Dork and Knives.

Last Thursday, I girl powered up and scored what may be my sweetest interview of my precious little journalistic life. In every sense of the vague word.

With the help of my future-pro-producer-in-the-making friend, Vanessa (and some really awesome reps at Universal Pictures), I managed to get a five-minute on-camera interview with Scott Pilgrim's not-so-evil ex, Knives Chau! At a press junket! At a suite in the Hazelton Hotel! In a room next to Edgar Wright! Yeah, I'm still fangirling out.

Scarborough actress - and Ryerson RTA alum! -  Ellen Wong plays the kick-ass high schooler/Ramona Flowers hater in the best movie you haven't seen: Scott Pilgrim vs. The World. Oh,  and she's also a straight-up sweetheart.  If I was a 23-year-old Toronto straight-boy hipster, I might say I was in lesbians with her.

Check out my  piece on Ellen (and the film's DVD release) on the Ryersonian TV website - and spread the SP love.

P.S. - Wanna see the full,  uncut interview? Look for it on RBN tomorrow!

Mood Music: "Garbage Truck" by Sex Bob-Omb

Let's do the Monster Nash.

 

BLOODY brill.

Mood Music: "Skeleton Song" - Kate Nash

The Were with all...

 

The rags have really been fang-girling out about Sookie and Bill's (er, Anna Paquin and Stephen Moyer's) wedding recently. While I'm happy for the adorable vamp-girl duo, I can't stop thinking about Sookie's other otherworldly options. No, I'm not talking about Eric. Or any beautiful bloodsucker for that matter.To terribly paraphrase Shakira, there's a he-wolf on my conscious.

Recently, I've had my eye on True Blood's hunk of burning-ab-love that is Alcide Herveaux. I'm usually not one to run with the were-kind, but doggone it, I can't help myself this time. For one thing, unlike a certain unlikeable lycan we all know, Alcide isn't some annoyingly smiley jailbait lap dog of a dude. He's a man. Well, part-man, part-wolf. But that part that's man is ALL MAN.

But I regress, er, digress. The point is, while I love me some strictly Bill-Sook action in real-life, I think Miss Stackhouse oughta keep tabs on Alcide and his perfect bod. Sources have confirmed that the actor who plays the newest edition to Bon Temps' ever-growing supernatural society, Joe Manganiello, will be a regular come next season.  And according to this new TB preview, Alcide will make an appearance in next week's finale!

Move over Bill (and Eric - if he makes it through this season without disappearing into the Fangtasia concrete) -  looks like this he-wolf's here to stay! 

Mood Music: "Doctor Jones" by Aqua

Bear Jew/Not even half a Jew.

 

I lost my Ray Bans getting thisclose to Hostel/Hostel II director Eli Roth last night. Needless to say, my mom was extremely proud.

Mood Music: "O Katrina!" by The Black Lips

Carry me away!

 

 Photo: This ballin' website

BREAKER HIGH IS NOW AIRING EVERY AFTERNOON OUTTV. My PVR is already OD'ing on nostalgia. And Day-Glo backdrops.

All I can say is - na, na, na, hey, hey! And Student Bodies better be next. 

Mood Music: "Teenage Dream" by Katy Perry

She's a Lady.

Last Monday, this Little Monster headed downtown for her second trip to the Monster Ball. She was so happy about it she could have died and gone disco heaven. So she did. Here is the photographic evidence.

Needless to say, she's still speechless.

Mood Music: "Summerboy" by Lady Gaga

Show me dance hall days, love.

+

= 

I think I've finally found the formula for the ultimate summer jam.  CAN'T. STOP. DANCING. AROUND. MY. ROOM. AWKWARDLY.

Mood Music:  "The Reeling" by Passion Pit

Team Edward (Sharpe)...

 

I am obsessed with the Cyrus trailer.

Okay not really. Although the movie looks pretty sweet (I've loved me some awkward moments with John C. Reilly since Boogie Nights), it's song at the end of it's ad is what's really hooked me. It's this catchy semi-country, semi-folk, semi-theatrical ditty called "Home" by Edward Sharpe and The Magnetic Zeros. It's basically less rockin' version of my personal White Stripes fave (behind, "Ball and Biscuit"), the weirdly wonderful "Rag and Bone."

Let's hope the movie is as awesome as this track is. And if it's not, keep your fingers crossed for The Kids Are Alright. I need me a good indie dramedy. And it wins serious points for using Vampire Weekend's "Cousins" and  Madness' "Our House" in it's trailer...

Mood Music: "Blowin' Me Up (With Her Love)" by JC Chasez

Hot like Mexico. Rejoice.

 

Gaga does it AGAIN. This time with gay latex-covered soldiers with mushroom cuts. 

Mood Music: "Speechless" by Lady Gaga

If Wallflowers could talk...

 

According to TheWrap, Stephen Chbosky is making my favourite book of all-time, The Perks of Being a Wallflower into a movie. Wait. It gets worse...

Word on the shitty adaptation street is they're getting Emma Watson to play Sam. And this lame-o to play my favourite shy guy (or me-in-boy-version), Charlie.

I feel so...NOT infinite. I think I'm gonna go listen to "Asleep" and cry into my book now.

Mood Music: "Scarborough Fair" by Simon & Garfunkel

My So-Called Family Life...

"Parenthood is like Modern Family but not funny." - my 10-year-old brother, Joe

Photo: TheWrap

Joe's right. My favourite new drama is quite a lot like my favourite new comedy.  But it's also a bit of every other family drama I have loved over the years. Namely, My So-called Life, which creator Jason Katims also worked on. In fact, he wrote my favourite episode of MSCL, "Life of Brian", so clearly, he just knows awesome.

Whereas MSCL focused in on one family (the Chases), which centered around introspective teen, Angela Chase (or, as I like to call her, me, with Crimson Glow), Parenthood brings you the stories of several families within one big family.  There's the parents (or grandparents I suppose), their four kids (Lauren Graham, Peter Krause, Erika Christensen and the surprisingly awesome Dax Sheppard) and their kids. We get a peek at each family's unique lives and problems each week. So yes, like Modern Family, but without Al Bundy.

My whole (immediate) family is in love with this show and it's not hard to see why. It deals with real problems in a touching, relatable way. I've recommended it to several people my age and they all say the same thing, "Why would I watch that? It doesn't relate to me at all." But, you don't have to be a parent to get into the show (obviously, I'm not).

If you've ever had to deal with a parent, a sibling, a cousin or an in-law, you can identify with at least one of the story lines in the show. And if you can't, for some reason, then who cares? I mean, who always wants to watch something you know all about. Why do you think people watch fantasy movies and programs? Cause they want to explore something outside their daily lives. Think about it. No one really knows about being stranded on a hellish island and having to fight against the Others, but they still love Lost.

And hey, if my little brother can get into it, so can you.

Mood Music: "Picture to Burn" by Taylor Swift 

Going blog wild...

 

I know I've been pretty much MIA on the blog front but I've got a pretty good reason. I've been setting up a new blog with a fellow BJ gal (That's what they call us, Bachelor of Journalism students. I know. I'm still laughing about it).

The site is called Cinefilles (I betcha can't figure out who came up with that ridiculous name...) and it's an all-girl film blog featuring film reviews, DVD reviews and assorted columns (my personal favourite, which starts Monday, is Terribly Awesome - a weekly entry dedicated to celebrating a flick that is off the charts on the guilty pleasure quotient). We just launched the site this week and have several pieces up. Feel free to check em' out and let me know what you think!

P.S. - Just to clarify - I'm not deserting this blog. I just won't be posting quite as frequently. But you can always keep up with my goings on by checking out the (The Write Stuff) sidebar.

Her Madge-jesty...

(We know who wears the pants in New Directions.)

Photo: Glee Images

Tonight the all-Madonna ep of Glee ("The Power of Madonna") finally airs on FOX. I don't know about you, but I am one overexcited diva lover.

I have worshiped Madge pretty much since birth. I have seen her in concert two times - and The Immaculate Collection collection is the soundtrack to pretty much every sorta-long-distance drive I take.  I even wrote an essay on the holy grail of girl pop for one of my classes this semester.

In my paper, I spoke about three songs (all of which are getting the Glee treatment tonight!) - "Like a Virgin", "Express Yourself" and "What It Feels Like For a Girl" - and how they exemplify her gender-bending persona. "The Power of Madonna", on the other hand, has Mr. Shue teaching the Glee boys the important and strength of the group's girls - via The Queen of Pop's sass-tastic songbook. I guess great minds really do think alike.

