Glee- Too Much Too Soon?

Hello, my name is Anna Beth, and I'm a Glee-aholic. Unabashedly, I can admit that I love this TV show. As a band, choir and theatre nerd throughout high school, I find this satire oddly familiar and comforting; I feel at home with this show. Thanks to movie musicals and a love of Broadway, that "let's-put-on-a-show-and-make-everything-better" mentality has been ingrained in me. I love nothing more than, if things are at their worst, we can make it better by singing and dancing it out.

I've been with this show from the very beginning. I feel like I share a small part in its success. I've bought the music, I've watched every episode, and I've written about ad nauseam on Facebook (likely to the chagrin of friends who aren't fans). Baby drama, Beyonce, and blue slushies are the ingredients in this show's magic formula, and I've waited with bated breath since December for the show to come back.

However, with my beloved show about to return, I can't help but hope that it can live up to my (and America's) expectations. Since the show went on hiatus, there has not been a week where a spoiler, promo or juicy tidbit hasn't been released. I think it's a good technique to make sure no one forgets about Glee, but I just hope that it won't disappoint. Yet, can it let us down? I mean, Idina Menzel and Neil Patrick Harris are going to guest star? And there's going to be a Madonna episode (with Rachel singing "Like A Prayer"... amazing!)? AND, Mr. Schue and Emma are going to be together? I, for one, can't wait.

I just hope that this won't be like a Christmas where you asked Santa for a pony and you got socks instead. Dear Glee, be the pony, please!

She's Out of My League: Not That Bad

I thought I'd continue the bad movie roll I've been on and go see She's Out of My League, expecting nothing short of horrible. However, I have to say, it wasn't that bad. Now, Casablanca it ain't, but it was not the worst movie I've ever seen.

The movie, which you can basically get the gist of from the trailer, is about an unmotivated schmo named Kirk (played by Jay Baruchel), who is told by his friends that he's a 5 on the hotness scale. Personally, I think it's what's on the inside that counts, and humor and kindness are more attractive than washboard abs or buff biceps. Then again, I probably wasn't this movie's target audience. However, I think we can all agree that Kirk is not a bad looking guy. I thought he was kind of charming when he wasn't moping and feeling sorry for himself. He comes in contact with Molly (Alice Eve), who everyone describes as "a hard 10," and, for reasons no one is sure about, they begin to date.

Now, genital jokes and gross-out moments asides, parts of this movie were actually genuinely sweet. Molly and Kirk's frank discussion of self-esteem and self-perception was pretty honest for what on the surface seems like a dumb date night movie. Also, a Great Expectations reference was made, and I was sold from there. And, most importantly, I felt like the two really did like each other (something that I didn't get from the opus that is Dear John).

I had a good time watching this movie. Any time that I felt annoyed I think was a combination of tonal shift (sweet to snarky...I guess the screenwriters were trying to appeal to both the men and the women in the theater) and the crying baby at the particular show I saw. This is definitely a good matinee movie; I didn't think I would, but I can honestly say I had fun.

It was the winter of my discontent: The bad movies of February

Any of my friends can tell you that I love a bad movie. I love laughing at the stilted acting, the implausible story line and, most of all, the super cheesy, lovey dovey ending. However, this February, right at the height of awards season, I saw three bad movies in a row. And not the good kind of bad movie. I'm talking about the bad, bad movie, the kind that Lifetime Television for Women might not show. Three weekends, three bad movies. And here, dear reader, I will lay them out for you.



First, I saw When In Rome. Yes, it was just as bad as the preview seemed. The storyline dragged at the end, flailing to tie up the silly story with even sillier plot knots. I laughed a lot, though not at the filmmaker's moments that should have been funny. A friend and I were shushed by some girls behind us, admonishing that, and I quote, "A romantic comedy is supposed to be cheesy." I wanted to tell them that I can handle cheesy, but not if that cheese is moldy. This cheese fest was.










Then I saw Dear John, the little movie that could, the David that knocked Goliath Avatar out of the top spot after almost two months as the nation's number one movie. Now, I knew that Dear John wasn't going to be Citizen Kane by any means, but I had no idea that the movie would be as horrifying as it was. Truly, it was awful. I'm not a Sparks fan, but I can enjoy a Saturday afternoon showing of The Notebook like any self-respecting romantic. However, there are no words to describe the pain I felt after seeing Dear John. Both actors are poised to become the next big box office stars, and God help us if they do. Lines were delivered sans emotion, expression or even excitement. And the chemistry? What chemistry? I couldn't even tell if they liked each other. I couldn't laugh, that's how bad it was. It was definitely the worst movie I've seen this month, maybe even in the last six. Don't waste your money, I beg you.






