Beware the bad light that the Green Lantern movie may put future DC Comics films in

I may be a broken record on this subject but I can't help but feel strongly that this week's new DC Comics film adaptation,Green Lantern,is going to be a colossal failure. Part of my basis for doubt is due to casting Ryan Reynolds as Hal Jordan,a guy who's far too snarky to pull this role off.

Also,the persistent display of CGI,from GL's costume to the outer space menace heading for Earth that only Hal Jordan can defeat,plus his new buddies from Planet Oa,further strengthens my fear that once again, DC has dropped the ball in introducing another one of their legendary characters to the silver screen.



Now,before anyone gets too riled up,I will acknowledge that Marvel has had it's fair share of flops here. It would hard to deny that,especially with the likes of Elektra,Ghost Rider and Howard the Duck on their cinematic resume.

However,Marvel seems to bounce back better from such screw-ups-take for example the ill conceived Ang Lee version of The Hulk back in 2003.

Marvel managed to reboot the Hulk in 2008 and it was successful enough to ensure Bruce Banner's presence in the upcoming Avengers film,along side Iron Man,Thor and Captain America. Not to mention that Marvel has so far had a nice run at the movies this season with Thor and X-Men: First Class.

DC,on the other hand,has had it's only luck in recent years with Christopher Nolan's revival of the Batman movies. At the moment,they're still trying to shake off the bad vibes from last summer's Jonah Hex,which opened and closed faster than a speeding bullet. A shoddy script and editing more sliced up than the hero's face contributed to making that movie a sure fire clunker(with the jinx of Megan Fox on top of that):





Let's face it,folks-DC has quite a track record when it comes to introducing lesser known characters in bad films and then dropping any interest in remaking their movie image.

One of their most notorious let downs was 2004's Catwoman,that made the crucial error of attempting to turn a major villain into a hero.

Granted,Catwoman can be rightly deemed an anti-hero but by completely changing her origin,right down to giving her a new name-Patience Phillips is not as sinister sounding as Selina Kyle-and forcing a trashy alter ego outfit on Halle Berry(who truly earned her Razzie award for worst actress that year) sealed the deal for failure here:





Digging further back into their cinematic closet of shame,we unearth Swamp Thing from the depths of 1982. You would think that having Wes Craven in the director's chair for this one was a smart idea. Unfortunately,this was one of those times when Craven was having an off moment in film and it turned to dross instead of gold.

With plenty of hammy overacting from Louis Jordan,Adrienne Barbeau getting not much more to do than kick a little butt before becoming the damsel in distress and some really sad special effects,Swamp Thing become an overcooked campy comic book mess. It was the kind of pulp fiction that oozed it's wonky story telling from every pore:





Two years after Swamp Thing slunk away,audiences had the dubious pleasure of meeting Supergirl in the form of Helen Slater, surrounded by the most unlikely cast of stars such as Peter O'Toole,Brenda Vaccaro and Faye Dunaway.

Faye's scenery stomping as the evil sorceress here gives her over the top antics in Mommie Dearest a real run for her money. It's actually one of the fun parts of this incredibly goofy flick,which is a personal bad movie favorite of mine.

What might have helped the movie somewhat would have been the presence of Superman but Christopher Reeve backed out of the cameo that he was scheduled to make in this film. Then again,it may have not made much of a difference,all things considered:



My final word on this matter to DC is this;please do better by your superheroes when they hit Hollywood. Superman and Batman have done well,for the most part,but it would be nice to see the likes of Wonder Woman,Green Arrow or even Aquaman getting a decent shot at becoming a great film.

As to Green Lantern-good luck there,pal because you're really going to need it with Thor and the X-Men on point at the multiplex these days:

Do you prefer your Jane Austen naughty or nice?

The loudest bit of buzz amongst the Jane Austen crowd these days is about the upcoming release of another new version of Pride and Prejudice that promises to be extra spicy.

Erotica author Mitzi Szereto's novel Pride & Prejudice:Hidden Lusts,due out in July,has Elizabeth competing with Mr. Bingley and his sister for the amorous affections of Mr. Darcy while making Lydia a nymphomaniac,Lady Catherine somewhat of a dominatrix and Mr. Bennet sharing a certain Congressman in New York's passion for risque pictures.

This will certainly steam up many a tea cup,particularly for those who hold a preference for the more subtle shades of romantic desire found within the works of Austen. To each his/her own in this regard,I say but I also must say that this is not the first time that Jane Austen's novels have been given the NC-17 treatment:





No doubt that plenty of long time Austen fans recall the days when the most notorious Jane related fiction was Linda Berdoll's The Bar Sinister,a P&P sequel that dared to delve into the bedroom antics of Lizzy and Darcy.

During my time as a bookseller,I had a customer who wanted to order it but it was a hard to get item and so I recommended that she try a Jane Austen specialty website to find the book.

I contacted the lady who ran that site,who informed that she didn't carry that novel due to it's "pornographic" nature. I had no idea that was the case and didn't get a chance to look at The Bar Sinister until it was picked up by Sourcebooks and retitled Mr. Darcy Takes a Wife.



In terms of shock valve, Mr. Darcy Takes a Wife is a little unsettling at first but I personally came close to laughing out loud during the scene where Lydia insists on educating her older sisters about what sex is like.

It's very much like her to be so proud of what vast knowledge she believes that she's acquired over Lizzy and Jane that even Elizabeth has to bite her tongue to keep her amusement at bay.

Berdoll put out a sequel to her P&P sequel a couple of years later called Elizabeth and Darcy:Days and Nights at Pemberley. That book did well enough but I find it intriguing that Mr. Darcy is always the one to be at the center of such fantasies,out of all of the leading men that have graced the pages of Austen's work.

To be sure,he is a fine specimen,even with his faults of temper and reluctance to forgive weakness in others,but despite the legion of other Austen leading men such as Colonel Brandon,Mr. Knightley,Henry Tilney and Captain Wentworth,Fitzwilliam Darcy is still our most popular poster boy:





Even in parodies,Darcy and the rest of the P&P gang is the prime target of red hot raunchy imaginings. Pride and Promiscuity:The Lost Sex Scenes of Jane Austen, which was written by Dennis Ashton and Arielle Eckstut back in 2001 had a good number of sexy little sketches featuring Mr. Darcy and Lizzie,one of which was actually funny.

There were other Austen characters on silly sexed up display,such as Emma,the Dashwood sister and even poor Fanny Price but the P&P based ones were in full force there. I did have the misfortune to read through all of that book when it came out and found it more groan than giggle inducing.

Despite that distasteful tome,the Darcy love is alive and well amongst readers and movie goers at least. One does have to wonder if any man did try to act like Darcy in real life, would he stand any serious chance in claiming the heart of a modern day woman? Maybe but more likely,maybe not depending upon his approach:





So,while this new saucy take on Pride and Prejudice will have it's day in the sun or night on the town(take your pick),the real question should be "Where are all the sexy books about the rest of the Austen men?" I know that there have been follow-ups to nearly every one of Jane Austen's celebrated novels but it does seem that Pride and Prejudice is getting more than their fair share of notoriety in this department.

After all, there are plenty of folks who would be eager to put down some cold hard cash to check out the erotic adventures of fellows such as Edward Ferrars,Frank Churchill and Henry Crawford,for starters.

Why limit your lustful wanderings to the estate of Pemberley,where there are other delights to surely found within Austen country? Of course,you don't have to go down that road if you wish,but for those who do,an expansion of that Regency catwalk would give your favorite Austen gent a nice little turn for your entertainment indeed:

This pair of reading celebrations reveal the family ties that bind such books together in your heart

For readers,books about books are complete and utter catnip but the best ones offer more than just a handy list of reading recommendations. They talk about what drives the author to take up a book,the personal connection that person has to one set of titles over the other and that special someone in their life who encouraged to enjoy the delights of literature in the first place.

There are currently two new books on this subject that blend family memories into the love of reading. First up is The Reading Promise by Alice Ozma,which chronicles a lengthy bonding experience with her father over books. Part of their daily routine was "The Streak",a challenge to see how long Alice's father could read to her every night before bedtime.

Her older sister started this tradition but called it off as the pre-teen years approached. Alice and her father,a public school librarian,kept it going until her first day at college. This constant pattern helped to keep their relationship flourishing through good times and bad,not to mention the particular challenges that faced a single father raising a daughter.



The book is a mix of memoir and literary love,as Alice talks about her childhood and the growing awareness that her father is just as vulnerable and in need of nurturing at times as she is. Whether they were mourning the death of a loved one or trying to find the perfect prom dress,the differences in their methods to deal with each dilemma refused to be permanent dividing points between father and daughter.

Her precocious nature may remind you of many a sassy young heroine such as Anne of Green Gables,Pippi Longstocking or Judy Moody but Alice is a very real and engaging person,who turned out that way in part due to her dad's quirky but encouraging love and guidance.

Alice was even confident enough to chose her two middle names as her true moniker,another tribute to her dad and their shared pleasure in the Oz series and going through the literary looking glass together:



While The Reading Promise is an ideal Father's Day gift,this is a book that can be read and enjoyed at any time. Inspired by her dad's example of keeping the joy of reading aloud alive,Alice is out spreading the good word about doing so in your own life. Even if you don't have kids,The Reading Promise is worth undertaking and worthy reading:





The other title on display here is a bit more somber,as author Nina Sankovitch decides to pursue a goal of reading one book a day for a year in Tolstoy and the Purple Chair.

Her motivation for doing this is as a means of consolation-her beloved older sister Anne-Marie died from a horrible bout of cancer and one of the many joys they shared was reading.

Nina made a small set of rules regarding her book project;no rereads,no reading more than one book of any chosen author and she had to review every one at her website called Read All Day.



Nina worked her goal in and around her daily schedule and family responsibilities,with the help and support of her nearest and dearest as well. She also went over some family history regarding her parents,survivors of war and oppression who came to America to find a better life.

While there are strong moments of sadness in this book,there are plenty of passages that celebrate the joy of living such as the reminiscences of Christmas family traditions,both old and new,and the delight in discovering engaging books by either new authors or older titles from favorites past.

The range of books selected by Sankovitch went from The Haunted Man and the Ghost's Bargain by Charles Dickens to Chris Cleave's Little Bee and a real emotional touchstone,The Elegance of the Hedgehog:



Tolstoy and the Purple Chair does offer some personal insights of the author upon many of her reads while allowing the reader to see if this book or that might hold a different yet identifiable meaning for themselves. Both as a memorial to her dearly loved sister and a renewal of herself,Nina Sankovitch lets her love of reading open the door to healing her heart and invites you warmly in:



If you check out either or both of these wonderful titles,I hope that they help you to appreciate your family ties as well as the pleasures of reading. Of course,you don't have to have a blood bond with someone in order to like the same books but it can feel as if you made a long lost familial connection when you encounter a fellow bibliophile,even if they're a world away:

TC Masters stir up a salute,The Next Food Network Star and a last dance on Game of Thrones

The Final Four contenders assembled on Top Chef Masters to see what their last Quickfire challenge would be and boy,was it a doozy. A dividing wall was set up at each cooking station and the chefs had to wear blindfolds in order not to see their mystery partner,who they had to instruct verbally to make a dish identical to their own.



Their mystery partners turned out to be family members;Floyd had his sister as did Mary Sue,Naomi was teamed with her dad(who she unwittingly yelled at quite a bit but apparently he's used to it)and Traci worked with her brother Mitch.

She and Mitch made halibut with asparagus in a brown butter balsamic vinaigrette that were practically twin dishes of delight,which won the challenge for her charity yet again.



We are family was the big theme this week,as their next to last Elimination challenge offered the chefs a knife pull to see which branch of the military they would be cooking for.

Each chef had to make a buffet style dinner for their service man returning from active duty,along with their family and friends. It was nearly four hundred people in total and with no additional help,this was a lot of work for the chefs. However,they felt it was more than worth to honor the men and women in service to our country.

A member of each family met with one of the Final Four to give them a heads up on what favorite foods would ideal for the menu. The judges joined in with the families to sample each meal and at the end of the dinner,Curtis Stone announced that all of the folks there would be getting passes to Universal Studios Theme Park,very nice!



Floyd had an Army man to cook for,who wasn't a fan of the spices that he loves to add to his food which made the challenge extra tricky for Floyd. However,he did slip in a little kick with a tamarind margarita and pomegranate seeds in the spinach salad. His beef tenderloin pleased most of the diner's palates but his meal seemed to be a tad restrained,according to the judges.

He was really hoping for a win here,since he hasn't had many during this competition. After the meal,the service man whom Floyd cooked for came up to him to give him a personal thanks via a special coin. That gesture made Floyd feel that he had won a bigger victory that day.



Mary Sue was the official winner,with her tomatillo barbecue ribs and avocado corn relish. Her Marine officer emigrated to the U.S. from Guatemala and even took his citizenship vows while stationed in Afghanistan.

Since this was a family who loved spices,she served up with style and a sweet disposition. The apple and cream cheese bread pudding she made for dessert was a big hit as well.



Traci's Navy man was a meatloaf fan,something that she is certainly not into at all. While the folks eating her version of it liked the fact that it wasn't coated in ketchup,James Oselund found it to be rather salty.

Personally,I prefer some sauce on my meatloaf(tomato is my one and only choice)and what Traci served up looked too dry for my taste. The overall plate appeared to be pretty basic in general to the judges,who wanted Traci to season the food with a touch of her style.



Sent off to pack her knives,Naomi did please her Air Force folk with Hawaiian food similar to what they're used to eating at home. However,as much as her ahi tuna poke and barbecued pork was appreciated,the rice salad felt out of place and some of the shrimp was undercooked.

The judges admitted that they had to split hairs at this point in the competition and Naomi's charity has won some money there,so it's all good. Next week is the finale and the heat is on in more ways than one. My best guess for the win here is Mary Sue but don't count Floyd out just yet. You never know when an underdog is ready to make his comeback.



A whole lot of shaking and slaughtering was going on during the latest episode of Game of Thrones,as Ned's plans to put a true king on the Iron Throne went horribly wrong.

His kids had to face the music right along with him,as Sansa was put on the spot to side with the Lannisters,Robb chose to mount an army and Jon Snow was distracted from his distress over the situation by encountering a couple of White Walkers.

At least one Stark was able to flee capture at King's Landing,thanks to the vigilance of her "dancing master",Syrio Forel. Ned did one thing right at least,in choosing such a man to train his tomboy daughter in the art of combat. A man who can take on a dozen armed men with only a wooden sword and still make one hell of a stand is someone to treat with respect and then some. As long as Arya remembers what to say to the god of death,she'll be alright:





The new season of The Next Food Network Star began and it turns out that Nora Dunn from Saturday Night Live is not one of the contestants. You have to admit tho,that Mary Beth certainly resembles her enough to be mistaken for her little sister or doppelganger.

After an initial first challenge where the contenders had to showcase their show concept with a breakfast dish,everyone was sent to an outdoor market to film promos. It was a team challenge,with only four takes allowed to each group and if one person messed up,the filming stopped and had to start all over again.



That did cause a few feathers to ruffle but the real tension came from the second half of that challenge,which was to cook a four course tasting menu. The team that laid on the chopping block consisted of Howie,Vic and Jyll(yes,that is how she spells her name-why,I don't know). Vic had plating issues in both rounds,the second time not really being his fault due to a mishap in the kitchen.

Jyll's cooking time was compromised by Howie,who had bragged about his "novice" status early on to the judges. Howie basically treated Jyll like his sous chef and to be fair,she kept giving in there and put her own plate in jeopardy. She tried to talk to him about it later but his whole attitude was "too bad for you!"

Well, that came back to bite him as the gnocci Howie made was a sticky mess that sent him home. It's a little too soon to pick favorites but Orchid made a nice impression on me and Penny the complete opposite. Let's see how they fare next week against judges such as Anne Burrell and Scot Conant:



RANDOM NOTES:

ROCCO'S DINNER PARTY:Debuting after the Top Chef Masters finale next week is a new cooking competition series,where chefs get to cook for Rocco DiSpirito and friends. The prize is twenty five grand,so let the battle begin!:

Is it smart of Super 8 to be subtle with their advertising?

This upcoming weekend at the movies,Super 8 is the big film that everyone will be watching to see how well it does.

There's a lot of risks attached to this flick in the eyes of the money men in Hollywood;the only star names on board here are producer Steven Spielberg and director J.J. Abrams and the trailers have been very careful not to revel the mysterious menace of the story.

To me,that approach is rather refreshing. Letting the audience use their imagination a little during a promo used to be the norm but nowadays,you can watch the whole movie in less than 5 minutes,thanks to the overabundance of imagery and plot lines shoved into a teaser.

Since Super 8 is set in 1979,an era where the major technical advances in special effects were still taking baby steps,it only makes sense to hold back some of surprises here:





This tactic can backfire but more often than not it's proven to be a success. Especially in genre films,altho this ploy has usually taken up by films with way smaller budgets,as a means of catching the media eye and starting up much needed buzz.

Horror films have in particular mastered this craft,with the likes of The Blair Witch Project(the first one,anyway) and the Paranormal Activity films. The folks behind Paranormal Activity were also clever enough to create hype for the movie with small screenings and film festival showings that build up strong word of mouth.

By taking footage from those screenings and having audience reactions as the major part of the film's trailer,Paranormal Activity tapped into our collective fears without showing us a drop of blood and became one of the scariest sleeper hits of that year. Good enough to warrant a sequel that was just as nerve wracking and successful to boot,a rare feat in film these days:





Hollywood is no stranger to these methods,once heavily relying on them in the past to lure folks into the theater for both A and B list features. One of the grand masters of this technique was Alfred Hitchcock,who paved the way for cinematic twists that directors such as M. Knight Shyamalan have sprung on movie goers.

His best known trailer tease is for the now classic Psycho,where Hitch gives a tour of the film set and broadly hints at some of the terrible things that happened at the Bates Motel. His dark sense of humor is at play here,until the final little shock towards the end.

As a further inducement,he insisted that no one would be seated late at any of the movie's showtimes once the film started(a gimmick that worked for the 1955 French thriller Les Diaboliques). Theater owners was reluctant to give in but that gambit really paid off. It was such a big hit that the studio re-released it five years later before selling the viewing rights to TV,a pretty sweet deal all around:



So,I wouldn't count out any success for Super 8 just yet. It does help that the movie is coming out between other blockbuster releases like X Men: First Class(which opened with a very respectable box office take) and Green Lantern,set to arrive next week. It may slip in as a sleeper hit,which would prove that audiences don't have to be spoon fed the entire movie in every ad. Spelling out all of the good stuff for us is insulting and makes us more eager to wait for home video:

Catching up on some past hits during the summer reading season

Summer is not only the time for diving into those brand new beach books on the shelves,folks-it's become the perfect time to finally get to that stack of widely heralded titles that you've been meaning to for quite some time now.

Keeping up with the current bestsellers can be a daunting task,which is why sometimes it's good to sit back and wait for the paperback. Thanks to Booksfree,I'll be basking in the glow of two books that I have wanted to see what all the fuss was about there.

True,the upcoming film version of Kathryn Stockett's The Help did spur me on to add it to my list but so much has been said about this fictional look back at the relationships between the so-called genteel housewives and their maids during the early 1960s in Mississippi that curiosity drove me to reserve it as soon as can be.

Expectations aside,all I'm hoping for is a good read. The Help has been compared to the likes of To Kill a Mockingbird(which I read for the first time last year)and while those are big shoes to fill,I don't expect that Stockett has to follow in the footsteps of Harper Lee in order to be a success. Hopefully,this heartfelt novel has it's own original take on such familiar territory:





Next up is The Secret Diaries of Charlotte Bronte,a second novel from Syrie James. Since her first book was The Lost Memoirs of Jane Austen,some might think that this is the author's gimmick but James has also written a couple of vampire books(Dracula,My Love and most recently, Nocturne)as well.

Plus, her writing in Lost Memoirs was fresh and invigorating. Her Jane Austen felt very real,not an easy thing to do at all. In Secret Diaries,Charlotte Bronte recounts her struggles to be published,along with the tumultuous inner dramas of her family and most secret of all,her growing romance with mysterious curate Arther Nicholls.

Syrie James did her homework in preparing to tackle Charlotte's life and times and I have no doubt of this book being as entertainingly enlightening as her portrait of Austen was:





To round this up,I'm going further back in literary time with Georgette Heyer's The Nonesuch. The title refers to Sir Waldo Hawkridge,a young man of fortune who heads home to arrange his financial affairs.

He happens to make the acquaintance of Tiffany Wield,a spoiled young socialite who refuses to listen to anyone regarding proper behavior especially her governess Ancilla Trent.

When Tiffany decides to run off to London,Sir Waldo teams up with Ancilla to find the wayward young miss before she gets into serious trouble. The two of them wind up falling in love but hesitant about the consequences and the class difference between them both.

As a Jane Austen fan, I can't help but think of a certain Miss Bennet who caused just as much worry for her family by running away and my fingers are crossed that all involved in such dealings in Heyer's hands have similar luck in undoing any permanent damage or holding back those truly in love:



Well,this is a good enough group to start with this summer and if you have any books around that you still feel a little guilty about not picking up yet,your opportune moment is now. It's hard to be in tune with every new thing,particularly with all of the technological wonders out there providing extra distraction,but when it comes to reading,persistence always pays off:

Why is there a need to drag Stephen King's Carrie back from the grave?

Remake mania is not strictly limited to Hollywood,it seems. An announcement was made last week regarding the Off Broadway revival of Carrie:The Musical,which is said to have revised some of it's original playbook,to have it's preview run begin by January of 2012.

The first production of this stage adaptation of Stephen King's debut horror novel became an infamous theatrical flop,similar to this year's Spiderman:Turn Off the Dark. Just mentioning Carrie:The Musical was an instant punchline,like reminding Mariah Carey fans about Glitter.

In some ways,this new revamp of Carrie has probably been emboldened by the pop culture spotlight given to Spiderman:Turn Off the Dark,along with the bizarre persistence of the TOTD crew to keep that show running. Considering how harrowing the reviews of Carrie:The Musical were the first time around,it may take a hell of a rewrite to make this phoenix rise from the ashes:





Of course,there are those who loved the original show and will be pre-ordering their tickets,next to the folks eager to see if this version will be any worse. Some may even argue that it's better to remake a production that didn't work in the first place instead of trying to recapture the magic of an already successful show.

While I agree with that notion,I'm not sure if Carrie is the best show to start retooling with here. Altho the 1976 Brian DePalma directed cinematic version of this story had several major changes from book to film,it did showcase the whole "high school is hell" theme of the novel rather well and brought some walloping scares along with it.

Even with a better script and special effects,my doubts about any acting company being able to replicate that convincingly on stage are still mounting:





There's also talk of doing an actual film remake of Carrie by the studio honchos who already have a screenwriter on board for it. Stephen King,who doesn't have control of the film rights for that,is not exactly thrilled about that and asks the right question regarding the whole idea:

"Who knows if it will happen? The real question is why, when the original was so good? I mean, not Casablanca, or anything, but a really good horror-suspense film, much better than the book."

Well,the best answer that I can give you,Steve,is that many of those studio guys out there seem to treat movie making like a sure investment-to them,it's smarter to put money into a project that's proven to be successful before rather than take the chance on something brand spanking new and original.

The problem with that notion is that those once hit films were once new and original back in the day,which is part of the reason that they did so well to begin with. I know,I shouldn't be using logic here but maybe it would help some of those studio suits to actually sit with an audience of regular moviegoers to see what really resonates with them:





Our only recourse at the moment is to wait and see how these new tweaks on Carrie will turn out. Maybe the new musical will be interestingly creative,like having the whole cast be made up of drag queens(there are plenty of gals from Ru Paul's Drag Race alone who could pull this off nicely)or letting Lady Gaga write one of the songs.

One can dream,after all,and is it too much to hope for a High School Musical From Hell approach to this twisted Cinderella story? All I'm saying is that you should bring something new to the show to make it worth our pop culture while:

V.S. Naipaul Vs. the World of Women Writers-a fair fight?

Despite how far we've come in the struggle for equality between men and women,especially in the arts and entertainment category,every now and then someone feels the need to shake things up with stupidity. The latest kerfuffle on this front was set off recently by award winning author V.S. Naipaul,who stated in an interview that there are no women writers who can match him in literary prowess,not even Jane Austen herself.

Naipaul goes so far as to claim that he can tell from reading only a paragraph whether or not a woman wrote it and other flaws that he finds particularly in Austen's work include her"sentimental ambitions, her sentimental sense of the world".



While Naipaul's keen gender reading skills have yet to be tested, I wonder what his opinion is regarding another renowned English writer whose work was chock-full of sentimental notions of the world,Charles Dickens.

From the infamous heart breaking deaths of Little Nell and Nancy to the reformation of selfish characters like Scrooge and Pip as well as advocating for the rights of the poor,Dickens is pretty much an old softy at heart. While his writing also contains plenty of sharp wit and thrilling moments of drama and mystery, it's the betterment of humanity that drives Dickens' themes home:






Another one of Naipaul's statements regarding women and writing really caught my attention for it's sheer cluelessness:

"And inevitably for a woman, she is not a complete master of a house, so that comes over in her writing too," he said.

Oh,really? Clearly Mr. Naipaul has never encountered Miss Emma Woodhouse, one of Jane Austen's most legendary leading ladies who never let a little thing like not being officially in charge stop her from offering an opinion or arranging relationships to her liking. While her always ailing father was the "master" of his estate,Emma was the one who truly ruled that roost:





More than likely,however,Naipaul has simply underestimated the keen mental skills that many women,fictional and real,have had to use in order to cope with the dominant forces in her sphere that are determined to be considered in control.

These forces,whether they be egotistic men who love the sound of their own voice or women who exaggerate their claims of emotional distress,may appear to be intimidating at first,as Flora Poste,the charming heroine of Cold Comfort Farm,found but a few sensible suggestions made at the most opportune moments can work wonders on even the most stubborn of souls.

Of course,it also may be that Naipaul wishes that certain classic books were actually written by men but sadly,he's not alone in that vain little fantasy:





Perhaps Mr. Naipaul would do well to expand his literary horizons and picking up a copy of A Jane Austen Education might be an excellent addition to his summer reading.

While I have not yet had the pleasure of reading this book,the author's take on how Austen's books gave him a better sense of how to conduct himself in life could possibly show Naipaul and others like him that appreciating the writing of the opposite sex doesn't diminish his stance as a man.

I certainly don't think the lesser of any writer based upon their gender. To me, it's the quality of the work that is supposed to count above all. But,if Naipaul just wants to start a fight(mainly as an attempt to garner some media attention,I suspect),he has succeeded in that regard. Yet, he may realize far too late that Jane Austen fans are more than equal to the challenge:

Jane Austen's Fight Club - watch more funny videos

A Game of Thrones warrior stance,TC Masters experiment with flavor and a peek at State of Georgia

The five remaining chefs on Top Chef Masters were given a rather daunting task for their latest Quickfire challenge-to cook a hot and tasty breakfast using only a microwave oven to cook with. Just about everyone went for eggs,which I would have avoided since eggs are hard enough to get right on a regular stove.

However,it was an egg dish that won the five grand for charity here and Hugh earned it for Wholesome Wave this time around. It was baked with bacon,tomatoes and chanterelles,ingredients that his competitors used as well but I suspect that baking the egg is what made all the difference.




Onward to the Elimination round,where the challenge was to create a science fair exhibit suitable for teenagers that incorporated food into the demonstration of the scientific principle on display. Each chef had a scientist to work with and had to make a tasting portion along with a demo plate of food. As an extra twist,they had to cook with science equipment like beakers and Bunsen burners only.



As luck would have it,a couple of the chefs were science buffs,especially Floyd who had seriously studied biochemistry in college. He chose the Maillard Reaction as his showcase(it has something to do with how heat affects meat;sorry,folks my science knowledge is pretty basic)and used beef to demonstrate it.

Both the beef shabu shabu and the spice encrusted beef with potatoes were a big hit with the kids and the judges,putting Floyd in the Top Two for this round. He's been in the runner-up spot for quite awhile now and this seemed like the perfect challenge for him to earn a win.



However,he lost out to Mary Sue for the third time. She had viscosity(how thick or thin liquid can be)and she made different sauces to pour over the churros she had managed to make(getting the oil hot enough to deep fry those suckers was a challenge in and of itself). She was even able to fill the churros with creme de caramel,a nice little touch that meant so much.



On the lower end of the spectrum,Naomi is also a science fan but her elasticity display was a little too interactive. She had way too many samples of springy foods on hand,which looked messy by the time the judges came around for a look.

While she did get some points for her enthusiasm, Naomi's food was flawed. Special guest judge Padma pointed out in particular how the gelee that was stuffed into her calzone turned the whole thing into a soggy mess.



Traci's take on acidity with ahi tuna and lemon did taste good but not great. The main problem that the judges had with her was how very Science 101 her demo was and they really had hoped for something more creative and culinary from her.



Heading home here was Hugh,more for his attitude than anything else. His theme was emulsion and his choice of edible item to demo that in was mayo,not so bad. However,Hugh got annoyed with his scientist partner rather quickly and decided to ignore most of his input.

The worst part was the green goddess dressing that Hugh made for his salad. The mayonnaise was broken and he absolutely refused to acknowledge that. He kept arguing with Judge James Oseland about that all the way down the line,which was ridiculous. Hugh,if something is broken,it's broken-you need to accept that. Dodging blame and responsibility constantly for a mistake only makes matters worse,as a certain congressman in New York can tell you all about these days.

Oh,well-next time out, the chefs have to coach a plating from behind a wall and then Naomi feels like she's being picked on for being so young. Plenty of people wish they could have that problem,hon!



As the old king dies and another ruthlessly take the crown on Games of Thrones,Dany did her best to talk Khal Drogo into seeking the Iron Throne for himself. Despite the alluring argument offered by his bride,Drogo felt no pressing need to cross the seas with his men,something that the Dothraki have never done before.

His attitude swiftly changed when a merchant in the local marketplace tried to trick Dany into accepting a cask of poisoned wine. Ser Hugh stepped in at the right moment to prevent that from happening,even though his secret contacts offered him a pardon that would help him return home. Not sure what is up with that just yet but in the meantime,Khal Drogo's ire has been stirred towards those who threaten the mother of his unborn child.

His vow to conquer Westeros was pretty damn impressive,enough to make even an acclaimed barbarian sit up and take notice:





One of the many new series to debut this summer is State of Georgia,starring Raven Symone as the title character,an ambitious young woman from the South who is determined to become a superstar in the big city of New York.

Created by female friendly author Jennifer Weiner,this show has been a long time coming and hopes are high that it will do well.It's set to premiere on ABC Family later this month and based on the preview so far,it does look like entertaining light hearted fare. If the writing on the show is as witty and engaging as Jennifer's novels are,we are in for a treat indeed:



RANDOM NOTES:

THE SOUP: While I'm happy that Joel McHale is doing so well on Community,I hope that he doesn't even think of giving up his E! show any time soon. His wry take on pop culture nonsense is a much needed oasis of laughs in a media saturated world:

Some books to catch up on before the fall movie season begins

Between all of the blockbuster movies and must read books coming out this summer,it might be a real relief to look ahead towards those crisp cool months of autumn and start making your entertainment plans for that season early.

It also gives you some extra time to read a few of the books that will be hitting the big screen by Christmas time and be a step ahead in the pop culture game. Speaking of Christmas,the trailer for the Hollywood version of The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo is out and about,with one of the best tag lines that I've seen in a long while.

Despite my doubts about how the major changes from the source material will affect the overall story,this first glimpse is very tantalizing to say the least. If you need an excuse to yank this one off of your dusty TBR pile or reread it during the latest heat wave,here it is:





A somewhat less intense undertaking, the adaptation of Allison Pearson's bestselling novel from 2002, I Don't Know How She Does It stars Sarah Jessica Parker as Kate Reddy, the yuppie mom of the title.

The humorous take on the balancing act that Kate goes thru on a daily basis to keep on top of her work and home life turned the book into an unexpected hit with readers and hopefully that will translate well onto film.

It should make for a pretty decent movie,with co-stars like Pierce Brosnan,Greg Kinnear and Kelsey Grammar,plus Jane Curtin. As to how ideal the cast truly is,fans of the book will have to let the rest of us know:





When I discovered the trailer for The Descendants,my delight was similar to accidently running into an old friend while walking down the street.

I read an advance copy of Kaui Hart Hemmings' engagingly droll novel, about a laid back heir to long held land in Hawaii who has to get his act together as his wife is in a coma and his kids know more about what's going on with their mother's secret life than he does,way back in '07 and enjoyed it immensely.

The book has an offbeat charm and wit that put me in mind of Little Miss Sunshine and Sideways,so it's not surprising to see that one of the folks behind one of those films is behind the scenes here.

Director/writer Alexander Payne is on call for the film version,which stars George Clooney,and I couldn't think of a better man for the job. I highly recommend reading the novel at any time of year but it's not a knock against you if that time is just before the film opens or soon afterward:





If you're in the mood to tackle a classic,yet another film rendition of The Three Musketeers is on deck,only this time in 3D!

Granted,some actual actors such as Matthew McFadyen,Orlando Bloom and Milla Jovanich are supposed to be the stars but based on this trailer,the focus seems to be all about the overdone action shots that justify the 3D treatment.

You would think that a story like this would be enough excitement on it's own,given that several movies have been made from it already. Then again, I'm using logic which is a waste when it comes to decisions like this in Hollywood:



These suggestions shouldn't deter you from keeping up with the fresh new goodies in the bookstore or at the multiplex this summer. However, it is good to keep in mind the difference between savoring the delights of the season and falling prey to persistent advertising campaigns: