GLEE 1/31/12: 1.11 “Michael”

The all-anticipated Michael Jackson episode is here!

• Ah…so THAT’S how they wrote Blaine out of the storyline for a while so that Darren Criss could go to Broadway to do How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying.  Stung by a slushie!  Man, when Sebastian hit him and Blaine went down…Man.  Never saw someone get so injured and be in so much pain from a slushie!  But I guess it WASN’T just a slushie.  Crazy.  That was a bit extreme actually.  Oh, and WTH was that number performed?  Such a dark & desolate parking garage!  Creepy!
• Did like how they all got to dress up like MJ in the Wanna Be Startin Somethin number tho.  Very cool.
• The MJ storyline stuff in this one was a bit cheesy and over the top at times.  But I guess it would be hard to come up with some meaning for them to do so many MJ songs.
• Happy for Kevin that he got to get out of the wheelchair AND show his dance moves in Scream!  Besides Harry, Kevin is probably the best dance in the cast, so it was nice he got to show it off once again.  And boy did they make that number look JUST like the original Michael/Janet music video!  Awesome!
• I do like those Rachel/Quinn touching scenes.  Like Rachel says, Quinn will be totally upfront and honest with her, and Rachel does need to hear that stuff.  Otherwise she’ll be too blinded when it comes to Finn.  And wow…Yale?!  Good job Quinn!  So you kinda have to assume that Quinn WON’T be returning next season right?!  How can she, unless she decides not to go to Yale…which seems dumb since they’re making such a big deal about how she made it into that school!
• Gotta say that I listened to Dianna’s Never Can Say Goodbye before watching the performance in the episode, and it was quite boring.  Dianna always tends to get the more boring numbers when she does solos.  BUT watching it in the episode…It was great!  Dianna did a great job, and LOVED how they had the three guys in it with her!  So cute!  Great number!
• When Finn was trying to explain to Rachel WHY he wants to get married/engaged NOW versus later was kinda sad.  It really seems like he feels that she is the ONLY thing he has going for him…And if she’s really going to go to NYC, he NEEDS to have that commitment with her in order to keep her.  Which, while sad, is kinda true.  Finn says he’s going to go to NYC with Rachel…But I think we all know that once she’s up there, he won’t be able to “keep” her.  And I’m glad she didn’t just jump in and say yes.  At least she’s thinking about things.  ‘Cause if we were in Season 1 and Finn proposed, how much do you wanna bet she would’ve just jumped into his arms and said yes immediately?!
• Pretty cute how Santana is so bonded with Kurt now.  How she wants to help to get back at The Warblers (mainly Sebastian) for what they did to Blaine.  Look how far they (Santana) has come!  Who would’ve thought…
• OK.  Smooth Criminal was QUITE the number.  Probably my favorite one…but mainly because of those DUELING CELLOS.  That was genius to do that.  Awesome.  Naya & Grant Gust (Sebastian) did a great job too   Loved the arrangement of that song.  Hard to mess with Michael, but this arrangement almost made it seem like its own song.
• Yay!  Kurt is a finalist for NYADA!  So happy for him!  So cute too how Burt came to school JUST to bring it to him…and the moment with the two of them when Kurt found out was so touching.
• When Kurt told her he was a finalist for NYADA, but Rachel still hadn’t gotten a letter…that scene was amazing.  Lea Michele was FLAWLESS.  TOTALLY felt for Rachel.  You know how much she wanted that NYADA acceptance, and to hear Kurt got one just broke her.   Such a great scene.
• OK, when Finn sang I Just Can’t Stop Loving You to (and with) Rachel, you just KNEW that song…plus still not hearing back from NYADA…would make Rachel say YES to Finn’s proposal.  Which again is kinda sad, because she basically was “falling back” on her boyfriend because her real dream wasn’t happening.   Don’t get me wrong, I KNOW she loves Finn…but really we all know that NOTHING can compete with her real dream of making it and becoming a star!
• Black or White always was…and still is…one of my favorite MJ songs!  I loved their arrangement…the mixture of all the different singers/solos…and the fact that they ended up mixing The Warblers in with New Directions.  Yay!  OMG…and how they did the whole morphing thing like they do in the music video!  LOVE!
• WOOHOO!  Rachel is a finalist too!  To be realistic, I’m amazed she made it considering her suspension supposedly showed up on her record for her application.   SO HAPPY for her!  But LOVED that last moment when Kurt asked her if she told Finn.  Umm.  OOPS.  You could tell Finn hadn’t even CROSSED HER MIND.  AND SO IT BEGINS…

Next week, all I have are two words — RICKY. MARTIN.  ‘Nuff said. Should be a fun one!

GLEE PROMO: 3.11 “Michael”

We have to wait two weeks, but…the highly anticipated Michael Jackson tribute episode is next!

DARREN CRISS: E! Interview

Darren Criss did an interview with E! about his debut on Broadway in How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying! (he debuts tonight and it’s SOLD OUT!)  He discusses his schedule and how he was juggling the Glee rehearsals and How To Succeed…as well as filming the upcoming Michael Jackson tribute episode…

Enjoy!

Click below for the video interview:

THE X FACTOR 11/30/11: Top 7 Performances + *POLLS*

Michael Jackson night…

JOSH KRAJCIK  Dirty Diana:

• I have to say this was probably my least favorite of Josh’s performances.  Although they changed the arrangement to make it a bit more “rocker,” it still didn’t quite match him.  I liked that he had the guitar solo, but that was about it.  Wasn’t very impressive.

ASTRO  Black or White:

• I’m sorry, but RAPPING one of Michael Jackson’s songs?!  That’s NOT Michael Jackson.  It ruined that song for me, and I LOVE that song!

DREW  Billie Jean:

• Hey!  Drew’s version was the same as David Cook’s version he did on Idol!  That version definitely matched Drew more than the MJ version.  But it really did seem like Drew WANTED to shake things up and do a different version from what she usually does.  I understand why Simon advised her to do the version she did, but…might’ve been nice to spice things up a bit.

RACHEL CROWE  Can You Feel It:

• Why THAT song for Rachel?!  I don’t even KNOW it…was it one Michael’s singles?!  Not to mention it was SO REPETITIVE.  It really didn’t do anything/go anyway.  Rachel didn’t seem the most comfortable either.

MARCUS CANTY  PYT (Pretty Young Thing):

• I always feel like Marcus tries too hard.  He really tries to MAKE like he’s a big star…like Usher or something.  But to me, altho he’s a nice guy and likable, he’s just NOT THAT good.  I felt like he was slightly off-key the whole song!  Altho the song choice seemed to have been a good one, don’t feel like he totally pulled it off.

CHRIS RENE  I’ll Be There:

• Once again, what Chris lacks in vocal ability, he makes up for in heart (and as Nicole says, spirit).  There’s always a truthfulness and genuineness in every Chris performance.  His vocals definitely needs work, but for someone who is mainly a rapper, at least he tries to sing.  I do think Chris is starting to run out of time on the show tho.  Genuineness can only take you so far…

MELANIE AMARO  Earth Song:

• Wow.  What can I say about Melanie?!  Great song choice.  I’m loving the “real Melanie”…accent and all!  You can tell that she feels more comfortable in herself now too.  Vocally tho…Mel can hit CRAZY notes!  And as Simon said, they “saved the best for last.”  Very appropriate song to end with…with a performance to back it up.  I didn’t necessarily love Melanie’s hair (a bit too bushy for my tastes), but other than that — FLAWLESS.

 

Movie Review: MICHAEL JACKSON’S THIS IS IT

At first I didn’t know if I wanted to see this movie…only rehearsal footage?!  But after seeing some previews and hearing/reading such good reviews/response about it…I wanted to see it.  And boy am I GLAD I did…

• The movie was just SO awesome…I am so amazed that they even had THAT much footage of all the prep/rehearsal…
• They had SO much footage of him performing the actual songs, I felt like I was watching the actual concert!

• I didn’t know TOO much about the tour itself but…how did he pick London?  And why only London?
• The amount of crowd/fans that were there when he made the announcement of the tour…CRAZY!
• Before, I never quite understood why fans were SO obsessed with MJ…but after watching him do his thing…I can TOTALLY understand now.

• It was SO cool to see all these dancers who are just IN AWE with MJ…they idolize him, and to be able not just be near him, but to dance on the same stage as him…can’t imagine how they all reacted to his passing…

• I can’t say enough about how impressed I was with MJ’s moves/footwork.  Without a doubt, he STILL HAD IT.  When he’s gliding across the stage…you would think he was on a moving walkway or something, but…nope, it was ALL HIM!  Amazing.
• When he performs songs where it’s basically just him on the stage (no backup dancers)…all the footwork/moves he does…i’m guessing has GOTTA be just ad-libbing on his part.  He seems like he’s just doing what he feels.  Which makes it even more impressive.

• The movie was able to show how much of a perfectionist he was…just HOW INVOLVED his was with EVERY aspect of the show, and his dedication to making it A SHOW. 
• You were also able to see that he had a sense of humor…he was very humble and pretty quiet overall…but he definitely knew what he wanted for the show.

• What was so sad was that this was going to a RIDICULOUS show…the effects, lighting were all definitely SHOWY.  There were pyrotechnics, smoke screens, MJ gets lifted up above the audience…
• They even had to film all these separate pieces for the intros to the songs…almost like a movie in itself really.

I’m so glad they made all this footage into a movie.  They did a really good job of editing everything to flow the way it did…  But what I’m really glad about is that this movie really lets you see exactly WHY Michael was such an icon in the music/performing world.  Everyone knows that when he passed, a lot of his image was about the fact that he was weird or a freak.  In this movie, when you see him in his element…MAN.  All the “weirdness” of his image goes out the window.  You can’t help but be in awe of him…

Before, I never quite understood why fans were so obsessed with him…but now I know.  This movie made me respect him even more as an artist, and I’m definitely a bigger fan now.

If you can (I believe they extended the run thru Thanksgiving), GO WATCH This Is It.  Totally worth it.

FOX to air AI “Michael Jackson” episode Monday

In honor of Michael Jackson, FOX will be re-showing the Top 13 episode of American Idol from this past season on Monday.  This was the episode where all the Idols performed Michael Jackson songs.  That’s a nice idea…

• Lil Rounds – “The Way You Make Me Feel”
• Scott MacIntyre – “Keep the Faith”
• Danny Gokey – “Pretty Young Thing”
• Michael Sarver – “You Are Not Alone”
• Jasmine Murray – “I’ll Be There”
• Kris Allen – “Remember the Time”
• Allison Iraheta – “Give in to Me” 
• Anoop Desai – “Beat It”
• Jorge Nunez – “Never Can Say Goodbye”
• Megan Joy Corkrey – “Rockin’ Robin”
• Adam Lambert – “Black and White”
• Matt Giraud – “Human Nature”
• Alexis Grace – “Dirty Diana”

AMERICAN IDOL

Monday, June 29, 2009

7:00-9:00 pm

FOX

R.I.P. Michael Jackson

Wow, I still can’t believe it.  It has been confirmed that Michael Jackson passed away today, after being rushed to the hospital earlier today under cardiac arrest. He was 50 years old.

I’m just so sadded by this.  No matter what he’s been thru…and he’s been thru A LOT in his life…Michael Jackson was a pop icon.  He will surely be missed.