Understanding the Dollhouse – Dollhouse Extras

4 stars out of 5

This would be the kind of thing that you would watch if you are looking for more information about the specifics of the show, rather than a preview like they normally feature. This video is only 3:02, yet it is free, and it is definitely worth it.

“Dollhouse,” the hit TV series, shows each Friday at 9 p.m. on Fox. The Dollhouse Extras take “inside looks” at the making, uncovering more drama, mystery, and intriguing. In this extra, Dollhouse creator Joss Whedon joins an ensemble cast including Eliza Dushku, Olivia Williams, Dichen Lachman, and Fran Kranz for an inside look at the hit TV series.

The cast members describe their relations with the director and their preparation process in order to play the character. They go over everything from what drew them to the script to exactly how doll-y the dollhouse was supposed to be.

The main idea of the science fiction TV series begins with a group of people known as “Dolls.” The Dolls have had their personalities brainwashed, so they can be imprinted with any number of new personas. However, this persona is an amalgam of different, existing personalities. They live in a futuristic dormitory/laboratory, a hidden facility nicknamed “The Dollhouse,” where they plan out how to attack the particular assignments they have been given, whether they are crimes, fantasies, or good deeds. The actors go over how they portrayed such versatile characters, and go into details about the making of the show.

MLB.com Fantasy 411 Season Preview 2009

4 stars out of 5

I’m not surprised that iTunes only gives out the previews for free, rather than the actual video that people would want to see. I understand that it’s a money-maker, but somehow it’s not as satisfying as I would like. But like all other previous previews, it definitely did it’s job.

Obviously (although this took me a while to figure out), MLB stands for Major League Baseball. (Of all the sports out there, baseball is the only sport that I don’t like watching.) The video says that you will “get the 411 on the steals and deals you should look for when drafting your 2009 fantasy baseball team from the MLB.com experts.” And that’s exactly what it does. The only problem is that it’s not very intriguing, yet at the same time it features the highlights of the season.

This preview takes an in-depth look at the players and teams from two perspectives. The preview follows the league, both division-by-division and team-by-team. The Fantasy 411 crew gives you what they call “expert insights” on who to draft and who to ditch for your fantasy baseball team.

Enjoy in the national pastime of baseball! The 30 minute and 8 second video is free on iTunes.

Te Quiero Llevar - Cancion de la Semana

4 stars out of 5

This is the second song that has been featured as “free on iTunes” by the band Cancion de la Semana. The band is devoted to providing traditional Latin music, with the famed pianist Arthur Hanlon raking in the bucks. With the help of iTunes’ feature, the band is rising to success…and with good reason.

The vocalists, Tito Nieves, Arturo Sandoval, and Ana Barbara, have gorgeous voices and lead their tunes eloquently. The backbeat serves to give enough rhythm while not being as upbeat as pop music. Once again, the Spanish lyrics annoy me a bit because I cannot understand the message of the music. If the music was fast, I wouldn’t mind because I usually don’t pay attention to the lyrics. But since the song is slow, I would have liked to understand it. Nevertheless, it deserves 4 stars out of 5 for its beauty and the relaxation it provides.

The Spleenectomy - Glamour Reel Moments

4 stars out of 5

First of all, let me just say that this is not a song; it’s a short film, but it’s free. So I watched it. (What’s there to lose?)

The short film lasted 11 minutes, yet the plot was simple and easy to follow. The plot line follows a housewife who is trying to be an actor but ends up being a doctor. This follows Shakespeare’s basic principle of a “play within a play” which was used not only in the Spleenectomy but also in the Midsummer Night’s Dream.
The actors performed over the top and over-exaggerated their physical choices, so the comedic elements were enhanced. I actually laughed out loud, which is not common for many short films that don’t have enough time to develop their plots. The Spleenectomy is part of the series called Glamour Reel Moments. Every year, the magazine Glamour asks its readers to submit real-life stories to the magazine. After receiving thousands of entries, three are selected and are directed by some of those in Hollywood.

My Hallelujah Song - Julianne Hough

4 stars out of 5

It’s country. It’s country. It’s country. But it’s still great.

Julianne Hough is a professional dancer who won Dancing with the Stars twice, once with Olympic skater Apollo Anton-Ohno and a second time with Brazilian race-driver Helio Castronavez. Now she’s also a singer…and a good one, too.

She has a beautiful voice, and she’s developed it well. I love the simple guitar melody in the back with a light rhythmic pulse. It’s a great way of putting the themes of hope and faith to a tune. Oh, by the way, I love her song “That Song in My Head,” and judging based on its popularity, so does everyone else. Go to this site to check out the music video for that: http://video.google.com/videosearch?q=that+song+in+my+head&hl=en&emb=0&aq=f And does anyone know who the guy in the music video is? If you do, let me know. :)

Her album also contains so vocals by her brother Derek Hough, who is also a professional dancer and won Dancing with the Stars last season with Brooke Burke. She also sang on the results show of Dancing with the Stars. I guess she was just too danced out.

I’ll admit…when I first heard her songs, I thought they were weird and it didn’t have a tune. But then I listened to it again so I’d have it in my head when writing the review, but then I couldn’t stop listening to it!

The Tossers - Siobhan

4 stars out of 5 (for laughs)

Depending on what type of music you enjoy, you might like “The Tossers” by Siobhan. At first, hearing the beat with the banjo (or whatever that instrument is) made me want to start clogging or something. That was the feel of the music. I literally laughed out loud because it reminded me of the multi-cultural days I had in middle school when we had to do different dances from around the world.

Nevertheless, the song “The Tossers,” from their album “AGONY,” is Irish punk (it’s actually more Irish than punk, but hey). It’s got an insane beat that makes you want to keep clapping. Although this is not the kind of song I would listen to in my spare time by any stretch of the imagination, it lightened my day, and I think it will lighten yours as well.

To watch to the music video, go to: http://www.contactmusic.com/videos.nsf/stream/the-tossers-siobhan-album-version

Show Me What I'm Looking For - Carolina Liar

4 stars out of 5 (I’m feeling generous)

“Show Me What I’m Looking For” by Carolina Liar is this week’s single of the week on iTunes. Not a bad song, if you ask me. The five-man band, whose members are all Swedish, now lives in South Carolina, playing the guitar and singing in their band together. They play pop-gone-alternative songs and often hit the road, performing acoustic shows. Their recent achievement was playing a couple songs on the show 90210 on February 3.

The song’s catchy beat blended skillfully with the guitarists and the vocalists, especially during the chorus. The guitarists definitely had talent; I’ll say that for sure. (Listen to the instrumental solo in the middle and you’ll know what I mean.) I listened to it once and loved it because of its catchy chorus. The only problem is that they played it up too much; the phrase “show me what I’m looking for” is sung 12 times total. That’s a lot, regardless of whether it is part of the chorus or not. Nevertheless, check it out…it’s probably one of the better free songs you’ll get.

To see the music video, go to http://www.carolinaliar.com/