Movie News I've been thinking on

The Host has been optioned for a movie according to MTV's Movie Blog. I happen to think that The Host is a much better crafted story than Twilight, but it's also a hell of a lot more cerebral and claustrophobic than its predecessor. Check out my full review of the book here. It's a grown up story with deep psychological parallels that I'm not sure will translate to the big screen. Not to mention who ever is playing Mel/Wanda has to be able to play two completely different characters at the same time. Not like green screen playing opposite herself, but has to be two people at once in one body. Not an easy task. To that end, I'm interested in seeing where it goes.

Johnny Douche...I mean Depp, has been making the rounds in the press saying that now that Disney Studio chief Dick Cook is gone he's leaving the new Pirates of Caribbean the movie behind. If Disney is smart they will SCRAP THE PROJECT if Johnny makes good on the promise. And they will start working on Jungle Cruise. (Not a real prospective project, just my dream!) The only thing that was at all good about the new Pirates was that we were going to get all of that great Jack Sparrow/Captain Barbosa banter without all of the Will/Elizabeth drama dragging it down. Without Depp, as much as I can't stand listening to him in real life, that might as well not exist.

Fame opens on Friday. I can't wait for it. Also, I still haven't seen 9 which is apparently not very good, but anyone that put Coheed and Cambria in their trailer deserves the benefit of the doubt in my book.

A Drama is Born

Last night brought the premiere of CBS's new drama The Good Wife. The premise of the show is one of the best I've seen in a while, the wife of the disgraced politician tries to put her life together in the months after the scandal.

The Good Wife is more than just a concept, probably because of it's exceptional cast. Julianna Margulies is Alicia, the wife of the title, Chris Noth is her politician husband who was caught with a group of prostitutes and a tape of it was leaked to the press. To make ends meet while he's in prison Alicia has gone back to her legal career which she abandoned to take care of her children, while her mother in law, played by Mary Beth Piel (Grams from Dawson's Creek.) keeps the house going.

At the law firm, Alicia has to compete with another junior associate, Cary (Gilmore Girls' Matt Czurchy) and deal with the disapproval of her new "mentor" Diane, (Christine Barinski)

See what I mean about the cast. The concept is good, the performances were better, and I'm interested in seeing the direction they take it in. What I like the most though is that even I, with my severe CSD (character separation disorder) was able to accept these new characters. It might have helped that Matt Czurchy doesn't have his Logan hair anymore.

And who else thinks its odd that all three of Rory's boyfriends have their own shows and the best she's done is a B chick flick and a guest spot on ER?

The most bizarre cast on TV

Dancing With The Stars has brought some weird people together in the past.

But the fact that on Monday night we saw Aaron Carter and Tom DeLay both do the Cha Cha, probably takes the cake.

Anyway, the dancing this year is pretty good. Both nights of competition opened with pro numbers, Monday night with the male dancers doing a fabulous jive to "The Boys are Back in Town." It was good to see Derek and Mark show off, and then show off some more. Then Tuesday night opened with the women dancing to "Lady." I have to admit I miss Julianne, but Chelsea and Lacey combined is almost the same. Mostly Lacey, she's really unbelievable.

As for the actual couples...I think it might finally be Kym's year. She's with Donny Osmond, and the Osmonds are unstoppable. Plus they did beautiful things with the fox trot.

On the woman's side, my vote goes to Kelly Osborn and Alec. She was so good. And she made her mother cry.

The most bizarre goes to Tom Delay and Macy Gray. I don't care if he's with Cheryl and being all self depricating, you will never make The Hammer likable enough to win any kind of reality show.

Everything we love and more

So, for the Castle season premier we got a lot of banter, a lot of sexual tension, Alexis helping Castle deal with his relationship with Beckett, those two cop guys making inappropriate sexist remarks towards Beckett.

Oh right and Beckett doing a bad russian accent, because they had to infiltrate the Russian Mob.

It's still not as good as Bones but I still really like it. Sorry I couldn't get more into this episode HIMYM and Gossip Girl kind of wore me out.

Mondays are busy. So tomorrow I have internet viewings of Heroes, OTH, Big Bang Theory, Greek and Dancing With Stars.

I can't guarantee that I'll be able to do in depth writing about all of them, and I might not watch Heroes until this weekend when I can go home and watch it in HD on the big screen.

Back to School

We'll start with the clothes. Is Blair really wearing a suit to Freshman orientation? I'm convinced the stylists follow my friend Emma around for Serena's clothes.

The NYU story line was great. Really great. Dan and Vanessa are just about as pretentious as all of the people I know who go to NYU. I love my friends who go there, don't get me wrong, but they all started their freshman years SUPER self important. Dan getting invited to a "writer's group" when buying his first college cup of coffee, haha, Dan would sooo run a lit mag. Blair saying that "Riverdale doesn't count" as being from New York made my Bronx descended heart break and my Jersey Girl soul cheer, because we get annoyed when boro people think they're better than us. I think that Georgina and Blair as roomies is not going to work out and she's going to end up rooming with Vanessa, who is down the hall. Vanessa is taking Women in Lit...a class I took Sophomore year of high school. Georgina said she "straightened out her meds" to get Dan's hipster haircut is starting to bug me after only two episodes. This could be a problem. Blair trying to throw a theme party in her dorm common room. It's so sad. Also Georgina might be a sociopath. And I LOVE her. She threw her own party after but poor Blair had to ask Dan to take her to Georgina's party. Then he took away her headband. NOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!! People asking her if everyone in high school were jealous of Dan for being "such a great writer." Her respsonse, "Dan's a writer?" Was perfect. I love Dan socially sponsoring Blair so that she doesn't become what he was in high school. Then Blair inviting the Jesus camp people to Georgina's roof party was pure Blair-bitch perfection. Although it did screw Dan over and make him look like an idiot. But this is going to be a war worth remembering. But Dan taking her on, is perfect! But why does Blair need college friends? I mean, she's practically married to a boy billionaire! I'm just saying. Plus, Dan and Georgina as a couple is going to be epic.

