Big Night(s) In
Oct. 8th, 2019 07:53 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
shallownessStrictly Week 3/Movie Night
The Pixar-themed opening number seemed like it probably worked better on television – the audience ‘s ‘woo!’s seemed random until the Toy Story section.
Loved Tess’s gown, but will say that Claudia’s dress offset it nicely. Shirley showed some leg, while Motsi went full Disney Princess, bless.
I was underwhelmed by the opening business of Michelle’s Cabaret quickstep (Gio does German!?) but once she got into hold, it was zingy and classy. I agree with Bruno about the balance of Cabaret nods and quickstep content. FIRST 9s.
Ignoring the Ts and Cs, Alex’s Moana rumba (obviously. OBVIOUSLY.) Was again good performance-wise given that she’s a sportswoman. More earthy than sensual (but when it got sensual it got weird because Moana is a kid amd it’s a self-empowerment song, not a love song) but it left me wanting to see her contemporary if they do that for Couples Choice, (Are there opinions about a black Briton playing a Polynesian girl and a Celt playing the Ocean?)
The inevitable nod to Fred and Ginger went to Chris, doing a Top Hat American Smooth. I saw flashes of good bits, though he’s clearly not a natural dancer. I take the point that the good bits weren’t basic dancing stuff. Karen looked great, though.
Kareim’s Kung-Fu Samba was a delightful routine in probably the hottest outfits of the night, but the judges didn’t see enough samba (a notoriously tough dance that Kelvin smashed as his intro to the show).
I wasn’t feeling the VT for Catherine’s A Star Is Born (Gaga version) rumba – cute kid and solemn gubbins about LURVE and all. So, I can’t say I shared the feelings everyone else had, though I could see that it was a better rumba than Alex’s. What they did with the lights was gorgeous and Johannes’s disappearance at the end was very effective. Marked improvement but supports my theory that she’s better at slow dances.
Will’s Pokemon paso was set to surely the worst song of the night. Once you got past the bizarreness of Janette as Pikachu, he was playing up the arrogance well and giving us way more shaping than David had last week.
Kelvin doubled the cute kid VT game before starting his Mary Poppins Returns Charleston. I found the flames distracting, but otherwise, they were not kidding about the amount of content. Thoroughly entertaining, a top quality job, with nods to the film and tasty details. FIRST 10s of the series. Honestly, I wasn’t sure about those, because I thought there were moments where Oti was visibly lighter than him, but I don’t disagree with this being the best dance of the night.
In Emma’s Downton foxtrot, we got to see an actual viscountess play a maid. I see what you did there, Strictly. Only in the UK? She acted that marvellously, and nearly dances it splendidly, but her neck’s angle was a bit…pained.
Anneka’s Kill Bill Charleston (OBVIOUSLY x 10)…well, given the energy levels of their moves, it was hard to believe this Bride beat the assassin. Like Craig said, it was not very good. Anneka was left plea bargaining us to keep her in so that she could do ballroom again.
Why did Saffron’s Hunger Games-paso get to me in a way the more romantic dances did not? SO STRONG. A revealing cozzie for her legs and on a night when a lot of the other ladies stepped up. I loved the nods to the film.
For Magic Mike’s cha-cha, the VT was hilariously coy about avoiding the word stripping’. Well, Katya looked good in that dress, while that poor woman in the audience was roped in to mug (but better her than Tess). Why was I reminded by of a paso by him? (Because, like Craig said, no hips.) Did Mike miss a bit where he was supposed to catch her hands? He was a bit stiff, Katya then had that truly weird fall.
I spent too much time wondering why Nadiya was playing Poison Ivy in a Batman Forever American Smooth. Anyway, David is better at ballroom proper (though when Craig said it was a VW, I agreed about the rise and fall) and his strength enabled him to execute his lifts. I didn’t fnd this as bad as what Mike had just done.
Emma’s Austin Powers salsa was fun. She messed up the armography, no? And the first lift could have been bigger – I think the judges wanted bigger dancing, not gurning, because she was gurning like a pro, selling it well.
And then the mass hysteria over Anton’s teeth happened.
For the first couples choice, Dev did a street commercial Aladdin thing. The routine was a grower, but he was on it throughout and deserved his 9s.
So, looking back, Michelle is still the best lady, Karim wobbled (although it was such a likeable routine and it’s so early, he’s in no serious trouble) on a night where most people improved to some extent. I don’t know if Craig was consistently deducting points for celeb ladies not keeping their feet to the floor, because I think all the ones doing that step messed it. The show’s random song choice match with dance continued – I know they pick them on the basis of the rhythm, but then there’s the whole element of the films’ themes’ hence Kill Bill Charlestons and Moana rumbas!? I’m aware my knowledge of various films as well as liking for various couples coloured my reactions.
Results show opened with a journey through cinema (and Strictly outfirts, props and sets past), best enjoyed as a game of spot the movie, although I liked ‘Chaplin’ bookending of it all very much.
Tess and Claud, especially the former, had gone prim, leaving Shirley in white with a faux cape, Motsi in a red trouser suit and Craig in a snazzy jacket to do the glitzy lifting.
I was expecting them to torture Karim, but no, it was Michelle who had to wait and wait and wait. Any combo of Anneka, Mike or David in the dance-off would have been fair enough.
Harry Connick jr. sounded better than Lewis Capaldi, although I felt that the lyrics were beating him, which was odd. Anyway, enter Anton and Nadiya doing ballroom waltzers, which was spiffy.
Maybe I paid more attention to Anneka’s Charleston in the dance-off, but it was truly dire, so David deserved to stay. Although she is more entertaining, Kevin’s choreographic genius will just have to rest a year.
IT TAKES TWO RETURNS TO NORMAL SLOTS. I saw the last three minutes of Monday's.
The Pixar-themed opening number seemed like it probably worked better on television – the audience ‘s ‘woo!’s seemed random until the Toy Story section.
Loved Tess’s gown, but will say that Claudia’s dress offset it nicely. Shirley showed some leg, while Motsi went full Disney Princess, bless.
I was underwhelmed by the opening business of Michelle’s Cabaret quickstep (Gio does German!?) but once she got into hold, it was zingy and classy. I agree with Bruno about the balance of Cabaret nods and quickstep content. FIRST 9s.
Ignoring the Ts and Cs, Alex’s Moana rumba (obviously. OBVIOUSLY.) Was again good performance-wise given that she’s a sportswoman. More earthy than sensual (but when it got sensual it got weird because Moana is a kid amd it’s a self-empowerment song, not a love song) but it left me wanting to see her contemporary if they do that for Couples Choice, (Are there opinions about a black Briton playing a Polynesian girl and a Celt playing the Ocean?)
The inevitable nod to Fred and Ginger went to Chris, doing a Top Hat American Smooth. I saw flashes of good bits, though he’s clearly not a natural dancer. I take the point that the good bits weren’t basic dancing stuff. Karen looked great, though.
Kareim’s Kung-Fu Samba was a delightful routine in probably the hottest outfits of the night, but the judges didn’t see enough samba (a notoriously tough dance that Kelvin smashed as his intro to the show).
I wasn’t feeling the VT for Catherine’s A Star Is Born (Gaga version) rumba – cute kid and solemn gubbins about LURVE and all. So, I can’t say I shared the feelings everyone else had, though I could see that it was a better rumba than Alex’s. What they did with the lights was gorgeous and Johannes’s disappearance at the end was very effective. Marked improvement but supports my theory that she’s better at slow dances.
Will’s Pokemon paso was set to surely the worst song of the night. Once you got past the bizarreness of Janette as Pikachu, he was playing up the arrogance well and giving us way more shaping than David had last week.
Kelvin doubled the cute kid VT game before starting his Mary Poppins Returns Charleston. I found the flames distracting, but otherwise, they were not kidding about the amount of content. Thoroughly entertaining, a top quality job, with nods to the film and tasty details. FIRST 10s of the series. Honestly, I wasn’t sure about those, because I thought there were moments where Oti was visibly lighter than him, but I don’t disagree with this being the best dance of the night.
In Emma’s Downton foxtrot, we got to see an actual viscountess play a maid. I see what you did there, Strictly. Only in the UK? She acted that marvellously, and nearly dances it splendidly, but her neck’s angle was a bit…pained.
Anneka’s Kill Bill Charleston (OBVIOUSLY x 10)…well, given the energy levels of their moves, it was hard to believe this Bride beat the assassin. Like Craig said, it was not very good. Anneka was left plea bargaining us to keep her in so that she could do ballroom again.
Why did Saffron’s Hunger Games-paso get to me in a way the more romantic dances did not? SO STRONG. A revealing cozzie for her legs and on a night when a lot of the other ladies stepped up. I loved the nods to the film.
For Magic Mike’s cha-cha, the VT was hilariously coy about avoiding the word stripping’. Well, Katya looked good in that dress, while that poor woman in the audience was roped in to mug (but better her than Tess). Why was I reminded by of a paso by him? (Because, like Craig said, no hips.) Did Mike miss a bit where he was supposed to catch her hands? He was a bit stiff, Katya then had that truly weird fall.
I spent too much time wondering why Nadiya was playing Poison Ivy in a Batman Forever American Smooth. Anyway, David is better at ballroom proper (though when Craig said it was a VW, I agreed about the rise and fall) and his strength enabled him to execute his lifts. I didn’t fnd this as bad as what Mike had just done.
Emma’s Austin Powers salsa was fun. She messed up the armography, no? And the first lift could have been bigger – I think the judges wanted bigger dancing, not gurning, because she was gurning like a pro, selling it well.
And then the mass hysteria over Anton’s teeth happened.
For the first couples choice, Dev did a street commercial Aladdin thing. The routine was a grower, but he was on it throughout and deserved his 9s.
So, looking back, Michelle is still the best lady, Karim wobbled (although it was such a likeable routine and it’s so early, he’s in no serious trouble) on a night where most people improved to some extent. I don’t know if Craig was consistently deducting points for celeb ladies not keeping their feet to the floor, because I think all the ones doing that step messed it. The show’s random song choice match with dance continued – I know they pick them on the basis of the rhythm, but then there’s the whole element of the films’ themes’ hence Kill Bill Charlestons and Moana rumbas!? I’m aware my knowledge of various films as well as liking for various couples coloured my reactions.
Results show opened with a journey through cinema (and Strictly outfirts, props and sets past), best enjoyed as a game of spot the movie, although I liked ‘Chaplin’ bookending of it all very much.
Tess and Claud, especially the former, had gone prim, leaving Shirley in white with a faux cape, Motsi in a red trouser suit and Craig in a snazzy jacket to do the glitzy lifting.
I was expecting them to torture Karim, but no, it was Michelle who had to wait and wait and wait. Any combo of Anneka, Mike or David in the dance-off would have been fair enough.
Harry Connick jr. sounded better than Lewis Capaldi, although I felt that the lyrics were beating him, which was odd. Anyway, enter Anton and Nadiya doing ballroom waltzers, which was spiffy.
Maybe I paid more attention to Anneka’s Charleston in the dance-off, but it was truly dire, so David deserved to stay. Although she is more entertaining, Kevin’s choreographic genius will just have to rest a year.
IT TAKES TWO RETURNS TO NORMAL SLOTS. I saw the last three minutes of Monday's.
