living read girl

Are Special Editions worth getting and giving?

noreply@blogger.com (lady t) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 16:11:00 +0000

One of the big ticket items of any holiday season is the Special Edition,that packed with goodies version of a film or book that you may already have on your shelves. How valuable these pumped up gift packs may become in the future is a strong motivation for some to stock up on them,but not always a wise investment choice(just ask those Beanie Baby collectors or the guys who bought every "multi-cover" edition of certain comic books back in the 1990s about that).

Some times,it is best to wait for the definitive edition of a favorite book or film to add to your personal library,even if it takes longer than expected for it to be on the market.

When Kevin Smith's Dogma first became available on DVD,it was in a no frills-just-the-movie-only format. I held off on getting it and was thrilled when the Special Edition was finally out. Smith's movies tend to be ripe with deleted scenes that are actually worth watching and my patience definitely paid off there.

Other times,especially when the need to watch every dollar is crucial,it may feel rather self indulgent to get an extra version. The cure for that is to give it to someone else instead,particularly a person who either hasn't gotten the chance to enjoy this entertainment item yet or who needs a fresh new copy.

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies,for example,has an Heirloom Edition(a sturdy hardcover)with the added bonus of colorized illustrations,a new preface written by co-author Seth Grahame-Smith and extra pages of full out Regency zombie action slipped into the original story line.

While it sounds like an ideal holiday gift for that Jane Austen/horror fan on your list,it may be very tempting to keep this one on hand for yourself(or at least read it before it's wrapped). Should be good enough to tide folks over until a movie version gets made:

For younger fantasy fans,there's a Deluxe Edition of Christopher Paolini's third volume of the Inheritance,Brisingr,which includes extra scenes written into the book along with a removable poster and a translation guide to the dwarf runes mentioned in the earlier books.

To add a extra cherry to the dragon sundae,a specially made companion book called Eragon's Guide to Alagaesia is coming out along side it. It's an interactive collection of maps and other tidbits about the magical realm that Paolini's characters dwell in and since the possibilities of another Eragon movie being made are as slim as the ones for The Golden Compass sequels,this might be as good as it gets for Eragon's literary followers:

As much as I love certain classics,special anniversary editions of anything can be really overdone. The Wizard of Oz is an all time favorite film of mine but even if I had the do-re-mi to spare,this 70th Anniversary Ultimate Collector's Edition seems to be a bit much with four discs of extras,a couple of reproductions of promotional items for the film during it's first theatrical run and a watch to boot.

The movie probably looks amazing,but spending all of that money for a Blu Ray disc(even with the extra geegaws tossed in)in a big fancy box just seems to be one of those luxury indulgences more suited to celebrity cinema geeks than the average fan girl/boy. I wouldn't be surprised to see this sucker in one of those award show goodie bags they hand out to the presenters,even with the mandatory tax declaration attached to it:

I guess these things are really in the eye of the beholder in terms of value. During this upcoming holiday season,where shopping for gifts can be seen by some as a measure of your affection to that certain someone on your list,it's important to not just get the most pricey item on display but one that truly means something to the receiver.

If a special edition will be truly special to a friend or relative,then it's worth the money. However,sometimes it's best to keep it simple and think pudding,as Lorelai Gilmore would say:

Top Chef Reunion Dinner blues,V invades the airwaves and the Poker Girls fold their hand on TAR

noreply@blogger.com (lady t) — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 16:05:00 +0000

Our regular season of Top Chef was put on pause as a reunion dinner of past TC players was held instead. Season 5 fan favorite Fabio was the host and the guest list included other faves from the past such as Harold and Tiffani from S1,Carla and Stefan from S5,Casey,Dale and Hung(S3),plus Lisa and Richard from S4.

The infamous TC knife block was hauled out and used to decide which set of chefs would be making which course of the meal(that they cooked themselves). It wasn't really a challenge,more like an excuse to have everyone back in the kitchen again. The food looked great and there were no complaints in that department.

Two of the most anticipated guests were Marcel and Ilan from Season Two and I have to say it was good to see both of them get along. While Marcel admitted they would never be "BFFs",he still considers Ilan to be a "culinary brother from another mother." Also,Carla got the chance to let Casey know that there were no hard feelings about her input during that next to last Elimination challenge that many felt took Carla out of the running for the Season 5 win:

Fabio was a decent host,but I really felt that he kept pushing Marcel too much about the head shaving incident that still has a nasty aftertaste clinging to it. While Fabio had a point about if you didn't want to talk about that,don't go on the show but Marcel has every right not to go over that again on air or off,if he doesn't want to. That's how I feel about it,anyway.

Next week,Season Six gets back on board as Padma and Nigella Lawson ask for breakfast in bed from the remaining chefs. Looks like some of them are really not morning people:

The remake of the sci-fi miniseries V debuted this week,this time as a regular TV series. The basic premise is the same;the world is shocked and in awe as several giant spaceships surround major cities,bearing rather attractive and human looking aliens who promise "We are of peace...always."

Naturally some folks are not that trusting of these Visitors in their fancy Trojan horse vehicles handing out miracle cures and friendly smiles,so a resistance movement is quickly underway. While I'm not so sure that this updated version of V will top the old school one,the show is off to a good start. Head Visitor and sexy spokeswoman Anna(Morena Baccarin) does have a nice Jane Badler vibe about her,which helps a lot:

It was a harrowing stretch towards the end of this last leg of The Amazing Race,as Brian and Ericka got a slow start from a Roadblock that involved counting bells in an old tower and Poker Girls Maria and Tiffany went back and forth between the two Detour challenges.

At one point,it looked like Brian and Ericka were on their way out as they forgot to use bicycles to get from one location to another(as per instructions)and had to take a 30 minute penalty at the Pit Stop for that.

Fortunately for them,the Poker Girls had trouble no matter which Detour they chose. Neither of them could ring the bell before the dance challenge and their golf skills were sub par at best.

Phil actually had to go out to them on the golf course to accept their withdrawal from the race,something I haven't seen him do since that hay rolling Roadblock a couple of seasons back. Ironically enough,that bit is coming up on the next leg of the race as a blast from the past-good luck,gang,you're gonna need it!:

RANDOM NOTES:

KATHY GRIFFIN:BALLS OF STEEL-If you haven't seen Kathy's latest stand up special,don't despair,folks. It'll be repeated like crazy over the weekend,even with the Bravo S&P department going nuts over clearance for her comments about the likes of Oprah,Barbara Walters and Britney Spears(as well as the Kayne West/Taylor Swift incident):

The state of the book nation,on and off line

noreply@blogger.com (lady t) — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 16:36:00 +0000

On the Today Show this morning,John Grisham did an interview to promote his newest work,a collection of short stories called Ford County,which has been one of the ten titles being heavily discounted in the current book pricing war online.

Grisham was asked for his opinion about that(including the letter sent by the ABA to the Justice department)and while he admitted that it wouldn't affect him much financially,it would become a long term problem for future writers trying to break into the business.

Grisham also expressed concern about the rise of the e-book,which has a number of controversies of it's own regarding fair prices and release dates. He worries about how the impact and availability of e-books and readers may drive some folks out of business. While authors such as Sherman Alexie have expressed major doubts about just great the Kindle is,for example,it's cool to see one of the major literary players in the field talk about this,too:

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

I had a bit of a debate online recently,at Booksquare,regarding e-books that didn't go very well. To be fair,I wasn't the most gracious commenter(I referred to e-readers as a "shiny new toy" and a Tonka product as well)and probably didn't make some of my points as succinctly as I could have,but my dander was up at some of the statements made in the article and I felt like fighting back.

What got me so riled up was the section of the post regarding the delayed e-book release of Under The Dome(it'll be available online by the end of December)and Stephen King's support of that,in his words-"“It’s time to give the smaller bookstores a little breathing room (although not much chance of that, with Walmart offering Dome for nine bucks.)”

The lady writing the article thought it was "stupid" of both King and the publisher,not to mention knocking the ABA for not having a "serious and robust" e-book sales system,and had this to say about the practice of staggering e-book vs. print releases:

"When publishers justify this behavior by noting staggered releases have long been the norm (”that’s how we’ve always done it”), they discount the reader, especially the rabid, money-paying, willing to buy books reader. Yeah, I should be treated with deference. I should get preferential treatment. I want to pay for these books right now, not borrow them from a library or a friend, not buy them used". (Note,the sentences in bold are done so by me,to highlight what got me mad)

Again,I wasn't the best or the most polite speaker on the subject but I still stand by my statement that I don't see why releasing the e-book edition a little later than the print edition is such a huge deal. Since I've never used an e-reader myself or downloaded an e-book,I don't know all of the facts regarding this issue.

In general,as someone who has had to wait for a must-read/have book to be out in paperback or just out,period,isn't waiting part of the fun? I can reasonably see the need for protest if there's a ridiculous amount of time between the releases-several months instead of a few weeks,for example-or constantly changing due dates. Getting mad at the standard rate of release simply because you're not getting what you want exactly when you want it seems a bit immature,to me.

Also,as a book lover who does own more than one copy of a singular title(both classic and contemporary),I don't think it's wrong for publishers to assume that some readers will buy both the print and the electronic version of a book. Some people will always have an either/or stance about how they want their books and others will take it anyway they can get it. Maybe I'm old school about this,but so be it then.

While I have nothing against the e-book market or fans of it,I do have concerns about certain segments of society the world over being shut out due to economic conditions and the attitudes of a loud and angry few that insist that print is a dying format and everyone should all be in praise and service of the e-book.

The truth as I see it is this;while the publishing and the reading world will ultimately have to make some changes for this new literary outlet,it won't kill off the print book entirely.

The main reason for that is money-no matter how affordable or convenient it will be to own an e-reader and download a book,there will always be those who either can't afford or won't use it. Any smart business knows how to keep the profits rolling in from all segments of the consumer base and despite whatever disagreements you may have about the publishing industry,there are plenty of smart people at the helm there.

Not everyone who enjoys and promotes the e-book has such an antagonistic take on the subject;many of them are die hard readers who put forth their concerns and suggestions for improvement in thoughtful,articulate ways and we can all get along with each other. I just get irked at the notion that one set of readers are "better" than the other and should be deferred to over the rest.

Just as video really didn't kill the radio star or TV watching banish the notion of going out to the movies,e-books and print books can co-exist and satisfy as many audiences as they each and both can.

I do think Grisham has a point about many book stores and publishers being shut down due to the advancement of the e-book's popularity but I also believe that several of them will adapt to the changing times and either successfully adjust to them or new ones will come along to take their place.

In conclusion,while things are rough all over for both readers and publishers alike,I still have faith in the power of the written word to triumph in the end. The technology may change but books and their hold over a reader will stay the same. The hurdles that new writers may be facing in the near future(or sooner than we think)to reach their audiences are as hard to climb as the ones in front of those who came before them,but just remember,folks-bookworms know how to crawl right under them to reach the promised land:

Some prime Oscar bait set out for your consideration

noreply@blogger.com (lady t) — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 16:57:00 +0000

The Academy Awards for 2010 are set for March 7,but the buzz is still growing strong for many of the films being released this fall. The pace for the Oscar race has always been fast and furious,especially for movies put at the back of the pack due to not being major fall releases.

It's no secret that many of the nominees in major categories are chosen from those flicks that make their on screen presence just before or during the holiday season and the race for Best Picture will be even more fierce now that the number of movies up for that big honor has been extended from five to ten.

