American Idol Season 9 Top 16 Guys Performances

- Lee Dwyze (oh my gosh,I loved this rendition!!So current & didn't bored me to death like most of the girls performances. Watch out for the pitchy notes though,Lee always tends to ignore that.Because sometimes the notes is verging on excruciating.)
- Alex Lambert (I loved Taylor Hicks's version of this song back in the day but Alex did a good job with it too.A little bit all over the place vocally and the arrangement is a bit faster but still solid)
- Tim Urban (oh my Jesus Lord!!It's so fantastic!!I never in a million years predicted he would make my jaw dropped like what he just did with this performance.Who knows he could soar like that??One of the best performances from the guys this season,I think)
- Andrew Garcia (STFU judges!!I loved this rendition!!His best performance so far since Straight Up,me think.Thanks God,the guys oversang the girls so far tonight.I love every one of their performances,maybe because they pick a current song choice rather than dull old medieval song)
- Casey James (beautiful performance.He hasn't performed as good as his Hollywood Week's performance but this is the right track for Casey. Country bluesy genre.He looked so handsome tonight btw.)
- Aaron Kelly (his beginning notes were too low,and he's swaying left & right. He should work that out because it's so distracting. Amazing vocal though,albeit shakiness in some parts)
- Todrick Hall (woah the beginning falsetto surprised me.It sounded like a female voice but he rocked that performance out tonight.He saved himself definitely from the chopping block.Nice song choice,great performance,not over the top or boring.)
- Michael Lynche (WTH!!His neo soul performance's definitely a showstopper performance so far in the competition. Although neo soul/R&B genre is not my thing but spectacular performance.He's a serious contender for sure,not just milking the wife and baby story.)

Now I'm confuse who'll be going home tomorrow from the guys.Tonight I'm definitely bias with my review because of the song choices.The more current the song choices are,the most likely I rank it higher than the older song choices.Although I try to be objective.

My rank:
1. Michael Lynche
2. Tim Urban
3. Lee Dwyze
4. Andrew Garcia
5. Aaron Kelly
6. Todrick Hall
7. Casey James
8. Alex Lambert

American Idol Season 9 Top 16 Girls Performances

Okay,I was upset that tonight's show was only 1 hour when I found out about that. Until I watched it... Here it is:

- Katie Stevens (I must disagree with the judges. For once,I loved her song choice. I liked this performance. My problem with her was she didn't have any spots in the song to showcase her powerful voice. With only around 1 minute performance,it's impossible to build the momentum within the song. But she improved tonight.)
- Siobhan Magnus (she's stepping up her game every week. Brilliant acapella at the beginning. She' no longer a darkhorse for me. She's a contender in this race for sure.)
- Lacey Brown (OMG!!OMG!!I loved this performance. Her best performance so far and one of the best performance from all the contestants these 3 weeks. I loved how heart wrenching the performance was and the connection. Her beautiful voice is showcased on every lyrics. Great job!!)
- Katelyn Epperly (the hell with the judges!! I enjoyed this performance. Last week she bored me to death with her slower Scientist performance. This week,she showed her fun personality. I hope she advances to the Top 12)
- Didi Benami (she's back!! The accoustic singer songwriter Didi that everyone loved is back. She performed the heck out of that song although her facial expression was too serious in some parts of the song but overall great performance!!)
- Paige Miles (gloomy sad song in contrast with the lyrics,but Paige showed her vocal range with her song choice. I could see what Simon saw in her. Although maybe this is the end for her)
- Crystal Bowersox (I prefer Jordin Sparks or even Kristen McNamara's version of this song. Crystal is outstanding but when she performed this song choice,I couldn't shake Jordin & Kristen's rendition out of my head.)
- Lilly Scott (old song,but I liked this performance. She stood out from the pack because she picked this country song. She could do more to impress us though.)

Overall,a fantastic night for the girls. The best girls nights performances since Season 6 Top 24 Girls. I never thought they could do it. Two thumbs up for them. Now,the guys chance to impress me tomorrow.

My rank:
1. Lacey Brown
2. Didi Benami
3. Siobhan Magnus
4. Katelyn Epperly
5. Katie Stevens
6. Lilly Scott
7. Crystal Bowersox
8. Paige Miles

Movie Review: Alice in Wonderland

This movie maybe one of the movies this year that I've been anticipated. From the trailer,I already loved the way Tim Burton brings this cartoon to life and Johnny Depp,Helena Bonham Carter and Anne Hathaway's acting. I decided to watch this movie in 3D,to make the most of it,fortunately I was with my friend. Different case with Avatar,I wanted to see it in 3D but the theater that plays 3D movie is so far,I was too lazy to go there and watch the movie by myself/alone.

