Musical Friday - VideoSongs, An Educational Tour Through Music History

Hey Getsuyobi!  Just what is this crazy VideoSong thing I keep hearing about?

I'm glad you asked, Timmy.  A VideoSong is a form of music video that is posted on the "Inter-Web."  Artist Jack Conte is the one who pioneered the novel concept of actually singing and playing instruments in order to make music, something that has not been actively practiced in America since the late 60's.

Wowee!  That's educational!  So, what makes a VideoSong different from any other music video?

 Jack Conte defines a VideoSong by two main principles:

1. What you see is what you hear. (No lip-syncing for instruments or voice)
2. If you hear it, at some point you see it. (No hidden sounds)

So, throughout the video you'll see each instrument as it's contributing.  The end result is an exciting look at how real music is made.  Let's take a look at a VideoSong, so you can get a better idea.

Gee wiz.  This sure is different from all the music videos I see on TV.  I didn't see a single whore the whole video.  Are you allowed to make music videos without whores?

Well Timmy, I can't speak for these people personally; however, they certainly don't appear to be whores.  It's a common misconception by today's youth that all musicians either are themselves, or constantly associate with "ladies of questionable upbringing."  Historians have proven that this trend first began in prehistoric times with a musical group that called themselves Sonny & Cher.  Little is known about these prehistoric musicians, but our fossil-oligists believe that the one known as Cher lived to be thousands of years old before fading away into obscurity.

History is confusing.  My whole world is turning upside down.

Let's watch another!

So, people actually used to play music with instruments?  I thought music just came out of fast cars and explosions, then sexy people would sing around them.

Wow Timmy.  You really are a brainwashed little guy, aren't you.  No more MTV for you... in fact, no more TV altogether.

What's a TV?  I steal all of my entertainment from the web.

What the hell kind of child are you?!  Watch another video while I call your parents...

Okay, Timmy. I spoke with your Mother and she assured me that you are just an average America child.  I'm going to end our educational session for today and go drink.

Red Bull?

You're only eight years old!!!

I cut it with milk.

::facepalm::  I weep for the future.

Confessions of a Former Mafia Wars Addict

Why and how I finally left Mafia Wars:

If you’re on Facebook or MySpace, then you’re probably familiar with a little game called Mafia Wars. Or maybe you know one of its less violent sister games like Farmville, YoVille or Café World. Mafia Wars is a click game that was conceived by the diabolically brilliant minds at Zynga Games. It takes you through various jobs and fights and locations as you gain power in the underworld.

When I first started playing, it seemed like a fun way to kill a little time and have some fun with friends I don’t get to see often, but as time went on, I noticed my fun little game became less fun and more of a need. In my mafia, I was the player at the highest level and was one of its most powerful members. I was willing to do almost anything to stay that way, even if it meant playing several times a day, or worse, spending money so I can get reward points to get better loot and refresh my stats. What can I say? I never had a gaming console growing up and can't afford a game like World of Warcraft. (Seriously, this is a poor & lazy man's version of WoW)


So what made me finally say enough was enough? Easy. The game itself. Several months before I finally stopped, I woke up to the fact that I wasn’t enjoying the game as much, but I figured they were adding new features so it was bound to get better. Bangkok had been disappointing because, while it offered some new features, it was really expensive and took a long time to finish. Each time a new city was added I would jump on it, and I was really excited when they announced they were adding Las Vegas. It was supposed to be completely different from the previous cities. Zynga promised a completely different experience and in that sense, they delivered.



Las Vegas was a welcomed change. The images were gorgeous, the set up was different and for the first time in a long while, I was having fun with game again. At least I was until I got to the boss fights on the last level of each stage.

One of the goals of Mafia Wars is to work together with your friends to conquer the cities. It’s a great idea. It lets you socialize with your people and maybe make new friends. There are forums and groups dedicated to finding new members for your mafia. However, for someone like me, who didn’t want to go trolling the boards for strangers, Las Vegas became a huge problem. In the new version, when you got to level four of each level's final boss fight, if you didn’t have many people helping you, you couldn’t advance. There are tricks you can do to help yourself, but Zynga took that into account, and made those bosses regenerate health after a few minutes. So not only did you have to have people helping you, but you had to receive help immediately. Where’s the fun in that?



That’s what made me snap. Here I was, a reasonably powerful player, and I couldn’t finish the damn level because I didn’t have enough people to help me. Not to mention, in my desire to beat the stupid game, I went on a small spending binge to try and get more powerful. Nothing worked. I didn’t know what to do. I wasn’t happy in the game, but I couldn’t bring myself to quit; I'd spent three or four years building up my mafia. But I wanted to. I really did.

Then a tiny miracle appeared in the form of New York Comic Con. I tried to keep up with it, but I was so busy during the day and without my computer, then so exhausted at night, I just didn’t have the energy to play. It was a weird time. I felt the lure of the game. I wanted to play so badly, but I knew if I was ever going to quit, now was the time because I wasn’t going to be that busy any other time in the near future. So I stayed away.