With that in mind,let's take a gander at some up and coming contenders for this season that will be battling it out at the box office as well as for those Academy votes and see how they stack up:

PRECIOUS

This movie is getting some serious talk,with plenty of praise from the film festival circuit following it to theaters this Friday. Not only does the chance of Mo'Nique getting a Best Supporting Actress nom for her portrayal of the abusive mother of the title character,a barely literate teenager pregnant with her second child(played by Gabourey Sidibe,who has "break out star" written all over her)seem to be a safe bet,but just about everyone connected to this film appears to have a real shot at Oscar gold.

Precious is based on the novel Push by Sapphire,a book that's had a strong following for years and judging from what's been said and shown,the movie does more than justice to the harrowing realism that readers have experienced from the story. Literary adaptations are like catnip to Academy voters,so Precious will be become very valuable viewing, indeed:

THE LOVELY BONES

Another highly anticipated book to screen adaptation,The Lovely Bones also has the added cache of a director like Peter Jackson,one of the few behind the scenes folks in Hollywood who can make your eyes pop from all of the dazzling F/X and at the same time,bring true emotional depth to characters in even the most fantastical of settings.

The actors will have a shot at being up for the awards,particularly leading lady Saoirse Ronan,who made a big enough splash in Atonement to get a Best Supporting Actress slot last year and may make the big leagues again. However,it's a tussle for technical vs. artistic consideration here and with Jackson on board,both ends of the spectrum may be well represented:

THE BLIND SIDE

This seems to be a real showpiece for Sandra Bullock,who's making her Erin Brockovich bid for Best Actress with this based on a true story flick about a homeless young man being taken in by a kindly suburban family that helps him be the best that he can be,on and off the football field.

I like Sandra Bullock,always have, and if The Blind Side can give her a way out of the cinematic purgatory that movies like The Proposal, All About Steve and Premonition have put her in lately,more power to Sandy,I say:

THE YOUNG VICTORIA

Costume dramas make Academy votes drool on command and British actresses playing renowned English queens can cause a few of them to faint with delight. All of that gives Emily Blunt a running start for a Best Actress spot for The Young Victoria,where the lady who ruled along side her Prince Albert gets her early days examined for the movie going masses.

It also helps that she's surrounded by a respectable cast of classic Brits such as Jim Broadbent,Miranda Richardson and Paul Bettany and don't be surprised if Rupert Friend gets a Best Supporting Actor nod as Victoria's beloved spouse and soul mate. Seeing a true power couple in love on screen will definitely melt some of those cynical hearts in Celebrity Land:

NINE

The only real obstacle I can see for this movie,nomination wise,is confusion as to which number nine is up for the technical awards-with District 9 and the stop motion animated #9,things could get a bit tangled there.

Otherwise,this should be smooth sailing-Rob Marshall is still well remembered for bringing that Broadway baby Chicago to life on the silver screen and having the likes of Daniel Day-Lewis and Nicole Kidman,plus Penelope Cruz, Judy Dench and the legendary Sophia Loren,in the cast is pretty much a guarantee that you could bring to the bank(one that's still solvent,that is):

Best of luck to all of these films,come Oscar time,and if I'm wrong about my predictions,I hope those not up for the gold will not pull a Faith Hill at the CMAs or,heaven forbid,a Kayne West of any sort.

While it may get you some much needed extra exposure from the tabloid media,such tantrums are just not worth it. Holding on to your dignity after such a professional disappointment is what separates the true performers from the fame seeking hacks. The real winners should be the audiences,who get to see the best of what the art of cinema can offer:

Jane Austen zombie mania refuses to die!

noreply@blogger.com (lady t) — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 17:05:00 +0000

Halloween may be over but the love of Jane Austen and zombies is far from dead and gone. The good folks at Quirk Classics have announced on their shiny new website the title of the third volume in their monster mash-up series,which will be a prequel to Pride and Prejudice and Zombies.

Dawn of the Dreadfuls is the subtitle and a new co-author has been named as well,Steve Hockensmith,whose mystery novels have earned him nominations for such literary honors as the Edgars,the Shamus and the Anthony awards.

While some of us may long for the original P&P&Z collaborator Seth Grahame-Smith to make a return here,no doubt that we'll be seeing more from him in some form or another in the future.

Some of you out there may be going "Zombies again?" and while I also want to see more that those particular ghouls invade the English countrysides that Our Dear Jane(and other writers of her ilk)envisioned for the ages,you can't deny the sway that zombies hold over the pop culture imagination these days.

It's between them and vampires at the moment,with werewolves hoping to make a comeback and I can understand the need to stick with what works. Combine that with the high regard that Jane Austen fans have for Pride and Prejudice and it's easy to see why this seemingly far fetched literary creation has become the biggest thing since peanut butter and jelly to the pop culture reading public:

The gang at Quirk have already proven themselves to be ready and willingly witty in remixing Jane Austen with traditional otherworldly menaces as Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters splashed successfully to shore this fall.

The efforts to make that fearsome follow-up known were delightful to behold and with any luck, readers eager to tackle the latest in Austen related terror will have before them just as humorously horrid a book trailer for Dawn of the Dreadfuls as was bestowed upon S&S&SM. The fans would surely devour it with as much glee as a unspeakable would a banquet of brains:

The concept of prequels,sequels and inspired by the original novels are not new to Jane Austen fans who are as divided upon the subject as any political party can be on just about anything before a major election day.

Nearly every major book by Austen has had it's share of continuations of the story beyond it's original ending,tales written from the point of view of minor characters and even mystery stories with either Jane's characters or Miss Austen herself as the detective on the case.

The quality of those books is debatable but enjoyable to many readers,some of whom found their way to Austen thru these works just as a number of P&P&Z fans have. With that in mind,I think we can all agree that any excuse to rediscover the classics is worth taking.

Dawn of the Dreadfuls is due to roam the earth in March of 2010 and while you wait for your sinister second helping of Austen zombie ragout,kill some time by catching up on some of those classic horror movies that focus on the living dead with all sorts of social metaphors on the side. Or you could just enjoy the on screen brain eating, in and out of nonliving color:

Celebrate this Halloween in costume party style

noreply@blogger.com (lady t) — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 14:45:00 +0000

Tonight is the night before Halloween and while many of us are frightened enough as it is by the evening news,there's something even scarier going on that threatens to make not only this but future All Hallow's Eve celebrations a watered down Brady Bunch version of it's former self.

Many school districts are insisting upon kids dressing up in what they consider "appropiate" costumes on Halloween,such as food items and animals and forbidden to have accessories like fake nails or even allowed to be scary! What kind of a world are we living in where a kid can't be a vampire or a nice ax murderer for their school's Halloween parade,honestly?

Don't get me wrong,folks-I understand the need to maintain order in the classroom and not incur any lawsuits from Little Timmy's overzealous use of his ninja sword on the playground.

However,Halloween is meant to be a time to get a bit weird and wild,particularly in the costume choice department. After all,that's what makes a Halloween costume party worth going to,to check out what your friends and neighbors decided to become for one night only. It's a time honored tradition and cool costumes are a part of that.

Speaking of costume parties,let's look at a few pop culture reasons why we need to exercise our freedom of costume choice:

GIVE THE KIDS SOMETHING TO DO: After a long round of trick or treating,kids are in need of an excuse to keep their costumes on,plus blow off more of that sugar fueled energy built up during the day. As for the fear factor,there are more things to be scared of than another youngster's blood dripping Scream mask,like bobbing for apples too close for comfort with a dog or missing out on all of the fun,thanks to the Great Pumpkin:

GOOD GHOULISH FUN FOR GROWNUPS: Some folks never lose that childhood spirit of Halloween fun and having kids only gives them more of an excuse to dress up on October 31. Even with the young ones out of the picture,the adults are capable of scaring each other at a social gathering without resorting to masks and makeup. Showing up in the same outfit as someone else and running into an old romantic partner is way more terrifying:

STRETCHING YOUR CREATIVE BOUNDARIES: You don't have to hold a costume party on Halloween,you can have one any time for any reason. What makes a non Halloween costume get-together more of a creative challenge is giving it a theme,like your favorite personal heroes or as a tribute to a pop culture icon. Just be sure to do more than slap on a wig and a nametag or no one will blame your date for leaving you at the door:

BE ABLE TO HIDE IN PLAIN SIGHT: Another advantage of costume balls is the ability for superheroes to keep their secret identity safe while seeking out evil doers in public. Unfortunately,it also gives the bad guys the same opportunity and lookalike foes extra sneaky stealth points:

Perhaps some of this hysteria about children's costumes will fade away over time and allow both kids and adults the chance to attend Halloween celebrations without fear of social reprisal again. Just remember,you Halloween hall monitors out there,if you don't let the kids get it out of their systems now,they'll grow up with a burning desire to freak you out and may do something even worse than you could imagine,like revive the boy band craze! Happy Halloween to everyone else:

Top Chef gets more than meats the eye,Mad Men showdowns and a leap of faith that determines the fate of a TAR team

noreply@blogger.com (lady t) — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 15:33:00 +0000

The Quickfire challenge on Top Chef this week had a nice pop culture favor to it,as the chefs were asked to make a gourmet TV dinner based on a well known TV series. Kevin's show was The Sopranos and his meatballs with polenta pleased both Padma and guest judge Paul Bartolotta enough to get him a win,plus his meal will be included in a line of TC frozen foods.

Bryan Voltaggio came in second with a meatloaf and mashed potato entree inspired by M*A*S*H,a smart idea,in my opinion. Mikey I's Seinfeld food was a flop,due to his having never seen the show(Dude,there are reruns!)and his meal having nothing to do with the sitcom at all. Eli was no better,getting Gilligan's Island and not adding any coconut! I don't care if the show is "twenty years before my TV time",again,reruns!

On to the Elimination Challenge,where everyone had to cook a dish for the judges and several guests at Judge Tom's restaurant,Craftsteak. All the chefs were like"Cool,a steakhouse challenge!",forgetting that like a M. Night Shyamalan movie,there's always a twist.

Judge Tom introduced them to special guest judge Natalie Portman,who was bringing her friends along for the meal and by the way,she's a vegetarian! Sweet irony,folks. So everyone had to make a vegan plate,offering up some type of protein equivalent to make it an entree course.

Most of the dishes offered up were rather slight in portion. Michael Voltaggio put out a banana polenta with an asparagus salad and Japanese tomato sashimi,which he seemed to think would knock them all of the park. It was well received by the diners with a mix of "huh?" and "pretty tasty" that apparently Michael V was going for.

Next to him in the winner's circle was Eli,with his eggplant confit,lentils with garlic puree and radish salad. At least the eggplant gave some texture to the plate,but it looked more like an appetizer that a main course to me.

The winner was Kevin,who was the only chef out of all of them who gave the diners a hearty meal. His duo of mushrooms with smoked kale(which Natalie Portman loves)and turnip puree and candied garlic may not have been pretty but it was a satisfying dish.

Michael V. spewed some sour grapes in the aside interviews,griping how Kevin made such a "basic" dish that he could've pulled off first year in cooking school. Well,if it's so basic,buddy,why didn't you make something like that,hmm?

He's shown himself to be such a grim faced SOB over the past few weeks who shows little pleasure in actually making food for people to enjoy(his brother is not as bad,but competing directly against Michael draws him close to the edge)that I hope he doesn't make it to the Finale. A Top Chef is someone who others would want to work with and for,plus be inspired by and Michael V. is none of those things here.

