tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8848332233674812912024-03-05T04:24:02.235-05:00Persnickety PressThe snarky guide to entertainment past, present and future.Amanda Gambillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00735995865333047771noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-884833223367481291.post-19999930960603663232010-09-21T19:22:00.007-04:002018-09-14T15:55:40.823-04:00At a Glance: New fall TV shows that may prove remotely interesting<b></b><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">Autumn is my favorite season for many reasons. Mostly because the weather offers a nice break from extremes and a lot of holiday vacation time is coming up, but I digress. It is also the season when new TV shows compete to capture our ADD-afflicted attention spans. Their objective? To hook us and keep themselves employed for the next seven years, of course.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">In the spirit of giving them a shot, let's all attempt to pause from Tweeting/Facebooking about our weekend (you know no one reads that stuff anyway, right?) and see what's new on this year's viewing buffet. I haven't included them all, only those that appear most interesting to me because, well, this is <i>my</i> blog. </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixKCQo9JrKFcdhCJ7v_7EMpygDENIrKdx8UPP8Wwn8lUN-jMcDjYl8DkPXRcviexsYV7pJFSySX6SMR-VvdTuZgnenCHw8MjhVWtD2FlTkgGc2ltW9ibgRsEbKzd2hjhzzCMSzV9opAZYc/s1600/empire.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixKCQo9JrKFcdhCJ7v_7EMpygDENIrKdx8UPP8Wwn8lUN-jMcDjYl8DkPXRcviexsYV7pJFSySX6SMR-VvdTuZgnenCHw8MjhVWtD2FlTkgGc2ltW9ibgRsEbKzd2hjhzzCMSzV9opAZYc/s320/empire.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Pitt & Buscemi</b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><b><i>Boardwalk Empire</i></b> <b><i>- </i>HBO. Sundays, 9 pm ET.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Pay stations have an edge with me when it comes to a series. They usually have better actors, bigger budgets </span><span style="font-size: small;">and more cursing, sex, and violence. </span><span style="font-size: small;">This one also has Michael Pitt (<i>The Village</i>, <i>Murder by Numbers</i>) as a returning war hero and the </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">pilot was produced/directed by Martin Scorsese. I'm <i>so</i> there!</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Set in Atlantic City during Prohibition, the show centers around Nucky Thompson (Steve Buscemi), the not-so-by-the-book town treasurer. Already on the take from every business in town, Nucky realizes that the alcohol ban has positioned him to make a killing off of the mob, who will now be funneling their activities through his city.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">The cast of characters includes many a mob legend, such as Lucky Luciano (Vincent Piazza), Arnold Rothstein (Michael Stuhlbarg) and Al Capone (Stephen Graham). All of these bad boys naturally need the force of good to contend with, which appears in the person of federal agent Van Alden (Michael Shannon). Legendary mobsters, Buscemi, Pitt and Scorsese? What's not to love? Well, we'll see.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Watch <b><a href="http://www.hbo.com/boardwalk-empire?cmpid=ABC458#/boardwalk-empire/cast-and-crew/arnold-rothstein/video/rothstein-pool-balls.html/eNrjcmbO0CzLTEnNd8xLzKksyUx2zs8rSa0oYS5kzlfPz0mBCQckpqf6JeamsjGySSeWluQX5CRW2pYUlaZyMjKyMQIAbAUXOA==" style="color: #741b47;">clip</a><span style="color: #741b47;">. </span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><i><b>The Event - </b></i><b>NBC. Mondays, 9 pm ET.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><b> </b>This is one of those time-shifting shows that alternately flashes back,</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">then forward, then back again, all to explain what's going on in the present.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg42d6MWjSvM7JVKfu8tWEB-uwAh9AEabMzVqwot0ib4T3_GoSLwAUwIwvOZurrKVYsUeNZFm_Ikp-eDvJtfYPvrcWPMCt5uOAueWvJHJD0G5-11ufZfKAjv7eLJYiahouFmFTegdppdJSe/s320/underwood.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="320" /></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Underwood</b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: small;">In the pilot we meet Sean Walker (Jason Ritter), an apparently well-adjusted, normal enough guy who somehow ends up waving a gun in an airport two weeks later. Where did his girlfriend go? What happened? An event of some sort, maybe?<i><b> </b></i>We just don't know!</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">We also have a new president (Blair Underwood) trying to dig up information on a prison in Alaska run by the CIA via the enigmatic Sophia (Laura Innes). The episode ends with (you guessed it) an event that could change the world forever. Or did that already happen and this is just a flashback? Is Jack Bauer here? Oh, the suspense!</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Watch <b><a href="http://www.nbc.com/the-event/video/sneak-peek/1248620/" style="color: #741b47;">clip. </a></b></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihp6CMCUeDDIS5VoL6-Np-dHiQybLcALvc-lk9I4_vX90hz5PRsiVo91t9KmPJhlgNQLqDz40TF5PtcAlzGjMaJBHd1VDaPDEFTZznC_3FRn44jsybh4WnRcjnqtu0hHirkv3mPj-F0-ip/s1600/shatner.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihp6CMCUeDDIS5VoL6-Np-dHiQybLcALvc-lk9I4_vX90hz5PRsiVo91t9KmPJhlgNQLqDz40TF5PtcAlzGjMaJBHd1VDaPDEFTZznC_3FRn44jsybh4WnRcjnqtu0hHirkv3mPj-F0-ip/s320/shatner.jpg" width="238" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Shatner</b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><b><i>$#*! My Dad Says</i> - CBS. Thursdays, </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">It is no coincidence that I mentioned Twitter above. Of course, if you've been reading <i>Persnickety</i> for any length of time, you know I do little without an ulterior motive. The premise of this sitcom is the first ever based on a Tweet-Feed. Specifically, <b style="color: #741b47;"><a href="http://twitter.com/shitmydadsays">this one</a></b>, in which Justin Halpern repeats all of the politically incorrect utterances of his father.