The days after NYCC were the worst. I was going through Con and Mafia Wars withdrawal. It might sound odd talking about it like an addiction, but that’s what it felt like. I craved the game. Every time a friend requested help or sent me a gift, I wanted to respond, but I knew if I did, I’d be sucked back in. I tried playing a few of the other click games I liked to take the edge off, but that just made things worse. I started getting extra obsessive about them. Finally, after a couple of weeks, I hid all Mafia Wars posts from my wall. I told my friends I was slowly leaving the game, but I wanted to try and help out a few people before I went, as long as it was under supervision. I didn’t trust myself.



I never got around to helping anyone out, but recently, I felt like I could handle going back into the game to give out some of my loot. I’ll admit I fell off the wagon and played a little in Bangkok. I really did want to finish it, and it was gnawing at me, so I spent a few days finishing level one. I don't know why this was bothering me so much, but I didn't feel like I could completely leave the game unless I completed it. While I was playing, I started to feel those same obsessive twinges again and I didn’t like it. I could have easily just gone nuts again, but I didn't, and as soon as I finished level one I deleted my account. 


I would be lying if I said I didn't ever want to play again. I still do. I miss sending gifts to my friends and helping them out. I miss leveling and getting cool loot, but there are a lot of things I don't, such as having a very cluttered wall or cluttering up my non-playing friends' walls with help requests or feeling the pressure to complete the limited missions. But you know what I really don't miss? The pressure for keep leveling or finish the various cities as quickly as possible. The fact is the biggest feeling I felt when I deleted the account was relief. I felt like I could breathe a little easier, and I wouldn't trade that for anything. Now I just need to find a way to channel all that pent up "gaming" energy. Anyone want to get me a console? 

Opinion: What to Do When the Buffy Reboot Comes Out

Ever since it was announced that Warner Bros. was going to go ahead with their cockamamie plan for a Buffy reboot, the Whedonverse fans have been in an uproar. I am among them, and I have been trying to figure out what the best way to deal with this is. Many fans say to boycott the movie. That was my initial reaction, but as I gave it more thought and read more comments across the internet, an idea started to form.

We, as fans, have to decide if we are Whedon fans, Buffy fans, or both. The Whedon fans are those loyal to all things Whedon, while the Buffy fans care more about her than the man who brought her to life. If one is a Whedon fan then it makes sense to boycott the movie. It is absolutely ridiculous to make a movie without its creator, but it has been done before. A perfect example is the Nightmare on Elm Street franchise. Wes Craven created him, but he does not own Freddy Krueger, and this led to a lot of problems with most of the sequels. In fact, the sequels that are considered the best of the bunch are the ones Wes worked on, Dream Warriors and A New Nightmare. This is what we are trying to avoid with Buffy. We don't want a new movie that is going to suck so hard Warner Bros. starts clamoring for Joss to come and make a better Buffy movie to wipe away the taint of the second movie. While we would like a Joss made movie, I don't think he would do it. Joss has been screwed over so many times by the industry, I have a hard time believing he'd make a Buffy movie. Maybe in a decade or two, long after the comics have ceased to exist, the fans are going rabid, and an embarrassingly large amount of money is thrown his way.

We are all going to be monitoring the progress of the reboot. We will be critical of casting decisions, who the crew is, and most importantly, the story and how it's written, but ultimately, I think the movie will have to be seen. I do not believe it will be a good movie, but I have to wonder what if Whit Anderson pulls off a miracle and writes an amazing movie? What if she genuinely pays homage to Joss? As a Buffy fan, I think it would be terrible not to experience the movie if it is great, but if the movie is bad, there is no way I am putting down hard earned money for something that is pooping all over a 'verse I love. So, what to do?

I propose we send in designated viewers. We convince one or two of our friends to see the movie and then report back to us. If they deem the movie worthy, we go in droves to support it. If it's unworthy, we get to not only issue a GINORMOUS "I told you so" to anyone and everyone who will listen, including the execs who green-lit the project, but we will be able to explain exactly what was wrong with it, other than Joss' absence.

Warner Bros. does not understand just how intelligent and driven Whedon fans are. They think if it says "Buffy," we will put down money to see it, no matter what the quality is. Once again, they underestimate us. We are the fans who created such a demand for Firefly that it was released on DVD, we got Dollhouse a second season, and we are the ones who brought Serenity to the big screen. There would be no Buffy, Angel, Dr. Horrible, Firefly, or any of the various spin off comics without us. We have made the Whedonverse a lucrative one because we are fiercely loyal, but we will not settle for crap.

So please, don't out right boycott the movie if you are a Buffy fan, but do NOT give a lot of money to the movie until it has proven its worth. Show Warner Bros. they cannot take us and Joss Whedon for granted.

This is part of our ongoing "Buffy Movie" coverage. You can read our first post here.
To see what others are saying about this, check out Action Flick Chick's Reboot Reactions roundup here.

The Giveaway-Gasm ends with a missing trenchcoat and two winners!

So I had a very interesting Thanksgiving with a very interesting dinner guest......Rorschach!



While he was a little cranky about being bothered on his vacation, he was nice enough to pick the two lucky winners of the "Con in a Bag" giveaway! And the winners are.....