The Serena and Chuck storyline was pretty strong too. Serena's not going to Brown. BIIG shock there. Chuck called his apartment "The Bass-cave." I love him so much. Chuck and Serena are totally going to run a nightclub together. Chuck lecturing Serena about her blowing his deal and he calls her a train wreck. When Chuck Bass disapproves of your life direction, you know that something's wrong. Dan made Serena frozen waffles. Then Rufus made them for Chuck. What is it with the Humphrey men and waffles? Then Rufus made a speech about not upsetting Lily, and Serena making mistakes. And then Serena declared she's not going to Brown just out of spite and called Carter. Serena and Carter crashing Chuck's business meeting was classic, plus I'm kind of digging Chuck being the disapproving sibling, plus I always love when we see that he seems a-moral but he really deeply cares about Serena, Blair and Nate. No one else, but those three, he definitely does. I'm not sure how I feel about Carter being all genuine freaked me out. And I'm glad that Rufus and Serena are bonding. It's sweet or something. Serena taking a gap year is a brilliant plot device. Carter and Serena as a real couple is going to be interesting.

Nate and his pretty new girlfriend holes up in her apartment and decided to be a real couple. It was sweet and we saw a lot of shirtless Nate.

Wait for it...

So How I Met Your Mother is one of my favorite shows. I mean really. This season premiere was great.

Barney and Robin have been hooking up without definition for their relationship. This is breaking Lily's heart since she was counting on them to be their brand new "couple friends." Both commitment phobic they've been avoiding "the talk" while still sleeping with each other.

Meanwhile back in the main plot that I certainly don't care about anymore, the guys gave Ted a brown beret and a bullwhip as a present for his first day as an architecture professor. Then Ted and Marshall went out in the ally and tried to whip things. Ted ended up whipping Marshall in the face.

Robin on date with Marshall's friend Brad and she admitted to him that she was in this ambiguous relationship with Barney...Meanwhile, Ted and Marshall tell Barney that Robin is already is girlfriend so he punches Brad out, however they still refuse to have the talk so Lily locks them in Robin's bedroom together.

Ted goes to the wrong class, but ends up in the right one and rocks it. Barney gives him a"Door Five!" when he tells the gang, because he and Robin refuse to have to talk...but when they do, Barney and Robin are a couple! Yes yes yes yes yes they are! WOOO!

I love Allison Hannigan's new hair.Also, Segel is really good with a whip. Just another reason to love him. Plus we found out that the guys have a thing called Tux Night, where they all where tuxes to the bar.

I've said it before: THIS IS MY GROUP OF FRIENDS. My guy friends would do that. They may have done it already.

Musical Remake I might be OK with

So, I've railed against new versions of classic musicals. But there's one that I've decided I'd be OK with.

And that's Guys and Dolls.

I love Guys and Dolls. But I'd check out a remake of the film, kind of a stinker even if it does star Sinatra as Nathan and Marlon Brando as Sky, (Brando's the main problem, the man couldn't sing and they didn't dub him either) because there is prime castability in some of my favorite hot actors of the moment.

First and foremost Hugh Jackman as Sky Masterson. I think this is an obvious choice. Acceptable Substitution: Harry Connick Jr.

Nathan Detroit: Neil Patrick Harris. Think about it. The nerdy confidence, the tenor voice, the suits. It makes sense. Acceptable Substitute: Matthew Morrison, he's a sweeter softer choice, but he'd still get the job done.

Adelaide: Jane Krakowski, another Duh. If you don't believe me, watch the episode of 30 Rock where they sing "Midnight Train to Georgia" at the end. Or any episode of 30 Rock, really. Acceptable substitute: Sarah Jessica Parker, these two have always been a little interchangable in my mind, though Jane is more traditionally pretty.

Sarah Brown: Anne Hathaway The lofty soprano voice, the snap perfect banter delivery, the whole intelligent innocence thing. Acceptable Substitute: Jennifer Love Hewitt. She's not as talented, or as pretty, but she's got the same thing going on.

Here's where I go out there a little bit...but stick with me.

Nicely Nicely Johnson: Jason Segel. Now, I know, I know, Nicely Nicely is supposed to be chubby. But Segel is hugely tall, so that's it. And really, as if this isn't proof enough that the guy can handle "Sit Down You're Rocking The Boat"

Plus, you know, then NPH would be there too.

Emmy Night

The Emmys just ended.

Winners were about what you'd expect. (Mad Men, 30 Rock, Daily Show and acting legends.) Neil Patrick Harris's hosting was perfect. He was exactly that, a host. He did his little bit at the beginning and then just moved the action along. Dr. Horrible, Captain Hammer and the rest of the gang did hijack the broadcast for a minute or two. Good stuff from Neil there, great stuff from Nathan Fillion (after all, he's better, better than Neil, just ask him, he'll sing you a whole song about it) and lovely harmony by Felicia Day.

The greatest moment of my life happened when David Boreonaz and Steven Moyer presented together, and then I was quickly let down, when the stupid Emmy writers didn't give them a vampire joke (although looking back I think there may have been a "sink your teeth into" phrase, but I might just be projecting.) But still Angel and Bill together? Can I get one big giant fangirl SQUEE! (My roommate was already asleep so I had to only virtually squee!)

The "who we lost this year" tribute was very nice, accompanied by a live performance by Sarah McLaughlin. It really was quite a year. Lots of celebrities died.

Oh right and she won:

Congratulations Cheno!

Where to begin...

The Office premier was last night. It was good, not one of the better premiers, or even one of the better episodes, but it was funny.

It started off strong, with Pam and Jim explaining that they were keeping her pregnancy a secret, mostly because the people in the office are crazy.

Also Dunder Mifflin hired three interns, and a large chunk of plot revolved around the three of them seeing Stanley out at a club (Tink's) with a woman who is not his wife.

This is where my beef with the episode came in. I go to college in Scranton. The kids who they showed wouldn't hang out at Tinks. I don't know anyone who really goes there. They'd be Kildare's people, or The Bog, possibly The Green Frog, definitely Oscar's. No matter who Stanley was having an affair with they definitely wouldn't go to Tink's. I'm just saying.

Anyway, of course, because it's Dunder Mifflin everything got out.

It was nice to see a microsm type episode again. One that was entire thing from start to finish, happened in the office. If that's the direction it's heading in, I think it'll be good.

This all works out in the end

So, Bones season premier. Very mean.

The mystery involved a mass unmarked grave that Angela's psychic tipped them off to.

But that wasn't the point of the episode. (Is the murder ever the point of Bones?) The point was Booth was out of his coma and dealing with the brain damage because of it, plus dealing with his dream where he and Brennan were married and they owned a nightclub, and she was pregnant. He's still retaining loving feelings for her, and confesses this to Cam and Sweets, who both tell him that he better be sure it's not just the brain damage talking, because duh, everyone knows they're in love.

Anyway, they solved the murder and the psychic tells Booth, "Don't worry, I've seen it, this all works out in the end."

Also, it was really funny that the psychic was played by Cindi Lauper, since we know from season 1, that Brennan is actually a big Cindi Lauper fan.

And they were just mean, when they had Booth tell Brennan he loves her, but then he chickened out and said, "You know in a professional, atta girl, kind of way."

MEAN!

They can have it, but they will not shut us down

Fringe premier tonight.

As you'll recall, Fringe ended last season with Olivia going "over there" and meeting William Bell, played by Leonard Nimoy. If you need a refresher check out this post from May.

This one opened with a man running from the scene of Olvia's accident in New York, chasing another man. He killed him and then changed his form, to look like the other man.

Next we had Walter and Peter in a supermarket, where we learn that Peter's birthday is coming up and Walter wants to make him a custard. Peter then gets a call reporting Olivia's accident. They rush to New York.

At the accident site they meet an agent from there who informs them that although there's been a crash, there's no one in the car. After Walter inspects the scene Olivia shoots through the windshield and is brought to the hospital, where she is declared brain dead. Peter and Walter are both devastated and deal in their way. Walter gets to work on how to fix this, and Peter drinks.

While at a bar, Agent Broyles tells Peter that the government has decided to shut down the Fringe division, because he can't show them results. This gets Peter thinking. He goes back to the hospital and talks to Olivia's sister. She tells him Olivia had a living will and didn't want to be kept alive. Going in to say good bye, he sits at her side, and she wakes up, her eyes black, says something in Greek and then wakes up. She's babbling, but tells Peter that she went there, and met with him. When he asks where and who, she can't answer. She becomes more coherent and asks Peter for her gun. He agrees to get it and goes to the FBI building to see what this means for him. He's kicked out, until the New York agent gets him in and starts asking questions. He agrees to show her Fringe.

The guy who shape shifted goes into a shop and asks the owner for a certain model of something, the owner says that such a model doesn't exist, the number was skipped. This is our first clue that he's from "over there." He ends up killing the owner, and then going after Olivia.

Basically it all ended in the New York agent joining up with the Fringe team, Olivia remembering the use of her gun, and the assassin killing Charlie and assuming his identity, making him the ultimate threat to Olivia.

Peter and Agent Boyle agree to share some things with the government to keep Fringe going...then it ended.

It's going to be a good season

It was epic

This week's Vampire Diaries was, in a word, satisfying.

Funny, smart and just the right amount of scary I am rapidly falling in love with this show.

Like I said last week, the Dawson's and Buffy hybrid thing is a really good way to describe it. I'll admit it, I'm into Damon, the evil Vampire. I think what I like best about it though, is the smallness of it. Unlike Buffy there is no world to save, no great epic good and evil battle. This is just the things that go bump in the night. Damon does want to destroy, this is just his idea of fun. Particularly the ending, where he has sex with and then bites Elena's friend Bonnie. We don't know what's going to happen to her, but I'm sure we can guess.

Stefan and Elena's blooming romance is sweet. If he's the best of the good vamps all in one, she might be my fave girl of the bunch. She's direct and while she's got her issues, she's not a whiner. She doesn't hide behind anything. I also really like Nina Dobrev. A lot. I liked her on Degrassi and I like her here.

I'm also really enjoying Psychic friend. Her random visions and her inability to understand them kind of rock. I'm looking forward to seeing how they develop that.

Again, I was thrilled to see Williamson leave his fingerprints all over the show. From the awkward pauses between exes, to the overly styalized teen vernacular. We've missed you Kevin, glad you're back.

Happy Birthday Popgirl!

A year ago today I started this little experiment. It's kind of hard to believe. A lot's changed about the blog. I've picked up and dropped shows, remember back when Grey's Anatomy and Private Practice were staples? And I'd never seen an episode of Smallville?

The most important change came in format. I used to write long entries about all of the night's shows in one post, rather than shorter ones for each show. The shorter entries have given me more freedom, and help me track comments easier.

Some thank yous are definitely in order. Thanks to Patty, over at Preppy Player, for being my blog mentor, for lack of a better word. I really appreciate it. Check out her blog, which is about everything from fashion to sports, to her life as a mother. Also Holly at The 80's Unlove Child, my first follower and oft contributor of comments as well as my thematic blog sister.

My awesome friends who read and comment and put up with me, especially Katie, Katherine and Jen, who always comment when they have something to contribute and often inspire me to write about things in general. You guys have been great. Special thanks to Katie for creating that First Anniversary graphic for me. I salute you photo shop mistress, and thanks for incorporating my logo!

Also major thanks to my parents, who apparently brag about me doing this. Which I think is a weird thing to brag about, but thanks Mom and Dad!

And thanks to all of my readers and commenters over the past year! It's nice to know I'm not just talking to myself here. You guys have been great.

All Time Favorite Comedy: Blazing Saddles

I love Mel Brooks. He's one of those filmmakers who creates a world you can't escape. And then tears that world to pieces with devastating wit and ridiculous slapstick comedy.

My favorite of Brooks's comedies is Blazing Saddles. I love it. It's silly and smart at the same time, the kind of comedy that rarely shows up anymore.

It's a triple satire, of classic westerns, Hollywood sleeze and modern racial attitudes. And yet it has an entire scene dedicated to a bunch of fat guys farting. In the hands of a lesser filmmaker Blazing Saddles would have been completely unfocused and probably totally unfunny. But Brooks plays perfectly. Making super hip Sheriff Bart laid back and likable, an unlikely racial hero, and his sidekick, the Waco Kid remains my favorite Gene Wilder role (sorry Dr. Frankenstein, that's FRAHNKenSTEEN, and Willy Wonka).

I'm not sure it's a movie that could be made today, it's excessive use of the N-word, even in it's satirical setting was controversial then and would probably drown it now.

The rumor is that Blazing Saddles is the next one that Brooks is giving the Broadway treatment. I can only pray.

Passion or Guts?

Glee seems to have a recurring theme going on, and that is that it's more important to find who you are, really, and stick with it, than to do something that you don't want to do to please others.

In their continue mission to destroy New Directions, Quinn, Sue Sylvester and Quinn's lackeys implement a plan to drive a wedge in between the Glee kids. In the episode they plant two seeds. They tell Rachel they think she should request hiring a choreographer, who the cheerleaders know is a tyrant and will crush the undisciplened gleers.

Rachel's request saddens Will, until he creates his side project, "The Accafellas," a boy band made up of the male teachers in the school.

Finn finds Glee almost unbearable without Will, and confronts Rachel about what she did. She retorts by saying that Finn is in denial about what happened between them in the auditorium, and at least she's confident enough to say that that was real.

Eventually two of the teachers have to drop out of Accafellas, and Will and Ken, both relying on it, Will as his new creative outlet without Glee, and Ken because it seems Emma likes singers, so they recruit Finn and that kid with the Faux hawk, Puck.

The second wedge the cheerleaders place is by telling Mercedes that they think Kurt has a crush on her. When Kurt is clearly gay and just loves Mercedes for her big black fabulouscity. He comes out to her at the end, stating that she's the first person he's ever told. It seems Jenny and Erik have a challenger to the current teen fag and hag crown. Hooray!

Obviously in the end they all got it back together. Will's father (played by the amazing Victor Garber, who I hope returns and gets a song) tells him he's inspired him to go back to school and become a lawyer as he's always wanted to. Oh, and it turns out that Sandy, the old Glee teacher has been stalking Josh Groban, and Josh shows at the Accafellas concert to serve a restraining order.

You've got to admire the fact that this cast is so vocally talented that they can afford a guest spot from Josh Groban without a song. Kind of amazing.

Like Lady Godiva, I'm gonna go, go, go there's no stopping me

This week on ANTM

Tyra acted like a superhero.

Then the girls posed nude on horses.

Yeah.

It was different.

There were some good shots, but nothing really stood out. I have this feeling that Bianca is only being kept around because the girls are all so boring this season that they need someone to bring the drama and she definitely does that.

All Time Favorite Drama: Good Will Hunting

Once upon there were two friends, they grew up in Boston together. They went to Boston Latin together, one of them went to Yale Drama, while the other went to LA to find his fortune. They both had some small film roles, even a few together. One was clearly making a bigger splash than the other, mostly in the Indie cult film world, due to this comedy where he played a guy who turned a lesbian. They had decided a while ago to write their own movie. They did, and they showed it to the guy who made the lesbian comedy. He showed it to the guys who gave him the money for the lesbian comedy and then they made the movie. It won a few Oscars...and the rest is history.

You know who I'm talking about right?

Good Will Hunting is the kind of movie that you love when you see it the first time. See the problems with the second and then if you ever watch it again (watch it again!) you realize why you loved it the first time. It's pure.

Also you can totally tell which parts Ben wrote. Mostly any time they bust on Casey. Also "How do you like them apples?"

And yeah, what I said at the beginning is true, there was a time when Ben was the star, not Matt. Crazy right? In the end we learned that Matt was in fact the one with more acting talent, although Ben's funnier, and Matt was the one with the staying power, and that's why he got asked to sit at the cool kids table with Clooney and Pitt. (Shut up, don't tell me Hollywood isn't just like Middle School. You know that Matt totally ignores Scott Mosier in the halls now.) But back to the point. I love this movie. I think it's funny, I think it's touching, and I think that the two guys, and Robin Williams give amazing performances.

So how do you like them apples?

All Time Favorite Action Movie: Indiana Jones and The Last Crusade

I got behind on these so I'm going to blitz them today an tomorrow. Since tomorrow is Happy Birthday Popgirl!

But today, I get into favorite genre movies, and for my favorite action flick, I went with the obvious choice.

When I wrote about Sabrina, I said that I'd always had a thing for Harrison Ford. Indy is the reason why. Also Han Solo, but mostly Indy. And Last Crusade is easily my favorite movie of the series. It wins for several reasons:

1. Amazing flashback sequence to when Indy was a kid in Colorado, with a terrific performance from the late great River Phoenix as teenage Indy. The twenty minute long segment is one of the better origin stories on film (I've mentioned I love origin stories right?). It shows us how Indy got his whip, the reason for his fear of snakes, and the driving force behind his passion for archeology.
2. Sean Connery's performance as Henry Jones Sr. It's really good. In fact the dynamic between Connery and Ford is so good that you even get past the ick factor of them sharing a love interest.
3. While John Rhys Davies was great as Sallah in the first film, he steals the show here. Sallah is helpful in Raiders of The Lost Ark, he's key here. As is Marcus Brody. Nothing like two sidekicks to up a movie's cool factor.
4. It has a villain worthy of Indy. In the other two movies, and then the fourth, which we shall not speak of now, the villains just aren't a match for Indiana Jones, in this one we have Walter Donavan, a rich antiquities collector. He's as smart and as studied as Indy, without any of the badassarey, but he's got ruthlessness on his side. He's the kind of villain you really like until you find out you hate him.
5. Indy chooses life over immortality. Way deep.
6. The closing lines are "Indy, you were named after the dog?" "I had a lot of good memories of that dog!"

It has it's shortcoming, Ilsa Schneider kinda sucks compared to Marion Ravenwood, and the false grail turning the bad guy to dust is no where as cool as Nazi face melting laser beams shooting out of The Ark of the Covenant. But it's still my favorite.

