Haute Couture.  Now this dress is certainly high couture.  If anyone else wearing it, it would automatically land on the worst dressed list.  But because Charlize Theron is wearing it, it's high fashion, but I don't think it's fully successful.  

http://www.peoplestylewatch.com/people/stylewatch/package/gallery/0,,20552369_20560502,00.html#21106287

Benedict Cumberbatch

Mr. Y is appalled that I have not blogged about the news that Benedict Cumberbatch, star of the new Sherlock  TV series, is going to be the villain in the new Star Trek movie.  Apparently J. J. Abrams is a fan of Sherlock.  I think this is great casting.  I really like him in Sherlock, and I think he can bring new dimensions to a villain role. He has also shown up recently in a couple of movies, War Horse and Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy.  He's also going to be the voice of the dragon Smaug in the Hobbit, somewhat reuniting him with his Sherlock co-star Martin Freeman.

The second season of Sherlock is already airing in the U.K., and will be airing on PBS in May.  Can't wait for that.  If you have not seen the first season, go buy or rent it now.  It's really, really good.

Lily Collins and Snow White

Lily Collins is a new star who is in the Snow White movie with Julia Roberts, Mirror Mirror (as opposed to the Snow White and the Huntsman starring Kristen Stewart and Charlize Theron).  She was also in Abduction and The Blind Side, and dated her Abduction co-star, Taylor Lautner, briefly.

Mr. Y actually knew something about her before I did - that she's the daughter of Phil Collins.  I looked up pictures of the two of them, and they do look alike.  Her mom is Jill Tavelman, Phil Collins's second wife.  In case you're curious, he has been married three times.

I've seen the trailers for both Snow White movies, and it's interesting to me how different they are.  Snow White and the Hunstman was darker and scarier, and Charlize Theron is quite terrifying as the Evil Queen.  Mirror Mirror is sunnier and more comedic, but at least in the trailer I thought Julia Roberts did a great job of instilling some menace to her portrayal of the Evil Queen, despite the candy-colored costumes and sets.  Chris Hemsworth and Arnie Hammer play the Huntsman and the Prince, and again they were set up very differently.  Chris was more dirty, dark, and brooding while Arnie was clean cut and smiley.

It would be interesting to compare the two when they actually come out.  Mirror Mirror is up first in March, and Snow White and the Huntsman comes out in June.

Cute Asian Kid Doing Glee

I finally saw the Glee Concert Movie on DVD, and the best part was easily this really cute, 4-year-old Asian kid, Kellen Sarmiento, who did a spot on rendition of Teenage Dream, complete with the mini Warbler outfit.

Here's a link to the performance:

http://www.channelapa.com/2011/06/asian-mini-warbler-performing-teenage-dream.html

Here's another link that includes a short interview with Kellen and more background information.

http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/global-filipino/06/10/11/4-year-old-pinoy-becomes-internet-sensation-mini-warbler

So cute!

Bridesmaids

Finally saw Bridesmaids over the holidays on DVD.  It's really, really funny, but also very awkward.  There were moments I had to hide behind a pillow because they were so awkward.  I think the movie did a great job portraying female friendships and relationships, even if they can be painfully awkward.  Melissa McCarthy definitely stole the movie - she was so funny.  I love how the air marshal she was hitting on was her real-life husband.  Another funny cameo was the movie's co-writer, Annie Mumolo, who played an extremely nervous fellow passenger on the plane.

The gag reel on the DVD was really hilarious.  It's clear a lot of them do improv during the movie.  The best bits involve Kristen Wiig and Jon Hamm.  They were a great duo.