Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

This will be my last post until 2008. Next Sunday I have a family-filled day and the Sunday after that I will be flying home from Chicago (weather permitting). To celebrate the coming weeks of family, food, and presents, I have four (that's right - I needed to make sure you all had plenty to occupy your time for awhile) final Christmas picks for you all to enjoy. For those of you I'll see in the coming weeks, have a safe trip to PA! For those of you I won't, have a season filled with cheer, peace, and love.

Film: It's a Wonderful Life
Frank Capra, Jimmy Stewart, and Donna Reed at their best, folks. What more can I say? Yes, I know this is one of those sappy, post-WWII films that preached a family-oriented ideology, but I don't care. Imagine being able to see what the world would be like if you were never born. Spend a few moments this holiday season to think about the people you've touched. Every year I watch this film and it makes me smile. I do believe that every time a bell rings an angel gets his (or her) wings.

Television: A Charlie Brown Christmas
It's not Christmas until I've heard the angelic voices of the Peanuts gang singing, "New born king!" While the whole show is excellent, I personally love the illustrated dancing. How can you not get up and do a little side-to-side head bob or a mummy-like walk?

Honorable Mention 1: Emett Otter's Jug-band Christmas
Instead of literature this week I've decided to add a couple more holiday-themed works that I think everyone should make part of their holiday tradition. Emett Otter was released in 1977 by Jim Henson and, in my humble opinion, became an instant classic for Generation X. Although most youngins today won't know of it, they should. The story is pure Christmas cheer, but more important than that, the Riverbottom Gang ROCKS! I have fond memories of watching this as a child and even fonder ones of watching it in college. (Anyone out there remember a certain beer- and Dorito-imbibing evening with a collapsed beer pong table?)

Honorable Mention 2: A Nightmare Before Christmas
Tim Burton and Christmas, who would have thought this pairing would make for an instant classic? There is something about Jack the Pumpkin King, Oogie Boogie, and Santa that really brings out the best in people. Ha! The music is excellent in this film and so is the animation. The settings, though, may be my favorite part of the whole experience. Although it may seem better placed in a Halloween-themed blog, I think it fits better here.

Well folks, I'm off to see I Am Legend. If it's any good, you'll see my recommendation here in a few weeks.

This Week's Been a Good One!

Since last I wrote I have enjoyed a couple of excellent pop culture moments. They are my film and television picks this week. I have also enjoyed a few inches of snow and Christmas shopping. What can I say, it's been a good week!

Film: The Golden Compass
I saw this film last night and am still thinking about it. It's not that the story is overly exciting. (From what I understand, much of the complicated novel storyline was pared down, as is normal with adaptations. The books are now part of my "must read" list.) But the acting and effects are phenomenal. There is an amazing bear fight that is entirely animated but you don't feel like it is; I was literally on the edge of my seat. Daniel Craig, Nicole Kidman, and Sam Elliott are all excellent in their roles. I will warn you, though, the film will leave you hanging. Much like LoTR, this film is one in a series. (There are three books so I assume there will be three films.) Don't expect a tidy little bow on this one. But go just the same, especially if - like me - your home theater leaves much to be desired. This is one film you need to experience on a big screen with surround sound. Incidentally, had the Catholic League not condemned this film, no one would ever have known the story is anti-religion. Although the Magisterium is vaguely Vatican-like, it's pretty subtle and most viewers wouldn't have picked up on it.

Television: The Tin Man
If you missed this Sci-Fi miniseries earlier this week, don't worry as I'm sure they'll show it again and again. It's a three-part retelling of The Wizard of Oz. I was amazed! Again, the effects were great. I really liked the pairing of 40s-era cars with futuristic inventions. The old elements that you know and love - tornadoes, flying monkeys, and scarecrows to name a few - are still there but in a new and original form. Having never read Frank Baum's books, I'm not sure if Sci-Fi's adaptation is closer to his original idea or not. I can say, however, that there are gold slippers, not ruby, which I believe was in the original books. The change to red was made due to technicolor's brightness. Anyway, if you're a fan of the Judy Garland movie you will still love this retelling. If you could care less about the Yellow Brick Road, you may still like this miniseries.

Literature: Twas the Night Before Christmas
I want to sprinkle in a few Christmas texts between now and the 25th. This is one such text. It's always a good idea to read this story out loud at least once before Christmas, even if it's just to an empty room. There is something about the way the familiar words roll off the tongue that makes the story a feel-good tale of Christmas cheer.

The Christmas Countdown

Relax, I'm not going to take you through four weeks of Christmas stuff. It's just that I went to the Christmas symphony concert last night and I'm feeling full of Christmas cheer, despite the rain. This week's post will be Christmas-themed, but then I'll just a pepper a few items here and there for the rest of the month.

Film: White Christmas
Yes, yes, I have no doubt most of you want me to put either A Christmas Story or National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation in here. Well, tough! Neither are my favorite. I prefer to go old school with a little Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, and Rosemary Clooney. If you don't like, start your own pop culture blog. This movie is a yearly event for me. If it's on tv, I'm glued to the set. I love the songs, the dance, and the actors. Although this isn't Bing's premier of the song "White Christmas" - that happened 12 years earlier in Holiday Inn - it's my favorite. I don't even mind the cheesy sound-stage ending. This film just puts me in a holiday spirit I can't deny. Plus, the film will leave you humming "Sisters" for the next few days.

Television: How the Grinch Stole Christmas
No, I do not mean that live-action thing with Jim Carey. Go to the original in this case, people! It's not Christmas until I've seen the Ginch on television. Bonus: Boris Karloff is the narrator (although he does not sing "You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch.") Remember, Christmas can come without boxes and bows.

Story: The Gift of the Magi
O. Henry's short story is sappy and wonderful, just like the entire Christmas season. Despite how heartbreaking this story is - and I will not write more because I can't give plot without giving away the ending - I still read it every year. (And I happily ignore the fact that O. Henry inspired a treacly-sweet episdoe of Seventh Heaven.)

Thanksgiving, A Holiday with Little Pop Culture Celebration

In honor of Thanksgiving, I've been wracking my brain all week to try and come up with three Thanksgiving pics. It has been very trying! Thanksgiving is not that popular when it comes to film, literature, and television. But I have come up with three I hope you all will appreciate. This is it for two weeks so I want to wish you all a delightful turkey coma come Thursday!

Film: Babette's Feast
Yes, I know there are movies with actual Thanksgiving scenes. Yes, I know this film has absolutely nothing to do with Thanksgiving. Heck, it's not even an American film. Get over it. I chose Babette's Feast for one reason: the food. Babette's Feast is actually a Danish film from 1987. Two old spinsters live on a remote island with several other families, most of whom practice a very strict religion of abstention, which the spinsters' father preached while still alive. Babette is found and taken in by the sisters; she becomes their cook/maid/every-woman. For their father's 100th birthday celebration, the two sisters allow Babette to cook a special meal. Having been a famous chef in Paris (not that anyone knows this), Babette's meal is decadent and indecent by the village's standpoint. However, they all love the meal. Although Chocolate follows much the same storyline, Babette's Feast came first and focuses more on the food than the villagers' lives. To prep you for the dinner table, watch Babette's Feast as it will make your mouth water.

Television: Friends
More than any other show, Friends did a great Thanksgiving episode. My personal favorites are "The One With the Thanksgiving Flashbacks" from Season 5, "The One Where Ross Got High" from Season 6, and "The One With the Rumor" from Season 8. Since this is Monica's favorite holiday, it makes sense that these three episodes have a place on my list this week.

Honorable Mention: The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. Need I say more????

Literature: Of Plymouth Plantation
Sorry folks, I couldn't help it! If you want to know about the first Thanksgiving, go back to the man who experienced it: William Bradford. Bradford's diary is one of the few "real" tellings of the fateful day when the Pilgrims and the Wampanoag met in harmony to eat turkey. Um, wait. That wasn't what actually happened! The Pilgrims wanted to celebrate their tenuous survival with a feast. The Wampanoag leader, Massasoit, showed up to celebrate with 90 of his men. As was the Wampanoag custom, the Pilgrims had to serve all of the Natives. Luckily, there were three days of food, fun, and contests, several of which were hunting contests. Oh, and the women didn't really participate; they just cooked and served. Typical.

Can You Believe Thanksgiving is in Less Than Two Weeks?

Yeah, where has this semester gone? I told my T/R students that we only see each other seven more times before the end of the semester. Needless to say, I think all of us were happy about the prospect. :-)

Film: Alien and Aliens
I am working on my manuscript's chick chapter and so have been rewatching a lot of "feminist" horror and sci-fi lately. (And I put "feminist" in quotation marks because there is lots of debate as to whether the stuff I'm watching is actually feminist.) It has been years since I'd seen Alien and I don't think I've ever sat through all of Aliens. What was I thinking? Both are compelling sci-fi/horror films with an awesome leading lady! Sigourney Weaver is amazing in these films. Not to mention there is a young(er) Tom Skerritt, Ian Holms, Harry Dean Stanton, Lance Henrikson, Paul Reiser, and Bill Paxton. And the story is very timely: listen to the experts and be careful what you play with as it may rise up and literally bite you in the ass. (Hm, does anyone else a correlation to our current Middle East problems?) I have included both films because even though seven years passed between making the films and they have two different directors - Ridley Scott for the first and James Cameron for the second - they should be viewed as one complete film. As you watch, or rewatch, pay special attention to the effects which are out of this galaxy for the 1970s and 1980s. Of course, Tom Woodruff did the special effects for Aliens so they should be awesome; he did, after all, graduate from Lycoming College. Go Lyco!

Television Show: The Amazing Race
Now, we all know that I like my reality tv to show on infotainment channels like HGTV, TLC, and History. However, this is the one show that I like from the networks. If you haven't ever watched, you should. I like a reality show where brains will beat brawn every time. If you can't read a map, negotiate an airport, or communicate effectively with locals around the world, you will lose. Sorry, that's all there is to it. Plus since every team is in a race, there are few, if any, back-biting alliances. This is the show, after all, where a couple of hippies can take down the stereotypical jock and his model girlfriend. This show is about as close to reality as it gets. Sadly, that's not saying much. But seriously, check out this show - the second ep airs tonight at 8pm on CBS - and see if the goth team wins. (They already have my support and I hope they continue to beat the beautiful, vain, and abusive teams.)

Novel: The Big Over Easy
Okay, I read this novel over Spring Break this past spring. But I haven't read anything recently to put on the list because, again, I've been focusing on the Chapter 4 rewrite. The novel is by Jasper Fforde - writer of the brilliant Thursday Next series which will be on the blog before too long - and was released in 2005. The novel opens with the untimely death of Humpty Dumpty who, it is believed, did not accidently fall off the wall. It is up to Detectives Jack Spratt and Mary Mary, both of Reading's Nursery Crime Division, to clear up the mess. Mary Mary is quite contrary about her assignment in the Nursery Crime Division and Jack just can't figure out why he wants to climb the beanstalk in his mother's backyard. Despite these distractions, both find themselves in the midst of a serious crime that will shake the very foundations of their society. Well, not really. But it's a great read! And if you like it, a sequel with the three bears just hit the shelves this past year. It's on my Amazon Wish List, hint hint.

Back To Normal

This week I am back to "anything goes," but I'm glad my Halloween picks garnered such discussion. What fun!

Television: Reaper
This is my favorite of the new tv shows. (I have a couple more good ones I'll be discussing in coming weeks.) This show makes me laugh out loud every episode and that rarely happens. In case you haven't watched, Sam's (Bret Harrison) parents sold his sold to the Devil (Ray Wise). On his 21st birthday, the Devil comes to collect and makes Sam his own personal soul bounty hunter. Aided by his friends, Sock (Tyler Labine) and Ben (Rick Gonzalez), Sam goes after a baddie a week. The repetition of this plot is inconsequential as it is the witty repartee between Sam and his friends that makes the show worth watching. Kevin Smith - genius of all things pop culturey - is a consultant on this show, which is what makes the show so watchable. Tune in Tuesday nights at 9 (on the CW) if you haven't already. Don't worry, you haven't missed any major plot points, just some very funny stuff. (Sock and the dog in the first ep was priceless. I am smiling just thinking about it.)

Film: Apocalypto
This film has kept me thinking for weeks now, so I figured I should put it on the list. If nothing else, it will, I'm sure, garner plenty of discussion. Truth be told, the story is weak and predictable. Why is it here? As usual, Mel Gibson proves that behind the camera he has an eye for framing. There are shots here that still boggle my mind. The most impressive one has Mayan slaves digging in sand/dust. One slave in particular is covered in the dust and then proceeds to vomit blood. The imagery of dark skin, white dust, and blood is really amazing. And it's scenes like this one that kept me watching even after the story began boring me. (Which was about 10 minutes into the film.) I'm no longer such a big fan of Gibson - as a human being he's rather low on my totem pole - but, like Leni Reifenstahl - who is surely spending eternity in the 10th circle of Hell - he knows his craft. What can I do?

Book: My Freshman Year: What a Professor Learned by Becoming a Student
Published in 2005, Rebekah Nathan's undercover look at college life certainly opened a few eyes. Only being a decade from my own undergrad years, nothing she said was overly surprising. However, as a professor I am a bit appaled by what she found in terms of college life. Like Pledged, this book is a realistic view of today's college students. I think all professors and future professors in the audience should read this, as should anyone with children planning on college. Very interesting!

The Best of the Rest

As I anxiously await all the little "beggars" (doesn't anyone actually trick-or-treat on Halloween anymore), I am sad that October is coming to an end. I have enjoyed sharing, and debating, my horror picks with you all this month. This week includes my favorites that haven't had a place elsewhere this month. Enjoy and HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!!

Television: American Gothic
How many of you actually watched this show? More importantly, how many of you have actually heard of this show? I can think of only a couple, if that. I loved this series, short-lived though it was. The show aired in 1995-96 for a whopping 22 episodes and starred Gary Cole as Lucas Buck and Sarah Paulson (who went on to do Deadwood and Studio 60) as Merlyn. Think of them as the devil and an angel, quite literally. Lucas runs the small town of Trinity, NC and kills Merlyn in the very first episode. Merlyn's brother, Caleb (Lucas Black), who is also Lucas's son, brings her back to the town. It's very complex but quite engaging. It should be considering Sam Raimi was an exec producer. I had completely forgotten about how much I liked this show until the Chill channel ran an all-day marathon last Sunday. I sat and watched for six hours straight. If it runs again, catch it. It's everything good that gothic should be.

Film: Thirteen Ghosts
There are few horror films that I love to watch over and over and over again. This is one of them. Released in 2001, this film had some acting chops - Tony Shalhoub and Matthew Lillard (who always looks like he's having a blast) - at least for a horror film. What I like about it, however, is the effects. Somehow, Director Steve Beck manages to make some super-creepy ghosts. Normally I agree with Stephen King who believes that horror works only until we see the monster and, subsequently, the zipper running up the monster's back. In Thirteen Ghosts, that zipper does not exists. Some of the ghosts still make me shudder. If you're looking for a good, solid, scary movie for Halloween night, go with this one. You'll have a good time.

Literature: The Haunting of Hill House
Shirley Jackson's work has influenced some of the most prolific, contemporary writers and well it should. This is her masterpiece. It is one woman's slow slide into paranoid schizophrenia. The problem is, she may just have been pushed by a truly villainous being: a house. Jackson showed the world the potential in an evil object. There are no real ghosts in Hill House, just an inexplicable bad place. As you read, you will certainly see parallels between it and King's The Shining. He makes no bones about the fact that Jackson is one of his biggest influences and even refers to the novel towards the end of his own. I would not suggest reading this book alone at night. Even though it was published in 1959, the tale still has a bite. Just remember, whatever walks in Hill House walks alone.

The Vamps

It had to come at some point this month. I could not let four weeks go by without paying homage to the most important of the horror archetypes. More interesting than Frankenstein's Monster and more symbolic than the werewolf, vampires have been around forever. They began their mythological ride as zombies - yep, they simply rose from the dead and ate people - and now - thanks in no small part to Hammer Horror and Christopher Lee - they are the coolest, suavest, sexiest of the archetypes.

Television: Buffy the Vampire Slayer
DUH! Buffy wasn't the first vampire show nor was it the last. But it did something no other vampire show did: it was Emmy-worthy, even if the stupid Emmys never gave it the recognition it deserved. Television critics for all of the major entertainment players sang Buffy's praises and right they should have (and still do). Joss Whedon gave the world a blonde, ditsy monster hunter who revolutionized vampire fiction and women's roles on the telly. He put the traditional victim of the slasher film into the role of the slasher. And along the way he threw in more pop culture references than even I could get. The stories were interesting (Okay, we'll ignore Season 5 when the show jumped the shark) and the effects were pretty cool for the fledgling WB and UPN budgets. In addition, the character development was fantastic with minor characters (Anya, Andrew) coming back for their own story arcs. And even the spin-off, Angel, is worthy of notice. (Can anyone name what rhymes with "refulgent"?) Naysayers out there be shamed! If you haven't ever given this show its due, now is the time. Rent Season 1 and I guarantee you'll be hooked!!

Literature: Laurell K. Hamilton
Nope, Laurell K. Hamilton is not the name of a book; it's actually the name of the author for the Anita Blake: Vampire Killer series. At last count, there were 22 books in all. I've read the first three but I'm already totally hooked. Whenever I want a nice break from heavier fiction, I go on half.com and buy two or three installments of this candy-for-the-brain series. Anita is a necromancer in St. Louis, MO. Yep, she raises the dead for profit. She also happens to be very good at it and, in the second book, finds herself to be a very powerful one indeed. It just so happens that St. Louis also has a vampire problems. Occasionally these vamps break the law and Anita is hired to kill them. She is a very powerful entity and that is why the head vamp is in love with her. And so is a werewolf. And it just gets crazier from there. I'm not saying this is the best vampire series on the planet, or even that it is great literature, but the series is a lot of fun and I strongly suggest it for an all-day, thunderstorm-outside, read-a-thon.