On the bottom again was Robin,who made a visually appealing plate but the food was very salty. She was happy about doing a vegan challenge but chose to use ingredients that she's never worked with before like fresh garbanzo beans and stuffed squash blossom,not a smart move there.

Jennifer was along side her,due to her charred baby eggplant with braised fennel and tomatoes that barely qualified as a full dish. It's a shame because Jennifer can cook amazing food and work well with others but she gets incredibly tense when the smallest thing goes off that it affects her plates. She served up her verjus nage sauce table side and her hands were shaking so badly that even Stevie Wonder could see her coming and want to duck.

Mikey Isabella wound up packing his knives and going home for his roasted leeks that were a mushy mess and raw to boot. He blamed that on a problem in the kitchen but those suckers looked vile during his stove time and the carrots and fingerling potatoes on the side weren't good enough to make for that. I think that he really went home for his "whatever!" attitude about the whole thing.

Next week,there's going to be a TC reunion dinner and with Marcel at the table,things will get very heated indeed:

The Amazing Race was still in Dubai when a major breakdown between one of the teams occurred,over a water slide of all places. The task before going to the Pit Stop was to go down the "Leap of Faith" slide at a seaside hotel and Mika was terrified of heights(why anyone who has such a fear signs up for this show to begin with)and totally freaked out. Her boyfriend Canaan didn't help matters much by yelling at her and almost shoving her down the slide twice!

Canaan got mad at the Globetrotters for adding a little fuel to the fire,but the guys were way behind and needed to get their chance to get ahead as much as Mika and Canaan did. Besides,Flight Time and Big Easy have been very fair and generous players on TAR and I'm glad they're still in the running:

There were a couple of major confrontations on Mad Men this week,the big one being between Betty and Don over his past. Betty decided to face off with him about the evidence of his Dick Whitman life locked away in his desk(why Don didn't destroy some of that stuff after Pete tried to blackmail him that time is beyond me)and lucky for him that his schoolteacher sweetie,who was out in the car, didn't decide to knock on the front door and make things a thousand times worse.

It was a quite a moment for both characters and altho,Betty seemed more upset about Don having another wife than anything else,she showed some real strength with him while revealing some sensitivity toward his plight. How their lives will go on after this,it's hard to tell:

A briefer and more satisfying showdown happened between Joan and her loser husband Greg,who was whining about how he "did everything he was supposed to" and still couldn't become the big league surgeon that he planned to be. Joan's a pragmatic gal but even she has her breaking point and proved it right over his thick head. Good for her!:

RANDOM NOTES:

LEGEND OF THE SEEKER: Season Two is coming up soon,starting November 7 on a syndicated station near you. The plot line this time around will be based on Terry Goodkind's Stone of Tears and loads of new developments are on the horizon,along with a few familiar,if unwanted by some,faces:

Penny Vincenzi's latest book is a Windfall in more ways than one

noreply@blogger.com (lady t) — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 15:18:00 +0000

As some of you may know,I'm a fan of the old school style of saga novels,preferably the ones written with women in mind(not that the fellas can't enjoy them,too). Be they steadfast or sexy-or a hybrid of both-those gorgeous glossy stories of love,loss and what they wore are literary catnip to a girl like me.

With that in mind,you can imagine my joy when Bookreporter.com chose me as one of their ten readers to receive a copy of Windfall,the newest novel by Penny Vincenzi to come to America. That's right,I don't just hold contests,I enter them,too! Since I've already given my feedback to the good folks at Bookreporter about Windfall,it seemed only right that I should talk about it here as well.

The novel is set in the England of 1935,where the growing affair between the Duke of Windsor and Mrs. Wallis Simpson is slowly stirring in the background. Our leading lady is Cassia Tallow,a country doctor's wife and mother who long ago gave up her own promising medical career in order to placate the fragile ego of her husband Edward(not to mention that she was also pregnant at the time).

Cassia gets word that her wealthy godmother Leonora has died in Paris and left her a huge fortune of a half a million pounds. At first,she's dazzled by the freedom this money offers to her and uses it to resume some of her old life before marriage by buying new things not only for her loved ones but some stylish clothes and a sleek sports car for herself as well:

Edward feels threatened by all of this and attempts to take control over her inheritance to no avail.The tension between Cassia and Edward rises to emotionally dangerous levels as things go on. Cassia is able to resume practicing medicine(as an volunteer for a women's clinic)and even takes a small house in London to make the commute easier.

Edward tries all sorts of ploys to keep Cassia from moving ahead in life and even stoops to emotional blackmail and payback involving their children. Even when an opportunity arises for Cassia to work along side her husband at their home,he blocks her path and insists upon her being the traditional country doctor's wife.

The other factor in Edward's motivation for holding Cassia back is jealousy. Her new found wealth puts her back into circulation with the elite social circle her godmother introduced her to,including Harry Moreton,a distant cousin of Leonora's who never approved of Edward and Rupert,an old actor friend of the family who Cassia had a crush on during her youth. At first,Cassia has no intentions of being involved with any other than her husband,but things change,due to more than the money:

Other concerns about the money crop up as Cassia starts to wonder just how her godmother could manage to leave her a small fortune when she was a chronic gambler and by certain accounts,died while living in dire straits.

As more questions than answers remain after some inquiry,Cassia decides to seek out the truth about this on her own. What she does discover has quite an impact and even before she sets off on that journey,other choices that she's made due to this money cause Cassia to reexamine many of the major decisions that she's made over the years.

The beauty of a Penny Vincenzi novel is the layering of characters throughout the story,showcasing one supporting player's struggle with a marriage looming under the shadow of a husband's secret love affairs with men while highlighting the desperate terrors of another who's afraid to get medical treatment that might reveal a past abortion to her spouse. The building of such an intricate world for all those who inhabit the pages creates a thoughtful flavor profile for the reader to sink her teeth into.

Windfall is a lush chocolate box of a read,with the mystery about the origins of the money being a cherry on top of this succulent sundae. While it does give readers plenty of substance to chew over,the main appeal of a story like this is the inside peek at the lifestyles of the rich and famous and in that,Vincenzi definitely delivers the goods. If you're in need of a smartly written soap opera with all the luxury trimmings,then step right up,folks and enjoy the show:

A few literary gifts to give and get this November and December

noreply@blogger.com (lady t) — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 15:15:00 +0000

Even with things going completely haywire in the world(or just appearing to be at the moment),there are still reliable comfort zones to be found,especially between the pages of a book. Those needs for reading replenishment are most keenly felt during this time of year,when winter is fast approaching and certain holiday obligations start knocking at your door.

It may be tempting to ignore the simple pleasures of a good book with so much going on,but at times like these,that retreat into worlds both real and imagined is one of the best methods of coping with the craziness. Think of it as chicken soup for the spirit(if you want it for the soul,there's a ton of those books already out there)which can not only keep you mentally healthy this season but solve some of those gift giving dilemmas that are just around the corner:

CUTTING CLOSE TO THE BONE

Julie Powell's memoir about her Julia Child blog experiment,Julie & Julia, was an inspiring read and the film version of that book was one of the big hits of the summer movie season. The movie was so popular than it even peaked enough interest to bring Mastering the Art of French Cooking back on the bestseller lists again.

All of that heaps quite a bit of high expectations onto Powell's new culinary memoir,Cleaving. The focus is still on food,only in a more hands on way.

Julie recounts her foray into the art of butchering meat,which occurred during a rift in her marriage and lead her to not only expanding her food knowledge but figuring out her emotional struggles as well. It may not sound as sweet as J&J,but Cleaving seems to be a rather savory dish worth sampling(December):

FAMILY AFFAIRS OF THE HEART

In Lauren Grodstein's A Friend of the Family,we are introduced to Pete Dizinoff,a suburbanite whose carefully built life of comfort and control is edging close toward disaster. His medical practice is facing a nasty lawsuit but what worries Pete the most is what direction his wayward son Alec is headed.

Pete has a lot of hopes and dreams pinned on him and is quick to patch up any scraps Alec might get into,including getting accepted into a good college. The unexpected wrench in the works is Laura,his best friend's daughter who has a troubled past and is a decade older than Alec,whom she sets her romantic sights on.

Pete feels that it's his duty to meddle in this affair and save his son,but his actions take a turn for the tragic. While this story is set in the modern day suburbs of New Jersey,the tone of this novel seems to have a lot in common with the social standards that shut in the emotions of those well off New Yorkers who filled the pages of many an Edith Wharton book. I hope the comparison is pleasing as well as accurate to both the author and readers alike(November):

SUPER SIZED SCARE FEST

One of the expected big magillas of the fall book season is Stephen King's new novel,Under The Dome,which has unfortunately been a target in the book pricing wars happening online recently.

Other controversies stirring up around this massive novel include comparisons to the Simpsons movie(which shares a similar concept)and the delayed release of the e-book edition in order to help independent book stores get a fair shot at selling their physical copies.

All of this hoopla is a shame,since none of it is focused on what matters to longtime readers of King's work the most;is Under The Dome a good book or not? The plot has a small town in America trapped beneath a mysterious force field,a phenomenon that not only tests the characters of those inside but starts to become a major media event. Under The Dome is over a thousand pages long,so with any luck,this may be the best sinister saga King's given us since The Stand. Only time will tell,folks and with a book this long, you're going to need it!(November)

NOT JUST KID'S STUFF

James Patterson has not only been thrilling adults with his mystery books,he's also dreamed up some amusing books for young people as well. Teaming up again with Gabrielle Charbonnet(who co-wrote Sundays at Tiffany's with Patterson),Witch and Wizard brings a new dynamic duo of magic makers on to the YA scene.

Wisty and Whit are typical teenagers who are living in a world that is swiftly becoming a totalitarian regime that hits close to home one night when government officials storm in and take them away from their parents .

As they await their fate in a secret prison,the siblings start to develop strange new powers that may help them find their way to freedom. Sounds like a combo of Escape to Witch Mountain and 1984,which should be interesting to readers of all ages(December):

Wally Lamb tries his hand at holiday themed fiction this season with Wishin' and Hopin'.Set in the small town of Three Rivers,Connecticut in 1964,fifth grader Felix Funicello(a distant cousin of famed Mouseketeer Annette)is coping with the usual problems a kid his age has to deal with when a couple of new arrivals to his parochial school amp up the volume in more ways than one.

Unlike his adult novels,this Lamb book is intended to be a lighthearted and humorous look back at a time of idyllic childhood in America in the same vein as Jean Shepard's contemporary classic A Christmas Story. Since both authors have a great flair for bringing offbeat yet all too real characters to life,we may be in for a true literary treat,if not a major award at the very least(December):

EPIC ADVENTURES THROUGH TIME

Another highly anticipated novel,The Lacuna by Barbara Kingsolver takes her leading man on a quest for a sense of purpose in life that carries him between two countries and towards the brink of war. Harrison Shepard grew up with a hand to mouth existence in Mexico that connected him to no one and nothing until a routine job opportunity brings him to the attention of renowned muralist Diego Rivera.

That leads Harrison to befriending rising artist Frida Kahlo and taking up political causes that will sweep him into the United States and it's growing involvement with World War II. Kingsolver's take on how art can be influenced by politics and public opinion and the ultimate effect on those who pursue it seem to be as timely as Frida Kahlo's paintings are still to this day(November):

Edward Rutherfurd is known for his mega novels about the history of certain pivotal places around the world and his upcoming book takes quite a big bite from the cultural pie. New York follows several generations of families who seek their fortunes in the city that doesn't sleep for four centuries and mixes in a variety of historical figures such as Boss Tweed,Mrs. Astor and Mayor Koch.

Rutherford has been called "the modern Michener" due to his epic fictional takes on historical subjects but I don't think even James Michener dared to take Manhattan. If Rutherfurd can pull this off,he'll make his own unique mark with readers and pay tribute to one of the greatest cities on earth,quite the hat trick(November):

A SPLASH OF SATIRICAL COLOR

Eddie Russet lives in a world ruled by color,where people are ranked according to whatever singular shade they can see. Even tho he's in the low ranked House of Red,Eddie hopes to get a better position in life in order to marry Constance Oxblood. All of that changes when he meets Jane,a Grey Nightseer,who opens his eyes to the real truth behind the collective color blindness surrounding them.

Jasper Fforde mixes whimsy with romance and conspiracies in Shades of Grey with his smartly stylish and suspenseful tone that many fans have come to know and love about his work. His stories may be set in an England both real and imagined,but their sharp take on society has universal appeal(December):

Whatever holiday you do or don't celebrate in the next couple of months ahead,I hope you have a good time with family and friends with some of these great books by your side. While it may be lovely weather for a sleigh ride together,it's also a wonderful excuse to curl up by the fire with something wonderful to read as well:

The Top Ten Things I learned from Drag Me to Hell

noreply@blogger.com (lady t) — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 16:58:00 +0000

My pre-Halloween horror movie treat this past weekend was Drag Me to Hell,Sam Raimi's return to the genre that received tons of praise from fans and critics alike. Does it live up to the hype,you may ask and my answer is "Oh,yeah and then some,buddy!"

I watched the "unrated director's cut"(which,from what I found out later,isn't that much different from the one seen in theaters)and was happy to see Raimi's slapstick scare style back in full force. You could feel the joy of moviemaking radiating from Raimi and his fellow film fiends throughout the whole picture,sometime that was sorely missing in Spiderman 3,for one.

The story is basically a stylish Tales from the Crypt morality play,as ambitious banker Christine Brown(played by Alison Lohman,who proves herself to be a real good sport about some of the gruesome stuff the screenplay requires her to do)is forced to face the consequences of turning down a loan extension to an elderly gypsy woman(Lorna Raver)about to lose her house. Christine is cursed and tormented by a demon called The Lamia,who intends to take her body and soul to the pits of Hell.

Her boyfriend(Justin Long)is rather skeptical but helps Christine find a spiritual adviser(Dileep Rao) to give her some much needed guidance in trying to find a way to end the curse before the three day time limit is up. Many of the demon attacks in the movie are a mixture of shadow play and sinister silly F/X that give the viewer plenty of chills and awkward laughs while allowing him/her the opportunity to use their own imagination in making the terror all the more real.

Even tho this is meant to be a fun popcorn movie,Drag Me to Hell offers a lot of food for thought,particularly about the choices that Christine makes through this whole ordeal. She may seem to be a sympathetic heroine at the onset, but as the story goes along,we see her quickly shed the values that she claims to have rather quickly and more than willing at times to toss whoever she can under the bus in order to save her own skin.

Understandable,perhaps,yet you could also see Christine's plight as a test of faith and character. Early on,we see her trying to fit into the sleek mold of a big city working gal by using a diction tape to change her country accent and her cringing as she overhears a phone conversation between her boyfriend and his well to do mother,who wants him to find a more socially suitable mate than some "farm girl" as she calls Christine.

Her determination to climb both the social and professional ladder(where she's competing for a promotion with a conniving co-worker)brings out a strong streak of self involved ruthlessness that Christine refuses to admit is within her,but as things go on,it's glaringly apparent in her approach to survival.

While I won't give away the ending(which may or may not be what you'd expect),I will say that it is rather haunting. It filled my head for quite awhile,not something that any movie has been able to do for me in a long time. Whether or not you feel that Christine is a victim or deserves what she gets,Drag Me to Hell does make you wonder what you would be willing to do in a similar situation. Thanks,Mr. Raimi,for giving us more than brain candy to chew on after the closing credits roll.

Here are some more life lessons from Drag Me to Hell that may help you avoid this particular highway to Hades:

10) Shaming a proud woman in public is not a safe thing to do without backup:

9) Don't be so quick to gloat over beating an old woman in a fight or soon you'll be the one who comes begging to her:

8) Even masters of old school mysticism take platinum credit cards as payment.

7) Being a "farm girl" is only a social setback if you let it be.

6) Harvest cake is not enough to win over the affections of a snooty potential mother-in-law.

5) Having a literal scapegoat on hand is no guarantee of deterring a demon's desire to eat your soul:

4) It's hard to pass on a curse to a grown man who's crying like a baby.

3) Waitresses of the world,watch out for those cranky coffee drinkers. Push them too hard and they might leave you a tip that you wouldn't believe.

2) Even a hanky can be a formidable minion of evil:

1) Fly up the nose or down the throat,which is worse? You decide!:

Silly rabbit,Halloween is for kids!

noreply@blogger.com (lady t) — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 15:46:00 +0000

Opening up this week at a theater near you is Cirque du Freak: The Vampire's Assistant, a kid friendly goth fantasy about a teenage boy named Darren(Chris Massoglia)who runs away to join the circus. Only this one happens to be full of folks with magical abilities and to join the show,Darren must become a "half-vampire" and work for the full fledged bloodsucking ringmaster,Mr. Crespley(John C. Reilly).

The movie is based on a series of YA novels by "Darren Shan"(allegedly his life story there)and I recall reading the first couple of books back in my bookseller days,which were pretty much scary adventure type of tales for boys. Nothing wrong with that,but don't expect a Twilight vibe from this flick-the tone is more Hardy Boys go to Hot Topic:

Since Halloween is supposed to be for the kids,plenty of tame terror flicks pop on screens both big and small. Some are fun film treats while others are as welcome as those rocks that wound up in Charlie Brown's trick or treat bag every year. In honor of the arrival of the Cirque du Freak movie,let's sample a few of the childsized chillfests of the past and see which side of the coin they land upon.

First up is The Little Vampire,starring Jonathan Lipnicki(the annoying know-it-all from Jerry Maquire)as the new kid in town who makes friends with the local vampire family. Cutesy vampires tend to irk me but since this is based on a children's book,I am willing to overlook that. However,I draw the line at vampire cows. More boo than moo for me:

Next is Casper,the big Hollywood blockbuster version of the Harvey comics character that many of us know from TV cartoons. While I remember that old school theme song pretty well,this high tech take on the friendliest ghost you know never seemed quite right to me.

Granted,Christina Ricci as the human girl who inspires him to regain his mortality was a great casting choice(she basically cornered the market on goth girl roles for awhile there)but the CGI is a little off-putting. Not to mention turning the whole thing into an epic love story,which is really creepy if you think about too much:

I must confess to being totally in the tank for Hocus Pocus. It's hard to resist the delights of seeing Bette Midler as an ancient witch from Salem's past brought back to life on a modern day All Hallow's Eve to reclaim her power and youth,along with her two goofy sisters(well played by Sarah Jessica Parker and Kathy Najimy).

There's the usual band of Disney kids who try to save the town from the evil plans of the witches but the main thrill here is watching Bette and her back up sister supporting players romp around in this almost campy fare.

The highlight of the film is an impromptu performance of "I Put A Spell On You",which the sinister Sanderson sisters break into at a Halloween party in order to throw the unsuspecting adults off track. That number was well worth the price of admission I paid at the box office all those years ago:

Last but certainly not the least is The Worst Witch,a made for cable movie that later blossomed into a TV series on HBO. Harry Potter fans may like this one,since the story takes place at a boarding school for witches in England.

Fairuza Balk(who later became a more competent and deadly mistress of the black arts in The Craft)plays the title role of Mildred Hubble,the one girl in class who never seems to get her spells to work just right.

As is the way of these things,Mildred uncovers a plot to overtake the school by a pack of evil witches and helps to save the day as well as impress the Grand Wizard(Tim Curry)whose favor is most sorted after. Altho,upon watching his musical salute to Halloween,some of those budding witches might want to rethink their fangirl fervor for this guy:

Perhaps The Vampire's Assistant will be successful enough to spawn a sequel or two. At the very least,it may leave a lasting impression upon young folks who will be inspired to create a little bit of homey Halloween fun in the future. While this holiday is a great excuse for adults to recapture that wonder of youth,it's only fair to let the kids have their time to monster mash on their own terms:

Top Chef goes to Restaurant Wars,a TAR team with good karma points and Sylar's scary trip down memory lane

noreply@blogger.com (lady t) — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 14:45:00 +0000

Another high stakes Quickfire was given this week on Top Chef as Padma and guest judge Tom Moonan held the first ever tag team cooking challenge.

The chefs were divided into two teams and had to make one dish together in a "one at a time" fashion. They were not allowed to talk about what to cook beforehand and were made to wear blindfolds until it was his or her turn at the helm.

The team that won was made up of Jennifer,Kevin,Laurine and Mikey I,who were given the option of splitting up ten grand or "letting it ride",with the chance of all them winning ten thousand apiece if they won the Elimination round. They all agreed to let it ride and then started off for Restaurant Wars.

Tom Moonan let the chefs use his restaurant(the winning team had first pick of either the upper or the lower level to work on),so planning the decor wasn't necessary but putting together a menu that reflected Moonan's style of "sustainable seafood" cuisine was.

Team Two had the Brothers Voltaggio,Robin and Eli and they called their restaurant Revolt,a name that could've easily backfired on them.

The chefs chosen for the front of the house gig also had to be responsible for one dish and Eli was the frontman for Revolt and while his hosting services were excellent,his smoked arctic char appetizer was just deemed "okay" by the judges.

The Brothers Voltaggio made great entrees(even tho Bryan's beef duo was cold by the time it got to many of the tables)and Robin's pear pithivier was the hit of the night. Michael did get in her face while she was making it,trying to take over instead of "helping" as he claimed later on,but everything turned out well in the end.

Revolt won Restaurant Wars and Michael V was singled out for his cod with zucchini tenderloin and pressed chicken dishes to receive the ten grand that the QF winners had decided to gamble upon. Michael immediately asked if he could share his cash winnings with his team,a very honorable thing to do and one that was appreciated by all except his brother Byran.

Bryan was annoyed at his brother's domineering attitude in the kitchen and I can't say that I blame him. Michael,you're a great chef but you don't have to be a patronizing bully to your fellow chefs there. Part of being a Top Chef is being someone others are willing to follow and work with,not be overrun by and given little pats on the head to make up for it later.

The other team called their eatery Mission and if their goal was to succeed,they failed miserably at it. Jennifer overextended herself,which lead to the butter sauce on her trout plate being broken and bad tasting,plus her halibut with clams and mussels took forever and a day to be served because she chose to cook the shellfish to order.

I don't eat clams and mussels(much less cook them)but even I know that they're not quick cook to order items! Jennifer was in serious hot water there.

Laurine,fortunately,stunk up the joint with her poor service at the front of the house and sent off to pack her knives. Not only was she overwhelmed by the amount of people coming in to eat,Laurine didn't even take the time to explain the dishes to the judges during service(Padma had to ask her twice).

Also,the lamb plate that she was responsible for was a mess,due to her and Kevin(who was working on it in the kitchen)not agreeing about how medium rare the meat should be.

Kevin made a great pork belly plate,which spared him this time,and Mikey I's apps were good,even with Padma requesting some salt for the table upon first tasting his fish dish. Laurine was pretty much a middle of the road chef,so it was about time for her to go home,anyway.

