A Healing Rant about Supernatural

Warning, this post contains potential spoilers for season seven of Supernatural.  It also references Ausiellos blind item from a few months ago.  You have been warned.

With Misha Collins status up in the air, I'm getting more and more pissed about all of this.  First of all, the way the news was broken sucks.  The day before the finale a press release confirms him for season 7, then immediately after the finale (which sets up a potentially huge story for him) we get Sera Gamble saying "LOL, JK you guys.  He's not a regular anymore.  I can't even promise he'll be around beyond the premiere."  And apparently, the press release was purposefully released to throw viewers off.  This is exactly why no one should ever believe anything until it happens onscreen.  FYI, twists and cliffhangers are not the be all end all of storytelling. 

If cutting Misha as a regular is simply a budget issue, then fine.  That makes sense.  He's not used as often as a regular ought to be anyway.  Paying him for the time he actually works would be cheaper.  But, there are too many hints suggesting Castiel is not long for this world. 

By now, every Supernatural fan should be used to characters being brought in and then promptly killed off.  It can be annoying because it ruins the potential that some of these characters have (Pamela, Gabriel) but it's pretty standard.  There are very few who have made it this far (Bobby, Meg, Crowley, and unfortunately Lisa and Ben).  It makes the Supernatural universe very small.  I like my TV worlds to be full.  For crying out loud, they brought back Jo and Ellen after years only to kill them off in the same episode.  What was the point of that?

Look, I was one of the original viewers.  I eagerly signed up to watch the Sam and Dean show.  It was right up my alley.  Two brothers, a hottie for me to gush over (That's Dean btw), a horror show with loads of mythology, and a road trip show.  Sounds perfect for me.  And it was...for a while.  But, I soon came to realize that I can't stay interested in a show with only two relevant characters who hammer out the same issues over and over and over again.  And then once more for good measure.  The first two years was a fantastic build up to finding the demon that killed their mother.  Along the way we had Sam's psychic abilities dealt with, more daddy issues than I could imagine, and a lot of humor and heart.  But, then after that, the show seemed to falter.  Season three bored me.  I should have cared but I was starting not to.  I made myself get through it though.  I had learned all I could about Sam and Dean.  It was clear that they had nothing new to say about them because they just kept repeating themselves.

Then season four came along and with it we got a whole new wave of stories and characters.  Most importantly we got an angel named Castiel, played perfectly by Misha Collins.  We got new mythology.  We got a huge storyline and we got to see Dean form a connection with someone other than Sam.  Castiel is a brilliant character.  He's funny but not in a snarky way.  He's brave.  He tries so hard to be loyal to his Father.  He is taken with Dean.  He's learned about free will and he's given up everything because he believed in Dean.  He was a breath of fresh air when the show desperately needed one. 

I fell in love with him.  He passed Sam and Dean as my favorite character.  I adore him.  He’s been on the show now for three years and he’s brought so much to it.  He’s built up a whole new fan base totally devoted to him.  This is a show that is dependent on its hardcore fans.  This is not a show that casual viewers keep on the air.  This is a show with an extremely passionate fan base and the show is well aware of that.  There have been whole episodes about that.  Getting rid of a character as popular as Castiel played by an actor as popular as Misha Collins is foolish.  I don’t know why they would be willing to take such a big risk when the ratings are already dwindling.  I know there are plenty of fans who want nothing more than to go back to the Sam and Dean road trip show, but there are also plenty of fans who are only sticking around for Cas.  It’s rare on this show for an outside character to become so popular (maybe because they kill everyone else before they get a chance), but Castiel has done it.  Why throw away such a rare thing?  It’s like the writers want us to know that Sam and Dean are not allowed to keep anyone else in their lives except each other and I guess Bobby.  If they try, those people will die.  It’s like they’re afraid that any other bond such as Dean and Cas will somehow diminish the Sam and Dean relationship.  That’s just ridiculous.

It’s also lazy.  Shows need to evolve and this one has.  It’s gone too far to go back.  After stopping the apocalypse, how is hunting a wendigo supposed to be exciting or interesting?  After getting to know Team Free Will, how can it go back to Sam and Dean in a car?  That unwillingness to explore anyone besides the two Winchester brothers and killing off nearly everyone before they have a chance to develop at all is lazy writing.  Why bring them in at all?  Castiel seemed to have made it through the rain, and if he goes now, it definitely won’t be because the fans wanted it. 

You know what else is lazy writing?  Leaving season six on that cliffhanger only to kill Cas off in the season seven premiere.  If that happens, it just proves to me that the writers had no intention at all to make this into a storyline (and it could be a good one).  What they wanted was a) shock value and b) a quick way to get rid of Castiel.

For now, I am trying (and failing) to remain optimistic about his future.  I’m also taking comfort in laughing myself silly over all the Godstiel jokes.  I have to admit, they’re quite creative, even though feel guilty for laughing.