I've attached a sample of my extremely fangirly essay below. The section covers the gender confused portrayal of her hit, "Express Yourself"from her Blond Ambition Tour. I figured it would only be suiting (there's a pun there, wait) because the girls will be adopting Madge's corset-pantsuit combo from the tour tonight (see above).

Let me know what you think! (Of the episode and my essay.)

Kick me, Kate...

I am the worst Kate Nash fan around.

First off, until this afternoon, I was not aware she had a CD (My Best Friend is You) coming out Tuesday. Second, and worst of all, until about five minutes ago, I had no idea she was coming to play the Mod Club at the end of this month. Thanks to my epic clueless-ness, I am now ticket-less and sad (it's sold out!)

Thank god her new video ("Do-Wah-Do") is endlessly cute (It's like Catch Me If You Can meets Jackie Brown -  with choreographed dances). Otherwise, I might have to huddle in a corner and judge my totally disconnected myself.

Mood Music: "Mariella" by Kate Nash

How Nicholas lost his big-screen spark...

 

(Greg Kinnear or Liam Hemsworth? PICK A SIDE.)

Photo: FilmoFilia

I went to see The Last Song yesterday and I have to say, it wasn't quite as so-terrible-it's-really-kind-of-awesome as I wanted it to be. It was more where-is-the-story-going-and-why-is-miley-wearing-a-see-through-crop-top awkward.

The problem with The Last Song is that it tries to be two movies at once: the summer love story and the terminal illness tearjerker. As a result, both stories get cut short. Individually, they might have worked well (especially the second story). But together, they just seem opposing and artificial.

Nicholas Sparks' last movie, Dear John had exactly the same problem. For the first hour, the movie is dedicated to a cute, beach-side romance. In the second half, however, it becomes a different movie, dealing with heavy issues like the consequences of war and the sacrifices you must make for not-so-healthy family members. This quilt-of-emotions approach worked terribly, making both stories fall flat.

Sparks' best book-to-movie adaptations (A Walk to Remember, The Notebook), worked because they focused on one specific couple and their unique story. Yes, they ended in tragedy, but when the big death happened (cause it always does), it involved one (or both) of the members of the duo. As a result, the progression between euphoric love story and epic tissue tale felt more authentic and heartbreaking.

Nick - if you wanna make half-decent stories again, you've got to start simplifying. Go with one story and run with it. And leave the spiritual crises to Mitch Albom.

P.S. - Oh, and when you have a teen idol record a highly addictive ballad for your movie, make sure you actually have her sing it in said movie. I was waiting for my "I'm Not a Girl (Not Yet a Woman)" moment, but alas, no sparkly dice. 

Mood Music: "Gives You Hell" by Lea Michele

Glee gets Stoned...

Photo: Rolling Stone

I like Rolling Stone. I LOVE Glee. You'd figure I'd die for an article mixing the two, right? I thought I would too.

This week's issue of RS is in full-out Gleek-out mode, with the stars of the hit musical comedy gracing the cover and the multiple-page feature spread. The cover is actually quite fun, with Quinn, Finn, Sue, Rachel and Mr. Shue all taking on vintage modes of transport (think old school bikes, retro roller skates). The story, however, deserves a cold blue slushie in the face.

I know that RS has always tried to push the envelope and get unconventional stories from otherwise straight stars. But this one really rubbed me the wrong way.

Apparently, the rock mag asked all the Glee kids similar questions - "What was your high school life like?", "How did you get your start in the business" and of course, "Do you pee in the shower?" (I AM SERIOUS.) At one point, they even bark commands at them, yelling "Entertain us!" and getting frustrated when all they can come up with a spontaneous drum solo. They claim this was an exercise in prying some entertaining and new tidbits from the gang, but I don't know, the whole thing just felt off-the-wall creepy and presumptuous to me.

Clearly, RS wanted them to be more exciting and rock n' roll then they actually are. I'm sorry, but not all celebrities are Madonna. Some of them are just straight up boring, normal people who just happen to be on TV or on the big screen. You can't expect everyone to have some sort of wild sex-life or lewd back story. Sure, you can argue that the Glee kids could have been holding back some juicy tidbits to keep them from tarnishing the show's squeaky clean image. But it's also highly plausible that they just don't have any really scandalous stories to share.

It really made me laugh when the journalist (Erik Hedegaard) started complaining that the kids refused to talk to him after their interviews. He tries to make the conflict out like it's the personification of high school-style isolation - excluding the "different" person because they don't go with the status quo. Sorry, but I think that's just a cop out and a lame, overused motif.

Did he really expect them to welcome him with open arms after asking them whether they wear thongs or get their freak-on in bed? He seems to think he's the weird, under-appreciated Enid Wexler to Glee's popular kids, but really, he's just the weird older dude creeping on the freshmen girls - and boys. Nobody wants to see - or read about - that.

More and more, I'm realizing that all RS wants to do is manipulate a story to get some controversy - and attention. Think back to John Mayer and his extremely non-PC interview with the mag that landed him in hot water from pretty much every minority and fangirl out there. I'm not gonna defend John and say that he was manipulated - the dude could have shut his mouth - but I'm sure he wouldn't have gone to certain places had he not been prodded to do so.

I think RS thinks they are still the hard-hitting alternative music mag they once were in the 1960s and 70s. Sorry, but the we're-pretentious-music-snobs-and-you-love-it attitude really doesn't work anymore. Every time they ask these overly intrusive questions, they're just falling back on their old habits and churning out a new version of their last so-called subversive article.

I will continue to read RS for the reviews - I love you, Peter Travers! - but I doubt I will read the features any longer. If I feel like being inandated with schlock, awe and unintentional goofiness - I'll rent a Bruce Campbell movie. At least he knows when he's being ridiculous.

Mood Music: "Express Yourself" by Madonna

Call girls...

 

(Botched jobs and Diet Coke heads.)
Photo: ladygaga.com

Want to make The Best Fucking Video Ever? Grab these ingredients and follow these simple instructions. It's easier than making a dance sandwich. (I promise). 

Video a la Gaga
- 2 cups of Gaga
- a hint of Beyonce
- 1 tbsp of Thelma and Louise
- a steamin' hot cup of Tarantino
- a pinch of Charlie's Angels 2: Full Throttle
-  1 tsp of Jailhouse (Glitter) Rock
 - 1 pair of smokin' hot shades
- 2 empty cans of Diet Coke
- 1 Plenty of Fish cameo
- 2 large fuzzy dice
- a jar of poisoned honey
- as much Miracle Whip as humanly possible
- 1/5 of Queer Eye for the Straight Guy

Mix in large, sparkly bowl to taste. Serve as many times as humanly possible. 

Mood Music: "Fooled Around and Fell in Love" by Elvin Bishop

Gleek out!

THREE WEEKS LEFT.

Mood Music: "I'll Remember" by Madonna

Two Day is the greatest...

 

I have two truly awesome pieces of news to share. First off, She & Him's new CD, Volume 2 is out today! Second, the dynamic duo is coming to the Phoenix on June 9 - and I gots myself some tickets this afternoon! Can you say study hall hula hoop party time?

Mood Music: "Don't Look Back" by She & Him

Total Eclipse of the still-beating heart...

"I'll be with you - till your heart stops beating!" - Jacob Black

The trailer for the third - and my favourite - installment in the Twilight saga, Eclipse, is finally up for your fangirly viewing pleasure. I don't know about you, but I'm digging the trailer (I can't wait to see more of Dakota as Jane!)- except for the parts with new Victoria, Bryce Dallas Howard.

She's only in the clip for a second or two, but her awkward off-red wig is just too much for me. Also, her facial expession looks more sweet than scary. Maybe this is just a bad clip and she's actually super-badass in the movie - but I'm not feeling it. The movie hasn't even come out and I'm missing Rachelle already.

Mood Music: "This Woman's Work" by Maxwell

All-a-Twitter for Oscar...

(The Golden Boys).

Photo: Screen Rant

THE BEST DAY OF THE YEAR HAS ARRIVED.

I would write a long-winded blog about my predictions for tonight's big show - but to be honest, I'm too busy prepping my picks for my family's official Oscar pool. Also, I'm still tired from my writing that mega-blog about the Best Pic nominees

If you want to hear my thoughts about the world's greatest award show - look me up on Twitter  http://twitter.com/emilygagne) as I will most likely be updating my account all night (or until Twitter forces me to stop). Just brace yourself for hyperbolic comments about super-glamourous frocks, major love for awkwardly long acceptance speeches (calling Christoph Waltz!), major hate for everything and anything Avatar, inappropriate fangirly comments about Quentin Tarantino and Eli Roth (please, Oscar gods, sit them next to each other!), inappropriate fangirly comments about Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin, explicit descriptions of my family's Best Pic-themed food (sample: we're having ice cream cones like Carl and Russell did at the end of Up!), loving dedications to the Academy's mediocre montages and shameless salutes to Colin Firth's super-sexiness.

Mood Movie: "Just Like Heaven" on W

She & Him & Love..

Photo: BeatCrave

One of my favourite bands, She & Him (otherwise known as the dynamic duo that is M. Ward and the divine Miss Deschanel), is releasing a new album (Volume 2) at the end of this month and I, for one, can't wait. I loved their first CD and am seriously digging their first single off their new record, "In the Sun". Their songs are very 60s and soulful - pretty much the musical equivilant of a perfectly-fitting vintage cocktail dress. I don't know about you, but I love me a good retro-chic frock (especially on Zooey - she's been my girl-crush for years!).

Last week, the duo released a second song from their new album called "Thieves". It is actually gorgeous. I think it may even be better than "In the Sun". Listen and love.

P.S. - How adorable is the Volume 2 artwork?

Mood Music: "Why Do You Let Me Stay Here" by She & Him

Basterd-izing the Best Picture race...

 

(The Basterds look damn sexy in gold, don't they?)

Photo: Alamo Drafthouse  Cinema Blog

Every year, I tell myself (and pretty much everyone that will listen) that I am going to watch five Best Picture nominees before Oscar night. And every year, the same thing happens. I come up short a flick. So when they announced that they were going to have 10 nominees this year, my head spun in 1000 directions. If I couldn't get through 5 movies, how was I possibly going to work my way through 10?

With all this mind-mixing madness frying my movie-lovin' brain, I started to lose sight of my lifelong dream. Suddenly, I started to doubt my movie-marathoning abilities. I started to see mediocre movies. I even started to hate on the Academy. But after watching the mindless mess that was Did You Hear About The Morgans?, I made like Christian Bale and admitted the truth: I was acting like a punk.

Suddenly, I realized the new regulation was not something to be afraid of - but something to embrace. In the heat of the epiphany, I made it my personal mission to see every single movie that made it on the golden guy's hit-list. And guess what? I did it!

In honour of this awesome achievement, I have compiled a short review of each of the movies for your reading pleasure (don't worry - no major spoilers ahead!). I've also ranked them according to my personal preference. I'm sure things will go down differently when the big show starts Sunday, but I don't care. I'm not an Academy member. I'm just a movie lover. And I can't control what I love - or what I abhor completely (cough, Avatar, cough).

Here goes...

1. INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS

 

(They killed Hitler and their fellow nominees' 

chances at winning my heart!)

Photo: Filmofilia.

I have been wanting to love Quentin Tarantino for years. In fact, I thought we'd be a match made in heaven - what with our weird and wacked out taste for carefully sculpted bad-taste.  But for some inexplicable reason, we never really seemed to click.

I couldn't get into Pulp Fiction.  I tried to love Kill Bill but I couldn't quite get passed the long-ass second-half. I kinda loved Death Proof  - but I'm not sure if that was because I actually enjoyed it or, because anything seemed better than Quentin's penis melting scene from Planet Terror at that point. This ridiculously cool cinematic joint (I feel like that's how QT's right-hand man, Samuel L.,would describe it) however, had me singing a much different tune. It went something like this: "Quentin, babe, let's run away together. We'll be awkward BFFs - forever!"

Inglorious Basterds had me at it's masterly mispelled monicker (I don't know if I'll ever be able to spell either word right again - so much for becoming a foul-mouthed journalist). But our love affair got straight up torrid after I saw Aldo Raine and his gang of Nazi- killing machines blow up the big screen last August.

Basterds is everything you could want in a movie: hilarious, suspenseful, action-packed, serious, foreign (honestly, is there a non-English language not featured in this movie?) and historically incorrect (Is that a David Bowie song I hear rockin' the movie house in Nazi-occupied France?). I would give it the golden guy just for the opening scene - which makes milk seem utterly (you don't know how much it took for me not to write udderly) terrifying. Future Supporting Actor winner, Christoph Waltz (yeah, he's that good), kills - literally and figuratively - in that scene. Hell, he rocks every scene he's in - the dude's dynamite.

I'll admit - Basterds can be a bit over-done at times (see: the Mike Myers cameo)- but that's the point. It's endlessly entertaining and it never loses it's focus (bringing justice to the Jews!) - or it's kickassness - throughout. And in my books -that's a Best Picture bingo!

P.S. - I just want to add -  the Bear Jew can swing his big bat my way anytime. I mean...

2. UP IN THE AIR

 

(Clooney and co. fly high above the competition.)

Photo: NyDailyNews.com

I put Basterds ahead of this Jason Reitman flick because quite honestly, I enjoyed it more. But if I was actually choosing who should win the Oscar, it would beat Tarantino's masterwork to a bloody pulp.  It's not that Up in the Air particularly ground-breaking in terms of shooting, acting or editing (although, it's pretty damn good). It's because of all the movies that hit the megaplexes this year, it most represents where we're at as a culture. Take away the talent - George, Jason and the truly awesome Anna Kendrick (please watch her in Camp right now) - and what you have is an emotionally charged look at the recession and what it has taken out of people. Fasten your seat belts friendlies - this is one for the ages.

3. UP / A SERIOUS MAN 

 (Can you say, spec-tacular studs?)

Photos: Jclauvin.com/IMDB.com

Two great movies about men with shitty set-ups and super-cool spectacles. How am I supposed to choose?

4. DISTRICT 9

 

(Close encounters of the throughly-awesome kind.)

Photo: IGN

This sci-fi flick was way better than I expected. The visuals alone are worth the rental. I won't say anymore than that though, because I really think you should to go into it blind. That's what I did and I was pretty much glued to the screen.

5. PRECIOUS

 

(This gem is a diamond in the ridiculously rough.)

Photo: Yahoo! Movies

This movie is far from precious. In fact, it's horrifying. But it's emotional and raw - and damn hard to look away from. It also gets props for giving my homegirl, Mariah Carey, the respect she deserves. (Yeah, I saw Glitter - AND LOVED IT).

6. THE HURT LOCKER

(Jeremy Renner fights the war on slow storytelling.)

Photo: IGN

Not nearly as good as I wanted it to be, Sure, the acting and cinematography were incredible - but the story didn't grab me like it should have. My parents - both war-movie lovers - left halfway in, complaining of boredom. I wouldn't say it's boring - but it's not remarkably engaging (save for one scene involving a suicide bomber).   It's kind of like Jarhead - minus the naked Jake Gyllenhaal.

7. THE BLIND SIDE

 

 (Hollywood fumbles with the feel-good

football flick formula - again.)

Photo: The Baltimore Sun

Sure, it's kind of a Hallmark card of a movie, but damn it, I was moved. I laughed. I cried. I stayed to the end credits to see all the real-life photos and recaps.

8. AN EDUCATION

 

 (Lessons in love and lurking.)

Photo: Collider.com

I'm sorry, but I found this whole movie incredibly creepy - not to mention annoyingly predictable. Even Nick Hornby's semi-witty script couldn't suck me in.  The only redeeming part is Carey Mulligan - but she won't win. So, meh.

9. AVATAR

 

(Either Papa Smurf  filled out, or the

Blue Man Group got Rogaine. )

Photo: Shockya.com

From the minute I saw the preview for this movie, I wanted to hate it. And I did. People keep saying it's a visual triumph. I don't buy it. The background may be awesome but the Na'vi actually look like Second Life avatars. Oh, and the writing sucks. I'm trying to forget James Cameron slaved over this for more than a decade. In my mind, he's still the king of the world - just trapped forever in 1998.

And that's it for my Best Pic picks. I know the list is a little lopsided, but after writing a novella about Basterds, I decided to give you a break and get to the point. Plus, to be honest, most of these movies wouldn't make my top 10 of 2009. But that's a whole other post altogether...

What did movies you love - and love to loathe - this year?

Mood Music: "Cat People" by David Bowie

The e-mail that rocked my World...

I just got an e-mail from TVShowsonDVD.com (we're close), informing me that they are finally releasing Season 4 of the show that was Friday night for me and my friends during our pre-teen years. That's right, TGIF fans - the only teen dramedy that got better when the main characters went college, Boy Meets World, is finally getting the DVD treatment it deserves!

I have never understood why ABC only released the first three seasons of Cory, Topanga and Shawn's awesome adventures through adolescence. I mean, those weren't even the best seasons. Things got really juicy when Feeny and the gang hit high school in Season 4.  Just think about - that was the season Topanga cut all her hair off, Shawn and Cory turned Mr. Feeny's house into a B & B and Shawn dressed up in drag. And the show just got better after that. Season 5 introduced us to those legendary opening credits, not to mention the best episode in BMW history - "And Then There Was Shawn" - or as it might be called in Friends-speak, "The One With Jennifer Love Fefferman". 

If you watched Boy Meets World then you know about "And Then There Was Shawn". It was an epic episode which veered outside BMW's the typical teenage situational dramedy curriculum and took a field trip to my favourite genre of the 90s: teen slasher flicks. The concept seemed simple enough - Cory, Topanga, Shawn and Angela get sentenced to late-night detention with Feeny. But it got scary-awesome after the lights mysteriously flickered off and the gang's classmate, Kenny got a pencil to the head (cue the timely "He killed Kenny!" jokes). The episode just got creepier (and in the mind of a certain I Know What You Did Last Summer-loving nine-year-old, cooler) from there (see: the shady janitor, the eerie music flowing out of the PA system, the hooded figure running by in the background, the random phone calls coming in from the hall payphone), but the highlight had to be the guest appearance by the scream queen of the 90s (and my tweenage idol), Jennifer Love Hewitt.

When Cory, Topanga, Shawn, Eric, Jack and Angela went into the hallway to investiage the creepy goings-on, they encountered John Adams' newest student, Jennifer Love Fefferman (also known as Feffy - which I always thought was a sly reference to that other teen drama that made 90s TV so freakin' cool - Buffy). Horror-themed hilarity and awkward Eric moments ensued - and the result was spoofy sitcom gold. I remember loving this episode so much that my friends and I would try and recreate it on the playground during lunch. While the other kids were playing soccer, tag and you know, being kids, we would hang out on the grass and pretend to be high school kids hiding from a masked murderer. I was always Feffy.

I could go on about Feeny and the divine Miss Fefferman for days - but I won't. Just watch the episode and feel the 90s love for yourself.

*Photo - Boy Meets World DVD*

Mood Music: Sabrina the Teenage Witch - The Album (Yep,  I TGIF-ing love 90s nostalgia.)

This dress is my (So-Called) life!

This ModCloth dress makes me want to crack open a fresh box of Crimson Glow, bolt over to the parking lot of Let's Bolt, over-think my decisions and moon over Jordan Catalano's so-beautiful-it-hurts-to-look-at-him leaning abilties.

DO YA LOVE IT?!

Mood Music: "Everybody Hurts" by REM

Meet my valentine: Mr. Mayer...

 

(With his hair short and shaggy and his vest looking all plaid 
and nerdy, John stole my heart before I ever heard a thing.)

While millions of couples were off getting mushy over shared desserts at various over-priced bistros last night, I had hot date with John Mayer.

John was a perfect gentleman throughout the evening, keeping the conversation light and genuine and the tunes smooth and sweet.  I'm pretty sure we had some eye-relations a few times and he almost gave me a carnation. I think I'm in love (again).

Mood Music: "Assassin" by John Mayer

My big TV(Guide.ca) debut!

Michael Ausiello better watch his back. There's a new TV nerd taking the web by storm - and her name is Emily Gagne.

This week I wrote two (!) articles for TVGuide.ca. The first one was a recap of Wednesday's American Idol and was posted on Thursday. The second was a review of the most recent episode of The Vampire Diaries. It went up early this morning.

I am very proud of both of these pieces (I may have worked a little too hard on them - shocking, I know) and I cannot wait to add them to my portfolio. Especially the VD one.

I know I may not actually be taking the web by storm with these articles but after a few hours of stringing together too many vampy puns for my own good, I did manage to artifically link my name to the Salvatore bros. Can you say, bloody brilliant? (Here I go again...)

If you are interested in reading either article, head over to TVGuide.ca and look me up! Or, if you are a lazy bum you can just click here (for Idol) or here (for VD). You're welcome.

P.S. - Please feel free to comment on the reviews - either via this site or the comments section on TVGuide. I'd love some constructive criticism!

Mood Music: "Merry Happy" by Kate Nash

Dear John...

 

 

My mom: "I think you need to find a boy like that Harley guy from It's Complicated."

Me: "You and me both, Mom. You and me both."

(All photos JohnKrasinski.net)

Mood Music: "Sugar Town" by Zooey Deschanel

A perfect mash..

Every year, mix master DJ Earworm puts together an epic mash-up chronicling the year in pop music. This year's entry, awesomely titled "Blame It on the Pop", is so cool, I get goosepimples just thinking about it.

"Blame It on the Pop" features 25 Billboard hits from the past year. But you wouldn't know it. They all flow together into a what feels like one giant euphoric dance partay of a song. I particularly like how he layered the verses of "Halo" and "The Climb" over one another. It's a match made in diva heaven.

Apparently, this particular mash-up (and the year it represents) is all about getting over your problems by getting on the dancefloor. To quote Mr. Earworm himself, "[Over the past year] we’ve been through a lot, but right now we’re gonna celebrate with music and dance, and it’s gonna be ok."

So if you're feeling the post-holiday blues, just turn up your speakers and give this hot slice of awesome pie a listen. If you're anything like me, you'll just dance - and dance, and dance and dance.

Mood Music:  "Brown Eyes" by Lady Gaga

Darling, it is no joke. This is lycanthropy.

(Is this the future of mythical man candy?)

2009 was a bloody fangtastic year for us, fanpires (pardon my sucky puns). Every month, there seemed to be a delicious new PYB (Pretty Young Bloodsucker) to feast our eyes on.

The craze started when Twilight's golden-eyed vamp-boy, Edward Cullen, hit theaters last November. After millions of tweens and their moms fell for Mr. Pale and Sparkly, the media decided to bring the fang-girls some fresh blood. Enter Bill, Eric and the Southern vamps on True Blood. 

Once the vamp boys from Bon Temps became bonafide heartthrobs, the CW decided to join the 'pire party. So when the new TV season rolled around, we welcomed two new PYBs, The Vampire Diaries' sexy Salvatore brothers, into our households and our hearts. 

As more and more beautiful creatures of the night came out of their coffins and into the zeitgeist, people started to hate on them (These sad sacks often go by "Team Jacob").  They thought, and I quote, that the newly established vamp population "sucked". It was all very childish - and punny. But mostly childish.

Although I'll admit the vampboy backlash drove me completely batty at times,  my love for the pale ones never died. Unfortunately, many girls (and boys) have been struggling to keep their love for the undead alive.

You see, in the past few months, another creature of the night started to work it's magic on the ladies. These new slices of mythical man candy are big, hairy and hot as hell (temperature wise, anyways). And from what I can see, they're taking over the world. Just ask Shakira.

Last summer, America's favourite Colombian yodeler revealed that she was a "She-Wolf" in disguise. Suddenly, howling at the moon on the dancefloor (or anywhere for that matter) became really cool. Needless to say, this fang-girl started shaking in her Chuck Taylors (And occasionally, shakin' her groove thang - the song was just so doggone catchy!). 

The howls got even louder when Bella's werewolf friend, Jacob Black, became the object of many tweenage girls' awkward affections in November's super successful sequel to Twilight, New Moon.  Suddenly, everyone wanted an ripped - yet underage! - space heater of their own. I, on the other hand, just wanted Edward to come back and make things sparkly and sullen again.

A few weeks back, EW' reported that the next season of True Blood will include a plot line in which everyone's favourite fangbanger, Sookie Stackhouse, crushes on a hunky he-wolf named Alcide (played by Joe Manganiello a.k.a. Brad, Marshall's brunch mate from HIMYM). I am now, and have always been, a loyal member of Team Bill. But if Sookie's starts dating a dog, I may start rooting for Eric too. And I am not into blondes.

I want to say the sudden werewolf resurgence is nothing more than an awkward phase in the fine print of the mythical man candy time line.  But as far I can see, things are just going to get hairier in 2010.

Some time in the next year, MTV is turning the terribly awesome 80s movie, Teen Wolf, into a TV show. In addition, in February, Universal Pictures is releasing a new Wolfman movie starring Benico Del Toro (I'm so conflicted! I've had a heart-on for the Toro since Excess Baggage!). Oh, and just a few weeks back, Variety reported that a Hollywood is bringing a remake of the lycanthropic horror flick, The Howling, to theaters this Halloween.

I think it's safe to say, pop culture is going to the wolves. And I for one, am not happy about it. The only werewolves I can truly tolerate are Oz and the dude from Teen Wolf Too (Mmm, young Jason Bateman!). Maybe I'm old-fashioned, but I like my sexy beasts with a little more bite.

Mood Music: "Meet Me Halfway" by The Black Eyed Peas