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">It stars William Shatner as the multi-person offending pops, Ed Goodson. To counteract the loneliness such behavior inevitably induces, Ed asks his unemployed son (Ryan Devlin in the pilot, although word is the role has been recast) to move in with him and hilarity, hopefully, ensues. The cast also includes Will Sasso as Henry's brother Vince, and Nicolle Sullivan as Vince's overbearing wife Kathleen. I guess if they can make an entire movie about Facebook, they can make a series based on Tweets. My only question is, will all of the dialogue be 140 characters or less?</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Watch <b><a href="http://www.cbs.com/primetime/my_dad_says/video/?pid=3y9HSvJt5i_9W_p0OrfHlNrmCWXP1IuQ&vs=Default&play=true" style="color: #741b47;">clip</a></b>. </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEhyU2BD_Z59MguRafIKveSaOWKCo75Pxov0ZEFoA5QXQAQHWUWdXy3wPwuzIo-iy7AE811q2bbPOn4S-KsXuK7OuR4NQcGqW9yi4O1SaOBtGZM5FTbkf1mq1VreEXfRRCEcN092K5pHdZ/s1600/outsourced.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEhyU2BD_Z59MguRafIKveSaOWKCo75Pxov0ZEFoA5QXQAQHWUWdXy3wPwuzIo-iy7AE811q2bbPOn4S-KsXuK7OuR4NQcGqW9yi4O1SaOBtGZM5FTbkf1mq1VreEXfRRCEcN092K5pHdZ/s320/outsourced.jpg" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Rappaport & Cast</b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><i><b>Outsourced </b></i><b>- NBC. Thursdays, 9:30 pm ET.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Perhaps NBC was so busy trying to figure out a way to keep fans of <i>The Office</i></span> around after Steve Carell leaves, they failed to notice that we are trying to claw our way out of a recession. If they had watched the news at some point, they might have realized that jobs being sent overseas is not making Americans all that happy-schmappy. </div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Poorly chosen premise aside, this show follows American executive Todd Dempsey (Ben Rappaport) to Mumbai where he is sent to manage his company's call center. Once there, Todd discovers he is going to have to "Americanize" his team (including Rizwan Manji, Sacha Dhawan and Parvesh Cheena) so they can capably sell the product. It was apparently assumed that the culture clash between Dempsey and his Indian employees </span><span style="font-size: small;">amidst the <i>always</i> hilarious racial humor</span><span style="font-size: small;"> would induce riotous laughter. So far, the premise has only caused controversy. In all fairness, the show hasn't even aired yet, but I'll still be keeping my bag of rotten tomatoes at the ready.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Watch <b><a href="http://www.nbc.com/outsourced/video/outsourced---featured-preview/1227952" style="color: #741b47;">clip</a>.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1KyJiE7kxd4dvgaGSiI1nlGrBZOI9k5mtHsqleuawvnLqmDPnh3aFXBA0BkQ_65UIED5iIbjluFjl4HBI7KSzNt6xDTymZuwPDWNeVBCYntrKNDNe77IaSZvMgtwL8cU6MgRreOxE-ENH/s1600/zombie1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="173" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1KyJiE7kxd4dvgaGSiI1nlGrBZOI9k5mtHsqleuawvnLqmDPnh3aFXBA0BkQ_65UIED5iIbjluFjl4HBI7KSzNt6xDTymZuwPDWNeVBCYntrKNDNe77IaSZvMgtwL8cU6MgRreOxE-ENH/s320/zombie1.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><i><b>The Walking Dead - </b></i><b>AMC. Premieres Oct. 31, 10 pm ET.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">What do you get when you mix the<i> Thriller</i><i> </i>video with<i> 28 Days Later</i>? A Zombiepocalypse! Okay, so there's no singing and dancing, which is a damn shame! After nearly all of the human population are turned into flesh-eating predators, a small group of survivors attempt to find a zombie-free safe haven. As they begin to lose hope, they discover that there is little they will not do to survive </span><span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;">— </span><span style="font-size: small;">even painstakingly choreographed boogying. Okay, okay, I added that last part. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Season One of this horrorfest will be comprised of six episodes written by Robert Kirkman, the author of the comic book on which the series is based. Details are being kept on the down low, but the cast features Andrew Lincoln as police officer Rick Grimes. We have plenty of shows about vampires, so it <i>is</i> time that zombies get their share of the gore, but can brain-eating monsters who don't dance hold our attention long enough to stick with a series? Even if it cannot, the first few episodes may prove an interesting diversion from the normal fare.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Watch <b><a href="http://www.amctv.com/originals/The-Walking-Dead/video" style="color: #741b47;">clip</a></b>. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">What do you think? If you catch any of the premieres, please post your opinions up in the comments. </span></div>
