'American Idol' finalists attack movie tunes

[April 14, 2011]  LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Jennifer Lopez isn't sure "American Idol" viewers will be calling in for finalist Haley Reinhart.

Lopez said the bluesy 20-year-old college student from Wheeling, Ill., didn't dial up her best performance with Blondie's "Call Me" from "American Gigolo" on the Fox talent competition's evening of film tunes Wednesday. The show's lone female judge was reluctant to criticize Reinhart because every eliminated finalist has been a woman this season.

"I don't want any of the girls to go home," lamented People magazine's most beautiful woman.

The show's other remaining female crooner, 16-year-old high school student Lauren Alaina of Rossville, Ga., fared better with Miley Cyrus' "The Climb" from "Hannah Montana: The Movie." Before taking the stage, "Idol" mentor and Interscope chief Jimmy Ivovine told Alania that he thought she was "a much, much stronger singer than Miley Cyrus."

"I love what you bring to a song, and I love more what a song brings to you," said Steven Tyler.

Paul McDonald and Scotty McCreery stayed in their comfort zones. McDonald, the 26-year-old performer from Nashville, Tenn., kicked off the show with Bob Seger's "Old Time Rock and Roll" from "Risky Buisness." McCreery, the 17-year-old high school student from Garner, N.C., kept it mellow with George Strait's "I Cross My Heart" from "Pure Country."

Stefano Langone's take on Boyz II Men's "End of the Road" from "Boomerang" incited Lopez to shout an expletive after the 21-year-old crooner from Kent, Wash., performed. Tyler was also silenced after Jacob Lusk, the 23-year-old spa concierge of Compton, Calif., sang Simon and Garfunkel's "Bridge Over Troubled Water" from "The Pursuit of Happyness."

"God bless you and your voice," boasted Tyler.

The judges provided a standing ovation to Casey Abrams, the 20-year-old film camp counselor of Idyllwild, Calif., after his jazzy rendition of Nat King Cole's "Nature Boy" from "The Boy with Green Hair." Ivovine originally pushed Abrams to perform Phil Collins' "In the Air Tonight" from "Risky Business," but Abrams took a stand with "Nature Boy."

James Durbin, the 22-year-old rocker from Santa Cruz, Calif., also faced off against Ivovine over his song choice of Sammy Hagar's "Heavy Metal" from the film of the same name. The rebellion also paid off for Durbin, who was accompanied by guitarist Zakk Wylde of Black Label Society. His performance prompted Randy Jackson to repeatedly chant, "Durbin rocks!"

One of the eight finalists will be dismissed Thursday.

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[Associated Press; By DERRIK J. LANG]

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