Remembering John Lennon

It's one of the saddest days in music history, the anniversary of John Lennon's death. Lennon's lyrical and musical genius are timeless.

I've been listening to Beatles music and Lennon songs today in memory of this rock icon. Below are some of my favorite Lennon songs. Rest in peace John.

• Across the Universe

• Dear Prudence

• Don't Let Me Down

• A Day in the Life

• Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds

• I'm Only Sleeping

• It's Only Love

• Happiness is a Warm Gun

• Norwegian Wood

• Strawberry Fields Forever

• Julia

• A Hard Day's Night

• Revolution 1

• If I Fell

• Power to the People

• Imagine

• Instant Karma

• Nobody Told Me

• War Is Over/Happy Christmas

• #9 Dream

• Beautiful Boy
  

Happy Lost Tuesday!

It's Tuesday, December 8 and for Lost fans that means Season 5 is available on DVD and Blu-ray today. I'm obsessed with Lost but I don't own any of the Seasons on DVD. Mostly, I watch the episodes I want online at ABC's website. Up until about a month ago, I was living with my mom and dad and I got them hooked on Lost as well. They'd never seen any of the episodes, so we rented them from Blockbuster each week and blasted through 4 Seasons. Yip, I like making Lostie devotees wherever I go.

Currently, ABC is not showing all of Season 5 on it's website. I'm not sure if this is a ploy to force people to buy the DVDs first or have people sign up for Lost University or what, but I'm kind of annoyed. I hope they put the full season up before the start of Season 6 so that peeps can refresh their memories.

We are only 8 weeks away from the premiere of Season 6 aka "Destiny Found" aka "The Beginning of the End." ABC's got a couple of trailers (check them out below) out but no new footage. I'm likin that they're keeping things under wraps. Lost is all about suspense and withholding information so this just ups the drama. I've got my calendar marked for Tuesday, February 2. 

Movie Monday: Harry Potter and the Half-Bad Movie

The latest installment in the Harry Potter movie series will be available on DVD tomorrow and as such, I feel it's my duty to warn peeps about this movie. Now, if you heart Harry Potter with all your magical being, I'm sure you'll purchase the DVD and love it. However, if you held off from seeing it at the theater and convinced yourself it would be an early Christmas present, meditate on it for a moment.

I didn't get to see The Half-Blood Prince when it came out in July but from the trailer, I expected it to be spectacular. That's what I expect from Harry Potter movies, mystery, magic, adventure and awesome special effects.

Back in October, Half-Blood Prince came to the dollar movies here and my husband and I thought, "Why not?" If I could ask the cast of this movie for our $2 back, I probably would. Wow! It was a huge disappointment.

The movie staggers along like a drunk on the way home from a bar, and there's a huge lovey dovey scene with Ron and the moon and his pining over some chick that is just plain stupid. The best scenes were flashbacks or "memories" from Tom Riddle, aka Lord Voldemort. Oh, and as for the magic world colliding with the real world like you see in the trailer? That most have lasted a whopping 2 minutes because we were maybe 5 minutes late for the show and didn't see any of the calamity that invaded the muggle world. Draco is initiated by Bellatrix and gang to perform a task for Lord Voldemort and then he spends the rest of the movie practicing a specific magic trick.  

Spoiler Alert!! He's supposed to kill Dumbledore but in the end he just can't do it and so Snape steps in and finishes the job. And you know what? I felt absolutely nothing when Dumbledore died. I felt nothing when the students were mourning him. Btw, Snape is the Half-Blood prince.

I just felt like the characters were total shells in this movie. There was no intensity, even when Dumbledore finally bit it. At the end of the movie, Harry and Co. decide to skip the next year of school to go in search of the Horcruxes and thwart Voldemort's evil plan. Fade to black.

For me, I just hope the next adventures are worth the price of general admission and popcorn. I'm not giving up on Harry Potter yet. I'm just waiting for the magic to come back.

P.S. I should point out that the special effects in this film were great. That's your spoonful of sugar to go with this review.

Soup Saturday-Video Treat from This Week's Edition of the Soup

So, according to The Soup, Matthew McConaughey has signed a deal with Fox to create a cartoon show. Now, from what I've read on other news sources, the cartoon series will actually be about Matthew's brother, Mike "Rooster" McConaughey because, "My brother's life is just so unbelievable, we had to animate it." Matt said.

The anmiated TV show will revolve around a "beer-drinking, redneck sheriff who marries a younger woman from Mexico." Um, yes you read that correctly. I'm not sure if this is supposed to be a cartoon for kids or something more appropriate for Adult Swim. In any case, perhaps some of you remember Rooster from his previous reality show adventures on Black Gold on TruTV or maybe from when he named his kid Miller Lyte McConaughey.

Until Rooster Tales debuts, please enjoy this creation from The Soup.






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Twilight Turns Into A New Moon

Yes, I went to see New Moon on its opening weekend. No, I did not stand in line for 5 hours waiting for tickets and I did not dress up like a vampire. I am not commenting on whether I'm on Team Jacob or Team Edward until I read the book.

For those of you who haven't been bitten by the Twilight series or vampire pandemonium in general, you probably don't care about the latest installment of the Twilight saga. Indeed, when I saw the first movie, I didn't think much of it. Of course every 13 year old girl around the world was in love with Edward and I'm sure I would've been at that age too. But other than the eye candy in Twilight, I didn't think it had much to offer except for a fringe teenage love story.

This fall my curiosity got the better of me and I decided to read Twilight. I give it a B-. I liked that it was a very simple read and didn't require much brain power to process. Sometimes effortless imagination can be nice. Even after reading the first book, I'm still not understanding what has made peeps go crazy over this series.

However, the movie New Moon is way better than Twilight. There was more drama, character development and action. I tad bit too much teenage angst for my taste; I got slightly bored watching Bella have nightmares because she couldn't be with Edward.  I was also disappointed that there was like one scene with the Volturi.  I thought the Volturi  members would at least get more than 2 lines a piece. I feel totally cheated!

Wait, I think I just figured out my problem with this series. I'm annoyed with the Cullen clan or coven, whatever. See they're goody-goodies and I think vampires should be ferocious and intense. I'm fine with them being gorgeous and all but the whole "our souls are damned and we've chosen to be vegetarian vampires" is seriously irritating. Can't they just find a blood bank somewhere? What's the big deal? Self-loathers are totally exasperating!!

Regardless, I do recommend this movie whethere you're a die hard fan of Twilight or not. It's pure entertainment and fantasy and that's what movies are all about. Enjoy!

Movie Trailers - Movies Blog

Happy Birthday Britney!

Britney turns 28 today and in her honor, I'm posting the video for her song  I Was Born to Make You Happy.  Indeed Ms. Spears has made many people happy with her music during her career. She's a true entertainer. Cheers Britney! Wishing you many more happy birthdays!

Britney's Circus Anniversary

Hey there, Britney fans! Today is the one year anniversary of the release of Britney's album Circus. I've really enjoyed this album over the past year; my favorite song being If You Seek Amy. The title track is great as well and I definitely think the lyrics on many of the songs were some of the most clever in all of Britney's repertoire. Check out the video for Circus below!

