Daniel.

And it looks like they are going to outdo themselves in cinematography, my God there are some beautiful shots there. The sweeping shadow of the dragon over Kings Landing with the sea crashing in the background is just too much (also, probably just a neat bit of fantasy foreshadowing, but woah), the mobbing in the alleys of Meereen, the glimpse of Bran by the weirwood and Arya in the mountains, Yara in her boat, the charging POV attack, Dany on her bench throne, the lush production designs & costuming in general *.*

Once we look back on the show when it's all over, this is going to be seen as the most important season of its run, not only because they are adapting the last half of book three, which contains all the shit hits the fan moments that made the showrunners want to adapt these beasts of a fantasy saga in the first place (The Red Wedding is only the start, and the majority of Season Three was just preamble, actually arguably most of the whole show up to this point is preamble), but also because it's going to start to reveal the writers' hand on just how they plan to go about adapting the final books. This is going to be the point where the show really starts to diverge & develop its own plotting, and based on just that trailer, it looks like they are going to nail it. Excited.

Yay @ Rosie sneaking into the Top 20 in the final minutes, many thanks Martin and Johnkm <3 Glad for my top pointer winning too, congrats Cal, but a shame that Pretend (Cecilia) didn't make it into the upper echelons of the Top 10, such an amazing song.

Yep, I was struck initially by the vocals, but the song itself didn't end up doing much for me.

Also, the love that people clearly have for Forever Dolphin Love seems to be eluding me so far; the video was interesting, at times charming despite the aloofness and it did have some emotional resonance for me by the end, and I had my head wrapped around the structure of the song and was somewhat enjoying it by the second listen, but I was still kept at an admiring, but observational distance throughout; I think I need more time before my cold, cold heart truly opens up to it. I was still tempted to honour it more for the fact that it made me work the most, and has now made me write a whole post about it, but alas.. I'll also throw my hat into the ring and predict Holding On for Life for the win.

I hear ya; I'm at least hoping to beat my previous best of #17 (I believe), it's the most vote friendly song I've entered, which seems to be the problem.

My first entry in two years, has it really been that long? Eugh. Let's do this shit.

The film did feel a bit paper thin and scattershot at times, but I liked the message (both the importance of sisterly love and female solidarity + the acceptance of the big gay other, exemplified by the diva-tastic Let It Go), the attempt at subversion (which seems to be part of the quota nowadays in a post Shrek world) and the rather adorable fact that Olaf the snowman dreamed of nothing more than summer (winter is a good time to stay in and cuddle, but put me in summer and I'll be a...HAPPY SNOWMAN!), but he did feel a bit one note, even more than usual for a sidekick character. The animation and design of the kingdom was also pretty lovely on the whole (nothing is more evocative for me than a harbour town with creaking ships at anchor <3)

Does it seem wrong to be excited to watch this? Because I am.

I don't think there is an exact formula for any kind of creative endeavor, but to get the balance right on the singer's behalf is to get the execution of their content right, their vocal acting; how well does the singer keep up with the kinetic energy / mood of the music, do they dictate it? & how well does the singer convey the message / theme of the lyrics? How well does the singer's voice encapsulate the emotion of the song? Do I believe Ellie when she tells me people are going loco till the lights out - not really - and that's the best summation I can give I think; she seems to be offering nothing of note lately beyond the sound of her voice and that's not to say there aren't times where she gets things right, but overall as a pop star or music artist, I find Ellie Goulding to be completely nebulus.

Well that's just it, she's good at doing quaint & cute, but the more she chases the dance sound the more anonymous she becomes (and it seems the more success she accumulates..); there's a distinct and awkward gulf between her personality and the overpowering production and it's all a bit session singer.

Also, yay for Orange Is the New Black, but wtf at Coven being higher than Asylum?

I'd go as far to say it defines the current age we live in better than any other show could hope to come close to, it's perfect. Oh, you've got so many moments ahead of you; Levi's Higher Power, Tyler's The Ghost Is Seen, Amy's All I Ever Wanted.. And the second season ends as well as any show could hope to, its a cinematic climax, which is what ironically sealed its fate.

You must do yourself a favour and get back on it, whereabouts did you stop?

http://25.media.tumblr.com/4a67bfe8b5c140f4fecb5918c7510a43/tumblr_mwjktqByjJ1r0320so1_250.gif http://24.media.tumblr.com/fc2d6e0edb652b8aff12377710840d34/tumblr_mwjktqByjJ1r0320so3_250.gif http://24.media.tumblr.com/1a42a3861834717c0947adecae05ffec/tumblr_mwjktqByjJ1r0320so4_250.gif

Enlightened for #1 please Pavel dear

Heathcliff, it's me, Cathy / Come home I'm so cold / Let me in-a-your-window is my favourite pop hook ever I think, it's the perfect alchemy of pathos and catchiness with a lovely bit of intertextuality to boot.

Is it too late for me to throw a song in there?

UK promo in FULL SWING L__yhiBWmxU And Venus is the best thing we have been given this era, that live performance just confirmed it. It's everything that Applause wanted to be but wasn't, Gaga on her alien trips always brings the goods.

40 The Simpsons / Marge Simpson 39 Buffy the Vampire Slayer / Buffy Summers 38 Lost / Ben Linus 37 Six Feet Under / Claire 36 South Park / Cartman 35 Battlestar Galactica (2004) / Laura Roslin 34 American Dad / Roger 33 Bad Girls / The Two Julies 32 Parks & Recreation / Leslie Knope 31 Futurama / Leela 30 Game of Thrones / Tywin Lannister 29 Friends / Rachel 28 American Horror Story / The Devil as Sister Mary Eunice 27 Orange Is the New Black / Crazy Eyes 26 Desperate Housewives / Bree Van de Kamp 25 Sherlock / Moriarty 24 Family Guy / Stewie

Some of her fans copy every look she does and upload it to tumblr / littlemonsters.com, it is tragic, but I don't begrudge however they choose to express themselves or find escapism; most likely it's something they will look back on in embarrassment in years to come. The difference between Aura and Born This Way is that Gaga isn't trying to take a political stance, so I find the idea that someone would want her to sit down on Newsnight to discuss the percentage of taxes going towards the war on terror a bit too reactionary in its outrage. She wanted to wear a Burqa in "a move of passion", and it's a pretty positive portrayal in any case, she says she is a "woman of choice" and wears a veil to "hide the gorgeousness of [her] face"; she's using a Burqa as a literal metaphor for a woman's mystique and the enigma of the popstar. Of course, I can't say whether or not it's offensive to Islamic women, but assigning a different meaning on what is seen by some as a symbol of oppressive patriarchy is not necessarily a bad thing. Here's a pretty good read about the issue; http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/commen...en-8756228.html

Seeing as how you seem to be getting into J & K - Pop recently, you might like this, one of my favourite tracks of the year. vj6OM906Mhs

I've come back just so I can say what an AMAZING, JOYFUL, FULFILLING, WONDERFULLY TOLD, STUNNING, IMPORTANT film this is. Admittedly I haven't seen Amour, but I don't think I can be swayed into thinking that Quvenzhané Wallis does not deserve the Oscar; she carries the film on her tiny shoulders, and it works because she is utterly believable and heartbreaking. She auditioned for this when she was 5?! 10/10; the directing and storytelling is top notch, a richly told modern day fairy tale that is expertly layered. Also, the score! I want it to SWEEP come February 24th. I was left openly crying and buoyant.

Still loving Teen Idle.. Feeling SUPER, SUPER, SUPER! suicidal

Produced by Ridley Scott Associates (which explains the Prometheus vibe) with long-term Christopher Nolan collaborator Nathan Crowley behind the production design. Gaga went in hard with this, the full edit is supposed to be with us before the 22nd.