@calmond and @sarathelaundres

Congratulations to our lucky winners!! I am positive that the crowds will be better at your con!

Musical Friday: Black Friday Exhaustion Edition

While Thanksgiving is a national holiday, it really is only the pre-event to the true American holiday, Black Friday. We as a country glorify and/or despise this day in all its greatness. Join me as we celebrate it through song.

This is the best Black Friday video I could find. Jake Broder and John Keefe really bring the true meaning of the holiday into their rap.

2bitcomic.com put this Black Friday Customer Experience to life in this video. This rap battle is played by Brian King and an irate customer played by Jason Monroe.




Doesn't this get you into the shopping spirit? So what are you still doing here?! Go Shopping!!

Firebreather Premiere on Cartoon Network!

Have you read Firebreather yet? It is the classic tale of the outcast kid in high school, with the nerdy best friend, the girl he has a crush on, his overprotective Mom and his demon of a father. Not to mention his government escort...and the fact that he is part dragon. Trapped between worlds, he fights to just find a place to belong. Duncan has the makings of the classic hero in training with a daddy complex.

Courtesy of Cartoon Network

I had the pleasure of meeting creators Phil Hester and Andy Kuhn briefly at New York Comic Con after only reading the one-shot of "The Iron Saint". It was one of those moments where I completely ignored both of them and just went straight for the book, excited to see this character I had just begun to learn about. They were both so excited to meet me (still have no idea why) and they encouraged me to keep reading, so I just got the latest issue today so I can keep up with this amazing series. While talking with them, they both seemed super excited about this film and reaching a whole new audience. Unfortunately, I missed the premiere at NYCC (grrrr) but I have my second chance tonight (yay!) at 7pm EST, when it premieres on Cartoon Network! This is Cartoon Networks first CGI movie, and it looks great. (I'm not 100% sure but I think that Duncan looks too human but I am going to hold off on complaining until I see the movie.) Tune in tonight!

Assemble the troops, we have a demon to fight.

Courtesy of Active Dollhouse

When will movie execs learn not to mess with our favorite characters? While I understand that rebooting a story is cheaper than creating a new one, when it is done poorly, it just brings the whole saga down. Which is why I died a little this afternoon.

Today we learned that Warner Bros. will be rebooting Buffy the Vampire Slayer without Joss Whedon at the helm. More than a few things about this infuriate me, so here they are:

1 - This news is maddening since they say in the press release that:


"There is an active fan base eagerly awaiting this character’s return to the big screen."


As a member of this "active fan base", I just want to say this is not what I want. This is not what my fellow Buffy fans want. We want our slayer to be continued by her creator, Joss Whedon. This is the same person that is continuing the Buffy character right now in comics. Did they miss that?

Courtesy of Dark Horse Comics

2 - Speaking of Joss, what is this statement?


"Warner Bros. Pictures optioned the rights from creators Fran and Kaz Kuzui"


Am I missing something or didn't Joss Whedon create Buffy? They are producers. I will credit them with helping give BtVS a chance to be seen but they didn't create it. They paid for it. I paid for this computer but that doesn't mean that I can say I built it and Dell can go to hell.


3 - BtVS (the show) only ended in 2003. With most remakes happening decades after the end, why rush this? If you really care about the character's development, take the time to work on it. According to the LA Times, this could be out late 2011 or 2012. To work on having it out in 2012, the same time as Joss Whedon's Avengers, seems to be rushed. I wonder why?

Courtesy of 20th Century Fox

4 - To have this written by a complete newcomer also worries me. Whit Anderson has done nothing that I can find. Taking on rebooting a fairly recent story as a first project sounds like a daunting and overwhelming task. Most actors, writers and directors are often scared to reimagine beloved characters, lest bringing the wrath of the fans. As fans, we achieved Serenity from a TV show, Firefly, that was canceled almost immediately. We convinced Fox to give Dollhouse a chance to tell its story. When we have shown our passion for these characters, the industry has taken notice. I wish that Whit Anderson feels that fear and respect for us, for Joss and for this character. We all deserve it.

"Now, we can do this the hard way or... well, actually, there's just the hard way. "

Yes, I can admit, perhaps I am jumping the gun and getting a little too excited about this, but I grew up with Buffy, Xander and Willow. They were a year ahead of me in school. They dealt with things I feared before I did: the Prom, Graduation, College Roommates.... Right now, I feel like my fandom is being tarnished and I don't like it. We need to let Warner Bros. know that this is not what we want and they will have to do it without us and our $$.

Source: For those interested, here is a link to the full release on The Wrap.



*Update* Joss has spoken. As with every other time the industry has screwed him over, he has responded with humor, intelligence, and most importantly, class. For that, Joss, we love you all the more.

The Walking Dead on AMC: Midseason Thoughts

We’re now halfway through the first season, so I decided to revisit the comics and see what the show was doing differently and how they were staying the true to the comics. 

The biggest difference is the addition of people. In the comics, the original camp group was much smaller. I like how they incorporated the new people into the show, such as lines that Rick might have said in the comic are now designated to one of the newbies. The additional people also add a heightened sense of drama. In the comics, other than some petty issues, everyone seemed to get along, while in the show, there are more diverse personalities, which leads to more tension among the survivors. Yeah, I’m referring to Merle.