Thank You for Your Patience

Mandybomb is back and available to blog again so expect some new infotainment posts coming your way soon!

In the meantime, check out the links below:

• Vote for Britney!  
• Get ready to Scream 
• Lip-synching not a big deal 
• Continued drama on The Hills 
• Who's gonna tell us what to read now?  
• This song is on repeat on my ipod right now 
• Box office smash 
• Holiday TV guide 
• Going gaga over Lady Gaga 
• Mysteries of the Universe 

Hiatus

To the few dedicated who read this blog, you may have noticed that I haven't posted anything since June. That's because I've been a a stranger in a strange land without freely available personal internet access. It was a total shock to my system not getting my daily pop culture internet fix but it has allowed me to refocus my energies on my family, job and health. I've had some serious quality time with my parents and that's been a good thing.

So as to not be totally devoid of entertainment, I introduced my parents to Lost and so far we've blazed through the first 4 seasons on DVD. They're totally hooked now and I'm looking forward to many stimulating conversations/speculations once season 6 begins.

I do miss my weekend movie dates with my husband, ridiculous reality TV, mindless web surfing and blogging. I'll be back one day so please be patient while I do some transitioning. Perhaps for now I'll just say, "See you in another life, brotha."

To Michael Jackson:The Way You Make Me Feel

Michael Jackson is one of my earliest pop music memories. I was born in 1978 so I've never lived in a world without Michael. I'm not the type to get overly emotional about celebrities but when I heard that Michael Jackson had died, an immediate sadness swept over me. I was running some errands and listening to the radio in my car. June 25th was a rare occasion that I didn't have my ipod plugged into my car. I was listening to Ryan Seacrest's show when he made the announcement that Michael Jackson was dead at age 50. I gasped when I heard the news. Then Man in Mirror began playing and I felt the tears begin to flow.

I've never had a strong reaction like that regarding a celebrity's death and it made me wonder, why did Michael Jackson have such an affect? My emotions are very tied to music and songs can either bring me great joy or profound melancholy. Some artists are able to bring out their soul through their music and I feel that Michael Jackson was one of them. I can remember listening to Billie Jean (my all time favorite MJ song) and of course Thriller (which I can watch over and over and never get tired of it). There's no denying Michael's immense talent. From his voice and music style to his dancing and overall showmanship. So many artists that I like today were significantly influenced by Micheal and his death for Gen Xers like myself is equivalent to the death of Elvis Presley or John Lennon.

I'm reminded of the lyric from American Pie "...something touched me deep inside the day the music died." This is truly the end of an era.

Michael's personal problems were displayed through the media and he certainly was eccentric. I don't know if that part of his persona was real or just playing to the cameras; I figure it was a mix of both. I think the child molestation charges tainted his image irrevocably but I have to believe that justice was served with his acquittals. Any sins he did commit are between him and God now. I can only see that he brought a great deal of happiness to people around the world through his music as well as his philanthropic endeavors.

I think Michael was a tragic genius looking for his place in this world. For all his riches and world renown it seems he never found peace in this life but I wish it for him in the next. Rest well Michael, your music lives forever!

The Dead and M.I.A. Returning to Lost?

Lost fans know that when you have a show that switches between time lines faster than Sawyer can come up with a nickname, there's a chance that previously dead characters will resurface. Currently dead or missing characters include:

Ana-Lucia
Boone
Charlie
Charlotte
Daniel
Eko
Libby
Michael
Nikki
Paolo
Shannon

As Lost prepares for its sixth and final season in 2010, rumors are buzzing about who, if anybody will be brought back. The gossip has spilled over to Twitter (surprise, surprise) and apparently earlier today, someone tweeted that Charlie, Claire and Shannon will all be returning. The statements have not been confirmed by the actors' reps or Lost producers and now this particular Twitter account is lost to the cyberspace abyss.

I've read that Dominic Monaghan is still on good terms with Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse, so I would imagine that a spot in an episode or two wouldn't be entirely out of the question. I would love to see him return but I feel like there's already closure if he doesn't. Claire on the other hand; where in the island time is she? That mystery certainly needs resolution. I can't wait to see how it ends!

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The Lost Discussion

Check out these videos with Lost star Matthew Fox, aka Jack Shepherd. He discusses the final season of Lost, confrontations with John Locke and his life after the show. Enjoy!






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New Moon: More Like Full Moon as Crazy as Peeps Are Acting

Movie Trailers - Movies Blog

I watched the MTV Movie Awards last week and it was all about Twilight. Peeps are b-a-n-a-n-a-s (thank you Gwen Stefani) for Twilight. I haven't seen people this gaga for fangs and blood since Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt were in Interview with a Vampire.

I saw Twilight (not in the theater) and I didn't see what was the big deal. I thought it was OK but not lose my mind good. This trailer for New Moon has me thinking that the second movie might be better than the first.

I've also recently read the first chapters of the Twilight, New Moon and Eclipse on Stephanie Meyer's website. I won't say I'm hooked but certainly interested. I'm putting the series on my reading list anyway.

Has anyone else noticed that US Americans are fools for some vampires lately? True Blood anyone? Or maybe The Vampire Diaries debuting on the C-Dub (CW) this fall? Vampires are so alluring and peeps are "thirsty" for more. Here's hoping we'll be able to sink our teeth into New Moon, True Blood and The Vampire Diaries. Those are just terrible jokes.

The Hobbit Split In Two

Movie Trailers - Movies Blog

It's official, The Hobbit will be split into two films. In the interview clip above, director Guillermo del Toro discusses the split with MTV. He doesn't say exactly where the divide will come but I have to believe it will be just after Bilbo gets the ring from Gollum. (Sorry if that's a spoiler alert)

I'm super excited about this film(s)! My mom read The Hobbit to me when I was in 5th grade and I've been a fan ever since. The book definitely deserves the expansion of two movies and I think del Toro will do a fantastic job directing. He's responsible for Pan's Labyrinth (another film I adore) and the Hellboy movies. If you've seen either of these movies, you know that they were visually stunning with an other-worldly quality. I expect no less for The Hobbit as it is what I consider Tolkien's masterpiece and one of my first literary loves.

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Zack Morris Stays Up Past His Bedtime

This appearance by Zack Morris on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon might be one of the most awesomest Saved By the Bell TV spots I've seen since Jessie Spanno's caffeine pill freak-out. I was a mere middle-schooler during the Saved By the Bell years and I totally crushed on Zack. Slater and his pleated pants can stay in Mr. Belding's detention.

Confession: I watch Saved By the Bell on TBS every morning while I eat my breakfast before work. What better way to begin the day! Thanks to JH for showing me this video!

Drag Me to Hell-Not a Drag at All

I'm officially a Sam Raimi fan after seeing this movie. I've seen Evil Dead and Army of Darkness years ago but had forgotten how wonderfully quirky and freakish they were. After tangling with the Spiderman films for years, Raimi is back directing horror in Drag Me to Hell, a cautionary tale about a sweet loan officer trying to impress her boss to get a promotion. Unfortunately, she makes a big mistake and pisses off a gypsy who then curses her with the Lamia.

