Golden Globe Nominations

I really like awards season! Obviously Metta and I have been very busy and too important to post regularly on our little bloggy here, but I did want to make a little comment about one of the nominations:

Matthew Morrison – Glee (FOX)

SERIOUSLY?!?!?11??!?! He is TEH WORST part of that show by a MILLION!!!

However, I was happy to see the multiple nods for Big Love. This past season was phenomenal and I'm glad the nominators didn't forget about this show during its hiatus.

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General Hospital

That's right. Don't adjust your screen. General. Hospital.



So, I saw on Hulu that James Franco was guest starring on General Hospital. How do you not at least check it out after that?! So I watched a couple of episodes and that show is CRAZY! Absolute insanity. Nothing even makes sense! There is some god-awful acting (Maxie is unforgivable), some ridiculous plots, and some ridiculous dialogue.

However, I got totally sucked in. Here's a little bit of an explanation, if you need one. I watched General Hospital somewhat regularly when I was about 16. Maybe even younger. I was watching when Jonathan Jackson quit playing Lucky and I was watching when Nikolas Cassadine first showed up.

So, Jonathan Jackson just recently returned to the show as Lucky after probably ten or more years off the show. So, it kind of felt like I had never stopped watching. Obviously a lot has changed. Many, many people have died, cheated on their significant others, lied about whose child their baby was, etc. But there is a sense of continuity. It is exactly the same show it was when I watched it last.

Plus, they've got a Veronica Mars alum, and a Battlestar Galactica alum on the show now as well, which equals even more points for the show.

Like I said, I haven't been watching, but this might be kind of a little golden era for General Hospital. Despite a lot of bad actors, there are actually some good ones as well. Although James Franco is just creeping me out. His storyline is completely ridiculous and weird, and hard to believe. But I'm going to keep watching.

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TV - V

Now THAT is how a show should start. None of this dilly-dallying. Get right into the meat of the show is an hour-long pilot. Well done. Keep reading for more.


I had serious concerns when they pulled the whole, "Where were you when JFK was shot? Where were you on 9/11?" crap at the beginning, but this was a stellar pilot. I don't know how I'm going to feel about the show going forward, but this was definitely the way to start off right.

This was only an hour long, but it felt like two. It was jam packed with information and action, and only minimal exposition and back-story. I especially liked that they not only set up the splinter group, who believes that the Visitors are reptilian aliens who have been hiding among us for years, but also firmly established that the splinter group is right. A lesser show *cough* Flash Forward *cough* would have dragged that out for weeks, until you were so annoyed that you didn't even care about the reveal. Also, I'm glad that they have told us upfront that not all Visitors are evil and that there are "traitors" out there who will help the humans.

Really nice performances, too. Gotta love Elizabeth Mitchell. Scott Wolf is perfectly cast as a half-smarmy, half-sincere broadcast journalist. Morena Baccarin is fantastic, and fantastically unsettling as Anna, leader of the Visitors. The only misstep, IMO, is Alan Tudyk. Dollhouse just pulled a similar switcheroo with him last season, so I saw it coming as soon as he appeared on the screen. The man is insanely talented, don't just use him to trick people.

I could care less about Elizabeth Mitchell's son and his hard-on for the blond alien chick. I hope that storyline either gets way better or falls into the background.

I'll definitely keep watching for awhile. Especially since Tuesday is useless otherwise. Read more!

TV - The Office - Subtle Sexuality Webisode

If you guys haven't checked out the latest webisode series from The Office, it's a must! Especially the third chapter featuring the awesome music video for Kelly and Erin's band's single "Male Prima Donna." Read more!

TV - American Idol - Adam Lambert Cover Art

Here's Adam Lambert's cover art for his upcoming album:

Some people are saying that this super glam-y Glambert cover art will alienate his older home-Mom fans from Idol, but I don't really think so. For one, I think people knew that this boy was a David Bowie inspired superstar when they voted for him on Idol. For another - who really cares about album art? When you buy an album on iTunes it's not the same as buying the CD and constantly fiddling with the CD case. But this was definitely worth showing because it makes me so happy! Can you stop giggling? I can't. Read more!

The Office Episode "The Lover"

"tb" makes a great point that a point about last week's episode of The Office, entitled "The Lover," most certainly deserves a blog post! I will go as far as to say it was my favorite episode in recent memory. The Pam / Michael storyline was hilarious: there is now the potential for Michael to become Pam's stepfather, and that is AWESOME.

But really the best part of the entire episode (season... show history?!) was Dwight asking Michael if he would like him to give him "the chills". There's an egg on your head and the yolk is pouring down... The last time I heard that I was in fifth grade on a playground in that weird sleep-over day-spa dynamic that little girls have where we were all rubbing each other's backs, braiding hair, and painting nails. I laughed until my stomach hurt, and it's been a while since that happened.

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Run, Fatboy, Run

Cute movie. Exactly what I was in the mood for last night. Light, funny, not too much thinking involved, Hank Azaria. Click to keep reading.


We rented a movie for the first time in a very long time last night. We actually rented two, but we haven't watched the other one yet.

Run, Fatboy, Run was a perfect rental for me. It's something I missed in the theaters and it's just fun. Basic plot: Loser guy leaves gorgeous and talented pregnant fiance at the altar on their wedding day. Five years later, he's still a loser. He sees her and their son regularly, but she's moved on . . . to a successful hedge fund manager who runs marathons for charities. The next marathon is a month away. Naturally, loser guy decides that to win back the girl, he has to run in the marathon. Let me tell you from my husband's experience. You cannot train for a marathon in three weeks. No way. I thought that was going to be a huge issue. But, trust me, when you see how he runs the marathon, his training regimen is not a problem.

It's a cliched happy ending, he finishes the race - kind of - and the hedge fund guy turns out to be a jerk. They don't 100% tell you that he and the girl get back together, but it certainly seems to be heading that direction.

What makes this movie really worth watching are very good comedic performances from Simon Pegg, Hank Azaria and Dylan Moran. If you're looking for something fun and light to rent, this is a perfect choice.

The other movie we rented was Blood Diamond. Somehow I don't think it will be as much fun. Read more!

Book - The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown

Any talk about the Twilight books being "potato-chip literature" can now be thrown out the window. I can't remember if "The Da Vinci Code" was written this incredibly poorly, but let me assure you that there have been "Choose Your Own Adventure" books with more linguistic nuance than Brown's latest page-turner. That being said, "The Lost Symbol" takes the reader on a fun and exciting journey into the real-life world of American Freemasons and Noetic Science.

You don't watch the "National Treasure" movies for the method-acting, and you don't read Dan Brown to build your literary chops. You do it for fun! And while at the same time you might find your brain getting squishy from reading the phrase So-and-So "did a double-take" or "it's so obvious! How could we not have seen it before?" over and over again, or when you realize that that man has been described as "elegant" enough times that you have to assume he's actually a swan, the book actually does teach you a little about American History.



Another interesting note about this book... I can't help but wonder if Dan Brown is throwing a middle-finger at the production studios trying to turn this into another blockbuster movie. There are a lot of aspects to this thriller that will make it difficult to translate to screen. For one, we need to be shocked about the powerful members in our society who are actually Freemasons, and that's going to be hard to do in a short period of time without actually casting prominent political figures. There's also a weirdo death and resurrection scene and perhaps most difficult for a movie adaptation, one of the most exciting chase scenes takes place in absolute pitch-black darkness. 10 minutes of looking at a black screen might make for a strange cinematic experience... Read more!

Film - Invention of Lying

Ricky Gervais's new comedy "Invention of Lying" makes for a perfectly enjoyable date-movie experience. It's a comedy about a world where people are incapable of lying and ignorant of their ability to speak un-truths. After setting up this amusing culture, and establishing that Gervais's character is in love with an adorable Jennifer Gardner, he goes on to dig into the concept of religion from an atheist perspective. How can people subscribe to the silly concept of a giant man living in the sky, sometimes creating messes of their lives, sometimes granting them great gifts? Because it makes them feel safe and less afraid of the afterlife.



The movie is clever and provides some laughs, but I really expected more from Gervais. The script could have benefited from more time at the editing desk. For example, is Gervais saying that in this world people are incapable of lying or are they incapable of holding-their-tongues? It's unclear. The romantic obstacles between Gardner and Gervais's character are also a little perplexing, with a lot of talk about the necessity of proper genetic matching to create perfect children that doesn't quite settle well. However, I'd say if you were looking for a movie to rent on a lazy weeknight, this one would lead to an overall positive experience.

More importantly, let's discuss how crazy it would be to see Jennifer Gardner and Hillary Swank co-star in a film together? Another "Boys Don't Cry" type ambiguous gender film would benefit from this sharp-jawed manish-yet-also-pretty duo.
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Book - A Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole

Metta's husband recently leant me the book "A Confederacy of Dunces" by John Kennedy Toole, and I am so grateful he did! Although written in the 1960s, this book wasn't released until two decades later and won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 1981. It tells the story of Ignatius, an over-educated blow-hard who's obsessed with Medieval philosophy but derives pleasure from being aesthetically assaulted by popular culture. Think Michael Moore, with constant gas issues and more infatuated with ancient European philosophers than capitalism or health-care. After enjoying many years writing furious screeds against modern society in his bedroom at his mother's house, circumstances necessitate that the 30-something Ignatius finally go out into the real world and find a job. On his journeys we run into a variety of other eccentric, well-developed characters who shape each other's lives in an elaborate web of interactions. This book is funny, smart, and impressively executed. Read more!

