His voice is so distinctive. Yesterday ‘I cant stop loving you’ came on Sweet 100.1 FM here in Trinidad and though I had never heard it before it just took one sentence for me to identify Kem. It is equal parts mellow, seductive and caressing the way his voice translates those notes. This singer and songwriter first captured my affection with the song ‘Love Calls Your Name’ from his 2002 album ‘Kemistry’. He has released two more albums, the latest being the beautiful ‘Intimacy’ in 2010. He speaks about the complexes and his undying belief in love. If you have not fallen for Kem already, do yourself a favour and get his albums. For these songs below it is worth it
Every year when I see the pictures from the Met Gala I try to imagine what it must be like to be there. The pictures always present hive of activity. It is one ‘red carpet’ that is just heaving with people. Celebrities and designers side by side all the way up that wide staircase. You can people spot like mad in every photo. From what I have seen so far McQueen designs dominated. I was suprised to see so many Tommy Hilfiger wearers though because, call me naive, I didnt know people still wore his stuff! Has Tommy changed in his style even a little in the last decade?
Here are my picks from the carpet (you can see all the others on huffingtonpost)
Best Dresses:
Freida Pinto. Gorgeous!
Sarah Burton. Simple yet wonderfully constructed.
Solange Knowles. Please ignore the hair, this dress is amazing (Dries Van Noten)
Worst Dresses:
Naomi Campbell
Christina Hendricks
Worst Male:
Andre Leon Talley. And yes I know he wear this design at every event but I really need him to stop!
Best Male:
Bradley Cooper
Would have loved it if It wasn’t for the….
…Hat! Tut tut Serena
…Shoes and colour. I still love you Leighton for consistently being a red carpet risk taker
When I either eight or nine my parents purchased the encyclopedia Brittanica. From the day they arrived I started my quest to read every one. I loved the feel of the delicate new pages and the diagrams and colourful maps that each lettered volume held. I read every one. Maybe not every single page as some topics were more interesting than others, but I happily devoured most of it. This week my chico D introduced me to something that made me just as excited as those Brittanicas did. It’s the website QWiki. He had discovered it on a gadegt show and it was just as cool as they had said. Short powepoint presentations on just about any topic you can think of. It’s mission is:
…. to forever improve the way people experience information.
Things like this are one of the many reasons I love the interweb (sorry I’ve been saying that ever since last week’s episode of Justified. Go watch it and see why!). Knowledge at your finger tips and for people like me who are information junkies this is like a trip to an exotic island. Things will be so different for my children but honestly I will still invest in a stack of lettered volumes. There is still no greater feeling that paper between your figures.
But that aside, go on and check it out. I dare you to not get hooked.
So for the first time, in a long time, I purposely did not watch the Oscar ceremony live. I have been moaning about it for weeks and received very little sympathy I might add! The month of February has been chuck full of airplanes and foreign locales so unfortunately I just couldn’t miss another day at work. It was torture going to bed after watching a chunk of the red carpet (Please go away Ryan ‘stupid questions’ Seacrest!). This morning the first thing I did was open my Huffingpost app and see the list of winners. Tweeted my joy about five minutes after that. Four Oscars for the King’s Speech! All richly deserved. As were the nods for The Fighter. I have been sending bad vibes to the Social Network since their wins at the Golden Globes and it seems to have worked! See the list of last night’s winners here
I am sad that I missed the Anne Hathaway/James Franco hosting trainwreck, Gwenyth Paltrow’s singing and Melissa Leo’s live swear-athon. And before you think it, no, I will not be watching any repeats!
So what about the clothes? It was a nice selection yes but nothing life changing. That said I do have more than one pick for best dressed female :
Amy Adams
Amazing colour and accessories and I loved what I dubbed her Veronica Lake hair.
Cate Blanchett
Yes I am biased when it comes to Cate. Apart from being one of the best actresses of our time, she has never disappointed me at the Oscars. The details at back of this dress were superb
Mila Kunis
The colour, the ruffles, the delicate lace detail on the bust line. I loved this the moment the camera fell on her.
Camila Alves
I really can not find a picture that shows how spectacular she looked. Best cleavage of the night (sadly the worst will have to go to Jennifer Hudson). Mathew Mcconaughey literally ceased to exist when he was next to her.
Worst Dressed Female
Sunrise Coigney
It just did not work. At all. The sleeve looked like a robotic / bionic arm. For me it was strong dislike at first sight which makes me wonder how she and husband Mark Ruffalo could have possibly loved it!