This movie opens with beautiful landscape of the mansion's garden in Victorian era. The family there invite Alice to match her with their son. Instead of accepting that guy's marriage proposal,Alice is more interested with a rabbit that's been running around in the garden's maze. Thus,the rabbit lures Alice into the hole,a doorway to Wonderland.

I always love the european/duke/duchess aura since I was a child. Something about that society is interesting to me. The first time Alice finds out she's in a locked room with only a key and potion in it remind me of Kingdom Hearts (PS2 RPG game). LOL. When she's finally out from that room,the face of Tweedledum and Tweedledee made me laugh,Matt Lucas played them and he's one heck of a comedian. I love his tv series (Little Britain),one of the funniest comedy series out there. I was so ecstatic too when I heard Alan Rickman's voice as Caterpillar (can you tell that I love him because he plays Snape in Harry Potter series?). When they meet Mad Hatter,I didn't know what they're talking about. Johnny Depp speaks words that it's too difficult for me to understand. Red Queen is also,sometimes I had a difficulty understand what she's talking about,although my favorite line from this movie is "Off with their head". ROTFL. No one can play Red Queen as good as Helena Bonham Carter. Her eccentric style,her eyes and her legendary acting make for a great evil Red Queen. The people that surrounds her,the one with long nose,fat body,big ears are LOL worthy. Seeing them suck up to every Queen's words made me almost laugh.

I didn't know the exact story of Alice in Wonderland. So I didn't know that White Queen is good force. I thought she's just another character. I love Anne Hathaway's portrayal of that queen. Very out of this world persona and very WHITE!! Dunno why she's walking like that. Tim Burton's world is never boring to me. To my surprise,I thought Alice in the armor when I saw in the trailer was a man. Turned out it's Alice,I didn't realize that from the trailer.

I couldn't understand some details in this movie,about what Red Queen told to Knave of Hearts,why both of that queens in war with each other,etc. But I love love this movie. It's above my expectation. I love each character's portrayal,the differences between the cartoon and this movie. Since many people talked about how boring this movie it is,I'd say that I didn't see it that way. This is what to expect from this movie,dialogue with so many characters and the uniqueness of each of them. Or maybe the bizarre things in this movie. I enjoyed it so much. You should see it too!!

Links: Official Site
IMDB
Rotten Tomatoes
Wikipedia

American Idol Season 9 Top 20 Results

They sang "I Gotta Feeling" for the group song,ouch the auto-tunes. It's getting more obvious everyday.

John Park got booted!! He has potential but he couldn't delivered on this show. Disappointment for many people and his fans. He performed a better rendition of Gravity though tonight,more vigor than two days ago.

Jermaine Sellers got axed!! Thanks God,of course God doesn't want Jermaine to taint His holy name any longer. I'm so ashamed that I rooted for him way back in audition.

Danny Gokey sang the hell out of his song,and after that he couldn't STFU!! I'm already neutral about him and now I hate him again. Always rambling rambling and rambling about everything. I abhorred him last year. It's good that he has a pretty good country career. Good for him.

Didi Benami's fate is on the line with her bad song choice yesterday,but Michelle Delamor got eliminated instead. I felt sorry for her. She seemed so sad yet pissed off.

Thanks God,Lacey Brown is still safe. It's the end of the line for Haeley Vaughn. Too bad we can't see the rising of female african american country singer like what the judges hoped for her. She's very inexperience and butchered every songs with her untrained vocal ability. All the girls cried so much because of her elimination. I guess,she's very likable,huh. They must love her so very much.

American Idol Season 9 Top 20 Girls Performances

- Crystal Bowersox (I was so happy that she's not disqualified & has recovered from her illness. She delivered a solid good soulful rendition. Very truthful and she looked like a pro already. Not my fave genre of song though but beautiful vocal)
- Haeley Vaughn (I love the song,I liked this performance but it's a bit bland and went nowhere. I didn't hear as many pitchy notes as last week,the last notes were awful. I think she needs time in order to be more skillfull. She has great potential but still doesn't know what to do with it right now)
- Lacey Brown (the beginning of the song brought back the beautiful sultry tone in her voice but the bandzilla ruined it for me. She'd do fantastic if she did it accoustically or with less band. It's still not bad though for me. Great song,nice performance)
- Katie Stevens (good song choice but disappointing performance. I prefer Megan Joy's version last season. Katie has spectacular voice but I don't know why she picks awful song choices. She can't seem to pick the right one. I'd think "No Parade" from Jordin Sparks might be a good song for her)
- Didi Benami (oh woah she had a meltdown!!I didn't like this performance at all. Weird notes in the beginning,very shouty in the last part,all over the place and very uncomfortable. Why every frontrunner crash and burn right now at this early in the competition?? I can't fathom it. Every one of them hasn't performed as good as their respective Hollywood Week's performance. I'm afraid this season this show might jump the shark)
- Michelle Delamor (I didn't recognize the song because of the weird arrangement but she sang it wholeheartedly and in perfect notes/pitch. Definitely the only female gunning for the diva slot this year. I want to see her again though,with the right song she could impress me)
- Lilly Scott (ooww I think it's just okay. Adam Lambert did a way better and believable version of this song. She oversang this song in some parts,felt like a manic performance,I didn't like this)
- Katelyn Epperly (B.O.R.I.N.G !!!! It's too slow and nothing interesting about this performance. I prefer Tasha Layton's rendition in Hollywood Week,and I don't give a damn about their excuses that they're still figuring out the stage,the sound,the camera and whatever it is,since Lakisha,Elliot,etc who didn't have any experience at all back then,knocked most of their performances out of the park)
- Paige Miles (good!! My mom suddenly broke into my room and rambled about my brother. Urgh!! I couldn't hear Paige clearly because of that but I think she's very likable,has charming personality and not bad/boring at all. Fun & enjoyable performance)
- Siobhan Magnus (no one can touch Katharine McPhee's version of this song,she owned it!! Although I loved Siobhan's banshee scream in the end. LOL)

I hate hate hate tonight's show. If I had knew the performances would be this boring and mediocre with no stand out performance at all,I'd rather go out and watch Alice in the Wonderland. Sigh.

My rank:
1. Crystal Bowersox
2. Lacey Brown
3. Michelle Delamor
4. Haeley Vaughn
5. Siobhan Magnus
6. Paige Miles
7. Katie Stevens
8. Lilly Scott
9. Katelyn Epperly
10. Didi Benami

American Idol Season 9 Top 20 Guys Performances

Sudden switch from girls to guys because of Crystal Bowersox.

- Michael Lynche (amazing improvement over last week,very soulful,not karaoke-ish,he added much more spice into his performance.Love it!!)
- John Park (better than last week,but he didn't capture my attention. The performance didn't have any wow factor in it. He got the voice to blow us away but where is it?? I kinda hoped he hit the right moment in this song but unfortunately there wasn't any moment at all)
- Casey James (was he wearing a lipgloss?? Casey is such a frontrunner right now. I would never ever guessed it in million years watching from his audition. He has an amazing guitar playing technique. I love this performance. Very solid!!)
- Alex Lambert (major improvement over last week's awkward performance. I really like his tone & voice. With the right song and the bandzilla out of the way,he could have a showstopper performance. He has to watch some of his bummed notes though.)
- Todrick Hall (why the heck did they criticize Todrick every inch of the way. It's like everything he does is wrong. I loved his last week's performance but I didn't like this one until the second part of the song when he's moving on stage. The judges threw him under the bus and pulling all stop to confuse this guy and eliminate him I'd say)
- Jermaine Sellers (oh shut up,Jermaine!! You're so annoying!! I've had enough of you!! He's become more like a douche every weeks. His performance was boring,too much runs & I can't stand his smug face while performing. I felt like he's always showing off,and why he talks back to the judges all the time??)
- Andrew Garcia (I felt he forced his performance too much. It's like he's struggling to the end,and it's not pleasant. Still good performance though. Just a tiny bit robotic)
- Aaron Kelly (what is this?? A Motown Night?? Almost all of their song choices are old songs. I didn't like it. As of this Aaron's performance,it was still solid. He still have limited stage movement & I abhor the song. Definitely prefer last week song choice)
- Tim Urban (a perfect song choice for him,I don't think there's any better song choice than this but he has zero stage presence,he delivered karaoke-ish performance,although I could see some good moment in the end. He had some nice spots in the last part of the verse. He really needs years of experience. It's so uncomfortable watching him)
- Lee Dwyze (one of the best performance of the night. Really believable,amazing rock vocal,I loved it!! I heard many pitchy notes and his nerve though)

My rank:
1. Lee Dwyze
2. Alex Lambert
3. Casey James
4. Michael Lynche
5. Tim Urban
6. Aaron Kelly
7. Andrew Garcia
8. John Park
9. Todrick Hall
10. Jermaine Sellers

Whitney Houston's Trainwreck Performance in Brisbane

I feel bad for her,her amazing voice isn't there anymore due to drugs. Although she tried really hard for that song and I really commend her for that. Besides,her "Look To You" album is one of the best album from last year. I love that album,every song of it!!