This is probably the best scary movie I've seen since The Grudge came out. Raimi uses shadows, simple visuals and sounds such as the drumming of fingers and whispers of gypsy themed violin music to amp up the creep factor.

The protagonist, Christine Brown does everything in her power to escape the curse and save her soul from eternity in hell. Although she is clearly scared out of her mind, she puts up a fight and gives the polar opposite of the damsel in distress vibe. Best scene in the movie is the fight in the car between Christine and Mrs. Ganush. Brilliant!

Drag Me To Hell mixes horror and humor and creates a thoroughly entertaining movie. It will have you believing that sometimes even good people can go to hell.

Angels and Demons-Neither Angelic nor Demonic-Mostly Blah

Against my better judgment, I went to see Angels and Demons on its debut weekend. I read the book about 10 years ago (feels like 10 years anyway) and so I new from my experience with The DaVinci Code that this movie would probably be the same mess.

Strike one: Tom Hanks plays Robert Langdon. I would like to go on record as saying that I don't know what the big deal is with Tom Hanks. He made two good movies; Forest Gump and The Money Pit. That's right. Those are the only good movies in which he plays lead that I find enjoyable. Mr. Hanks owes me the price of admission for his movie Cast Away, which I also saw in the theater. The best part of the movie was when he made it back from the island. The rest of the time I spent praying that a leathal coconut would fall on his head so that I wouldn't have to endure another conversation with Wilson the volleyball.

Anyhoo, getting back to Angels and Demons. Strike two: Ron Howard changes stuff from the book too much. I'll give you an example. In the movie version, Vittoria's colleague from CERN is murdered. In the book it's her father (who also worked at CERN) that was murdered. Am I being picky? I think it's highly important to note that it was Vittoria's father that was killed as opposed to a colleague because it makes Vittoria's involvement more emotionally charged. Could the actress not express emotion well enough or does Ron Howard just say forget about it, we're taking a central part of this character's experience and making it minute? Also, Ron made everything way too easy for the Robert and Vittoria to find the clues and convince the Vatican to help them. I remember from the book they struggled every step of the way. Refer back to the title but it was almost as if there were demons working against them.

Strike three: The movie was just plain dull. Perhaps it was because I already knew what was going to happen or at least what was supposed to happen from the book but the only times I raised an eyebrow was when I noticed Ron deviating from the events of the book. I remember the book having me on the edge and that parts of it were quite graphic. I'm not one for gratuitous carnage but the point was that the "Illuminati" killing the clergy members were evil and those poor priests died in hideous ways. I think it could've been a bit scarier without being revolting. Ron's idea of scary is showing some slightly malevolent angel statues in half shadow with lightening flashing around.

If you haven't read the book, this movie is probably OK. Also if you heart Tom Hanks with every fiber in your being, you can see him play himself. Otherwise, I recommend waiting for the DVD. Even better, skip the DVD entirely and buy or borrow the book to read. Trust me peeps, your imagination is way better than what happens on the movie screen.

MTV Movie Awards-Explosions

This digital short with host Andy Samberg and Will Ferrell was the best thing about the MTV Movie Awards last night. I just thought I'd share. Enjoy!!

MTV Shows

Is There Anything Worse on the Air Waves than "Blame It" Right Now?

This picture is pretty much what goes on in the video.

Is anyone else out there super annoyed by Jamie Foxx's song Blame It? Seriously, this song drives me nuts! Every time I turn on the radio, I hear Jamie in that oh-so-trendy electronic voice crooning "Blame it on the Goose, gotcha feelin loose. Blame it on the a-a-a-a-alcohol." Shut up with that noise already!

Not to mention the video with that dancing drunk panda, Jake Gyllenhaal, Forest Whitaker, Quincy Jones, Samuel L. Jackson and Ron Howard? Ron Howard? In this video he looks sauced before they even get into the club and they definitely did not give that man any time in hair and make up.

Remember Sesame Street when they would sing that song that went one of these things is not like the other, one of these things just isn't the same? The concept for this video is kinda like that. I can't believe that Ron Howard, Jake Gyllenhaal and Forest Whitaker would be chillin at a club tossing back shots and dropping lame-o lines on the ladies.

This video starts off with actual credits like it's epic. Does Jamie Foxx think Blame It is 2009's Thriller and he's Michael Jackson? How exactly does one go from winning an Oscar for playing Ray Charles and then come up with a song about getting drunk?

Note: I did not drink in high school. I know! You're welcome mom and dad! But if I had been a drinker in high school, I would imagine it would be like a cheaper version of Mr. Foxx's video. There would probably be some "cool" guys that would wear their shades indoors just like Jamie and the girls' dresses would be too short. The only thing missing is someone getting sick in the bathroom. But how embarrassing to have Opie show up and crash your par-tay!

I cannot get this song out of my head. Maybe I'm wrong and Jaime Foxx is a genius! Did you know that Blame It is #3 this week on Billboard's Hot 100? Yip, it's sandwiched between Poker Face and Don't Stop Believin.

How could this have happened and why do I despise this song so much? I think Jamie Foxx is better than this. I mean I have to believe that a man who won an Oscar can come up with a lyric better than "Fill another cup up feelin on your butt what." Yeah, that is actually the lyric. It gets worse but that one just stood out. At the very least he could've asked his bff Opie for some advice but I guess they were busy getting smashed. Also, I think they let a 13 year old in that video. Is it not considered child abuse to be exposed to bad music?

On a positive note, I'm kinda diggin Jamie's song "I Don't Need It" featuring Timbaland. (Which btw, is incorrectly spelled as Timberland on Jamie's website) I guess he would like to buy some hiking boots? I think I might campaign to get that song some air play. Who's with me? Anyone ready to leave the Jamie's Blame It party?

There's No Place Like Home

In honor of tonight’s season finale of Lost, I’ve searched and compiled clips of prior season finale endings. Take a look back and see how far the characters have come.



In a jaw dropping final scene, we finally meet the elusive Jeremy Bentham; confirmed dead.

Through the Looking Glass

In honor of tonight’s season finale of Lost, I’ve searched and compiled clips of prior season finale endings. Take a look back and see how far the characters have come.



Viewers salivated at how close the Losties were to getting off the island and Jack and Locke have another destiny confrontation. Back in the real world we get the best plot twist on the show ever when we learn that flashbacks have become flashforwards.

Live Together, Die Alone

In honor of tonight’s season finale of Lost, I’ve searched and compiled clips of prior season finale endings. Take a look back and see how far the characters have come.



With Jack, Kate and Sawyer taken into custody by Ben and co., there's no telling what will happen. We do learn just how manipulative and diabolical Ben is but as he explains, "We're the good guys, Michael." When Penny gets that phone call from the freezing chess players, it's genius.

Exodus

In honor of tonight's season finale of Lost, I've searched and compiled clips of prior season finale endings. Take a look back and see how far the characters have come.



This clip is from "Exodus" part 1, the finale of season 1. It's just an amazing scene. the Losties have built a raft together and Jin, Michael, Walt and Sawyer sail off the island hoping to bring rescue to their fellow castaways. There's a sense of trepidation, comradery, adventure and hope. Brilliant scene.