Finally, last weekend I saw Valentine's Day, this year's ubiquitous "all-star" ensemble film. Last year, we got the cliched He's Just Not That Into You, the film that teaches women that if they change their beliefs, they'll finally get what they want: a man. Valentine's Day was in the same vein. Starring some of Gary Marshall's favorite actors, both big names and bit characters, this film seemed like a knockoff of Love Actually without Hugh Grant's charm. It was probably the best of these films that I saw, and George Lopez's one liners made me laugh. However, I think maybe Wolf Man is a better option for date night than any of these three movies. Let's hope March brings us something better.

The Art of Criticism: A Reformed Twilght Lover Speaks Out

I'll be honest, OK? I used to love Twilight. I thought that the entire series was wonderful, describing it to people as Harry Potter for girls. It was such a fantasy, reading how an ordinary, nothing-special girl becomes to object of affection and desire for a beautiful, kind, sensitive vampire. Bella Swan and Edward Cullen get into adventures; they are completely chaste; they love each other; and now, they make me sick.

When I read the books the first time, I thought it was romantic and lovely. The idea of being in love, all-consuming love, appeals to a lot of people, and I was one of them. However, even when I was in the thrall of "will they, won't they" with the story, I was bothered by Bella and Edward's relationship. I didn't like that Bella could only think about Edward, only wanted to be with Edward, didn't want anything other than Edward. If Edward was a normal guy instead of an exciting vampire, wouldn't people think that it was unhealthy for Bella to be so consumed?

This entire series makes overly dependent, emotionally and psychologically abusive relationships seem romantic and desirable. When a girl gets dumped, she has every right to wallow. But, in response to the wave of fan frenzy for the film version of New Moon, when the dumpee tries to do harm to herself to get the dumper's attention, when she is a shell of her former self, that's not wallowing; it's self-destruction. These books and films make unhealthy relationships seem cool. Now, every fan, or "Twi-hard," thinks that that kind of behavior is acceptable and, horror of horrors, the ideal.

Personally, I am ready for a tween/teen story that has a strong female. I don't expect for a fictional character to be perfect, but I do expect a role model. What if, when Edward (spoiler alert) leaves Bella, she decided to study abroad to expand her horizons? Or took up motorcycle riding, not to try to get Edward's attention, but because she, guess what, liked it? I'm ready for a heroine who isn't defined by her relationships to men. Aren't we all?

The Art of Tragedy: Reading Rainbow's Premature Demise

Butterfly in the sky, I can go twice as high
Take a look, it's in a book - Reading Rainbow.

I can go anywhere!
Friends to know and ways to grow - Reading Rainbow.

I can be anything!
Take a look, it's in a book - Reading Rainbow.


Today, my mind has been occupied with some sad news. After 26 years on TV, one of my most beloved programs, Reading Rainbow, has been canceled. It has been deemed too expensive to continue with production, and no one (including the Corporation for Public Broadcasting) wants to pay for it.

The recession has been hard on everyone, but it's especially hard to see it affect something that has touched so many lives. Reading Rainbow inspired children to read. It made reading fun and exciting; children aren't born with a love of reading. This love has to been planted and grown in a child. If no one is there to cultivate it, a child's love of learning and books will wither and die. Reading Rainbow served that purpose, and for almost 30 years, kids learned how to love reading. It's such a shame to see and institution like this go because of a bottom line.

More Updates to Come....

It's been some time since my last post, but I'll get back to blogging very soon!

The Art of TV: LOST

Few TV shows have captured and held the fervor of millions quite like LOST has. Its dynamic characters, signature flashbacks and the "will they? won't they?" tension Jack-Kate and Kate-Sawyer have kept people coming back for more. 

Originally, I was opposed to LOST. Any show that incites that much passion from its fans makes me a little wary.  People who watch LOST don't just watch it; they love and follow it. Life stops on Wednesday nights. Facebook statuses begin the countdown around 3 o'clock in the afternoon. That Christmas-like anticipation made me uneasy. I didn't want to drink the Kool-Aide. 

However, I became a member of the LOST cult. If loving this show is wrong, I don't want to be right. 

LOST is the most complex TV show in history. In an age of impersonal social networking sites and texts instead of calls, getting viewers to follow a dozen different characters' lives week after week is quite a feat. Also, bringing Sci-fi to the masses and getting them to like it is an art form itself. J.J. Abrams, I salute you. You are an artist and your medium is addiction. Keep it coming!