Speaking of Merle, I can’t wait to see what the writers have planned for him. He’s a loon but you can’t deny how disturbingly mesmerizing he is. Unless he dies really soon, he’s a character who’s going to go off the deep end, but will wreck a lot of havoc before he goes. Hell, even if he dies soon, he’s going to cause trouble. It would be a shame if he didn’t. But I am hoping he sticks around for a little while.

Right now, the show is in the thick of the first trade paperback. Rick’s made his way to Atlanta, and joined up with the others. I’m not sure how much longer the show can keep them at their current location, but I can see it going on for a few more episodes if they wanted to, and that leads me to my biggest complaint about the show diverging from the comic: Shane’s relationship with Lori.

Here’s where it gets a little spoilery, folks. This is the one storyline that has me concerned. In the comic, Lori seeks comfort with Shane for ONE night. ONE. Later on, she says it was a big mistake. In the show, it appears as though the relationship is ongoing. She might have still been doing it for comfort but damn! Girlfriend was enjoying the hell out of it. This was more than just comfort. This was a full on affair, complete with sneaking around, ending only because Rick came along. Since there’s speculation as to whether Shane’s fate will be the same as in the comics, I worry this affair could lead to something a little too soap opera-ish. Sometimes, nipping a problem like this in the bud frees up the characters, so they can develop in new ways. That’s my hope. I hope we don’t have to deal with this for more than a few more episodes, and we can move on to all the other developments that occur in the story.

Courtesy of AMC

My other concern is Shane, himself. I’m all for switching things up and keeping him around for a while, but if the writers don’t stick with his original story, I’m going to be so pissed. Shane’s arc is such a defining event and so important to the development of other characters, that it would be a disservice to the fans to alter it too much.

Now, if I may geek out for a minute and say, “Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god! I love this show!” I can barely watch horror movies anymore because my overactive imagination gets the best of me, but not only am I watching this (during the daylight hours), I’m re-watching it. I am so stoked about it getting a second season pick up. If the show can maintain the level of quality it’s established for itself, it will go on for a long, long time.

What are your thoughts on the show so far? What do you think of Shane and Lori? Do you like the changes or hate them? Who wants more Merle?

Musical Friday - Potter-Mania!!!

The Deathly Hallows Part 1 is out today! Yay! So naturally, I had to find the oddest yet most popular Harry Potter videos floating around.

Harry Potter (Before We Say Goodbye)



Parodying Train's "Hey Soul Sister," JamesAtWar has a great voice, and knows how to tug at one's heartstrings. The lyrics are great and the kids are just too darn cute! It's a really sweet ode to Harry Potter.

Harry Potter in the Hood w/Kamen Edwards



I'll be honest, I have no idea what to say about this one. I couldn't stop laughing, and I noticed Kamen seems to be wearing a lot of makeup. Harry gettin' gangsta' - 'Nuff said.

The Harry Potter Rap



An oldie but a messed up goodie. Ever notice how a lot of the parodies talk about Harry hooking up with ALL the ladies? Except for our final video...

Harry Potter Rap! - Flo Rida/Guetta Parody



I have to thank The Girly Nerds for introducing me to this. I think this might be my favorite of the bunch. I love this song and it's just so much fun!

And there you have it! Who else is excited about The Deathly Hallows? Who's seeing it this weekend? You know even Dementors couldn't keep the IGH team from seeing it. Let's us know what you think!

Review: Serenity: The Shepherd's Tale

Finally released (after years of impatient waiting) is The Shepherd's Tale by Joss and Zack Whedon. This story answers the questions of the mysterious Shepherd Book, such as how does a preacher shoot a kneecap so well?

Minor Spoilers Ahead!!!!

The story starts on Haven, the planet community that Book starts after he leaves Serenity (the ship). We actually are watching the very scene from the movie where Haven is destroyed, which is kind of depressing but does fill in some interesting backstory. Here is where we get my favorite quote of the book, from the good Shepherd himself:

"Well, if you look at your life as a chain of events, each responsible for the next and caused by the last, where does any story begin?"

As the scene continues and the fight begins, Shepard Book begins to flash back on his life and we jump back in time a few years to Book living on Serenity (the ship), observing the crew we all know and love. We see them through Book's eyes, as he observes them in their daily scraps, such as Jayne being Jayne or Mal fighting with a arms dealer. We can see the sadness in Book's eyes when he goes to his quarters to pray. As he prays for the crew, we jump backwards again to the Abbey he lived in before joining the Serenity. And back and back we go through his life, learning about how that man got to be our Shepherd Book.

This is a powerful story that really tries to explore what makes a man choose a path and how he lives with that choice. I, along with many Browncoats, did predict some of his past but Joss and Zack threw in a few twists that shocked and surprised me. I like surprises. Best of all, this helps to sum up a mystery left hanging for the past few years. I particularly like the one scene when Book really begins to see how the whole universe is connected and how everything depends on each other.

