US Top Model All Stars!

I am scared but so excited! Usually I wait to watch seasons until they are over and I can watch all the episodes together, but I can't wait for this.

I remember all these girls (since I pretty recently watched all of the seasons) and I do have a few favorites. At the same time, it has been a long time for many. This season can't really be about starting a modeling career because some of the girls are too old to start modeling (sad but true).

So I am a little worried how this all star season will go, but it will be fun to see some of the girls again. However, with a show all about the girls who were memorable, the opening sequence with all Tyra as all the girls was a bit much. Hopefully Tyra won't try to be the main focus all season.

And the celebrity guests this season, probably not necessary but could be interesting, and the live finale like the other country shows, we'll see how it goes for the US. At least for this all star show, it makes sense since it is not really a modeling competition, so it works fine for the public to have input (if that is how they are doing the finale, with some public voting).

Movie, TV, reading Update

Been watching more movies and shows between work.Generally, here are my thoughts:

Funny Face has an interesting premise - turn a not-model into a model - seems like something I'd like, especially with Audrey Hepburn, but I have mixed opinions. It is shot beautifully, and has some interesting songs (it's a musical) and fantastic clothes, but the love interest (Audry with Fred Astaire) did not work for me and the bohemian dance scene did not seem to fit with the usually graceful Audrey.

I have an odd mix of stuff on my computer... next up Clockwork Orange. Besides the content that is supposed to shock the viewers (which I knew to expect, like violence and rape), the general premise makes you think. To me, a good movie confuses your emotions and makes you think. First you hate the character, for obvious reasons, then you might end up feeling bad for him, which is confusing because he is not a good person. But the premise makes you think. One thing I could do without is the 'futuristic' russian-infused-english. It may work in the book, but in the movie it just made it harder for me to understand. So, for movies that make you think, if you are okay with violence, this is a good movie. I would say people should see this once (though some argue it gets better with multiple viewings) - I am okay with once unless you don't get the movie at all, then multiple viewings may help.

As for TV shows, I have been starting this season's Project Runway. I do like watching multiple episodes at once, so I hadn't watched any and them watched 6 in a row. Though now I have to wait for more. The designers this season are very interesting with their unique styles and personalities.

I have also been watching the 1960s show Gidget with Sally Field (so cute!). This only lasted one season, and I can see why fans of the movies would not care much for the show - her love interest is off at college, so it is more about the family relationship during the school year. But, as I never saw the movies, separate from the movies, this is a cute series. However, you have to take it with a grain of salt. For me, some of the 'lessons' in the show don't match with my belief of encouraging women that they can do anything they want, even 'men's jobs.' But that was a part of the times - this is based on a series from the 50s, with 50s mentality of women as homemakers and all that jazz. But I've noticed enough of that in the Audrey Hepburn movies, too, and just chalk it up to being part of the time period. If you let it get to you, you may not enjoy this show or many of the Audrey movies.

Also watching Friends - as a replacement for my Top Model - to have in the background while I work. I have seen a lot of the early Friends shows, but I think 7th season on I haven't seen much. I don't know if I really want to (I have heard some opinions that it gets bad), but I would like to know how it ends, since the show is a pretty big staple of American pop culture.

And in Books (this is new for me), I have a lot of books I want to read. The hubby is more of the reader, so we went to Border's store closing sales. I actually found a few books I wanted. A few are picture collections (of rock stars), but I also found (and started) a book about the band Queen (Is This the Real Life?: The Untold Story of Queen). Among the others I grabbed, the ones I am most excited about are: 1) one about hollywood (Pictures at a Revolution: Five Movies and the Birth of the New Hollywood) and how it changed with some pivotal movies and flops like Doctor Doolittle (incidentally, I loved as a kid and plan to re-watch soon); 2) one about the filming of Breakfast at Tiffany's (Fifth Avenue, 5:00 AM: Audrey Hepburn, Breakfast at Tiffany's, and The Dawn of the Modern Woman); 3) one about studio 54 and the disco party days (The Last Party: Studio 54, Disco, and the Culture of the Night); 4) one about Bruce Springsteen. I am a super slow reader, but I will review them if I finish any...