KateLinnea

Trailer: Julian Fellowes's Titanic

2012-02-29T09:00:00.000-05:00

This is going to have the wittiest drowning people ever, isn't it?

And another:

Is it just me or is Toby Jones in everything recently? Anyway, this will be on ABC on April 14 & 15, just in time for the 100th anniversary. Wheeee.

Morning Coffee (2/29/12)

2012-02-29T08:05:00.000-05:00

Happy Leap Day! And snow is coming. Finally.

Hey, fans of The Good Guys and Roswell and good TV - Colin Hanks will be guest starring on Happy Endings tonight on ABC at 9:30/8:30c.

In case you missed it last night, here's my White Collar finale review. Spoilers!

Does your morning need some cute? Check out this kitten and baby deer snuggling.

You should really read Todd VanDerWerff on why fans of quality TV should stop pirating stuff and try to be slightly less entitled, spoiled brats. (Er, that last bit was my phrasing, not his.)

Ooh! New Charlotte Bronte story!

Sarah Rees Brennan says important things about adaptations in general and the casting of Lucy Liu in Elementary in particular.

How The Good Wife became the first great series about technology

It's never too early to start worrying about the TV Death Watch.

"Judgment Day:" White Collar Finale Review (SPOILERS!)

2012-02-28T23:31:00.000-05:00

Well. That was quite something, huh? I've had several days to think about it, and I'm still not sure what I thought. SO MANY FEELINGS! And a spoiler cut!

Read more »

ABC's Revenge Oscar Promo

2012-02-28T11:00:00.000-05:00

I loved this promo ABC showed for Revenge during the Oscars. If you missed it, take a look! And yes, Revenge is finally back tomorrow night.

10 Reasons to Watch Tonight's White Collar Finale

2012-02-28T09:00:00.003-05:00

Season three of White Collar is coming to an end tonight - all too soon - with "Judgment Day," and it's a heck of an episode. Here are ten reasons why you should watch:

10. El gives OT3 fans the most canonical justification they've ever had.
9. Sara is completely brilliant.
8. June made me tear up.
7. Mozzie has secrets. (Of course he does.)
6. We learn a bit more about Neal's past.
5. Diana makes a choice and saves the day. (At least temporarily.)
4. There are meaningful baked goods.
3. Someone has a secret agenda. And that someone isn't necessarily Neal.
2. Peter and Neal both have to be unusually honest about their feelings and how much they've changed each other. And then Peter, especially, makes choice after choice that reinforces it: He can't go back.
1. The ending is somehow both satisfying and shocking. It's not really a cliffhanger. The cliff's gone. People talk about game-changers all the time, but this really is one. And I cannot wait to talk about it.

White Collar is on USA Network tonight at 10/9 central. And don't worry: season four starts this summer.

Morning Coffee (2/28/12)

2012-02-28T08:00:00.000-05:00

It feels like it should be much later in the week than Tuesday by now. Doesn't it?

This Gary Oldman profile - and its publication story - are completely fascinating.

The Biggest Triumph of the 2012 Academy Awards (Seriously, see A Separation. It's incredible.)

Things Mitt Romney Loves

If you want to see a whole bunch of Dracula adaptations, this is your time.

Sad news: Jan Berenstain has died.

Novelist (and my boss) Maureen Johnson talks J.K. Rowling's new book and why the people who doubt she can write for adults should just hush.

Princess Estelle is adorable, and wearing handknits in her first pictures!

Aaaaaah! Twilight-themed engagement pictures. Terrifying.

TVLine's May Sweeps Scorecard is here!

A Note on Alcatraz (& House) Scheduling

2012-02-27T22:06:00.001-05:00

As you may have noticed, Alcatraz and House were preempted by the rescheduled Daytona 500 today. (It was rained out yesterday.) It's not completely clear what this will do to the schedule. A few people have noted that the Fox site says Alcatraz will be on Saturday at 11, but that's a regular repeat timeslot, and the repeats are a week behind, so the one scheduled for this Saturday is the episode that aired last week. Alcatraz was supposed to have two episodes on 3/5, one each on 3/12 and 3/19, and a two-hour finale on 3/26. So . . . I have no idea what they'll end up doing with this extra episode, especially as they now have an extra House episode to fit in too. They might just leave it on Saturday 3/10, or they might push stuff back a week, or do something completely different. It might depend on whether they've already given up on the show or not.

Er, that was a very long-winded way of saying that I have no idea what's going on, but don't necessarily assume the episode that was supposed to air tonight is on this Saturday, because as of right now, it isn't. And if I do find out, I'll let you know!

Update: This tweet from the show's official account confirms that there will be two episodes next week, but that was already planned. Unclear on where the extra episode is going.

My Top Ten Favorite Oscar Looks

2012-02-27T19:11:00.000-05:00

It wasn't that exciting a year for fashion, but between the ceremony and the after-parties, I did have some favorites... (I only listed women, because honestly, I have trouble judging the relative merits of black tuxedos.)

10. Gwyneth Paltrow is wearing a cape. And it's kind of awesome.

9. I know people generally didn't like Emma Stone's bow, but I'm going to go all-in and say she made it work.

8. Stana Katic looks lovely, and my God, look at her hair.

7. Most romantic: Penelope Cruz.

6. Katie Holmes had a similarly lovely flowing blue concept going on. Let's hope she and Penelope didn't plan that, because that would be weird.

5. Roxy Sorkin looks adorable and age-appropriate.

4. I wish the background of Lily Collins's dress were not quite so close to her skin tone, but otherwise, I LOVE this.

3. Also controversial: Natalie Portman's polka dots. But the dress is so nicely put together with the jewelry and the hair . . . I just love the overall look.

2. Jessica Chastain may have been wearing Blair Waldorf's prom dress, but she looked amazing.

1. If someone asked me to pick "prettiest person in the world," it would probably be Nina Dobrev. This dress has several elements I don't usually like, but it looks freaking amazing on her.

Morning Coffee (2/27/12)

2012-02-27T08:12:00.001-05:00

Hello! Don't you think the work day should start late the morning after the Oscars? I'm sleepy. Ah well. This is going to be all Oscar-related rambling, as I didn't have time to come up with any links yesterday. Sorry.

First of all, E! just informed me (well, on their after-party show, which I TiVoed last night) that Sacha Baron Cohen could face battery charges for his stunt, and YES PLEASE, because he just needs to stop. But that won't actually happen, because Ryan is too nice. Sigh.

I saw The Artist Saturday night, just in time to be thoroughly underwhelmed by all its wins. I mean, it was fine, but . . . really? Ha, Matthew Lillard was just on E! talking about how sad he is that The Artist won everything. I didn't actually think The Descendants should be a big winner either, but at least he was honest in a really charming way.

"George didn't get to take home the Oscar last night, but he got to take home Stacy." Um. Yes.

They also just showed an interview with Angelina Jolie in which they asked her all sorts of stuff about Brad and she was really charming and normal-seeming and it was all pretty delightful.

E!: "Why was Vanity Fair your first stop?" Judd Apatow: "Well, we weren't really invited anywhere else."

I finally saw The Tree of Life yesterday afternoon, and actually loved it, so I'm disappointed that it was shut out. And I'm furious, though not surprised, that Tinker Tailor didn't win anything.

About the winners in general: Not surprising. When Meryl Streep winning an Oscar is the biggest surprise of the night, you know things have been pretty boring. And my preferred film won in six of the 24 categories, so that's . . . not awful, I guess?

Jesse Tyler Ferguson and his boyfriend just did an interview so adorable that it kind of made me want to watch his show. Well done!

Okay, about the fashion: it was pretty unmemorable. I'm sure I'll have more opinions after I look at a million slideshows today - and, actually, I'm seeing some really interesting pictures from the Vanity Fair party - but there wasn't much that was wildly great OR awful. That's kind of disappointing. Maybe I'll put together a best-dressed list. If you want?

Halfway through the Oscars, my mom joined Twitter. So THAT made things a little surreal, too.

Nina Dobrev is ridiculously gorgeous, and her dress was fascinating - it has a lot of elements I usually don't like, but I somehow really like it all together. MAGIC.

My Oscar Picks

2012-02-26T17:27:00.001-05:00

Well, I've seen 35 movies. Not bad. Here are the nominees for each category, with my pick from those nominees as well as my ideal choice, if I'd prefer something that wasn't nominated. By the way, the titles are in quotes rather than italics because that's how they are on the official site for some reason.

Actor in a Leading Role
Nominees: Demián Bichir in "A Better Life," George Clooney in "The Descendants," Jean Dujardin in "The Artist," Gary Oldman in "Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy," Brad Pitt in "Moneyball"
I've Seen: All except A Better Life.
My Pick: Oldman.
My Ideal Pick: Oldman. Seriously. He was incredible. I would have nominated Daniel Craig for Dragon Tattoo, though.

Actor in a Supporting Role
Nominees: Kenneth Branagh in "My Week with Marilyn", Jonah Hill in "Moneyball", Nick Nolte in "Warrior", Christopher Plummer in "Beginners", Max von Sydow in "Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close"
I've Seen: My Week with Marilyn, Moneyball, Beginners
My Pick: Christopher Plummer. I wasn't wild about Beginners, but he was great.
My Ideal Pick: Still Plummer, but for Dragon Tattoo, instead. Ooh, but I would have nominated Benedict Cumberbatch for Tinker Tailor, too.

Actress in a Leading Role
Nominees: Glenn Close in "Albert Nobbs", Viola Davis in "The Help", Rooney Mara in "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo", Meryl Streep in "The Iron Lady", Michelle Williams in "My Week with Marilyn"
I've Seen: All except Iron Lady.
My Pick: Williams, though it's close between her and Rooney.
My Ideal Pick: Williams was great, but so was Mia Wasikowska in Jane Eyre.

Actress in a Supporting Role
Nominees: Bérénice Bejo in "The Artist", Jessica Chastain in "The Help", Melissa McCarthy in "Bridesmaids", Janet McTeer in "Albert Nobbs", Octavia Spencer in "The Help"
I've Seen: All except Bridesmaids.
My Pick: Um, I guess Chastain.
My Ideal Pick: Shailene Woodley for The Descendants.

Animated Feature Film
Nominees: "A Cat in Paris" Alain Gagnol and Jean-Loup Felicioli, "Chico & Rita" Fernando Trueba and Javier Mariscal, "Kung Fu Panda 2" Jennifer Yuh Nelson, "Puss in Boots" Chris Miller, "Rango" Gore Verbinski
I've Seen: Only Puss in Boots.
My Pick: Enh, it was fine, I guess. But the preview I saw for Chico & Rita makes me think that would have been my pick, had it been released anywhere near me.
My Ideal Pick: Tintin.

Art Direction
Nominees: "The Artist", "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2", "Hugo", "Midnight in Paris", "War Horse"
I've Seen: All.
My Pick: Harry Potter.
My Ideal Pick: Maybe The Tree of Life.

Cinematography
Nominees: "The Artist", "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo", "Hugo", "The Tree of Life", "War Horse"
I've Seen: All.
My Pick: The Tree of Life.