This "tale" was written by Joss and Zack Whedon, with the art of Chris Samnee. The brothers came together to write this, with Joss penning the outline of the story and Zack taking it from there. This has a strong resemblance to the show and really supports this character. I have read that the timeline in the book doesn't exactly match up to the show but in my opinion, it doesn't hurt the story at all. The art takes some time to get used to. At first, it did bother me because it seemed so dark and shaded, but once I began to see the whole book as a memory, it began to feel more comfortable. The story made the art work.

This is the third Firefly/Serenity comic from Dark Horse Comics and they have hinted that there will be more to come. If you haven't gotten it, go already and pick it up!!! This is a great story that everyone (especially Browncoats) should read. It would even make a great TV show...... :(

Giveaway-Gasm!

Can you believe it's November already? As the 2010 Con year comes to a close, do you feel that you missed out? Well no worries, we have the "Con Experience" for you. At New York Comic Con, we got so much stuff that we created the ultimate NYCC gift bag, including everything and anything you might have picked up. Free comics? Check. Random Flyers? Check. T-shirt with weird advertising? Check. Pins? Big Check. That's not all! There is even more fun and randomness in the bag! Oh, did I say bag? I meant bags, because we have TWO to give away!!!

To enter, tweet the magic phrase
"I want my "Con in a Bag" from @IGHInsider!"

Don't have twitter? Email us at insertgeekhere@gmail.com.

You have until November 24!!! Enter now!!

An Android G2, Windows Phone 7 & iPhone 4 Get Into a Grilling Contest...

Sound like the beginning of a bad joke, right? Think again! It happened and we have it here for you! Sites like Mashable and Engadget have been talking about, it's one of the hot videos circulating the web, so naturally, we had to bring it to you. Enjoy!

Musical Friday - Literal Version

Good afternoon gentle readers! (Picture me sitting in an armchair wearing a smoking jacket) Today we tackle the literal video. Many recording artists put out videos that help enhance the theme of their songs, while others take a more creative approach, and give us more... unique, conceptual videos. Some of these videos are hard to understand or just make no sense. This is what happens when fans get tired of the confusion and take matters into their own hands.

Take On Me - A-Ha

Said to be the literal video that ignited the genre, created by DustoMcNeato, who has been making literal videos since 2008. He has some of the most entertaining videos out there. You can check them out here.

Love is a Battlefield - Pat Benatar

Dascottjr is another master of literal videos. Always entertaining and this one features on of the best literal choreographed dance scenes. Smiles are guaranteed!

Total Eclipse of the Heart - Bonnie Tyler

By far, the best literal video I've come across. This is my all-time favorite. It's so good it's a 2010 Webby Award Honoree, TIME's #6 Top Viral Video of 2009, and TIME's #18 Top YouTube Video!!! 

Not all literal videos are created from 80's songs; they just seem like the most fun. Seriously, what was going on in the 80's? Those videos are crazy! We'll probably revisit this theme with vids from the 90's, another decade filled with awesome "wtf?" videos. Until then, I leave you with one of the cutest, semi-literal videos I found.

Laundry Day - Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog

Glee: The Rocky Horror Glee Show

The most recent episode of Glee was the highly anticipated, much hyped Rocky Horror Glee Show, featuring the music of, you guessed it, The Rocky Horror Picture Show. I, along with several of my friends, felt this would either be one of Glee's best episodes or one of its worst. It saddens me to say, while this wasn't their worst, it certainly wasn't their best.

The problem with the Rocky Horror episode wasn't in the concept; it was in the execution. The general premise of the episode is Will Schuester decides to have the glee club perform Rocky Horror as a way to get closer to Emma Pillsbury, the lovely ginger-headed guidance counselor Will desperately wants but cannot have. That's the whole plot. There are two minor storylines involving Sue trying to win a local Emmy and Finn dealing with body image issues, but they're mostly swept aside so we can hear RPHS music and watch Will try to woo Emma.

I think it's great that the show was trying to have a more adult-centric episode, but it was done at the expense of the glee club, and it felt like there was a lot of wasted potential. Finn and Sam's storyline about how they look could have been a really great opportunity for the show. We all know about females and their body issues but no one really talks about what the guys go through. Men have the same insecurities women do, and while it was handled well, not enough was done with it. I would have preferred it if they had two separate episodes - one dealing with the Will, Emma, and Carl love triangle and the other dealing with the stress of putting on the show and Sue's interactions with the club.

The Good -

The opening featuring Naya Rivera singing Science Fiction, Double Feature was perfect. She sounded great and it was a good way to let the world know Glee meant business. I also liked the listing of who was starring in the show. It reminded me of classic movies.

Lauren Potter as Becky Johnson, the cheerleader with Down's Syndrome, who looks up to Will, uttering one of the best lines of the episode, "Give me some chocolate or I will cut you." Priceless.