Film: The Hunger (1983)
This one was really, really, really, really difficult! I have seen so many vampire films that it's hard to narrow to just one. I mean, there is Horror of Dracula, Interview with the Vampire, The Lost Boys, Blacula. How do you choose just one? I went with the film that forever changed my idea of vampires. In this film you have Mariam (Catherine Deneuve), an ancient vampire, who is just trying to find eternal love. See, in The Hunger you actually have to be born a vampire to have eternal youth. Ah, and there is the problem. What is eternal life without eternal youth? Unfortunately, Mariam has a collection of past lovers in trunks in her attic. Did I mention they're all still alive? It's not until she meets Dr. Sarah Roberts (Susan Sarandon) that she finds a possible lover and eternal mate. But then things get problematic as they always do. This is an arthouse film that appeals to the masses. That said, it's not for the young. Mariam and John (David Bowie) have some pretty explicit sex scenes at the film's beginning. If you haven't seen this film and still consider yourself a vampire film junkie, you really aren't one quite yet.

Next week ends the Halloween fun. To wrap up the month, I'll be doing a "Best of the Rest" blog.

Classic Gothic

Before I get to the good stuff I must begin with a brief literature lesson. Named after the infamous Goths of northern Europe - those dastardly barbarians who actually succeded in pillaging and plundering the Roman Empire - the gothic officially began as a genre when Horace Walpole published The Castle of Otranto in 1764. Other gothic novels followed, including Matthew Lewis's The Monk (1796), Ann Radcliffe's The Italian; or The Confession of the BlackPenitents (1797), and, of course, Mary Shelley's Frankenstein (1818). Simply put, the classic gothic employed a supernatural element to help move the story along. In the early works, the supernatural elements were almost always explained. The goal of the story was to scare the reader and then return the reader to the time's status quo. In other words, chaos reigned for all of 100+ pages and then was defeated and/or explained so that the reader's fear ended. In the mid-1800s, however, the supernatural elements became more and more extreme and less mundane. By the late 1800s, the gothic had evolved into a genre with inexplicable supernatural events, but the status quo remainded by the text's end. It was not until the 1950s (thank Robert Bloch and Alfred Hitchcock for a little novel/film called Psycho) that chaos reigned supreme at the end of the text. But I want to focus on the "best of the best" of the classic gothic, the stuff that came out before Psycho because, unfortunately, this is the stuff that is slowly being forgotten. (Okay, technically my television choice is after Psycho but the feel of the show places it firmly in classic gothic.)

Literature: The Fall of the House of Usher
I could have gone with so many texts so where do I begin? Why, the mac daddy of them all: Edgar Allan Poe. How could I possibly post a classic gothic blog without him? It would be blasphemy!!!! Why "Usher"? Well, this story still scares the beejezus out of me. I've read it about a dozen times and I still peer over my shoulder when Madeline appears. Eek! If you've never read "Usher," pick it up. You can find it online but I suggest you print it out to read. If you want to read about the decaying Usher family and their incestuous past, do it under a blanket with your back against the wall. For added spookiness, read it during a thunderstorm.

Film: Nosferatu (1922)
Again, which to choose? Both John Barrymoore's Jekyll and Hyde and Lon Chaney's Phantom of the Opera were options here. In the end, however, I went with the first film adaptation of Stoker's Dracula. (Although the close runner-up was The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari. Those German Expressionists knew their gothic!) The effects won't surprise anyone today, nor will the story keep you on the edge of your seat. However, if you want to see what the early filmmakers did with a gothic text, this is the film to watch. Gothic was made for film and it didn't take long for filmmakers to realize it. Plus, since F. W. Murnau didn't have the rights to Stoker's novel, he played with the storyline. In this adaptation, Nina (Mina from the novel) is the true hero. She is the one who vanquishes the evil vampire, although I won't spoil the ending by telling you how. Oh, and after you've seen Nosferatu, rent Shadow of the Vampire (2000), a mock behind-the-scenes film that offers the possibilty Max Schreck (the vampire) was a true vampire.

Television Show: The Twilight Zone
First, I need to tell you all that I mean the original. None of this remake crap! On holiday weekends The Sci Fi Channel runs Twilight Zone marathons. As a teenager, I was fascinated. I would watch as many episodes as I could get away with. You're going to get a wide variety from a marathon, anything from aliens to paranoia to the atomic bomb. Some are definitely better than others and not all of them are really gothic. The ones that are gothic - and have always creeped me out - are "The Passersby," "Deaths-Head Revisited," and "The Midnight Sun." It should come as no surprise that The Twilight Zone is the best gothic television has to offer; many of its authors are still considered classic gothic writers of the 1950s. You all may also be surprised to learn that many plot lines from Zone became popular stories in the hands of other writers, but I'll leave it up to you to figure out which ones. (Stephen King was a huge Zone fan, hint hint.)

Next week tune in for famous vampire tales...

The Countdown to Halloween

Now, you all know I can't let this month go by without talking horror. So, in honor of one of my most favorite of holidays, this week begins four weeks of horror on the Excellent Pop Culture Blog. To begin, we have the King of Horror: Stephen King himself. Today's blog is devoted to him.

Film: 1408
Just when you thought he was getting trite in his old age, Stephen King comes out with a wowser of a screenplay. I know, you're thinking it's The Shining in New York. Nope, totally not. First, the story is actually quite interesting. John Cusack is a father/writer struggling with the death of his child. He decides to debunk all haunted hotels in America and ends up in Room 1408 at the Dolphin Hotel. What happens there actually raised the hair on the back of my neck, and we all know that rarely happens. Second, John Cusack has moved into the next phase of his career: the father-figure. He's doing it very well. I totally bought him as a depressed father. Finally, Morgan Freeman's character will leave you wondering, "Was he in on it or was he completely in the dark?" Good stuff and I highly suggest it as a possible Halloween flick.

Book: The Stand
I have read a lot of King and enjoyed most of it. None has ever frightened me the way The Stand has. I first read it as a sophomore in college. I have read it three times since. I still get goosebumps. In the long tradition of American gothic writers (think back to the great-grand-daddy of American gothic, Charles Brockden Brown), King makes the vast emptiness of this vast country truly terrifying. After a superbug wipes out most of the population, those still standing go to either Bolder, CO (the good guys) or Las Vegas (the bad guys). To get there, they have to travel great distances alone with no music or tv to keep them company. Just imagine! I get creeped out driving 50 at night across Ohio and I occasionally see other folks on the road. I couldn't begin to consider what it would be like to travel across a state and see no one. If you haven't already read this gem, King's fourth book, I strongly recommend it. Unlike 80s television shows, it stands the test of time.

Television: The Shining
Yes, I could have included USA's The Dead Zone here. I have watched it on and off over the years and it's okay. Instead, though, I wanted one of his miniseries. Kubrick did a great job with King's novel. Well, he did a good job using King's setting and characters in a slasher film. But what Kubrick did not convey King's intended message. To remedy the unsavory - by King's standards - adaptation, in 1997 ABC let King write a new screenplay for the miniseries. Stephen Weber (Wings) plays Jack and Rebecca de Mornay plays Wendy. The two really work well on screen and bring King's story of domestic violence to life. There are some cheesy moments, as there will be with any miniseries, but for the most part the film holds up. The inclusion of Melvin Van Peebles as Dick Halloran didn't hurt either.

Tune in next week for the "Classic Gothic" blog...

What's Hot This Week

I'm back after my two-week hiatus. This week was a tough one since I haven't watched any excellent movies or finished any excellent books. Therefore, I've decided to go with a few selections from earlier this year that have really stuck in my brain.

Film: Pan's Labyrinth
If you haven't seen Director Guillermo del Toro's film yet, DO SO IMMEDIATELY! I have never experienced a film like this. It's difficult to explain because it's so visual. Yes, I can say that it is one girl's fantasy as she deals with the hardships of her mother's death and a savage step-father, but that reduces the film itself to a badly-written tagline. The truth is, it doesn't matter what the film is "really" about. You see it not necessarily for the story - which is enjoyable - but for the costuming, cinematography, and effects. I saw it on the big screen and was overwhelmed. If you have the opportunity, watch it on a big-screen tv with surround sound. If you, like me, have a small television, sit close. Oh, and make sure you watch it with the lights off.

Book: Geek Love
Katherine Dunn's 2002 novel is a bit disturbing in parts but totally worth the ride. I should warn you that "geek" does not refer to a dork. Instead, she is writing about a family of sideshow freaks and the "geek" refers to the act where a person bites a head off a live chicken. That person, in the sideshow business, is called a geek. The family you read about is purposely disfigured. The mother uses various forms of drugs during her pregnancy to produce the best and most show-stopping results. The surviving children are Siamese twins, a fish-like boy, a hunchbacked albino, and Chick (no one knows what he really is). Before you think this book is deranged, as are the people in it, remember that a good text will make the consumer question society's standards of normality. Just who are the monsterss in this book? You might be surprised.

Television Show: Heroes
Last television year I started with three shows: Heroes, Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip, and some other new show that was cancelled (which didn't even impress me because I can't remember the title). Unfortunately, Studio 60 was cancelled because only smart people were watching it. Sigh... It was awesome. But Heroes continued and I was enthralled. The season finale left me screaming for more; the wait ahead seemed dreadful. But now we are just 29 hours away from a new season and I couldn't be more excited. I don't want to say too much because I know of at least one reader who is working her way through the DVDs. If you missed Season 1, rent it now and TiVO the new eps. It is well worth the time.

This new television season I will be watching two new shows: The Reaper on The CW and Pushing Daisies on ABC. Nope, I'm not watching the vampire detective show as it is just a rip-off of Forever Knight and Angel. Not interested.

Sometimes Oscar Gets It Right

This week's post will have to keep you going for two weeks. I am heading to Cleveland next weekend and won't be around to post anything new.

Film: The Last King of Scotland
It took me three days but I have finally finished Kevin Macdonald's film. (Spiders and a phone call from MG drew me away twice.) I don't know how historically accurate this film is and I don't care. Forest Whitaker is brilliant! I have loved Whitaker for some time now, actually since The Crying Game, but never have I been so in awe of his activing ability. He embodies Idi Amin. At times, I felt as if I was watching a documentary rather than a fictionalization. Wow! Not to mention, James McAvoy holds his own against Whitaker. (FYI, he was Mr. Tumnus, the Faun, in Chronicles of Narnia.) I'm not sure why Oscar voters passed over McAvoy, but if this film is any gauge, he'll be on the Oscar stage eventually.

Television: Big Love
Not having HBO - sigh - I watched the whole first season of this show over the summer. I know it's now in its second season, so don't tell me what is going on!!!! Anyway, it always amazes me when a work of fiction makes me think in a new way. That is exactly what happened this summer while watching Big Love. Although I am still no supporter of polygamy, the fictional Henrickson family makes it work, and that's what's so compelling about this show. Somehow the writers are able to make viewers get beyond the whole polygamy thing to the real story, which is about a family with regular family issues. Bill Paxton is good, but his three wives - played by Jeanne Tripplehorn, Chloe Sevigny, and Ginnifer Goodwin - steal the show. Always excellent in supporting roles, Harry Dean Stanton really goes villainous as Roman Grant, head of a polygamous cult. His cult is the "how-not-to" be polygamous to the Henrickson's "how-to" family.

Book: V For Vendetta
I reread Alan Moore's brilliant graphic novel again recently. If you haven't read it but enjoyed the film, I strongly suggest picking it up. You'll be most suprised to find that the book begins with Parliament's explosion. There are also larger female roles, something Moore occasionally does well. (Moore's universe tends to be male-dominated.) I especially like the idea of the destroyer/creator dichotomy between V and Evey - very interesting in terms of male and female biological functions and gender stereotypes.

Is Blogging Labor?

I've survived the first week of class at a new school and still I find time for my weekly posts. Go figure! I have learned some interesting things this week including the fact that I am the only person in my Intro to Lit class to read Deathly Hallows and I am one of the few in the basic writing class to keep a blog. And on that note...

Book: Pledged: The Secret Life of Sororities
Alexandra Robbins - who also gave the world the quarterlife crisis - followed four sorority girls for a year and tells their story in this book. Whether you are male or female, sorority alumnae or not, this book is a must! Yes, it will exploit some of the stereotypes that we all know and love: "Delta, Delta, Delta, can I help ya, help ya, help ya?" But it also presents an interesting look at the good and bad truths to being a member of an elite sisterhood. Never having been a sorority sister, I could still picture the scenarios as they played out during my undergrad years. While this book does not make me wish I pledged, it certainly gives me a deeper understanding of my students who do.

Movie: The Fountain
I need to start out by saying that this movie is not for the faint of heart. The director, Darren Aronofsky, may be one of the most interesting film directors today. The film is a challenge as viewers must negotiate three different story lines of the past, present, and future lives of both Hugh Jackman (who shows his acting chops here) and Rachel Weisz (who deserves all Oscars she may receive). I had to call my friend MG after watching just to talk about it. There will be as many interpretations as there are viewers. Once you rent it, call me so I can hear what you think Aronofsky is saying. This is one of the best reader response films I have seen lately, if not ever.

Television: Eureka
The reaction I may get here is, "Isn't that the silly show on Sci-Fi?" Yep. But just because it's on the Sci-Fi network does not mean you should avoid it. Entertainment Weekly calls the show a cross between Pickett Fences and The X-Files. I agree. It's kooky and mysterious and just plain fun. Set in Eureka, a town built by the government to foster brilliant people and their research, the show follows Sheriff Jack Carter - the only average Joe in town - as he tracks down the latest technological snafu that may just end the world as we know it. In addition, the show makes fun of itself by constantly recognizing that the same old scenarios keep occurring. If you're looking for something to watch on Tuesdays at 9, check it out. (And speaking of Pickett Fences, when are they going to rerun that one?)

Week Two and Still Interested!

I've decided to make this a weekly blog, so check in on Sundays for the week's picks.

Literature: Autobiography of a Fat Bride
The book is actually called Autobiography of a Fat Bride: True Tales of a Pretend Adulthood. Consider it nonfiction chick lit. I rarely laugh out loud at a book but this one made me giggle and cackle throughout. (Bill Bryson's A Walk in the Woods does as well.) The book is a bunch of 2-3 page vignettes about author Laurie Notaro's life. Her life is way funnier than mine, but nothing she writes seems untrue; it all could happen. My favorite story is "It Takes Guts." This isn't something you have to read the whole way through at once. Consider leaving it on your bedside table and turn to it every few days.

Movies: Sweet Land and The Holiday
This week I saw two excellent romances and couldn't judge between them. Now, romance - as many of you know - is not my most favorite of film genres but these two might just sway me to the dark side.

Many of you probably haven't heard of Sweet Land. The film came out in 2005 and stars Elizabeth Reaser and Tim Guinee. Unless you're a Stargate SG-1 fan, you probably won't recongize either of them. Inge (Reaser) is a German woman who is sent to American by Olaf's (Guinee) parents to be his wife. In essence, she's a mail-order bride. Unfortunately, she is a German entering America during WWI and the two face a lot of adversity and hatred. It's a really sweet love story that has a framing technique similar to Frankenstein: a story within a story within a story. Good stuff!

Many of you probably have heard of The Holiday. I have to admit, I was skeptical, especially considering the famousness of the cast and my aversion to both Camerion Diaz and Jack Black. But I loved this film! Jack Black proves, yet again, that obnoxious and annoying comedians can actually do serious pretty damn well. (The others would be Will Ferrell and Jim Carrey.) My favorite part of the film is actually a sub-plot with Arthur (Eli Wallach) and Iris (Kate Winslet). This film reminds me of an old-fashioned love story like The Philadelphia Story, and given the aforementioned sub-plot, I think that's the point. If you're looking for a great Friday night popcorn film, get this one!

Television: Ice Road Truckers on The History Channel
The History Channel is one of my favorite channels. I came to Ice Road Truckers about three episodes into the season. If you haven't heard about the show yet, it focuses on truck drivers on one of Canada's ice roads. These men drive huge loads 200+ miles to diamond mines in northern Canada. They make oodles of money but the trip is very dangerous. Can you imagine driving a semi on ice that is less than 3-feet thick and cracking the entire time you're on it? They can only drive 15 mph and the trips take upwards of a day. Once they get back to base, they turn around and do it all over again. The show's first season ended last Sunday, but the show was popular enough that the season repeats starting tonight at 10pm. I would strongly suggest you catch the "Dash for the Cash" the second time around.

The First Batch of Reviews

Okay folks, here with go with my very first picks. Although I could have started with many different choices, I went with things I've seen recently.

Film: The Bourne Ultimatum
Brilliant, brilliant, brilliant! First, Matt Damon was a fantastic choice for Jason Bourne. He really fits the part. Second, Paul Greengrass is a fantastic director. He completely ignores traditional camera angles, editing, and framing. You really feel like you're in the moment with Bourne every step of the way. If you haven't seen this in the theater yet, go! You'll really want your first viewing to be with a big screen and surround sound. Trust me.

Book: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
I cried for the last 150 pages. I won't say anything more about it for all of you who haven't read it yet. J. K. Rowling is one of the best contemporary fiction writers out there. She really brought the story to an excellent close. I read all seven back-to-back and there are things in the first couple of books that show up again at the end. Her ability to craft a series is second to none.

Television: Deadwood
Hey, I didn't say this blog was about current stuff! I've been rewatching Season 1 of Deadwood this week for a project. (I am also working my way up to Season 3, which I still haven't seen due to not having HBO.) The cast is perfect. Timothy Oliphant and Ian McShane are two of the most ambiguous baddies out there. And I know my ambiguous baddies! Timothy Oliphant stares a guy down and the guy runs and hides. (Too bad Timothy wasn't quite as villainous in "Live Free and Die Hard.") The language - despite the F-bomb every other word - is actually quite poetic. Plus, you may be surprised to learn that the writer is a woman. I am really looking forward to watching Season 3.

That's my take today on pop culture.

The First of Many...

Greetings folks!

I know, you're utterly shocked to find that I have a blog. Believe me, so am I.

I have decided to give blogging a try. I am nothing if not a bit curious. However, you won't get anything too regular here. I may post several days in a row and then not for several weeks. I make no promises. I do, however, make a premise. (ha ha)

This blog is dedicated to the literature, film, and television shows that I think are worthy of discussion. Sorry, you won't get any music reviews here as I am not up on music. For that, you must contact my good friend Matt as he is my own personal music guru. (I can, however, tell you that Snakefarm in my new favorite band despite the fact they only have one CD and you can't download them on iTunes.) I want to share with my friends all those things I'm reading and watching that I think are good enough to pass on. Hopefully some of you will even share your humble opinions.

So, without further ado, our first discussion...