Patrick Swayze: 1952-2009

Yesterday Patrick Swayze lost his battle to cancer.

There are actors, there are movie stars, and then there are icons. Patrick Swayze was an icon. He was a triple threat, at his prime in an era when that was hardly valued.

But if you watch him, in anything, you see unbelievable passion.

On twitter people have been talking about their favorite Swayze role. I know most people expect me to say Dirty Dancing. But I have to go with The Outsiders. He plays Darrel, Ponyboy's oldest brother, and his legal guardian. In the book Darrel's described as too intense for Ponyboy and their other brother Sodapop. Swayze hit that intenseness perfectly.

That doesn't mean though that this isn't what I always think of first when I think of Patrick Swayze:

Nobody puts Baby in a corner!

A great season of Gossip ahead

So Gossip Girl kicked off it's 3rd season (3rd! Can you believe it's been 3 glorious years?) tonight in style.

The Humphreys and Erik have been camped out in the Hamptons all summer while Lilly and Cece deal with Cece's cancer treatments. Erik and Jenny have been keeping Serena's Euro hijinks a secret from Rufus and Dan. That is until she comes home and the paparazzi are following her everywhere and they figure it out. Also, apparently she hooked up with Carter, or something, until she found her father and he didn't want to see her. She's doing the publicity stunts to get his attention. Once again, I love the way they make Serena completely unoriginal.

Blair and Chuck are playing sex games. Really, I can't say more about it. It was beautiful. Also, she wore a gorgeous Daisy-buchanan-esque dress when they went to a polo match.

Vanessa got mad at Dan for something stupid. We hate her, she hooked up with Rufus and Lilly's son who they still think is dead.

Nate is getting involved with his Grandfather's political rivals daughter, Bree. We've got some GG star crossed lovers. Plus, she's played by Sarah from Reba so that's awesome, and I think Chase Crawford almost did some acting for a minute there.

The season looks good, although I have some criticism:

1. No Jonathan
2. No Georgina
3. No Eleanor
4. No Cyrus
5. No Darota
6. Also, Vanessa getting a non in crowd boyfriend means independent Vanessa storylines, blech.

So, there you go. What did you guys think of the episode?

All is well in Tree Hill?

Seriously, I spent the whole episode waiting for something terrible to happen. Nothing really did, at least not on something I'll call the "Tree Hill Terrible Scale" or "THTS" it's a 1-10 scale.

What happened?

Haley's sister (Quinn, not Taylor) is getting a divorce. On the "THTS", that's like a 2

Nathan is being blackmailed by a woman who he may or may not have slept with while on the road. On the "THTS" that's a 5, with potential for an 8. If it's true, well, then this is really bad, not like Dan killing Keith bad, or like Rachel and Cooper crashing the limo into the river bad, but like when Jake went to jail for hiding Jenny from Nikki bad.

Brooke and Julian are commitment phobic. That's about a 0.3% on the "THTS"

Dan is an inspirational speaker or something? That's a like a 1, because chances are they're taking innocent people's money for whatever his evil plan is this season, but right now it's pretty harmless and who cares?

Anyway, we'll see what the coming season brings, won't we?

All Time Favorite Film Soundtrack (Compilation): Almost Famous

Just like the All Time Favorite Film Soundtrack (Score), I had a tough time coming to this one. There are two definite runners up (Juno, Definitely Maybe and Ten Things I Hate About You) but when it came down to it, it went to Almost Famous. Let me give you a track listing:

1. America - Simon and Garfunkle
2. Sparks - The Who
3. It Wouldn't Have Made Any Difference - Todd Rundgren
4. I've seen all good people: Your Move - Yes
5. Feel Flows - The Beach Boys
6. Fever Dog - Stillwater (the fake band from the movie)
7. Every Picture Tells a Story - Rod Stewart
8. Mr. Farmer - The Seeds
9. One Way Out - The Allman Brothers Band
10. Simple Man - Lynyrd Skynyrd
11. That's The Way - Led Zeppelin
12. Tiny Dancer - Elton John
13. Lucky Tumble - Nancy Wilson
14. I'm Waiting For The Man - David Bowie
15. The Wind - Cat Stevens
16. Slip Away - Clarence Carter
17. Something in The Air - Thunderclap Newman

Cameron Crowe is one of those directors that really knows how to use music in his movies. Think about Say Anything, and John Cusack holding the boom box over his head blasting "In Your Eyes", or Tom Cruise driving down the road in Jerry Maguire singing Tom Petty's "Free Falling." Or consider this.

Right, yeah, that's why Almost Famous won. Oh right, and songs that aren't included on the track listing? Include "Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters," another Stillwater song, some Guess Who? and a few other real gems. It's one of the best soundtracks ever, and absolutely my favorite.

All Time Favorite TV Couple: Jackie and Hyde, That 70s Show

This was a tough category. There are so many that I love so much. But I kept coming back to these two.

Jackie Berkhart is one of the best characters to grace a television screen. This is due in no small part to Mila Kunis, who is a phenomenally good comic actress. And true, in the end, the writers screwed it up and had her end up with Fez (a decision even my older brother, who will rationalize any TV writers decision into oblivion couldn't get on board with. Seriously, this is a man who said taking away Peter Petrelli's powers on Heroes was a necessary story movement.)

But for three magical seasons we got Jackie and Hyde. Their love began as a kind of obsessive crush on Jackie's part. Then they kissed. And for some reason that didn't work. She got back with Kelso, until he bailed on her after proposing, Jackie and Hyde went for it for real. It ended tragically, when Hyde cheated on her. I wrote an entire short film that never got shot based on how that episode made me cry. Then, he wanted her back and they almost got there, except she went to visit Kelso, and he misinterpreted that, and ran away to Vegas and married a stripper.

I think my favorite thing about Jackie and Hyde though, was the banter. They could banter with the best of them. They were like Carey Grant and Katherine Hepburn in bell bottoms. Plus, you know, that time they did "You're The One That I Want" together. That was awesome.

And well, it was a grave injustice to have Jackie end up with Fez. Grave.