Cory Monteith handled his story with vulnerability and honesty, without coming across as cheesy or melodramatic. While I'm not always happy with Finn's development, I am increasing impressed by Cory's growth as an actor. *Side note - I heard some people were surprised that Finn would become the "poster boy" for male insecurities but I think it makes perfect sense. Of all the characters, he was the obvious choice. Sam, Mike, & Puck are ripped, Kurt's proud and comfortable with who he is, and they're not going to give Artie, the guy in the wheelchair, any more issues than he already has at this point. That leaves us with Finn. He also has a different body type than the other guys, so it's easier to work with that. That said, anyone else notice Cory's been working out? Compare his shower scene in the first season to his walk down the hall in this episode - see the difference? I'm not judging. I'm just pointing it out.

The look on Lea Michele's face when she fake faints during "Sweet Transvestite" is hilarious. She needs to be allowed to do more physical comedy. I have a feeling there's some untapped potential there.

Mike Chang wanting to play Dr. Frank-N-Furter was great. I would have liked to see him at least try before his parents yanked him out. I really like that they are slowly developing him, and I hope one day, we can hear him sing for real.

Jane Lynch was on fire. There are too many great lines to choose a favorite, and YAY! Sue's Corner is back! For those of us missing out Sue fix, this was just what was needed. By the way, I want to learn how to carve like Sue. She's a master.

The Bad

"Sweet Transvestite" - I couldn't stand it. Amber Riley sounded amazing. The rich, powerful tones that have been missing from some of her other songs, were back in full force, but she was practically yelling for most of the song. I don't know if this interpretation was her decision or the Powers That Be, but it was way too much. It sucks because I think if the song was taken in another direction, she could have had something spectacular. Then again, the other option was John Stamos, and after hearing his version, I'm really glad they went with Amber.

Lea Michele - I hated Rachel's acting in the show. The character of Janet is a silly, cheesy character, but Rachel took it to a whole other level, and I don't even find it all that believable. Rachel Berry has been in performing arts classes since forever. I don't think she would be that awful. It was if she had never acted before, and was trying to be Susan Sarandon. Rachel Berry would take a role, base it off of the actor who originated the role and then turn it into her own thing. She would not suck like this.

Underutilizing everyone except the adults. I liked a lot of what came out of it but come on, we're not watching the show for the grown ups. I would've liked to see more of the glee club.

The Wha???

Barry Bostwick and Meat Loaf Aday - The original Brad and Eddie came in for a cameo, but what was that about? Their presence made no sense, other than convincing Sue she needs a local Emmy. Yes, Africanized Mexican terrorists do cause me concern, but mostly I watched them and scratched my head. This was another example of not using the talent properly.

Emma singing "Touch-a-Touch-a-Touch-Me" to Will was yet another example of Glee using a song in a weird manner. Just like Rachel singing "Poker Face" was not the best song to be sung with her long-lost mother, this was just out of place and highly sexualized. I know they wanted to demonstrate the heat between Will and Emma but stripping him in a classroom was really messed up, considering their positions in the school (if they want to strip Matt Morrison any other time, I most certainly won't not object). It was also a little creepy having Brittnay and Santana watching all of it.

Changing the lyrics to the songs. Seriously, what the bleepity bleep? Mercedes can't say "Transexual, Transylvania"? What about how they tried to sanitize "Touch-a-Touch-a-Touch-Me"? I understand some things needed to be toned down but did they need to make it laughably horrible? Also, considering that Emma sang the song to Will, it really didn't need to be changed as much since it was between two adults... I'm just saying.

This episode was a hot mess. Other than "Sweet Transvestite" and the lyrical changes, the music was pretty good. Almost everyone got to sing and sounded great. Everyone looked amazing. If only the plot had been better... I think Glee needs to stop doing themed episodes and get back to simply telling a story. Maybe then they'll be able to recapture some of their former magic. The soundtrack for the episode is available on iTunes. What did you think? Awesome ep. or hot mess? Tweet us or let a comment. Toodle-oo until we meet again!

Megamind in IMAX 3D

This past Thursday, @Wilderowens and I were able to attend an advanced press screening, courtesy of 43KIXNYC, of DreamWorks Animation's Megamind in IMAX 3D. We were both very excited because we had heard good things about it, it was an advanced screening (always a treat), and perhaps, most importantly, free.

We got to the movie theater with plenty of time to spare, picked up our tickets, and headed to the top to claim our seats. We bonded with a very nice woman, in the bathroom, over the stall doors having large holes in them (ick!), headed into the theater, snagged a couple of very good seats and watched as people came pouring in with their kids, who were lucky enough to get a Megamind prize pack.

Around showtime, a gentleman from IMAX comes out and announces the 3D projector broke (this is a rarity), so while we were waiting for them to get the movie set up in 2D, we were more than welcomed to go to the concessions and get FREE MOVIE SNACKS!!! Naturally, we took advantage of this. About ten minutes later, everything was ready to go, and the movie began.

@Wysefyre's Review

Megamind is a movie the kids will love. It's visually stunning. The animation is amazing. The cast is great. Will Ferrell does a bang up job of bringing Megamind to life. Brad Pitt was perfect as Metro Man. Tina Fey was good but I don't feel like she was able to really flex her acting chops. It's not her fault. It's just how her character was written. The one who surprised me was Jonah Hill. I'm not a big fan of his. Occasionally, he's funny but he reminds me of a one-trick pony, yet in his role of Titan, I liked him. Titan is an obnoxious character and Jonah was spot on, but he also managed to add a little depth to the character. I could hear the pain Titan felt when he was rejected multiple times in the movie.