At the end of the show, we see flashbacks to the Oceanic 815 boarding and tiny pieces of the characters' personalities and back-stories. Then we skip back to the island where Jack and Locke peer into the shaft of the hatch. If Twitter had been invented back in 2004, people would probably have gotten fail whale after this cliffhanger that left people buzzing "what the hell is down that hatch!"

LOST Video Recaps

Tonight is the Season finale so what better way to catch up than some video showing you all the important moments leading up to "The Incident."

The Hills Recap: Playmates Bring the Drama

So it was busy last week and I didn't get to post this recap until now but here goes. The drama in this episode was almost as free flowing as the Jagermeister. Almost.

The Hills - MTV Shows

•Audrina and Lauren are shopping and talking about Frankie’s BBQ.

•Lauren tells Audrina that Brody told Jayde about their night together.

•Then Lauren adds a profound quote “It’s not fun when vacation baggage follows you home.” She’s like the Dali Lama of Beverly Hills

•Heidi is blabbing to Kimberly about Stacie the bartender’s text message to Spencer.

•Her master plan is to show up at the club Stacie texted Spencer about and have a showdown.

•Over at the BBQ, Brody tries to calm Jayde about Audrina popping into the party.

•Meanwhile at the club, Heidi and her posse arrive to hunt down Stacie.

•Stephanie uses about a million and one adjectives to describe Stacie, some of which cannot be found in any thesaurus.

•Finally, Stacie arrives and the OMGs ensue.

•Stacie plops down near Heidi and they have a friendly chat.

•Stacie tells Heidi that there will always be another “Stacie” Has Stacie been able to clone herself?

•Jayde’s having a panic attack about Audrina and she calls Frankie retarded. Awesome!

•Audrina shows up and blows some kisses at Brody and Jayde is ticked.

•So Jayde tells off Audrina and uses the f word a couple times then drowns her sorrows in a bottle of Jagermeister. She’s class all the way.

•Spencer and Heidi are back at the therapist’s office and their talking about text messages. The therapist looks like she wishes she could disintegrate them both using mind powers.

•So Stephanie and Audrina are talking about Brody and Jayde’s relationship problems. Is it weird that Audrina is suddenly an expert on relationships? Call Dr. Phil or something!

•Btw, Audrina also knows a lot about Brody. She makes it a point to say how much she knows about him and how long she’s known him.

•How many clubs are there in LA? I love how Hills cast members “run into each other” at random clubs constantly. I appreciate that MTV ensures there will be drama this way.

•Audrina and Stephanie hook up with Brody, Jayde and crew at some club and right away Jayde tells Brody to make them leave.

•Brody tells Jayde he can’t be mean so he’s gonna make her tell Audrina off.

•They all get into a ridiculous confrontation and the Aurdrina leaves so Jayde can go back to swigging Jager and full on mackin on Brody.

•Next day, Audrina and her stupid hat show up to lunch with Lo and Lauren.

•Lauren deals out some sound advice. Maybe she really is the Dali Lama of Beverly Hills!

•In therapy session, Spencer has a breakthrough and then gets choked up. Way to get into the scene Spencer.

•Lauren and Brody spend some friend time at Lauren’s second lunch of the day? I don’t know.

•In any case, Brody says his feelings lie with Jayde and I don’t think Lauren’s too happy with that answer. MTV should’ve done a Heidi flashback after she said that.

•Until next time…

To Boldly Go Where No Man Has Gone Before

I'm just gonna go ahead and say first off that JJ Abrams is an entertainment genius. I loved this movie and was totally pumped when we left the theater. Would I go see it again instead of holding out for the DVD? Yes! I've been waiting for this movie ever since I saw the first trailer.

Star Trek had everything a Trekkie could want. Excellent special effects, a gorgeous cast, adventure, throwbacks to the original series, dramatic music score, wit, danger, humor and so much more. I'll admit the emotional opening sequence actually made my eyes well up a bit. Abrams really knows how to tug at the heartstrings.

I think the casting was brilliant. Chris Pine gave an excellent performance as James T. Kirk. He was cocky and rough and imitated Shatner's version just enough without being campy. Zachary Quinto and Karl Urban were perfect at Spock and "Bones" McCoy respectively. Zoe Saldana turned out to be a great Uhura and I really warmed up to Simon Pegg as Scotty and John Cho as Sulu. Also noteworthy was Anton Yelchin and his killer accent as Checkov.

The movie had deep, timeless themes such as abiding friendship, defiance, consequences of the past and the future, honor and destiny, which I believe are a tribute to Gene Roddenberry's original creation and JJ Abrams' vision. This was all set on board a fantastic and beautiful Starship Enterprise with a magnificent score by Michael Giacchino.

I think this movie has totally reengerized a brilliant and imaginative series. The original show got started in the 1960's and has remained and enduring part of TV and sci-fi history. I'm sure a new generation of Trekkies will emerge following this movie and old Trekkies will hopefully feel revitalized by the fresh film.

I believe Roddenberry can rest in peace knowing his original characters will "live long and prosper."

"I'm Just Here For the Music"

Find more videos like this on The Hype Factor


Um, it's probably best that Simon wasn't judging this performance. But I still heart Paula. XOXO!!

I Just Felt Like Posting a Britney Video

My friend sent me videos of the Circus concert we attended in DC and that put me in the mood for some Britney. Allow her to entertain you!

Censorship: "They" Know What's Best for You

Recently I've noticed that there's some censorship going on and I'm not a fan. Normally, my ears are only plugged into my iPod so I don't take much notice of the radio or even MTV or VH1. But I did have a friend recently inform me of the radio edit version of If U Seek Amy; then I heard it for myself. The edit turns the controversial phrase into If U See Amy, so I totally feel cheated out of Britney's genius lyrics.

I recall watching MTV when I was in middle school and I saw Color Me Badd's video for "I Wanna Sex You Up." In my opinion those lyrics and video were way more provocative than Britney's double entendre.

Lady Gaga - New Music - More Music Videos

Also currently censored is Lady Gaga's "Poker Face." Yes, in the year 2009 you're not allowed to say the words gun or Russian Roulette on the radio or MTV. Viewers and listeners have no common sense see? They might take this literally and try a game of Russian Roulette themselves. You know what? Why don't they censor the gambling terms out of the music as well? I mean gambling is an addictive disease and we don't want anyone to catch it from a music video right?

I guess the word gun is censored because it denotes violence. All this censorship makes me think Cher had it right on in Clueless when she said "Until mankind is peaceful enough not to have violence on the news, there's no point in taking it out of shows that need it for entertainment value."

That’s all I am allowed have to say.

X-Men Movie Hits the Spot

X-Men Origins: Wolverine was definitely a great way to start off the string of summer movie blockbusters. Superheroes and Hugh Jackman are always a winning combo. This movie had lots of delightful surprises for me, starting with the cast. Dominic Monaghan aka Merry (LOTR) aka Charlie Pace (Lost) was in the movie, as was Kevin Durand aka Martin Keamy (Lost). Also included were Will I Am, Ryan Reynolds and Taylor Kitsch.

I thought the casting was brilliant although I wish we could've seen more from the other characters. Of course each one has unique powers and I really enjoy seeing how they're wielded. True to the title though, this movie was mainly about Wolverine and how he actually became such. There was just enough reference to the X-Men trilogy to allow followers to put some pieces together. I thought the writing was great too and the dialogue had plenty of witty banter.

This movie got me thinking about one of my all time favorite hypothetical questions, "If you could have one superpower, what would it be?" I'd totally go for teleportation! Think Jumper sans the consequences.

I really enjoyed Wolverine and recommend it to X-Men and Hugh Jackman fans alike. It's a win-win!

The Hills Recap: "I Always Had a Little Crush"

It's time once again for The Hills recap. This week's episode was all about Beaches and Bible study. Enjoy!

The Hills - MTV Shows

•This week Lauren, Lo, Audrina and Stephanie crash Brody and gang’s par-tay in Hawaii and they all do shots to celebrate.

•Then we skip to the group on the beach. The boys are surfing and the girls are soaking up the sun.

•Audrina and Stephanie are yakking about Justin Bobby.

•Just when I thought California didn’t have anything I could identify with, they show Spencer and Heidi in a Barnes and Nobles.

•Heidi drops the news that her 3rd grade boyfriend Colby is coming to town.

•Back in Hawaii, the kids are sitting around a campfire and having a conversation I think I had in 7th grade.

•Stephanie wants to know if she’s single now; hint, hint Brody that’s your cue to begin crush stage one with Audrina.

•Btw, Brody has also noted that Audrina has on the hottest one piece bathing suit he’s ever seen.

•Meanwhile in Speidiland, the pair is at an awkward dinner with Heidi’s 3rd grade boyfriend Colby and his current girlfriend.

•Spencer’s like obsessed with the fact that Colby goes to Bible College and he’s a virgin.

•Colby’s girlfriend Ashley tells Heidi about 50 million times that she looks different! Why didn’t she just go ahead and ask the name of Heidi’s plastic surgeon?

•This double date is the best pairing ever! Spencer and Heidi are like Satan’s children living in LA and Colby and Ashley are the Uber-Baptists facing temptation in the “big city.”

•Colby and Ashley don’t drink and stay in separate hotel rooms.

•Spencer mentions that he’s had a subscription to Playboy since he was 14 and Colby just says “God forgives.” Right on, brother!

•Colby also talks about that he won’t even dance cause he was raised Southern Baptist. Why do they have to be so stereotypical?

•Then Spencer invites Colby for boxing the next day. I bet Colby can’t wait. I’d like to see him knock Spencer out.

•In Hawaii, Stephanie and Audrina are yakking about Justin Bobby and Brody again. Stephanie thinks that Audrina should hook up with Brody to make Justin Bobby jealous. Sounds like a good plan.

•Spencer and Colby are on their boxing date and Spencer’s still obsessed with the whole Bible college and virgins thing.

•So boxing seems like a pretty good time to discuss theology. Spencer calls Colby an alien (cause he’s a virgin) and then they make Bible study plans.

•Spencer’s challenge to Colby: find the Bible verse that says there is no sex before marriage.

•Back in Hawaii, Audrina admits her crush on Brody in front of everyone at dinner.

•At Bible study, nothing much happens except for Spencer being his usual rude self.

•Following dinner, Brody’s boys talk to him about Audrina’s hotness and encourage him to hook up with her.

•Brody takes the bait and goes to talk to Audrina, interrupting her phone call with Justin Bobby.

•They talk about “friendship” or something.

•The next morning, Lo, Lauren and Stephanie are trying to figure out if the Brodster and Audrina hooked up.

•In LA, Spencer’s diggin’ Colby’s Let It to Beaver vibe and that’s how he’s going to act with Heidi from now on.

•So Brody wakes up and goes to hang out with his posse. He admits that he cheated on his girlfriend with Audrina.

•Then the guys ask if he’s going to call his girlfriend to let her know. I say he should just let it go. I’m sure if he’s careful he can enjoy two months before the show actually airs and she can just get the news then.

•Audrina finally pops out of her bedroom and only admits that she slept in the same room in the same bed as Brody.

•The other girls think Jayde might come after her over Brody and Audrina says she’s totally ready for WWIII.

•That’s all folks!

Speidi Ties the Knot For Realz

MTV Shows

That's right, the news you've all been waiting for! Heidi Montag and Spencer Pratt are now officially Mr. and Mrs. Pratt. It's a relationship made in reality TV heaven. If you're so inclined, check out the photos here.

Source

The Hills Recap "Crazy in Love"

Time for another Hills recap. Instead of "Crazy in Love" I'm renaming this episode "Crazy and Dumb." Just watch and you'll see what I mean.

The Hills - MTV Shows

•The episode starts with Lauren and Audrina reminiscing about days gone by.

•Audrina babbles on about Justin Bobby , relationships, dating, blah, blah, blah.

•Of note, Lauren has a small side braid in her hair again. That’s her hair theme for this season.

•At People’s Revolution Stephanie is getting work tips from Lauren while folding clothes.

•Then Kelly Cutrone comes along and dumps out the box Stephanie just finished stuffing and tells her that she can’t eat crackers over the boxes of clothes.

•Kelly says “I am watching you Stephanie Pratt.” That line from Kelly is more terrifying than when I read “Big Brother is watching you” in 1984. If I were Stephanie, I’d be freakin out.

•Over at Bolthouse, Spencer rings up Heidi for a conversation in his car. Why do they always have discussions in his car? If I had no life, I’d go back and watch episodes of The Hills to count the number of times these car conversations have taken place. I’m just gonna go ahead and guess 50.

•So Spencer tells Heidi that he feels caged up. He also tells her that he’s not into Stacie the bartender because she’s not blond and he’s into blonds. Spencer is so comforting.

•Basically the conversation ends with Heidi insisting that they go to therapy to save their relationship.

•Next we have Laruen, Lo and Holly (Heidi’s sister) meet Brody and his buds and girlfriend at the club du jour.

•Brody and co. start talking about their Hawaii trip and Laruen wants to know why they’re not invited. Does it bother anyone else that Lauren has a sense of entitlement about everything?

•Anyhoo, Brody tells her it’s a guys’ trip and she can come another time.

•Then Lauren spies Justin Bobby and she mouths it the words to Audrina. She has to totally lean all over this guy sitting between her and Audrina who is obviously some sort of filler person like they have at awards shows. He has a look on his face like “shoot me now.”

•Justin Bobby moseys over and Audrina gives him a hug and pat.

•He wants to know why she’s patting him as if he needs to be burped. Justin Bobby is so random.

•Brody comes over to Audrina and just puts it out there that her hellos with J. Bob was awkward. He gives her some sage advice about how she’s beautiful and she needs to just go have fun.

•Meanwhile, Brody’s girlfriend is whispering to Lo wanting to know the name of the girl Brody is talking to. Is this her first date with Brody? Does she not own a TV? Did MTV not give her a copy of the script and pictures of The Hills’ cast? Hello?

•As soon as Brody finishes his convo with Audrina, clueless girlfriend has a make out session with him. I think this was supposed to be a sign of marking her territory.

•The next day at Audrina’s house, Stephanie drops by and they discuss Justin Bobby. They go back and forth about her feelings for J.B. It’s boring.

•We’re back clubbin again and Brody and his girlfriend are grabbing boobs and junk or something.

•Brody calls Spencer to invite him to Hawaii and Spencer tells him he’s in Vegas even though he’s sitting in his apartment with Heidi. Heidi can’t wait to discuss this with the therapist.

•Back at the club, Audrina is getting advice from some dude named Sleazy T. Justin Bobby arrives and he tells her that life is too short, blah, blah, blah.

•On to more important matters at People’s Revolution, Stephanie does not understand how to properly answer phones at a business. She picks up the phone and then immediately hangs up. That brings in the customers!

•Then Lauren asks her about some clothes in a box and whether or not it’s been checked in. Stephanie can’t remember or pay attention to the conversation.

•She’s also not a fan of confrontation but I’m pretty sure I remember her being confrontational with Lauren (pre- BFF) regarding Heidi and Spencer. Things that make you go hmmm...

•Spencer and Heidi are off to therapy and the Dr. is able to diagnose the problem in 3 minutes. Their issues are high schoolish. Nice one doc!

•Then they go through a therapy exercise that accomplishes nothing.

•Later on Audrina, Lauren and Lo go have food somewhere and talk about Hawaii. They decide to just show up in Hawaii and barge in on Brody and company’s trip.

•Lo thinks Audrina is going to hook up with Brody. Thanks for the future episode set up Lo!

The Hills Recap-"I'm Done With You"

Time for the recap of episode 3. Therapy sessions are in Spencer and Heidi's future and Stephanie gets either a lucky or unlucky break at People's Revolution, depending on Kelly's mood.

The Hills - MTV Shows

•So Stephanie just lets herself in Spencer and Heidi’s apartment and Spencer is doing nothing as usual. He hurls a nasty comment at Stephanie regarding her hat. Bravo!

•Then Stephanie gives Spencer the 411 on Heidi’s 3rd grade boyfriend.

•Spencer decides his reaction to this should be to go out and have fun too and Stephanie tells him to be on his best behavior as if she’s admonishing an elementary school student.

•Lauren sits down for a meeting with Kelly Cutrone and Kelly likes her shirt even thought it’s not black. I thought Kelly specifically told Lauren and Whitney that they always had to wear black. Did MTV convince her that there are other colors that are camera friendly?

•Also, why does Kelly always look like a hot mess? Please, someone advise.

•So Kelly wants to get a new intern and she wants Lauren’s help. Watch out Lauren.

•MTV has alerted Stephanie that People’s Revolution wants a new hire and so she starts working over Lauren at lunch.

•Back at Heidi and Spencer’s, they’re discussing their relationship and if it’s worse to eat dinner with your 3rd grade boyfriend or do shots with a hot bartender.

•Fantastic! Stephanie arrives for her interview with Kelly Cutrone and she’s way nervous.

•This interview is the best! Stephanie looks like she’s about to wet her pants when she tells Kelly that her final objective in life is to have a hand bag line.

•Unfortunately for Stephanie, Kelly frowns on interns using her company to promote themselves.

•Kelly is most interested in knowing if Stephanie is capable of printing labels. Stephanie looks at her like a deer caught in headlights. She gives the same look when Kelly begins speaking French.

•Kelly also explains that crying is not allowed in her office. This looks like a good time for me to start taking bets on how long Stephanie can go without crying on the job.

•So finally the world’s funniest interview is over and we’re in the car with Spencer and his out of work porn star friend Charlie. Charlie has some funky car dance moves.

•Meanwhile, Heidi and Stephanie are out for sushi and they decide to roll up on Spencer and Charlie.

•So Stephanie and Heidi find Spencer chillin with Stacie the bartender and her peeps. Heidi drops an f-bomb!

•Then the insults start flying back and forth and I heard something about home wrecker and dog and housebroken. Man, these kids are witty!

•Heidi spent the night with Stephanie and decided during the night to break up with Spencer.

•Stephanie has a better idea and suggests therapy cause everybody in LA has a therapist.

•Back at People’s Revolution, Kelly tells Lauren that she’s responsible for Stephanie and if she messes up, it’s Lauren’s head. Lauren now looks like a deer caught in headlights.

•Best line of the night was from Kelly to Lauren, referring to Stephanie, “You may want to kiss her on the cheek but I’d put a gun to her back and make sure she stands up straight.” Brilliant!

•Then Heidi meets up with Spencer for breakfast or brunch or something. They don’t have real schedules anyway; they’ve got all the time in the world.

•Heidi lays down the law and tells Spencer they need therapy.

•Spencer believes a therapist’s credentials are only defined by the fact that they went to school one year longer than he did.

•The waiter comes by the table and delivers the scripted set up for Heidi to drop the final line of the show, “we’re done.” Finally!

The Hills Recap-"Everything Happens for a Reason"

It's time for the recap for episode 2 of The Hills. I'm summarizing this episode as all about deep thoughts.

The Hills - MTV Shows

•Stephanie and Spencer are fighting again. Snooze.

•But wait, something’s different. Stephanie tells Spencer that the loyalty thing is so over and he sucks. At last!

•Lauren,Audrina and Lo are talking about drama at the b-day party. Blah, blah, blah.

•Next up, Heidi walks with purpose into the bar with the infamous bartender Stacie.

•She talks to Stacie and actually asks if she remembers Spencer from the other night. Why doesn’t she just say, “Remember when MTV came in and was shooting scenes for The Hills the other night?” But I guess Hiedi’s keepin it real.

•Stacie does remember Spencer as “the fighter” but she does not realize that Spencer had a girlfriend. Hmmm….I guess she doesn’t own a TV.

•The conversation with the bartender makes Hiedi’s jaw drops so low you’d think she’d never had plastic surgery.

•Heidi leaves for Colorado to figure things out. I wish I could runaway somewhere when things in my life get rocky.

•Stephanie and Lauren have an awkward chat about Heidi. Stephanie has a hard time picking up on social cues and context clues. I’m guessing she would also have trouble with Blue’s Clues.

•So then Spencer decides to engage in a little Bromance and calls up Brody.

•Best line of the night is Spencer saying “it’s bananas homey.” He’s like a lame version of Gwen Stefani. (No offense to Gwen Stefani)

•Meanwhile, Heidi’s mom is trying to hook her up with her boyfriend from the 3rd grade.

•Heidi feels like this is set up or something. Hmm…I wonder if Heidi feels the same way about everything that happens on The Hills?

•Lauren and Brody go out and discuss deep thoughts.

•Heidi and her mom are on the balcony staring at the snow and discussing deep thoughts.

•Now Spencer’s back at the same bar with the same bartender.

•The bartender tells Spencer his girlfriend is nuts and then they drink a toast to it.

•Then the dialogue runs out and they just stare at each other and maybe they’re thinking deep thoughts?

The Hills Recap-"Don't Cry on Your Birthday"

The final season of The Hills has arrived and in honor of that, I've decided to recap each episode. I know, I'm like 4 episodes behind now but give me a chance and I'll catch up.

