Grade: B | Genre: Reality
Summary: New York proved a solid audition stop on the tour thus far. There were plenty of outrageous characters and a few gems that could make a serious run for the crown.

Season 6 of American Idol is off to a rousing start. After slogging through the waste of four cities, we have truly seen some of the worst excuses of talent that America has to offer. You'd think a friend, family member, or concerned pet would pull these poor souls aside and gingerly tell them that they have no talent. Its only right to put these suckers out of their misery in the privacy of their own lives rather than allow them to put their warbled voice on display as the world cringes. We tune in week after week to watch this collective train wreck unfold that leaves a litter of American Idol wannabes in its wake. So far, we have encountered a girl who was under the impression that she was the cowardly lion of Oz. We've seen the most hilarious rendition of the "Don't Cha" ever caught on film. We've even seen Simon scrap any form of political correctness, calling a guy a bug-eyed jungle creature. What other avenues of fun can we expect as the traveling circus settles on the Big Apple? Wednesday night's episode showed that the land of Broadway and crazy cabbies isn't immune to painful Idol auditions.

Grade: B+ | Genre: Political Drama
Summary: The Last King of Scotland constructs a fascinating story of a country in flux and the power of unchecked idealism. President Amin is the role of a lifetime for Whitaker, and he takes advantage of the ripe opportunities it presents.

Africa seems to be finding the spotlight more and more among Hollywood's savvy directors and screenwriters. Perhaps this is due to a lack of news coverage on pressing issues or the cyclical poverty that seems to huddle the region in darkness. Whatever the cause recent years have shown us riveting portraits of this continent in crisis from the genocidal struggle of Hotel Rwanda and the intrigue of the Constant Gardener to the mangled youth of Tsoti. With each passing day, we know the killing impulses strengthen in Darfur and the AIDS epidemic slowly toils away at its task of blotting out an entire generation. The Last King of Scotland aids us in answering some of the questions plaguing Africa today through the looking glass of Uganda in the early-70s. It is a film hinged on stirring performances and a gripping intensity that doesn't let you free.