Amanda Mitchellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08949318833347231894noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-884833223367481291.post-42417148998922860392010-07-25T15:10:00.006-04:002010-07-26T16:53:03.202-04:00The return of MST3K: RiffTrax spins the lame into gold<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDtryU7J5cdoC8WSn_pe7Gx5vn7gZbs44VdODomkESer25KGiBi7R95TGHPXpkNttVxJBJhj0nhHA2oA4h6O6C0t8YFN-XXT4FK1CSD_ilRBogKOm40iafXywfYoX02MTjjVSiLDO51rg/s1600/Koy029oL3q7g1vowyVoRWYpCo1_500.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 230px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDtryU7J5cdoC8WSn_pe7Gx5vn7gZbs44VdODomkESer25KGiBi7R95TGHPXpkNttVxJBJhj0nhHA2oA4h6O6C0t8YFN-XXT4FK1CSD_ilRBogKOm40iafXywfYoX02MTjjVSiLDO51rg/s320/Koy029oL3q7g1vowyVoRWYpCo1_500.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5497916236074241986" border="0" /></a><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:100%;" >In the '90s, one of the most rewarding ways to kick off your Saturday was to catch </span><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(51, 51, 51);font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:100%;" >Mystery Science Theater 3,000</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:100%;" > on the Sci-Fi channel. The show was set in space on the Satellite of Love, where a man and two robots were being held prisoner by an evil mastermind. The villain's favorite form of torture was forcing the captives to watch really, really bad movies.
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<br />The entertaining part was the commentary provided by Mike Nelson and his lovable robots, Tom-Servo (Kevin Murphy) and Crow T. Robot (Bill Corbett). Alas, the series ended in 1999. However, there are numerous episodes available on DVD, as well as the aptly titled 1996 film, </span><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(51, 51, 51);font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:100%;" >Mystery Science Theater 3000 The Movi</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:100%;" >e </span><meta equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><meta name="ProgId" content="Word.Document"><meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 12"><meta name="Originator" content="Microsoft Word 12"><link style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);" rel="File-List" href="file:///C:%5CUsers%5CAmanda%5CAppData%5CLocal%5CTemp%5Cmsohtmlclip1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml"><link style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);" rel="themeData" href="file:///C:%5CUsers%5CAmanda%5CAppData%5CLocal%5CTemp%5Cmsohtmlclip1%5C01%5Cclip_themedata.thmx"><link style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);" rel="colorSchemeMapping" 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font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;} </style> <![endif]--><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="line-height: 115%;font-family:";font-size:11pt;" >—</span></span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:100%;" > or you could just download some RiffTrax.
<br />
<br />That's right, the boys are back, and this time they are not limited to low-budget schlock (although, who doesn't love that stuff?). At the <a style="color: rgb(204, 51, 204);" href="http://www.rifftrax.com/">RiffTrax Web site</a>, the guys are still doing what they do best. Visitors can download RiffTrax and synchronize the file with their own DVD, or they can purchase the video file with the commentary included.
<br />
<br />The best part of this new incarnation is that, while they still feature some delectably horrible offerings (</span><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(51, 51, 51);font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:100%;" >Voodoo Man</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:100%;" > starring Bela Lugosi, for instance), and delightfully dated informative public shorts (my personal favorite is </span><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(51, 51, 51);font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:100%;" >Carnivorous Plants)</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:100%;" > the guys are now riffing on Hollywood heavy weights.
<br />
<br />As Corbett told <a style="color: rgb(204, 51, 204);" href="http://www.fearnet.com/">Fearnet.com</a> last year, they have merely added to their repertoire.
<br />
<br />"We do the MP3 downloadable commentary for the newer releases," Corbett explained. "But we're also doing some older stuff and a lot of shorts like we used to do on <em>Mystery Science Theater</em>, which are some of my favorite things to do, probably because my attention span is about 15 minutes in general."
<br />
<br />Included in the ever-growing list of more recent films are </span><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(51, 51, 51);font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:100%;" >The Dark Knight</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:100%;" >, </span><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(51, 51, 51);font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:100%;" >Spiderman</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:100%;" >, </span><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(51, 51, 51);font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:100%;" >Twilight</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:100%;" >, three of the </span><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(51, 51, 51);font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:100%;" >Harry Potter</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:100%;" > films and all of the </span><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(51, 51, 51);font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:100%;" >Star Wars</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:100%;" > franchise. It could be argued that Darth Vader's first appearance in </span><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(51, 51, 51);font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:100%;" >Star Wars</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:100%;" > would have been improved had the line from Rifftrax been used:
<br />
<br />"Alright, what am I doing? Cuttin' a ribbon on a mall? Nobody tells me anything!"