Costume Design
Nominees: "Anonymous", "The Artist", "Hugo", "Jane Eyre", "W.E."
I've Seen: The Artist, Hugo, Jane Eyre.
My Pick: Jane Eyre.

Directing
Nominees: "The Artist" Michel Hazanavicius, "The Descendants" Alexander Payne, "Hugo" Martin Scorsese, "Midnight in Paris" Woody Allen, "The Tree of Life" Terrence Malick
I've Seen: All.
My Pick: Terrence Malick.
My Ideal Pick: Tomas Alfredson for Tinker Tailor.

Documentary (Feature)
Nominees: "Hell and Back Again", "If a Tree Falls: A Story of the Earth Liberation Front", "Paradise Lost 3: Purgatory", "Pina", "Undefeated"
I've Seen: Paradise Lost 3 and Pina.
My Pick: Paradise Lost 3, though I really want to see Undefeated.

Documentary (Short Subject)
Nominees: "The Barber of Birmingham: Foot Soldier of the Civil Rights Movement", "God Is the Bigger Elvis", "Incident in New Baghdad", "Saving Face", "The Tsunami and the Cherry Blossom"
I've Seen: All except God Is the Bigger Elvis.
My Pick: Saving Face.

Film Editing
Nominees: "The Artist", "The Descendants", "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo", "Hugo", "Moneyball"
I've Seen: All.
My Pick: Dragon Tattoo.
My Ideal Pick: Tinker Tailor.

Foreign Language Film
Nominees: "Bullhead", "Footnote", "In Darkness", "Monsieur Lazhar", "A Separation"
I've Seen: A Separation.
My Pick: It's the only one I've seen, but A Separation was REALLY good.

Makeup
Nominees: "Albert Nobbs", "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2", "The Iron Lady"
I've Seen: Albert Nobbs and Harry Potter.
My Pick: Harry Potter.

Music (Original Score)
Nominees: "The Adventures of Tintin" John Williams, "The Artist" Ludovic Bource, "Hugo" Howard Shore, "Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy" Alberto Iglesias, "War Horse" John Williams
I've Seen: All.
My Pick: Tinker Tailor.
My Ideal Pick: Tinker Tailor, though I would have nominated Dragon Tattoo as well.

Music (Original Song)
Nominees: "Man or Muppet" from "The Muppets", "Real in Rio" from "Rio"
I've Seen: The Muppets.
My Pick: "Man or Muppet."
My Ideal Pick: "Life's a Happy Song" from The Muppets.

Best Picture
Nominees: "The Artist", "The Descendants", "Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close", "The Help", "Hugo", "Midnight in Paris", "Moneyball", "The Tree of Life", "War Horse"
I've Seen: All except Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close.
My Pick: Tree of Life.
My Ideal Pick: Tinker Tailor, and I would have nominated A Separation, Dragon Tattoo, and Jane Eyre over most of the other nominees.

Short Film (Animated)
Nominees: "Dimanche/Sunday", "The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore", "La Luna", "A Morning Stroll", "Wild Life"
I've Seen: All.
My Pick: A Morning Stroll.

Short Film (Live Action)
Nominees: "Pentecost", "Raju", "The Shore", "Time Freak", "Tuba Atlantic"
I've Seen: All.
My Pick: The Shore, though it was hard for me to decide between that and Pentecost.

Sound Editing
Nominees: "Drive", "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo", "Hugo", "Transformers: Dark of the Moon", "War Horse"
I've Seen: Dragon Tattoo, Hugo, and War Horse.
My Pick: War Horse.

Sound Mixing
Nominees: "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo", "Hugo", "Moneyball", "Transformers: Dark of the Moon", "War Horse"
I've Seen: All except Transformers.
My Pick: Dragon Tattoo.

Visual Effects
Nominees: "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2", "Hugo", "Real Steel", "Rise of the Planet of the Apes", "Transformers: Dark of the Moon"
I've Seen: Harry Potter and Hugo.
My Pick: Harry Potter.

Writing (Adapted Screenplay)
Nominees: "The Descendants", "Hugo", "The Ides of March", "Moneyball", "Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy"
I've Seen: All except Ides of March.
My Pick: Tinker Tailor.
My Ideal Pick: Tinker Tailor, though I would have nominated Jane Eyre as well.

Writing (Original Screenplay)
Nominees: "The Artist", "Bridesmaids", "Margin Call", "Midnight in Paris", "A Separation"
I've Seen: The Artist, Midnight in Paris, A Separation.
My Pick: A Separation.

This week's TV news = Casting All The Actors

2012-02-26T13:03:00.000-05:00

Seriously, at this point, almost every actor I can think of has a pilot. Check out my column at TheTelevixen to see if any of your favorites are among them. This week: Bradley Whitford! Ethan Peck! Mary McCormack! Chris Egan! Taylor Kinney! Lots more!

Trailer: The Raven

2012-02-25T10:00:00.001-05:00

I love Poe, and Gothic stuff in general, but I'm not invested enough to care much if they mess up the historical details of his life. So I am SO EXCITED for this movie. Also, this line is amazing: "We are in dire need of your unwholesome expertise."

Morning Coffee (2/25/12)

2012-02-25T08:33:00.000-05:00

Happy Oscar weekend! I have a sore throat so I'm actually drinking tea with honey rather than coffee, but close enough. Let's ignore the fact that I still think I can see another five movies this weekend and move on to some links . . .

Wildly exciting news: Bradley Whitford was cast in a FOX pilot as a CIA Station Chief. Oh please oh please let this make it to TV.

How To Watch the Oscars. Ha. This is hilarious. And on a more serious note: The Insanity of Oscars Fashion Expectations.

Princess cake! I love Sweden.

Lupo, Dog of Cambridge, is pretty cute.

I have to admit I'm pretty excited about this new Anna Karenina. And I should really read the book, huh?

And here are your first pictures of Benedict Cumberbatch in Star Trek.

Vampire dinosaur! No, really.

It looks like Downton Abbey may be moving to the drama series category (rather than miniseries) for the Emmys. Interesting.

Morning Coffee (2/24/12)

2012-02-24T07:35:00.000-05:00

Good morning! If you need some cuteness to ease you into Friday, I recommend Zac Efron and Taylor Swift duetting on Ellen. That's a collaborative album I would buy.

Related: Zac Efron would like you to know that he is all grown up.

Also singing: the President. Wow.

In case you've been somehow under a rock for the last 24 hours, you should know that J.K. Rowling is publishing a book for adults.

If you only click on one of these links, make it this one: "Why Rick Santorum Would Have Killed My Daughter"

Princess Victoria of Sweden has given birth to a girl - congratulations! - and this name speculation is fascinating. Oh, I just checked for an update and they've announced the name. Cute and classic! I approve.

New favorite Tumblr: Damon Salvatore Hair Timeline

The Creators of Doctor Who Were a Scandal

This French drone document theft story is alarming and all, but I can't help thinking that the spywork involved is quaintly old-fashioned.

Revenge. Illustrated by cats.

2012-02-23T10:00:00.000-05:00

I... I don't even know.

(via The Awl.)

Morning Coffee (2/23/12)

2012-02-23T08:19:00.000-05:00

Good morning! I have a sore throat and a cough. Blech. So far my major decision of the morning has been to send Bridesmaids back to Netflix, since I know I will not actually convince myself to watch it any time soon.

Ooh! Castle ebooks!

Here's a thoroughly delightful story: Mark Feuerstein is filming a movie. In New Hampshire. Written by Joss Whedon.

Kathryn Bigelow's Bin Laden movie now has Lizzie Bennet and Coach Taylor. That's a team that could do pretty much anything, I think.

Downton Abbey trading cards!

The Weirdest Unsolved Mysteries of World War II

Today in "Writers I Can't Stop Reading Even Though Their Books Infuriate Me Are Now Writing YA, A Continuing Series:" Philippa Gregory.

Interesting reads on the Rihanna/Chris Brown situation: Vulture and Ta-Nehisi Coates.

They keep releasing photos from The Cabin in the Woods that don't have Bradley Whitford in them. Priorities, people!

Book Recommendation: The Beginning of After by Jennifer Castle

2012-02-22T10:00:00.000-05:00

Have I even mentioned my book blog here? I cannot remember. ANYWAY. I am blogging about what I read this year! You can read it here! And this morning, I explain why you should read Jennifer Castle's The Beginning of After.

The Good Wife, "Live from Damascus:" Recap at ThinkProgress

2012-02-22T09:00:00.000-05:00

Well, THAT was quite an episode. Read all about it.

Morning Coffee (2/22/12)

2012-02-22T07:25:00.000-05:00

Good morning! One of these days I will presumably learn that I can't possibly keep up with more TV shows than I have leisure hours in the week. But today, she said as she stared at her spreadsheet, does not seem to be that day.

Community will be back on March 15. THANK GOODNESS.

Downton Abbey paper dolls! Awesome!

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge's new puppy is named Lupo. Cute. I hope we get a picture soon.

The Olympic Closing Ceremony Concert is shaping up to be . . . kind of interesting, really.

The Cranberries have a new album? The Cranberries still exist? Huh.

Apparently Hitler might have had a son. Wow. Would his descendants even want royalties?

Morning Coffee (2/21/12)

2012-02-21T08:10:00.000-05:00

Yeah, trying this format again. I don't know. We'll see.

I saw This Means War over the weekend. It was really cute, if you keep yourself from thinking about any of it at all. Alternatively, if you think about it enough to make it into a secret Star Trek movie, it actually makes a lot more sense.

I hate the news that Cirque de Soleil is performing at the Oscars - but they're not having any of the nominated songs performed. I don't even just care because of MUPPETS. It's the principle of the thing.

"First, Atlas shrugged. Then he scratched his head in puzzlement." Indeed.

Gilmore reunion! Kelly Bishop's going to be in Amy Sherman-Palladino's new show with Sutton Foster.

Also getting a new show: Mary McCormack of In Plain Sight and The West Wing. Yay.

Michael Fassbender as Cuchulainn? Sign. Me. Up.

The Justified drinking game could be dangerous.

Tonight's Roundup

2012-02-16T21:53:00.000-05:00

My friend Erin interviewed the four of us who run Vampire-Diaries.net about a bunch of TV-related things.

Random: I realized today that I've been reading stories about Elizabeth Banks as though they were about Elizabeth Perkins for . . . well, probably as long as I've been reading stories about Elizabeth Banks. The world makes so much more sense now that I know they're two different people.

The craziest part about this wild story is that all three people involved have the same agent. Can you even imagine what that person must go through?

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo will be out on DVD March 20. It was really good. You should watch it.

I haven't actually read the Darkover series, but I love The Mists of Avalon enough that I'm kind of interested in this news anyway.

As I expected, rumors of Adele's absence from music have been rather exaggerated.

The Shortz Factor is pretty awesome.

Ezra Klein says some important things in praise of prepared food.

Wasn't The River supposed to be scary?

2012-02-16T07:36:00.000-05:00

I'm watching this week's episode of The River over breakfast, and I'm confused. Didn't they advertise it as really scary, at least for TV? While I like some things about it (especially some of the character dynamics and examination of how reality shows affect their subjects), this is . . . not scary. I don't do well with scary. I could barely make it through The Woman in Black. But this I can casually watch over breakfast? On the one hand, I'm happier this way, because if it were actually scary I probably wouldn't manage to watch. But . . . I still feel like this is not at all what they told us the show would be.

Today's Roundup

2012-02-15T19:53:00.001-05:00

Is this going to be a new regular thing? Do I need a more clever title? Possibly. But here are things grabbing my attention today . . .

Sarah Rees Brennan's parodies are almost as great as her books. Here's The Woman in White.
Anne Rice wrote her new werewolf main character with Matt Bomer in mind and wants him to star in the potential movie adaptation. I have . . . no idea what to do with that story.
Whoa. There's going to be an official Doctor Who/Star Trek: TNG crossover comic.
Jamie Bamber News tells me (and then the preview confirmed) that Bamber's first episode of Body of Proof will air next week. Yay!
It always makes my day when Hipster John Green Quotes starts posting.
Here's the full track listing for the Hunger Games soundtrack. I'm pretty excited.

While we're talking Downton...

2012-02-15T19:01:00.000-05:00

I got this question on Twitter and thought it might be of general interest:

When will DA Season 3 be in the UK? US? Is there a good way to watch it in the US when it is airing in the UK? Legally, of course.

According to the official site, series three will air sometime in 2012, but there's no official date yet. My guess is that it will air here in January again, since that's always when Masterpiece does its Classic series. And . . . no, so far as I know there is no way to watch as it's airing in the UK. But the UK DVDs usually come out before it airs in the US, so you could get a UK-compatible DVD player and order the DVDs, I guess. Anyone have some other method that isn't occurring to me?

Hey, Downton Abbey fans...

2012-02-15T07:14:00.000-05:00

You've probably seen various articles or slideshows with pictures of the cast in modern clothes, but make sure you scroll all the way through this one. Trust me.

Things I Am Liking Today

2012-02-14T20:39:00.000-05:00

Guys, this whole "don't beat myself up for not getting ridiculous amounts of stuff done" thing is hard. This is going to be a process, I can tell. One of the things I do actually want to be doing is blogging more, but I'm going to let myself be more random and chatty if necessarily. So . . . here are some things I am liking right now!

Suri's Burn Book. I know I am very late to this bandwagon, but I read the whole archives while pretending to watch Transformers the other night, and it is HILARIOUS. I'm completely addicted and want more, now, always.
Jonny Lee Miller as Sherlock Holmes. I like him! I like the character! Whee! (No, I will brook none of this nonsense about this being an abomination because the BBC version is out there. There are many, many Holmes adaptations out there. I will like as many of them as I please, thank you very much.)
Nina Dobrev's dress from the Monique Lhuillier show Saturday. I don't even like bandage dresses, but I'm utterly charmed by this one.
Zach Levi's continued employment. I still haven't caught up on Chuck, but I enjoy looking at his face and would like it to be on my TV on a show I'm not already behind on.
Taylor Swift's Hunger Games song/video. I realize I am EXACTLY the target audience for this, but boy, do I love it.

Taylor Swift - Safe & Sound - Music - More Music Videos

Leave Adele alone!

2012-02-14T20:14:00.000-05:00

People seem quite up in arms about this comment Adele made to Vogue:

“I am fucking off for four or five years,” she says. “If I am constantly working, my relationships fail. So at least now I can have enough time to write a happy record. And be in love and be happy. And then I don’t know what I’ll do. Get married. Have some kids. Plant a nice vegetable patch.”

Okay . . . well, three things.

1) I don't think this necessarily means, as some are saying, that she is LEAVING MUSIC ENTIRELY for five years. (Possibly she's said something more stark like that elsewhere? But not that I've seen.) I think after the time she's had recently, what with touring and surgery and crazy success, it's perfectly reasonable of her to want to slow down for a while.

2) And really, even if I didn't, personally, think it was reasonable . . . so what? I hate this idea that artists owe something to their fans, that they have to be always on, that they need a certain number of concert dates or a book a year or whatever else. They're people, and the fact that you have consumed their products doesn't mean you have any ownership over them or claim to their time in the future.

3) And I really, really don't think any of us should be leaping to conclusions about her current relationship solely because she's taking time off or slowing down. I guess it's theoretically possible that she said the above because her relationship is unhealthy and her boyfriend won't "allow" her to succeed, but that's far from the only or most likely explanation, and seeing people state that that's what this MUST mean is unfair and alarming.

Happy Valentine's Day!

2012-02-14T07:57:00.000-05:00

Happy Valentine's Day, everyone! Hope you have a great day. This is . . . not exactly related . . . but I had something of a revelation last night. The non-angsty version is that I'm always exhausted and frustrated because I expect myself to get way more done than there are hours in the day. So I'm going to . . . try stopping. (Yes, I realize that sounds really obvious.) I'm not going to stop the Oscar project, but I'm going to try to stop pressuring myself about it. (I'm at 31 of 61 movies, by the way.) Try. We'll see. I'm trying to convince myself that it's more important to not be miserable than it is to meet my crazy self-imposed goals.

A Rebecca remake?

2012-02-11T09:06:00.000-05:00

I'm much more attached to the book than the Hitchcock film - actually, I'm not sure I've seen the whole Hitchcock film, as until very recently it wasn't available on DVD - so I'm interested in this proposed new remake. Of course, that article doesn't even mention the 1990s Masterpiece Theater version, which was quite good and faithful to the book. But in general, I tend not to be too much of a purist, and I'm in favor of as many possibly-good adaptations of my favorite books as possible. Now I'm thinking about casting . . . Ideas, anyone?

Movie Thoughts: The Woman in Black

2012-02-10T11:00:00.000-05:00

First of all: do not let anyone tell you this isn't scary. I was terrified. I am a wuss, but really, I was terrified. And it seemed like it wasn't just me - there were plenty of gasps and screams and curses in the theater.

Aside from that, though, I thought this movie was quite good. It was old-fashioned horror, very atmospheric, and full of gorgeous old houses and clothes and creepy creepy toys. It was a good transition into adult roles for Daniel Radcliffe, and he did a great job and made me very optimistic about his career prospects. Ciaran Hinds and the rest of the supporting cast did a nice job as well. I would have loved this movie had I not been looking away from the screen half the time because I was scared out of my mind.

(Random trivia: IMDb tells me that the young actor who played Radcliffe's character's son is in fact Radcliffe's real-life godson. Aww.)

Oscar Project 2012: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2

2012-02-10T10:00:00.000-05:00

Movie: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2

This was a great ending to the series, and I'm happy it's getting a bit of award recognition, even if only in the technical categories. I would have liked to see some acting nominations as well, and what about the score? Hmm.

Availability: It was everywhere, and it's on DVD now.

Nominated In:
Art Direction: Sure. All of the Harry Potter movies have been quite visually nice, and this one did a great job of looking grim and atmospheric.

Makeup: Sure. Voldemort! Grown-up trio! And... some other things I'm now forgetting, probably.

Visual Effects: Absolutely. There were some great magical battle scenes, among other highlights.

Movies left: 44; Days left: 17
Have seen 28% of movies and 50% of nominations.
Movie posts I owe you: 6

Movie Thoughts: One for the Money

2012-02-09T14:00:00.000-05:00

I went into One for the Money fully expecting it to be terrible. Or, more to the point, hilarrible. (That's hilarious and terrible all at once.) But . . . I actually liked it! It was really cute! I don't share the rampant Katherine Heigl hate that seems to pervade the Internet, and while she wasn't exactly my book!Stephanie, I thought she did a perfectly decent job with the character. And Jason O'Mara was perfect as Morelli. Daniel Sunjata's Ranger was a bit too cute and soft, too human, but he certainly wasn't bad or anything. It was a thoroughly enjoyable viewing experience, and totally the type of movie I will buy when it's $8 at Target and keep around to watch when I need to be cheered up.

(For the record, though, I still wish this was a TV series instead.)

Contest for Dallas-area movie fans!

2012-02-09T13:00:00.001-05:00

My friend Jennifer Besser is in a new movie called Hear Me Whisper filming around Dallas, and they're having a contest for a few walk-on roles as well as the opportunity to audition for a speaking role! Get all the details here. Good luck!

Oscar Project 2012: A Separation

2012-02-09T12:00:00.000-05:00

Movie: A Separation

This Iranian domestic drama is quiet but extremely powerful, and I haven't stopped thinking about it since I saw it. Aside from the strong story itself, it provides a fascinating look into life in modern Iran and the intersection of religion and personal life, as well the effects of class (and maybe sectarian?) differences. All the performances are strong, especially that of newcomer Sarina Farhadi. Overall, this was one of my favorite movies of the year.

Availability: I had to go to the arty theater in Boston for this one.

Nominated In:
Foreign Language Film: Definitely! I thought it was one of the best movies overall, not just among foreign films.

Original Screenplay: It's a little hard to judge writing based on subtitles, but my impression of this screenplay was that it was subtle and extremely well-constructed. And for such a serious movie, it had some sparkling moments of humor.

Movies left: 44; Days left: 18
Have seen 28% of movies and 50% of nominations.
Movie posts I owe you: 7

Oscar Project 2012: The Help

2012-02-07T10:00:00.000-05:00

Movie: The Help

It's hard to know exactly how to approach this one, because while some of its elements and performances were perfectly adequate, even good, its whole underlying story and the way it deals with segregation and civil rights are so problematic that it's hard to have any positive feelings about it at all. (For more on the kind of issues I mean, read Alyssa Rosenberg's review.) I don't want to blame the actors for the writing, of course, but at the same time, I don't want this getting any recognition at all.

Availability: On DVD now.

Nominated In:
Actress in a Leading Role: Viola Davis did a very good job, and as I said, I can't blame her for my problems with the writing. But given some of the other extremely strong nominees in this category this year, I'd be annoyed if she won.

Actress in a Supporting Role: Octavia Spencer and Jessica Chastain both did perfectly nice jobs with the material they were given, but I didn't really think they were so good as to deserve two of the nominations in this category.

Best Picture: No way. This movie doesn't come close to deserving that award either on its merits as a film alone or given its larger issues.

Movies left: 44; Days left: 20
Have seen 28% of movies and 50% of nominations.
Movie posts I owe you: 8

Oscar Project 2012: Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy

2012-02-06T10:00:00.000-05:00

Movie: Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy

I come from a family of Le Carre fans, so we were all really excited about this one, and while no adaptation is perfect, I really, really liked this. The cast was amazing, the tone and atmosphere were perfect, and the movie as a whole was thoroughly enjoyable in a complicated, dreary way. I know a lot of viewers were confused by it, and it definitely helps to have read the book and/or seen the BBC miniseries, but I also think the confusion was part of the point. Who wants a straightforward spy story?

Availability: Was widely available; starting to leave theaters now, so go see it!

