cookiegirl | Entries tagged with 100things

I have been getting through these '100 Youtube Videos' posts at a rate of knots. A very, very slow rate of knots. Anyway! Here's another excellent vid that will enrich your life. Firstly, I love this video because it introduced me to DJ Earworm, a truly awesome mashup artist (I do love a good mashup!) Each year he produces a 'United State of Pop' mashup featuring Billboard's top 25 songs of the year, and my favourite thus far is the 2009 one in the vid below.

I also love this video because it is brilliantly and wittily edited both to the beat and the lyrics (check out the awesome 'Pokerface' moment at 2.18 and the Mark part at 0.37!) and because it features some of the most awesome and most smile-inducing moments from Grey's Anatomy. It has all my favourite couples and all the best friendships (yay for Mark and Callie!), plus the best dancing/drinking/falling-over-and-splattering-blood-bags-on-the-floor moments (aww, Lexie!). Grey's has a lot of drama and a lot of episodes that make me cry my eyes out, but it also has many really uplifting parts which put me in a good mood, and it's those that this video focuses on most (see Derek's adorkable dancing at 2.58 for a great example!)

Basically, this is a feel-good video about one of the best shows around, and you should watch it. There's spoilers up to the end of season 6, but only really in the sense of who-kisses-who; there are no death-related spoilers. Made by BuffynFaith16.

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P.S. I got to use my new Mark and Callie icon on this post. Celebrate!

If you're from the UK, you've almost certainly heard of David Mitchell, but you may not know that he has a whole series of Youtube videos, entitled David Mitchell's Soapbox, in which he rants (in a gentlemanly manner) about all those things that so annoy us. Or him. If you're not from the UK, then all you need to know is that David Mitchell is a well-loved comedian who participates in various panel-style quiz shows, does a little stand-up and is generally a sort of awesome, snarky, terribly British person.

I find I can while away many hours listening to, and generally nodding along with, David's rants on a variety of subjects. Sometimes I heartily disagree with his opinions, but I still appreciate his lovely way of...well, moaning. The video I am going to share with you today has been picked relatively randomly from among his rants (and is actually one that I don't particularly agree with, but very much enjoy listening to). I'll leave a few links for other suggested rants you may wish to look at, and I will also be saving up one of them to post another day, alongside a personalised Laura-style rant about GRAMMAR. But for now, please listen to David debating the complex matter of giving compliments.

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It's also worth checking out David's opinion on Signs (Beware the 'POLITE NOTICE'), and Passion (Taxes, Sofas and Small Business also covered).

Day 4 of my Youtube recommendations, and you must have known I couldn't go much longer without picking a Buffy video. The one I've chosen for today is a really interesting video that makes innovative use of dialogue and text to highlight the differences between the Buffy/Angel and Buffy/Spike relationships. Personally I'm a shipper of both, but my preference these days is definitely for Spuffy (when I first viewed the show many years ago I was quite the Bangel fan!), and this video is heavily inclined towards Spuffy also.

The maker of this video has used text to highlight certain dialogue from the show and certain song lyrics. By then fading out some of the words from the text, the vidder has cleverly contrasted the Bangel and Spuffy dynamics. For example, Angel's line 'I want to take comfort in you' is used, then words faded out to leave 'I want to comfort you', accompanying pictures of Spike comforting Buffy. And Buffy's declaration that 'we're not friends' with regards to Angel, is faded to leave 'we're friends', overlying images of Spike and Buffy sharing jokes. Essentially, the video shows that Angel loved Buffy on his own terms, was prepared to leave her when it was necessary and when it was for the good of the world, and ultimately could never give her what she wanted or needed. Meanwhile, Spike loved her more than himself, more than the world, and would stay by her side even if it mean the planet dissolved around them. Angel does not always put Buffy first even when he has a soul; Spike puts her first even without a soul. Buffy idealises the Bangel relationship, but eventually she opens her eyes to what Spike is offering her...

Warnings: Some relationship-based spoilers for season 7 of Buffy. Made by SpuffyProductions.

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Firstly, sorry it's been a while since I did one of these! On the plus side, today's recommended Youtube video has the potential to introduce you to a truly fantastic show. I only heard of Harper's Island for the first time this year, but it was a show that ran in 2009 on CBS, for one season of 13 episodes (not because it got cancelled - it was only ever intended to last that long). The tag line was '13 WEEKS. 25 SUSPECTS. 1 KILLER', and it is essentially a horror movie taking place across 13 hours rather than the usual one and a half hours of a film. But it's SO MUCH better than a horror movie (and also has less gore, so if you're not a fan of blood, you can probably get away with just closing your eyes occasionally). Because it has 13 episodes to work with, you not only get a complex plot, but also lovable and interesting characters, developing romances and relationships, and a whole host of twists and turns that you couldn't fit into an average horror movie.

The series begins with Abby Mills returning to Harper's Island for the wedding of her childhood friend Henry. She originally left when her mother was murdered by mass killer John Wakefield, and soon similar murders begin to occur (with at least one death per episode), putting the wedding party, not surprisingly, on edge.

This show had me laughing, crying, screaming, shouting at the screen, and of course, shipping. It contains one of the cutest couples ever - Cal and Chloe - and some cracking performances by both well-known actors (Christopher Gorham is excellent, and Supernatural's Jim Beaver is outstanding). It kept me guessing right up until the end, and I would highly recommend you check it out.

The Youtube video I've chosen to introduce you to this show is a fan-made theatrical trailer. It doesn't include anything I would class as a spoiler and I think it's safe to watch before seeing the show. There are other trailers around, including an official CBS trailer which can be seen at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aNoQM8jH75o but it does show quick glimpses of the first 4 deaths, and as such I haven't chosen that one to post here.

Warning: Contains some blood, and an image of a dead animal. Made by StygianFilms, who has given me permission to post.

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So, my new obsession is White Collar, and especially the awesome character of Neal Caffrey, played by the how-did-a-guy-this-perfectly-hot-even-get-invented Matt Bomer. Neal is a con-man who is out of prison on a work-release programme with Agent Peter Burke. There are a lot of fantastic WC and Neal videos on Youtube, perhaps because WC is the only show I can really think of that presents a male character quite so beautifully as Neal - to the point where his looks and style are almost fetishized. That's fine with me, and it certainly makes videos of him enjoyable!

The first (of a probable many) WC video I've chosen is a slick, well edited vid with an awesome Carrie Underwood song, which shows Neal in some of his most Casanova-like moments. Whilst Neal's character isn't quite the cad that this video and song portray him as - he is in fact an incurable romantic and deeply loyal - he does have an understandably powerful effect on many of the female characters. What I particularly love about this vid is the way that it takes time out from chronicling Neal's hotness, to show how he can also be sweet, adorable, and vulnerable - see 0.22-0.29.

No warnings, no spoilers, but you might need a cold drink (or shower) afterwards. Made by TheBeatOnRepeat.

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P.S. - whilst I can see no actual 'proof' that this is Matt's YT account, it does seem that he's left a comment saying thanks, and he's flattered, and that the Brittany Nichole 'thang' was from a real-life humiliation. I've only just noticed this, along with similar sweet comments on a couple of other vids, and it has of course sent my Bomer-love rocketing even further into the stratosphere. Sigh.

Current Mood: exhausted

Welcome to the first of my 100 things posts! I'm easing in gently with a vid that lasts just 1 minute, and is from a fandom that most of you all know and love - YAY TORCHWOOD!

I've picked this vid for various reasons. I love the colouring, which makes all the scenes look rich and vibrant; I love the smooth editing, the use of text and the way the clips used coincide with the lyrics; and I love the way that clips from Miracle Day, which in my opinion can often look a little bit out of place in general TW vids due to their different aesthetic, are woven in seamlessly here. The four seasons really do look like they're from the same show, which is surprisingly hard to achieve.

Finally, I adore the song. It's one of 30 Second's To Mars' most epic songs, and it cries out to be vidded to. There should be an amazing vid to this song for any fandom that involves a war against evil forces, but sadly although there are a huge amount of videos made to it, there are very few really good ones. Thankfully this is one, although it lasts for only one minute of the six+ minute song.

So without further ado, watch and enjoy. Warning: Spoilers for all 4 seasons. Made by MsLyraGW.

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{Take the 100 Things challenge!}

I saw this on my f-list a few days ago and was instantly intrigued. I love LJ, but I find it hard to keep up with sometimes, even though I'm always happier when I am posting regularly. Memes are super helpful in this regard - if I'm regularly posting about my favourite ships/characters/programs etc, then it's easier for me to pop in a few personal posts too!

I had a lot of ideas for this 100 things challenge, but they either seemed too broad and overwhelming (things I love, things I hate, music I like), too personal and introspective-y to write whilst I'm feeling as fragile as I am at the minute (memories, influences, photos, people in my life), or too similar to things I will meme about at other times (ships, characters, etc). Then, whilst browsing on YouTube as usual, I realised what I should do.

My 100 things will be 100 YouTube videos you should watch. There'll be gorgeous fan-videos for my fandoms, trailers for films or programmes that few people have heard of but should be seen, stand-up comedy that makes me laugh, music videos that rock my world, and a few odd bits and pieces that will hopefully brighten up your day as they brighten up mine. With nearly 1000 vids on my YouTube favourites, and a few more on various playlists, it shouldn't be too taxing to find videos to post. And I promise to write about them too, explaining how I came across them and why they mean something to me.

I hope you will watch and read along :D

Current Mood: awake
Current Music: Glee - It's All Over