<br />
<br />Additionally, the scene in </span><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(51, 51, 51);font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:100%;" >The Dark Knight</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:100%;" >, when Two-Face realizes the best way to blackmail Gordon is with his son, would only have been strengthened by the Riffers contribution of having the little boy triumphantly proclaim, "Daddy loves me best! Daddy loves me best!"
<br />
<br />According to Corbett, though, riffing on the newer films has
<br />proved to be a bit of a challenge.
<br />
<br />"I find them a little harder, although I've kind of<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiG9cRK96NpSqAIe-5R_qgheyn33SqpyeLJ76arl1SZSG4Hpt2O2PS9Q-2bm195EomNsNiyOrNNLZj85RDtlTk5C1mvfVWLfXDXYM6MuHzJvdA4uqG0ikHQUVgw2La-Wk6TzETH0g0tNk/s1600/ReturnJediWeb.jpg"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiG9cRK96NpSqAIe-5R_qgheyn33SqpyeLJ76arl1SZSG4Hpt2O2PS9Q-2bm195EomNsNiyOrNNLZj85RDtlTk5C1mvfVWLfXDXYM6MuHzJvdA4uqG0ikHQUVgw2La-Wk6TzETH0g0tNk/s320/ReturnJediWeb.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5497917007581819762" border="0" /></a> gotten into the swing of 'em now," Corbett told Fear.net. "There are a couple of things, for one they are longer, as a rule. Just maintaining the level of writing quality is a little more difficult. There are go-to areas for jokes in any movie but by hour three of any of these movies it's like, ‘Oh man, we've commented on this thing like a hundred times already.’"
<br />
<br />It may seem to those who are unfamiliar with MST3K that these guys are just attempting to cynically tear down films which the public holds in high esteem. However, Corbett said that this is not the case at all.
<br />
<br />"The fact that we can riff a movie doesn't mean it's bad," Corbett pointed out. "We often riff movies we really like. Like <em>Jaws</em>, we did that a few months ago, and we're all fans. There are some things in there that haven't aged as well, but still it's a great movie. But because it's pretty serious, we found a way in I think."
<br />
<br />So, what titles can we expect to see on the Web site in the future?
<br />
<br />"Hopefully we're going to work on an occasional 80's title [since] we all have a fondness for that era when we grew up" Corbett revealed.
<br />
<br />Oh, please let one of them be </span><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(51, 51, 51);font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:100%;" >Gremlins</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:100%;" >!</span>
<br />
<br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Do you have a favorite MST3K or Rifftrax quote? Post it up in the comments!</span>
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<br />Amanda Mitchellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08949318833347231894noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-884833223367481291.post-48800906618928903282009-09-16T08:24:00.073-04:002009-09-17T10:40:09.916-04:00"The Vampire Diaries" Suffers from Anemia<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisO9FRWR3z-rQKfG8ZHrZDLNr9GkhcJJEZ4bnDWzbsVWBXvSsIrIjKjyBap-FVzDlIUB28EX5jkbjPCEkjy0UAIsh_SDmWOczLcQjXcyWls_dLy-IqEHQULal53Dn5mtpGm9aurHRFHP8s/s1600-h/the-vampire-diaries.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisO9FRWR3z-rQKfG8ZHrZDLNr9GkhcJJEZ4bnDWzbsVWBXvSsIrIjKjyBap-FVzDlIUB28EX5jkbjPCEkjy0UAIsh_SDmWOczLcQjXcyWls_dLy-IqEHQULal53Dn5mtpGm9aurHRFHP8s/s320/the-vampire-diaries.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5382266872645548578" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">If <span style="font-style: italic;">Dark Shadows</span> and <span style="font-style: italic;">Twilight</span> had an anemic baby, it would be <span style="font-style: italic;">The Vampire Diaries</span>. The new TV series, based on the Y/A books by L.J. Smith, debuted on The CW last week and the first episode followed a well-known and, by now, more than tiresome formula.<br /><br />For nearly 20 years I have been reading books and watching films, and television shows about vampires. Finally, this otherwise useless vault of knowledge will come in handy.<br /><br />The latest vampire craze has been painful for me for three reasons:<br /><br />1. All of this has been done before.<br />2. I prefer vampires who live up to their name, not vampires trying to be human.<br />3. ALL OF THIS HAS BEEN DONE BEFORE!<br /><br />The parenthetical information included below will help you Google your way to sighing over the monotony.<br /><br />Set in the fictional town of Mystic Falls (ohhh...ahhh), Episode One kicks off with a couple being attacked in their car from above (see: <span style="font-style: italic;">The Lost Boys</span>).</span></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg0k_1UHTKL20XDs7mx9LU5yyLVaE1fNurJFfOdYDyTxbIub-HhG42rTsZ0Ox-2x3qx79pVdQHbP-snkinqnjni1EUWnn7al58g_TzO5S_XU2RTmWrGrviknL5eq3IM3riNi_NwvREj8kW/s1600-h/nina-dobrev.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 184px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg0k_1UHTKL20XDs7mx9LU5yyLVaE1fNurJFfOdYDyTxbIub-HhG42rTsZ0Ox-2x3qx79pVdQHbP-snkinqnjni1EUWnn7al58g_TzO5S_XU2RTmWrGrviknL5eq3IM3riNi_NwvREj8kW/s320/nina-dobrev.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5382266992341185378" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><br />Next, we meet our gorgeous, but haunted human heroine (see: Bella from <span style="font-style: italic;">Twilight</span>, Mina from</span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"> </span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Dracula</span>, Sookie from <span style="font-style: italic;">True Blood</span>, Beth from <span style="font-style: italic;">Moonlight</span> and Caitlin from <span style="font-style: italic;">Kindred: The Embraced</span>). Elena </span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Gilbert (Nina Dobrev) has recently lost her </span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">parents in a car accident. However, a new school year has begun and our brave little toaster straps on her emotional armor and hides her pain with a smile.