Next week,Natalie Portman shows up and the chefs get a very pop culture challenge,to make a TV dinner based on a TV show. Sounds like a yabba-daba-yummy time to me:

On Heroes,Sylar got some of his memories back,thanks to a member of the Sullivan Bros. circus who jump started his brain waves. It didn't quite achieve the effect that Samuel(the sinister ringleader of the group)was hoping for,since Sylar still feels disconnected to those past acts of murderous mayhem and freaked out,big time.

Meanwhile,Peter hooked up with Mr. Bennett to find a healer to cure Hiro of his deadly brain tumor. As is the way of these things on this show,that proved to be tricky since the kid in question had his powers take a turn for the worse that put him on the defense with a shotgun in hand. Interesting to see one house of horrors put up against another there:

Next Monday's episode has a bit of a Halloween theme,as Clare goes thru a sorority initiation that resembles a bad slasher movie and Sylar's memory echo in Matt's head starts getting more out of control than he bargained for. With any luck,things will get very spooky,indeed:

A team determined to do well both physically and morally on this season's The Amazing Race is Brian and Ericka,husband and wife who have been wed for over two years after a nearly a decade of courtship. Ericka is a former Miss America winner from 2004 and feels that good behavior is highly expected of her due to that.

Brian,however,wants to rack up the good karma and set up some ducats in the favor bank by being as helpful as he can be to his fellow competitors on the race. That's a very smart move and a nice way to go here. Sometimes,it's the little things you do that allows fate to throw you a break at just the right moment:

RANDOM NOTES:

THE JEFF DUNHAM SHOW: The popular puppet master gets a series of his own on Comedy Central,starting tonight at nine. While his politically incorrect cast of characters may not be for everyone,there are an equal number of targets that hit the social satire mark:

Open Letter to those waging the Book Pricing War of '09

noreply@blogger.com (lady t) — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 15:08:00 +0000

Dear Corporate Giants,

Many of us in the reading community have taken notice of your recent attempts to get us to open up our wallets(and credit cards)by the massive discounts being handed out like Halloween candy for certain upcoming books. This first started up between two of you and now others are eagerly stepping into the fray,with one place actually willing to give customers store credit if they bring in a receipt from one of the others proving that they got that new bestseller cheap as can be.

Guys,look,we completely understand the need to push sales,especially in tough economic times like these,but this whole thing is getting way out of hand.

For one thing,the books that you've deemed extra special discount worthy may not be the big bestsellers that you're counting on. They might seem that way,due to pre-orders,however when it comes to the arts,there is no sure thing or safe bet. You'd have much better odds at a roulette table in Vegas,seriously.

Also,the constant price slashing is making you look incredibly silly and the last thing a serious business wants is to be laughed at:

Of course,all of this price dropping is hurting independent bookstores,who can't afford to give huge discounts and have already placed orders with the publishers for many of these titles under the usual terms.

Perhaps that doesn't concern you in an "all's fair in love and war" way but it does leave a sour taste in the mouths of some of us book lovers,many of whom have seen their favorite local book sellers have to shut their doors for good due to the harsher retail marketplace in these modern times.

Competition is a vital element to keeping any kind of business alive,but holding on to a sense of decency and fairness is just as appealing to consumers as low prices are. I don't think it's too much to ask for a level playing field to be made for book sellers both big and small. Some of us prefer to get our books from people who actually care about them:

True,some folks will be easily lured in by the promise of low priced books,but all too soon,those discounts will dissolve into thin air,causing those thrifty folks to huff and grumble as they take their business elsewhere.

I don't blame them for trying to get a good bargain on books with things being the way they are,but it's a shame that such glaring price tag warfare is distracting those folks from giving fledgling book sellers a leg up just when they need it the most.

No doubt that these words are falling on some deaf ears,yet take heart,fellas-some people are listening and will let their dollars do the talking for them. As a rebel princess once said "If money is all that you love, then that's what you'll receive." Consumer loyalty is,however,worth it's weight in gold,no matter what the current exchange rate is.

Fight all you want over a few pennies but that won't guarantee you a place in the winner's circle when the franchise wars are said and done. Good luck,guys,you're gonna need it!

Sincerely,

Lady T and the rest of the book loving public

P.S. Here's some musical food for thought on the subject as well:

P.P.S Looks like some of your independent competitors aren't going to take this lying down,either. To quote The Devil Wears Prada,alright everyone,gird your loins!

Keeping a Sharpe lookout for the next season of Masterpiece Classic

noreply@blogger.com (lady t) — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 15:51:00 +0000

The last couple of Masterpiece Classic seasons have had the works of one author as their focal point(Jane Austen,Charles Dickens),so I was eager to see who would be next to get the big MPC treatment for 2010. Alas,the upcoming season is a tad more scattershot and without a defining theme.

Another film version of Jane Austen's Emma is due,along with a sequel to Cranford and a couple of other movies such as a remake of The 39 Steps. However,just as I despaired of any steady look at an author's cannon,the spotlight shone on two miniseries on the roster that share the name of Sharpe.

The first one is called Sharpe's Challenge,starring Sean Bean as Richard Sharpe,an ex-soldier from the British Army who takes on a mission to India to search for a missing man. He does this as a favor to the Duke of Wellington(his former commander)and runs into some old friends and enemies along the way. One of those enemies is General William Dodd(Toby Stephens),who has more issues than a magazine rack:

That series is followed up by Sharpe's Peril,where Sharpe and his buddy Patrick Harper( Daragh O'Malley) have to escort a young French woman to the fort where her fiance is stationed. That journey is about as risk free as a late night subway ride in any major city during a blackout and topped off by a sporting events riot in the streets.

There's kidnapping,bandit attacks,cover ups of crimes and treacherous train battles to deal with,plus the usual hazards of guarding a lady's virtue in such rough terrain. For a retired fellow,Sharpe puts up with more hassles than Danny Glover ever did in the Lethal Weapon movies and complains less:

Both of the Sharpe miniseries were filmed in India and are based upon three novels written by Bernard Cornwell(Sharpe's Tiger,Sharpe's Triumph and Sharpe's Fortress)who has over a dozen books about that character alone.

The movies were made for British TV and were last seen back in 2008. With Sean Bean's busy schedule these days,it may be next to impossible for him to reprise the part again,so savoring his stint as Sharpe here is a wise choice indeed.

I haven't read any of the Cornwell novels and yet,these two miniseries put me in mind of two other historical sagas either set within the same time period or having a similar story location. First to come to mind is The Far Pavillions, M.M. Kaye's massive tome that became an HBO miniseries. It's way more romantic than the Sharpe books appear to be,yet the clash of cultures combined with hidden alliances and long secrets make TFP a decent sidebar to Sharpe's saga,IMO:

The other is Master and Commander:The Far Side of the World,a movie based on two of Patrick O'Brian's Aubrey and Maturin series. Russell Crowe and Paul Bettany were successful at bringing those two characters into life on screen and the realistic nature of the plot seems to echo the insights into men in the military life that Cornwell's books appear to feature as well.

I've tried to read the O'Brian books for a while now,mainly due to their being set in Jane Austen's time(plus,she had two brothers in the Navy)and my interest was further increased upon seeing the movie.

The audience was dead silent throughout most of the film when I watched it during it's initial release,intent on not missing a single thing. It was almost like reading a novel with a group of strangers who became united by the action(both violent and non)unraveling before us. It was one of the better movies of that year and I am still determined to give the books another serious try. You can't pay a higher compliment to an adaptation than that:

Sharpe's Challenge and Sharpe's Peril are on the Masterpiece Classic schedule for early 2010,so check your local listings,folks. While I would've preferred another round of one author only adaptations(maybe taking up an American writer,for a nice change of pace),this pair of historical fiction sagas should make for some hot entertainment during the long cold winter ahead of us. For a cheaper thrill,you could always see what your hometown has on deck for some historical flair-just make sure to bring your own snacks:

Some thought provoking treats for your Halloween goodie bookbag

noreply@blogger.com (lady t) — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 15:26:00 +0000

When it comes to Halloween(or the horror genre in general),many folks tend to think that any intellectual approach to the subject is pointless. After all,the theme is fear and that's more of a gut response,no brainer type of deal,isn't it?

To that I say,not true,my friends and fiends! While this may be a great time of year to blow off some scary steam,it's not an excuse to go completely brain dead(however that may help you to repel zombies from munching on your cerebral cortex). To prove my point,let's look at this quartet of tasty tomes which pack some frightening food for thought within their pages:

TWILIGHT AND PHILOSOPHY

I'm currently reading this latest entry in the Blackwell Philosophy and Pop Culture series and so far,so good. As the lengthy subtitle suggests(Vampires,Vegetarians and the Pursuit of Immortality),one of the topics of discussion here is the ethics of eating choices for both human and nosferatu characters in the Twilight saga and how that relates to the current debate over diet today.

There's also essays that deal with the intensity of Edward and Bella's relationship,the spiritual themes that crop up within the storyline and what impact does Bella have upon female readers as a role model.

While I'm not sure if I agree with everything being said here(one essay has a comparison of Bella with Sarah Palin,which sounds like apples and dump trucks as my sister would say),I am intrigued to read on and know more,as many other Twilight fans will most likely want to do to:

THE PHILOSOPHER'S APPRENTICE

This offbeat novel has tons of interesting notions and literary sci-fi references from the Island of Dr Moreau to Frankenstein but the heart of the story has to do with a young woman's search for identity and the man assigned to give her one.

Mason Ambrose is a rising young star in the world of academics who has self sabotaged his career when he receives a summons from the reclusive and wealthy Dr. Edwina Sabacthani. Her daughter Londa is in need of an education in moral behavior,allegedly due to an accident that caused some memory loss and violent acting out.

The origins of Londa's mindset, and her existence itself, turn out to be more bizarre than Mason could have imagined and his interest in expanding her horizons changes life for all mankind. A satirical cautionary tale that proves not only is a little knowledge a dangerous thing but that mentoring was meant to be a two way street. Woe to the soul that forgets how quickly the tables can turn:

VAMPED

How do you safely raise a human child in a world that has truly become a vampire? That's the dilemma facing Marty,a bored with existence bloodsucker who stumbles across a little girl named Isuzu,one of the few remaining humans left unclaimed by the vampire hordes that now rule the earth.

Torn between feeding on this unexpected mortal morsel or making her a child vamp,Marty decides to take care of Isuzu until she's old enough do so on her own. Almost against his will,he winds up bonding with her in a father and daughter like fashion which gets more complicated as she gets older,something a few of Marty's fictional vampire contemporaries can identify with all too well:

MARY REILLY

Valerie Martin's take on the Jekyll and Hyde legend does more than just provide a new twist on the tale. The title heroine is a newly hired housemaid in the Doctor's house whose presence causes a stir in more than one quarter.

The dangers facing Mary include the tyranny of servant politics,the limited role of working class women in Victorian society and the dividing line between the classes.

Jekyll's interest in Mary begins with the examining of some old bite scars on her hands that reopen a few emotional scars as well and also lead Mr. Hyde towards taking up a taste for her company later on. The terrors of Mary's life reflect the dark choices both Jekyll and Hyde make in their experiment and it's up to the reader to decide which is the more frightening:

If you choose to take up one of these fearsome four,I hope that you'll enjoy some mind chilling as well as spine tingling sensations in your reading corner. Not too mind numbing,I hope,since keeping your wits about you is essential to survival in any scary situation,fictional or otherwise:

Stroll down this horror movie memory lane...if you dare!

noreply@blogger.com (lady t) — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 17:27:00 +0000

Earlier this week,I was thinking about horror anthology movies in the fictional form and now that got me to thinking about the nonfictional version(talk about your vicious circle there,folks!)that highlights fright flicks via clips from the past and the present. They're sort of like cinematic popcorn for the mind-fun to munch on but not meant to be long lasting.