The Hills - MTV Shows

So the 1st episode was all about Lauren's b'day party and all the drama that came along with it. Here goes:

•Stephanie tells Heidi “it’s 100% fine” for her to go to Lauren’s b-day party. The par-tay is on a yacht so Lauren won’t be able to escape. Stephanie’s a mastermind of putting people in awkward situations. Sweet!

•Lo and Audrina have the whole party planned as a surprise. They discuss Heidi and state about 5 times to the camera that they did not invite her.

•What kind of lipstick is Lauren wearing? It’s like vampire red. Not sure if it matches her ‘stache.

•I love that Heidi tells Spencer that Stephanie arranged this whole “girls night out” and then Stephanie immediately debunks it and says she didn’t arrange anything. Spencer wants to know if “the queen bi-otch” is going to be there. Btw, he means Lauren.

•Why does Lauren get to have her birthday party on a yacht? And what birthday is this anyway? I was discussing this with a fellow Hills watcher and we’re convinced Lauren has a birthday every six months and also when MTV needs a party atmosphere for an episode or just whenever Lauren is bored. That should make her about 42.

•So Spencer goes to some bar with his friend Charlie who looks like an out of work 1970’s porn star. They do shots of tequila with the bartender and Spencer reminisces about his Mexican wedding that didn’t count.

•Meanwhile back on the boat, Heidi and Stephanie show up late and Lauren gives Heidi the evil eye while simultaneously hugging her.

•Fun question! Lauren, why do you continue to hang out with Stephanie?

•Stephanie’s trying to be some sort of weird friendship matchmaker.

•Spencer yells to the bartender (like she cares) that “that’s my sister’s ex-boyfriend over there.” Then he just has to get up and say hello. Spencer takes directorial cues very well.

•The ex-boyfriend texts Stephanie about Spencer’s flirting!

•Wow! Stephanie and Audrina really know how to keep a secret!

•Just like the telephone game, word gets to Lauren. Even though she doesn’t want to be friends with Heidi, she still has to go find out what’s happening.

•Spencer hangs up with Heidi and then confronts Cameron. Awesome! He calls him dawg 3 or 4 times and then challenges Cameron to touch him first so he can mess him up.

•What do you know! Those martial arts classes really helped Spencer. He actually made Cameron bleed!

•Lauren tries to console Heidi and then wants to know if she can be real for a minute.

•Then things get “very real” when Lauren and Heidi cry about their broken friendship. End scene.

•Shakespeare’s got nothing on this tragedy.

Britney's Circus in DC

Last month I went on a musical adventure to Britney's Circus Tour. I was at the concert in DC on March 24th with my Britney Buddy and long time b-fri. What better symbol of freedom and capitalism than Britney performing in our Nation's Capital? She's the American Dream (since she was 17) and I support that!

The crowd was huge and filled with screaming teenagers, peeps of my generation and confused parental chaperons. Awesome! It was super loud too. My friend wisely chose to wear ear plugs but I decided to ruin my hearing. If Britney isn't worth hearing impairment, I don't know what is.

So, the stage was literally set up like a 3 ring circus with the largest ring in the center. Our tickets were in section 111 row L, basically about 12 rows from the center stage! We had a fantastic view of Britney and it was wonderful!

This concert was truly a show. After the Pussycat Dolls performed, there were clowns, a hula hoop girl and a contortionist to entertain until Britney arrived. Britney appeared dressed as a ringleader to start off the show, complete with whip. Acrobats circled in the air around her and there were flames popping up all over the stage. Then she performed a couple of magic tricks set to the songs Ooh, Ooh Baby and Hot as Ice. There was a Bollywood version of Me Against the Music that was rockin and a performance of Toxic with the stage bathed in a "toxic green" light. I also loved her rendition of Boys with the "boys" dressed in hip hop style fatigues and riding around the stage on bicycles. At the end of the song, she made the boys do 10 pushups and then led them in a military cadence.

I think my favorite part of the show was Britney's performance of Baby One More Time. The stage was totally empty except for Britney and her dancers and it was just her doing what she does best to her fans' most beloved tune. The energy in the crowd was phenomenal during the song; everyone was singing!




So here's a couple of things about Britney that I think peeps should know. First of all, she's tiny! I mean, we were close enough to the stage to be able to judge her size and let me just say that I'm envious of her figure. Secondly, she danced in either heels or laced up heeled boots the entire time. That's like a talent in itself!

Britney looked like she really was enjoying herself during the concert. She even wished peeps a Merry Christmas during Do Something. Why? I don't know but it was Britney speaking directly to us and it was great! She knows how to put on a show and it was amazing to be at a live performance. It was also awesome to share the experience with my childhood friend! Fantastic memories for the years to come! Thank you Britney!!

Britney Follows Mandybomb on Twitter

Yay!! Best news of the day! Britney is now following me on Twitter. I checked my gmail a few minutes ago and saw this email:

Twitter to mandybomb 11:25am

Hi, mandybomb (mandybomb).

Britney Spears (britneyspears) is now following your updates on Twitter.

Check out Britney Spears's profile here:
http://twitter.com/britneyspears


Best,
Twitter

Of course I immediately tweeted it and then had to put up a quick post. Why is this a big deal? As of today, Britney has 1,005,910 followers and she follows 202,904 people. And now I'm in the mix!! Sweet!!

I happened to check this out while I was working on my blog post about Britney's Circus Tour. It must be a good omen! I heart you BritBrit!!

Spongbob Squarepants + Sir Mix-A-Lot=Burger King Kid's Meal

I really don't know whether this commercial is supposed to make me laugh or creep me out. When I first saw it, I assumed Burger King must be targeting this ad to people of my age who have kids, otherwise I'm not sure who else would understand the pop culture reference.

The whole thing is bizarre to me. I like one hit wonder, Sir Mix-A-Lot, I like Spongebob Squarepants and Burger King is alright too. I just don't know if they all belong together, especially when it's about a deal on a kid's meal. But I don't have kids so what do I know?

The Campaign for a Commercial Free Childhood wants BK to pull the ad ASAP. I'm sure they're concerned that this commercial is a bit too sexually explicit for the kiddies. BK remains on the defensive.

Maybe a compromise is in order? Perhaps BK should air the commercial after a certain time at night and only during adult shows. I think it's fine for the grown-ups but might be a bit much for the wee ones.

In Honor of Tax Day

Lauren Conrad Becomes a Toon for Family Guy

Anyone who knows me is aware that I'm a fan of both The Hills and Family Guy. Both are hilarious and enormously entertaining. Now, MTV and Fox have brought the shows together in the form of Lauren Conrad guest starring on an episode of Family Guy.

Apparently the plot consists of Lauren's brief romance with Brian the family dog. Awesome! I hope their date consists of trendy cocktails, Speidi drama conversation and vacant stares. The episode airs May 3 so be sure to mark your calendars!

Source

Celebrity Twitter

Do you want to get personal with your fav celebrities? As personal as the internet and your computer or blackberry will let you anyway? Then celebrity Twitter is for you. But don't waste your time with just any old celebrities. You need to pick ones that are tweet-worthy. According to Vibe, there are certain celebrities you should consider follow worthy on Twitter. Here's a sample:

Timbaland, Snoop Dogg, Britney Spears, Mariah Carey, Kim Kardashian, Ashton Kutcher (they need to add Demi Moore esp. now that she's a Twitter hero), Rihanna, Lady Gaga, T-Pain, and Mos Def, just to name a few.

I've got my sites set on Snoop Dogg and Mariah Carey. Happy tweeting and following!

Source

The Hills: Season 5

On the upcoming and final season of The Hills, we are promised drama-rama. I just hope the writers don't try to hard; that always seems to mess up a show's final season. Am I right? "Writing" aside, I hope MTV will at least keep continuity this season and not have nail polish or hairstyles change from one cut scene to the next. I like my "reality shows" to maintain some semblance of actual reality, even though I always have to do quite a bit of suspending my disbelief. Who's with me?

You can check out the trailer for Season 5 below and don't forget to tune in to MTV tonight at 10est for a new season of fashion, shallowness and great music!

The Hills - MTV Shows

Beyonce's Saving Grace: Halo

I really hadn't paid attention to this song until I checked out the video. The song and video are really beautiful. Beyonce has a knack for making simplicity powerful. Her videos for the I Am...Sasha Fierce album are very stripped down. If you've noticed they've also all been in black and white, except for this one. And even Halo is in what I'm calling "color light" with very muted and pale tones. I know everyone seems to like Single Ladies and now Diva but I really prefer the slower songs. I think Beyonce is at her best when she's got a sentimental, slightly melancholy vibe going on. Think If I Were a Boy or Me, Myself and I. Having said that, Beyonce rocks all her songs and Crazy In Love is my all time fav.

Why do I not own Beyonce's latest album yet? It's a shame. I'm feeling the economic crunch much like everyone else and so I'm slightly picky about luxuries I must have right now and those that can wait. The good news is that Beyonce/Sasha Fierce's music isn't going anywhere and I can purchase it later. In the meantime, I'll just have to stick to Vh1, MTV (when they actually play videos), YouTube and Beyonce's website of course.

Also I noticed that Beyonce is starring in a movie called Obsessed due out April 24. I saw the trailer last weekend at the movies. I wasn't overly impressed. Spoiler Alert! I think the plot will pretty much be The Hand That Rocks the Cradle and/or Fatal Attraction and perhaps a touch of Disclosure (to give it that office feel) except with sexier people. I'll pass on the movie but I will continue to enjoy Beyonce's music. It's her true calling after all.

A Very Speidi April Fool's

So I was checking out "celebrity" news and tweets today and I happened across Heidi Montag's Twitter page proclaiming her pregnancy. Here is the direct quote. "I wanted to tell my Twitter friends first...I am pregnant!!!!!!!I couldn't be more excited!!! I hope it's a boy!" So later on in the day, she posted a gotcha tweet saying she's not pregnant and it was an April Fool's joke. LOL?

You know what's not an April Fool's joke? Heidi's debut of her new single, "Look How I'm Doing." Ryan Seacrest exclusively premiered the song on his radio show today. Yes, I know most of you wish Heidi's singing career was just an extended April Fool's joke but her musical renditions are permeating the air waves, like it or not. You can listen to Heidi's single here.

Also not a joke are the 140,000+ Twitter followers of Heidi. I am not a follower but I'm tempted. I think I'm oddly fascinated that her tweets have a lot to do with Jesus and Bible verses but I can't recall her ever uttering His name on an episode of The Hills. Maybe MTV censors God talk? I'm sure Jesus is not very chic with the Beverly Hills crowd.

Anyway peeps, now that you know Heidi gives it up for the Lord on Twitter, you can follow her for daily inspirations and devotions. You're welcome!

Candies Hearts Britney

Yay! Britney is officially the new face, body and feet for Candies. Check out the hot new commercial.



It makes me want to run to Kohl's right away and pick up some Brit-sational apparel!

If U Seek Amy...

How much do I love this video? Lots! It's very clever with the naughty Britney to nice Britney transformation, the news anchor's report on the lyric controversy and Britney's "daughter's" outfit at the end (think Baby One More Time). Love it!

Pussycat Dolls sing Jai Ho

The Oscar winning song Jai Ho from the Oscar winning movie Slumdog Millionaire is now performed by the Pussycat Dolls. Yes, you read that correctly. I absolutely loved this song and the dance number from Slumdog Millionaire and this video mimics the movie ending. I personally think the movie version is better but the PCD version has songwriter A.R. Rahman's blessing so that's good enough for me.

Pussycat Dolls Get on the 'Millionaire' Bus
By Jessica Robertson,
PopEater
(March 13) - When Pussycat Dolls' Nicole Scherzinger first saw the Oscar-winning movie 'Slumdog Millionaire,' she felt two things: awe and a desire to meet the challenge of creating the group's own version of 'Jai Ho,' the film's Best Song Oscar win.
"I thought the movie was unbelievably powerful and life changing," Scherzinger tells PopEater. "The story was unlike any other story I'd ever seen before. I felt it could touch and make an impact on anyone no matter who you are or where you are from. The characters and the heart and soul of the movie and the music truly inspired me. It was such a great honor to be able to re-write my own version of the lyrics to 'Jai Ho' -- 'You are my Destiny.'"
The Dolls recently shot the video for the tune in an abandoned train station museum in Vienna , Asutrai, in the middle of a blizzard. "Somehow the energy and love of the songs shined through and it was as if we were just an extension of where the movie took off at the end," Sherzinger says.
As for which 'Millionaire' lifeline Scherzinger considers her favorite, well, the movie settled that. "After watching that movie, phone a friend for sure," she says. "'Cause in the end, if you have love, then that's all that matters -- you win. Love always wins in the end." Source

PCD is currently touring with Britney Spears and I've heard that Jai Ho is the ending to their set. Will I do the dance along with them at the concert? Probably!

Check out the music video here.

I'm Going to the Circus-Britney's Circus!!

This time two weeks from tonight I will be in DC with my Britney Buddy to see Brit Brit live and in concert! That's right peeps, I'm gonna see Britney!! This has been in the works for a while and has now been officially confirmed. :)

I've been a fan of Britney since Baby One More Time and I'm really psyched for her comeback. Of course as soon as I learned about her new album I began scouting for info on a tour.
Now my Britney dream come true is almost here!

I've been all over her website for tour updates and the setlist was recently released. New stuff and some old favs. This show looks like it's gonna be hot!

CIRCUS
Perez/Parade Intro
Circus (Funky Remix)
Piece of Me
Thunderstorm Segue
Radar
HOUSE OF FUN (Anything Goes)
Martial Arts Segue
Ooh Ooh Baby/Hot as Ice
Boys
If U Seek Amy
Me Against the Music (Bollywood)
FREAKSHOW/PEEPSHOW
Everybody's Looking for Something Segue
Freakshow
Get Naked
Britney's Hotline
Breathe on Me/Touch of My Hand
ELECTRO CIRC
Break the Ice Segue
Do Something
Slave
Dancer Solo Segue/Heartbeat Segue
Toxic
Baby One More Time (Remix)
ENCORE
Womanizer (Extended Remix)
Circus Reprise: The Bow