<br /><br />Everyone loves Elena because she is just so beautiful! All the boys want her and all the girls want to be her (why does this sound so familiar?). Recently, Elena dumped super-jock Matt (Zach Roerig) because their relationship lacked "passion."<br /><br />Rather than moving on, Matt humiliates himself in public by pathetically continuing to pursue her (see: Mike and the rest of the Bella harem in <span style="font-style: italic;">Twilight</span>, Sam in <span style="font-style: italic;">True Blood</span>).</span></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_VPZxa51xOuqBxKuv3im-uuVYg1vLZUleXibScxQYRDe0nD-xlWEb5V8ALgst2RAzH37NE8C8agbpI94Kt05pvuQ_LFerkvupWY7yYOL1VFNOKtDRpOoNUJyBwvyNtZRfnSbLaJomaNC0/s1600-h/wesley-somerholder.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 140px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_VPZxa51xOuqBxKuv3im-uuVYg1vLZUleXibScxQYRDe0nD-xlWEb5V8ALgst2RAzH37NE8C8agbpI94Kt05pvuQ_LFerkvupWY7yYOL1VFNOKtDRpOoNUJyBwvyNtZRfnSbLaJomaNC0/s320/wesley-somerholder.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5382268520218328306" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><br />To round out the female archetypes and make sure young women realize they can only fall into one </span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">of two camps - good girl or WHORE - there is Vicki Donovan (Kayla Ewell). Vicki is free-spirited and sexually extroverted (see: Lucy in <span style="font-style: italic;">Dracula</span>, all those chicks that were offed in the first season of <span style="font-style: italic;">True Blood</span>, and any young woman who has had sex in a horror movie ever).<br /><br />Vic dislikes it when boys want to talk to her or establish anything resembling emotional intimacy (we women SO hate that crap). Elena's substance-abusing brother Jeremy (Steven R. McQueen) is just such a lad. He refuses to give up on Lucy - er, I mean Vicki - because, like all teenage boys, he wiles away his hours scrap-booking future wedding plans, longing for true love and an oh-so-serious relationship.<br /><br />I am not sure what is causing the severe lack of testosterone in these young men. Perhaps the water in Mystic Falls is contaminated with enormous amounts of estrogen.<br /><br />Because of her sextra-curricular activities, we know that Vic, like Lucy, is sure to be chomped early on. When she is discovered after the attack, we are treated to the obligatory "Oh-my-God-she-has-teeth-marks-in-her-neck-and-her-blood-has-been-drained-and-she-must-have-been-attacked-by-a-wild-animal" scene (see: every movie, book, short story, or TV show about vampires or werewolves ever).<br /><br /></span></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvn1Zyia45KuR8zTTH41tnJypt6rRZcCIF46qivn93JposiArY4b5b1KmIPHn5Qze1ku-wXwpF4cHwkkLzAyG4AgO4cWbYVubKL6UUUzAVoBgMqdOOCzIVYfCl2QNvb9cqRH4RSFJNCTkV/s1600-h/wesley.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 177px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvn1Zyia45KuR8zTTH41tnJypt6rRZcCIF46qivn93JposiArY4b5b1KmIPHn5Qze1ku-wXwpF4cHwkkLzAyG4AgO4cWbYVubKL6UUUzAVoBgMqdOOCzIVYfCl2QNvb9cqRH4RSFJNCTkV/s320/wesley.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5382267186843903298" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Now on to the vamps. Stefan Salvatore (Paul Wesley) sees Elena and is instantly smitten (see: Edward Cullen, Barnabas Collins, Dracula, Mick St. John, Julian Luna, Bill Compton). He enrolls in high school (see: Edward Cullen) even though he is like 400-years-old because he <span style="font-style: italic;">must</span> get to know her! We find out later that Elena looks exactly like Stefan's former true love/soul mate (see: <span>Coppola's</span><span style="font-style: italic;"> Bram Stoker's Dracula</span>, <span style="font-style: italic;">Dark Shadows</span>).<br /><br />Stefan is "on the wagon" when it comes to killing humans (see: all of the Cullens, Louis de Pointe du Lac of <span style="font-style: italic;">The Vampire Chronicles</span>, Angel from <span style="font-style: italic;">Buffy the Vampire Slayer</span>, most of the vamps in <span style="font-style: italic;">Kindred: The Embraced</span>, the "assimilating" vamps in <span style="font-style: italic;">True Blood</span>). He is also desperately in need of tweezers because <a style="color: rgb(204, 51, 204);" href="http://letterstorob.files.wordpress.com/2009/08/sandycohen.jpg"target="new">Peter Gallagher's eyebrows</a> have reincarnated on his face.<br /><br />Stefan begins following Elena around, showing up at her house late at night without calling first and disappearing as if he has (GASP!) supernatural speed (see: Edward Cullen, Batman). He also gets all shaky, pale and generally wack at the sight of her blood (see: <span style="font-style: italic;">Dracula</span>, <span style="font-style: italic;">Twilight</span>, <span style="font-style: italic;">Kindred: The Embraced</span>, <span style="font-style: italic;">Dark Shadows, </span>a bunch of other stuff I'm forgetting). However, our heroine is not creeped out in the slightest by this strange, Ted Bundy-like behavior. On the contrary, she is delighted (see: Bella Swan, women who write love letters to inmates).<br /><br />At this point, I was not entirely sure that I wasn't watching a new episode of <span style="font-style: italic;">90210</span> written by Stephenie Meyer. I also wondered exactly when a <span style="font-style: italic;">hot</span> vampire with normal supercilia was going to show up.