Most of those are made for TV,but every now and then a feature length film is put together. Terror In The Aisles actually was released into movie theaters back in 1982 but is hard to find these days on video(due to the numerous copyright clearances needed for all of the movies represented here). I did see it on cable many years ago and it was a blast.

Donald Pleasance and Nancy Allen do the hosting honors as members of a typical movie audience sitting and staring at the gruesome terrors unfolding onscreen. It's interesting to see just how many of these movies used the same grab bag of basic scenarios in different ways:

The narration and movie knowledge given was more atmospheric than informative,yet it was chillingly done well:

For something more family friendly,Disney's Halloween Treat features a number of memorable villains and spooky scenes from classic Disney films and cartoon shorts. Alas,finding the original version on video is just as tricky as Terror In The Aisles. Altho it was put on VHS in the mid- nineteen eighties,DHT has not hit the DVD marketplace .

That's a real shame,because it offers up some of the best Disney had on hand in the way of wickedness such as the Night on Bald Mountain sequence in Fantasia. It does get replayed on TV every now and then,so catch it if you can. Speaking of catchy,DHT has a very charming theme song for humming along to on your trick or treat route:

Keeping the terror movie clip genre alive is Bravo,with their "100 Scariest Movie Moments" series. While you may not agree with the placement of certain films in their rankings(the first special had Jaws at number one,something I wholeheartedly find disappointing there),it is a good way to get nostalgic for those big screen "boo!" scenes.

The selections don't just come from the standard set of horror films known to all. Many of the picks are from mainsteam fare from thrillers like Fatal Attraction to even the kiddie classic Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. You have to admit,that boat ride bit was a real freakshow moment there:

The other good thing about the Scariest Movie Moments specials is that they don't just focus on big league movies that most of the viewing audiences are already familiar with. Smaller movies like the original Stepfather and old school fare such as The Black Cat were nicely featured as well:

Like many other successful scare shows,a number of sequels followed. As we speak,a new one is debuting tonight and I can't wait to see it. Most of the clippage these days highlights some very current creepiness but there are some real cringe worthy moment worth remembering. The needle pit scene in Saw II still gives me the shudders. I'm almost tempted to cover my eyes at the mere thought of it:

No matter what favorite scary movie scene is a must-see for you,it's great to have a yearly excuse like Halloween as a good reason to curl up on the couch and chill to the thrills. Of course there's no rule that says you have to stick to the cinema for your spooky snippets-plenty of TV shows have wonderful All Hallow's Eve themed episodes that bring back delightful creepy memories. Maybe someday,they'll get a special of their own. Until then,we'll always have DVD or homemade homages to watch online-a rather scary thought,indeed:

Top Chef pairs up some pigs,TAR loses a good team and Sylar's back..or is he?

noreply@blogger.com (lady t) — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 14:22:00 +0000

The theme of Top Chef this week was pairings and the Quickfire challenge had everyone chose a bag of snack chips and make a dish that would go well with it. Most of them went for the onion flavored,including Eli who won this round with a potato clam salad.

For the Elimination challenge,the chefs had to cook 150 tasting portions of a pork dish paired with a Pinot Noir for restaurateur Charlie Palmer's annual "Pigs and Pinot" festival. Both of the Brothers Voltaggio have worked with him in the past,so the tension between those two was even higher than usual.

A knife pull determined which part of the pig that the chefs would cook but Jennifer wound up with the "wild card",so she was allowed to choose her portion of the pig. She went with pork belly(which Eli had dibs on already)and her braised rendition of it was good enough to land her in the winner's circle.

Joining her were the Brothers Voltaggio-Bryan for his braised pork rib with parsnip puree and Michael with his root beer braised pork cheek(a lot of braising this week,but it seems to be the way to go here). Since Charlie Palmer wasn't trying to play favorites as guest judge,the boys really didn't have a chance at winning this time out.

That doesn't mean that Kevin didn't deserve to win this challenge. His pork leg pate wowed everyone and Palmer particularly liked how well it went with the wine. Kevin's prize was to be a guest chef at next year's Pigs and Pinot fest,which pleased him to no end. This is a guy who loves pork so much that he has a pig tattooed on his arm,which is quite a high level of commitment there,folks!

On the bottom was Robin,whose brined center cut chop was too thinly sliced and her coffee cherry sauce was considered to be "slimy"(Toby Young compared it to the dredge at the bottom of a cup of instant coffee). The other chefs were hoping for her to be kicked off,since they all decided to dislike her,rather openly in some cases. More on that in a moment.

I really thought Laurine was going to sent home on this one. Not only was her pork butt rillettes bad enough to be called "cat food" by Dana Cowin from Food & Wine Magazine but after a few pointed questions from Charlie Palmer,it turns out that Laurine botched the whole recipe by using chicken stock,a big no-no.

Instead it was Ash,who had to pack his knives and go. That was due not only to his chilled pork tenderloin which was bland beyond belief but to the fact that he once again let self doubt cloud his culinary judgement. On the advice of Mikey I,Ash changed his dish from smoked to chilled and dropped the polenta off of his plate. Confidence is key when it comes to being a Top Chef and by second guessing himself,Ash lost this race on his own merits.

Next week is Restaurant Wars,a real fan favorite. What I'm not liking this season is the continuing hate-on for Robin,which flared up this week with Eli and looks like Michael Voltaggio is going to add some of his own fuel to the fire. Look,guys,I know she's a Chatty Cathy and perhaps a tad overly sensitive but your snotty attitudes towards her are appetite killing,to say the least.

Some of this hostility comes across as ageist,with wisecracks about "Grandma needs to go" and snobbery because some of you think she's not on your cooking level(yeah,I'm talking to you,Eli and Mikey I).

Plenty of you so-called "better" chefs have been on the bottom of one challenge or another already,so I wouldn't talk if I were you(you know who you are). Plus,Robin may not be easy to live but she doesn't strike me as a nasty person or someone who keeps asking for trouble there. And,no,I don't think her bouts of cancer being mentioned are plays for sympathy-shame on you if you do!

I just hope things get better instead of worse with Robin and the rest of the gang. There's enough heat in the kitchen without fanning the flames:

A team that everyone liked on The Amazing Race this season was Zev and Justin,who have been best friends since they meet at a summer camp where they were both counselors. Zev has Asperger's syndrome,which didn't slow him down at all during the last couple of legs. He and Justin even arrived first at the Pit Stop for this stint in Cambodia and it looked like smooth sailing for them.

Unfortunately,after checking in,Zev realized that he lost his passport. He and Justin reported it to Phil,who had no choice but to forfeit their early arrival and give them time to retrace their steps and find it or they would be eliminated. The extra time didn't help and the fellas had to leave the race. A real shame,since there are other teams I'd like to see go home instead(like Lance and his pointless karate kicks):

On Heroes,Sylar woke up from his Nathan stupor(due to being shot,buried and left for dead by a hired hitman sent by Angela's old girlfriend as payback for the death of her daughter who she was lead to believe ran away from home years ago)and was picked up by the cops in a dazed and confused state of mind.

A shrink was called in to see if his memory could be revived,but no such luck. Sylar did manage to connect with her and gain some of her trust before the cops figured out who he was and decided to beat a confession out of him. It might have been a better idea to let the lady handle things there,buddy. Sylar is not the kind of guy who responds well to threats:

The mysterious circus folks rescued him from the cops and next week,it looks like the head man,Samuel,is going to try to "waking the sleeping lion" that is the true Sylar. That might be a development that Samuel may later regret:

RANDOM NOTES:

TABATHA'S SALON TAKEOVER: A new season starts up on November 3 and it's good to see her saddle up and head out to straighten up these sorry excuses for hair salons. Tabatha is to beauty parlors what Gordon Ramsey is to restaurants ala Kitchen Nightmares. Especially in hard economic times like these,Tabatha's tough talk is sorely needed(and entertaining to boot):

Some scary cinematic story time

noreply@blogger.com (lady t) — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 16:26:00 +0000

You know what we haven't seen on the horror movie front lately? A good old fashioned anthology flick-one of those movies with several terror tales linked together by a suspense driven framework in which the telling of these stories is a stalling tactic by some poor soul looking to avoid their doom.

One of the better attempts at this genre came about in 1990 with the big screen version of the syndicated TV horror series,Tales From The Darkside. Story contributors here included Stephen King and George Romero and the cast had some rather notable names on their roster such as Christian Slater,Julianne Moore and Debbie Harry(who plays a suburban cannibal listening to these stories as she prepares to serve man,or a kid in this case,for dinner).

Even if you never watched the show(which is playing on cable somewhere,I imagine),there is still plenty of thrills and chills for the casual viewer to enjoy:

A few years later,Tales From the Hood hit movie theaters to offer up some sinister stories with social commentary chills on the side. Clarence Williams III played the MC of this quartet of terror as Mr. Simms,a funeral home director entertaining a trio of street toughs looking for a quick score and as is the way of these things,getting more than they bargained for.

While the movie gets a little preachy at times,it does deliver some good scary moments and performances such as David Allen Grier as an abusive stepfather and Corbin Bernsen who plays a former KKK member turned politician who gets a deadly dressing down from a set of voodoo dolls:

When it comes to horror anthology films,most modern day audiences immediately think of Creepshow,another Stephen King/George Romero cinematic collaboration. The movie was a tribute to the horror comic books of their youth(Tales From The Crypt,Vault of Horror,etc)that inspired them and many others in the field to bring more creepy chills to the masses.

King even has a part in the film,as the lead character in "The Lonesome Death of Jordy Verrill" as an unfortunate farmer who starts sprouting weird vegetation due to a run-in with a meteor. The movie did well enough to get a sequel made,but avoid that sucker at all costs. The first one is the best in bringing home the horror:

To see what all the fearsome fuss was about with Creepshow and others like it,check out 1972's Tales From The Crypt,based directly on the infamous EC comics themselves.

It's a British production starring Joan Collins,Peter Cushing and Ralph Richardson as the Crypt Keeper,who leads a group of strangers into a cave and tells them some pretty freaky stories,several of which were remade for the HBO series back in the nineties.

As much as I liked the HBO version(the first couple of seasons,anyway),the movies made from that revival had solo stories to tell,with a Crypt Keeper front and end skit to round the action out. Demon Knight is the better one of the two,yet still it's not quite right. Hello,it's TALES from the Crypt,not a Tale!:

Hopefully,Hollywood will dig this tattered format out of the horror movie basement,dust it off and give it a snazzy new presentation. In the meantime,we'll just have to make do with those already on the shelf or get creative with some homemade Halloween story telling hijinks to liven up the festivities this year(pranks are optional):

Should Little Women run with the werewolves?

noreply@blogger.com (lady t) — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 16:48:00 +0000

The classic lit monster mash started up by Pride and Prejudice and Zombies is heading towards American authors as well. Recently,Del Rey Books announced the purchase of Little Women and Werewolves,to be written by Porter Grand. No release date has been mentioned but it'll most likely be out and about sometime next year.