Best Dressed Male:
Justin Timberlake
I am not a big fan of Justin the actor but I have to admit that he did look great in his tux.
I can not explain my love for Skins. It has all the elements that would ususally turn me off a show. I am no prude but a show about excessive and flippant drugs taking, sex, bodily fluids and teenagers is generally not my cup of tea. But after the pilot epioside I was hooked. There were real stories behind these kids. Some heartbreaking, crazy, funny characters. I have seen all four seasons, hated at least two of them but I am willing going to watch the fifth. Now MTV has decided to do a carbon copy version of the show and because of my overly curious nature, I will be watching it too. Ridiculous I know, since just seeing the trailers – chuck full of different character names but essentially the identical story line – irritated me instantly. But I am nothing if not a gutton for punishment. Entertainment Weekly’s Ken Tucker pretty much sums up what I expect:
What disengaged me from the new Skins was that everyone looked so attractive and alert (even when the characters are supposed to be messy and wasted), so ready with a perfectly timed quip (even the characters who were supposed to be dim), that I didn’t suspend my disbelief for a minute. This was not the case with the far more engaging British version, which, like much British TV, isn’t afraid to cast actors who aren’t ripped and lovely, and whose characters are permitted to mumble and be irritating, if that’s what’s called for. It’s called dramatic verisimilitude:
My mantra is “Where has the time gone?”. I seem to say it every day. Then when I try to recall what has happened through out this past year I actually snatch memories from one or two years ago. Time has meshed into one big glob. Do you find so as well?
With that said I decided to do one of my favorites things on the last day of 2010. A list! And since the title is a dead giveaway let me begin…
BEST FILM
Inception: I went to the cinema with little information about this film. In this era of hyper accessibility to opinions and facts and a general over load of knowledge I wanted to watch it with no pre concieved ideas. Little did I know that my little plan fit in perfectly with the plot. I was rewarded with an edge of the seat, no-idea-what-the-dickens-would-happen-next roller coaster ride. My BFF and I barely took a breath from the moment we sat down to the final scene. We looked at each other and grinned like idiots because it felt good to watch a movie that was not predictable or conventional or just normal! I grew up watching Leonardo DoCarprio and it has taken me a while to accept him as a male lead. He was a teenager in my head for a long time but since The Departed he has successfully graduated in my psyche and his role in Inception cemented that. Its not a movie that I will watch again though. Like Atonement it is best experienced once. I doubt that those emotions that I tumbled through the first time would reappear again. I would instead try to dissect and figure it out and try to make sense of something I believe should stay a mystery. So if you havent, please take a look and tell me what you think.
A Prophet: Though released in 2009 I finally watched it this year. When ever I have described it to someone the words “Some criminals are born but others are made” are the first that come to mind. I am a proud francophile. So the moment I saw the poster around London for this film, it was number one on my To Watch list. It was worth it. An epic prison drama that gives you an insight into the French penal system. A microcosm of racial and criminal tensions. We see the transition of a young Arab as he serves his sentence. It is epic as it carefully, painfully maps the man he becomes. This is not two plus hours of Prison Break action but a study of the creation of crime kingpin. I loved it. Tahar Rahim is a brilliant actor.
BEST TV SHOW
Justified: I have enjoyed many good shows this year but Justified is the one that I have watched each episode at least twice. I am intrigued by Raylan Givens and the the people who surround him. It is really is like advertised. He is like a cowboy sheriff transplanted in 2010. But Rayland Givens has a lot more going on behind that cool exterior he exudes. He is menacing with gun and observant to a fault. What gives the show its intrigue is watching Rayland slowly reveal with is going on under that cowboy hat of his. The show is comedic as well as drama full. There is enough swearing and gun violence to let you know that it is not a network production. There is a new case every week but they usually become the background to both Rayland and Kentucky. It is his home state and one he had no plans to return to until… Some episodes are light hearted fare and others are dark and violent. But Rayland Givens is such an interesting character that you want to know more about him and the regulars. A dose of southern lawmen and what drives them. Shown in the UK on Five USA and returns to US screens on February 9th.
Sherlock:
When I saw the trailer my first thought was:
“It better not be the the great great grandson of Sherlock Holmes because that is just lazy.”
So imagine my delight when his name is said and there is no recognition from strangers or corny questions like “Are you related to the famous…” Yes! He is truly a modern day sleuth. The first episode brilliantly introduces Dr Watson into the picture and gives us a lovely mystery to solve (though I must confess I solved one little part before the man himself). I am a sucker for the screen graphics that show us his thoughts and text messages and basically how his mind ticks. The rapport is easy and natural between Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman. Benedict is weird, wonderful and mysterious all in a modern way. New episodes in Autumn 2011!
Downton Abbey: I love this show so much that I faithfully watched it every Monday morning during the month I spent in T&T. I can not say it enough. I heart period dramas. Why it appeals to me so, I have not a clue. Even more intriguing is its window into the lives of the servants. Amazing insight about the hierarchies ath exist on both levels of this house. Every character is watchable. For me there were no small roles in this drama.
It proven once again why ITV drama out shine the BBC versions. Over the Christmas weekend BBC gave us Upstairs Downstairs – an update of the beloved series. I did not like it. It was glossy, stilted and two-dimensional. That could be blamed on the fact that it only had three parts but I disagree. Shows like Sherlock came in three episodes and endeared us to all involved. Upstairs Downstairs 2010 gave us a rush job of a show that often felt emotionless and unreal. The highlights were the portrayal of the King’s abdication, the butler and the Cecil Beaton scenes. Thank goodness Downton Abbey returns for a second season in 2011.
BEST SOAP
Coronation Street: Granted I do not watch all the UK soap operas so I am comparing it to its main rival BBC’s Eastenders but Coronation Street delivers the KO for 2010. In a year where both shows celebrated milestones and premiered Live episodes it was difficult not to compare. EE has descended into repetition and prozac inducing storylines. This year’s Christmas episode is a prime example. A one note plot that saw Stacey Branning finally leave the square in a limp form. A pity as she is a great actress that deserved a departure that mirrored past christmases eg when the video tape of her affair with Max was discovered.
Corrie on the other hand gave us explosions, falling trams, a hammer to the head and an amazing live action hour. Everyone (except the OTT Fizz. She may well have turned me off childbirth) did an exceptional job. I am not ashamed to say that I was on the brink of tears for most of the show. Molly in particular had me constantly having to remind myself that it was not real. For a character who I have been indifferent to since she arrived in the street to move me so in her final minutes is a testament to how good an episode it was.
HONORABLE MENTIONS
The Good Wife season 2 – Please watch it. There is a reason it keeps being nominated for awards. It is full of great cases, complicated emotions and evolving characters. And this is just the mid way point in the second series.
Friday Night Lights – It is good TV. Sad that even in its final season it does not get the accolades it deserves but unfortunately not every critically acclaimed series does. Some like The Wire only receives love after it has faded from the canvas. Start early and watch from the very first episode.
Donnie Walhberg – In Blue Bloods he is a revelation. Still dancing and singing with NKOTB but stepping up his acting in this family police drama. He’s convinced me that he is an actor now. Funny how his brother Mark’s monotone performances get more love instead.
James ‘Jimmy’ Darmody – Does anyone else remember Michael Pitt in Dawson’s Creek? It’s hard to forget those pouting lips and curtain drapes hair style but thankfully with age he has become a better actor. His portrayal of Jimmy in Boardwalk Empire is study on the complexities of man. Jimmy is at once a loving son, educated fellow, proud ex soldier and father tangled with a cold, angry killer with a taste for violence. The people he loves and hates are clearly defined at the beginning of the series and we watch those securities unravel and see him struggle to keep those parts of his personality in separate boxes. How can he be so emotional yet so heartless. It’s enough to keep me watching from week to week and he is the highlight is this complicated series.
BEST DANCE
Yes. I had to put a category for this dammit! And how could I do an entire post without YouTube clips??? Kara and Artem you were amazing this year and this dance moves me every time:
TWO THOUSAND AND ELEVEN (2011)
I am looking forward to it so much. Dreams are delicious but making them into a reality is even better. And while I charge through this new year there a numerous films and TV shows to fill those less busy times (rare but I make it happen).
Above Suspicion – Deadly Intent: One detective drama that I have enjoyed in the last couple of years is ITV’s adaptation of Lynda La Palante’s Above Suspicion. It has all the elements that I love in british TV dramas. Gritty, ordinary, imperfect characters void of Hollywood’s unrealistic gloss. Granted Kelly Reilly is gorgeous but she like the others are like any other person you could walk by on the street. The cases are scary enough and complicated enough to keep me guessing. It has had poor reviews yes, but I have enjoyed it for all the reasons it has been criticised! Its back on ITV on Monday 3rd January for three nights. See the trailer here: - http://www.itv.com/dramapremieres/abovesuspiciondeadlyintent/
Southland: This show is emotional. Seriously. You feel like a LA cop and by the end it’s a job I do not want. There are two seasosn to catch up on. Season 3 starts next week in the USA.