Movie Review

Limitless

I always intended to see this movie because I’m a huge fan of Bradley Cooper and finally here was his chance to carry a big movie by himself.  The trailers did not intrigue me.  Actually, they kind of killed my enthusiasm.   But, loyalty to actors I admire plus a general love of film won out and I went to see it and hoped for the best.  I was pleasantly surprised.  I was actually excited as I was watching it.  That’s a rare thing for me.  I wasn’t Hot Fuzz excited or Grindhouse excited (to date, the two best experiences I’ve had at the movies), but I was pumped never the less.  By the time the mobsters broke into his apartment, I was in love with this movie.

            The film is about a procrastinating writer named Eddie Morra.  He gets his hand on a drug called NZT that will unlock all of his potential.  He speeds his way to the top, gets rich, and a makeover (thank goodness).  Unfortunately, there are some nasty side effects that he didn’t count on.  What I wanted out of this was just a chance to see Cooper act, with all the focus on him and that’s what I got.  He really got a chance to show his stuff.  He wasn’t the cocky charmer or the jerky boyfriend.  He got to do some drama and he did it well.  He owned this part and I couldn’t be more pleased with the results.  Hopefully, this will open the door for him to get more leading man roles outside of comedies.  There are really no other performances to mention because the other parts are small and not particularly memorable.  This movie is completely about Eddie and I found myself wondering what Robert De Niro was doing in it.  It’s a very minor role that I wouldn’t have expected him to take.

Acting aside, I like the way the story was told.  It was a very up and down story as opposed to one build up to one climax.  Yes, there were some loose ends and I could probably write a paper on what he did wrong and what I would have done differently, but ultimately, none of that bothers me because I was enjoying it too much.  The direction was very stylized and it verged on distracting at times, specifically the first time Eddie takes the drug.  It sorted itself out though and the multiple long zoom shots through the city were like being on an amusement park ride.  It was very fun stuff.  Though, it would have been more fun if I hadn’t been fighting off a cold at the time.  There is one scene that tracks Eddie through 18 hours that he later forgets and it’s just captivating.  The changing of color tones from dull to bright depending on if he’s on the drug or not isn’t exactly subtle but the film isn’t attempting to be pretentious or deep so that kind of thing works and just adds to the fun of the story.

            I don’t want to give away the ending but it surprised me.  Usually, movies have very clear morals about drugs and I bet on there only being two possible outcomes.  Yet, the film dodged both of them and went off in a third direction.  The movie didn’t set out to teach me a lesson that I’d heard a million times before and I appreciate that.  I hesitate to put it like this, but it almost made the movie more realistic.

            Limitless is a movie I’m planning on buying and I can’t wait until it comes out on DVD/Blu-Ray.  The story itself surpassed my expectations.  Cooper got a chance to play a lead role in a relatively serious movie and he did not disappoint.  I left the theater in a great mood.  This might just be the best movie I’ve seen so far this year.  But, it is only March.

Top 10 Television Ships

#1

Luke and Lorelai

Played by Lauren Graham and Scott Patterson

            I believe that they were my second OTP ever.  One of the few will they/won’t they couples that didn’t wreck the show once they got together.  In fact, the show got better once they finally got together in season 5.  Luke was in love with Lorelai from the start but Lorelai just couldn’t see what was right in front of her.  Luke was such a gruff guy but you could always see his soft spot for Lorelai.  They were great friends before anything else and their banter was always a highlight on the show.  They would each show a little jealousy when the other was involved with someone else but they never tried to sabotage each other’s happiness.  It was so clear how they perfectly complemented each other.  Outwardly, Luke would grumble about Lorelai’s craziness but secretly he loved her for everything she was.  Luke needed someone to let him enjoy life and indulge his own quirky side and Lorelai needed someone who would support her no matter what.  They were partners through and through.  Even when Lorelai married Christopher, it was clear that her heart was always with Luke.  I’m thrilled that they ended up together; anything else would have been unacceptable. 

Best Episode to Watch: Raincoats and Recipes.  Ah, their first kiss and it was perfect.

Movie Series Review

The Indiana Jones Series

            It’s probably the greatest action/adventure series of all time.  Steven Spielberg directed all four of the globetrotting movies (Raiders of the Lost Ark, Temple of Doom, The Last Crusade, and Kingdom of the Crystal Skull) that follow archeologist Henry Jones Jr. aka Indiana Jones and his various sidekicks through his adventures.  Harrison Ford plays the iconic character.  He’s a professor by day and a BAMF by night.  He’s the only character to appear in every single film and it’s not easy to keep me interested in something relying on only one character.  I tend to prefer ensembles.  But, Indiana is such an entertaining character and the plots are always fun that I can easily watch all four of them.  He’s good but he’s not perfect.  I think that’s what makes him loveable.  He’s constantly getting in over his head but he always manages to get himself out by the skin of his teeth.  The movies have a great blend of action and comedy with a touch of drama thrown in here and there.  What I love about a good film series is that unlike most films that spawn sequels, the first isn’t necessarily the best.  All four films vary in quality, of course, but I think they are all worthy films on their own.  I’m going to talk about each one from my least favorite to my favorite.

