Rants (Clay Aiken) and More Rants (X-Men)
While our lack of cable TV and pathetic excuse of a rabbit antenna have prevented my immersion into this season's American Idol, i was determined to watch the performance of Clay Aiken for the finale. Searching through youtube I found the clip--and was horrified. Instead of the sweet, spiky and sandy-haired darling, there was this man wearing a sharp suit and sporting some plastered, dark mop.
What the hell happened?! What happened to that adorable, sweetly crooning choirboy I loved?! I was staring at my computer monitor with my mouth slightly open, then twisting into the word Eeeew.
***
Okay, I ended up watching the clip a few more times and now am not as shocked. There's one second (of half-second) where Clay smiles a wide smile, and it's that same smile that makes me go "Awwwww..." And okay, while the bangs are a tad too long, I gueeeeess the hair can work. At least he's still damn sexy wearing a suit (in manner of Colin Firth and Andy Lau!) Still, if he wanted a more grown up look, he could've opted for a less goth-y route.
***
Second, and more substantial rant would have to be about X-Men: The Last Stand. I couldn't really wrap my head around it for a while, but Karen put it best: It's a great movie, but ultimately unsatisfying. Mark and I watched it last Friday at Pioneer, and while I DID enjoy it, so many plotlines either confused, frustrated or totally freaked me out. Let me say this: if you are NOT a fan of the comic series, you'll enjoy this movie, period. I can't even call myself a fan; but I did like reading some of the story arcs, the Phoenix Saga in particular (and any stuff on Kitty Pryde I could get). So yes, I was excited to see this movie.
**SPOILER ALERT! SPOILER ALERT!**
Beginning rant: I CAN'T FREAKING BELIEVE THEY KILLED OFF SCOTT AND PROFESSOR X!!! I can't believe it! James Marsden didn't even get 10 MINUTES of screen time!!!! Hello!!! And from the classic, take-charge Cyclops we know and love from the first two movies (not even the comics, mind you), in a few sentences from Xavier he became this shell of a man who took Jean Grey's death too hard and keeps brooding and because of that sorry! It'll be Storm who'll "inherit" the school once Xavier passes on. What the hell?!
Actually, I had problems with how the whole Phoenix thing came to be. Uhhh...Scott heard voices in his head and in frustration blasts the lake and ergo Phoenix came to be? Riiiiiight. I would've preferred if she just came out of the water (in Lady Of The Lake fashion) instead.
Yes, I'm feeling touchy about this. I LOVED the character of the Dark Phoenix and the whole characterization of Jean Grey. I mean, she was once considered one of the weakest X-Men, yet she "grew up" to be a being, almost a goddess, who casually destroys about 5 billion lives. And in the end commits suicide to save her friends. For some reason, Famke Janssen threw me off as Phoenix in this movie. I think her face got fatter or something. And I totally did not dig her red costume (or her icky red extensions. Kirsten Dunst had better red hair as MJ Watson in Spider-Man). End rant.
Now, see, this is what makes X-Men such a bewildering movie for me--while plotlines such as those weirded me out, I loved all the screen time Kitty Pryde (Ellen Page) got. She was absolutely perfect--I loved how she played Kitty. And ha! she got to call Juggernaut "Dickhead." Totally kicked ass! Can't they make a whole movie for her? Or she could at least have been introduced way back in the first movie. Though I really hated that whole scene on the ice with Bobby. Eew. She should've been with Colossus, hello. Plus, Ellen Page is one distractingly cute girl. :) If only they'd make those X-Men team costumes more body hugging, though. They looked so bulky. I'm sure the fans complained--I mean, how else could Hugh Jackman have gotten so many naked chest and wearing-only-a-wifebeater shots?
SHE'S SO FREAKIN' CUTE.
What the hell happened?! What happened to that adorable, sweetly crooning choirboy I loved?! I was staring at my computer monitor with my mouth slightly open, then twisting into the word Eeeew.
***
Okay, I ended up watching the clip a few more times and now am not as shocked. There's one second (of half-second) where Clay smiles a wide smile, and it's that same smile that makes me go "Awwwww..." And okay, while the bangs are a tad too long, I gueeeeess the hair can work. At least he's still damn sexy wearing a suit (in manner of Colin Firth and Andy Lau!) Still, if he wanted a more grown up look, he could've opted for a less goth-y route.
***
Second, and more substantial rant would have to be about X-Men: The Last Stand. I couldn't really wrap my head around it for a while, but Karen put it best: It's a great movie, but ultimately unsatisfying. Mark and I watched it last Friday at Pioneer, and while I DID enjoy it, so many plotlines either confused, frustrated or totally freaked me out. Let me say this: if you are NOT a fan of the comic series, you'll enjoy this movie, period. I can't even call myself a fan; but I did like reading some of the story arcs, the Phoenix Saga in particular (and any stuff on Kitty Pryde I could get). So yes, I was excited to see this movie.
**SPOILER ALERT! SPOILER ALERT!**
Beginning rant: I CAN'T FREAKING BELIEVE THEY KILLED OFF SCOTT AND PROFESSOR X!!! I can't believe it! James Marsden didn't even get 10 MINUTES of screen time!!!! Hello!!! And from the classic, take-charge Cyclops we know and love from the first two movies (not even the comics, mind you), in a few sentences from Xavier he became this shell of a man who took Jean Grey's death too hard and keeps brooding and because of that sorry! It'll be Storm who'll "inherit" the school once Xavier passes on. What the hell?!
Actually, I had problems with how the whole Phoenix thing came to be. Uhhh...Scott heard voices in his head and in frustration blasts the lake and ergo Phoenix came to be? Riiiiiight. I would've preferred if she just came out of the water (in Lady Of The Lake fashion) instead.
Yes, I'm feeling touchy about this. I LOVED the character of the Dark Phoenix and the whole characterization of Jean Grey. I mean, she was once considered one of the weakest X-Men, yet she "grew up" to be a being, almost a goddess, who casually destroys about 5 billion lives. And in the end commits suicide to save her friends. For some reason, Famke Janssen threw me off as Phoenix in this movie. I think her face got fatter or something. And I totally did not dig her red costume (or her icky red extensions. Kirsten Dunst had better red hair as MJ Watson in Spider-Man). End rant.
Now, see, this is what makes X-Men such a bewildering movie for me--while plotlines such as those weirded me out, I loved all the screen time Kitty Pryde (Ellen Page) got. She was absolutely perfect--I loved how she played Kitty. And ha! she got to call Juggernaut "Dickhead." Totally kicked ass! Can't they make a whole movie for her? Or she could at least have been introduced way back in the first movie. Though I really hated that whole scene on the ice with Bobby. Eew. She should've been with Colossus, hello. Plus, Ellen Page is one distractingly cute girl. :) If only they'd make those X-Men team costumes more body hugging, though. They looked so bulky. I'm sure the fans complained--I mean, how else could Hugh Jackman have gotten so many naked chest and wearing-only-a-wifebeater shots?
SHE'S SO FREAKIN' CUTE.