Film - Jennifer's Body

Why didn't people go an see Jennifer's Body? I thought it was really fun. True, there are plenty of people who detest Diablo Cody's distinctive writing style. You have to be able to stomach substituting "jealous" for being "Lime-Green Jell-O," but I think that's cute and perfectly fitting with a high-school horror flick.

Some say the film didn't fare well because people were sick of Megan Fox. Although this may be the case, that's too bad, because she was really perfect in this role. I actually think the movie would have done a lot better if it had delayed its release to the beginning of October. When I was in High School, loads of friends would get together and go see a horror movie around Halloween and this one would have been perfect for those who wanted to see something scary-fun, not truly horrifying (like Paranormal Activity). Read more!

TV - Greek

Why don't more people recognize what a great show this is? EW is on board. It gets good reviews. I know there are people out there watching this show, but for some reason, my friends don't seem to be on board.



I think a lot of people put this show in some kind of category where, maybe if they were bored and there was a marathon on, they would give it a shot, but it's worthy of much more attention.

Part of the reason I love this show is the same reason I love My Boys. I don't want to say that the show is realistic, because watching one episode would make it clear that it is not. However, despite the things that are unrealistic, there is something authentic about a large portion of the dialogue, the performances, and even some of the situations.

One of the things that I absolutely love about this show is how relationships ebb and flow. Now, that happens on every show, mostly in an effort to keep viewers interested, instead of getting bored. What this show manages to do that I think some shows miss, is that it shows you all the detail and provides more context and explanation for why these relationships are ebbing and flowing, and why people are taking their lives the direction they do.

Probably the most interesting is the relationship between Casey and Evan. I didn't think I would ever find Evan likable after some of the stuff that went on in the last season. And I didn't think it would ever make sense for him to be friends with Casey on the show again, or with Cappie, for that matter. But I'm back on his side now. He's likable again and, because they gave context, and, frankly, because the performance by Jake McDorman is so natural, I believe that these people would be friends with him again, and would see that he's actually changed.

Anyway, watch the show. Don't put it on the, "Oh, I'll watch it some day when I'm bored" list. It's too good for that. I'm going to go out on a limb and say it's one of my top three favorite shows that are currently airing new episodes. And that's saying a lot, because I watch a lot of TV.
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TV - Dancing with the Stars

Don't laugh at me. I don't generally watch Dancing with the Stars, but as Jenna mentioned, Tuesday is a wasteland.


So, I'm only posting for one reason, though there are additional things I could talk about. But there is only one reason I'm going to actually watch this show - sometimes - this season.

Kelly Osbourne.

She is absolutely fabulous. Everything about her performances is genuine and full of joy. I have seen portions of this show before, and I'm sure there have been better dancers, but I seriously doubt there has ever been anyone on the show who is such a complete joy to watch.

Even better was Ozzy getting choked up when asked about what it was like to watch is daughter dance. He was so proud. He was seriously a choked up. It was incredibly sweet.

I will actually keep watching, just to see her. But I'll probably flip the channel while everyone else is dancing.
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TV - The Emmys

Remember last year's Emmys? Oh the horror. A gaggle of uncooperative and uncomfortable reality TV hosts took the stage and "improved" an intro that made everyone shudder.

Thank goodness the Television Overlords recognized the splendor that is Neil Patrick Harris, and thank goodness NPH had the good sense to demand being a producer for the show as well, so that there was some hope in it being run efficiently while also being entertaining. I think he was successful. Read on for more.


In general I thought the show was good, the winners were boring. None of my favorites won in the acting categories, nor did any of my second favorites with the exception of Kristen Chenoweth, who I still love and think is great and looked amazing, although I though Wiig or Poehler probably deserved the nod after an actually amazing year of SNL.

Grouping the awards in genre was a neat idea, by which I mean that it was tidy and easy to follow. However, that kind of lead to a real boring middle section of who-gives-a-care about Amazing Race, Little Dorrit, or Gray Gardens.

But the real story here is NPH. I loved how dapper he was, that he's a song-and-dance man, that he cared enough and showed that he cared by staying on stage. I cannot believe that he didn't win his Emmy! That was the biggest crock-of-hoohah especially considering who he lost to. Anyway, I loved the Dr. Horrible bit and the blunt discussion that broadcast television is fading into the background as the world expands into On-Demand and Internet viewing.

Wait, maybe that's the real story: the television world is certainly in a crazy shifting, expanding state. The way ratings are determined and valued is in flux as DVR viewings have to count almost as much as live-viewing, let alone factoring in Hulu or iTunes downloads. America isn't all sitting down on the couch at the same minute to have a shared experience anymore, and valuing commercials that air along with live programming is sooo 20th century. To quote presenter and nominee Julia Louis-Dreyfus, perhaps this is the "last official year of network broadcast television" ... but probably not. : )

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Book - The Road

The most recent pick for my book-club was "The Road" by Cormac McCarthy. I am so happy that this was our choice. What an amazing novel: my favorite since "...Edgar Sawtelle." It doesn't sound like it should be an enjoyable book: the story takes place in a post-apocalyptic world where a father and son wander the lands trying to survive. However, thanks to the captivating writing and the powerful emotions it provokes, reading this book was a beautiful experience. Read on for further discussion.

The reader doesn't know what cataclysmic event took place to ruin the continent, but the land is now burnt to a crisp and ash hangs in the air making is dusty and gray during the day and absolutely pitch-black at night. We don't know how long the world has been in this shape, but can estimate that it's been perhaps somewhere around eight years (the boy was born into this world just a few days after the incident and seems to be around eight years old when we pick up their story). The father and son, who are given no names nor any real physical descriptions, are heading south to beat the worst of the winter and to perhaps see the state of the ocean. They search for survival supplies and exist on any found canned foods, as nothing is able to grow in this utterly barren landscape. Perhaps most frighteningly, there are roving gangs of evil people who have resorted to cannibalism - real life zombies!

The writing is simple prose mixed with poetic and cryptic passages that are chilling and beautiful. I had to resort to my dictionary about a thousand times thanks to McCarthy's vast vocabulary, but his way with words is worth the effort. One reviewer remarked that the urgency provoked in the writing made the reader feel they HAD to turn the pages in order to help the father and son survive: so true!

This is a tremendous parable about love and humanity that has often been associated with a biblical style. It's true that the father comes off as a sometimes vengeful God while the son is the encapsulation of mercy and hope. Together these two "carry the light" while in the darkest of circumstances that is in no way clichéd. Read more!

Important Issue #1: Male Boob Equivalent

This is an important discussion that has taken place in my house for sometime. What is the male equivalent to the full-frontal boob shot? Read on for clearer explanation and a sexy Edward picture.

Women have butts and so do men. Full-frontal shots of pubic areas carry the same "wow" factor regardless of sex. But what packs the same punch as a full frontal boob-shot when men are involved? Yes, I know that men have nipples and chests, but those are hardly as sexualized as the female breasts.

Although this area could be found on the female form as well, my vote is for the pelvic indentations found on the male lower abdomen, usually accompanied by some sort of "treasure trail," as illustrated within the yellow box below. I anxiously await your thoughts on this important issue!

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TV - Fall Schedule

This is more for my convenience, but please feel free to read-on for a handy schedule of when television shows start their new seasons. I edited the one created by Ausiellio from EW significantly, but you can view his complete schedule HERE.


Thursday, September 17:
Bones, 8 p.m. (Fox)
Community, 9:30 p.m. (NBC)
Fringe, 9 p.m. (Fox)
It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, 10 p.m. (FX)
The Office, 9 p.m. (NBC)
Parks and Recreation, 8:30 p.m. (NBC)
Saturday Night Live Weekend Update Thursday, 8 p.m. (NBC)

Friday, September 18:
Crash, 10 p.m. (Starz)

Sunday, September 20:
Bored to Death, 9:30 p.m. (HBO)
Curb Your Enthusiasm, 9 p.m. (HBO)

Monday, September 21:
The Big Bang Theory, 9:30 p.m. (CBS)
Castle, 10 p.m. (ABC)
Heroes, 8 p.m. (NBC)
House, 8 p.m. (Fox)
How I Met Your Mother, 8 p.m. (CBS)

Thursday, September 24:
Flash Forward, 8 p.m. (ABC)
The Mentalist, 10 p.m. (CBS)

Friday, September 25:
Dollhouse, 9 p.m. (Fox)
Ghost Whisperer, 8 p.m. (CBS)

Saturday, September 26:
Saturday Night Live, 11:30 p.m. (NBC)

Sunday, September 27:
The Cleveland Show, 8:30 p.m. (Fox)
Dexter, 9 p.m. (Showtime)
Family Guy, 9 p.m. (Fox)
The Simpsons, 8 p.m. (Fox)

Monday, October 5:
Sherri, 7 p.m. (Lifetime)

Friday, October 9:
Ugly Betty, 8 p.m. (ABC)

Thursday, October 15:
30 Rock, 9:30 p.m. (NBC)

Tuesday, November 3:
V, 8 p.m. (ABC)

Read more!

Book - The Lovely Bones

Alice Sebold's debut novel was a huge best-seller a couple of years ago. Now more readers are looking at it with a more critical eye. Why? Because it doesn't really live up to the hype. The story is a bleak one: a 14 year old girl, Susie, is raped and murdered by her next-door neighbor. I'm not spoiling anything by telling you that, it happens in the first couple of pages. Susie then proceeds to heaven where she is able to look over her grieving family and have insight into their thoughts.

Don't be fooled: this is not a murder mystery. The story is not about the evil man getting caught and being brought to justice. Although Susie's father pursues finding the culprit, this novel is much more about how each member of the family deals with grief... and nothing really happens. They live troubled lives and suffer a bunch but nothing really progresses except time (the book spans about eight years).

Beyond the critiques of the narration "gimmick," due attention has been brought to the fact that the writing style is forced. There are some crazy similes, one of the worst being "Her pupils dilated, pulsing in and out like small, ferocious olives". THIS WOMAN wrote a hilarious and scathing review that is worth reading for other examples of the crazy language and just for a good laugh. However, whereas this woman would only recommend the book "to enemies" I would recommend it to anyone who can handle somewhat sappy stories. The book isn't all that long and the depiction of heaven is interesting and thought-provoking.

Even though this review is long enough already, it's still worth talking about the fact that this is going to soon be a major motion picture that has been cited as a possible Oscar contender. I have to say this is an incredibly ambitious endeavor. Let alone the fact that there is 14 year old getting raped and murdered at the get-go... half of the story takes place in heaven! There's also the fact that the story covers eight years (the younger brother ages from 4 - 12 years old)! It is also a book that depends greatly on the like-ability of multiple children and tweens (yikes! child actors!). And, without giving too much away, there is a bizarre, erotic, exorcism-type scene. So yea... should be good! I certainly want to trust Peter Jackson, however, this is also the director who decided it was okay to leave this as the final line of "King Kong": " 'Twas beauty killed the beast!" 'TWAS IT?! Read more!

TV - Thursday

Are you serious Thursday night?! That's way too much quality television for one evening. Once things get cooking this fall there will be:

• FlashForward on ABC
• Bones on FOX
• The Vampire Diaries on CW
• The Office / Community / 30 Rock on NBC (and yea, probably Parks and Recreation, too)
• It's Always Sunny... on FX
• AND Project Runway on Lifetime.

That's 6 hours of TV I would gladly watch all on one night. Yikes. None of these could've been moved to the barren waste-lands of Tuesday or Wednesday?! Read more!

Books - "Pride and Prejudice" and "Pride and Prejudice and Zombies"

Compare the first lines from these two books:

"It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife."

And

"It is a truth universally acknowledged that a zombie in possession of brains must be in want of more brains."

There you have the differences between Jane Austen's classic, and the hysterical zombie infused version co-authored by Seth Grahame-Smith.


I had never read "Pride and Prejudice" so I decided to read these two books in tandem: a couple chapters of the original followed by the corresponding chapters in the Zombie version. This was certainly an enjoyable experience, if not more than a little redundant. Gramhme-Smith's book contains 70% (at least) of the classic story in word-by-word verbatim (which is why he only gets a co-author credit alongside Miss Austen herself). P&P&Z is also a tiny bit longer, to allow more space to dedicate to crazy zombie killing mayhem without losing any of the original story.

As for the original work itself, I had a very nice time reading the story. It was witty and romantic. P&P&Z had all the same wit and romance, but also many more laugh-out-loud moments that appealed to the 13-year-old boy in me. Not only does the new version have zombies and ninjas, it also has a lot of poop, barf, and balls jokes. The balls jokes are particularly amusing, (e.g. “Balls are always a subject which makes a lady energetic” and “I find that balls are much more enjoyable when they cease to remain private.”) although I wish that Gramhme would have made the characters ignorant of the puns instead of writing about how they'd snicker at themselves.

If I were a high-school English teacher, I'd give my students a choice between reading these two books. I think it would create a fun conversation between those who chose to read the classic and those who chose to read the zombie version. Those who read Gramhme's version would still be able to ace a proficiency test on the classic, as essentially all of the original language and plot-points are encompassed in the Zombie book.

Greg and I both are greatly looking forward to "Sense and Sensibility and Sea-monsters" that will be released later this week from the same publishing house as P&P&Z.

Read more!

TV - Project Runway 9/10

I've never been a fan of the whole idea that producers get involved in competition-type reality shows in order to keep the interesting people on the show. But, in my opinion, they needed to do a little more of that on this season of Project Runway.


So, I'm not a fan of the way over the top, super out there designers. Usually, I'm not even a fan of the "good" ones who are way over the top. But they do make the show a little more interesting. This season, they eliminated the two "kooks" on the very first two weeks, and in week four, they eliminated the only black woman, who was also prone to more colorful (though usually tasteless) creations. To be fair, she did get kicked out for designing a pretty boring black dress that I could probably go buy at Sears. But they have eliminated a lot of entertainment value in the first three weeks.

What remains are a number of very talented designers, but also a number of designers who don't really stand out from one another - with some exceptions, obviously - and no one who I would describe as even a little bit avant garde.

I'll still watch, because I just like seeing the runway show with all the pretty outfits, but I think from a pure entertainment value/ratings game perspective, the producers made a mistake. Especially since, in each of the first two contestants to be eliminated were up against the guy who basically sent a model down the runway covered in pantyhose material - who was subsequently eliminated in week three. I would rather have had an additional week of annoying and bizarre Malvin than an extra week of annoying and boring Mitchell.

On another note, Gordana's dress was far and away my favorite last night, and I didn't get the winning outfit at all. It looked sloppy and scrunched up and just plain ugly. Read more!

TV - Glee Revisited

When I saw the pilot of Glee (as blogged about HERE) I was entertained, but skeptical. I can say after seeing the second episode that I am completely on board now. This show has spunk and awkwardness that is rare for television. Almost every one of Jane Lych's lines are forever-quoteable ("That was the most offensive thing I've seen in 20 years of teaching — and that includes an elementary school production of Hair"). And the song choices this episode were also superb (LOVED "Take a Bow"). I really hope the show can keep its ratings up while also keeping the kookiness and the more PG-13 themes and jokes.




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Film - Ponyo

Hayao Miyazaki can do no wrong. Just like his other films, Ponyo manages to completely immerse the audience in pure magic. Read on for more about the movie, but I went in knowing basically nothing about the movie, other than my general knowledge of Miyazaki, and I highly recommend seeing the film this way. It's just the kind of movie that you should really experience without any preconceived notions. However, if you've alread seen it or just can't keep yourself from reading my incredible insights, read on.



So, I didn't know going in that this is basically a retelling of the little mermaid. Of course, it is tweaked a lot, to fit Miyazaki's style, but that's the underlying tale. The main tweak is that the human boy and the "little mermaid" who is named either Brunhilde or Ponyo, depending on who you ask, are little kids.

In typical Miyazaki fashion, there are some extreme characters, like Ponyo's father, voiced by Liam Neeson, who is a long-haired, sea man who appears to be wearing make-up all the time, or her mother who is an enormous and beautiful sea goddess of some kind. But the absolute delight of this film lies in Ponyo herself.

I'll admit that I was slightly antsy for the first twenty or thirty minutes. It was fun, but it didn't have the spark I was looking for. But once Ponyo becomes a real girl, it's amazing. She is energetic and innocent. She causes a major sea storm without even realizing it. She loves ham. A lot.

This wasn't my favorite Miyazaki movie, but it was still absolutely fantastic. Fun, magical, beautiful. A wonderful way to spend a couple hours. Read more!

Book and TV - The Stand and Lost

Damon and Carlton (Executive Producers and Head Writers for the show) have long cited Stephen King's "The Stand" as their main inspiration source-material for shaping the story-line of Lost. Therefore, I couldn't resist picking up this huge novel in an attempt to gain insight into one of my favorite shows. It also doesn't hurt that this epic-tale has been judged by many respectable sources to be King's magnum opus. So read on for my review of the book, my insights into how it might relate to Lost, and also some excerpts of interviews where Team Darlton discuss "The Stand."



"The Stand" is about a world where a super-flu epidemic strikes, killing almost all of humanity. Those that are inexplicably immune begin to have the same dreams pulling them together. King introduces the reader to a tremendous amount of characters (like Lost) who are all seeking some sort of redemption. Almost every character seems well-rounded and creates interest, also like Lost (although in The Stand, absolutely every character talks like Sawyer so they may grate on you a bit at times). And, many of the characters are similar (e.g. pregnant chick, rocker, stoic leader, even an impressive dog).

The circumstances faced by the characters in this novel and Lost are also comparable. The characters in King's work who have survived experience a mythological "pull" sensation that draws them together to start and shape a society. They all understand that they need some semblance of order and togetherness if they are going to survive, especially considering there is a village of evil Others not too far off in the West. And, not to spoil too much, the beginning of the end is marked by a big-bomb detonation.

So what insights can be gathered comparing these two works? I would say the main thing I learned about Lost after reading this book is that Team Darlton share King's sentiment that mythology should only be the background for a story about character-development. "The Stand" ended with a solid understanding that the characters faced their faults and gained peace in their sense-of-self. They were presented with opportunities to receive redemption, and those that embraced them gained comfort. The conclusion did not address any of the questions that arose from the mythological experiences. Why were these people the survivors? Who exactly are Mother Abigail and Randall Flagg? We have a sense at the answers, but much much much is left to interpretation. I fear Lost will end in a similar fashion, but I also think the fan involvement with the show will shape it in such a way that more questions will be answered than would be if King was at the helm.

As for which work I enjoy more, I am confidently in the camp of Lost, even though the show has yet to conclude and it could still spoil my affections. King's mythology is wrapped up in the same good versus evil debate, but there is never any question as to who is good and who is bad. WIth characters like Jacob, the Man in Black, Christian Shephard's ghost, and Ben (just to name a few!) Lost has not been so quick as to identify who we should be rooting for. There are many more shades of gray and a lot more ambivalence. Also, Lost has so many more elements to its mythology: Dharma, Hanso, Widmore, Time-Travel, and on and on. It's a much more complex-world and I like the complexity.

Anyway below are some excerpts which will allow Carlton and Damon to express their own opinions on how "The Stand" has influenced them:

Here is a snippet of the interview between the writing team and King that was conducted by Entertainment Weekly. The entire interview can be read HERE:

Carlton Cuse: For us, The Stand has been a model. Lost is about a bunch of people stranded on an island. It's compelling, but kind of tiny. But what sustains you are the characters. In The Stand, I was completely gripped by everyone you introduced in that story — how they come together, what their individual stories are, how they face the premise. That was such a good model for Lost.

Lindelof: The first meeting I had with J.J. about Lost, we talked about The Stand, and it kept suggesting ideas throughout the process. The character of Charlie was always going to be a druggie rocker, but when Dominic Monaghan came in to audition we started saying, ''What if he was a one-hit wonder?'' I said, ''Like the guy in The Stand! The guy with just this one song.''

King: Yeah. ''Baby, Can You Dig Your Man?''

Lindelof: His entire character sort of is constructed around that. The thing about The Stand is that there are all the archetypes, and we embraced the same thing. The strong, silent, heroic type. The nerdy guy. The techie. The pregnant girl. All those characters exist in The Stand, too.

---
And here's another little comment Carlton gave Variety:

For both Damon and me Stephen King’s “The Stand” was the most influential model for “Lost.” Because “Lost” is not the tenth carbon copy of a medical, legal or cop show there wasn’t a clear roadmap for how to make it work for 100 episodes by looking at other TV shows. So instead we turned to “The Stand,” a 1,000-page novel with a high-concept idea at the core: most of the world’s inhabitants have been killed by a super flu. What we loved about the book was that what sustains the 1,000 pages is not the mythology of the super flu but the stories of the characters. The mystery of what was happening on this island had to be secondary to the mystery of “who are these people?”
-- Read more!

Book - The Magicians

So, when I was visiting with my friend, Laura, she basically forced this book on me. Im not complaining. For a complete fantasy geek like me, this was totally great. The premise isn't really new: a teenage boy who always wished there was something more to life finds out there is, and is accepted to a highly selective school of magic. Adventures ensue.

However, this book is more of a commentary on that almost universal desire than it is an actual representation of that desire. Or at least, that's what it is trying for, I think.




So, there is almost an annoying focus on how much the main character, Quentin, wishes and believes that there is more to the world than his mundane existence. At first, I was like, "Yeah, yeah, yeah. We get it." But once you get into the book, it's good that you understand the level of his obsession with a more adventurous and magical life.

The book heavily alludes to a series of books Quentin read as a child which are basically the Chronicles of Narnia. The main focus of his inability to accept the "regular" world is that he never stopped wishing that those books were real, and that "Fillory" which is the Narnia counterpart, was a place he could actually get to. Come to find out, he's right - shocker.

I don't know. Part of me wants to just say that the book was just kind of a good mishmash of a bunch of other fantasy books I love so much, but I really do think that this book was able to focus in on the interest in fantasy and magic that many of us still have, even as adults, and to kind of pick it apart. I think that in the end the book kind of advocates that the interest is good for you, but taking it to an obsession is unhealthy.

Anyway, in a very reading-heavy summer, I enjoyed this as much or more than everything else that I read for the first time this summer. The only thing I would say is that people who are very familiar with Chronicles of Narnia would probably enjoy it more than people who aren't. Read more!

Film - Julie and Julia

What a joyous experience it was to watch this movie! There are so many things to like. For one, it is a smartly written script by Nora Ephron. You might think that this was just a film adaptation of Julie Powell's book "Julie & Julia" but you'd only be correct in part. Powell's book is half of the story - the half describing the efforts of a young bureaucrat who, while struggling to find a sense of self, tackles all the recipes in "The Art of French Cooking." Ephron intertwines this story perfectly with the life Julia Child herself, adapting from Child's "My Life in France."



The performances are also stellar. If Meryl Streep got a nomination for her work in "The Devil Wears Prada," then one would hope she gets the same recognition for her hilarious and yet dead-on portrayal of Julia Child.

And also - it was so refreshing to see a movie featuring great husbands. We see tons of stories where guys make nice love interests- but how do those men stand the test of time? Supportive, funny, smart and sexy - these are some great dudes.

It might be a bit of an overstatement, but I do truly believe that this is the type of movie I'd like to see land one of those bonus 5 Best Picture nominations. It was smartly crafted, featured superb performances, and made you feel great. Can a feel-good movie be deserving of a nomination? With ten spots open it's a possibility.
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Film - The Time Traveler's Wife

Although a classic case of "the book was better," (read my review of the book HERE) the film version of "The Time Traveler's Wife" is not completely without merit. I like Eric Bana and Rachel McAdams, and they are given a huge pass by getting to play much more watered-down and likable versions of Audrey Niffenegger's characters. However, their like-ability comes at the price of depth. And they are not the only elements of the book that are sanitized. In the book, Henry's injury is much more severe, Clare faces even more difficulties with her attempts at conceiving a baby, the overall language is borderline caustic, and the ending is.... different.

As for the time-traveling itself, without having read the book the movie's explanations of Henry's "Chrono-Displacement Disorder" might be a hard pill to swallow.

If you've read the book, this would be a nice supplement to your reading experience. If you haven't, no need to see this film.



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Book - The Wet Nurse's Tale

Erica Eisdorfer has written a lovely novel about the life of a wet nurse in Victorian England. Susan Rose is a bawdy scullery maid who ends up becoming a wet nurse after an unexpected pregnancy. Susan faces many heart-breaking challenges, but faces them all dead-on with vigor, spunk, and a tremendous amount of cunning. She acknowledges when she's acting immorally, but always provides a sympathetic excuse. As a Gypsy once told her, "you'll see to yourself, girl." Read on for more.




Eisdorfer's book provides a welcome glimpse into the world of nursing babies. I don't think you'd have to have the experience in order to find these passages charming, although the fact that I was actively breastfeeding my own baby while reading the story probably enhanced my perception of the novel.

The novel is interrupted periodically with little vignettes of women's reasons for giving their children over to a wet nurse (all of them customers of Susan's mother, a woman who wet nursed well into her 40s). There have been some complaints that these asides are distracting, however, I welcomed them. They were not only short, interesting stories; they provided insight into raising children in the Victorian era. There were no bottles and certainly no formulas during this time. If a woman couldn't nurse her baby, her healthy alternatives were limited. These anecdotes were informative and also prevented me from running with my original assumption that any woman who would give her baby over to a wet nurse was a monster.

If I were to have any complaints, it might be about the ending, where Susan's luck trumps her cunning. However, this is a super-fast, enjoyable, moving and funny read that I would recommend to anyone (particularly maternal females).
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Books - Loving Frank, Mary, and Ahab's Wife

I read the book "Loving Frank" by Nancy Horan a couple of weeks ago. It tells the tale of Mamah Cheney, a real-life woman who had a long-term affair with the world's most famous architect, Frank Lloyd Wright. The book was fine, however, it reminded me of two other novels written in a similar style that I enjoyed much more than this particular piece. So read on for summaries and a brief review of not just this book, but also "Mary" by Janis Cook Newman and "Ahab's Wife" by Sena Jeter Naslund.



"Loving Frank": Little is known about the true nature of Mamah Cheney and Frank Lloyd Wright's romance. What Horan has mainly to rely on are newspaper articles written in the melodramatic stylings of yellow journalism, which was at its peak during their affair. Horan takes what was described as a salacious scandal and fleshes out these two characters' courtship into an elaborate tale of love overcoming obstacles. The tale has a lot of interesting elements, including Cheney's mission to advance the Women's Movement, which was in full-swing during the 1910s when the book takes place. The down-side to the novel is that Cheney and Wright are fairly unsympathetic characters, and you have to spend a lot of time with them. Wright is pompous and careless with his finances, to the detriment of many. Cheney sacrifices being a mother to her children (let alone a wife to her husband - both Cheney and Wright are married) in order to pursue her relationship with Wright. Horan tries to relay the overwhelming angst Cheney feels leaving her kids, but it wasn't enough for me to excuse her actions.

"Mary" by Janis Cook Newman is similar to Horan's piece, but infinitely more interesting. This is also a novel based on a historical figure whose life was steeped in scandal. This is the story of Mary Todd Lincoln and Newman weaves a captivating yarn relaying Mary and Abe's romance, and how Mary eventually came to find herself institutionalized in a mental hospital. In Newman's book, the story is written from the first-person perspective of the protagonist. Mary frankly describes herself as an incredibly passionate woman whose sexual longings get her in trouble with a relatively prudish (but not gay) Abraham and eventually lead her to a life of careless shopping sprees. That sounds dumb, but it's not. Here is an example of a character who does many unlikable things, but can still keep the reader on her side due to Newman's writing skill.

"Ahab's Wife" takes place roughly during the same time as "Mary": mid-19th century. Now Una is not a historical figure. She is the wife of Captain Ahab alluded to only once in Melville's classic "Moby Dick." However, Naslund, like Newman and Horan, saw an interesting character and ran with her story. This book is long and sometimes overly descriptive, but also excellent. Una is smart as a whip, and Naslund has a good time having her heroine encounter many prominent historical figures throughout the 1800s.

All three of these books showcase intelligent women looking for their place in world during the Suffrage Movement in America. None of them jive-well with the cultural norms of their times and fight being outcast from society at every turn. All three were books I'm glad to have read, but I'd read "Mary" or "Ahab's Wife" again before re-reading "Loving Frank," myself.
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Books - Sookie Stackhouse vs. TV - True Blood

So, I have now read the first seven* Sookie Stackhouse novels twice (I ran out of books while in Europe) and I am caught up on True Blood. I have some thoughts about comparisons.



As I mentioned before, the secondary characters - Lafayette, Tara, Jason, Hoyt, etc. - are all fleshed out much more thoroughly in True Blood than they are in the Sookie Stackhouse novels. I definitely think this is a major positive for the show, since these characters are really the most interesting part of the show, to me anyway.

However. After a second read of the books, and catching up to where we are with the TV show, I've got to say that I prefer Sookie, Bill and Eric in the books to Sookie, Bill and Eric on the show. I've already explained about Sookie. The real issue is Eric and Bill.

In the books, Bill is nowhere approaching the saint he is turning out to be in the television show. The books take a much more middle of the road approach to the whole good versus evil debate than the show does.

For instance, in a recent episode, there was an attack on a vampire nest and Bill was told to go after the humans responsible. He bit one of them, but then said, "Tell your people that a vampire showed mercy where humans did not," or something to that effect. In the correlating incident in the books, Bill kills at least one of the responsible humans. Now, I personally prefer this grey-area Bill to the White Hat Bill from True Blood.

Similarly, Eric seems to be pretty firmly in the Black Hat camp on the show (though there is a little bit of room there). In the books, he doesn't ask Lorena to keep Bill away from Sookie, though he does trick Sookie into drinking his blood.

It just seems to me that the television show is head more into black/white territory, and I like my television with a healthy dose of grey. We'll see if this continues, but as it stands right now, I'm not really on board with the Bill/Sookie/Eric dynamic that's going on in True Blood as compared to the novels.

I will say one thing, though. I hope that television show can keep the number of Sookie's suitors relatively low. In the books there are no fewer than seven men who relatively seriously vie for her affections (if not more). It gets a little out of hand, honestly. I'd like it if the TV show could keep it down to like three - maybe four.

And again, I still prefer the TV show. The acting, the production, and the supporting characters make it a much fuller story and experience. It's just that when it comes to Bill and Eric, in particular, I think the books to a better job of keeping them both in grey area, as opposed to White Hat Bill and Black Hat Eric.

*Disclaimer - I think there are at least two more published books, and possibly some short stories that I have missed, but I doubt they significantly change the points I'm making here. Read more!

Film - Inglourious Basterds

Some people absolutely love Quentin Tarantino, and I'm one of them. Bring on the long, drawn-out conversations filled with quirky quips, the awesome soundtracks, the chapter titles, and the grab-bag of surprises including drawing on the screen and sudden narration. That's his bag, and God Bless Him. It'll take a while for me to decide if Tarantino's latest WWII Jewish Revenge Fantasy is my favorite of his films, but I'm thinking it just may be. Read on for my discussion of this awesome movie.





Going into this movie, I thought it was going to focus solely on a gang of unruly American soldiers, looking to give the Nazi's a taste of their own merciless medicine. That certainly is an enjoyable part of it. Brad Pitt's Aldo Raine, may be a caricature but if you're not smiling as he basketball pivots to the camera explaining his scalp quota, there's something sad about you. There's also plenty to like about the "Bear Jew" and the pleasing presence of B.J. Novak. Novak is great on television, but that bizarre face with its lop-sided Dali-esque melting eyes shines extra-bright on the big screen.

However, the Basterds are only a part of this movie. The other half is focused on the story of Shoshana - and that's actually where the movie begins. Shoshana is played brilliantly by a beautiful french actress Mélanie Laurent, however, the true stand-out performance is that of Austrian actor, Christoph Waltz. Waltz plays the uber-villian, Col. Hans Landa, who comes across a lot scarier than Hitler or Goebbels. When he strikes up a conversation, people freeze and sweat. He's the Jew Hunter, and he's gonna getcha. Waltz won the award for Best Actor at Cannes and I wouldn't be surprised at all if his name comes up at Oscar time.

Thank goodness for Tarantino. He writes and directs in such a way that I find both funny, kitschy, and brilliant. At two and a half hours long, I was suspecting some points of serious drag, but I never found them. Truly a new favorite for me!

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TV - Project Runway S6E1

Season Six of the world's most awesomest reality-competition show, Project Runway, started last week on it's new network Lifetime. Full of big personalities and classic gimmicky names (Hello, Qristyl!) there was also plenty of talent to go around. Read on for my spoiler-heavy discussion of the first episode of the new season.




Upon meeting all of the contestants, there are some that seem more likeable than others from the get-go. There's Ra'Mon who I've got to love because apparently he was well on his way to being a neurosurgeon, and I like big brains. I also like Epperson, who is the oldest guy and looks like you might see him drumming happily on the sidewalk in Ann Arbor. I also liked Logan who said he was the type of guy who could look under the hood and repair his limo, should it break-down on his way to Fashion Week.

I certainly did not care for Johnny, who was all to eager to let everyone know he was a recovering addict and then called out to his competitors to talk him through his panic attack, when I'm sure they were all undergoing tremendous amounts of anxiety.
I also did not have a lot of patience for Nicolas, who claims to make dresses out of feathers and champagne. That just doesn't sound practical!

As far as the runway goes, my favorite was not signaled out for recognition. I absolutely loved Irina's beautiful antique lace gown. It was gorgeous and definitely Academy Awards red-carpet worthy. And although it might not have been bad enough to warrant getting kicked-out, the over-looked bobby tassel dress by Carol was pretty hideous.

Out of the judges favorites, my antagonism towards Johnny extended to my distaste for his dress. The judges seemed to applaud the structure, rather than the arresting color. Certainly the bright, lipstick red with black sequin detail seemed off-putting to me, however I wasn't able to appreciate the shape of the gown even when imagining it in a solid black fabric. The front was such a broad sack, only the skinniest of anorexic starlets would be able to avoid looking like a whale in this outfit. And the back was a bit too-much reveal.

I felt bad for Mitchell. He made a mistake in not allowing himself some wiggle room with the fitting, and I hope he learns from it. The Victorian color wasn't my favorite, but the look was a lot more interesting in it's original form, with the blue watercolor fabric trickling down the legs. If things hadn't gotten so screwed up during the fitting, Mitchell had a real possibility for a successful look with the dramatic collar and a shorter skirt, to make the outfit more contemporary.

As for Ari, she was definitely a case of an artist who works through fashion rather than a fashion designer. She was a bit too out-there, although I didn't think her outfit was the worst thing to come across the PR stage in its history.


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TV - Project Runway All-Star Challenge

Project Runway is backkkk! And in a true treat, a delicious appetizer was presented before the new season started. In Project Runway All Stars we were able to see how designers Korto, Uli, Sweet P, Daniel V, Jeffrey, Santino, Chris, and Mychael have evolved since their time in the competition. They created a small collection of three looks with a bonus fourth look thrown in at the last minute made from un-traditional materials. Read on for my thoughts on the results.




The judges sort of had a weird inconsistency. On one hand, they seemed anxious to see how the designers have grown since they last judged their looks. On the other hand, when the designers evolved significantly, the judges were uncomfortable not-recognizing the contestants style from years past.

The main victim of this thinking was Uli. Uli presented an awesome collection, but her lack of prints and flowy beach-dresses threw the judges for a loop. They were blinded by her change in aesthetic that they couldn't see the looks she presented for what they were: truly awesome designs! Her restaurant look was superb. That she wasn't included in the top four was a real shame.

On the other hand, Chris presented a look that was very different from his costumey presentation in seasons past. He made three sober looks out of the same flannel plaid, the first two were barely distinguishable to me. I thought he was given a bit too much praise. One thing I did love, though, was how Heidi talked Mama to him when he was getting a bit too overwhelmed with his admirable humility. Oh, Heidi... I've missed you!

(Naturally I missed Tim the most. When he said to Mychael "It displeases me!" and when he slammed himself into that heavy workroom door I was in absolute Gunn Euphoria.)

So anyway, back to the runway: the winner was Daniel V. Was this deserved? I'm sort of ambivalent. His red carpet dress was my favorite and I agree that it was perfect. However, I thought his restaurant challenge fourth look was the worst. That he's also sort of in the pocket of Project Runway (he's had all of the judges write for his new book and he's a PR sponsored blogger) was a bit uncomfortable as well. But what made me the most uncomfortable was Korto's totally pissy response to getting second place. She received a lot of praise and was shown a tremendous amount of respect. That she sees coming in second out of this terrific group as a diss is weird and insulting.

Overall I was so happy to be back in the world of Project Runway, regardless of the network switch. I thought all of the designers had at least one look that I thought was successful. Certainly it was great to see so many talented looks in an 7 person show. Normally when there are still 7 designers kicking around in a season, there are still plenty of duds. Here it truly was a matter of who was the best of the best.



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TV - Mad Men

People of Earth: there are only *6* more days to suffer through until the return of Mad Men. In case you haven't seen the show yet - don't worry - this is plenty of time to watch all of Season One and Season Two. The DVD box sets are on super sale at Best Buy and are pretty darn cheap on iTunes (like $17 bucks for all of Season One... not bad for 13 hours of goodness!)

A lot of people in my life don't like the show. My husband and father for starters, and maybe Metta said once she couldn't get into it. These people hold a large amount of real-estate in my heart but they are so so so so wrong. Mad Men is good. It is not chipper, but it is radiantly beautiful. Talk about a show shot like a movie.





One of my favorite things about the show is the roles it has provided three very lucky actresses. It's the 1960s in both the corporate and suburban world, it's not such a great time to be a woman. It's all about being seen not heard, and these gals are struggling to feel valued. January Jones, Christina Hendricks, and Emmy nominated Elisabeth Moss are all super stars.

And then of course we have the real reason to watch: JON HAMM!! Did you know they used footage of him from his high school swim team to draw Prince Eric? : D

Familiar with the show? Click HERE to see two awesome videos from Hamm's peformance on SNL (Two A-Holes Go To An Ad Agency in the 1960s and Don Draper's Guide to Life)

Here are some cocktail recipes so you can get in the mood proper:

Gimlet:
2 oz. Gin
1/2 oz. Lime Juice

Combine in a shaker with ice.
Shake vigorously and strain into a chilled cocktail glass.

Serve with a lime squeeze.


Old Fashioned:
2 oz blended whiskey
1 sugar cube
1 dash bitters
1 slice lemon
1 cherry
1 slice orange

Combine the sugar cube, bitters, and 1 tsp. water in an old-fashioned glass. Muddle well, add blended whiskey, and stir. Add a twist of lemon peel and ice cubes. Add slices of orange and lemon and top with the cherry. Serve with a swizzle stick.

Pimm's Cup:
2 oz Pimm's No. 1
3 oz lemonade
lemon twist for garnish
cucumber slice or peel for garnish

Pour the Pimm's into a collins glass with ice cubes.
Add the lemonade and (if desired) a splash of club soda or lemon-lime soda.
Garnish with the lemon twist and cucumber.

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Books - Sookie Stackhouse Novels by Charlaine Harris

So, I'm in Europe with very spotty internet, but while I'm on vacation, I usually do a lot of reading. This is no exception. I read the first seven Sookie Stackhouse novels in a week. I bought a boxed set that I thought had the first eight books, but I can't seem to find the eighth. Maybe it's in my car, back in the states. Anyway, I just wanted to write a brief entry about these books while I have internet.




So, it's almost amazing that Alan Ball and the producers/writers of True Blood were able to make such an amazing series from the source material of the Sookie Stackhouse novels. That isn't to say that I don't like the novels, but the show is just SO much richer in every way. The characters are more interesting and developed; the stories are more detailed, etc. For instance, Tara barely rates mentioning in the books, and basically the same is true for Jason. I think part of why the show is able to do so much more is that the books are completely from Sookie's point of vies, so there are no scenes in the books that she isn't in. That makes it difficult to fully develop characters, since you never know what is going on with them outside of Sookie's presence.

That being said, these books are like crack. Like I said, I read seven of them in a week. I couldn't put them down. They are totally fun and funny. One thing I actually like better in the books is Sookie herself. I personlly think Anna Paquin is great in the show, but in the books, Sookie is a little more... believable? Maybe that's the word I'm looking for. I'm not sure that word has a place in a romance series about vampires. I would say these are better than the Twilight books, maybe n par with my beloved L.J. Smith novels.

I also just want to say, that if I had more time, I would have a LOT more to say about these books, but I'm trying to keep it relatively short. If you need some slightly smutty, fun summer reading, I highly recommend these books.


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Book - Frank McCourt

I meant to write this post several weeks ago upon hearing the news of Frank McCourt's death, but this is better late than never. Many may know of Frank McCourt's most popular memoir "Angela's Ashes." If you haven't read this book than you might be thinking of it like I once did - a very sad memoir best to be avoided unless one wants to feel depressed about poor Irish lads. However, you'd only be part right. Yes. McCourt had a very sad childhood - depressing on all fronts. However, Frank writes about it in an incredibly hilarious and moving way. I can't remember the time I devoured a (non-Harry Potter) book so ravenously.

When I finished "Angela's Ashes" I was so sad that I would no longer get to witness Frank's brilliant story-telling... but then I found out there was a sequel, and then yet another memoir about his teaching career. Please do yourself a favor and read not just "Angela's Ashes" but also "'Tis" and "Teacher Man." They are all incredible. Read more!

TV - My Top Ten Favorite Shows

Just because this is half my blog and I can do what I want to, here are my top 10 favorite shows on television right now (meaning they haven't been canceled and will be coming back if they are not on right now):

In no particular order:

1. Project Runway
2. Mad Men
3. Big Love
4. The Office
5. 30 Rock
6. Lost
7. It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia
8. How I Met Your Mother
9. True Blood
10. Hung

That is all. Read more!

TV - True Blood

I've emerged from a hellish three weeks culminating in the bar exam, to make a post about True Blood. There are a lot of cool things going on in the show, but for right now I just want to talk about Jason Stackhouse.

I absolutely love what is going on with his character right now. His sincerity about wanting to believe and wanting to learn about God and the Fellowhip of the Sun is so interesting and believable. Jason is exactly the kind of person who would respond to kind of evangelical Christianity. He was coming out of a tragic and scarring incident and the people in the church gave him hope and direction (even though we as viewers know that it's not a good direction). I love that he's not at all certain of his ability to live within the strictures of Christianity, but that he's kind of desperate to try.




But, it all came to a head (no pun intended) with a bathtub hand job from the preacher's wife, Sarah. When she walked into the bathroom, I thought to myself, "Oh no! They are going to ruin this amazing storyline, because she's going to come in here and he's going to go back to his old self and have sex with her." Instead, she couches her desire for him in religion, which is totally perfect. He has no background in religion, or really even in morals of any kind, whereas she is the wife of a preacher and has been involved in the church for most of her life. Based on everything he has learned with the Fellowship, he thinks that anything happening between them is wrong, but she uses her position as religious teacher to try to convince him that it is okay. In the best moment of the entire season, to me anyway, she starts to reach into the tub to touch him and he says, "No." She pauses and says, "You don't mean that." With an utterly anguished look on his face, he responds, "No, but I ought to."

The following episode, after seeing what a horrible man the preacher is and how his marriage to Sarah is deteriorating, Sarah and Jason do have sex (or at least I assume so, since they started ripping each other's clothes off). But again, she couches it all in religion. She tells Jason that God wants this; that she knows she is supposed to be the woman behind a great man and that her husband isn't that man. Jason is. She says that God told her this is right, and in response, with genuine innocence and incredulity, he says, "You talk to God?"

Maybe it's because of my own experience with religion, but I completely sympathize with how hard he is trying to truly believe. It's like he knows deep down that there's something not 100% right, but he sees the good there, too. Plus, everyone tells him what a great person he is, which is something that has probably never happened in his entire life up until now.

Anyway, like I said, there are a lot of cool things going on, but this is definitely my favorite. I can't wait to see the fall out from sleeping with Sarah. I'm wondering if she'll be able to continue convincing him that this is all completely consistent with Christianity, or if he will start to see through her. And if he does start to see through her, what will he give up: Sarah or the church?

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TV and Film - Re-cut Trailers

Here's a funny fanvid of "The Office" turned into a horror movie. And here's another one.

These are cool, but they reminded me of one of my favorite things ever: this re-invented trailer to "The Shining." Read more!

Film - Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

I am really lucky. There is almost nothing that can get between me and my love for all things "Harry Potter." Before I saw the 6th movie in the series, I had heard the grumblings that "true" fans were pissed. However, when I heard the little "dah dee dah dah dee dah deeeee dahhhhh" I was not sitting with my arms crossed across my chest, waiting to be disappointed - I was squealing. And I left the theater with a big smile on my face, too. For a further discussion full of SPOILERS, click read more.



Would I love it if the movies were two-day-long page-by-page recitings of the novels? Of course! Did the movie over-emphasize the teen-romance aspects of the book? You betcha. Even with its over two-and-a-half running time, they left out a lot of incredible scenes describing the history of Voldemort and his ancestry and the Horcruxes (hello - the House of Gaunt, please!!) in favor of some serious hormones.

However - I am not without hope. After all, the seventh book is being made into two movies. Perhaps this sixth film is a bit of a place-holder, and our one last chance to really laugh and think like teenage students before we leave Hogwarts for the next two films and prepare for the final show-down. [There's a word for the funny song that comes up late in Act Two during musicals that brings levity to the trying times, but I can't remember what it is. Maybe it's just "comedic relief." ] So maybe the seventh movie will go back and address some of the more Horcruxy-elements of book six to help flesh-out the film.

I hope so.

But even if not, I'm still probably going to love that seventh movie. And the eighth, too. It's so much more fun to giggle than grumble and I love the Harry Potter Universe so much it'd take a real stinker to drag me down.

And just to touch on some other elements of Half-Blood real quick:

The Ginny and Harry kiss was not just majorly different from the book, it was also slightly problematic. Is Ginny going to be the one to remember the tiara in the Room of Requirement?

And Harry not being frozen for the final Dumbledore scene was a bit weird. Instead of being paralyzed they sort of established that he was trusting the "Shhh"-y Snape to take care of matters upstairs, and that seems like a stretch.

As far as the acting goes, Emily Watson's performance was LOADS better than her work on Pheonix. Daniel Radcliffe actually has real potential. Jim Broadbent and, as always, Alan Rickman were pretty great.

Were the changes too egregious for you to enjoy yourself? Who of the children actors will shape up to have a real acting career, after these films are finished? I want to know!
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TV - 2009 Emmy Nominations

Recently the nominees for the 2009 Emmy's were released. There were few changes from the nominations of last year, especially in the Drama category. However, Neil Patrick Harris hosting is a major reason to tune-in. The comparison of his sure-to-be awesome take as master of ceremonies to the reality TV hosts debacle of last year will be startling! Furthermore, Jeremy Piven was not nominated for Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series this year, making it seem like NPH will finally get the much deserved award. Read more for further discussion on the few surprise nominees and the snubs.





The category of Best Comedy Series is the most improved. "How I Met Your Mother" finally makes the cut, and "Two and a Half Men" is finally taken off the list. "Flight of the Conchords" is given a nod, which is sort of a better-late-than-never nom considering Season Two was not nearly as brilliant as Season One. "Family Guy" shocked many for its nomination. It's the first animated series to ever be given the nod! The big WTF, though, goes to the nomination of "Entourage," a show that when it's at it's best is only a B minus production and last year was sub-par even by those standards. In the place of "Entourage" should be "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia." Just in case you forgot, Season Four of the always hilarious "...Sunny..." featured not just the cannibalism episode but also "Who Pooped the Bed?": one of the funniest half-hours to ever grace basic cable.

As for Best Actor in a Comedy Series, I was really happy and surprised to see Jemaine Clement get a nomination for his lovely, quirky performance in "... Conchords." I was also happy to see Jim Parsons get due praise for his performance on "The Big Bang Theory," as he is good enough on that show to make my husband and I tune-in every week despite the corny jokes and lame laugh-track. That's really saying something. The WTF here goes to Tony Shalhoub: really? People are still watching "Monk"?

For the Supporting Actor and Actress nominations I was happy to see Jack McBrayer, Tracy Morgan, Kristen Wiig, Kristen Chenoweth, and Jane Krakowski. I was stupefied by Kevin Dillon making it on the list again.

Moving on to the Drama categories, there isn't much to say as there are barely any changes to the nominations list from last year. The best of the few changes was that "Big Love" was added to the nomination list for Best Drama Series. However, one of the major snubs was that none of the amazing female actresses from Big Love (specifically Chloë Sevigny and Amanda Seyfried) were chosen.

And really? House? Last Season was just about as Jump-the-Sharky as seasons can get. There were hallucinations, inexplicable suicides, and then more hallucinations. In its place on the Best Drama list should have been... DUH... BATTLESTAR GA-FREAKIN-LACTICA! That this show wasn't nominated, and hasn't been nominated, and that none of the actors weren't and haven't been nominated is a CRIME punishable by groin kickings.

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Books - Twilght Series Part Two

We've already discussed the issues in this series regarding abusive boyfriends and lousy writing. Putting both of those aside, it's time to discuss the weirdness that is the fourth book, "Breaking Dawn." Read on for a spoiler-heavy discussion.




The first three books fit together in a nice little trio. In the first book, Bella falls in love with Edward. In the second, she falls for Jacob. In the third, she makes her choice. And even though there are plenty of adventures and mythological backstories that are shared in these books, this love-triangle is pretty much what they are about.

So with the love-triangle seemingly resolved at the end of "Eclipse," what were we to expect for the fourth book? If you guessed "something bizarre," then you win! In this book not only does Meyer dedicate a whole third of the book to a change-up in narrator, she also takes on a much darker tone. Now there are blood-thirsty vampire babies! Delicious sippy-cups of O-negative! And a birth story that just might encourage the most eager of tween readers to keep their thighs together, even if Edward creeps along.

This book would make a lot more sense if it came along some 5 years after "Eclipse" was released and was the first in a new "So Bella's a Vampire" series.

However, I've got to admit: I liked it the best out of the series. I know Metta's going to slug me in the arm for saying that, but although I realize it is very different from the first three, I like it... maybe even because of the differences. It was so bizarre I was smiling way more than I did while reading any of the previous books, and I liked those, too.

Now don't get me wrong here: this book is still laughably offensive in its treatment towards Bella, and the writing stylings haven't improved in the slightest. There's also the fact that everything gets wrapped up in the prettiest of pretty packages, saving perhaps for the fact that poor Jacob will never be able to "get with" the love of his life (as she will never develop past a 7 year old's physique). But as I had already embraced most of these issues throughout my journey reading the first three books, I was along for the ride by the time I cracked "Breaking Dawn."

The real question is: how the heck are they going to make this into a movie? The first two books should adapt easily enough, but once you throw in telepathic wolves and boys who grow larger every time you see them you're getting tricky. Then with "Breaking Dawn" you have not just the wolves, but also the unsightly birthing scene, the incredible transformation in Bella's appearance, and the fact that the newborn baby will develop to look like a 5 year old by the time the books ends.

So that should be interesting! Anyway, I'm anxiously awaiting Metta's comments because I know she was not a fan of this fourth book in a major way. Perhaps my experience was enhanced by the fact I was spoiled to the fact that Bella would end up with Edward, and that she would have her baby delivered traumatically by edward biting through her uterus. Also - maybe there is something to be said that I read all four books in the course of 20 days? We shall see.

Of course - I think blog readers are used to the fact that Metta and I sometimes come down on different sides. She is a Jacob, I am an Edward. She is a Jack, I am a Sawyer. But I love her a lot anyways because that's just how awesome she is.

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Book - The Time Traveler's Wife

I joined a "Stay-at-Home Parent Book Club" the other day, and the book to be discussed was "The Time Traveler's Wife" by Audrey Niffenegger. Even though I read this book about 2 years ago, a lot of it has stayed with me and I was happy to hear others' reflections. It's a truly beautiful book that's more romance than anything else, but also plenty science-fiction to keep it cerebral. Even better - much of it takes place in Michigan (South Haven, Metta) and it is written gorgeously! The film adaptation of this book will be released in August of this year, starring Rachel McAdams and Eric Bana. I strongly encourage you to read this book before seeing the movie. Read on for a bit more about this beautiful novel.






Henry is a man who suffers from a genetic disorder, later coined "Chrono-Displacement," that results in him being able to travel through time. He can only travel to other moments of his life, both past and future, and he cannot control when he'll travel and where he will land. The disease is much like epilepsy, brought-on by stress and/or flashing lights. This is a really interesting way to establish Henry's dilemma: much more believable then sometime truly sci-fi like "your mom was from Mars."

Another great element to this novel is that it embraces the time-travel theory that Metta and I both like best: pre-determinism. What happened, happened and there is no way to change the future. There are no parallel universes and Henry is unable to alter his life regardless of how he intervenes in his past and future. Not that he doesn't try. Henry visits himself at various ages throughout his life, and he visits his wife throughout almost her entire life, starting in her early childhood. (Would you visit an elementary school aged version of your partner? I would!)

There are several frustrations felt by both him and his love, Clare, regarding the seeming lack of free will. For one, how would you deal with learning who you were going to marry at the age of 6? Or when you were going to die? Would you be interested in meeting the child your wife was pregnant with when she was 10 years old?

Henry suffers greatly trying to control his disease, and Clare does, too. While he is thrown about time without any warning, Clare is left alone and sick with worry. It's sort of a modern-day version of the Odyssey in some sense. Anyway, it kind of reflects the trials of any relationship dealing with miscommunications and the fear that comes with separation. A truly enjoyable and thoughtful piece.


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TV - Sesame Street

Sesame Street is awesome. I watch it with Lloyd every now-and-then when one of us is particularly exhausted or crabby. They have amazing celebrity guest stars and hilarious jokes that can actually make me LOL. Today one of the characters called for a taxi and the taxi driver wore sunglasses and a mohawk, looking exactly like a Muppet Robert De Niro. Hilarious. That is all.

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Internet Video - A Very Potter Musical

So, I don't think this technically counts as film, but I'm going to sneak it on to this blog anyway. A Very Potter Musical is a musical parody of Harry Potter which was written, produced and performed by students at the University of Michigan (which is this blog's alma mater three times over, in case you didn't know).

The composer and star, Darren Criss, is a musician that my husband saw perform at Potbelly's in Ann Arbor, and really liked. He does mostly covers, like this, or this, or this but based on A Very Potter Musical, he's clearly got some composing chops as well. I believe he is a music major at U of M - though I don't know in what specific area.

Anyway, I wish I had been there to see them perform A Very Potter Musical in person. We didn't even hear about it before we moved in May, and it was performed in June, so we must have been totally out of the loop. Anyway, the video is uploaded to YouTube in 23 parts. Don't be intimidated. I know that's a lot of video to watch on your computer, but stick with it through the end because it is totally worth it. Dustin isn't even a Harry Potter fan or a musical theatre junkie, and I think he even liked it more than I did. Highlights - Draco Malfoy, Voldemort and Quirrel, and the inexplicable focus on Zac Efron.

ETA: It wasn't performed in June. It was performed in April. We were totally there, just completely missed it. Read more!

Book - The Red Tent

My mother handed me "The Red Tent" by Anita Diamant to read on a whim, only remembering that she had read it before and enjoyed it. However, this was such an appropriate book for me to read I can't believe I hadn't come across it sooner. No, not because I spend my "moon times" in a crimson tent with fellow females (although I kind of like that idea, in a weird way). I'll explain more in the Read More section, but for now, simply know that if you are looking for a moving book about mothers and daughters and like the idea of "woman's space," you might enjoy this very peaceful read. I certainly did.

Why was this book so appropriate for me to read? For one, it's "historical" fiction, taking a bible story and expounding on just a couple of lines of verse. Historical fiction is awesome, and if you have any recommendations for great books in this genre, please share in the comments. For another, this book is about Dinah, daughter of Leah and Jacob, from the Book of Geneses, and I have been reading the bible off and on throughout this year. (Don't remember why I'm reading the bible? Here ya go.) And lastly, it has a slew of stories about midwives and birthing and I am an absolute birth junkie. If you are into any one of those three things (historical fiction, the bible, or birth stories) then this book would be worth your time.
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Film - Back to the Future

So, after the BTTF II & III debacle, we decided to watch the original the other night. Now, that is an awesome movie that stands up. Seriously, I know this isn't the case, but it is as if different people were responsible for the two sequels. The storytelling is so much better in the original that it's like the writers had a labotomy between when the original was made and when they wrote the sequels.

Anyway, I still don't concede that the time travel is either sensible or internally consistent, but I don't care because the movie is just so awesome. Nothing beats 1955 Doc shrieking "One-point-twenty-one jiggawatts!" Read more!

Film - Air Guitar Nation

The other day I watched the documentary from 2007 "Air Guitar Nation." This film chronicles the journeys of the first ever North American air guitar competition, and follows our country's representatives to the international championship in Finland. Although enjoyable and fun, I am only luke-warm in my reception towards this movie. In terms of documentaries introducing viewers to a highly competitive weirdo world we never knew existed, I kept wanting this film to become as engrossing as the vastly superior "King of Kong." Read on for a further discussion and comparison...




"Air Guitar Nation" showcases performers who dress-up outrageously and create rocker personas full of moxie. They and the judges are in on the joke of a rock-and-roll competition where no one has an instrument. However, for a while there seems like there could be a division amongst competitors between those who see air guitar as an art-form and those who see it as sort of a comedy platform. The end result is that everyone appreciates what everyone else is doing, and everyone is having a good time.

"King of Kong," on the other hand, was gripping. There was scheming, there were villains, there was heartbreak.

Although I definitely wouldn't discourage you from watching "Air Guitar Nation," my hope is that you will use the film as a mere amuse bouche before watching the very fulfilling meal that is "King of Kong." If you've already seen "Kong," maybe this little snack of "Air Guitar Nation" will leave a slightly bitter taste.

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Books - Twilght Series

For fear of being out of touch, I have started reading the “Twilight” series by Stephenie Meyer. I have read the first book and am into the second. My husband has even joined the fun, having already finished “Twilight” and “New Moon” (a family that reads young adult vampire romance stories stays together, right?). Although I haven’t finished the entire series, I thought I’d go ahead and start blogging about these books now.

Most of the buzz I’ve heard about this series is that it sets up unrealistic romance expectations for the young female readers. Man, that’s for sure! But let’s broaden up this discussion to whether you’d be okay with your hypothetical 12 year-old daughter getting sucked up into Meyer’s smoldering world of vampires.


First off, I’m always going to be in favor of any book that gets young adults passionate about reading. So much better than a video game or reality TV show for their supple brains!

However, as an avid reader myself, I don’t think I’d be able to help myself but be disappointed in the lack of literary merit these books bring to the table. Sure - it is a successful piece of escapist literature if droves of people go out and buy the books and read them ravenously. However, who says escapist literature can’t have complex sentence structures? Or better-developed characters and mythologies? I know that these books are supposed to be written from the perspective of a 17 and counting year-old girl, but she is also supposed to be intelligent. How come she keeps awkwardly forcing nouns into adverbs? I distinctly remember Bella describing her day as “nightmarish.”

And Bella herself isn’t much more than a “Mary Sue” character, to borrow a phrase from the world of fan fiction. Through Bella, we live a fantasy of being swept off our feet by a beautiful boy… and better yet we get to choose this handsome devil over scores of other eligible bachelors, because every single male Bella meets fancies her. But Bella herself is short-changed of real-depth. We know she is clumsy (all the better for getting saved!) and we know she sacrifices hers safety and sanity for those she loves (dating a dude who kind of wants to kill her, hanging with his family of fellow vamps, and even the fact that she gave up her entire teenage life in order to give her mom some space to get jiggy with a minor-leaguer).

But literary criticism aside, let’s get down to the nitty-gritty with our issues of feminism and saving our beloved hypothetical teenage daughter from a world of romantic disillusionment. Surely this book presents a scary idea for teenage love: Edward likes to creep into Bella’s home without permission and watch her sleep. He is possessive and invades her privacy. He spies on her friends to get closer to her. He has unpredictable mood-swings and some major anger issues. And Bella is nothing but flattered by his gestures and treasures his every broody characteristic. Is this the sort-of relationship we’d like to see our daughter be a part of? Surely not- it’s abusive! However, our daughter is not reading an instruction manual on how to be a teenager in love. She’s reading a piece of fiction, and we’ve raised her better than for her to take any one piece of media and hold it as the ultimate guide for how to live a life.

And afterall, isn’t this essentially the story of Romeo and Juliet? There’s a love that forces the young couple (Juliet’s 15, no?) to forsake their families and their safety in order to be together? However, at least then our daughter would be reading Shakespeare.

So for all the hub-bub out there about this book being bad for its female readers, I’m going to go ahead and vote “nay.” We can’t blame Meyer for our daughter’s decision to date abusive weirdos- that’s a parental failure. More than likely Meyer is doing us a favor: setting our daughters up with high enough expectations that they won’t waste their time dating immature high-school jocks, saving themselves for more worthy suitors in college.

And just in case you really do have a high-school daughter reading these books, you might just want to show her THIS VIDEO MASHUP showing us in a nicely produced 6 minute movie how Buffy would react to Edward’s stalking.

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Film - Jennifer's Body - Red Band Trailer

The red band trailer for the new Diablo Cody-penned horror movie, "Jennifer's Body" starring Megan Fox, was released earlier this week. I liked Juno a lot, and I like Diablo Cody okay, though I think she's a little too pop-culturish for her own good. I'm not sure how I feel about this movie, though. I'm not crazy about horror movies, though there are a few I am partial to. But I kind of dig this trailer. I'm getting a little excited about this movie in spite of myself. Amanda Seyfield is always good, so that's a plus. Kyle Gallner (who, coincidentally enough has also appeared in both Veronica Mars and Big Love with Seyfield) is also in it, and I keep hoping that kid gets some more jobs. I think he gets overshadowed by less talented, but better looking peers. Unfortunate.

Anyway, what do you think? I'm worried that it will just be meh. But I hope it will be better than meh. Read more!

Film - Being There

Everyone has a homework assignment, especially Metta: if you haven't seen it already, go rent Peter Sellers' "Being There." I need to discuss this movie, but only with people who've seen it. Post in the comments after viewing, and I we will start a discussion. Read more!

Film - Snakes on a Plan on FX

Just in case you haven't seen this 25 second clip yet, it's good for a quick giggle. AND you can buy a t-shirt!!



And here is the rest of it. Don't delete the line in between, as that is where the magic read more tag resides. Read more!

Book - Wordy Shipmates

You may not know this, but my family-tree can be traced all the way back to the pilgrims of Plymouth Colony. This discovery only added to my motivation to read Sarah Vowell's latest non-fiction work, "The Wordy Shipmates." In this book Vowell explores the lives of Puritans living in America during the 1630s. Although it couldn't compare to Vowell's "Assassination Vacation" (where she dissects the forced deaths of US Presidents Lincoln, McKinley, and Garfield) or her other historical and personal essays in "The Party Cloudy Patriot", I liked this book a lot and recommend it to anyone interested in exploring that weird time in American history, some 140 years before the Revolution, when Connecticut was the wild frontier. Read on for my further discussion.


Vowell is a tremendous font of knowledge (she is also a frequent contributer to "This American Life" and was the voice of Violet in "The Incredibles"). Her research is tireless, but she only passes-on the goodies. The way Vowell writes is incredibly approachable, bestowing incredible amounts of knowledge without ever insulting her reader's intelligence. That she is not teaching some AP History class in a struggling high school somewhere is sort of a crime, as she ignites a passion for even the dullest of subjects.

In this book, Vowell's passion for learning about the Puritans seems to be traced to her evangelical up-bringing, and also the frequent usage of the phrase "city on a hill" in popular American political discourse. We learn that John Winthrop used the bible phrase as a source for inspiration to those joining him on his quest to the New World. He had the highest of hopes for his soon-to-be home in Massachusetts Bay as he expounded on the colony's ability to set an example to the rest of the world on living a devout, Calvinist life. But how would his hopes compare to the realities of New England life?

The Massachusetts Bay gang have their share of trials in the 1630s. They have a fierce antagonist in Roger Williams and Anne Hutchinson. Through a refusal to send back their charter, they face the possibility of going to war with England, they suffer a brain-drain as Thomas Hooker leads many good parishioners off to Connecticut, and they go to war against the Pequot Indian tribe. With each trial, Winthrop drifts further and further away from his hopeful self and closer to resembling the oppressive King he had escaped just a few years earlier.

Vowell entranced me once again with her endless knowledge and witty anecdotes. Now I have to sit back and wait for the next historical moment to tickle her fancy, and then for her write all about it and share with me the booty of her patient research.

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