The Reel Spin

Doris Cellar, the voice of an angel... "My Fantasy" video

Wow, I'm not sure how I let this little gem slip by me.  

You may remember back in August of 2011, I wrote a post on Doris Cellar (of Freelance Whales fame).  Her original track of "A Real Man" really spoke to my heart, and I still claim it as one of my favorite songs.  To read the original post, click here. 

So, I guess it shouldn't be any surprise that one of Cellar's newest tracks has struck a chord with me as well.  The song is entitled "My Fantasy," and Cellar once again uses her angelic voice to transport us to a place and time when we were gazing at the one we love and "hypnotized" by their smile.  But that same love sometimes can leave us broken, can make us want to give up on the whole idea of love eternal.  Cellar recognizes this, but won't let us give up just yet... she is, lyrically anyway, a hopeless romantic, and I love that about her music.

I hope you'll watch the video below of "My Fantasy."  Enjoy the romanticism of the NY skyline as you listen to Cellar's earnest lyrics and heartbreakingly beautiful vocals.  And, if you're like me, and want to hear more from her, please check out her website here.  

 

Snow White and the Huntsman... A fairy tale with a twist

I may not have been given a poisoned apple upon entering the theatre, but I was definitely put under a spell by Snow White and the Huntsman.

I've mentioned before I am not the biggest Kristen Stewart fan, so I wasn't in love with seeing her in the beloved role of Snow White.  However, after a few minutes into the movie, it didn't matter who was playing Snow White.  Charlize Theron's 'Ravenna' (aka the evil queen) had everyone in the audience captivated, including me, and I remained under her spell until the very end of the film.  

It's not easy to be evil.  Especially when the role requires one to be overly dramatic and simultaneously navigate an enormous amount of visual effects.  But, Theron masterfully found the balance between being just outrageous enough without going into campy territory. 

There were other memorable performances as well.  Chris Hemsworth did an excellent job as the Huntsman.  I totally bought it.  I also really liked Sam Claflin as 'William.'  He is one to keep your eye on folks.  Gorgeous and talented.  Nice combo, and I can assure you we haven't seen the last of him.

In addition to fantastic casting (I'm letting the Stewart casting slide, as she did an okay job), the visual effects were stunning. I still can't get over the adorable little fairies... I wanted to take them home with me!  And the action scenes were amazing.  

Yes, there is action.  And lots of it.  There is truly something in this movie for everyone.  Good vs. evil.  A romantic triangle. Whimsy.  But, more than anything it's a new twist on an old tale, and I applaud the creativity.  This is not the story of Snow White you read as a child.  I'm not going to give away all the delightful twists, just go see what I mean and check out Snow White and the Huntsman for yourself... but be prepared to fall under its spell.

Want your man to look like DWTS' Maksim Chmerkovskiy?

Well maybe your man won't look like Maks, but he can certainly wear some jewelry designed by Maks.  Close enough, right?  

When I heard that Maks was in the men's jewelry designing business these days, I was a little unsure what to expect.  After all, designing jewelry for men can be a bit tricky.  But, then I remembered he always looks amazing, so why shouldn't his jewelry?  And, it does.  Masculine, but stylish.  Trendy, but accessible.  I particularly like the bracelets.  Not just any guy can pull off the necklaces and rings, but the bracelets just about anyone can do... and look great doing it.

Check out his website displaying pieces from the collection here.  Or, if you want to get a jump start on your Father's Day shopping, you can order pieces from JC Penney online here.

Final Verdict: "Men at Work"... needs work

I was hoping TBS had a hit on its hands with "Men at Work."  New series created by actor Breckin Meyer and starring the likes of Danny Masterson and James Lesure.  Should be a win, right?  Not so much.

First of all, I do want to give credit where credit is due.  Both Masterson and Lesure make the most of a bad situation.  They do the best they can with the dialogue and content given.

Having said that, the show could almost be funny if it weren't trying so hard... to be funny.  There are simply to many failed attempts to force humor, to be hip, and to even talk dirty (quite literally).  When, actually, the reality of these four guys working at a men's magazine could be funny.  The talent is there.  The show even had moments, but instead of enjoying those moments and letting those work, we were forced to endure the next forced funnies that were thrust upon us as viewers.  Sort of reminds me of a guy at a party that's nervous and trying way too hard to impress a girl he likes.  It ends up being awkward for everyone. Well, the show is the well-meaning guy, and the audience ends up being the unimpressed girl.

Very disappointing.  I know the show is called Men at Work, but it shouldn't feel like work to watch. 

Style List: Proenza Schouler clutch

Kourtney Kardashian posted pics today from her family outing. Even though her son Mason is one of the cuties little guys around, I kept trying to get a better look at the clutch Kourtney was carrying.  Turns out it is by Proenza Schouler, and a quick visit to the website showed me there really isn't a bag on there I wouldn't carry.  Drool.  

Check out Kourtney Kardashian's chic pregnant style, and the clutch in question, by clicking here.

For more Proenza Schouler, click here.

And the winners are...

What an exciting week for fans of Dancing with the Stars AND American Idol.  Two finales.  Two deserving winners.  

Dancing with the Stars awarded its mirror ball trophy to Green Bay Packer Donald Driver.  When the wildly popular (and with good reason... how adorable is she?) Maria Menounos was eliminated just short of the final, I thought singer Katherine Jenkins had the win in the bag.  She had certainly been the most consistent all season and clearly the judges' favorite. Unless of course hunky actor William Levy could have stolen the win with all of his hip action and female fans voting.  Never did I think Donald Driver would take the lead.  Not because he wasn't talented.  He was actually underrated the entire season (in my opinion).  But, not even hard to please judge Len could deny Driver his "ten" once he performed his freestyle to Cowboy Troy's "I Play Chicken with the Train."  Driver and partner Peta Mergatroyd were on fire!  That performance won him the trophy. Well deserved, and it made for an exciting final.  If you missed his freestyle, you MUST watch below.

 

And, we can't forget about American Idol winner Phillip Phillips. While his win may not have been as much of an upset, it was certainly very deserved.  I got on the Phillip Phillips bandwagon the first time the American Idol cameras put him on screen and continued to root him on the entire season.  Not only do I think his first single, "Home," will do great on the charts, but I'm even more excited to see what Phillips can do once he is able to put some of his own material out into the world.  He's everything you could want in an American Idol.  Talented, humble, and most importantly, original.  If you don't know who Phillips is, check out the clip below.  This is my favorite performance from him of the season... his rendition of Usher's "U Got it Bad." And this, folks, is why Phillip Phillips is a star.

 

 

Tweet of the Day: Zach Braff's milkshake

Oh, Zach Braff, you are a funny, funny man... 

His tweet of the day worthy quote:

"My milkshake just accidentally brought all the boys to the yard. So pissed."

Ha!

If you're not following Braff on Twitter, you should.  He brings the giggle.  Trust.  Follow him here.

GREAT GATSBY trailer... Are you in or out?

I'm in.

 

Video of the Day: Sleigh Bells' "Demons"

Derek Miller of Sleigh Bells actually directed the band's latest video for their track, "Demons."  It may be a bit dark, but the slow motion shots are pretty great.  Miller also did a nice job of capturing the vibe of what it's like to be at one of their live shows.  

Although, they are still way more fun in person.  For tour dates, click here.

 

RIP Robin Gibb