Nominated In:
Actor in a Leading Role: Gary Oldman had some big shoes to fill, after Alec Guinness in the miniseries, and he did a virtually perfect job of it, playing the character exactly without making it seem like he was imitating Guinness. He kept Smiley correctly understated, but was a very strong presence at the same time.

Original Score: The score was great - moody and atmospheric, with those paranoid seventies undertones.

Adapted Screenplay: The adaptation did a good job of making an extremely complicated book as comprehensible as possible in two hours. I really only had one issue with it: every single female character in the book had her role either reduced or written out completely in this version. That was extremely disappointing.

Movies left: 44; Days left: 21
Have seen 28% of movies and 50% of nominations.
Movie posts I owe you: 9

Oscar Project 2012: Midnight in Paris

2012-02-03T10:00:00.000-05:00

Movie: Midnight in Paris

Oh, look, I reviewed this one here. In summary, it was charming and hey, Cole Porter! But it was really facile and frustrating in retrospect.

Availability: It's on DVD now.

Nominated In:
Art Direction: It was very pretty! Actually, yes, I think the art direction was probably the strongest part of the whole thing.

Directing: Um. I always have trouble judging this one, honestly. I think the directing was probably perfectly competent, but I also don't think that it provided a lot of huge directorial challenges, and I can't recall any particularly daring or noteworthy directorial choices. Although, actually, deciding how obvious and hammy the historical characters should be was probably a concern, and Allen did a fine job of that.

Original Screenplay: The writing itself was clever and sparkling, but there were some major plot issues, so this one is kind of a wash.

Best Picture: . . . no. This was a charming bauble at best, and a self-congratulatory mess at worst. It was cute enough if you don't let yourself actually think about it, which is not what I want to say about my Best Picture choice.

Movies left: 46; Days left: 24
Have seen 25% of movies and 41% of nominations.
Movie posts I owe you: 8

Oscar Project 2012: My Week with Marilyn

2012-02-02T10:00:00.000-05:00

Movie: My Week with Marilyn

I'm not particularly a Marilyn Monroe fan (nothing against her, just never got that interested), so I was surprised and delighted by how much I enjoyed this quiet charmer based on the memoirs of a young man who worked on the set of a movie Monroe filmed in England with Sir Laurence Olivier. Honestly, I don't know enough to judge the historical accuracy of any of it, but I thought the movie worked both as a self-contained story and as an examination of issues of celebrity that felt surprisingly modern. I know some have criticized this movie for viewing Monroe through a male gaze, but because I saw this more as Colin's story, that didn't really bother me. I guess I feel like when you're basing a movie on a man's memoir in the first place, that ship has sailed, and while sure, I'd like to see more movies about women on their own terms, I don't think that means I have to resent that this particular movie exists.

I also want to mention that several of the actors who weren't nominated for anything did extremely good work here, including Eddie Redmayne, Emma Watson, Michael Kitchen, Julia Ormond, and of course Judi Dench. And I'd like to give this movie bonus points for not playing "Candle in the Wind" over the closing credits.

Availability: It's certainly not everywhere, but it wasn't too hard to find, either. I had a few options and wound up driving about 50 minutes for it.

Nominated In:
Actress in a Leading Role: Michelle Williams did an amazing job as Marilyn. She perfectly walked the very fine line of offering a recognizable portrayal of an iconic figure without suggesting that she was about to go start an impersonation act in Vegas. This would have been a really easy role to overact, and she didn't. And really, years ago, who would have thought? Good on you, Jen Lindley.

Actor in a Supporting Role: I actually wasn't particularly impressed with Branagh's performance here. It was very broad and hammy, and one of the weaker parts of the movie.

Movies left: 46; Days left: 25
Have seen 25% of movies and 41% of nominations.
Movie posts I owe you: 9

Oscar Project 2012: The Adventures of Tintin

2012-02-01T10:00:00.000-05:00

Movie: The Adventures of Tintin

I'm a reasonably enthusiastic Tintin fan (though certainly not an expert), and I was pleased by how well this movie captured the flavor of the books and TV show. Overall, I thought the movie was well-done and a lot of fun, although it did drag slightly at times, and once or twice Tintin did something uncharacteristically dumb in order to set things for an action scene. But Jamie Bell did a great job voicing an iconic character, and Snowy was, as always, particularly adorable. I saw this in 3D and was glad I did, because the animation made good use of the technology.

Availability: This was more widely available a month or so ago, but it's not too hard to find.

Nominated In:
Music (Original Score): The score was by John Williams, and you know, I love the way his scores actually fit the movies rather than all sounding alike. (*cough*James Horner*cough*) This dramatic, sometimes cartoonish and old-fashioned score matched the movie perfectly.

Movies left: 47; Days left: 26
Have seen 23% of movies and 37% of nominations.
Movie posts I owe you: 9

Oscar Project 2012: Pina

2012-01-31T11:00:00.001-05:00

Movie: Pina

This was about German choreographer Pina Bausch; I believe she had planned to participate in the filming but died shortly before it was scheduled to begin. As a result, the movie is more of a combined performance piece and eulogy than a documentary. The dancing was very interesting, if not always to my taste, but it was presented in a vacuum and I would have loved some more historical and cultural context. It wasn't even always clear when the pieces had been filmed - were they original videos or reenactments? Some of them took place in non-stage locations like parks and cities: Were these stage pieces that had been filmed in different locations specifically for this movie, or were they created as filmed pieces originally? There are bits of interviews with dancers from Bausch's company interspersed with the dance pieces, and every single one basically said: "Pina was the best person ever and changed my life." And I know they were grieving, and I'm not faulting any of the individuals, but it didn't exactly make for an interesting narrative, and it probably did Bausch herself a disservice by reducing a complex, interesting person to an angelic genius. Also: Very little was added by making this in 3D, but that was the only way it was available, so that's how I had to see it. But I will say that it left me wanting to learn more about Bausch, if only because it was so resolutely uninformative. But pretty! The dancing itself was enjoyable, and dance fans will probably want to see this one.

Availability: Last I checked, it was only playing in two theaters in the greater Boston area.

Nominated In:
Documentary (Feature): This really seemed more like a performance video than a documentary to me. I like to learn things from my documentaries, and while this was a pleasant enough watching experience, I didn't feel like I got much out of it. As mentioned above, I think it would have been strengthened - and made better as a documentary - with more balance and more factual information and context.

Movies left: 48; Days left: 27
Have seen 21% of movies and 34% of nominations.
Movie posts I owe you: 9

Oscar Project 2012: Puss in Boots

2012-01-31T10:00:00.000-05:00

Movie: Puss in Boots

Outlaws Puss in Boots and Humpty Dumpty team up to steal the magic beans from Jack and Jill and then steal the golden goose from the beanstalk in order to clear their names and right a wrong the did to . . . the town and orphanage where they grew up? It makes slightly more sense in the movie than in that description, I promise. Of course, there's more going on than Puss knows - you'll see the plot twist coming a mile away, but the intended audience of young children might be more surprised. They did a good job of making Puss anthropomorphic while still keeping him recognizably a cat, and some of the cat stuff is very cute. Some of the jokes are funny. And there's a fairly nuanced look at friendship and duty and vengeance and redemption. I mean, fairly nuanced given that we're talking about a cat and a giant talking egg. On the other hand, it has shades of that common kids' movie issue of giving mannerisms seen as stereotypically gay to characters who do bad things and then leaving this wholly unexamined.

Availability: This was widely available a few months ago; I caught it at a second-run theater last night. It will be on DVD in late February, but I didn't want to worry about getting it from Netflix with so small a window.

Nominated In:
Animated Feature Film: You know . . . I don't know. Maybe growing up in Disney's Second Golden Age gave me impossible standards for animated films. This movie was fine, and I certainly wouldn't be outraged if it won, but it didn't really strike me as anything special.

Movies left: 48; Days left: 27
Have seen 21% of movies and 34% of nominations.
Movie posts I owe you: 10

Why isn't Stephanie Plum a TV show?

2012-01-27T11:00:00.000-05:00

One for the Money, the movie based on the first Stephanie Plum novel by Janet Evanovich, arrives in theaters today. (Actually, it had a bunch of midnight showings last night, which kind of confused me given the presumed target audience.) I have nothing against the movie - I don't share everyone's hatred of Katherine Heigl - and I'll tell you what I thought after I see it next weekend. But ever since the movie was announced, I've been vaguely annoyed because it seems like this books series would work so well as a TV show. The books are very episodic, and they have a likable heroine, quirky family and friends, plenty of action, and the longest-running love triangle in the history of ever, OMG make it stop. I guess they're trying to make a movie franchise out of it, but I really think it would be more successful on USA or TNT or maybe even CBS. But, alas, they do not put me in charge of these things.

Oscar Project 2012: Jane Eyre

2012-01-27T10:00:00.003-05:00

Movie: Jane Eyre

I saw this back in March, but either because of the tone of the movie or the actual weather in Boston at the time, I thought I remembered seeing it in January or so, and so I was astonished both that it was eligible for this year's awards and that it was only nominated for its costumes. I thought it was one of the best movies of the year and one of the best literary adaptations I've ever seen. I was hoping for at least Adapted Screenplay, Cinematography, and Directing nominations, and maybe an acting nod or two. Sigh. (Pondering: Does the Academy specifically dislike Fassbender? Only costumes for this one, no nominations at all for Shame or A Dangerous Method, and not even any technical ones for X-Men . . .) ANYWAY. This movie isn't for everyone, but if you like bleak Victorian Gothic stuff, as I do, you will love it.

Availability: I had to drive in to Boston to see this in the theater, but it's readily available on DVD now.

Nominated In:
Costume Design: Definitely deserved! The costumes were beautiful, but they also didn't fall into the common costume drama trap of dressing everyone like rich aristocrats regardless of the characters' actual backgrounds. I'm not an expert on early Victorian clothing, but I've read enough to be jarred when things are wildly inaccurate, and nothing in this movie bothered me. Also: The shawls! So many beautiful wool shawls!

Movies left: 54; Days left: 31
Have seen 11% of movies and 24% of nominations.
Movie posts I owe you: 5

Pilot Thoughts: Touch

2012-01-26T11:00:00.000-05:00

I watched the "preview" of FOX's Touch last night, and . . . I don't know. I don't think I liked it, but I'm not sure, because I can't quite even figure out what it was trying to do. Or maybe I do get what it was trying to do and don't get why we're supposed to like it. I don't know. I realize this is completely unhelpful. Okay, basically: I am open to the whole "interconnected stories around the world" concept, but less open to the connections being some sort of cosmic coincidence of numbers. When I'd first heard that the boy makes connections between things based on numbers, I thought it would be actual codes or data or . . . something. "Everything's just magically connected?" Bleh. And one number that actually meant something - well, it meant something really obvious, and the characters didn't realize until FORTY-FOUR MINUTES into the episode. And yet . . . I don't know. Some of it was sort of interesting, even if it was contrived and emotionally manipulative. I guess I'll give it one more episode when it starts in its normal timeslot on March 19.

Anyone else watch? What did you think?

Oscar Project 2012: The Muppets

2012-01-26T10:00:00.001-05:00

Movie: The Muppets

Really, I just loved this. I love the Muppets! I love Jason Segel! I love Amy Adams! I love musicals! I love sibling stories! I love stories about getting the band back together! I am more or less the exact target audience for this. But, really, it was better than I'd even expected: It was earnest but not treacly, the writing was clever, and it managed to feel fresh and classic at the same time. The fact that Jason Segel pitched this and got it made tempts me to vow to support his career forever. (Although let's be honest: I'd go see The Five-Year Engagement anyway. Just look at that cast!)

Availability: This was everywhere, so it's entirely my own fault that I left it for so long that I had to scramble to find a showing this week before it entirely disappeared. It will not be on DVD before the Oscars, though, so if you still need to see it, find it now!

Nominated In:
Music (Original Song) for "Man or Muppet:" I thought "Life's a Happy Song" was actually better, but "Man or Muppet" was good too! There are only two nominees in this category this year, so I hope that means we get Jason Segel singing in the ceremony. That would be awesome.

Movies left: 55; Days left: 32
Have seen 10% of movies and 14% of nominations.
Movie posts I owe you: 5

Oscar Project 2012

2012-01-25T11:00:00.001-05:00

This year's Oscar nominations were announced yesterday, and I've decided I'm going to go for it: I'm going to make a serious attempt to see as many of the movies before the ceremony as I possibly can. I love movies, and I love award shows, and I love making lists and plans and having All Of The Information, so this is exactly my sort of project. I won't be able to see all the movies, but I'm hoping for a solid majority. I made a vague attempt at this last year, but was never serious about it because of my dread of having to sit through 127 Hours. This year, remarkably enough, there's nothing I'm really opposed to seeing, though of course I'm more excited about some of the movies than others.

There are 61 movies nominated in 24 categories, for a total of 119 individual nominations. I've seen five so far, which is 8% of movies but 13% of nominations, because some of the ones I've seen are up for multiple awards. As of now, that gives me 56 movies to see in 33 days; I think I have a reasonably clear path to seeing 40-45 of them. (By that I mean that they're available; I don't necessarily mean that it will be easy to find the time.) I have a spreadsheet to track things and a legal pad on which I'm constantly scribbling movie times at various theaters to figure out the best way to maximize my time and theater trips. I upped my Netflix account to four discs at a time for the month. My soon-to-be-neglected TiVo is... not quite exploding yet. I'm as ready as I'm going to be.

After I see each movie, I'll write a post with a few general thoughts and my evaluation of the movie in the categories in which it's nominated. I'll also say something about how easy or difficult it was to see, as one of the things that interests me about this is seeing whether a regular movie-goer who doesn't live in New York or LA can actually see most of these movies. Once I've seen everything in a category (or everything that's available), I'll post my rankings and reasons for my choices in that category. The day of the awards (unless I finish early - hah!) I'll post a big summary with links, and I'll finish things off with some sort of live blog or chat during the ceremony. Details on that later!

So! Wish me luck! And please, this year, hold me to my annual resolution to see more movies all year so it's not such a scramble at the end.

Supporting Bones

2012-01-25T10:00:00.000-05:00

Lots of fans have been none too happy about all the breaks Bones is taking this season, and the way the schedule keeps changing, and have fairly vocal about it. And really, I don't think anyone means anything bad by it. Fans want to watch the show! It's a good thing! (And some of them might not even realize the reason for the weird scheduling.) But I decided not to ever let myself say anything about being annoyed that the show is off, because every time I see one of those tweets or posts, I picture some network executive somewhere happening across it and thinking "Huh, fans seems pretty upset. Next time one of our stars gets pregnant, maybe we should be less generous with the maternity leave." And you know what's more important to me than a TV show, than any TV show? Living in a world in which women's choices are supported, in which women don't have to decide between risking their careers or spending time with their young children. So take your time, Bones. We'll be here.

My Issue with the New Killer on Bones

2012-01-24T10:00:00.001-05:00

The most recent episode of Bones (and the last before another break - I'll have a post with a thought on that tomorrow) introduced a new serial killer, Christopher Pelant, a hacker on house arrest. Both internally and externally, the show has set him up as a scary, impressive Big Bad, but I just wasn't feeling it, and I finally figured out why: I'm just not buying some of the stuff he does. Drawing a fractal on a piece of bone accurately enough to create an entire computer worm? COME ON. That just feels like sci-fi. And I have no problem with sci-fi, but in it we know that rules are different from the outset. Bones has always claimed to take place in our world and work by real-world rules. If I don't believe that what the killer is doing is possible, he's just not scary to me and a lot of the tension the show wants to create doesn't exist.

(And, okay, if the team does believe that Pelant is capable of this stuff, why does it take them so long to consider that he might have found a way around his ankle monitor? Don't these people watch White Collar? Seriously.)

Castle, "Dial M for Mayor" - Recap

2012-01-23T11:00:00.000-05:00

Last week's episode was a bit dark and twisty, by Castle standards. I break it down for you at TheTelevixen.

This week's TV news at TheTelevixen!

2012-01-23T10:00:00.000-05:00

Pilots! Casting! Return date for Cougar Town! Catch up with my column at TheTelevixen.com.

Quick Take: The Finder

2012-01-19T10:00:00.000-05:00

When FOX's new procedural The Finder announced that they'd hired writer Aaron Ginsburg, I rashly proclaimed that I'd watch it for as long as they employed him. My loyalty to Aaron apparently runs deep, both because of the quality of his writing and his extremely generous attitude toward fans. But after I said that, I worried a little - what if, in spite of the high-quality writing I knew Aaron would bring to the table, I just didn't like the new show?

I shouldn't have worried. The Finder premiered last week and I loved it. It's nominally a Bones spinoff, but the show it really reminded me of was Burn Notice: It has a Florida setting, a protagonist who's damaged but very good at his job, a lady who likes to shoot things, and a ragtag team coming together to form a sort of found family. The mystery in the series opener was twisty and somewhat unconventional, but not confusing. The characters and overall town made for a world in which I definitely want to spend more time.

If you missed the pilot, catch it on demand now, and tune in for the second episode tonight on FOX at 9/8c.

SOPA Strike

2012-01-17T22:15:00.000-05:00

In a gesture of support for SOPA Strike, I won't be posting any new content on Wednesday. Please read about the issue, and I'll see you Thursday!

The Good Wife, "Bitcoin for Dummies" - Recap at ThinkProgress

2012-01-17T13:00:00.000-05:00

Sunday night's episode of The Good Wife was a good one, but then, they all are. Also: CARY'S FACE. (Okay, I mean that as a general thing, but also that there a few moments this episode when HIS FACE is particularly telling. And adorable. ANYWAY.) Read all about it in my recap at Alyssa's ThinkProgress blog.

“Bitcoin for Dummies” was one of those episodes of The Good Wife that revolves around everyone manipulating everyone else. Unfortunately, since Will is facing the very real prospect of jail time and Eli isn’t in the episode at all, the machinations are grim, without the undertone of playfulness this show often gives even cases involving serious issues. To make up for that, though, we get double Kalinda, as she plays a central role in both the case of the week and in Will’s legal woes.

Pilot Thoughts: Alcatraz

2012-01-17T11:00:00.000-05:00

FOX's Alcatraz kicked off with a two-hour premiere last night that was actually the pilot and the second episode back to back, and while I was slightly annoyed at the way this messed with my DVR's usual Monday night schedule, I think this was a very good decision on their part. The pilot was slow and clunky and had a huge amount of exposition to get through. In brief: prisoners who disappeared from Alcatraz in the 1960s are suddenly reappearing, at the same age they were then, and a team is gathered to catch them, and maybe to figure out what's going on, but it's also possible that half the team knows exactly what's going on and is just using the other half. Our entry point into this is Rebecca Madsen, a cop who was raised by a former Alcatraz guard. The team is led by a morally ambiguous federal agent of some sort (he claims) played delightfully by Sam Neill, and the most engaging character so far is Jorge Garcia's PhD-turned-comic-store-owner who gets pulled onto the team by Rebecca. Alcatraz itself is basically another character, in both scenes set at the active prison in the 1960s and in the present day tourist attraction and prison basement-turned-batcave that the team uses as their base.

So. The first hour sets all that up, but it's kind of a chore to get through. In the second hour, we get a better flavor of what future episodes will probably be like. We see some scenes of a certain prisoner's life in the 1960s, and then that prisoner appears in the present day, and the team must research his life as they try to catch him, while Rebecca tries to figure out what's going on overall. There's a definite Fringe-like tone, in everything from the mysteries to the weird team headquarters to the team themselves: a band of very different people with different strengths that make them clash with each other but also need each other, and who, despite needing each other, don't quite trust each other yet. I'm not completely sold on Alcatraz yet, but the team dynamics definitely pulled me in (even more than the central mystery), and I'll be giving it at least a few more weeks to find its footing.

And then you must watch Justified.

2012-01-17T10:00:00.000-05:00

For some reason - perhaps the TV gods have it out for me - two of my most-anticipated January premieres, White Collar and Justififed, are happening during THE SAME HOUR tonight. Why is so much awesomeness being so concentrated? ANYWAY. I've seen both premieres, and they're both really good. Justified is sort of a quiet show, and it's slow and complex and doesn't always get a lot of attention, but it has first-class writing and acting and great, careful production, and it's really worth your time. It's very serialized, though, and while they have a new Big Bad for this third season, the previous two seasons are out on DVD and aren't very long so I would definitely recommend you catch up in order if you possibly can. Don't ignore it if you just don't like cowboys stuff or Westerns - it's more of a Southern Gothic, anyway, and the quality of the writing and the complex characters make it appealing outside of a genre base. If I had to compare it to something, it's sort of Winter's Bone meets Burn Notice.

And, so: Since they're on the same hour tonight, it's at least useful of the shows to be on cable channels that do a lot of repeats. If you can't record them, I'd watch White Collar live at 10 and Justified when it repeats a few minutes after 11, because White Collar doesn't repeat until later. If you are going to DVR, you have plenty of options for timeslots. Just make sure you watch these shows.

At 10 Tonight, You Must Watch White Collar.

2012-01-17T09:00:00.000-05:00

Why? I tell you right here. But seriously: It's AMAZING. One of my favorite episodes of TV ever. If you like this show at all, you don't want to miss it.

House of Lies: Not for me.

2012-01-16T11:00:00.000-05:00

I was really hopeful about House of Lies, because I loved Veronica Mars and have been wanting Kristen Bell to get another good TV role ever since it ended. Plus, Richard Schiff will be showing up! I want him to be on my TV as well! Alas, even the two of them aren't enough to make me watch this show. I watched the first ten minutes of the pilot; every moment when Bell wasn't on the screen I either was bored by or actively disliked. I was slightly less bored when Bell was on the screen, but I spent most of the time thinking about how I'd rather be continuing my Veronica Mars rewatch. So. I will do that instead of watching this show.

Castle Recap: "Til Death Do Us Part"

2012-01-16T10:00:00.000-05:00

Before tonight's episode of Castle, make sure you refresh your memory about last week's wedding episode "Til Death Do Us Part" with my recap.

Love is in the air in “Til Death Do Us Part” as Ryan gets ready for his wedding – but let’s face it: this is Castle, so death is in the air as well. The murder plot this week was certainly not one of their more complex or intriguing cases, but since this was an episode focused on a big event in the characters’ personal lives, that worked for me.

My 2012 Golden Globes Picks

2012-01-15T16:19:00.000-05:00

I don't know if anyone wants to hear my completely biased opinions, but here they are! A few caveats: When I haven't seen anything nominated in a category, or have seen only one thing but didn't particularly like it, my pick may be based on someone's previous work, fondness for a writer . . . whatever. Also: once again, given how much TV I watch, I'm always surprised at how little of it is nominated for things. Sign of my bad taste? Wrong things being nominated? Probably both! And: I'm baffled that Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy wasn't nominated for anything, and am wondering if it wasn't eligible for some reason I don't see. I'm acting as though it were eligible, though. And finally: I am abandoning italics for the rest of this post because otherwise it will take forever.

Best Motion Picture - Drama
The Nominees: The Descendants, The Help, Hugo, The Ides Of March, Moneyball, War Horse
I've Seen: None? Weird.
I Pick: Moneyball. In lieu of other data, I fall back to Sorkin loyalty.
My Dream Pick: Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy.

Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Drama
The Nominees: Glenn Close – Albert Nobbs, Viola Davis – The Help, Rooney Mara – The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo, Meryl Streep – Iron Lady, Tilda Swinton – We Need To Talk About Kevin
I've Seen: Dragon Tattoo.
I Pick: Rooney Mara, though I've heard great things about Swinton in that role.
My Dream Pick: Rooney Mara, actually.

Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Drama
The Nominees: George Clooney – The Descendants, Leonardo DiCaprio – J. Edgar, Michael Fassbender – Shame, Ryan Gosling – The Ides Of March, Brad Pitt – Moneyball
I've Seen: J. Edgar
I Pick: DiCaprio did a good job in J. Edgar, but I wanted Fassbander to get All The Awards for Jane Eyre last year, so I'd be happy if he won, too.
My Dream Pick: Gary Oldman for Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy.

Best Motion Picture - Comedy Or Musical
The Nominees: 50/50, The Artist, Bridesmaids, Midnight In Paris, My Week With Marilyn
I've Seen: Midnight in Paris
I Pick: Midnight in Paris was fun! But I've heard good things about all the rest as well, and they're all on my to-see list.
My Dream Pick: ...I guess Midnight in Paris? I can't think of anything else offhand.

Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Comedy Or Musical
The Nominees: Jodie Foster – Carnage, Charlize Theron – Young Adult, Kristen Wiig – Bridesmaids, Michelle Williams – My Week With Marilyn, Kate Winslet – Carnage
I've Seen: None.
I Pick: Michelle Williams.
My Dream Pick: Uh... I'm just not big on comedies, I guess. I can't even think of any others I saw.

Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Comedy Or Musical
The Nominees: Jean Dujardin – The Artist, Brendan Gleeson – The Guard, Joseph Gordon-Levitt – 50/50, Ryan Gosling – Crazy, Stupid, Love., Owen Wilson – Midnight In Paris
I've Seen: Midnight in Paris.
I Pick: I'm not an Owen Wilson fan in general, but I thought he was really good in that. I would also never object to a win by Gordon-Levitt or Gosling.
My Dream Pick: ...meh?

Best Animated Feature Film
The Nominees: The Adventures Of Tintin, Arthur Christmas, Cars 2, Puss In Boots, Rango
I've Seen: None.
I Pick: Tintin! Because I love the books and show.
My Dream Pick: I'm not sure I saw a single animated feature this year. Why are you guys even reading this? This is so boring! I have seen nothing!

Best Foreign Language Film
The Nominees: The Flowers Of War (China), In The Land Of Blood And Honey (United States), The Kid With A Bike (Belgium), A Separation (Iran), The Skin I Live In (Spain)
I've Seen: None. I really need to work on this before the Oscars.
I Pick: I've heard really good things about A Separation.
My Dream Pick: We'll go with A Separation.

Best Performance by an Actress In A Supporting Role in a Motion Picture
The Nominees: Berenice Bejo – The Artist, Jessica Chastain – The Help, Janet McTeer – Albert Nobbs, Octavia Spencer – The Help, Shailene Woodley – The Descendants
I've Seen: None.
I Pick: Shailene Woodley, because how awesome would it be to see the kid from Secret Life make good?
My Dream Pick: Maybe Maggie Smith for Harry Potter. Unless Emma Watson would count as supporting? Because then her, definitely.

Best Performance by an Actor In A Supporting Role in a Motion Picture
The Nominees: Kenneth Branagh – My Week With Marilyn, Albert Brooks – Drive, Jonah Hill – Moneyball, Viggo Mortensen – A Dangerous Method, Christopher Plummer – Beginners
I've Seen: None.
I Pick: Christopher Plummer, because I think he deserved a nomination for Dragon Tattoo.
My Dream Pick: Benedict Cumberbatch for Tinker, Tailor.

Best Director - Motion Picture
The Nominees: Woody Allen – Midnight In Paris, George Clooney – The Ides Of March, Michel Hazanavicius – The Artist, Alexander Payne – The Descendants, Martin Scorsese – Hugo
I've Seen: Midnight in Paris.
I Pick: Yeah, that was well-directed.
My Dream Pick: Thomas Alfredson for Tinker, Tailor.

Best Screenplay - Motion Picture
The Nominees: Michel Hazanavicius - The Artist, Nat Faxon, Alexander Payne, Jim Rash - The Descendants, George Clooney, Grant Heslov, Beau Willimon - The Ides Of March, Woody Allen - Midnight In Paris, Stan Chervin, Aaron Sorkin, Steven Zaillian - Moneyball
I've Seen: Midnight in Paris.
I Pick: Moneyball. I don't have to see it to know Sorkin's my favorite writer.
My Dream Pick: Yep. That. Plus: I'm not sure if they include adapted screenplays, but I thought Dragon Tattoo and Tinker Tailor were both quite good adaptations.

Best Original Score - Motion Picture
The Nominees: Ludovic Bource - The Artist, Abel Korzeniowski - W.E., Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross - The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo, Howard Shore - Hugo, John Williams - War Horse
I've Seen: Dragon Tattoo.
I Pick: The Dragon Tattoo score was really good.
My Dream Pick: That was good, and the Tinker, Tailor score was good too. So was Harry Potter, actually.

Best Original Song - Motion Picture
The Nominees: "Hello Hello" – Gnomeo & Juliet, "Keeper, The" – Machine Gun Preacher, "Lay Your Head Down" – Albert Nobbs, "Living Proof, The" – The Help, "Masterpiece" – W.E.
I've Seen: None. Whatever happened to W.E.? Did that even get into wide release?
I Pick: Of the musicians, I like Chris Cornell's stuff best in general, so I'll go with "The Keeper."
My Dream Pick: I wish Muse had written a song for the latest Twilight, because then I could say that.

Best Television Series - Drama
The Nominees: American Horror Story (FX), Boardwalk Empire (HBO), Boss (STARZ), Game Of Thrones (HBO), Homeland (SHOWTIME)
I've Seen: Some of Game of Thrones.
I Pick: Game of Thrones or Homeland (which is on my DVR waiting for me).
My Dream Pick: The Vampire Diaries or Justified.

Best Performance by an Actress In A Television Series - Drama
The Nominees: Claire Danes – Homeland (SHOWTIME), Mireille Enos – The Killing, Julianna Margulies – The Good Wife (CBS), Madeleine Stowe – Revenge, Callie Thorne – Necessary Roughness
I've Seen: The Good Wife, Revenge, some of Necessary Roughness.
I Pick: Julianna Margulies.
My Dream Pick: Nina Dobrev, who consistently makes me forget that two characters are being played by the same actress.

Best Performance by an Actor In A Television Series - Drama
The Nominees: Steve Buscemi – Boardwalk Empire (HBO), Bryan Cranston – Breaking Bad, Kelsey Grammer – Boss (STARZ), Jeremy Irons – The Borgias, Damian Lewis – Homeland (SHOWTIME)
I've Seen: Some of The Borgias.
I Pick: Jeremy Irons.
My Dream Pick: Timothy Olyphant for Justified.

Best Television Series - Comedy Or Musical
The Nominees: Enlightened (HBO), Episodes (SHOWTIME), Glee (FOX), Modern Family (ABC), New Girl (FOX)
I've Seen: Some of New Girl, past seasons of Glee.
I Pick: Uh, anything but those two I've seen, really.
My Dream Pick: Community.

Best Performance by an Actress In A Television Series - Comedy Or Musical
The Nominees: Laura Dern – Enlightened (HBO), Zooey Deschanel – New Girl (FOX), Tina Fey – 30 Rock (NBC), Laura Linney – The Big C (Showtime), Amy Poehler – Parks And Recreation
I've Seen: Some of New Girl, some of past seasons of 30 Rock and Parks and Rec.
I Pick: Anyone but Zooey? I guess Amy Poehler.
My Dream Pick: Maybe Alyson Hannigan. Is that a lead role? I only watch two comedies and I'm not sure either of them have female lead roles.

Best Performance by an Actor In A Television Series - Comedy Or Musical
The Nominees: Alec Baldwin – 30 Rock (NBC), David Duchovny – Californication (SHOWTIME), Johnny Galecki – The Big Bang Theory (CBS), Thomas Jane – Hung (HBO), Matt LeBlanc – Episodes (SHOWTIME)
I've Seen: Some of past seasons of 30 Rock and The Big Bang Theory.
I Pick: Don't make me?
My Dream Pick: Joel McHale.

Best Mini-Series Or Motion Picture Made for Television
The Nominees: Cinema Verite (HBO), Downton Abbey (Masterpiece) (PBS), The Hour (BBC America), Mildred Pierce (HBO), Too Big To Fail (HBO)
I've Seen: Downton Abbey, The Hour
I Pick: Downton Abbey, though The Hour is a close second.
My Dream Pick: Downton Abbey.

Best Performance by an Actress In A Mini-series or Motion Picture Made for Television
The Nominees: Romola Garai – The Hour (BBC AMERICA), Diane Lane – Cinema Verite (HBO), Elizabeth McGovern – Downton Abbey (Masterpiece) (PBS), Emily Watson – Appropriate Adult, Kate Winslet – Mildred Pierce (HBO)
I've Seen: The Hour, Downton Abbey
I Pick: Romola Garai.
My Dream Pick: Romola Garai.

Best Performance by an Actor in a Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television
The Nominees: Hugh Bonneville – Downton Abbey (Masterpiece) (PBS), Idris Elba – Luther, William Hurt – Too Big To Fail (HBO), Bill Nighy – Page Eight (Masterpiece), Dominic West – The Hour (BBC AMERICA)
I've Seen: Downton Abbey, The Hour.
I Pick: Dominic West.
My Dream Pick: Rufus Sewell for Zen.

Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Series, Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television
The Nominees: Jessica Lange – American Horror Story (FX), Kelly MacDonald – Boardwalk Empire (HBO), Maggie Smith – Downton Abbey (Masterpiece) (PBS), Sofia Vergara – Modern Family (ABC), Evan Rachel Wood – Mildred Pierce (HBO)
I've Seen: Downton Abbey.
I Pick: Maggie Smith.
My Dream Pick: Maggie Smith, or Archie Panjabi for The Good Wife.

Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Series, Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television
The Nominees: Peter Dinklage – Game Of Thrones (HBO), Paul Giamatti – Too Big To Fail (HBO), Guy Pearce – Mildred Pierce (HBO), Tim Robbins – Cinema Verite (HBO), Eric Stonestreet – Modern Family (ABC)
I've Seen: Some of Game of Thrones.
I Pick: Peter Dinklage.
My Dream Pick: Any of three guys from The Good Wife: Josh Charles, Alan Cumming, Matt Czuchry. Each deserves it, really.

News from TCA Press Tour & More at TheTelevixen!

2012-01-15T13:28:00.002-05:00

Seriously, you guys, SO MUCH NEWS this week. Catch up with my column.

Golden Globes Liveblog/Chat Tonight!

2012-01-15T09:48:00.000-05:00

If you're watching the Golden Globes tonight, you should head over to TheTelevixen.com, where I'll be live blogging and chatting with a few other Televixen writers. Come join in! I can promise lots of fashion snarking and commentary on how I'm really going to watch Man Men, eventually, I promise.

The Good Wife, "Alienation of Affection" - Recap at ThinkProgress

2012-01-10T10:00:00.001-05:00

The Good Wife is back, and so are my recaps at Alyssa's ThinkProgress blog!

David is in the middle of a Gilbert and Sullivan performance and shows up at the office in historical military costume, and if this were an Aaron Sorkin show, that would mean something about duty, but in this case it’s probably just an easy laugh (Diane: “So, David, not to pry, but did you enlist?”) and a reminder that David takes himself very seriously while everyone else thinks he’s ridiculous.

Read the rest.

Get ready for tomorrow's new Castle...

2012-01-09T12:00:00.000-05:00

By refreshing your memory with my recap of "Cuffed." Castle and Beckett! Cuffed together! Being eaten by exotic wild animals! Fun all around!

While you're over at TheTelevixen, also check out my weekly news column and recap of the Haven Christmas special.

My 10 Favorite YA Books of 2011

2011-12-31T08:59:00.002-05:00

This is not - NOT - a list of the "best" YA books of 2011, because there are so many I did not read! There are a whole bunch I really wanted to get to and just didn't manage: Daughter of Smoke and Bone, Anna Dressed in Blood, Shine, many more. I'm a book behind on both of Cassie Clare's series. Beautiful Chaos has been on my nightstand since the day it was released but I haven't managed to open it. I think I'm two or three books behind on Sarah Dessen. I have a whole list of books I didn't manage to read. Maybe I'll do a midyear update of my favorite 2011 books I read in the first half of 2012, or something. And I've compensated for this issue in past years below the main list, with lists of pre-2011 books I read and loved this year.

And a disclaimer - I know almost all these authors to some extent. I work for one. I've worked with others at conferences. I've chatted with some on Twitter. I think the only one on the main list with whom I've had no contact is Deb Caletti (probably because she isn't on Twitter). I won't pretend that I managed to keep my feelings about the books completely isolated from my impressions of the authors, but none of them asked for good reviews or anything, and I would NEVER tell you I liked a book I didn't like.

So! Here we go! Instead of trying to write whole reviews of each book, because then I'd never finish, I will instead just give you a short list of elements that made me particularly like it.

1. The Demon's Surrender by Sarah Rees Brennan - Amazing sibling relationships, a hot lying older brother, urban fantasy, humor, the Goblin Market, a bookish boy, girls who are strong in different ways and both awesome and don't hate each other, and one of my favorite fictional couples EVER.

2. Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins - A geeky love interest, GLBT characters whose sexuality isn't An Issue, boy next door love interest, basically PERFECT romance.

3. Where She Went by Gayle Forman - Classical music, a hot but angsty rock star, a perfect mix of heartbreak and tragedy and romance and hope.

4. The Name of the Star by Maureen Johnson - London, boarding school, humor, a really hot ghost, lots of murder.

5. Red Glove by Holly Black - A hot lying older brother (yes it's a theme), fascinating magical politics, organized crime, family drama, and a wonderfully conflicted, complex hero.

6. Stay by Deb Caletti - The ocean, sailor boys, a well-drawn father/daughter relationship, family secrets, and the best portrayal I've read of loving someone with mental illness.

7. The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin - Mystery, a ridiculously hot love interest, and so much total insanity (in a good way) that I can't say more without ruining it.

8. The Last Little Blue Envelope by Maureen Johnson - Traveling around Europe, a mysterious hot guy, a nicely drawn portrayal of grief, non-hokey personal growth.

9. The Near Witch by Victoria Schwab - Enchanting language, fairy tales, sibling love, a mysterious stranger, subtle social messages.

10. Past Perfect by Leila Sales - Historical reenactment villages, forbidden romance, imperfect but loving family relationships, lots of ice cream.

My Favorite 2010 YA Books I Read in 2011:
1. The Demon's Covenant by Sarah Rees Brennan
2. Jane by April Lindner
3. Dash and Lily's Book of Dares by David Levithan and Rachel Cohn
4. White Cat by Holly Black
5. Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins
6. Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare

Earlier YA Books I Read for the First Time & Loved in 2011:
1. The Changeover by Margaret Mahy
2. If I Stay by Gayle Forman
3. The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan
4. Silver Phoenix by Cindy Pon

Today Is Not the Day for This Nonsense

2011-12-09T07:43:00.000-05:00

I mean, seriously, (in my opinion) this is dumb regardless, but not postponing after what happened in Virginia yesterday? These people are the worst.

If your week is anything like mine, you need this today.

2011-12-08T11:00:00.000-05:00

I'm not going to even try to describe it. Just . . . click: Cornify.

The Good Wife, "Parenting Made Easy" - Recap at ThinkProgress

2011-12-06T13:00:00.000-05:00

Here's my take on this week's episode.

Your weekly TV news!

2011-12-06T11:00:00.000-05:00

Here's this week's update, with lots of midseason premiere dates.

Quote of the Day (from a Castle review, but no spoilers!)

2011-12-06T09:00:00.000-05:00

"That said, they need to keep in mind that this isn't How I Met Your Mother or one of those other shows where the nominal lead could fall off the planet and it might take a couple of months before anyone noticed. There's a reason that the audience for this show isn't watching Hawaii Five-O instead, and if you're nice to that reason, he might let you call him 'Captain.'"

From The AV Club. They also make a nice point about Castle playing damsel in distress. Bonus points for a 39 Steps reference, too!

Breaking Dawn Thoughts & Links

2011-12-02T13:00:00.000-05:00

I saw Breaking Dawn last night, and it was . . . better than I expected, actually! I mean, the subject matter is intrinsically ridiculous, but they did a reasonable job with it. It was awful in an entertaining way, rather than awful in a dull way. It was, to use one of my favorite new words, hilarrible - simultaneously horrible and hilarious.

My feelings on Twilight in general are moderate in a way that's pretty boring but that I don't really hear people mention much, so to put it out there: It's, you know, okay. I've read all the books and seen all the movies. They're not my favorites. I don't love them. But they're far from the worst books I've read or the worst movies I've seen. (Breaking Dawn isn't even the worst movie I've seen in the past month.) I think they're only such a Thing because of external factors, and the books themselves are just . . . enh. Not good. But not the worst thing in the world.

I've heard a lot of people say things like "I loved those books until I realized Bella's behavior was wrong," or "because she's a doormat" or "because she's not a good role model," and that totally rubs me the wrong way. It often sounds like it really means either "I loved those books until people told me I shouldn't" or "I secretly still love those books but think I shouldn't admit it." And . . . but why? Since when does liking something mean agreeing with decisions made by the characters? I rarely hear anyone saying "I used to like Rebecca but Mrs. de Winter is such a doormat that she literally lets her husband get away with murder." or "Those people in Wuthering Heights are all such bad role models!" or "I watch Dexter but don't worry! I know people shouldn't actually be serial killers!" So the fact that people - many people - say this sort of thing about Twilight smacks of what Sarah Rees Brennan talks about here about an assumption that young girls don't understand the concept of fiction and therefore YA books should always have good role models. And really, people like things for all kinds of reasons, and I would never assume that because someone liked a book or a character, they agreed with or wanted to emulate that character's actions.

Some more interesting Breaking Dawn-related links:

How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the RPatz

Robert Pattinson Says Stuff Sometimes

Twilight, Fetish, and Protecting Girls from Themselves

The Harsh Bigotry of Twilight-Haters

When Is It Okay for You to Hate Twilight? Here's a Guide.

West Wing Reunion & Other Movie Links

2011-12-01T17:00:00.000-05:00

Richard Schiff and Bradley Whitford are going to be in a movie together.

Yes, There Are Black People in Your Hunger Games

A Where's Waldo movie? Huh. Okay.

The 10 Most God-Awful Movies About Greek Mythology

Another fascinating obituary of a famous person's daughter.

Jane Austen in space? Sure.

Alan Cumming's Macbeth & Other Culture Links

2011-12-01T15:00:00.000-05:00

Alan Cumming doing Macbeth as a one-man show? Sign me up.

6 Thoughts About Misogyny & Popular Culture

How to Be a Fan of Problematic Things

The Shame of Joe Paterno, or Sports Are Just A Job

Sister Bloggers: Why So Many Lifestyle Bloggers Happen to Be Mormon

Perfect Welsh Rarebit & Other Links for Food Lovers

2011-12-01T13:00:00.001-05:00

The Guardian is doing a fun series on the best way to make simple foods. Here's Welsh rarebit and porridge.

The UK's cheapest meal: a toast sandwich. Huh.

Muslim cab drivers rescue New York City's oldest Jewish bagel bakery from closing, plan to keep it kosher

Making the Grade: Why the Cheapest Maple Syrup Tastes Best

Gail Collins on Romney & Other Politics Links

2011-12-01T11:00:00.000-05:00

Gail Collins is always awesome, but I particularly liked today's column: The Mitt Romney Pardon

Cracked Granite: Birthers Spark Chaos in New Hampshire

Obama's Flunking Economy: The Real Cause

The Nightmarish Horror of Being Jon Huntsman

A Weird Unforced Error by W. Mitt Romney

Book Recommendation: The Near Witch by Victoria Schwab

2011-11-30T11:00:00.000-05:00

This is another book that's a little hard to describe - it's fantasy, I guess, but reads like a fairy tale, more specifically. It's about a girl named Lexi in a town where there aren't ever any strangers, and what happens when a stranger shows up around the same time children start going missing. The plot is intriguing, but what really stands out about this book is the beautiful writing and how atmospheric it is. I'm not one to always picture what I'm reading, but I did with this book, especially (for some reason) Lexi's bedroom with its candles and piles of blankets. I kept wanting to cuddle up under lots of blankets while reading. And the wind, oh, the wind - it's practically its own character here, and Schwab did a great job with that. There was also more romance than I expected, which was a delightful surprise! This is the perfect book to curl up with on a cold, windy winter night.

Random Product Recommendation: Hannaford Eggnog

2011-11-30T09:00:00.000-05:00

I know this is a kind of different post than usual for me, but apparently I feel strongly about it and WANT TO SHARE. I was visiting friends over the weekend and they had this Hannaford Old-Fashioned Eggnog, and it was delicious. I'm usually not a huge eggnog fan - I'll drink a glass or two per season, when it's served to me, because it seems seasonal - but this was so good that I went out and bought a whole carton. I haven't tried it warm or with liquor added yet, but just add a little nutmeg to the top and it's good to go.

(I was not compensated in any way for this post, but I would not turn down free eggnog. Hey, Hannaford, call me!)

The Good Wife, "Whiskey Tango Foxtrot" - Recap at ThinkProgress

2011-11-29T13:00:00.000-05:00

It's a little late - sorry! I was sick and then Alyssa was traveling! - but here's my recap of last week's Good Wife.

Book Recommendation: The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin

2011-11-29T11:00:00.000-05:00

This book was way different from practically anything I've ever read, and I don't say that lightly. And while there are probably books I love better, I can't recall being so gosh darn fascinated by one in recent memory. A friend of mine is very picky about books, but after many years of friendship I know her tastes, so she relies on me to tell her if she'll like things.* As I read this one, she kept asking if she should read it, and I kept saying "I don't know! I can't figure out if you'd like it! I can't even figure out what it IS!" I knew I liked it from the start, though, partially because I had no idea what was going on - but in a very controlled way. I wasn't confused because it was badly written, but rather the opposite: I was confused because Hodkin did such a masterful job of deliberately confusing me.

And I've just realized I haven't told you anything about the plot, so: Mara (not her real name) survives an accident in which her friends die, but she can't remember what happened. And she suspects there's more going on than everyone thinks, so (with the help of a really hot guy) she sets out to recover her memories and figure out what's going on. And that made it sound a million times more boring and normal than it is. I just can't find the words to describe how awesome and insane this book actually is, clearly. (An aside about the romance: I have seen reviewers complain that there was too much time devoted to the love story, and that some things about the relationship Set A Bad Example For The Dumb Impressionable Girls or whatever, and I just want to say that I disagree wholeheartedly with both of those objections, but alas, I can't say why without ruining a big part of the plot.) Oh, and if you were wondering, yes, I wound up telling my friend she should give this one a try. So should you. Really.

* No offense intended to any authors or books here: this has nothing to do with the quality of the books. It's kind of . . . idiosyncratic. For example, she has Demon Issues. And issues with anyone who reminds her of Fanny Price. ANYWAY.

Castle, "Demons:" Recap at TheTelevixen

2011-11-28T13:00:00.000-05:00

I'm a bit behind on my Castle recaps - sorry! - but you can now read my recap of the episode called "Demons" over at TheTelevixen.

Book Recommendation: Lola & the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins

2011-11-28T11:00:00.000-05:00

I liked Anna and the French Kiss a lot, but I love love LOVED Lola. It's quite possibly the best YA romance I've read . . . ever? I can't think of a better one offhand, anyway. I loved that Lola had her own interests and strong personality completely apart from any relationship. I loved that her family situation was complicated but the fact that she had two dads was the simplest, most normal thing about it. I loved that it wasn't about falling for her first boyfriend, that she spent a good chunk of the novel with the wrong guy. I loved that the fact that she was with the wrong guy made perfect sense and was completely in character, but it made even more sense for her to be with the right guy. I loved that Cricket was a geek and a little awkward. I loved that he was so obviously a good guy, in the moral sense of the word. I loved that he had his own family and personal problems, aside from the romance. I loved that the girl was more sexually experienced than the boy and it wasn't A Big Deal at all. I loved that Cricket and Lola had history but that it also made sense that they liked each other in the present. I loved that Anna and Etienne were around so much. I loved it ALL.

This week's TV news!

2011-11-28T09:00:00.000-05:00

Hope everyone had a great holiday! There wasn't much news this week, but you can read what there is at my column at TheTelevixen. Enjoy!

Gifts for History Nerds!

2011-11-22T13:00:00.001-05:00

My friend Beck is publishing gift recommendations from a variety of her blogger friends, and I've chimed in today with Gifts for People Who Love History. Enjoy!

This week's TV news!

2011-11-22T09:00:00.000-05:00

There was actually a LOT of it this week, including a bunch of updates about the networks' midseason schedules, so head on over to TheTelevixen and check it out.

What your Friday afternoon needs . . .

2011-11-18T13:00:00.001-05:00

. . . is a little Neal Caffrey. Trust me.

Christmas Music Break: "Silver Bells" by She & Him

2011-11-17T15:00:00.000-05:00

Pilot Thoughts: Grimm

2011-11-17T11:00:00.000-05:00

I finally watched the Grimm pilot last night, and I was pleasantly surprised! I had heard very mixed things, but I really liked it a lot. I liked the traditional procedural structure with the added bonus supernatural elements, and the way it seems they're trying to balance a full case of the week with Nick's ongoing attempt to figure out his heritage and what's going on. Since I'm a procedural fan, I think that aspect - and the way it grounds the show - is what makes me more likely to tune in every week to this rather than something like Once Upon a Time. And, of course, that format automatically gives the show a way to continue for future seasons, which can be a hard thing for high-concept shows to figure out.

The Mouse Battery Mystery

2011-11-17T09:00:00.000-05:00

I go through a fair number of batteries for my wireless mouse. That's to be expected. What I don't understand is the way I can never, ever find any spares and have to buy a new pack every time. Where do they go? It's not like I'm possibly buying AAA batteries two at a time. They must be somewhere. There must be several partial packs of AAA batteries in this apartment, but they're not on my desk, or with the other spare batteries, or anywhere else I can think of. It's baffling.

I will buy more batteries on the way home today. I will put them in the linen closet with the flashlights and other spare batteries. I am putting this out there so that next time I have this issue, one of you can perhaps remind me.

Music Break: "Winter Wonderland"

2011-11-16T15:00:00.000-05:00

Tessa Dare Holiday Novella & Other Links for Book Lovers

2011-11-15T17:00:00.000-05:00

Tessa Dare's Once Upon a Winter's Eve is now out! You can download the novella for Kindle (or Kindle app) for less than a dollar!

While you're at it, pick up this new YA anthology for $2.99 too.

This YA Paranormal Drinking Game is basically the best thing the Internet has ever produced.

The Cordial Enmity of Joan Didion and Pauline Kael

Awesome story: These moms wanted "boy books" as good as the American Girl books, so they went and found Valerie Tripp. As you do.

The YA ALA Readers' Choice Nominations

Hunger Games nail polish! I actually really like some of these.

A Rebecca Broadway show? Yes please!

Music Break: "Better Days" by The Goo Goo Dolls

2011-11-15T15:00:00.000-05:00

Trailer: The Hunger Games

2011-11-15T13:00:00.000-05:00

I will say up front that I was more positive than most fans about this from the start - partially because I love Jennifer Lawrence - but wow, this looks GOOD.

Movie Review: Immortals

2011-11-15T11:00:00.000-05:00

Oh man, was this movie a mess. And my expectations were reasonably low (I thought) to start with. I wasn't expecting it to be faithful to the mythology, but I was hoping the plot would at least be internally consistent, but it wasn't. And while it was visually interesting in some places, all too often, it just looked SILLY. Even aside from the ridiculous headgear. And it just . . . it made no sense. When it ended, my friend and I agreed: We had expected it to be bad, but it was just BAFFLING.

It's barely even worth calling out specific issues, but I will mention the two that are bugging me the most:

1. Zeus - ZEUS! - has a whole speech about how the gods created humans with free will and have to respect that. Zeus! Of all people!
2. The accents were completely inconsistent, in confusing ways. If they had had everyone use one type of accent, fine. If they had let each actor use his native accent, fine. But Henry Cavill's and Joseph Morgan's characters were supposed to be from the same village, and they let Cavill use his British accent but made Morgan adopt an American one. Why? WHY?

So . . . yeah. I had sort of expected to be able to say "Don't watch this if you care about the mythology, but if you just want fun action, go ahead," but I'm not even sure of that, because so many of the action sequences looked so silly they just made us laugh. I don't regret seeing it, because any $7.50 spent in support of Joseph Morgan's career is $7.50 well spent, but I certainly can't say I recommend it.

The Good Wife: "Death Row Tip" - Recap at ThinkProgress!

2011-11-15T09:00:00.001-05:00

Head over to Alyssa's blog for my recap of this week's episode, "Death Row Tip:"

In Alicia’s absence, Will’s main ally is Kalinda, which in turn calls into question Kalinda’s actual motivations in her escalating love triangle with Cary and Dana. Kalinda spends much of the episode flirting with Dana, and Cary is blatantly jealous, possibly of both of them. But after they have a close call when a suspect starts shooting, Cary and Kalinda finally kiss – and then he gives her a weird look and walks away. I suspect that Kalinda is actually letting herself feel things for once, but Cary has no reason to think she’s not playing him, so this turn of events should play interestingly into the investigation into Will.

This week's TV news!

2011-11-14T17:00:00.000-05:00

Head on over for my weekly column at TheTelevixen. I especially enjoy the image I used this week.

Music Break: "I Saw Her Standing There" by The Beatles

2011-11-14T15:00:00.001-05:00

SiriusXM Holiday Stations!

2011-11-14T13:00:00.000-05:00

Whee! The first two SiriusXM holiday stations are live! Holiday Traditions is on 147 - that's full of Bing, Frank, Tony, and pals. And 17 is now Holly: a mix of contemporary and traditional, or what seems like that Mariah Carey song and "Christmas Wrapping" on a loop. (I tease because I love.) My favorite, Holiday Pops, doesn't start until December 2. You can see the whole holiday lineup here.

Friday Link Potpourri

2011-11-11T17:00:00.000-05:00

Presidential Candidates Explained Through Dungeons & Dragons Character Sheets

I'm not necessarily convinced by this new approach to bullying, but it's an interesting read.

Remember that kitten an MP's wife stole from his mistress? It's okay!

Given the state of Italy at the moment, I guess it's not all that surprising that people are into Mussolini.

This profile of a woman who's been a principal in Brooklyn for 48 years is amazing.

Music Break: "Keep the Home-Fires Burning" by John McCormack

2011-11-11T15:00:00.001-05:00

In honor of Veterans Day...

Music Break: Tchaikovsky's Violin Concerto, Movement 1

2011-11-10T15:00:00.000-05:00

Trailer: Immortals

2011-11-10T13:00:00.000-05:00

I'm not actually convinced that this looks good, but I'm also not sure I care. I some ways I like bad mythology movies better than good ones, and when a movie casts Henry Cavill AND Joseph Morgan, well, I'll forgive a lot. Immortals opens tomorrow.