Why Joss is Boss.

I'm convinced that if Joss Whedon struck out to rule the world, all of our leaders would let him.

His newest creation, Dr. Horrible's Sing-a-long Blog, penned and made during the writer's strike, shows just how flexible and GENIUS Whedon can be.

Also, Neil Patrick Harris is hilarious and amazing. But we knew that. He stars as the eponymous character, a scientist who longs to rule the world (because it's a mess). Only thing is, he's not that good at being evil. And he's in love with a girl (Felicia Day) that goes to the same laundromat as he.

Nathan Fillion (!!) stars as his buffoon-ish nemesis, Captain Hammer, who manages to get the girl and still foil all Horrible's plans. And, you know, it's Nathan Fillion. Singing. And smiling. And breathing.

The lyrics are fantastic ("Any dolt with half a brain / Can see that humankind has gone insane / To the point where I don't know if I'll upset the status quo / if I throw poison into the water main." -- Act II), fun, and will make you smile continually throughout.

Act I and II are already up, and act III will be up on Saturday on http://drhorrible.com/, and best yet they're free! Until Sunday, at which point they'll be taken down. But you can purchase all 3 acts on iTunes. I have.

I give Dr. Horrible 5 out of 5!

R.C.'s Top 10 Talented Celebrity Men (that rhymed!)

Because what else would you do when you have laryngitis? As I sit here finishing up an essay, I couldn't help but think of this little quiz a couple of my friends had sent me in which you had to list your favorite 10 talented celebrity men. Well, here's mine:

**NOTE: Orlando Bloom did NOT make this list, because, well, I said "talented" celebrities. Sorry, girls.


1. Sean Biggerstaff

Whenever I mention his name, the reply is always the same: "who?" Well, screw you, infidels, because Sean's one to watch! This Scottish actor doesn't take any shit from anyone, he's in a band, his sarcastic streak is world-renown, not to mention that he's got more talent in the nail of his pinky finger than 90% of Hollywood's leading men have in their entire bodies. Was that grammatically correct? Probably not. My head hurts.

Anyway, Sean not only has a slew of intriguing and fantastic movies roles under his belt (Oliver Wood in "Harry Potter", Jeremy Wolfenden in "Consenting Adults", and Ben Willis in "Cashback" to name a few), but my fictional letter to him in Spanish got me the highest grade in my Spanish 201 class. Gracias, Sean!


2. Nathan Fillion



He's the only thing I want for my 21st birthday (well, him and a pair of polka dot shoes), and barring any legal difficulties he may just show up! Who knows -- Kidnapping might not be a federal offense in his native Canada!

He first came to public attention on the soap opera, "One Life to Live", and on "Two Guys, a Girl, and a Pizza Place". He then advanced into Whedon territory when he played We-The-Jury-Find-The-Defendant-crazy priest Caleb on "Buffy, The Vampire Slayer" and as Captain Malcolm Reynolds on the short-lived but much-loved "Firefly" and its counterpart film (take that, FOX!), "Serenity". He continued into film with that piece of shit, "White Noise 2: The Light", and the charming "Waitress".

Plus, he's a fucking goofball. And I love it.


3. Simon Amstell



I've never seen anyone do 'deadpan' so brilliantly. I first saw Simon on "Never Mind the Buzzcocks", my new favorite show that I'm forced to watch on YouTube because America hates smart and funny game shows. Simon manages to come across as that boy you went to school with who SEEMED innocuous until he opened his mouth and ruined the illusion. He's smart, he's quick, he's unapologetic, and he's a joy to watch. And, like most of the people who will be on this list, he's British.


4. Tom Wilkinson



Do you think Tom goes around and introduces himself like this: "Hello, I'm Tom Wilkinson... and you're not"? If not, he definitely should. We all need a reminder like that.

Mr. Wilkinson has been in several (billions?) of movies and has never disappointed me in any of them, regardless if the movie itself is even of any value. Although usually having Tom in them is an indication. He's a sort of changeling, able to get into ANY kind of role, no matter what it is. His latest (and greatest?) was that of Benjamin Franklin on HBO's superb miniseries, "John Adams". Oh, all of you Hollywood actors better get down on your knees and pray that you will maybe, perhaps, in time be as wonderful as he. Although chances are it won't happen. Ever.


5. Harold Perrineau



I first saw Harold in Baz Luhrmann's "Romeo and Juliet", in which he played Mercutio. But I never really paid him mind, mostly because I was young and had the attention span of a brick. But I then sat up and took notice when I watched the first season of "Lost", where he played Michael, that crazy crazy asshole. But what really captivated me, especially these past few months, was his role on HBO's critically-acclaimed series, "OZ", in which he played narrator and inmate Augustus Hill, as well as his role in "28 Weeks Later" as pilot Flynn. He was also in "The Matrix" sequels as Link.

He's gritty and raw, and you should all run out and rent all 6 seasons of "OZ" just so you can witness acting at its finest.


6. Donald Sutherland



I don't even need to explain myself for this one.


7. Christopher Meloni



Whether he's playing straight, gay, cop, CRAZY, or Freakshow, Chris is amazing. He's never afraid to take it too far and he always somehow manages to make me smile, even when he's kicking the shit out of Lee Tergesen. And he looks like a gift to the world from a higher power when he takes his shirt off.


8. Alan Rickman



No words. None. They haven't been written yet.

** NOTE: No, girls, Professor Snape isn't his best role. Get Netflix, you morons.


9. Eddie Izzard



He was the first thing that popped up when I googled the world 'Eddie', so that must say something. Eddie is one of my favorite comedians, being that not only do I get tons of laughs out of his routines but I also walk away a little bit smarter. I had the good fortune of seeing Mr. Izzard last night at the Orpheum, even though he and everyone around me probably wanted to kill me (what with all the coughing), and he didn't disappoint. Sometimes comedians never live up to your expectations when you see them live, but not him! He exceeded them all! Especially with this line:

As the British, talking about America during the Revolution: "Oh, let's just let them have it. It won't work. Shit, it's working."


10. Robert Downey Jr.



It's always something when an actor can act without making it seem like acting. I love all of RDJ's characters; they're scattered, they're sarcastic, they're hilarious, and they're real. Everyone knows someone like RDJ. I hope. We need more of him.

I know that everyone's psyched about him as Tony Stark in the upcoming "Iron Man" (I am!), but he's also genius in these other films: "Kiss Kiss Bang Bang", "Charlie Bartlett", "Zodiac", "Goodnight and Good Luck", "Chaplin", and "Wonderboys".


Runners Up:

Frank Warren
Brad Bird
Denzel Washington
Bruce Willis
Clive Owen
Robin Ince
Sir Anthony Hopkins
Johnny Depp
Simon Pegg
Richard Griffiths
Jon Stewart
EDITED DUE TO GUILT: Neil Cicirega

There just might be a God.

Because Nathan Fillion is starring in Joss Whedon's internet musical, "Doctor Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog", with... are you ready for this?...

Neil Patrick motherfucking Harris.


It's like all my X-mases came at once.

"Never attack a drunk guy with a gun." (The Charlie Bartlett Review)

I went to see Charlie Bartlett only for the sake of seeing Robert Downey Jr. I was pleasantly surprised by the rest of the cast, as well as the way the story unfolded.

Charlie Bartlett is about a wealthy, smart and mature boy of the same name (played by Anton Yelchin) who has been kicked out of every private school he's attended -- the latest offense making fake (but very authentic-looking) driver's licenses. His mother (Hope Davis -- who owns), a careless woman who sings showtunes while taking klonopin with wine, sees him as an adult instead of the teenager he is. It is decided that Charlie will attend public school, and after a very rough start, he is accepted by his peers when he sets up a psychiatrist's office in the boy's bathroom, complete with prescriptions for their ailments. However Principal Nathan Gardener (Robert Downey Jr, never a disappointment in any movie he's ever been in) finds himself at odds with Charlie, especially when the boy starts dating his daughter (Kat Dennings).

This movie, no matter what some critics have to say, was thoroughly enjoyable. It wasn't another movie about an arrogant teenager, or a film a la Ferris Bueller, but a real look at the problems high school kids have, ranging from promiscuity to homosexuality to suicide. And Charlie Bartlett bears the burden of his desired popularity with great aplomb, even when in the face of expulsion and other not-fun things.

Anton Yelchin really shone in this movie, to the point where I felt like a pedophile for being so impressed. Plus, he's a real cutie. I really enjoyed his performance as the charismatic Charlie, and never for a second did it fall flat, or was I not fully on board with it. He was that cute everyman that we all went to school with, who never belonged to one group and was friends with the entire school because he did some amazing thing that keeps everyone in awe. Yelchin kept me raptured and even made me wish that someone like Charlie had gone to my own high school; we would have been a lot happier if he had.

Robert Downey Jr. stole every scene he was in. He was funny, he was tragic, he was a total dad. Downey Jr. is one of my favorite actors. There's just something about him that you can totally relate to, no matter the role, whether he's a thief stealing shit (Kiss Kiss Bang Bang) or a reluctant superhero (the upcoming Iron Man). As the alcoholic Principal Gardener, you felt his pain, how his life was destroyed when he was given the position of principal and left his position as a history teacher. He doesn't understand his daughter, and doesn't see that his drinking and "hobby" (driving a remote-controlled boat around his pool) is hurting her. The climax scene between him and Charlie is just... I sat there in shock and awe, thanking Elsie Downey for bringing him into the world. There isn't a more talented and versatile actor out there (except for maybe Nathan Fillion and Sean Biggerstaff, but I'm biased).

The rest of the cast, the student body, were great, especially Tyler Hilton as Murphy Bivens, the bully-turned-business partner. I really enjoyed his character and couldn't see him played by anyone else. I hope to see more of Hilton (no relation to THE Hiltons, thank god) in upcoming films. He's on the CW's One Tree Hill as Chris Keller.

The movie flowed well and moved quickly. I was surprised when it ended. The ending, come to think of it, was probably the weakest part of the movie. However if that's all it's got against it, it's doing pretty well.

I give Charlie Bartlett a 4 out of 5.

SPOTLIGHT! And it's on... Nathan Fillion!

I first saw Nathan Fillion during the last season of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, where he played crazy priest Caleb, who worked for the original evil. And he was so creepy and yet so unbelievably handsome, I (of course) sat up and took notice. After a while, I looked past the good looks and was amazed at the acting, how natural he was and how very comfortable he was with himself and his character.

And I was all, "dayum, the man's good."

It was a year or so later that a friend of mine from college asked me to go to the movies with him to see Serenity, which was a big-screen adaptation of a television show that had been canceled. The girl that lived next door to my dorm was in love with the show and would frequently let people borrow her DVDs. After hearing about it from her and now from my friend, I went and researched the show called Firefly. An outer space western, complete with a snarky pirate-cowboy captain and his rowdy crew. And said captain, Malcolm Reynolds, was played by Nathan Fillion.

"Hells yes, I'll go!" I said to my friend. We went to the movies and I was far from disappointed. While the movie was non-stop action and great effects and humor, it was Nathan who shined as Mal Reynolds, sarcasting (new word!) his way through the film with his devil-may-care grin and southern lilt. And girls all across the galaxy swooned, including this one right here. I was hooked.

For Firefly, Nathan won the "Cinescape Genre Face of the Future - Male" award by the Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films, USA, as well as the SyFy Genre Awards in 2006 for Best Actor/Television.

Isn't it nice when others recognize greatness?

I then found out that when Fox canceled the acclaimed Firefly, he and Alan Tudyk (another actor made of awesome) threw a party for the cast and crew. The infamous 'We Don't Work for FOX Anymore!' Party. After learning this, I wasn't just hooked, I was in lust love.

Nathan went on to star in the horror-comedy Slither, which I watched for the first time last night. I don't usually do well with horror movies, but I find that as I age and generally care less and less about everything horror doesn't bother me the way it used to. But anyway, what an awesome spoof movie, especially for him. Nathan does snark so well; we're made for each other. He won a 2006 Fangoria Chainsaw Awards nomination for Slither in the category of Dude You Don't Wanna Mess With.

He also had the starring role in the doomed TV show Drive, another Fox canceled production. My mother had been hooked on this show and was devastated when it ended. My weekly TV line-up was so booked that I had no time to watch it, but I, too, was saddened that Fox once again screwed him over (and not in the good, life-affirming way, either).

Waitress came out in 2006 to the delight of critics everywhere. Nathan played opposite Kerri Russell as a doctor with whom she begins an affair (and who the fuck can blame her? I mean, seriously?), but then ends things with him! Bitch is crazy. The film was critically acclaimed. Unfortunately, the director, Adrienne Shelley, was murdered before she could see the film open at the 2007 Sundance Film Festival. (RIP, Adrienne)

Sorry to bring down the party. Back to Nathan.

Nathan launched a charitable project called "Kids Need to Read" on August 6th, 2007. I swear to God, the man's making a long-distance proposal to me. Usually I'm the one trying to get kids to read. I reiterate: we're made for each other.

According to www.imdb.com, Nathan's working on the new movie Trucker. WITH MICHELLE MONAGHAN. 2008 is going to be the best year ever.

So, in conclusion:

1. Nathan Fillion is about as close to "GOD" as one can get, aside from Donald Sutherland and Sean Biggerstaff.

2. He's an amazing actor whose talents are totally under-appreciated.

3. My ring size is a 6, but I wear rings on my middle finger only, so a 7's probably better. And I don't wear gold, Nathan, just to give you the head's up.


Go out, my gentle snowflakes, and go buy Firefly and Serenity and Waitress and Slither. You can also watch him on Sundays where he plays Adam Mayfair on Desperate Housewives.

And then write to Fox and tell them that they suck.