It's not a very deep story. It has a good message that I think kids will understand, and there's just enough maturity in the writing so adults won't want to gouge their eyes balls out while watching it. There are even some fun pop culture references in it, but hands down, my favorite part of the movie was the soundtrack, particularly at the end. We're talking quality classic rock, the kind that makes you want to start rocking out. Overall, it's a solid movie. I enjoyed it and will probably see it again, once it comes out on DVD.... unless someone wants to give me another pass to see it in 3D, then I'll meet you at the theater.

@Wilderowens' Review

Megamind is made for the kids but not for the adults. I actually got bored during the middle of the movie. I did feel that the movie tried to add in something for the parents but they fell short in keeping it interested for all ages. The jokes were good for the kids but not great for the adults. I did enjoy the beginning sequence of how Megamind grew up, but I grew disconnected with the story. I feel that they got so close with the story but fell short of reaching Shrek-like greatness. (For some reason, I was totally comparing this to the first Shrek, the first animated movie I have really liked since my childhood.) Perhaps I demand too much of a children's movie though.

However, this was visually stunning. That alone made the experience enjoyable. The way that animation has grown over the years is astounding. When Tina Fey's character is on top of a building and her hair is blowing in the wind, it looked like real hair. I mean, actually filmed on camera from a living person hair. The details in the animation made it so amazing. Megamind had some depth in his eyes, they weren't just cartoon eyes. Metro Man's beard had so many colors and textures that I truly commend the animators for creating some of the best and realistic animation I have ever seen.

Overall, I might watch it on a rainy Sunday when I can't reach the remote. I would totally recommend this for any child between the ages of 5 - 13 because they will love it.

Private Practice: Did You Hear What Happened to Charlotte King?

I view Private Practice as one of my guilty pleasures, and not a show I go on and on about, but seeing as how I'm still having a physical reaction several hours after seeing Thursday night's episode, it deserves to be discussed. I'll try to keep the spoilers to a minimum but some are necessary.

Private Practice is one of those shows that never burst out onto the television landscape like Grey's Anatomy or Desperate Housewives. In fact, it came out around the time of the writer's strike in 2007 and that's one of the main reasons it was given a second season. It's a spin-off of Grey's with Kate Walsh's Addison Montgomery being the character we knew and took us to California, where Addison began a brand new life. It has a wonderful cast with people such as Amy Brenneman, Tim Daly, Audra McDonald, and Taye Diggs, but while it was much hyped, and initially attracted a respectable viewership, it was not critically received. There were a lot of problems with it. If I didn't know how talented the cast was, I would have given up on it that first season, but I stuck with it, and I am so glad I did.

The show has gotten progressively better with each season. Everyone got more comfortable in their roles, characters were better developed, the writing seriously improved, and while the show still has its over the top, cheesy, schmaltzy moments, it's finally starting to achieve the same kind of quality Grey's initially had. So, let's talk this week's episode.

This week deals with the initial aftermath of the assault and rape of Dr. Charlotte King, played by the indomitable KaDee Strickland, and how everyone reacts to it. Charlotte is discovered by fellow doctor, Pete Wilder, who immediately takes care of her, while getting her much needed privacy. Charlotte is Chief of Staff at the hospital, so naturally news traveled fast. In one of the few moments Charlotte has alone, she calls Addison, and eventually, her rape is revealed. No one but Addison knows this. With all of that going on, Charlotte also has to deal with the reactions all of her friends are having, as well as how her fiance, Cooper, is freaking out. Throughout this entire ordeal, Charlotte is the strong one. She's taking care of Cooper, she wants to draft a memo to the the hospital letting them know everything's okay, she's offering to take another doctor to a Narcotics Anonymous meeting - she's the one. She's in agony but when she leaves the hospital, you better believe she's walking out on her own two feet.

Words don't describe how powerful an episode this is. It features one of the most realistic depictions of rape I have ever seen (and I still have problems watching Buffy's Seeing Red) as well as showing the various emotions that the family and friends go through when something like this happens. A lot of people forget that when a violent crime happens to one person, everyone is that person's circle is seriously affected too. From Addison's confliction on keeping Charlotte's secret to Sam not being sure of the proper etiquette for these things because it was four in the morning and he had a surgery later that day, but he knew she was okay (so to speak) to Violet not wanting to go into Charlotte's room because it brought back horrific memories and to poor Cooper, who felt so helpless because he wasn't there to protect his woman, these are all legitimate reactions, and because everyone brought their A game, it was something you wanted to turn away from but was so captivating, you couldn't.

Speaking of bringing their A game, KaDee Strickland was a sight to behold, and I'm not talking about how battered and bruised she looked, which was considerable. The character of Charlotte King is a strong, tough as nails person, so to see her reduced to such a vulnerable state is shocking. KaDee gives a fearless performance as she manages to keep Charlotte's strength, while showing us how hurt and angry and vulnerable she now feels. At times, she looks like a wounded animal, like if she could, she'd attack. At one point, Cooper tries to tell her she doesn't need to deal with hospital issues because she's the victim; her response is throwing a cup of water at him and declaring the wedding off if he ever calls her that again. That's the essence of Charlotte King; no matter how bad it gets, she is a fighter and woe to anyone who tries to make her feel weak. This is what KaDee manages to capture perfectly while infusing her with so many layers, making Charlotte one of the most interesting characters on TV right now.

I'd be remiss if I didn't mention Nicholas Brendon, playing a mentally ill man, who is also Charlotte's rapist. I love Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Xander has always been one of my favorite characters so it was tough seeing "Xander Harris" go crazy and get violent, but kudos are in order, because I was so disturbed by Nicholas' performance, I quickly stopped seeing him as Xander. Since the end of Buffy, Nicholas has acted in a few things but other than a recurring role on Criminal Minds, he hasn't had the kind of success some of his fellow Whedon alums have, like Alyson Hannigan and David Boreanaz. I'm willing to bet some of it is due to type casting as well as the personal demons Nicholas has had to deal with, but no more! If this role doesn't get him more roles, I will be shocked. He scared the crap out of me, and almost made me wish it was Xander who had gone evil instead of Willow. He became that guy you cross to the other side of the street to avoid. Outstanding performance. I heard he was tapped for only three episodes but I'm hoping it will be dragged out a little longer so we can see more of him.

There are some shows we all enjoy but never expect them to win awards or receive critical acclaim; they're the shows we watch for pure fun. I always categorized Private Practice as one of them until last night. I never expected to feel like vomiting after an episode. I thought maybe some tears but certainly not that visceral a reaction. This is one of those episodes that people should be talking about and I can't wait to see how the rest of it plays out.

If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, you don't have to go it alone. Get help from RAINN.

Glee: Duets

Contains Spoilers!

"Duets" felt like a return to the Glee of old. Puck gets thrown into juvie and the club needs a new member. Enter Sam Evans played by newcomer, Chord Overstreet, and yes, that is his real name. Sam had been introduced in the season premiere. He'd expressed interest in joining but chickened out at the last moment. I guess he finally found some courage. This week's lesson is duets and Mr. Shue decides to make things interesting by having a competition. Best duet gets dinner for two at....wait for it....Breadstix!!! Of course, everyone is excited and ready to get started. 

Here's where things get interesting. Rachel decides for the good of the team that Sam needs to win the competition and decides to throw it. Kurt's trying to determine if Sam is gay or not, makes Sam a little uncomfortable with his inquiries, yet manages to convince Sam to be his partner, while Finn tries to convince Sam and Kurt that it's a terrible idea. 

At this point, everything is still pretty light but Finn raises a very interesting point. He feels that if Sam sings with Kurt it will destroy his reputation. Finn appears to come off as homophobic but as he tries to explain to Sam, it's not about being homophobic; it's about surviving high school. I think that is what this season is going to be about: surviving high school while being your authentic self. 

Anyway, Sam is still willing to sing with Kurt because he gave his word (tres honorable) but Kurt, after having a chat with his dad, the amazing Mike O'Malley, about coming on too strong and having to walk alone for a while, lets Sam off the hook. Sam goes on to sing with Quinn and Kurt is left to sing alone.

The duets themselves are pretty entertaining. Rachel and Finn originally planned a really cute version of "Don't Go Breaking My Heart" but in an effort to throw the competition, sang Billy Preston's "With You, I'm Born Again." You have to watch it to know why it was so perfectly awful. Quinn and Sam sing Jason Mraz and Colby Caillat's "Lucky." Those two have great chemistry and it's going to be fun to see how their relationship develops. Mercedes and Santana destroy Tina Turner's "River Deep, Mountain High." Amazing doesn't come close to describing how well their voices go together and Kurt shows everyone how to do a duet with only one person with "Le Jazz Hot." But the most entertaining performance of the evening was Tina and Mike Chang singing "Sing!" It was the perfect song to introduce Mike's singing to the world... well, sort of.

The song that was the most appropriate for the show's theme was the final duet between Kurt and Rachel. They did a mash up of "Happy Days Are Here Again/Get Happy." Rachel, dressed in an outfit reminiscent of Barbara Streisand and Kurt, in a gorgeous silver suit complete with bowtie, not only sound amazing but together encapsulate the episode's message: two voices, both unique and wonderful on their own, are made stronger and more beautiful together.

Memorable Moments -

Brittany saying Puck "might be the dumbest person on this planet and that's coming from me."

Santana and Mercedes, after their song, declaring "We's be going to Breadstix."

"Sweet lady kisses" between Santana and Brittany in Brittnay’s room.

Brittany finally getting to show emotion when Artie calls her out for so callously taking his V-card.

Rachel telling Kurt, “Look, I know you’re lonely, but you’re not alone.”

This is when Glee is at its best. It's light-hearted, fun, advances the storylines, has a deeper underlying message, and is filled with fantastically sung songs. If all episodes were like this, Glee would run on the air for years. Unfortunately, as we'll see with the next episode, that is not necessarily the case. Until next time...