Movies based on books come out at just about all times of the year but fall films in particular seem to attract more than their fair share of shelf worthy adaptations. Included in that lot are films with literary themes,which also seem to be more suit to autumn audiences,according to the studios, anyway.
Let's flip through a handful of such upcoming releases,starting with Saving Mr. Banks that stars Emma Thompson as P.L. Travers who wrote the Mary Poppins series of books(sort of the J.K. Rowling of her day) and is being courted by Walt Disney(Tom Hanks) to allow the first one to be made into one of their family films.
Naturally,she is reluctant to have her work turned into a cartoonish corporate creation and puts up a good fight,only to be persuaded by Disney who is tuned into her daddy issues. While it is true that Travers resisted and then relented on making Mary Poppins a movie,she was less than pleased with the animated portions of the final product and refused to allow the three other titles to be adapted.
As someone who did read all of the Mary Poppins books as a kid(no dancing penguins in any of them,by the way) and does enjoy the Disney musical version even so,this sounds like an interesting movie. However,since this is a Disney production, odds are that certain elements will be slanted in their favor:
Nest up is a more serious story involving children,The Book Thief,based on Markus Zusak, about Liesel, a nine year girl in 1930s Germany who is taken in by a foster family(Geoffrey Rush and Emily Watson) begins to steal books as a way of dealing with the loss of her brother and then later as a means of coping with the rise of the Nazi party and WWII.
The book won several awards and while it does have a dark theme,there is a touch of fantasy as the story is narrated by Death,who takes a strong interest in Liesel's plight. That plot point will be present in the film and seeing how well that is pulled off is one of the reasons to check this out:
Speaking of fantasy,the next chapter of Peter Jackson's The Hobbit will be out and about in time for the holidays. Called "The Desolation of Smaug",our hero Bilbo Baggins will be encountering the title dragon as Gandalf deals with the battles between elves,dwarves and the occasional evil wizard.
I still don't see why this had to be a three part film,but far be it for me to deny Tolkien fans their epic entertainment. However,some of them are a bit peeved at the addition of characters not found in the original book(such as Evangeline Lily's warrior elf maiden) but if you're being invited to a cinematic feast in your honor,why quibble over an extra course there?:
The most anticipated book related film in this lot is the second installment of The Hunger Games:Catching Fire, where Jennifer Laurence reprises her role as Katniss Everdeen,whose victory with Peeta is causing more trouble that she ever expected.
During their victory tour of the Capitol cities,Katniss awakens the spark of revolution amongst the downtrodden District citizens and in order to quell the possible uprising,the powers that be hold a special version of the games. Only past winners are called upon to play,which raises the stakes considerably. If this film is as great as the previous one, it will be hard to wait for Part Three to commerce:
Not all book connected movies are winners,but it never hurts to hope. Sometimes you get lucky enough to find a film that inspires you to read the most likely even better book and other times,it's the literary equivalent of snake eyes. It would be helpful if Hollywood wasn't so quick to jump on the bandwagon of what ever seems to be in vogue at the moment and actually took the time to see what went right in bringing certain books to life on screen the right way. Then again,that's even more of a fantasy than any book or film could imagine there:
One of the big releases into movie theaters this weekend is Salinger,a documentary about the legendary writer(which comes complete with a tie-in book) that claims to open the lid on the Pandora's box that was his life.
The film talks to fans as well as fellow writers and people who did interact in J.D. Salinger's limited world,plus reveals that a number of previously unpublished works of his will start to see the light of day on bookshelves within the next few years.
That's good news for lit folk,however,most of the reviews of the film find the documentary to be rather bombastic in tone and an overall badly done bio for any writer,let alone one famously known to hate "phonies". How well this will do at the box office is yet to be determined but I'm sure the film makers are hoping for some Oscar buzz:
I don't have plans to run out and see this movie,regardless of the reviews,but I am concerned about what I consider to be an important element in discussing J.D. Salinger's personal life and that is Joyce Maynard.
An author in her own right,best known for her novel To Die For(which became a Nicole Kidman film),Joyce Maynard had some controversy sent her way after the publication of her memoir At Home In the World,which talked about the troubled relationship between her and Salinger.
Maynard was 19 when he at age 53 contacted her to praise the article she had written for New York Times magazine and his pursuit of her lead to their living together for nearly a year. The balance of the relationship kept him in control and Maynard was emotionally as well as sexually manipulated until he grew tired of her company and abruptly sent her away.
It took her twenty five years to even consider talking about the impact of that time period upon her openly and she did receive some flack for "betraying" Salinger's trust,which was and is ridiculous in my opinion. Yes, I read AHITW and as a reader, I know the truth when I see it in print:
Joyce Maynard was interviewed for the film(as well as another woman who was drawn into Salinger's life when she was 14 and he was 40) and has said to find the finished product lacking in regards to discussing that unseemly aspect of his nature.
Fortunately,she has more positive things to focus on right now,such as the impending film release of Labor Day,an adaptation of her 2009 novel(it's a great read,I strongly recommend it) but it still troubles me that this documentary may be glossing over such a pertinent detail into Salinger's psyche.
Whenever you look into the life and times of a major artist, it is tempting to paint the subject in the most flattering light and even slightly adjusting some of the less than perfect features of their persona to suit your needs is an injustice to those wanting to gleam true insight about what made this person the creative force that they were. Worse still is the possible excuse making for certain behavior,which is easier to forgive when the people involved are long dead and buried.
A diligent biographer,regardless of medium, should embrace their subject with a firm desire to accept both their good and bad traits as part and parcel of the deal in showcasing him or her to the rest of the world. Downplaying the negative facts is just as much of a disservice as overlooking or ignoring them altogether.
Salinger isn't the only writer to get this sort of blind adulation but there comes a time when you need to evolve your feelings and face the truth that someone who may have been a great influence in your world view was a rotten bastard in many ways. Charles Dickens is one of the greatest authors the world has ever known and yet, most of his modern day biographers acknowledge his terrible faults as a husband and a father,which to my mind only enhances the turbulent nature of his work:
The temptation to rewrite an artistic hero's life is understandable. However, if your aim is to be perceived as a serious biographer or documentary film maker,your standards of truth in presentation need to be set higher than most.
I know that other documentaries in the past have debated the notion of "truth in advertising" in their depictions of a person or cause but it can severely undercut your ultimate goal by framing the actual facts in a frame that serves your purpose(rather than the audience's)the best.
In the end,Salinger the documentary will rouse a renewed interest in the man's current body of work and at least that may achieve something good there. It's too bad that finding a real literary hero may be something best left to the realm of fiction:
First things first on Top Chef Masters this week,as it was announced that the two eliminated chefs from last time went up against each other during The Battle of the Sous Chefs and the winner was Jennifer.
She returned to the competition in time to get a Quickfire Challenge from Ali Larter(loved her in Heroes). Everyone had to make their own version of nachos and since the closest that I've come to that is Doritos,I was interested to see an elevated take on the well known snack food.
Ali and Curtis Stone were most delighted with Douglas Keane's "deconstructed" rendition,which included a salsa consumme served in a shot glass.
Douglas won the round and earned his immunity(since that option wasn't up for grabs during the sous chef battle,it had to be won here). No penalties were handed out to the others this time but obstacles still await them for the Elimination Challenge.
The six remaining chefs were then tasked with making hot and cold fish entrees(to be served on the same plate) at a local seafood restaurant called Duke's. They broke up into teams of two and had to shop for supplies without knowing which protein they would be working with the following day.
The fish choices were made the next morning and the infamous TC knife pull determined in what order each team would be able to select either John Dory,sea bass or sable.
Douglas and Jennifer had first choice and they went with the John Dory,that they prepared two ways.one kimchi style and the other crispy.
The judges adored the texture of both portions and even commented that it felt as if one chef was behind the wheel here. They won the challenge,each receiving five grand for their charities(Doug,Green Dog Rescue,Jennifer Work Options for Women).
Sang and Bryan wound up with sable fish and their two part plate was one of the teams on the Bottom this time. Sang's fish was dashi cured and it tasted so unpleasant Curtis actually spat it out(so not good!). Part of the trouble with Sang's fish was that he originally intended to use wood chips to create a smoky flavor but couldn't find any at the store.
His substitution of charred cucumber did enhance the emulsion but the protein was lukewarm and mushy,two things you don't desire in a fish plate.
Bryan's BBQ fish with pine nuts and soy bubbles went over much better yet the real problem was the obvious disconnect between the two offerings of fish. Bryan acknowledged that he and Sang have very different styles of cooking,which is fine but the point of this exercise was to blend the best of each together for a great plate.
Fortunately for them,David and Neal's sea bass duet was a major dud and Neal was the one who had to pack his knives and go. His crudo cut was packed with sinew and he should have gone for a tartare instead.
David's couscous served on the side of his Mediterranean glazed bass was oily and while his fish was well cooked,a tad over spiced as well. Sorry,Neal-better luck next time! Speaking of next time,Lucha wrestlers will be on deck for another big themed challenge and there will be a switch up for the sous. Should be fun!
More strange happenings Under The Dome occurred as a mysterious funnel cloud in the sky was unleashed,threatening the limited landscape below.
That weather wonder was due either to Junior having another break up snit with Angie(who should realize by now that a psycho ex-boyfriend is not going to be a reliable ally in an unexplained phenomenon situation) or Julia being shot by Maxine,take your pick!
As soon as Julia was stabilized,Barbie teamed up with Big Jim to deal with Maxine once and for all. She was ready and waiting for them(with a hench man on hand),not to mention being in a bad mood after finding her mom drowned,thanks to Big Jim. A couple of throw downs later and Team Barbie had the upper hand. However,our potential hero made the classic mistake of trusting in his less than trustworthy ally and was quickly framed for murder. Come on,Dale,show a little more sense!:
Meanwhile,Junior and Angie managed to call a truce and teamed back up with Joe and Norrie to confront the mega Dome. When the four of them touched it together,a vision of a bloody Big Jim appeared before them,which upset Junior of course.
Since the kids also saw bloody knives in their hand,the obvious conclusion was that they were intended to take down Big Jim,whose plan to rule over Chester's Mill is now getting started. With the finale a couple of episodes away, my best guess is that Big Jim won't be given the Julius Caesar treatment just yet(unless it's a cliffhanger for next year):
The newest cooking competition show on Food Network is Cutthroat Kitchen,hosted by foodie favorite Alton Brown. This show is a bit more down and dirty than the likes of Chopped,as the four chefs called forth are given 25 grand apiece in order to bid on sabotages to their fellow players.
The last chef standing is able to keep what cash she/he has left and these "auctions" are no joke.
A standard one is for a basket which allows the winner to take an item away from someone and some of the others include switching out the main ingredient for an inferior product(cottage cheese for a cheese steak,for example) or making one of your opponents do without cooking materials such as cutlery or a proper stove.
One episode that I saw had a chef being allowed to only use tin foil for her utensils and pans! This is not your typical FN fare and while I know that many people find it too mean spirited, do keep in mind that the name of the show is Cutthroat Kitchen,not Cuddlebear Kitchen,seriously. Give it a shot,that's all I'm saying:
RANDOM NOTES:
TOTALLY BIASED WITH W. KAMAU BELL: Last season's fresh new late night comedy series is now on five nights a week at FXX and still as sharp as it ever was. Bell might be able to give Stewart and Colbert a run for their satirical money here and it will be more fun to watch that the VMA's were,no doubt about it:
I'm not a big fan of the whole Fifty Shades of Grey deal,however since the revelation of who will be starring in the big screen version slated for next summer is making international headlines, it seemed like the right time to toss my two cents in.
Cast as the leads for FSOG are Charlie Hunnam(best known for his lead role on TV's Sons of Anarchy) and Dakota Johnson(who was a star player in the short lived sitcom Ben And Kate). Hunnam's a very good actor and while I'm not familiar with Ms. Johnson's work,both of these actors do have a real opportunity to either make or break their careers with this film.
It's not prudishness that turns me off to any major promotion for this film,it's just that I am less than impressed by the whole whoop-de-doo over this publishing phenomenon,not to mention that I find the term "mommy porn" to be rather patronizing.
I haven't read any of the books in the trilogy(which has fallen under the eye of censorship at local libraries) but neither would I prevent anyone from doing so or enjoying the upcoming movie.
Although if pressed, I would recommend either checking out a site like Smart Bitches,Trashy Novels(which is included in my blog links on the side) for better written examples of the genre or sampling a few fantasy novels with rather saucy love scenes(Jacqueline Carey's" Kushiel books and Diana Gabaldon's Outlander saga) for a more satisfying romp in the metaphoric hay.
Fifty Shades of Grey may have a shiny candy coating of kink there but something tells me this that is really old genre ground being dug up yet again to shock the middle classes:
That being said,it doesn't automatically mean that this will be a bad movie. Many a lackluster written yet popular book has been improved(or at least made watchable) by a big screen adaptation,which may be literary heresy to some but true in quite a few cases,nonetheless.
For one thing, the content of the book will more than likely be watered down to meet the criteria for a respectable "R" rating,which will annoy some of the fans but seats will still be filled at multiplexes there.
How that will affect the plot line and characters is yet to be seen and hopefully for the readers, the complete intent of the material won't be too compromised(much like the differences between Hannibal the book and it's movie version).
Also,a better take on the overall arch of the plot might be better served by the screenwriter. Kelly Marcel(who has written the screenplay for the upcoming Saving Mr. Banks movie this fall) has been tapped for the job and perhaps she will offer a more empowering slant to the controlling relationship between Christian Grey and Anastasia Steele.
Writer/director Mary Harron was able to turn the controversial upscale slasher novel American Psycho into a stinging social satire that gave audiences a smartly savage look at the coldness of corporate privileged classes of that time.
Whether you came away from the film thinking that Patrick Bateman was either a delusional drug addict or a maniac trapped by his step on the social ladder to have his brutal rebellion taken seriously, it was a vast improvement upon the off putting tone of the original novel(which I tried to read but gave up on it quickly):
This just doesn't apply to shock fest stuff only;even the most mainstream material can be elevated by a good script. The Bridges of Madison County was a book that I did read and regret still to this day(the only good thing about that experience was that the copy I had was gladly given to me by a relative who didn't want it back-should've been a sign unto me!).
The film could have easily turned into the pretentious sap story that the novel was but fortunately,director/leading man Clint Eastwood had top notch writer Richard LaGravenese on board.
He added on sequences that had the children of the woman whose brief tryst with a roaming photographer enliven her life discover her letters and journal about the whole affair, a development that brought the emotional plot points to a more mature level. Also, dialogue between the romantic pair showcased the fears and doubts of their situation,making that small window of time they shared together all the more meaningful. It's not a movie that I would rush off to see again but it certainly was far better than I expected it to be:
I'm not saying that Fifty Shades of Grey will be Oscar winning fare,by any means,but who knows, it might be worth a look when the time comes. Perhaps now that we know who will be in it,folks can calm down about FSOG until later next year. At the very least, the film should provide fresh new fodder for comedians everywhere:
Happy Labor Day,folks,and with the start of the fall season comes a fresh crop of TV programming. Our focus for today is on a handful of debuting shows that all share a fantastical theme with plot lines straight out of classic scare fests, a well known children's tale and comic book lore. Let's take a look and if all that glimmers is really gold:
SLEEPY HOLLOW: The legend of the Headless Horseman gets a modern day upgrade,as this Fox series has Ichabod Crane(Tom Mison) as a secret agent for George Washington who seems to die on duty but is revived in present day Sleepy Hollow.
Also returning from the beyond with him is the horseman,who may have been summoned by an occult group seeking to bring about the end of the world(don't they always?). Crane teams up with newly appointed sheriff Abbie(Nicole Beharie) and also gets a little assistance from the ghost of his wife Katrina(Katia Winter). Granted, Tim Burton has covered this territory on film before,with Johnny Depp being his usual odd as a cod self, but that was strictly a period piece and this clash of cultures concept might work for the short term.
How long they can keep this going should be interesting to see and it doesn't hurt that Mison is pretty easy on the eyes(hey, I'm not made of stone,okay?). At the very least, the pilot might be worth checking out:
DRACULA: Another easy on the eyes actor,Jonathan Rhys Meyers, stars here as the iconic vampire king who arrives in Victorian London under the guise of an American business man.
His main objective is to take revenge on those who betrayed him in the past but while doing so,is falling in love with a woman who may be the reincarnation of his dead wife(quite an old Drac trope to haul out of storage there!).
This series is being touted as a "limited run"(only ten episodes were given the go-ahead) and it does look like a hefty chunk of change was invested in this production. Rhys Meyers had both the talent and the looks to pull this off but it's going to take a solid set of scripts to see if Dracula is ready to rise from the tomb yet again:
ONCE UPON A TIME IN WONDERLAND: This spin-off to the surprisingly successful Once Upon a Time has it's heroine in a mental asylum in Victorian London, where her tales of living in another world are
not believed by the staff.
Alice(Sophie Lowe) is offered a "cure" for her woe,particularly her heartbreak over losing the the love of her life,a genie named Cyrus(Peter Gadiot). Before she is able to go through with it, the appearance of the Knave of Hearts and the White Rabbit opens a door back to Wonderland where her true love may still be alive.
While I'm not into OUAT and much of this story reminds me of Zack Snyder's ill conceived Sucker Punch, this might appeal strongly to Alice in Wonderland fans(which are legion) as well as the regular fan base for the original show. Wait and see sounds like the right approach for this one:
AGENTS OF S.H.E.I.L.D.: Marvel has decided to return to television with Joss Whedon on deck to bring this action packed series to small screen life.
While most of the crew from The Avengers movie will not be directly part of this show,other than Agent Phil Coulson(Clark Gregg) and Maria Hill(Cobie Smulders), there will be references made to them as well as other superhuman characters being introduced. Most of the focus is intended on the very regular human agents trying to save the world from the forces of evil in any form.
High hopes are on this one,especially with Whedon on board and bringing a few friends with him such as J. August Richards(who played Gunn on the Buffy spin-off Angel) as a newly emerged superhero and Ron Glass(an alum from Firefly).
Others will follow,no doubt and since Whedon hasn't really worked before with ABC since his days as a staff writer on Roseanne,there are no burnt bridges to be rebuilt here,unlike at Fox. Plus, having the considerable weight of Marvel on your side may be a great help in flexing any creative muscle needed. I will give this a shot and cross my fingers for it to last-I resisted watching Dollhouse because I didn't want to fall in love with another doomed Whedon series but AOS sounds like it's worth the risk:
Well,we will soon see which of these flights of fancy can truly spread it's wings and fly. Besides, fan boys and girls need something new to argue about,now that the big summer movie season is over:
The final entry in our Bad Movie Month series of The Devil Made Me Do It themed films is a comedy remake of the 1967 British satire Bedazzled, which starred Peter Cook and Dudley Moore.
The American edition from 2000 has Brendan Fraser in the Dudley Moore role as Elliot Richards, an annoyingly nerdy guy in a tech support job where no one likes him and most of his free time is spent in dreaming about Alison(Frances O'Connor),an upper level employee who has no idea that he exists.
One particularly bad evening(when Elliot's attempt to hook up with Alison is shot down), he meets a mystery woman who promises to change his life forever and oh,by the way, she's the Devil. Elizabeth Hurley plays a very sexy Satan and offer our boy seven wishes that can get him the girl of his dreams for the "piddling" price of his immortal soul.
Part of the problem with this movie is buying Brendan Fraser as a meek and mild kind of guy. Don't get me wrong, he's a decent actor when the material calls for it but not capable of being truly convincing as a wimp. Hurley, on the other hand, does her level best as the playful "princess of darkness" and in a lot of her scenes with Fraser,appears to be doing most of the heavy lifting:
Elliot signs up for the seven wishes deal and in the grand tradition of deals with the devil, all of them wind up cheating him out of his true desire.
He wishes to be rich and powerful with Alison as his wife but Lady Satan makes him a drug dealer about to be wiped out by a rival, then he wants to be the most emotionally sensitive man(a stereotype that hasn't been relevant since the seventies) but that drives Alison to the arms of a sand kicking bully and at one point,he wants to be the President of the United States and guess what,he's Lincoln at Ford's theater! You get the point and it's pretty dull after awhile.
Most of the wish sequences involved goofy make-up and costume changes,along with recasting Elliot's co-workers as servile attendants and/or hindrances to his new life with Alison making her enforced appearances as well. The punchlines are obvious even to an Amish grade school student with Elliot marveling at his new found language skills or shocked at the shortcomings of his basketball superstar status:
The real crux of this cruddy comedy is how watered down it is from the original film. A good reason for that is the lack of true chemistry between Hurley and Fraser,which is more of the fault of the director/screenwriter/producer Harold Ramis,in my opinion.
The first Bedazzled was a collaboration between Moore and Cook,who were a well established comedy duo at the time, much like Jennifer Saunders and Dawn French or Hugh Laurie and Stephen Fry.(look up some of their clips online and you'll see what I mean)
Teams like that know how to play to the strength of their partner and how to set up a perfectly timed rhythm of performance that seems perfectly natural. While making the devil a woman was a nice touch here, she and Fraser are more like a couple on a blind date trying to make the best of things since they can't get out of the set up than a pair of well honed professionals at work.
A much more serious problem is the lack of sharpness in the satire. While Elliot does manage to get out of his ill fated bargain,as did Moore's character in the original,instead of that being granted as a benign favor of the devil(which backfires on Satan later on),it turns into a mini life lesson that he had to learn.
That then morphs into such a feel-good ending where Elliot finds his true love in a different guise and Ms. Satan became "the best friend" he ever had. This is so wishy-washy that even Charlie Brown would be nauseated.
The whole point of the first Bedazzled was to mock the notions of good and evil,with a few pointed jabs at the hypocrisy of socially acceptable moral standards. If you don't have the guts to stay at the satire stove and face the heat, you shouldn't step into Hell's humor kitchen in the first place:
Thanks to everyone who tuned into Bad Movie Month this year and if you have any suggestions for the theme for 2014, please place them in the comments section below. Have a Happy Labor Day,folks and do something fun, just for the hell of it:
Pop culture goodness was a key ingredient on Top Chef Masters this week,starting with the guest judge for the Quickfire being actress/writer Mindy Kaling. She tasked the chefs to make a romantic dish based on one of her favorite romcom films.
I love pop cultured themed challenges and Mindy's choices showcased her writer's aesthetic very nicely. Not surprising,there was a Judd Aptow movie in the mix(Knocked Up), one Nora Ephron penned(When Harry Met Sally) and two Woody Allen flicks(Midnight in Paris and Vicky Christina Barcelona).
She did have one old school classic(Roman Holiday,which the chef who got that one hadn't seen-neither have I,btw) and a Reese Witherspoon star vehicle(Sweet Home Alabama,which I have seen and find to be just okay at best).
Douglas took the limelight here,with a win for his Midnight in Paris inspired morning after breakfast. The scrambled eggs with caviar were an excellent mix of earthy and decadent,plus pommes frites(aka french fries to you and me) are always a winner.
Some of the other chefs grumbled about the simplicity of the dish but,hey,as Woody might say,the stomach wants what the stomach wants. Also,Bryan, you had Mystic Pizza and you don't make a pizza?
As soon as Mindy left,the TV kitchen was happily invaded by the costumed characters of Yo Gabba Gabba to announce the Elimination Challenge. The chefs were given their choice of certain food item that kids would normally hate(liver,cottage cheese,eggplant,etc) and transform it into a dish that was tasty and healthy.
David Burke was granted immunity due to his sous chef's win in the Battle of the Sous and had first pick of product(he went with avocado)and a big bonus for most of the chefs was to have their sous help them during prep.
Alas,three chefs(Sue,Jennifer and Neal)didn't get all of that privilege because their sous did poorly. While they did have their assistance during the serving of the food to a crowd of children,one other obstacle was placed in their path.
In addition to the food item they chose,Brussels sprouts also had to be incorporated into the dish! Talk about an edible double whammy there,indeed.
Sang picked cauliflower and he served it as a foam along side a teriyaki chicken meatball, a good choice for kids.
The adults attending the food party(which had the Yo Gabba Gabba characters greeting the kids,who turned the whole thing into what Sang called "Chuck E. Cheese on acid") also enjoyed the dish and it pleased the judges enough to place Sang in the Top Three for the win.
When I saw Douglas had turned his eggplant into a jelly topped with crispy rice, I seriously thought his chances for victory were doomed.
However,the kids kind of liked the slimy nature of the dish and even the judges were surprised at how much they appreciated the deep earthy tones of the jelly. He wound up in the Top Three but no win this time.
That honor went to Neal,for his spinach Bolognase and pasta with Brussels sprouts that judge Ruth Reichl called a "grown up version of Chef Boyardee"(she meant that in a good way,honest!).
Neal won ten grand for his charity,Alexa's Lemonade Stand,and I do believe it was the first big win for him on TCM. Congrats,Neal!
On the Bottom was Sue,for taking an easy way out with her cottage cheese by making a mac and cheese. Not a bad idea but she did add bacon and part of the challenge was to keep things healthy.
The Brussels sprouts didn't fare well in this dish,bringing out what Ruth Reichl called the "cabbage character" of the vegetable(I so have to read her books one of these days!) and she was in serious danger of going home.
Right next to her was Bryan,who just had one ingredient to revamp and while beet sorbet with a vanilla yogurt dome to crack open might have sounded great, it certainly didn't taste that way.
The judges tried to explain to him how the muddy flavors of the beets were repellant even to those who love beets(guest judge Francis Lam,for one) but he insisted that his kid would've eaten it. Dude,not every kid has the exposure to the variety of food flavors that your kid has,okay? Nice try but a hit and a definite miss here.
Now,Jennifer had the worst luck of the lot in having melon and Brussel sprouts to mix together. She made an "ice cream sandwich" looking plate that was not intended to be a dessert,confusing point number one.
Number two was that she paired the melon yogurt parfait with pickled Brussel sprouts,creating an unpleasant sour tang to the entire thing. She was sent off to pack her knives and go, but not alone.
Sue was eliminated with her but as the two of them said their goodbyes, a sudden announcement was made for both ladies to compete in the next round of Battle of the Sous Chefs. The winner will go back to the regular competition and best wishes to Sue and Jennifer. May the best woman win!
Much plotting and planning was done Under The Dome this week,as Big Jim went in search of Maxine's lair while Barbie went off with her to the underground Fight Club she had set up. That happened pretty quick,now didn't it?
As Barbie was busy throwing a fight,Big Jim found out where Maxine was staying,on one of the outlying islands near town and came across her mother(Mare Winningham)who has a grudge against Chester's Mills for treating her badly when she was an unwed mother.
Apparently, dear old Mom was meant to be Maxine's insurance policy in order to keep her daughter's secrets about Big Jim and Barbie ready for revealing in case something happened to her. However, Mom should have listened to Jim when he told her that he had the killer instinct that she lacked:
Meanwhile,the Mini Dome Gang of three became four,as Junior turned out to be the fourth hand(damn it!) needed to open that mystery egg up.
Having read the book, I have an idea of where this might be going but with all of the changes made here, I don't want to venture a guess too soon. Yet, the whole stars forming constellations bit should be a clear tip off as to the true nature of the main Dome:
A new series on the SyFy channel explores the growing popularity of fan conventions that most of the regular attendees are happily familiar with,cosplay( short for "Costume Play").
Heroes of Cosplay takes place during one season of a round robin of conventions across the country and focuses on a number of participants,such as the queen of the circuit YaYa Han, whose talents have given her an emerging merchandise empire and allowed her to judge many of the competitions.
The show also follows those looking to do well in competition like best gal pals Jessica and Holly, along with newcomers to the scene Chloe and Monika,plus the likes of Riki and Jesse,who hope to build a portfolio that will help them obtain professional careers as Hollywood make-up artists.
One thing that I like about this show is the strong emphasis on girl geeks(and not as simpering pin-up fantasies come to life for drooling fan boys either) and how this demanding at times hobby affects their relationships with friends and family. Not to mention the amazing work put into the costumes,make-up and props necessary to bring these characters of film,TV and video games to real world life.
If you haven't caught up to this show yet, the upcoming holiday weekend is the perfect opportunity to do so. The first three episodes take place at Wizard World Portland, Emerald City(Seattle) and MegaCon in Orlando,FL. Even if you haven't been to these particular conventions, no doubt you will find them just as awesome as ones near your current hometown.
There are only three episodes left and I'm pretty sure that one of the stops on this costume tour will be New York Comic Con,a major headline event for fans of all stripes.
Another big benefit to watching Heroes of Cosplay(and no,I am not being compensated for this, the SyFy channel doesn't even know I exist) is the bounty of inspiration for Halloween costumes. Yes, I am a legal adult but still dress up to hand out candy and my outfit will be nowhere as near as good as the ones dreamed up here:
RANDOM NOTES:
MTV VIDEO MUSIC AWARDS: Yes, we all know what Miley had wrought(and Robin Thicke is extra sleazy for his role in this eye searing horror) and while this was the Battlefield Earth of musical numbers, we must try to move on with our lives as best we can:
Books and films are often linked in a pop culture fan's mind and when the two creative formats attempt to merge,the results can be as perfect as a Reese's peanut butter cup or as misguided as a plate of spaghetti with maple syrup sprinkled with marshmallows.
This summer, I've read two books that deal with movie love,mainly by those who participate in bringing them to life(or death)on screen. One takes on the Golden Age of Hollywood while the other invokes the darker,gritty edge of the modern era. Both were also written by women and place strong emphasis on their heroines,something that cinema doesn't do as well as it should sometimes.
First up was Laura Lamont's Life in Pictures by Emma Straub,which was released in paperback this season. The real name of the title character is Elsa Emerson, a Midwestern girl whose family runs the local repertory theater during the late 1920s. Elsa becomes enchanted with the stage,taking roles for herself and then travels to Hollywood with her new husband Gordon in order to break into show business together.
At first,Gordon does well by having a major studio sign him up and while he says her turn will come,Elsa soon realizes that he would be more than happy to have her be a stay-at-home wife,raising their two daughters. She fears that her shot at stardom will never come but a chance invite to a studio party has powerful movie mogul Irving Green cross her path.
He sees her potential right away and renames her Laura Lamont,along with granting her an audition that starts off her wonderful film career:
Laura winds up leaving Gordon(whose career fades out fast) to marry Irving and for a time, she is a reigning queen of the cinema with an Academy Award as her crown jewel.
However, her heyday is soon over,as age and the death of Irving force Laura to have to face the real world on her own. With the decline of her film work and other life challenges,Laura feels her own divided nature is slowly but surely shifting out from under her,leaving her trapped by her doubts and fears for the future as well being haunted by the past.
While the core of the story is loosely inspired by the life and times of Jennifer Jones, Straub makes her leading lady an original creation. The emotional portrait of Elsa/Laura slowly draws you into her heart and unlike what the character does with other people,allows you to really get close to her and learn to appreciate her vulnerable nature. This isn't a flashy depiction of Hollywood entertainers by any means,more of a quiet revealing look at one woman of that time who eventually finds her back to what she was always searching for in life and art:
Night Film is Marisha Pessl's ambitious second novel,after the high acclaim given to her debut Special Topics in Calamity Physics and much like any shining new success in Hollywood, a lot of expectations are being placed on this one.
The plot of the book centers around the mysterious death of Ashley Cordova,daughter of equally mysterious film director Stanislas Cordova whose artistically gruesome movies have granted him both controversy and reverence amongst fans and critics alike.
Reporter Scott McGrath has doubts that her death was a suicide,as claimed by the authorities, and partly due to the body blow given to his career when he attempted to take a deeper look into Cordova's secretive ways, sets out to discover the truth about her demise.
Along the way, Scott is joined in his quest by a pair of unlikely young people;Nora,a hatcheck girl/aspiring actress who was the last to see Ashley alive and Hopper, a wandering soul whose encounter with Ashley in her younger days haunts him still. The three of them turn some very dark corners to learn more about Ashley's final days and some of what they find suggests that the Cordovas had dealings in black magic that may have cursed their only daughter and lead to her doom.
Ashley also appeared to have a touch of otherworldly power herself,mesmerizing people with her ethereal looks and gift for music,a career that she had to abandon for unknown reasons:
Scott's determination to know more drives him to the brink of madness and takes Nora and Hopper along for the ride. While all three of them are willing to pay the price for this dark journey,they soon discover just how high that cost may be on their souls.
Much has been made about the mixed media approach taken with this book,as Pessl created web page reproductions and articles relevant to the story line which are added in as need be(she even had film posters made up for Cordova's films like the one for Thumbscrew shown above). For the most part, I think it works,altho a little does go a long way.
While I tend not to comment on other reviews, it's hard to ignore that many of the ones for Night Film find the ending to be very confusing and/or anticlimactic. Personally, I feel that the whole point was to be as open ended as one of Cordova's bizarre films and in that respect, I found the resolution to be satisfying. It's kind of weird to read a book and wait for a big "what the hell?" moment and weirder still not to find one at all.
So,back to the merits of Night Film;is it worth reading,especially in hardcover(I happen to win an ARC of it from the publisher)? My vote is yes,since it is a fascinating read that may make you scratch your head at times but never bores you. It's mix of noir with contemporary meditations on the effect of art on life offers real food for thought,even if it gets a tad over the top at times.
If you're familiar with the Italian giallo styling of directors like Dario Argento(who sounds a lot like a major inspiration for Stanislas Cordova to me),you may appreciate the off beat atmosphere of this story better than some. I don't know if Night Film will ever become a film adaptation but it won't be without any effort on Pessl's part to make this novel a haunting media mind game:
So, as a double feature,Laura Lamont's Life in Pictures and Night Film may not sound like an ideal pairing yet they do offer an interesting compare and contrast in style as well as substance. Books and movies are a great duet when they work well together,even if it still leads to endless debates after the matinee lets out:
