*Spoilers for ANTM and The Golden Compass*

I'm so late in posting this that you've probably already seen who won America's Next Top Model, said "meh" when it was announced and promptly let the news drift out of your mind. I'm glad cycle 9 is over. I'm thrilled Tootie won. Really. If only because it means I won't be subjected to Chantal's "My Life as a Cover Girl" commercials all next season. I still think Jenah was the best of the three.. Pfft. I did like the clothes from the fashion show, though, and I confess that after realizing the guy she tripped was okay, I might have smirked at C's gaffe. She's going to see me on the streets of Austin some day and give me a smack.

I saw The Golden Compass last night. It suffered from the same problem as the first Harry Potter movie. They tried to fit all the major bits in while remaining faithful to the book so the end result is rather sterile. The script stumbled along in this very rudimentary "WE ARE NOW GOING FROM POINT A TO POINT B" sort of way. It looked glorious, though, and Dakota Blue Richards (think a young Katherine Heigl meets a young Jennifer Grey) gives a nice performance in her screen debut. I didn't, for some reason, think that Bolvanger would look so futuristic, though. I'd sort of imagined it in the same way Lyra's Oxford is rather Victorian England. I'm trying to be generous to the film because a) I like Chris Weitz and thought he did a great job with About a Boy and b) Golden Compass is one of my favorite books ever and they had the support and input of Philip Pullman. Even though they neatly sidestepped the indictment of Christianity, a strong theme in the books, there's no mistaking that Nicole Kidman was talking about Adam & Eve and original sin in regards to dust. I know the movie isn't doing all that well so I wonder if New Line will pull the plug on The Subtle Knife. I think GC is due for another reading. It's been a while (I purposely held off so the film wouldn't be totally ruined). I heart Iorek Byrnison!

The cloudy cold is making me tired. Or maybe it was Clinton, Obama, Edwards, et al. I just watched the last Democratic debate before the Iowa Caucus. The candidates were back to being chummy (in the spirit of the holidays, I'm sure). I can't wait til January 3!

Project Runway snootiness later,
Ms. P

Labels: america's next top model, chris weitz, dakota blue richards, film, golden compass, nicole kidman, philip pullman, politics, tv, tyra banks