#4 Temple of Doom

            Written by Willard Huyck and Gloria Katz, this is the second film in the series.  It stars Kate Capeshaw as the token Indy girl named Willie Scott and Ke Huy Quan as the sidekick, a young kid named Short Round.  This is also a prequel to the first film.  It’s not bad, as I said I’ll watch any of them, but I find it a bit dull.  My biggest gripe is that they spent a good 40 minutes down in the temple.  I like Indiana Jones best when he’s travelling all over the world.  40 minutes in one location got boring for me and I just wanted them to go somewhere else, anywhere else.  Short Round alternated between kind of cute to really obnoxious.  I deal with him because he played Data in The Goonies and I have much love for that character.  The Willie Scott character gets a lot of hate and I understand why, but I kind of like her.  Yes, she screamed and whined through the whole movie, but for some reason that amused me.  I found Marion Ravenwood in Raiders to be far more annoying.  The only time Willie really bothers me is when she’s taking her sweet time saving Indy and Short Round from a certain death.  That was frustrating.  This movie did break the formula of racing toward a coveted object like the other films revolve around, but you know what, sometimes formulas work.  Temple of Doom is supposed to be dark, but I didn’t find it dark enough to be moved by it.  I guess they wanted kids to be able to watch it.  There are some great bits in the movie though.  The mine cart ride was a blast.  Overall, the story could have used more excitement, the sidekicks could have toned it down, but it still had a solid plot and Indy was still Indy.

#3 Kingdom of the Crystal Skull

            This film was written by David Koepp.  The most recent film in the franchise and boy was it a long time in the making.  The Last Crusade came out in 1989 and Kingdom of the Crystal Skull came out in 2008.  Harrison Ford has aged.  That can’t be helped, but he’s still in good enough shape that I had no trouble buying the character pulling off the action.  He’s still got it.  He’s still Indy.  This time, Indy is reunited with Karen Allen’s Marion Ravenwood, his love interest from Raiders.  She’s much more tolerable here than she was the last time we saw the character.  She’s mellowed a bit without losing her core characterization and she, thankfully, doesn’t spend the whole movie shrieking “IIIINNNNDDDYYYY!!!!” at the top of her lungs.  Cate Blanchett plays the villain in this one and it’s nice to see more than one female character play a significant role in this series.  Shia LeBeouf plays Indy and Marion’s son, Mutt (I know, the name, it’s dumb).  He also gets a lot of hate for this movie but I liked him in it.  I’m not sure what people’s issue with him in it is, unless it’s just general dislike for the actor himself.  He’s fine for the role he was given.  This one differs greatly from the other three because they added an alien plot.  The previous three have been grounded in religion and superstition.  I’ll admit that when I realized aliens were taking part in this, I wasn’t pleased.  It’s not enough to make me hate the movie, but I kind of wish they had kept more in theme with the previous films instead of taking an alien route.  But, people have brought up that this movie, unlike the others, takes place in the 1950s where B science fiction movies were popular so perhaps it was homage to that.  The first hour drags a bit but once Marion shows up, it becomes a lot of fun.  I love the jungle chase and the dry sand scene.  Also, while I think the father/son plot is kind of weak and underdeveloped I did like the little nods that Indy was getting more and more like his own father through the process.  I’m good with Indy marrying Marion because I will admit she’s the only one of the girls who really makes sense to be the love of his life.  I liked that the sidekicks this time were his (future) wife and son.  The odd family dynamic worked for me.  I think it’s a good movie and it moves faster than Temple of Doom and there isn’t as much cringe worthy “humor” thrown in.  If there is a fifth one, I’ll go see it.  Why not? 

#2 Raiders of the Lost Ark

            The original Indiana Jones film written by Lawrence Kasdan.  Great story, great action, a great score, and great characters.  I get why many people think it’s the best.  I think this one handles a more serious side better than Temple of Doom does.  There isn’t as much comedy in this one.  It still has some hilarious moments though.  I think the scene where Indy shoots the swordsman is brilliant.  As much as I warmed to Marion in Crystal Skull, I am reminded of how much I disliked her in Raiders.  Gosh, she just shouted nearly every line she had.  I liked her personality; I just did not like Allen’s over the top delivery.  I get it.  She’s feisty, but did she have to yell so much?  Other than her we have John Rhys-Davies playing Sallah, one of the series best sidekicks and Denholm Elliot as Marcus Brody.  Paul Freeman’s villain is probably the best villain they’ve had.  He’s supposed to be the dark side of Indy and I think that makes him interesting.  I’m not sure why I don’t like this one more than I do.  I suppose that as good as the plot is and the individual characters are, I find it a little bit cold.  I don’t connect with it on an emotional level as much as I do with some of the others.  Still, it’s great.  From the opening action sequence all the way to the melting Nazis, it’s a fun film to watch.  In particular, I love the scene with the fire in Marion’s bar and the scene with Indy fighting the Nazis on the trucks.  The scene where they open the Ark is powerful as well.  I just love nearly everything about this movie.  Ford at the center really grounds it.

#1 Last Crusade

            Maybe I’m biased because this is the first Indiana Jones movie I remember seeing.  I only saw about the last 20 minutes and I don’t think I even knew what I was watching but I never forgot it.  The third installment was written by Jeffrey Boam.  But, I must also add that Tom Stoppard did a lot of the dialogue for the film which explains why it's so quotable.  It’s easily the funniest and most charming of the films.  It mainly works because of Sean Connery (and that is the only time I will ever say that).  He is so good in it and he has surprisingly wonderful chemistry with Ford.  This is a father/son tale and it’s told much better than in Crystal Skull.  Indy loses much of his BAMFness (yes, it’s a word) around his father because don’t we all feel somehow inadequate next to our parents?  He still gets things done though and of course, he saves the day.  It’s an old story.  The father and the son were never close and they barely speak because they don’t understand each other.  But, added with so much action and humor, I don’t think I’ve ever enjoyed this particular cliché more.  The scene where they are tied back to back to chairs is hilarious.  Even when they are at their most distant at the beginning, you can feel that they love each other and know each other as only family can.  It’s lovely to see.  Adding to the comedy, Sallah and Marcus return and they are largely used for comic relief.  I know a lot of people didn’t like that, but I thought it was great.  This is the only time we got to see Marcus in the field, so who is to say he wouldn’t be that goofy and out of his depth?  The Indy girl in this one is a different take.  She turns out to be a villain.  She isn’t all bad.  She clearly cares about the Jones men, but she has no problem betraying them or whoever else to get the Holy Grail for herself.  I suspect that this was done to get her out of the way so that the father/son story could properly develop.  The final act is flawless, in my opinion.  When Indy’s dad finally shows his son how much he loves him by telling him to let the grail go, oh that’s some powerful stuff.  As the four guys ride off into the sunset, I would have been more than happy to have that be the final chapter.  I don’t think I could ever grow tired of this movie.

Top 10 Television Ships

#2

Mark/Callie

Played by Eric Dane and Sara Ramirez

Oh, these two drive me crazy.  I’ve been shipping them since Callie was married to George.  That’s a long time for me to hang on to a ship.  I don’t hold out any hope that they’ll ever really be together, but I have adored watching them get closer and closer to the best friends they are today.  Callie Torres is one of my favorite television characters of all time.  I am captivated whenever she’s onscreen.  I’ve watched her suffer season after season and through it all Mark is the only person in her life who has never abandoned her or let her down (that includes her own father, by the way).  Mark and Callie’s relationship started from scratch and the evolution has been wonderful.  They know they can lean on each other no matter what.  They have meaningful and dramatic scenes but they also have light and funny scenes.  Dane and Ramirez have so much chemistry that the very idea of putting them with other people is just crazy talk.  But, sadly Shonda is quite fluent in crazy talk.  Now, Callie is pregnant with Mark’s baby and I’m holding out hope that this baby will survive.  I’d like Arizona to go away, but as that won’t be happening at least I can tell myself that Mark and Callie will always be tied to each other, not only because of their love for each other but because of the child they will soon share.  That’s going to be one beautiful baby.  Plus, Ramirez makes Dane a better actor.  The best time to watch Mark is when he’s with Callie.  I’m very nervous about where their current storyline is headed, but I’m trying to be optimistic.

Best episode to watch:  I like you so much better when you’re naked.  (I think this episode perfectly shows their intimacy, their love, and their humor.) 

Top 10 Television Ships

#3

Jack/Ianto

Played by: John Barrowman and Gareth David-Lloyd

            I think I like the idea of this pairing more than the actual pairing.  A sci-fi show with an openly bisexual hero and his only onscreen relationship has been with a man.  That’s great.  We need more characters like Jack and Ianto.  That said, I do like them specifically as well.  Jack is gorgeous and he presses on even after he’s lost everything.  He tries so hard to be a good man.  Ianto has been through far too much for a guy so young.  He’s a mystery but he’s got a wonderfully dry sense of humor and he loves Jack.  Jack’s feelings for Ianto have always been way too vague to pin down and that’s what holds them back from being number one.  I don’t know how Jack saw Ianto.  Was it just sex?  Did he love him?  I don’t know.  The show apparently never thought that it was important that we know.  Still, I think these two were a step in the right direction and I hope television history is able to look back on them as pioneers for the sci-fi genre.  Also, they were hot together.  I cannot stress that enough.  It’s really too bad that they didn’t have more time together.  Wasted potential.

Episode to watch: Adam.  Even thought they’ll never remember it, that episode demonstrates Jack’s unwavering belief in Ianto and that’s about as much feeling as we ever got onscreen.

Top 10 Television Ships

#4

Brian/Justin

Played by: Gale Harold and Randy Harrison

            I normally do not like pairings where a sweet, naïve person melts the cold heart of the other.  It’s all a bit Beauty and the Beast.  But, these two are the exception.  I couldn’t help but be moved at their story.  Out of everyone in the entire world, Justin Taylor was the one to win Brian’s heart.  In all five seasons, Brian never fell in love with anyone else.  It wasn’t even close.  Yes, he loved Michael and he loved Lindsay, but Justin was different.  He forced Brian to believe in love and to trust someone else to be there for him and care for him.  He showed him that there was more to life than one night stands.  In return, Brian helped Justin grow up.  He gave him the confidence to fight for what he wanted and he taught him to be independent.  It took Brian five years to say ‘I love you’ but it didn’t matter because he didn’t have to say it.  Anyone could see it long before he said it.  They had a bittersweet ending but no matter what, they’ll never stop loving each other.

Episode to watch: They didn’t have episode names, but I’d go for the episode right after they get back together in season three, if only for the commentary by the other characters.

Top 10 Television Ships

#5

Murdock/Amy

Played by: Dwight Schultz and Melinda Culea

            This is another one that I have no excuse for.  They were never together, nor was it ever really teased.  But, I love them together.  I love them together because Amy, the only female in the cast, bonded the most with him, the goofy guy.  She didn’t latch onto Face, the hot one, or Hannibal, the fearless leader.  Nope, this brilliant woman liked to hang out with King of Crazy.  She had good taste.  Murdock was very flirty with her and she was always amused by his antics.  She wasn’t on the show very long and even when she was, she didn’t get much screen time, but she got to team up with Murdock a lot because they were the only two of the group who weren’t fugitives.  I feel like Murdock respected her and took her seriously in a way that the others never did.  The others kind of talked down to her (though, that probably has more to do with the actors, than the characters).  Murdock didn’t treat her like she was an idiot and Amy didn’t treat him like he was weird.  They both accepted each other for who they were and they formed a close relationship despite being complete opposites.

Episode to watch: One More Time (basically, they spend nearly every second of their screen time together).

Top 10 Television Ships

#6

Kevin/Scotty

Played by: Matthew Rhys and Luke Macfarlane

            It’s too bad Brothers and Sisters is such a bad show because Kevin and Scotty is one of the most engaging couples on television.  If the whole show was about them, I would be happy.  Unfortunately, all those other awful characters exist and I have to suffer through them and their crappy storylines to get to some good K/S stories.  The show has followed this relationship from the beginning, from their rocky start to their journey to fatherhood.  I believe the producers even called Scotty Kevin’s ‘Mr. Big.’  I think that says it all.  Kevin had other boyfriends, but he just couldn’t stay away from Scotty.  They have not had an easy time of it.  Kevin can be neurotic and unintentionally cold and neglectful.  Scotty can be self righteous and holier than thou.  Never the less, they are always willing to give each other another chance because being apart hurts more than whatever it is the other has done.  This one of my few current ships that is still sailing and more than any other, I want them to make it to the end.  I just wish they were on a better show.  Like a spin off.

Episode to watch: Prior Commitments (Their wedding and the first gay wedding on primetime television between two regular cast members)

Top 10 Television Ships

#7

Rory/Amy

Played by: Arthur Darvill and Karen Gillan

            Doctor Who’s latest companions and the first married couple in the TARDIS.  I was shipping these two before they were introduced.  I had heard vague spoilers about them and saw a couple of pics but for some reason I immediately took to them as a couple.  I just knew they would end up married because otherwise it would just be a repeat of Rose/Mickey and why go there again?  Amy is a very closed off girl and doesn’t show her emotions easily.  You can tell how much she loves Rory but she just can’t say it.  Rory is so sweetly devoted to her and he knows all her issues but accepts her anyway.  Amy cried for him even when she couldn’t remember him.  Rory waited thousands of years for her.  Amy was willing to die based on the chance that she would see him again.  It’s all so dramatic and I eat up every second of it.  I’m so glad the show decided to go in a different direction instead of another ‘companion loves the Doctor’ plot.  Amy and Rory are a breath of fresh air.  They went through a lot in thirteen episodes but they still made it to ‘I do.’  I don’t know what series 6 will bring for them but I hope that whatever it is, they’ll make it through together.  They are the girl and boy who waited.

Episode to watch: Amy’s Choice

Top 10 Television Ships

#8

Willow/Tara

Played by: Alyson Hannigan and Amber Benson

            Willow and Tara’s relationship was the first exposure I had to a same sex couple on television.  I can vividly remember watching my first episode of Buffy and slowly realizing that Willow and Tara were together. I don’t think or talk about this pairing too much because in the Buffyverse it all comes down to Buffy/Angel vs. Buffy/Spike and I have my loyalties in that debate but every time I go back to the show I am reminded of how loving Willow and Tara were and how much I counted on them just being together.  I enjoyed Willow’s other relationships but Tara was my favorite.  Tara is one of the most genuine characters I’ve ever seen and Willow is one of Joss Whedon’s most well developed characters.  I loved the way that magic was used as a metaphor throughout their whole relationship and I think the way they initially found their way to each other was beautifully done.  When Willow lost Tara, the pain was palpable.  Her death was incredibly shocking and Willow going off the deep end after it happened just showed how much Willow loved her and dark!Willow is my favorite arc of the series because of it.  Willow and Tara were everything.  They were sweet, they fought, they deceived each other, they let each other down, they helped each other up, but through it all they never stopped loving each other.  Even after Tara died, Willow never forgot.

Episode to watch: Two to Go (Okay, Tara’s already dead in this one, but Willow gives the most heartbreaking speech about her)

Top 10 Television Ships

#9

Mulder/Scully

Played By: David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson

            If I’m being honest, my love of their relationship is about the only reason I got into this show.  Don’t get me wrong, it was a great show, but it got a little tedious at times.  This pairing is the definition of a slow burn.  They took forever to get together, but unlike most ‘will they/won’t they’ couples, they didn’t have silly, contrived obstacles in their way.  One didn’t pine away as the other remained oblivious.  They were just two people who respected and loved each other very much.  I think this pairing is so popular because it is atypical.  Compared to the sophomoric couples on TV today (House/Cuddy for example) Mulder and Scully are just refreshingly mature and subtle.  They were fundamentally different but they truly complemented each other.  There was no doubt that these two were made for each other and they got the point across without beating us over the head with it.  We need more pairings like this on television.

Best Episode to watch:  I’m partial to the first movie, actually.

Top 10 Television Ships

I'm going to fully indulge my fangirly side and countdown my top ten tv pairings.  I was going to do my top movie pairings as well, but I only have about four or five movie pairings, so I'm just sticking with tv.  I'll do one pairing per post.  Here we go.

# 10

Starbuck/Athena

Played by: Dirk Benedict and Maren Jensen

            I have no justification for this one.  They were together for like the first third of the first episode and the rest of it was Starbuck ducking her in favor of (the far less beautiful) Cassiopeia, until Athena vanished from the show never to be mentioned again.  I adore everything about this show but their scenes together in the pilot instantly made me ship them.  I wish I didn’t because things really, really didn’t work out in my favor.  Oh, well.  I never pick the right pairings.  Anyway, I like them because she’s his best friend’s sister, he teaches her how to fly a viper, and she saves his life.  What more do you want?  The scene in the first episode where he tries to apologize to her and asks for a more serious relationship is the moment that truly got me.  I don’t understand why they included scenes in that episode that are so intimate but then spend the rest of the series back peddling on them.  Plus, they are so ridiculously hot.  Look at them.  Those are two gorgeous human beings.  They just look like a prince and a princess (because apparently I’m still five years old).

Best episode to watch:  Saga of a Star World



Book Review

Confessions of a Kamikaze Cowboy

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And Then We Went Fishing

These two autobiographies by Dirk Benedict are unlike any autobiography I’ve ever read.  They are not just the stories about his life.  They are not simply made up of anecdotes.  They don’t exist to give you more information about the man.  Benedict has a lot of very strong opinions and I think these books, particularly Confessions of a Kamikaze Cowboy are a way of getting those opinions out there as fully as he can. 

His main point in Confessions of a Kamikaze Cowboy is ‘you are what you eat.’  Never have I thought so much about that phrase.  I rarely ever think about what I eat and when I do, it’s more about vanity (I want to be thinner) than about health.  I have to admit, I’m intrigued by his story.  When he found out he had prostate cancer, he shut himself away in a secluded cabin in New Hampshire and stuck to a very strict macrobiotic diet and healed himself.  I’ve never heard of anything like this.  I think rejecting doctors and going off on your own when you’ve been diagnosed with the big ‘C’ takes incredible courage and faith.  I’m not sure I have it in me.  On the other hand, Benedict has a very harsh view of doctors.  I don’t think they are as bad as he makes them out to be, but I see his point as well.  I don’t think anyone should blindly trust their doctors.  They make mistakes.  They’re human too.  The idea that you can avoid diseases that appear to be just a part of life now (cancer, high blood pressure) is nice.  I certainly believe it has merits.  We do stuff ourselves with junk food.  It’s so readily available and there’s so much of it.  I never finish a full plate at a restaurant because they pile so much food onto it.

            However, I don’t agree with everything he says.  He gets pretty extreme.  For example, he really believes that women belong in the kitchen and that they should be content with just being able to have children.  He sees childbirth as an amazing thing and he repeatedly says that women are stronger than men.  Thanks for the compliment, but, just because we can doesn’t mean we have to.  He basically says that all women who choose not to have children end up regretting it and desperately try to get pregnant when they’re older.  I sincerely doubt he knows that for a fact about every woman out there.  Off the top of my head, I can think of one woman I know who is at least in her late 50’s childless by choice and perfectly happy with that.  He doesn’t need to speak for women and I wish he wouldn’t.  Maybe I’m being too harsh and he didn’t mean these things in the way I interpreted them, but I’m just giving my opinion based on what I read.

            Aside from all of that, he is a deeply fascinating individual and macrobiotics is obviously something he strongly believes in.  And he’s still alive, cancer free, and in great health.  I think he made a pretty great life choice.  It made me think, how right is he about food?  Can cancer really be the result of all the junk food we eat?  That’s kind of horrifying to me.  A disease so awful and we do it to ourselves?  Are snack food companies just as bad as cigarette companies?  Possibly.  I think it is definitely something to think about.  No matter how I feel about some of his more sexist ideas, I can’t ignore his main point. 

            I have to say, I’m rather amused by some of what he says as well.  I find him a bit hypocritical.  He goes on and on about how his career doesn’t matter to him and how the success didn’t mean anything and it was all just part of a journey he had to take, but he didn’t care about the actual projects or the successes and failures.  Okay, that’s all well and good.  But, if that’s true and he’s so “above” it all, what’s with being so insulted that they made his Battlestar Galactica character a woman in the reboot tv show?  What’s with being insulted that his cameo was so short in The A-Team movie?  The fact that he bothered to comment on either of these things implies that he cares.  On some level, he cares. 

            And Then We Went Fishing improved my opinion of him as a person.  He showed some vulnerability and humility in it.  He wasn’t as preachy.  This book is a duel story about the birth of his first son and the death of his father.  I cannot imagine growing up with a father like Benedict’s father.  It does help me understand why he is the way he is, but his father seemed like a man who was not meant for family life.  I feel for Benedict and for his brother, his sister, and his mother.  I cannot imagine what they went through and I was tearing up by the end of it.  His father was shot by his brother after breaking into the family home one early morning.  He brought it on himself and Benedict says as much.  Still, I don’t know how a family recovers from something like that.

            The story of his son’s birth is far less depressing but it is quite suspenseful.  With all that goes on, you would swear he made the whole story up.  He and his wife wanted a home birth, given his feelings toward doctors, that makes sense.  Unfortunately, you can’t always get what you want.  And sometimes, you have no choice but to trust people other than yourself.  His wife (ex-wife) sounds like a remarkably strong individual.  She endured somewhere around 50 hours of drug free labor and she did it without complaining.  That’s more than I could handle.  The midwife and birthing attendants were frustrating because I got the sense that they weren’t taking things seriously.  Eventually, they had no choice and they went to the hospital.   Their son, named after Benedict’s father, was born a healthy baby.

            The juxtaposition of the two stories make for a very engaging read and it was very bittersweet.  He has a sort of poetic style of writing.  Sometimes, that’s frustrating because sometimes I just want the facts without getting all artsy about it.  Still, it was well written and, emotionally, it got to me.  In many ways, his kind of writing tells me more about him as a person than autobiographies that go through the writer’s life year by year.  It makes him stand out not necessarily because of what he went through, but because of how he reacted to his situations and how he chose to deal with them.  If you just want to read a viewpoint that doesn’t get a lot of attention, these books are worth reading.  If by chance, you are searching for a healthier way of living, these books are also worth reading. 

Top Movies I'm Looking Forward to in 2011

10.) Sanctum

A cave diving team goes down to an unexplored cave system when a tropical storm forces them into a life or death situation. 

I want to see this movie because it looks like a thrill ride.  I like cave movies.  I think it’s a great setting for terror and suspense.  Plus, it’s in 3-D.  While, I’m sick of everything coming out in 3-D and I rarely pay extra to see something in 3-D, this one looks like it might be worth it.  I’m wary of it, though.  On the one hand, The Descent is one of the best horror films I’ve ever seen and that has a cave setting.  On the other hand, The Cave looked to be just as cool as Sanctum does from the trailers and posters and it turned out to be a waste of time and money.  So, this could be a lot of fun, or it could be a huge disappointment.  It opens in February, so I won’t have to wait long to find out.

9.) Red Riding Hood

Set in medieval times, a village is stalked by a werewolf (or worwilf, if you like). 

I feel like I was tricked into nearly this same movie last year with The Wolfman, which was terrible.  But, I’m excited for a couple of reasons.  The first reason is that Amanda Seyfried is the star.  She’s one of my favorite young actresses but I couldn’t bring myself to see any of her 2010 movies because they all looked so sappy and melodramatic.  I’m glad she’s taking a break from that genre.  The second reason I’m excited is because Catherine Hardwicke is directing it.  She directed Twilight and even though I hate the writing and overall story of that movie, I think it looked beautiful.  It looked so serene and dreamlike.  If she can work that magic again here and make it just as gorgeous, then at the very least it will be a visual treat.  Plus, she didn’t actually write Twilight, so I don’t blame any of what I hate about it on her.  I’m a big fan of the medieval look in general, but there’s rarely a story I find interesting to go along with it.  But, a take on a classic fairytale is usually worth a look.  Then again, I thought Alice in Wonderland and Tim Burton were a match made in heaven and he managed to do what no other version of that story has done.  He made it boring.  Here’s hoping that this version of Little Red Riding Hood is better.

8.) Winnie The Pooh

No synopsis yet.

This is a classically animated movie featuring the characters of the Hundred Acre Woods.  Winning the Pooh and his friends were a big part of my childhood.  I adored them.  I even named my first dog Tigger.  I watched the tv show, I bought all the movies, I had stuffed animals, and I discovered that I love the taste of honey (I never would have tried it without Pooh).  These characters are so sweet and innocent.  How can you not love them?  Every child should be exposed to them.  They’re just pure childhood playfulness and I’m so happy that it’s being animated the way it was when I was a kid.  Craig Ferguson is voicing Owl, so there’s a bonus.  I just want to take a trip down memory lane with these characters.

7.) Fright Night

A teenager discovers that his neighbor is a vampire, in this remake.

This came to my attention because I follow David Tennant’s career.  I was thrilled that he had been cast in a mainstream movie after his US television show fell apart.  I was prepared to go see it just for him, but the rest of the cast furthered my interest.  Anton Yelchin and Colin Farrell also star.  This is supposed to be more comedy than horror and I love comedic takes on traditionally scary ideas.  I know all three of these guys can handle comedy.  And Martie Noxon wrote the screenplay and anyone who wrote for Buffy is okay by me.

6.) Source Code

A soldier keeps reliving the last 8 minutes of a dead man’s life in order to catch the bomber of the train he was riding.

One name.  Duncan Jones.  The genius who created Moon is directing this and that’s all I need to know.  I wasn’t too excited based on the trailer, but trailers can be misleading (the Moon trailer was not great either).  The premise is interesting and if the writing and directing is strong enough, it could be brilliant.  Jake Gyllenhaal is the lead and I’ve been a fan of his for a long time.  Michelle Monaghan also stars and she has a tendency to get on my nerves, due to how unbelievably obnoxious her character was in Kiss Kiss Bang Bang.  Still, like I said, I have faith in Duncan Jones he can make the story live up to its potential.

5.) Red State

A group of people run into a group of extreme fundamentalists in middle America.  Horror ensues.

This is a horror film written and directed by Kevin Smith and I feel like it’s been in the works for years.  I’m glad it’s finally coming out and I’m glad Smith is finally branching out of his safe zone.  When I went to see Smith at a Q&A last year, there was a group of nutty, religious protesters.  I was scared.  I was really scared.  I kept expecting the building to blow up or something.  I’m a Christian.  I believe in God and that belief is important to me.  But, for the life of me, I will never understand how people who claim to be believers can be so full of hate.  I don’t understand how they can be so judgmental, so heartless, and so ruthlessly cruel.  That’s not what Jesus was about and that is not how he taught us to treat others.  Is it any wonder that so many people are soured on Christianity?  Look at the image we have.  It breaks my heart.  Anyway, from what I’ve heard him say on the subject, Smith feels the same way.  The trailer looks genuinely disturbing and I think it could seriously creep me out but I also think there will be a larger point to it.

4.) Sherlock Holmes II

Holmes and Watson go up against Professor Moriarty.

The first one was great.  I saw it four times in the theater.  Guy Ritchie seems to have a mixed reputation so I was hesitant, but he did a great job directing the first movie.  Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law made a surprisingly effective duo and as long as that stays at the heart of the story, the next one could be just as good.  Stephen Fry joins the cast for this one and I don’t know how I feel about that.  I’m grown more and more disillusioned with him as a person over the last couple of years, but I still can enjoy his performances.  Having him onscreen with Downey Jr. has the potential to be a verbal explosion and I am looking forward to him being reunited with Law.

3.) The Adjustment Bureau

A politician goes against the future Fate has for him by pursuing a relationship with a ballerina

Interesting idea.  The trailer has Fate (or the controllers of the universe) personified and it’s almost as if the world is a stage and the people are just puppets.  Freaky idea.  Matt Damon and Emily Blunt star in this thriller.  The forces in the movie look so overwhelming that I don’t see how Matt’s character can come out on top.  But, maybe that’s the point.  That you can’t fight fate.  Isn’t that usually the moral of stories like this?  But, they might surprise me and go with a free will is stronger ending.  I don’t know.  But, I can’t wait to find out.

2.) Limitless

A writer gets his hand on a drug that opens up his mind.  His life begins to change but maybe the drug isn’t the miracle he thought it was.

The first time I saw the trailer, I was not impressed.  It looked pretty messy, all style and no substance.  But, reading more about it, I think it could be interesting.  It’s based on a book called The Dark Fields and I would love to read it but I can’t find a copy.  They’re rereleasing it about a month before the movie comes out so I guess I’ll track it down then.  Bradley Cooper is the star and to be honest, the main draw for me.  I love the man.  This is a type of movie I haven’t seen him do and I’m interested to see how he handles it.  I’m getting more and more excited about this the more I think about it.  I hope it isn’t a letdown. 

1.) Paul

Two geeks travel across America and run into a real alien.

Yay, the new Simon Pegg and Nick Frost movie is finally coming out.  I’ve been waiting for this one since 2007.  In addition to Pegg and Frost, Seth Rogan and Jason Bateman are in the cast as well.  Rogan is hit or miss nowadays but I still love Bateman.  I’m sad that Edgar Wright didn’t direct this one like he directed Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz, but the chemistry and banter between Pegg and Frost is strong enough to carry the movie anyway.  I love Simon and Nick, separately and together, and they’re playing Comic Con loving geeks in this one which cuts to the core of me.  The trailer looks good and above any other movie this year, I really hope this one lives up to my expectations.

P.S. This list is based on the movies I know are coming out this year.  I’m sure there are a lot of other great ones coming in 2011 that I’m not yet aware of and who knows, maybe none of the movies on this list will make my top ten of 2011.  We’ll see.