It has been strange but fun experience watching all the shows I love, live. Usually I have to depend on the quick uploads the next day and often not getting a chance to watch the episodes until the next night. Now I finally get to tweet my opinions and read those of my fellow Caribbean, American and Canadian viewers all at the same time Below are my thoughts on some of the shows this season, a mixture of the brand new and old favorites…
Nikita
Considering I’ve seen the 1990 movie and the 1997 TV series, all of the same name, I really did not expect much from the new series. I just could not understand the point of doing it again. But I was pleasantly surprised. Maggie Q, Shane West and Lyndsy Fonseca are watchable and the story lines have been fun. Is it enough to go on for another season? I am not convinced. How many times can Shane West not capture her after a face to face confrontation? Not for much longer, but for now I take it for what it is.
Undercovers
Hart to Hart was one of my favorite television shows. Even as a child I enjoyed the mixture of mystery, romance and humor. It may have been corny for some tastes but it was just perfection for me. Undercovers is undoubtedly the 2010 version of this classic. New generation = new twists so now the lead couple are African American, ex CIA operatives and 10x more hi-tech than the Harts. The previews made me think of’ Mr and Mrs Smith’ but the episodes are more akin to the Smiths in a Hart world. Boris Kodjoe who has always been a gorgeous face finally has the acting chops to accompany the looks. It is great to see African American actors do more than just comedy and ghetto humor on TV. Will it last and gain a loyal following? I am doubtful. The writing needs to become edgier and viewers need a twist to really convince them to watch another season. I really hope the show gets a chance to succeed.
The Event
Wow. What can I say about this show? Nothing good I’m afraid. The first episode has all the flash and suspense that could be crammed into 45 minutes but by the last five minutes I lost all interest. I tried watching the second episode and gave up all together in ten minutes. Why? The twist is just tyoo outlandish and I honestly do not care to stick around to find out why The Event is happening. It is no Lost and definitely not 24. I expect a cancellation pretty soon.
Glee
Our singing, dancing, drama filled high schoolers are back! The first episode fills gives us the back story to an eventful summer and introduces some new characters to the mix. Story lines are back! I am an unashamed Gleek but I can admit that last season got burdened with too much singing and very little stories. It is set in a high school after all so drama should be the main part the ingredient. It’s fun and leaves you with that sunny feeling all over again. Oh yes and you can not stop singing when it done.
Modern Family
After its’ Emmy win MF comes back like an old familiar friend. Just as funny and sweet as the first season. I love this family (well except baby Lily. Sorry but that child truly is personality free!). I look forward to seeing what situations they will get themselves into and comedy that will ensue. A perfect example is the first episode. Between the princess castle and the selling of the old family car and the new girl in Manny’s life….well watch for your self and I dare you not to be tickled!
Cougar Town
I love this show. I just can not help myself. It is silly beyond repair and they spend an awful amount of time in Jules’ living room sipping red wine BUT I still love it! As I said before, the name Cougar Town is no longer appropriate and the show agrees. Season two starts with the title ‘Still Cougar Town’, lol. And complains like the lack of baby Stan is also hilariously addressed. I doubt it may get to a third season as there aren’t many more places to go story wise but I will happily enjoy what remains of the series.
Parenthood
Such a lovely show. A family drama that has less of the historonics of Brothers and Sisters. They are far far from perfect but the love is still there. Some real life issues with the usual soap opera elements, yes, but it works. Very glad it made it to a second season.
Hawaii Five-O
Dont bother. Flashy yes put poor story telling. Hawaii is gorgeous and every characters history is plausible but together there is no sizzle. And the case was a weak one. Nothing to keep you intrigued or the desire to solve. I don’t think it will last
Blue Bloods
It has a strong cast, great setting and intriguing mystery in its midst. I have enjoyed the first two episodes of this new cop/family drama immensely. Donnie Wahlberg in particular has been very very good. Each member of the family has enough of a backstory to keep them interesting and amp up the drama for the rest of the season.
I seriously let go of this show in season 3. The story lines and acting got moronic BUT Leighton Meester and Ed Westwick have the most magnetic chemistry. Together you genuinely feel the emotions. Will they put them back together? I will depend on Youtube to give me the answer because entire episodes may make my retinas bleed.
This is the first full scene between Chuck and Blair for the new season and with them both in Paris it could not have been a more fitting location. They are an epic couple with an epic city as their backdrop. Funny enough reading various recaps and the comments that follow, my opinion of ‘Chair’ and the general demise of this series seems to be the overall conclusion…
For a TV show lover like myself the Emmys are my Oscar time. It is not shown live in London town so I have to wait for the blogs and other online sources to let me know who the winners are. There was some disappointment – Kyle Chandler and Connie Britton from Friday Night Lights were once again deprived of an award for the their brilliant acting. But I was not shocked. FNL though full of excellent writing and actors and emotive storylines has never gotten the recognition it deserves and probably never will. It matters little to fans like myself. I have four season to look at forever and the final episodes this September to say goodbye to all my favourite people.
The winners that made me happy were Mad Men for Best Drama Series – though they were up against The Good Wife and True Blood, they still deserved the statue! Best Comedy Series winners Modern Family had to get the statue. So so hilarious.
Archie Panjabi won Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama series for The Good Wife. Yayyyyy! An British Indian girl done good in Hollywood. So very happy for her and very deserving because Kalinda is one character who has been an enjoyable slow burn revelation.
And my final fav win was Eric Stonestreet, the lovable Cam in Modern Family who won Outstanding Suppoting Actor in a Comedy Series.
On a serious note, if you have not seen any of the aforementioned show please please add them to your viewing lists. New seasons start in the autumn but as always I encourage you to got watch it from season one, episode one and fall in love like I have.
Now how can do a post about the the Emmys and not mention fashion? There were some gorgeous dresses and suits last night. Here are my favs:
Law and Order: SVU‘s Mariska Hargitay reminds me of her mother Jayne Mansfields with those gorgeous curves
Coordinated couple love – Emily Blunt and John Krasinki
Best Cleavage – Mad Men’s Christina Hendricks
True Blood‘s Rutina Wesley rocked her best red carpet look so far.
True Blood’s Carrie Preston wore a beautiful multi coloured dress that complimented her red hair to perfection. For those who dont know she is married to Lost’s ‘Ben Linus’.
Boris Kodjoe as always looks amazing in his suit. Look out for him in new series ‘Undercovers‘ (I wrote about his co-star Gugu Mbatha-Rawhere) coming in Sept on NBC.
And finally best dressed male for the night was Modern Family’s Ty Burrell. He rocked a grey suit with brown shoes. He dared to be different and I loved it! Unfortunately finding a picture of him is proving to be impossible. Will post it as soon as the blogs get a clue and feature him!
Finally found a picture I could use. Unfortunately it is not full length. He is pictured with his onscreen wife Julie Bowen
This is where Ben Affleck belongs. In a director’s chair and maybe, at a push, in a minor supporting role. But if it were up to me I would very nicely tell him that he is no actor. From Good Will Hunting onwards I have not been convinced by his abilities. And I feel a little bit sorry for him because his best friend is Matt Damon. No need elaborate because he knows the truth as much as we do, lol.
I would like him to concede and embrace his true talent. The one that earned him an Academy award. He is a fantastic writer and director. 2007′s Burn Baby Burn happily shows us that Good Will Hunting was a “one hit wonder”. It was an excellent film. He writes about what he knows best, Boston and Bostonians and gives us viewers an insight in the layers of the city. He does it again in The Town. Great trailer and the cast is stellar from Jon Hamm, Jeremy Renner, Chris Cooper, Rebecca Hall to Pete Postlethwaite. The only casting I question is Blake Lively. A gorgeous woman yes but so far her ‘acting’ amounts to mumbling lines. Could this film finally pull out some chops? I am looking forward to finding out…
His voice is so distinctive. Yesterday ‘I cant stop loving you’ came on Sweet 100.1 FM here in Trinidad and though I had never heard it before it just took one sentence for me to identify Kem. It is equal parts mellow, seductive and caressing the way his voice translates those notes. This singer and songwriter first captured my affection with the song ‘Love Calls Your Name’ from his 2002 album ‘Kemistry’. He has released two more albums, the latest being the beautiful ‘Intimacy’ in 2010. He speaks about the complexes and his undying belief in love. If you have not fallen for Kem already, do yourself a favour and get his albums. For these songs below it is worth it 
Undercovers
Parenthood