While I enjoy this sub genre quite a bit,I have some doubts concerning this one. If the writer was going for a Ginger Snaps vibe with the material,that would be cool but based on the plot description given,it doesn't look that way at all:

"In this retelling of Louisa May Alcott's classic, the beloved little women must keep not just the wolf, but the werewolves, from the door...and the kindly old gentlemen next door and his grandson may have some secrets to hide--or share with the March girls."

Laurie and old Mr. Laurence as werewolves? Sorry,but that just doesn't work for me. Even if they turn out to be fearless werewolf hunters instead,the story would work better if one of the March girls wound up barking at the moon-why not Beth?

The poor girl's doomed any way here,so let her go out with a real bang(delivered by a silver bullet borrowed from the Laurences,courtesy of Jo in a heartbreaking sequence of events)! You could chose Amy as well,I suppose-she's always had a bad case of grandiosity and becoming a four legged beast might be a humbling experience for her:

True,I am a huge fan of Louisa May Alcott's book but that doesn't mean that I consider this material to be sacred text. On the contrary,out of respect for the novel and it's many readers,higher standards are set for any parody/re-imagining/modern day take.

Meg taking up a werewolf lifestyle is hard to imagine. She strives so much for the neat,orderly life of a proper lady that it would be tempting to throw such a huge monkey wrench into her plans.

However,I see her more as the werewolf hunter type. Meg may appear to be a Mary Meek and Mild kind of gal but when her loved ones are under attack,she becomes quite a fearsome foe. If the likes of Aunt March couldn't scare Meg off from marrying the man of her choice,not even a pack of bloodthirsty shapeshifters have a chance in hell against her:

Jo,on the other hand,would be as equally at home on either side of the moon in this hairy situation. Her quick temper and fiery independent nature would be a bonus,not to mention adding some extra angst in her personal struggles to develop a mature level of self control.

Whether she's slinging a shotgun at them or literally running with the wolves,one thing is for certain-Jo's refusal to marry Laurie would make a lot more sense(to some folks)with such a burden to carry along her Pilgrim's Progress:

Werewolves do fit in with strong female characters in paranormal fiction,with such fine examples as Kelley Armstrong's Elena and Carrie Vaughn's Kitty Norville. It is possible to make this match up work and with any luck,attract a fresh new audience of readers as well.

At this point,it's a wait and see game. Hopefully,Little Women and Werewolves will be a fun addition to your library of classic change ups and not a disappointment. The March sisters do deserve the best. There have been many wonderful adaptations of this story and it would be nice to have another to put on the shelves,even if there was more bite than the usual bark of sweetness this time around:

The Nip/Tuck Book Club,in a waiting room near you

noreply@blogger.com (lady t) — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 15:53:00 +0000

Some shows are so popular that they inspire fans of it to find different venues to express their devotion to it. Gilmore Girls and Mad Men,for example,have folks reading books that either are directly connected to the series or invoke the imaginative atmosphere that their favorite characters frolic in each week.

I like this idea and think that it can be extended to shows that don't seem to be a haven for any sort of literature. Inspiration can be best found in the most unexpected places,after all,which many of the better shows on cable TV thrive on as well.

For example,the dramatic high points and sharp,sometimes deadly,slices of social satire of a series like Nip/Tuck(which is starting it's sixth season this week)has all of the juicy details that make for a grandly entertaining bestseller or beach book. In the interest of taking two great things that taste great together,here are my suggestions for the Nip/Tuck Book Club:

ADORED/TILLY BAGSHAWE

One of the attractions of Nip/Tuck is the inside look the show takes into the lives of the rich and occasionally famous. Tilly Bagshawe's debut novel,Adored,is a modern day take on the old school approach to the sexy saga style of writing that follows Sienna McMahon,a descendant of Hollywood royalty on her own path to fame and fortune.

Sienna's journey is rife with glamor and bouts of tragic happenings,very much like many of the plot line of Nip/Tuck. It also has a kicky,almost musical bounce to the proceedings that mirror some of the tone that creator Ryan Murphy has infused into the show as well:

THE LOVE MACHINE/JACQUELINE SUSANN

The title of this book sounds like a description of Christian Troy(Julian McMahon),the wickedly charming seducer that Nip/Tuck fans love to hate and hate to love,not to mention many of his ex-lovers. However,this funtastic little number was written well before his time by the delightful diva Jacqueline Susann back in 1969.

It tells the tale of TV exec Robin Stone,whose road to the top is accompanied by several ladies that are willing to do anything to be his number one. The lengths that some of them go to to and the vengeance taken upon the gals abandoned on the way side would even make Christian pause in his hedonistic pursuits there(for a moment,at least):

FLAVOR OF THE MONTH/OLIVIA GOLDSMITH

Plastic surgery is the key component of Nip/Tuck's ties that bind and the basis of some who need to keep their use of it as a secret. In Flavor of The Month,Mary Jane Moran undergoes massive plastic surgery to shed her heavy girl persona and transform into Jahne Moore,slim and sexy actress who becomes one of three Hollywood hopefuls to star on a hit TV series.

Her co-stars have plenty of skeletons locked inside their closets,such as naive Sharleen Smith whose love for her dim witted half brother is less than fraternal and Lila Kyle,a show business brat with a couple of shockers worthy of a N/T season finale.

MISERY/STEPHEN KING

"Hey,Lady T-this is a horror novel! It doesn't belong here,does it?" Actually,it does,folks because another fun element of N/T is the gruesome craziness that pops up from time to time,like a Halloween haunted house prop.

From the reign of terror that serial slasher The Craver embarked on during Season 3,to Sean McNamara's near death experience at the hands of obsessed former "agent" Colleen during the Season 4 finale and S5 opening episode,there has been gallons of blood spilled both inside and out of the operating room.

I chose Misery due to Annie Wilkes' medical background that makes her imprisonment of her favorite writer Paul Sheldon all the easier for her to keep him contained in her brutal bell jar:

THE GARGOYLE/ANDREW DAVIDSON

Twisted love is another pillar of Nip/Tuck,from Sean and Christian's on again,off again romances with Julia to Matt and his ever widening array of offbeat lovers.

The Gargoyle is the perfect pick-me-up for that sorry lot,with it's badly burned protagonist(a drug using pornographer)becoming a captive audience to sculptress Marianne's tales of lost love throughout the ages that she claims is the story of their own intended romance. Like the song says,love is strange:

Perhaps this show may not be your particular cup of tea or as a longtime fan,you might feel that all of the flavor has been chewed up and spit out for a while now. Nonetheless,it's hard to deny the bizarre appeal of this too weird to be true series and the crazy antics that these folks get themselves into. The books,however,are worth reading and might give you some extra food for thought or at least a welcome retreat during the commercial breaks. In tough times like these,escapist entertainment is worth it's weight in gold:

All the world's a stage but please observe the "No Talking" sign,won't you?

noreply@blogger.com (lady t) — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 16:05:00 +0000

An amusing clip that made it's way around the internet recently was of Hugh Jackman breaking character during his performance of "A Steady Rain" to talk back at an audience member who had their cell phone on. The ringing was so distracting that even co-star Daniel Craig chimed in with his own complaint later:

While it is rude to leave a cell phone on at a public entertainment(especially during a live production)some people thought Jackman was being too hard on the offender there. This is an ancient debate and I thought a good way to discuss the pros and cons of the issue would be thru video.

Talking back at on stage action is a well known tradition,going back to the days of Shakespeare,along with audience members holding conversations loud enough to drown out the dialogue. Those who did so were usually among the upper class and well used to ignoring the concerns of others,a distinction that held on even when theater became an important part of the American artistic experience:

As technology improved and made movies the next big thing in group entertainment,the talkative types followed along suit. Shouting back at the screen did enhance the fun factor of certain genre films but the combination of that with cell phone use and bad timing has caused near riots in several theaters and swift street justice delivered upon the annoying:

Some forms of theatrical events have embraced interaction from the audience whether positive or negative. Stand up comedians have long honed their craft with the aid of hecklers, a number of whom had so much field time that it's a wonder they haven't formed their own union or at least their own award show:

Every now and then,sabotage comes from within as actors allow their personal problems to manifest themselves during show time and give the folks in their seats a little something extra for their money:

While this dilemma may never be fully resolved to everyone's satisfaction,perhaps that is truly for the best. Part of the thrill of going to any show is the possibility of spontaneity,the chance that something will happen that makes things awfully wonderful.

No doubt many of the people at that performance of "A Steady Rain" will have extra special memories from that outburst of Jackman's and altho that shouldn't be taken as an endorsement of rude interruptions,it can lead to unexpected heroics that become the highlight of an artist's career. You never know when the magic's going to happen,so sometimes it's just better to roll with it:

Top Chef gets served at a dinner party,TAR's Lance is no lion and an Office wedding

noreply@blogger.com (lady t) — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 15:38:00 +0000

Top Chef was back last night and the guest judge for this round was Tyler Florence,who started things off with a Quickfire that had each chef use a specially made slot machine to pick three random words to make a dish. Kevin won with his "stressed,hot and Asian" entry of a Vietnamese herb salad with char grilled pork.

It was particularly,especially to Tyler Florence,that Kevin hadn't worked with Asian food before and turned out such a well blended dish. This was a High Stakes QF,so Kevin was given the choice of either getting immunity or 15 grand. Since he's talented enough to not worry about screwing up in the kitchen,he took the money.

The chefs then went home to find out about the Elimination Challenge. Waiting for them in the backyard was Padma,Tyler and members of Macy's Culinary Council(a food charity sponsored by Macy's and headed up by Tyler). Each council member was a well known chef and they all had bags of ingredients.

The challenge was to make family style food for a dinner party attended by the Culinary Council and the judges. A knife pull divided everyone up into teams of two that had to use the ingredients provided by one of the Council. They had three hours to cook,using all of the kitchen space in the house,and serve the food outside.

Laurine hooked up with Brian V,and their halibut with polenta cake and sherry chorizo vinaigrette pleased all of the guests,particularly Tyler Florence whose bag of goodies they wound up with. They landed in the Top Two this round and perhaps the only reason they didn't win was because Tyler didn't want to play favorites there.

Jennifer and Kevin worked together with Tom Douglas' foodstuffs and won the challenge with their barbecued kobe beef and cardimom tomato broth. Jennifer had been feeling sick most of the day(which caused her to flop during the OF),so this win had extra bounce for her.

She made the broth,which was so good that she won a special prize-a gift card from Macy's for ten grand. Nice! I thought it was sweet of her to say she planned on sharing some of that with Kevin,hope he did get a suit out of it.

The Brothers Voltaggio were represented at the Bottom as well as the Top. Michael and Ash used Nancy Silverton's offering to make a hailbut wrapped in pancetta with an egg yolk ravoli that dive bombed,big time.

The fish was overcooked,the pancetta wasn't crispy enough and the ravoli was generally considered to be a bad idea all around. Michael brought up the fact that a power failure occurred during cooking,which affected the fish but no one was buying that. He had taken over this whole challenge and Ash threw himself under the bus,so awed he is of the Brothers Voltaggio. Ash,I get that but that is no reason to sell yourself short.

The one who was sent off to pack her knives was Ashley. She and Eli took Govind Armstrong's sack of food and made prawns with red beet sauce and gnocchi. Ashley undercooked the prawns and left Eli to finish off the gnocchi which he over salted. Since she seemed to be the leader,Ashley took the fall here.

Next week,things are going to be extra tense due to a special mystery guest judge and it looks like there will be more sniping at Robin. I didn't like the way Mikey Isabella treated her as his partner for this last round,which was incredibly stupid of him since they were given Asian ingredients from Takashi Yagihashi that he wasn't familiar with and Robin was. Maybe your dish would've stood out more,Mikey,if you had used that wealth of knowledge right next to you:

Another team that annoys me on this season's The Amazing Race is Lance and Keri,who are a soon to be married couple. Lance is a lawyer and no doubt his obnoxious ego is a plus in his line of work. At the start of this leg,he declared that he and Keri were "lions" and the rest of the teams were just "gazelles" waiting to be pick off.

Well,Lance the Lion and Keri,his Lioness started off on the wrong foot from minute one and barely managed to make it to the Pit Stop on time. They were so slow on the uptake,especially when they didn't understand that the first clue(which was in a small cylinder)was already handed to them,making them late for the Detour.

They need to get their act together right quick,because this game is only going to get harder as they go along:

Tonight on The Office,Jim and Pam are finally getting married and it looks like this will be a great episode to remember. I know that the standard myth of "once they get married,the show's all over" but as TV critic Alan Sepinwall points out,it's really more of a lack of what to do next creatively than the tease portion of the romance being over that leads to the end of a show.

I've been an on and off fan of The Office,but have always loved the PB&J story line and am giddy with glee about this continuation of their love story. It should be pretty damn funny as well,with Michael and the rest of the gang bringing their own special brand of nuttiness to the festivities(not to mention some interesting gifts):

RANDOM NOTES

NIP/TUCK: The new season starts up next week and while the over blown shenanigans at McNamara/Troy are beyond the boundaries of over the top ness,I'll still check it out. As much as I'm trying to like Glee,my main preference for Ryan Murphy madness is this regular two man show:

To be or not to be in support of Roman Polanski?

noreply@blogger.com (lady t) — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 15:53:00 +0000

I wasn't going to get into the Roman Polanski arrest debate,seeing as how he was already going to face the music there and no amount of words could affect that one way or the other. However,listening to some of the defenses and cries of "injustice" from the Hollywood community regarding this whole messy matter,I think it's time to put my two cents in.

Since the woman in question who was victimized by Polanski back when she was thirteen has said she's forgiven him and doesn't want to prosecute,I was willing to respect her wishes. Yet,after Whoopi Goldberg and Melissa Gilbert went on The View with this as a Hot Topic in which Whoopi insisted that this wasn't a "rape-rape",my mind was changed rather quickly:

Whoopi has clarified her statement since then,but one of the things that really bothered me was Melissa Gilbert's notion of a "gray,mushy area" due to the girl's mother having brought her daughter to the house where it happened. To me,that's like saying "Well,if all of those people hadn't taken their kids to Jonestown,they wouldn't had to poison the fruit juice."

It doesn't matter who took her over there,the point is that a violent crime was committed and that Polanski has avoided the consequences of his actions for over thirty years. For Whoopi to go on and on about how sexual mores are different in Europe and Melissa Gilbert giving a wink and a nod to the notion that maybe Roman would be keeping a sharper eye on his own daughter is crass,to say the least(plus,what would Pa Ingalls think,Half Pint?)

Fortunately,not everyone in the entertainment business thinks that Polanski deserves a free pass. Folks like Salma Hayek,Greg Grunberg and Chris Rock are making their opinions well known here and good for them:

It's time that Hollywood inoculated itself from Director-itis,that blind spot where anything a director does in his personal life should be pardoned because he's a great artist(it's similar to Lead Singer Syndrome in the music world). It's no surprise to me that Woody Allen was one of the first to sign a petition for dropping this case and some of the others who did the same really ought to rethink this through.

Yes,I know that Polanski lost loved ones to the Nazis during WWII and Sharon Tate due to the hideous Manson family,but that does NOT give him free license to violate another person. Plenty of other people had suffered similar,if not worse,tragedies in their lives and have gone out of their way to become better human beings,out of respect for the memories of their dearly departed. Nobody's perfect or expected to cope with tough curves that life throws you the same way as someone else does,yet acting like this is just a minor quibble that needs to be swept under the rug is wrong,no matter how you slice it.

Some say that Hollywood has no morals,especially when it comes to their own. That's not true-the difference between right and wrong within that circle is not a foreign concept. It's just easier for some to make excuses for the sins of others than to make what may be an unpopular stand amongst their peers. Sorry to have to go down such a serious road,folks,but I think it may help more of the silent majority in the entertainment industry to speak their minds if they know just how all of us feel.

Hollywood supporters of Polanski,you need to check yourself before you wreck yourself. If you can make movies about how terrible rape is,no matter what the circumstances,then you can also take that same message into the real world where it counts the most:

Announcing the winners of our fabulous Fat Cat Giveaway!

noreply@blogger.com (lady t) — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 15:15:00 +0000

Today,the biggest book giveaway at LRG ends,happily as a fairy tale. The amount of responses to this contest has been wonderful and before we begin,I would like to thank author Robin Brande for allowing me to do this for her. Fat Cat is a good,smart read that,in my opinion, I think both teens and adults will appreciate and enjoy.

Okay,time to get down to business-(announcer approaches the stage,taps microphone to make sure it's working)-and without further delay...(rustle of papers,some of which fall to the ground.) The winners of the Fat Cat book and T shirt giveaway are:

LYNZ PICKLES

KATIESIS

SARAH

ALLISON

And last but not least, BOOK WEIRDO!

(Thunderous applause;Kayne West is prevented from coming on stage)Congratulations to one and all and to claim your prize,please send your mailing address and shirt size preferred to me at livingreadgirl@yahoo.com and I will pass them on to Robin for processing. Your information will be kept confidential.

As a thanks to everyone who entered,we have a few videos to share that showcase some of the favorite fictional scientists mentioned by our contestants. First up is The Big Bang Theory,which has book smart but not always social savvy leading men at the helm. What they lack in suave,they more than make up for in pop culture creativity:

From the Muppet Show,Dr. Bunsen Honeydew and his assistant Beaker managed to make science entertaining and occasionally hazardous duty for poor Beaker:

Criminal Minds has a unique blend of folks with street smarts and scientific savvy to hunt down the bad guys but one of them,Spencer Reid,has caught the eye of many a fan who likes her man sweetly silly as well as cleverly crime solving:

A vote was put in for Bill Nye,The Science Guy,with some doubt about it due to his being a real person. However,since his show took an offbeat approach to educating young viewers about science,it's only right that he get a nod. My sister liked his show a lot and I can see why. Too bad more science classes in school were never as amusing as this:

One of my favorite shows is Heroes and Mohinder Suresh(who sadly is no longer a part of the cast)was a great example of a man striving to do good with the scientific knowledge acquired first by his father and then himself. Mohinder wasn't above making mistakes but he always tried to be on the right side of the extraordinary situations that came his way:

To end things on a musical note,here's Dr. Horrible at the moment of his greatest triumph just before the bitter irony sets in. Thanks again,everyone and remember,when being attacked by a mad scientist,it's a good idea to spell his name right:

Who deserves the horrifying honor of being the ultimate vampire novel?

noreply@blogger.com (lady t) — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 16:08:00 +0000

With Halloween only a few weeks away and vampires being in vogue at this particular pop culture moment,it seems like the perfect time to talk about which book should win the gruesome glory of being considered the ultimate vampire novel.

While most people will automatically say "Dracula,duh!",that answer may not get the popular support of the ever growing fang loving fan base there. Thanks to the great success of TV series such as True Blood and the new teen hit The Vampire Diaries(based on L.J. Smith's YA series),other takes on the classic creatures of the night are being held in higher estimate and in some quarters,are much better known.

A few of the disgruntled will point fingers at the Twilight saga for this,but really,it's more due to the modern day flairs and new twists and tweaks that make the current crop of vamps look sexier and extra enticing than the old blood. Sort of a tried and true method amongst vampires themselves,no matter what the mythology of the moment.

Nonetheless,there are certain standard bearers in this genre and since the continuing strength and stamina of it comes from literature,the importance of reading the classics as well as acknowledging the ground breakers is crucial. To start off,let's look at the Top Five contenders for the ultimate title:

1) DRACULA/BRAM STOKER

Altho vampires have made appearances in myths around the world,their best spokesman has always been the Count himself. Bram Stoker's novel hosts a variety of terror themes that still resonate today such as fear of foreign influences,the alarming advancement of technology and untimely ends for the innocent.

The book's ultimate appeal is the underlying sexuality of the story,particularly towards the ladies,some of whom become predators as well as prey. While the novel doesn't make Dracula a romantic figure,the majority of film and stage versions do in order to sell it to audiences wanting a little dramatic tension. The book may seem tame in that department for readers of our time but to the Victorians who first discovered it,Dracula was hot stuff:

2)INTERVIEW WITH THE VAMPIRE/ANNE RICE

While Dracula got the ball rolling,no one can deny that Anne Rice's unexpected bestseller gave vampires a much needed transfusion of cultural currency back in the mid-Seventies. She embraced the sensuousness that surrounded the genre,due to the many movie versions made over the years,and added a few fresh components that would've been taboo to even mention in "polite society" back in Stoker's day.

The numerous follow-ups to the first book wound up getting more convoluted,which lead to Rice taking a break from the genre,but the power of the one that started it all is undeniable:

3)'SALEM'S LOT/STEPHEN KING

Another entry from the 1970's,Stephen King was fast becoming a household name when his notion of "What would Dracula do these days?"hit bookshelves and caught the eager imaginations of readers delighted to be frightened by the thought of their small town friends and neighbors turning into legions of the undead.

King blended the vampire legend with the shiny,happy allure of Americana that conceals a tidy mess of secrets and lies,a cross between Dracula and Peyton Place. Two TV miniseries have been made from the book but the real flavor of the fear factor is still within the pages:

4)DEAD UNTIL DARK/CHARLAINE HARRIS

The shift in social mores has also produced a change in focus regarding female characters. Thanks to the likes of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and characters such as Anita Blake and Damali Richards,women have gone from swooning victims to formidable foes against the vampire hordes(altho not without the risk of falling in love with the enemy).

While the kick butt antics have been fun to watch,the need for a more vulnerable but still feisty heroine has been meet by Sookie Stackhouse,the mind reading waitress from Charlaine Harris' Southern Vampire series.

In many ways,Sookie has a lot of the same problems as most regular folks such as a never-do-well brother, a hectic work schedule and a troublesome boyfriend named Bill. The only difference is that Bill's a vampire,her boss is a shapeshifter and many of the troubles coming to their little Louisiana hometown have inhuman teeth that bite. The HBO series inspired by the books keeps true enough to the original intentions of the author while making a few new creative steps along the way:

5)TWILIGHT/STEPHENIE MEYER

Love it or hate it,the power of Stephenie Meyer's saga of sparkle vampires is impressive indeed. She may not get the respect that some of the other players in this field get but her storytelling skills are not to be denied.

While you may quibble about the healthiness of Bella and Edward's relationship or the retake on vampire lore presented,Meyer does invoke the tentative terrors of budding romance while allowing her characters to act as realistically as possible within their unusual circumstances.

There's a reason that Twilight has fans amongst adults as well as teens and that is due to the timeless appeal of finding your true love and accepting whatever obstacles that may rise up to stand in your way:

So,which one is the ultimate vampire novel? I think that I'll let you folks decide for yourselves by putting up a poll for you to vote in and please feel free to make other selections known by adding a comment to this post. Feedback is the lifeblood of any fandom,with the understanding that agreeing to disagree is the best policy. This debate is meant to bring people together and not tear them apart,literally or otherwise. With that in mind,okay ramblers,let's get to rambling!: