Wow.
Right, they didn't reinvent the wheel here, but I sure had a good time. So shoot me.
Rock of Ages was a two hour long rock and roll anthem to my youth. I loved it because I didn't have to think about it too hard. I just had to sit back and be entertained. Beside the fact that I could name all the bands and sing along to virtually every jukebox song that was played out in musical form on the screen, the cast of Hollywood heavies made it an even more enjoyable rock and roll adventure. Oh I know, Rock of Ages was panned by the critics and it opened to minimal box office success, but I would venture to guess that this one will grow some legs and spark new life on DVD.
For me, it was two things; the music, oh the beautiful music, and the cast. Let's start with my favorites:
Paul Giamatti. The guy is an anomaly by Hollywood standards, but he has truly perfected the "slime ball, scum bag" role to an art form. He's so despicable and disgusting (that heinous ponytail, ewww) that I hate to love him and love him I do. My visceral response to his work only leads me to believe the truth and the truth is that Giamatti is genius.
Alec Baldwin. Hello? Is there any comedic role this guy can't turn into gold? As an over the hill rocker who stayed too long at the party, Bourbon Room owner Dennis Dupree, Baldwin and his loyal side man Lonnie (Russell Brand) gave one of the movie's comedic high points with REO Speedwagon's "Can't Fight this Feeling".
Russell Brand? He just played himself, with a spot on makeover of a hair band groupie, which is why it was no stretch. His warm and fuzzy Lonny is the emotional anchor that binds this story together and serves as the comic relief.
Then there's Tom Cruise as Stacee Jaxx, a resurrected Axl Rose type of rock God. Cruise nailed it and for me, the guy plays this role so dark and so sexy that I was left almost searching the iTunes store for Arsenal/Stacee Jaxx songs. It's such a departure for this Hollywood Marquee player, that I once again am amazed by Cruise and his brilliance when he throws something different at me. See: Tropic Thunder
The rest of the cast rounds it out quite nicely. While I enjoyed the performances of Julianne Hough and a somewhat unknown Diego Boneta, and Malin Ackerman and Catherine Zeta Jones, this one belonged to the big boys.
And the music.
The climactic finale, with the rock and roll anthem of today, Journey's "Don't Stop Believing" was predictable but nonetheless enjoyable. It somehow managed to sound fresh and uplifting, but for me it was Cruise who made it new.
Again, I'm just a sucker for a Rock and Roll story for all ages. So shoot me.
In last night's episode, they went all drama on us. I'm not saying it didn't work, I'm just saying it was strange.
In what I will call Drama #1, we get to learn a bit more about Kurt, (Chris Colfer), whose story line gets some major play. We learn that Kurt successfully plots to fix up his dad (Mike O'Malley) with Finn's mom (Romy Rosemont) so that he can become a "family" with his boyhood obsession, Finn (Coey Monteith). Kurt gets a derserved solo, "A House is not a Home", which is a sweet and soft ballad he sings to a visibly uncomfortable Finn. We also find out that while Kurt thinks he wants to merge the two families, he soon realizes that his father and Finn just may have more in common than he and his father, putting Kurt's own relationship with his father in jeopardy. Some of the best dramatic moments of last night come when O'Malley and Colfer are alone discussing that despite their differences, they still love and care for each other. And we believe them.
"Could you leave please? I am a half hour behind on my moisturizing routine and now I'll have to get up early, " was a priceless, gem of a line Kurt delivers to his father after their talk.
In Drama #2, Mercedes (Amber Riley) is told by Sue (Jane Lynch) that in order to stay on the Cheerios she must loose 10 pounds in a week. Mercedes is left to worry and wonder about whether or not it's all worth it. She nearly starves herself, and when Artie (Kevin McHale) and
Tina (Jenna Ushkowitz) express concern, Mercedes looses her cool and her vision, as they both begin to resemble junk food. She passes out, to wake up in the nurses office and Quinn (Diana Agron) is there to explain to Mercedes she knows exactly how she is feeling, as she has been there. The two share a nice bonding moment. Riley then delivers the performance of the show, and possibly the year? when she sets McKinley High and Sue Sylvester straight with her mind blowing rendition of "Beautiful". This girl got pipes and she knows how to use em'! I was almost on my feet at the end. Bravo on the message and the song. It doesn't get any better than this.
Drama #3 gives all us Kristen Chenoweth fans a healthy dose of her beautiful voice. Chenoweth returns as April Rhodes, a former schoolmate and paramour of Mr. Schuster (Matthew Morrison), who is owner/operator of a roller palace. What a delicious and prophetic setting, Rinky Dinks Roller Rink, for the alcohol abusing, shifty grifter that is April Rhodes. We also find out that April has a heart. April and Shue sing a duet to "Fire" that leaves me wanting more. Seriously, where has this sexy hunk of man been all my life? And Chenoweth and Morrison exhibit their smokin chemistry when April invites herself to Shue's house for a sleepover. In "One Less Bell to Answer" we feel sorry for both of these adults who find their lives are void of any real love. April end's up "full-time fancy" when her rich, married, boyfriend dies and his widow pays for her silence to the tune of two million $$!! She finds philanthropy and buys the auditorium for the Glee club, which she christens with a wonderful rendition of "Home" complete with an evening gown, Hollywood lighting and the Glee club as back-up. I hope we see more of April/Chenoweth and I would LOVE to see a Idina Menzel/Kristen Chenoweth reunion in the future. It would be so WICKED!!
The men in my household, who have no choice but to watch, dubbed this episode as "weak". I explained to them that a true Gleek does not care what Chenoweth sings, as long as we can listen to her sing and that it takes a great show to dig deep and pull out some emotional depth. I think it worked, but I may need to watch it again to be sure.
And no Lea Michelle solos? At all? This new alliance with the Devil, Jesse St James, is making me sick, as all episode they were like two dogs in heat. I hate them. But I was too mesmerized by the golden pipes of Chenoweth to really notice Michele's absence. I hope Finn bitch slaps St. James back into Vocal Adrenaline obscurity soon. Now that would be some good TV!
All in all, I'd have to say Glee was different last night.
It was about being different last night.
And about the different choices we are sometimes forced to make.
Attention Gleeks: I'm throwing down my Glee gauntlet, and making Wednesday's at the Daily Dandy about all things Glee. Maybe we will change some of my readers minds about TV's newest phenomenon, and possibly add some new devotees to the already millions of frustrated theatre geeks who are vicariously living their personal "moment in the spotlight" through this TV dramedy/musical genius.
In last night's episode, the most highly anticipated episode of this second season, McKinley High School is transformed by the music of Madonna.
Glee's Sue Sylvester, a hilarious Jane Lynch, resident villain and coach of the much decorated McKinley High cheer leading squad, "Cheerios" decides to channel her inner power through pop icon Madonna. She utilizes her blackmailing prowess with the school principal Figgins to infuse the high school with the power of Madonna. She demands that Madonna be played through the school PA system, at "earsplitting volume" continuously throughout the day. She unwittingly inspires her arch nemesis, Will Schuester, a super hot Matthew Morrison, head of her academic budget rival Glee Club, to tap into the power of the Material Girl.
Mr Shue, as he is known, stumbles into the gymnasium to catch the Cheerios as they rehearse a red hot dance number on stilts, to Ray of Light. Sue calls the performance "sloppy and sad" and screams through her mega phone that "somewhere Madonna is in a well appointed English country house, weeping". Some hilarious, obligatory comments about Mr. Shue's hair then send Shue on his way. Mr Shue, in turn, assigns Glee Club to come up with Madonna material to promote strength and power in a positive way.
The girls immediately take the reins first as they perform Express Yourself, which starts out in McKinley's choir room and morphs into a multi-colored, corseted version of Madge's original and ends up as a full on stage version. (was it me or did Quinn's baby belly disappear?) Our Glee heroine, Rachel, a supremely gifted, Lea Michelle, who the producer of the show called, "a once in a generation voice", and her romantic lead, Finn, hot newcomer Corey Monteith, then perform what is fast becoming a Glee signature, the "mash-up" of Madonna's Borderline/Open Your Heart. This is my favorite of the night, as it illustrates the youthful angst of their passion for each other and the obstacles their newly appointed love triangle is to face. Goose bumps kiddes. More on that later. I also think both Michelle and Monteith can pretty much write their own ticket right now when it comes to Hollywood. "Glee is hawt, Dog!"
In a surprise twist of turns, Shue finally makes a "wilding diss" on Sue's dikey doo in front of the kids and hits a nerve with the usually unshakable Sylvester. Moved by their social outcast status, Kurt,(Chris Kolfer) and Mercedes, (Amber Riley) approach the enemy and join forces to produce what will some day become TV history, the Glee Vogue video starring Sue as Madonna. The fast become "frenemies" and before you can say Benedict Arnold, Kurt and Mercedes are front and center, dressed as Cheerios at the assembly performance of Madge's 4 Minutes. Mercedes and Kurt explain to a flabbergasted Shue that since he is "always relegating them to second lead status" in the Glee club, they are now doing both Cheerios and Glee Club so that they too can soak up some spotlight.
Then in a WTF kind of moment, rival show choir leader, Jesse St. James (Jonathan Groff) shows up at McKinley and announces to the entire Glee club that he has quit Vocal Adrenaline, the New Direction's/Glee club's biggest competition in show choir competition, and moved into McKinley's district so he can now attend McKinley and prove his love to Rachel by joining Glee club.
And I'm pissed.
Even though this Jesse St. James is dreamily adorable, he is no Finn, and he is so obviously using our innocent but opportunistic Rachel. Needless to say, my face was contorted into a chagrin for the rest of the episode. The boy is most certainly up to no good and most certainly in cahoots with Vocal Adrenaline's director, a sneaky and sexy Idina Menzel. This story line is not over and the fight for Rachel's affections continue.
Rachel decides that sex is what she need to do to keep Jesse, as Finn is simultaneously seduced by Dakota, the resident ho, who advises Rachel to "never say no" like she does when Rachel inquires to the girls about what to do when your man gets pissy over stopping the romantic momentum. The pheromones must be wafting from the moths that reside in Shue's hair (inside joke) because innocent Emma Pillsbury (Jayma Mays), McKinley guidance councilor and love interest of our Mr. Shue, is inspired by her Madgesty's take charge reputation and announces that she is going to take charge of her virgin status and "do the nasty" with Shue.
The trio of virgins, Finn, Rachel and Emma then perform a seductive dance around the bed with their partners to Like A Virgin and out of the three, guess who goes through with it?
Does it always have to be the guy?
The nothing-ness Finn feels after only serves to confirm the fact that he would be better served actually liking his partner. The club rounds out the night with a group performance of Like a Prayer and always leaves me each episode, wanting more.
So here's a bit of what will become TV history, in case you missed it.
Last night Glee was brilliant, epic and just plain fabulously entertaining.
