X Factor Final Five Betting Preview

Out of 75,000 auditionees only five remain and are just a few short weeks from winning the biggest talent competition in the UK and securing a life changing record contract. After simultaneously laughing and cringing at some of the truly awful auditions and whittling down some of the finalists only there to make up the numbers, the competition is starting to get serious.

If you are not familiar with the X-Factor, the premise is simple. Each week all the contestants perform a song live with the television audience voting for who they want to keep in the competition. The two singers with the lowest number of votes have to perform their song again before the judges decide which one lives to fight another day and which one has to go home and back to the day job.

The main hotbed of talent this year has come in the Over 25s category, with three of the four original singers making up the final five contestants, proving that the great British public are not just intere sted in teenage pretty boys who struggle to hold a note. It would have been all four if judge Louis Walsh hadn't cruelly voted to send home the talented Maria Lawson in favour of the dire Conway Sisters who also hail from his native Ireland.

The viewers vote is not the only way you can get involved as there are also plenty of Betting opportunities to get stuck into. Here is a look at the final five contestants and predictions on who ultimately has that X Factor.

Shayne Ward
Odds: 10/11

The only remaining contestant from the 16-24 category. Shayne has been the bookmaker's favourite and hotly tipped by the media to win the competition since his confirmation as one of 12 finalists. However, it's not alw ays that simple. Last year's rocker-by-numbers Tabby was favourite all the way until he eventually finished third and has since disappeared without trace.

Shayne is a sort of poor man's Justin Timberlake. His fondness for hitting the high notes during live performances and his shuffling across the stage is wearing a bit thin. He peaked too early and his rendition of Daniel Bedingfield's If You're Not The One on October 22 has not being matched since.

Whether or not he is as good as some of the other finalists makes no difference as he has that all important teen appeal. It has been suggested in the press that the singer, 21, may have a record deal lined up in any case regardless of whether he wins the competition or not.

Andy Abraham
Odds: 9/4

The show's underdog and the contestant with the most romantic tale of the X Fact or to date. Andy works as a dustman in order to support his family and has only been singing on the local pub and club circuit for the last few years.

He is arguably the most talented singer left in the competition and has wowed audiences with his smooth and soulful voice with perfect renditions of The Greatest Love of All, Unforgettable and Me and Mrs Jones.

If this had been last year then Andy would win the competition hands down, but two words are likely to prevent him succeeding this time around Steve Brookstein. Last year, with a similar heart-warming story to tell, Brookstein revealed he had been trying unsuccessfully to crack the business for years and the X Factor was realistically his last chance of making it as a professional singer.

He beat novelty operatic quartet G4 to win the competition and had a hit record but has since sunk into obscurity. X Factor supremo Simon Cowell is keen to avoid a repeat of last time which will surely scupper Andy's chances of success. Which is a shame.

Journey South
Odds: 3/1

In what was a very weak Groups category, Journey South are the only performers with any real substance. The two brothers from Middlesbrough gave up their day jobs five years ago to make the journey south (geddit?) to London in a bid to find wealth, fame and glory.

Brothers Carl and Andy have been the steady eddies of the competition so far, putting in solid performances of Desperado, Livin' On A Prayer and Angels among others, proving week in, week out, they are genuinely good live singers.

The duo have a cross-generational appeal which puts them in a stronger position overall than say, Shayne or Andy, and this could be the edge they need to win the competition outright.

Brenda Edwards
Odds: 11/2

The only woman left in the competition after Simon Cowell voted out his own act, The Conway Sisters, on November 26. Brenda has grown in popularity as the weeks have progressed and has proved there is more to her than performing motown hits with a sparkling rendition of weepy classic I Will Always Love You.

There's not a lot to say about Brenda. Yes, she has talent, but does she have that X Factor that would elevate her from being a good singer to a best selling recording artist?

Simon Cowell is not entirely convinced and while he acknowledges her vocal ability, doubts she could sell a million records and I tend to agree.

Chico Slimani
Odds: 25/1

With every mass talent search, the inevitable novelty act surfaces. However, Chico has taken this to an entirely new level and his 15 minutes of fame looks set to last a lot longer.

The former goat herder, bodybuilder, hairdresser and goodness knows what else has scraped his way into the final five and has even performed his own instantly forgettable single It's Chico Time, out of tune, naturally, which is bound to be inflicted onto the buying public in time for Christmas.

The joke became unfunny weeks ago, so why does mentor Sharon Osbourne persist with the wafer thin argument that he's a great entertainer? Surely his appeal is only appreciated by 50-something women who shriek manically from their front seat at a Chippendale's show making it clear they can supply their own baby oil? Oh.

The rank outsider to win the competition, Chico's time on the X Factor is drawing to a close, although a lucrative career as a professional Reality TV personality awaits. Good grief.

Summary

Shayne does not represent good value to win the competition at Odds on, especially if a recording contract is already a done deal. With every glittering performance Andy makes, the name of Steve Brookstein must be echoing in the judges minds while I don't believe Brenda and certainly not Chico have what it takes to win. That just leaves Journey South, the talented duo from Middlesbrough, who could well become Simon Cowell's second winning act in as many series of the X Factor and at a good price too.

David Walker runs soccer Betting and free bets websites. A free email course: Seven Days to Better Betting is available at both of these websites.

Autho r:: David Walker
Keywords:: reality tv, x factor, X-factor, Betting, Odds
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Acting Have You Got What it Takes?

Acting is a big industry. There are Actors everywhere from the theatre to films, from TV to radio, and even on the street in the form of mime. Yet Acting is not easy in fact, like playing music, it is almost impossible to master.

To be a good actor, you have to be able to get inside a Character and literally live as them to convince your audience, and, for a moment, even yourself, that the Character is who you are. Given that all you will probably have to work with is a few written words, perhaps costumes and a set, and your imagination, its a difficult undertaking.

The range of skills that an actor must have to be effective is very wide. You need to have a mastery of your body for movement that can include fighting, dancing, or evocative expressions. Your voice, too, must be clear enough to be understood from a distance, and you might also need some talent in singing or putting on accents. The most difficult aspect by far, though, is the emotional one, as you must be able to assume different emotions at will crying on demand, for example, or being able to give an effective illusion of happiness or excitement.

One of the most widely-used means of portraying realistic emotions is Stanislavskis theory of method Acting, which you would do well to study if you wish to become an actor. Basically, the idea is that when you are Acting, you think of a time when you felt the emotion you wish to portray. For example, if your Character is sad over the death of their mother, you might think of the time when you were small and your dog died, and so start crying. Theres more to it than that, but thats the basic theory, and it can give a very convincing performance when done correctly.

John Gibb is the owner of Acting guidance , For m ore information on Acting please check out http://www.Acting-guide4u.info

Author:: John Gibb
Keywords:: Acting, Actors, Character
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Entertainment Television

They call it the boob tube. Those who sit and watch it for hours are called couch potatoes. When we plunk our kids down in front of it, it becomes our baby sitter. We have so many derogatory names for it, but television has been one of the biggest sources of Entertainment for people for over 50 years now. There must be a reason, or maybe even several. Well, instead of taking you through a long boring history of television (like who invented it) we're going to show you just why it has become one of the greatest and longest lasting forms of modern Entertainment today. How? By doing a little memory lane dance down the ages. What follows are just a few of the many millions of memorable television moments that have made the medium so important in our lives.

You can literally just put your hand into a hat and pick out a moment. That's how many there are. TV Guide, probably one of the most popular TV magazines of all time, printed a list of its top 100 TV moments. And even after the printing, scores of people wrote in to complain about all the great moments that were left out. Who could blame them? Of course who could fault TV Guide for missing a few? Way too many to choose from.

Need a small sample?

What about November 22, 1963? Everybody knows where they were on that day if they were walking this planet. For many, it was watching I Love Lucy and suddenly having your show interrupted to find out that President John F. Kennedy had just been shot in Dallas. We followed the whole course of that day and the days after until we ultimately saw a nightclub owner named Jack Ruby shoot Lee Harvey Oswald, right in front of our eyes. For the TV world, this was one of the most surreal moments in television history.

What about the episode of one of the greatest situation comedies of all time, All In The Family where Sammy Davis Jr. pays Archie a visit? He gets to see what a real bigot Archie is and at the end when taking a photo with Archie, kisses him on the cheek just as the photo is taken. This is a moment that will go down as one of the greatest and funniest of all time.

What about how you were glued to your set on August 29, 1967, when after four seasons of being on the run, Richard Kimball finally catches up with the one armed man who killed his wife? Did you know that over 30 million people tuned in to see this saga finally come to an end. The Fugitive was one of the greatest endings of any show ever. So great that a movie was made based on the whole series.

We could go on and on and on. The list of great television moments is as long as the day and then some. The few examples abo ve are only a handful. And in the years to come, there will be even more great moments to add to this list.

Some might say that television is the ultimate Entertainment.

Michael Russell

Your Independent guide to Entertainment

Author:: Michael Russell
Keywords:: Entertainment
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Plot Points To Catch a Thief (1955)

PROTAGONIST JOHN ROBIE'S DILEMMA: Everybody thinks he is behind the new wave of jewelry robberies around French Riviera but he cannot convince people otherwise because he had been a notorious burglar himself in the past.

PROTAGONIST'S DESIRE: To prove his innocence and catch the real cat burglar.

HIS CHIEF OBSTACLE: He had been a famous jewelry burgler in the past.

ESTABLISHING SHOT: The store window of a travel agency with a model cruise ship and tourism posters of France and Nice.

INCITING INCIDENT: An apartment overlooking the famous seaside drive in Nice, France. A woman wakes up screaming that her jewelry is stolen.

PLOT POINT 1: Robie convinces the Lloyd's insurance agent H. H. Hughson to give him a list of the richest mansions in Nice in order to set up a trap for the real burglar and catch him in the act of stealing jewelry.

MID POINT EVENT: Frances makes it very clear that she knows John Robie is not the lumber merchant from Ore gon that he pretends to be. She knows Robie is a famous jewelry thief and she wants to be his partner in crime, although Robie vociferously denies his identity.

PLOT POINT 2: Robie, Frances and her mother Mrs. Stevens participate in a masked ball at the Silva's Villa where they expect another jewel burglary to take place.

3rd ACT RESOLUTION: Robie catches the real thief in the act after a short chase on top of the roof of the Silva's Villa.

Ugur Akinci, Ph.D. is a Creative CopyWriter, Editor, an experienced and award-winning Technical Communicator specializing in fundraising packages, direct sales copy, web content, press releases, movie reviews and hi-tech documentation. He has worked as a Technical < a href='http://www.amazon.com/rss/tag/Writer/new?tag=day2soft-20'title= 'Writer: Newly tagged products at Amazon.com'>Writer for Fortune 100 companies for the last 7 years.

In addition to being an Ezine Articles Expert Author, he is also a Senior Member of the Society for Technical Communication (STC), and a Member of American Writers and Artists Institute (AWAI).

You can reach him at Writer111@gmail.com for a FREE consultation on all your copywriting needs.

You are most welcomed to visit his official web site http://www.Writer111.com for more information on his m ultidisciplinary background, writing career, and client testimonials. While at it, you might also want to check the latest book he has edited: http://www.lulu.com/content/263630

Author:: Ugur Akinci
Keywords:: ugur akinci,Hollywood,Movies,Films,cary grant, grace kelly, Hitchcock,Catch a Thief,Writer,Editor
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Five Movies You Think Would Be Really Better Than They Are

Here are five Movies you think would be really better than they are, unfortunately for the Films, the scripts, the direction, and the actors, they are not.

About Schmidt - 1 Star (Terrible)

Jack Nicholson is Warren Schmidt in this Movie, an actuary whose angry, miserable life is interrupted by retirement and the sudden death of his wife when he discovers his life has no real meaning, and he has no real relationships to comfort him. Nicholson (as Schmidt) stays in character in this effort, but the 2 hour 5 minute Movie is really about 2 hours and 3 minutes of being angry, miserable and negative, and then a moment of redemption at the end that comes from a 6-year-old boy in Tanzania he has sponsored.

This does not get my 2-star rating as even average because it is so unredeeming. Just watching this angry, negative, miserable Movie for 2 hours and 3 minutes put me in a foul mood, despite the pathetic try at redemption in the end. Who wants to watch a two-hour Movie and feel miserable when you are done?

This Film has to be the worst Film I have even seen Jack Nicholson in, and did absolutely nothing to enhance Nicholson's image as one of the great actors of our time. Unfortunately for Nicholson, he gets involved in this Film which lacks a good story line, a good script and good direction (one might say, he struck out).

None of this has any affect whatsoever on Hollywood as Nicholson was tapped for a Best Actor nomination (this is Jack, right?) and Kathy Bates for a Best Actress in a Supporting Role nomination; neither won an Oscar. Small justice for a lousy Film.

The Anchorman 1 Star (Terrible)

Will Ferrell as a self-absorbed nightly news anchor who falls from grace. This Movie is worse than bad, it is terrible beyond belief. There are a couple of laughs in it, but it is the absolute pit to watch.

Farrell will never make it as an actor of note with these kinds of roles. The female lead is Christina Applegate (yes, that ChristinaKelly Bundyof Married With Children), who is now grown and pretty darn attractive in spite of appearing in this awful choice of a Movie.

We will pray that both Ferrell and Applegate get better roles, although it looks like Ferrell is making a career out of stupid, crummy roles. He certainly has more talent than this Movie shows. I would date Applegate, at least once, to see if she had m ore going for her than just looks; you certainly could not tell by her choice of Movie roles.

Before Sunset 1 Star (Terrible)

Before Sunset is the story of a young couple who reunite 10 years later in Paris after an original fling. There is no story line in this Movie, apparently they forgot to write one. Before Sunset follows the male and female leads walking around Paris and talking until they come back together.

The production in this Movie not really well done (despite being in Paris), and I was not always able to hear the audio. It is filled with what are supposed to be cute lines that get very tired after awhile. If this was meant to be a Movie about relationships, it failed miserably.

Cocktail 1 Star (Terrible)

An early (1988) Movie with Tom Cruise as an Irish performance bartender in Manhattan involved in booze, broads and beefcake with a smile.

After watching this Movie I tried to deter mine which was more compelling: this Movie effort or an ant walking across the sidewalk. Unable to determine which, I concluded this Film was the victim of a poor script, terrible acting, lack of an interesting story line, and any meaningful message.

I guess I was looking for more than just mindless entertainment. I would not bother seeing this Film again, unless, of course, you are just sappy about Tom Cruise and cannot get enough of a bad thing.

Corky Romano 1 Star (Terrible)

A light (and I mean very light) comedy with no substance whatsoever, but funny nevertheless. Stars one of my favorite Saturday Night Live comics, Chris Kattan. It saddens me to see Chris Kattan in a Movie like this after his brilliant sketches of Mango and Monkey Boy on Saturday Night Live.

So many cast members of Saturday Night Live have gone over to Movies, trying to make the big bucks, and have been put into terrible Movies with terrible scripts and terrible results. Christ Kattan is 1,000 times more impressive as a comedian on Saturday Night Live than Corky Romano will ever be.

I have no idea what Peter Falk was doing in this Movie; he must have needed rent money.

I only bring these terrible Movies to your attention so you do not get blindsided once you sit down to e njoy your Movie rental of choice. My forewarning is useless, of course, should you invest in any of these Films.

Copyright 2006 Ed Bagley

Ed Bagley is the author of Ed Bagley's Blog, which he publishes daily with fresh, original writing intended to delight, inform, educate and motivate readers. Visit Ed at . . . http://www.edbagleyblog.com

Author:: Ed Bagley
Keywords:: Movie, Review, Oscar, Film, Nicholson, Bates, Ferrell, Applegate, Cruise, Cocktail, Kattan, Falk
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Austin Powers (Movie Review)

The brainchild of former Saturday Night Live cast member Mike Myers (Wayne's World, Wayne's World 2), Austin Powers: International Man Of Mystery burst onto the Hollywood landscape in 1997 and made a beeline for the cult classic Hall of Fame. A parody/satire of the popular James Bond films of the past several decades, Austin Powers gave birth to a number of quirky and famous characters such as Austin himself, Dr. Evil, Scott Evil, and (later) Mini-Me. Sporting some of the most outrageous antics and bathroom humor in the history of film, Austin Powers successfully utilizes its play on the James Bond series (because it so parallels the films) to create a memorable Movie that will keep you laughing for two hours plus

Mike Myers plays the role of Austin Powers - international man of mystery. Frozen in a c ryogenic chamber since the 1960s, Austin is thawed out in the 1990s in order to take on his arch-nemesis Dr. Evil (who has also been frozen during that time period). A free-love advocate, Austin makes an immediate play for his new partner Vanessa Kensington (Elizabeth Hurley), daughter of his former spy partner Mrs. Kensington (Mimi Rogers).

Meanwhile, Dr. Evil collaborates with his entourage which consists of Number Two (Robert Wagner), Frau Farbissina (Mindy Sterling), and others. He develops a plan to steal a nuclear weapon and hold the world hostage for one million dollars! No. Make that one trillion dollars!!! To carry out his task, Dr. Evil must not only face down Austin Powers and his beautiful partner, but he's forced to grapple with the common-sense, quasi-evil tendencies of his son Scott Evil (Seth Green) with whom he's constantly fighting. Can Austin Powers save the world? Or will Dr. Evil succeed in holding the world hostage?

The success of Austin Pow ers is wholly attributable to the unique comic mind of Mike Myers who not only starred in the leading roles, but who also wrote the screenplay. Myers' portrayal of Dr. Evil steals the show with his evil laugh, diabolical grin, and propensity for all things evil (such as evil petting zoos). His soliloquy while receiving family counseling with Scott ranks as not only one of the best scenes in the film, but among the best scenes from any comedy film ever made. Elizabeth Hurley also turns in a good performance as Austin's partner Vanessa (doing a far better acting job than the verbally-challenged Heather Graham who always seemed to be reading from cue-cards in the Austin Powers sequel).

Meanwhile, Will Ferrell (of SNL and Elf fame) makes a notable appearance as Dr. Evil's henchman, Mustafa. His is a recurring character in later films. Overall, Austin Powers is one of the funniest films you'll ever see. Unless outrageous comedy is simply not your cup of tea, I can't think o f any reason not to recommend this film. Although the sequels are hilarious in their own right, the original is the best (as is often the case), and that's why Austin Powers: International Man Of Mystery is a definite must-see film

About the Author

Britt Gillette is author of The DVD Report, a blog where you can find more reviews like this one of the Austin Powers (DVD).

Author:: Britt Gillette
Keywords:: austin powers Movie review
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Friends (Season 2) DVD Review

Along with Seinfeld and Frasier, Friends dominated the must-see TV of the 1990's. Winner of innumerable television awards, the show features the lives of six friends in their late-twenties/early-thirties living in New York City - Monica Geller (Courteney Cox), Phoebe Buffay (Lisa Kudrow), Rachel Green (Jennifer Aniston), Ross Geller (David Schwimmer), Joey Tribbiani (Matt LeBlanc), and Chandler Bing (Matthew Perry). The six friends spend the majority of their time in a coffee house named Central Perk or in either Monica's apartment or Joey and Chandler's apartment.

The Friends (Season 2) DVD offers a number of hilarious episodes including the season premiere which begins with Rachel anxiously waiting for Ross at the airport so she can tell him about her feelings. But when Ross exits the plane with his new girlfriend Julie (Lauren Tom) on his arm, Rachel struggles with what she should do. The first several episodes of the season are dominated by this storyline until ( in episode #31) a drunken Rachel phones Ross and leaves a message on his answering machine revealing the truth. Forced to decide between Julie and Rachel, Ross constructs a list of pros and cons (episode #32) that Rachel inevitably finds. The incident threatens to destroy their relationship before they finally come together. Meanwhile, Joey lands a part on Days Of Our Lives as Dr. Drake Ramoray, but seals his own fate when his hubris steps on the toes of the show's writers

Below is a list of episodes included on the Friends (Season 2) DVD:

Episode 25 (The One with Ross's New Girlfriend) Air Date: 09-21-1995
Episode 26 (The One with the Breast Milk) Air Date: 09-28-1995
Episode 27 (The One Where Heckles Dies) Air Date: 10-05-1995
Episode 28 (The One with Phoebe's Husband) Air Date: 10-12-1995
Episode 29 (The One with Five Steaks and an Eggplant) Air Date: 10-19-1995
Episode 30 (The One with the Baby on the Bus) Air Date: 11-02-1995
Episode 31 (The One Where Ross Finds Out) Air Date: 11-09-1995
Episode 32 (The One with the List) Air Date: 11-16-1995
Episode 33 (The One with Phoebe's Dad) Air Date: 12-14-1995
Episode 34 (The One with Russ) Air Date: 01-04-1996
Episode 35 (The One with the Lesbian Wedding) Air Date: 01-18-1996
Episode 36 (The One After the Superbowl: Part 1) Air Date: 01-28-1996
Episode 37 (The One After the Superbowl: Part 2) Air Date: 01-28-1996
Episode 38 (The One with the Prom Video) Air Date: 02-01-1996
Episode 39 (The One Where Ross and Rachel You Know) Air Date: 02-08-1996
Episode 40 (The One Where Joey Moves Out) Air Date: 02-15-1996
Episode 41 (The One Where Eddie Moves In) Air Date: 02-22-1996
Episode 42 (The One Where Dr. Ramoray Dies) Air Date: 03-21-1996
Episode 43 (The One Where Eddie Won't Go) Air Date: 03-28-1996
Episode 44 (The One Where Old Yeller Dies) Air Date: 04-04-1996
Episode 45 (The One with the Bullies) Air Date: 04 -25-1996
Episode 46 (The One with the Two Parties) Air Date: 05-02-1996
Episode 47 (The One with the Chicken Pox) Air Date: 05-09-1996
Episode 48 (The One with Barry and Mindy's Wedding) Air Date: 05-16-1996

About the Author

Britt Gillette is author of The DVD Report, a blog where you can find more reviews like this one of the Friends (Season 2) DVD.

Author:: Britt Gillette
Keywords:: friends season 2 dvd review
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