All Time Favorite Romantic Comedy: Sabrina

I was seven years old when I first watched Sabrina. The remake, starring Harrison Ford, Greg Kinnear and Julia Ormond had just come out and my mother decided to have me watch the original before the new one. (I'd always had a thing for Ford, as long as I can remember) But about two hours later, I was enchanted, as everyone is, by Audrey Hepburn. I didn't mind William Holden either.

Sabrina tells the story of the titular girl, a "plain" young chauffeur's daughter of a wealthy Long Island family. She's plain in the sense that she's Audrey Hepburn in a ponytail. (This has been embraced now as a universal way to make beautiful girls seem merely pretty, see also She's All That, and America's Sweethearts) Sabrina is in love with the family's youngest son, playboy David (Holden) so her father sends her away to Paris, to grow up and go to culinary school. She lives, loves, and comes home as Audrey Hepburn in Givenchy couture. David is instantly smitten, despite that fact that he's engaged, to the daughter of an industrialist that his older brother Linus (Humphrey Bogart) is brokering a deal with. To save the deal Linus schemes to separate David and Sabrina, claiming to David that he'll just keep Sabrina busy while Davis find a way to end his engagement with minimal fallout. During this time Linus and Sabrina fall in love.

Hepburn is my favorite movie star, and this is my favorite of her films, and it's definitely not Bogey or Holden's best performances (Casablanca and Sunset Boulevard get those distinctions), the story line is riddled with cliches and at times the dialogue crosses the over from quaint to hokey, but all put together it's a beautiful and magical film. Plus, Hubert Givenchy personally did Audrey Hepburn's costumes and began a lifelong artist/muse relationship. Not too bad, especially because it gave this dress to the world:

Absolutely stunning. Plus the screen play makes excellent use of both "Isn't it Romantic" and "La Vie En Rose" two of the most beautiful love songs ever written

I watched the mighty skyline fall...

OK, so I know I have to write about Project Runway, and I have All Times to get done.

But even I, the queen of frivolous distraction, can't bring myself to write about those things today.

I was thirteen on September 11, 2001. I remember snippets of the day itself, not much. I remember talking with my friend Christine and I railed against whichever Williams sister won the US Open that year. We talked about the death of R&B singer Aaliyah, which we thought was tragic.

Our teachers didn't tell us. Well, I knew, sort of. I knew something had happened, but I didn't know the extent. We noticed our friend Michael, who's dad worked at the Port Authority had been pulled. We didn't think too much on it. I remember the words, "How stupid do you have to be to fly a plane into a building?" were spoken.

I went to cheerleading practice. We talked about it there. And tallked and talked. We were terrified. One of my mother's best friends is an American Airlines flight attendant. I was terrified for her. Three fighter jets flew over our town. We were a bunch of thirteen year old girls sitting in the middle of an open field. What do you think happened?

Two minutes later my mom was in the parking lot, three minutes later she was holding me and we were crying together. I asked about Maureen. She was safe and home with her kids. I asked about my cousins who lived in the city. Everyone was safe, Mike's father, safe, safe, safe, safe.

We watched the news for days. Day after day, after day. After a while life went on. It still does. Things were the same, but everything was different.

I have trouble confronting that day. It scares me because I was still a little girl, or I'd just become a young woman, or was on my way and the slow transition was ripped from me, just like it was from everyone my age.

I have notes for a novel I want to write one day, about the adolescence of people born between 1986 and 1989, starting on September 11, 2001 and ending on November 4, 2008. I can't start writing it. I've tried, and I'll keep trying. People don't hear how different it was for us. I want to be the one to say it.

Like a new born WBaby

Tonight was the premiere of The Vampire Diaries on The CW.

The CW used to be The WB. The WB as we knew it, and therefore the CW as we know it wouldn't exist without two shows, Buffy The Vampire Slayer and Dawson's Creek.

If Dawson and Buffy had a baby (the shows, not the characters God, could you imagine the brooding that that kid would do?) it would be The Vampire Diaries.

It's a standard girl meets vamp story. She's got a lot going on, Elena, (that's the girl), her parents have died recently, her brother's not doing well, she's doing slightly better. He's recently come back to a place that has significance to him. Stefan (that's the vamp) has decided he wants to be a good vampire.

They both keep diaries. Get it? That's the title.

OK, so it's all a little formulaic, but I dug it. Kevin Williamson's wit was clearly there, and they keep to standard vampire lore. A refreshing Twilight reprive. Stefan can't enter homes without permission, he can go out in the daytime because of an enchanted ring (BUFFY SO DID THAT OMG!) and he's really fast. Plus hot. And broody. He's like someone wrapped Angel, Edward Cullen and Bill Compton up in a neat little bundle for us.

And his evil brother Damon isn't bad either.

All Time Favorite TV Drama: The West Wing

"What's next?"

Two words that set up one of the most amazing 7 year run in TV history. Aaron Sorkin and Thomas Schlamme's The West Wing. The show was kicked off at the end of the Clinton presidency, while real world politics was bogged down in a sex scandal. In the fantasy world of The West Wing we had President Bartlett, an upstanding, honorably, terribly intelligent dream Commander in Chief.

But the show wasn't just about Bartlett, it was about the senior staff. Chief of Staff, tortured political operative Leo McGarry, Deputy Chief of Staff, smarmy, sarcastic Josh Lyman, Commications Director, self righteous and pessimistic Toby Zeigler, Deputy Communications director, idealistic academic Sam Seaborn, and press secretary, smart mouthed and charismatic CJ Craig. Not to mention Josh's put upon assistant Donna, President Bartlett's personal aide, Charlie and his doctor wife Abigail.

The show's story lines ranged from tiny and personal, like CJ's flirtation with reporter Danny Kincannon, (who didn't cheer when they finally got together at the end?) to soap operaish and absurd, like first daughter Zoe's kidnapping, but the show was almost always captivating. I watched the show from pilot to finale, stuck with it thorugh cast changes (Rob Lowe for Joshua Molina, downgrade!), character deaths (Mrs. Laningham, sob!), shift in focus (from the Bartlett White House to the Santos and Vinnick campaigns, which 3 years ahead of time was eerily similar to the 2008 presidential race), time slot changes (Wednesday to Sunday, actually way better, I never had rehearsals on Sunday nights), and I loved 95% of it. There's never been anything before or since like The West Wing.

Oh right, and did you know that in the foyer of the White House Andrew Jackson had a two ton block of cheese?

"You Can't Always Be The Star"

Last night kicked off the season of Glee, for real this time. The episode centered on Will's inability to connect his ideas about Glee with the kids. Specifically his focus on a disco number for them to perform at a school assembly. Finn is especially disturbed, since his girlfriend, head cheerleader and celibacy club prez Quinn Fabray is getting upset with him. Will meanwhile is trying to get more money because his wife is insisting that they buy a house for the new baby.

Meanwhile, Rachael attempts and fails at bulimia and talks to Emma about hopeless crushes. She then joins the celibacy club, and sabotages the assembly by switching the harmless "That's The Way I Like It" with "Push It." Her ploy works, sort of. The principal agrees to keep Glee going. But while they're rehearsing Finn and Rachael kiss a little bit.

Sure that something is happening between her boyfriend and that freaky girl, Quinn and her two lackey's audition for the Glee club. She's good, so Will not only takes her in but gives her Rachael's solo in "Don't Stop Believing" which as it turns out is the reason Finn was attracted to her. She's heartbroken and pours her sorrow out in a ballad.

I liked the episode and where the show seems to be going, but I was disappointed in the Rachael/Finn/Quinn triangle being cemented. I was hoping for at least a few episodes it would be a triangle only in Rachael's head, because girls like that thrive on self created drama. I've hung with a few of them in my time.

All Time Favorite Film Soundtrack (Score): Jurassic Park

This was a hard one to pick, I mean really hard. There are some great ones, music that I love. And did I go Zimmer or Williams? Did I go totally off the beaten path and choose Mark Knoffler (Princess Bride, definitely in my top 10). There were classics, and contemporary films to consider. But finally I had to admit it came down to John William's iconic music for Jurassic Park.

The theme is unmistakeable, and the music that echoes throughout the film is awe inspiring and terrifying at the right times. It captures the magic and majesty of this movie, and the concept behind it. It's simple enough that many amateur bands and orchestras take on arrangements, but complex enough that audiences are always impressed.

Williams has given us countless memorable score (Jaws, Star Wars, Indiana Jones) and most of them are much more iconic, but I'll always love Jurassic Park best.

All Time Favorite Sit-Com: Friends

There's just something about it. The show itself is far from reinventive. It's basically a mix of Cheers, Mary Tyler Moore and any "The Gang" type movie. But it was the remarkable cast that changed the way television looked at ensemble comedy.

Jennifer Anniston, Courtney Cox, Matthew Perry, Matt LeBlanc, David Schwimmer and Lisa Kudrow not only had unbelievable group chemistry but no two of them were better together than any other two. (Although I prefer Joey and Chandler team up episodes.) Not to mention each one was told over and over again that they were the break out star and should take that. But the big 6 stuck together. They negotiated together, and ended up being the highest paid cast in TV history. And it was always about all six of them, never did the show become "The Rachel Show" (as it easily could have, because no matter what anyone says, Jen was the breakout star)

But that's not the only reason I love Friends. Friends represents a moment to me. It was the first "grown up" show I really followed. It was the first time I started describing people as a "character from show." Like, "I'm a Rachel, and my friend Helen is sooo the Phoebe of our group!" (To take a totally arbitrary example that has no relevance to my real life whatsoever!) And oh yeah, that show is really really funny. Like hilariously funny. Watch the early episodes again some time. Brilliant.

And it made me start hanging out in coffee places, which sort of defined my life in high school. Just saying.

Old Fashioned BH Drama

So, Donda (Annie) ran over a guy with her car on prom night.

Valkelly (Naomi) hooked up with an old married guy.

Stylan (Ethan) is moving to Montana.

Silver's new haircut is gorgeous.

Dyldan (Dixon) has officially crossed the line into straight up Brandon-noscity. His new code name is Brandon II

Emdrea (Adriana) also has a new haircut and a new outlook.

Uh, Dylan II (Liam) brooded...he brooded HARD.

David II (Navid) got annoyed because Emdrea wouldn't have sex with him.

ANNND guy we're going to call Stalierie (Steve/Valerie, real name Teddy) who we assume was Emdrea's first, shook up everything and pissed every one off REAL quick.

And next week's episode is about sexting. It's going to be a good year I think.

Anniversary All Times

Hey all! So, we're ten days from my first anniversary as a blogger.

Over the next week I'm going to do these "All Time Favorite" posts. They're not entirely disimilar from the "In Praise Of" posts from this summer, but more specific. I'm focusing on the following categories.

"All Time Favorite Sit-Com"

"All Time Favorite TV Drama"

"All Time Favorite TV Couple"

"All Time Favorite Romantic Comedy"

"All Time Favorite Action Movie"

"All Time Favorite Drama"

"All Time Favorite Comedy (of the non romantic variety)"

"All Time Favorite Film Soundtrack (Score)"

"All Time Favorite Film Soundtrack (Compilation)"

So, get ready, it's going to be a fun week, plus season premieres start tonight with 90210!

Nanananana nanananana BATMAN!

I don't usually share things that happen to me, but sometimes something so cool happens you can't help but share it.

This weekend my friends and I headed to this vintage car show in Parsipanny, Lead East. Katie (frequent reader and commenter) goes every year, and I've gone with her a few times. We dress in 50's clothes and play around and generally have a great time, but this year, there was a super special amazing car on display:

That would be the Batmobile, from the original 1960s Adam West Batman! I freaked just getting to touch it, but it gets cooler.

I GOT TO SIT IN IT! I was really hyperventilating. I love Batman, he's always been my favorite super hero. It was probably the coolest thing to ever happen to me.

Those are my friends! They kind of rock. We had a great time. But I had to share.

There's No "I"

It was the team challenge for Runway this week, and they had to design a wearable surfwear design and an tie in avant garde look.

Again, it's the whole west coast fashion thing, rearing its head. Tim Gunn and surfwear do not mix! Nor do Nina Garcia, and Heidi Klum and surfwear. That's why they had to have Rachel Bilson guest judge. If anyone knows about beach style it's Summer Roberts.

Mitchell went home and Ra'mon won. I didn't really love any of this week's designs.

SQUEE!!

Things about the past two weeks of True Blood

1. Jason! I'm like so into this Jason stuff, you have no idea. I think he's awesome.

2. Evan Rachel Wood, Evan Rachel Wood, Evan Rachel Wood. Perfect choice to play the Vampire Queen. I just hope she and Anna Paquin don't ever have a scene together, being that Evan Rachel Wood is one of those career stealing actresses, and she totally stole Anna Paquin's.

3. The Maenad story line is tired, glad it's ending in two weeks.

4. Sookie is a super hero? But Anna Paquin already did that. She gave up her super powers so she could have sex with Aaron Ashmore (or was it Shawn? Which one is Iceman? Which one is Jimmy Olsen? I can't keep them straight!)

5. "Jesus and I decided to see other people, but that don't mean we don't talk no more" - Best line ever from Lafayette. EVER!

6. Eric calling Arlene's kids "Teacup Humans" I nearly peed myself.

Playing With The Boys

Got caught up on Entourage today.

Can I just say that I really really love the story lines this season.

While I'm really frustated with the Eric/Sloan will they or won't they, it makes for damn good TV. I love Eric's new job, especially his assistant, and his new nemesis. It works well.

The Vince's stalker storyline is pure brilliance. Honestly, it's been three seasons since Vince has anything real to do, except smile and hook up with girls. This is giving a whole new dimension, plus showing how through the stratosphere famous he's gotten.

I actually like what they've been doing with Drama. Usually Drama heavy story lines annoy me. But this one, with him threatening his boss, who is talking shit about Jamie, and then almost getting fired, but not getting fired. I think I like it because I love the dynamic they've built with Jamie and the boys. She fits into the group well, and I can't get over the sheer adorableness of the whole situation.

The Ari story line is not as strong as it once was. I feel like they've sent him off into exile. We haven't seen Ari and Eric spar in a while, we haven't had a meeting in a while. I like the Andrew Klein stuff, every once in a while, but not every episode. Although I loved, loved, loved seeing Aaron Sorkin guest star last week. Love Aaron Sorkin. West Wing <3.>

Being a part of something special makes you special...right?

Last night Fox aired a special director's cut of Glee. While the new scenes didn't really add anything to the show, which I loved anyway, there was one thing that actually made me cry (in the good way)

After Will Schuster announces that he's leaving his teaching post to become an accountant there was a lovely montage, with Matthew Morrison, who plats Will, singing Bob Denver's "Leaving on a Jet Plane." It was insanely gorgeous. Morrison is an amazingly accomplished singer, he originated the role of Link Larkin in Hairspray. (A role perfected by this guy: That's Constantine Rousouli. He closed the role on Broadway, we hung out in high school, but I digress)

My one big beef with the original pilot was that Morrison didn't sing. Now he does. I can't wait for the show to start up regularly next week!

When you wish upon a...POW!

OK, I've been staying away from talking about it, because I try to stay away from these kinds of discussions, but I just can't ignore it anymore.

I'm talking of course about Disney's recent acquisition of Marvel Entertainment.

Personally, I'm sort of thrown off. I get it. I get the business end of it, and I love Disney as a company. They have a great history of making sure that companies they own remain autonomous and yet get well marketed (Miramax is probably the most clear example, but Hollywood Records comes to mind too, and Pixar, at least in the early years)

My real confusion comes here, what will happen to this lovely place:

It's Marvel Superhero Island at Universal Studios in Orlando. Disney World's only real competition. Does it go away? Two years ago I met the X-Men there!

See? Also The Hulk is the greatest roller coaster ever. My friend Jenna recommends going on it "Like a million times!" If you ever get down there.

(We went on it about 4.)

Spider Man is not quite as good as the Hulk but we still went on it a lot (there was never much of a single riders line for it.)

So what happens? Does it go away? Do they pack it up and move it over to Epcot or something? WHAT'S THE DEAL? And why do I seem to be the only person who cares?

Oh Captain, My Captain

So it's been a while since I did a big post, and with school getting back into the swing, what better time to do a best teachers post! So here we go:

John Keating (Dead Poets Society):

"Make your lives extraordinary!" Yes, maybe it's a little bit cliche, but any teacher that can inspire a bunch of apathetic Wasps to become passionate about Thoreau stand on their desks reciting poetry deserves a spot. Also, he's played by Robin Williams, and that's pretty cool.

Rupert Giles (Buffy The Vampire Slayer):

Part Librarian, Part Research Assistant, Part Combat Instructor, Part Father Figure, all badass! It's called a "Watcher" but Giles was more than just a teacher and friend to Buffy. He also taught Faith, Willow, helped restrain Oz at the Full Moon, and um, Xander...right, well Xander was there. And Stuff.

Albus Dumbledore (Harry Potter):

Really? Do I need to go on? Live under a rock? Anyway, Dumbledore is the headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. He's also the greatest sorcerer to ever live! And aparently a homo. Which, you know, given the descriptions of his clothes, really didn't shock me all that much.

Debbie Allen (Fame):

"This is where you start paying, in sweat!" Even me, the laziest person in the world, wanted to be a ballet dancer after she gave her first day of school speech in Fame. Plus Debbie Allen is actually one of the greatest dance teachers of all time. And when she makes Rich Bitch Lisa cry and drop out of the ballet program, well, I mean, come on! That's pretty awesome!

George Feeny (Boy Meets World):

Contrary to popular belief, there were other teachers in on Boy Meets World. There was Mr. Turner. And that black teacher Mr. Turner hung out with who also played the blind guy on Becker. And once Fred Savage played a college professor who hit on Topanga and Corey hit. But no one remembers them. They remember Mr. Feeny, who is uber teacher! Who could ever forget his parting words to his favorite students.

Mr. Feeny: Do good!

Topanga: Don't you mean do well?

Mr. Feeny: No, I mean, do good.

Tears!

Anyone you guys think should be on the list?