<br /><br />Enter Damon Salvatore (Ian Somerhalder), the best The CW could find. Damon is Stefan's </span></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiebnEiMtNT0jtKJfDAtV3PCJwCDaLvwMUrrUsBlsam1JxySEBJC_LMye19yIyBtHxFxjW923IKXFVmE-ZmXhiL7SD7oNtpr5Eyy5fAUplm3WAtJ6j_AwFkdU-bm9-AuLtqyoGLhNAmB-gb/s1600-h/somerhalder.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 134px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiebnEiMtNT0jtKJfDAtV3PCJwCDaLvwMUrrUsBlsam1JxySEBJC_LMye19yIyBtHxFxjW923IKXFVmE-ZmXhiL7SD7oNtpr5Eyy5fAUplm3WAtJ6j_AwFkdU-bm9-AuLtqyoGLhNAmB-gb/s320/somerhalder.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5382267381625735730" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">high-spirited brother. He is pro-vamp, definitely not a "vegetarian" and enjoys hunting humans - a major no-no in his bro's opinion (see: Lestat de Lioncourt from <span style="font-style: italic;">The Vampire Chronicles</span>, all of <span style="font-style: italic;">The Lost Boys</span>, Spike and Drusilla from <span style="font-style: italic;">Buffy the Vampire Slayer</span>, Victoria's gang in <span style="font-style: italic;">Twilight, </span>the anti-assimilation vamps from<span style="font-style: italic;"> True Blood</span>).<br /><br />It is immediately obvious that, despite having spent several centuries together, these boys do not get on so well (see: Louis and Lestat from <span style="font-style: italic;">The Vampire Chronicles</span>, Angel and Spike from<span style="font-style: italic;"> Buffy the Vampire Slayer</span>, Eric and Bill from <span style="font-style: italic;">True Blood</span>). It is also revealed that Damon is responsible for the attacks on Mystic Falls' residents.<br /><br />At the end of the episode, Elena invites stalkin' Stef into her home, and we all know what <span style="font-style: italic;">that</span> means (see: <span style="font-style: italic;">Dracula</span>, <span style="font-style: italic;">The Lost Boys</span>, <span style="font-style: italic;">Buffy the Vampire Slayer</span>, <span style="font-style: italic;">True Blood</span>).<br /><br /></span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"> <span style="font-style: italic;">The Vampire Diaries</span> is, quite simply, <span style="font-style: italic;">Twilight</span> for TV and all of the characters, the plot and the mythology have been recycled from better films, books and TV shows. </span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Granted, Smith's books were published pre-<span style="font-style: italic;">Twilight, </span>so it is really Stephenie Meyer (big surprise) who has done most of the stealing. However, the real question is: why waste the air time?</span></span> <span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><br /><br />This is what happens when a sub-culture phenomenon catches the attention of the public at large and becomes a trend. Any originality and depth is left by the wayside to appeal to the larger, less discriminating mainstream audience.<br /><br />Remember the hair bands of the 80s? This show is the equivalent of Winger.<br /><br />I cannot blame The CW for jumping on the fang-bang bandwagon. After all, a lot of money stands to be made. What is frustrating is that they chose a <span style="font-style: italic;">Twilight</span>-esque series of books to base the series on, when they could have chosen something with a premise we haven't seen before, or invented an entirely new mythology.<br /><br /></span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">If someone could create (or at least remake with passionate fervor) a vampire protagonist that actually kills people, it would be most refreshing. If his primary motivation is to fall in love with Mary Sue, then he is really just a human with bad teeth.<br /><br />Boooooooooring.<br /><br />Episode Two airs Sept. 17 at 8 p.m. EST on The CW.</span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><br /><br />What did you think of the show? Please share your thoughts in the comments.<br /></span></span>Amanda Mitchellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08949318833347231894noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-884833223367481291.post-44045294783505080792009-09-09T19:34:00.040-04:002009-09-10T00:18:16.425-04:00"Supernatural" Fills the "Buffy" Void<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwnd3DnUX5y8oL3V2IrTl9mfzAfUEs-EDIJN757TnkUoIPOvJtQqZcmvDDgklG7qb5kPow-sJQLJN5G9Ze5YPCkhq9w0jTiMHhyXnRkLnscvgpIPi5Te-KhBzej_uFkyUyICfoN3huMXqu/s1600-h/ackles-padalecki.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwnd3DnUX5y8oL3V2IrTl9mfzAfUEs-EDIJN757TnkUoIPOvJtQqZcmvDDgklG7qb5kPow-sJQLJN5G9Ze5YPCkhq9w0jTiMHhyXnRkLnscvgpIPi5Te-KhBzej_uFkyUyICfoN3huMXqu/s320/ackles-padalecki.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5379676928037291746" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:100%;">
<br /></span><span style=";font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:100%;" >Following the demise of my beloved <span style="font-style: italic;">Buffy the Vampire Slayer</span> in 2003, I essentially gave up on network television. This was easy to do as I have no interest in cop, hospital or legal dramas. I like my shows quirky, dark and witty, with a dash of the occult.
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<br />Earlier this year, while conducting interviews for another story, one of my sources suggested I check out <span style="font-style: italic;">Supernatural</span>. This recommendation stuck with me and this summer I finally got around to renting Seasons One through Four.
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<br />The series follows brothers Dean (Jensen Ackles) and Sam Winchester (Jared Padalecki) as they travel across the country in a bad-ass 1967 Chevy Impala listening to cock-rock and hunting evil.
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<br />They had me at <span style="font-style: italic;">Back in Black</span>.</span><span style=";font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:100%;" ><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ-lnuym04gBuYlft0hQKa-aPzdf1ARET26RO5UwnPA-CpXuBMxzb4zi_cVtnTGh7HTJoGSynvwnGzcEZCu2osEg0YePiAWg0hjPZWaf_rMNTiB8kTqbQcS4-0193S9Md69lw34ouGNXpD/s1600-h/ackles.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 123px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ-lnuym04gBuYlft0hQKa-aPzdf1ARET26RO5UwnPA-CpXuBMxzb4zi_cVtnTGh7HTJoGSynvwnGzcEZCu2osEg0YePiAWg0hjPZWaf_rMNTiB8kTqbQcS4-0193S9Md69lw34ouGNXpD/s320/ackles.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5379677413022080594" border="0" /></a>
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<br /></span><span style=";font-family:times new roman;font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">At first, it seemed too good to be true. This show had everything I love</span> </span><meta equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><meta name="ProgId" content="Word.Document"><meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 10"><meta name="Originator" content="Microsoft Word 10"><link style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" rel="File-List" href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5CAmanda%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtml1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml"><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> </w:Compatibility> <w:browserlevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><style> <!-- /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> </style><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman";} </style> <![endif]--><span style=";font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-size:12pt;">—</span></span><span style=";font-family:times new roman;font-size:100%;" > </span><span style=";font-family:times new roman;font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">clever writing, ghosts, demons,</span></span><span style=";font-family:times new roman;font-size:100%;" > </span><span style=";font-family:times new roman;font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">psychics, witches, good vs. evil</span> </span><meta equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><meta name="ProgId" content="Word.Document"><meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 10"><meta name="Originator" content="Microsoft Word 10"><link style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" rel="File-List" href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5CAmanda%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtml1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml"><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> </w:Compatibility> <w:browserlevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><style> <!-- /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> </style><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman";} </style> <![endif]--><span style=";font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-size:12pt;">—</span></span><span style=";font-family:times new roman;font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"> but throw in a soundtrack featuring Black Sabbath, Ratt and Soundgarden, and I am definitely in it for the long haul.</span>
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<br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Of course, it doesn't hurt that the two leads are extensively easy on the eyes, but I digress.</span>
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<br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">I suspect the writers of </span><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:trebuchet ms;" >Supernatural </span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">have taken a Joss Whedon Master's class. Like </span><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:trebuchet ms;" >Buffy</span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">, each season thus far has followed a main story arc, with side-roads throughout. Another big plus is that, at times, it is downright scary.</span>
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<br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">In an interview featured on the Season One DVDs, creator Eric Kripke said that his intention was to make a mini-horror movie each week and this vision has been successful, although, in some episodes more than others.</span>
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<br /></span><span style=";font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:100%;" ><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpIYUHxjxAjwC8BKCv5W5KMAwSClngusTCe_XDY0aqvmNSAB7Zfwn2NLXfdo71PunJJhr6SVE5Y7Bs_nCnZJ-F59OTZXE0w4UY-PpEm5t2j_Qcc42ICObE7OvLZebLm4pWFKLm6fD6rH3d/s1600-h/ackles-stashwick.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 130px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpIYUHxjxAjwC8BKCv5W5KMAwSClngusTCe_XDY0aqvmNSAB7Zfwn2NLXfdo71PunJJhr6SVE5Y7Bs_nCnZJ-F59OTZXE0w4UY-PpEm5t2j_Qcc42ICObE7OvLZebLm4pWFKLm6fD6rH3d/s320/ackles-stashwick.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5379677672593012226" border="0" /></a></span><span style=";font-family:times new roman;font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">The series began with the guys hunting creatures based on urban legends, such as Bloody Mary and the infamous Hook Man, but for Season Five the show has taken on an arc of biblical proportions. At the end of Season Four, Sam had inadvertently unleashed Lucifer, signaling the beginning of the Apocalypse, and Dean had been chosen by the angels to stop it all.</span>
<br />
<br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Kripke told </span><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:trebuchet ms;" >TV Guide Magazine</span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"> that viewers will indeed see an Apocalypse, complete with "four horsemen" and that they have definitely put a new spin on Lucifer (Mark Pellegrino).</span>
<br />
<br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">"One of our goals is to depict Lucifer in a way that’s rarely seen on television," Kripke said. "We want Lucifer to be the most sympathetic character this season. He’s this wounded angel who feels very betrayed by God and his fellow angels."</span>
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<br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Lucifer may be the Devil we don't know, but the Apocalypse sounds disturbingly familiar.</span>
<br />
<br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">"Our version of the Apocalypse includes things like hurricanes unexpectedly slamming into the U.S. coasts, and swine flu, and North Korea suddenly arming up with nuclear weapons," Kripke said. "We’re really trying to create the idea that we always have, that this could be happening right outside your door and you don’t know it."</span></span><span style=";font-family:times new roman;font-size:100%;" >
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<br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Characters from seasons past will also be returning, including angel Castiel (Misha Collins), demon Meg (Rachel Miner) and even Sam's dead fiance Jessica (Adrianne Palecki). </span></span><span style=";font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:100%;" ><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl5b4OHrnAlYSqOp7wkfQNX_zgQ4KoRrtTxqpZahfnM6UMwKV5VOikwURz7_imjGG-TMt5LlzJC2zcUgqW1U0fubcpfyDytqqitsH-qCqxlvlmOa_V_i-Vj3P1YJJEUYb5K2OWxdUD_YWh/s1600-h/supernatural.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 111px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl5b4OHrnAlYSqOp7wkfQNX_zgQ4KoRrtTxqpZahfnM6UMwKV5VOikwURz7_imjGG-TMt5LlzJC2zcUgqW1U0fubcpfyDytqqitsH-qCqxlvlmOa_V_i-Vj3P1YJJEUYb5K2OWxdUD_YWh/s320/supernatural.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5379677860029548818" border="0" /></a></span><span style=";font-family:times new roman;font-size:100%;" >
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<br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">So far, we have angels, demons, the resurrected dead and Lucifer, so how about the Big Kahuna?</span>
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<br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">"God will be a character on </span><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:trebuchet ms;" >Supernatural</span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"> this season," Kripke confirmed. "He’s vanished from Heaven, which is why the Angels have taken over the joint, but we’re planning on God’s return, probably around the end of the season. This story thread has generated much hilarity in the </span><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:trebuchet ms;" >Supernatural</span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"> writer’s room. We ask ourselves questions like, 'Well, what’s God’s motivation in this scene?' And then we start laughing, cause, you know, </span><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:trebuchet ms;" >Gossip Girl</span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"> just ain’t having these problems.</span></span><span style=";font-family:times new roman;font-size:100%;" >"</span><span style=";font-family:times new roman;font-size:100%;" >
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<br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">At this point, my fellow </span><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:trebuchet ms;" >Buff</span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">sters may be wondering if </span><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:trebuchet ms;" >Supernatural</span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"> is (dare I say it?) better than </span><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:trebuchet ms;" >Buffy</span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">?</span>
<br />
<br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Not yet. In fact, only the dialogue has, occasionally, come anywhere close to </span><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:trebuchet ms;" >Buffy </span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">standards</span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">, but that could all change this season. So instead of watching the same tired NBC Thursday night sitcoms this fall, give </span><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:trebuchet ms;" >Supernatural</span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"> a shot.</span>
<br />
<br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">After all, what could be more exciting than the Apocalypse?</span>
<br />
<br /><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:trebuchet ms;" >Supernatural</span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"> Season Five kicks off on the CW Sept. 10 at 9 p.m. EST. </span></span>
<br />Amanda Mitchellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08949318833347231894noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-884833223367481291.post-77744577435132193552009-08-26T14:36:00.018-04:002009-08-26T17:43:25.856-04:00"It Might Get Loud" Pays Homage to the Guitar<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs5NmIaYaAPzizVn2AQhQxArVo9BN6wevCsvgr3CRRFrgXstc83ynS8mSR804CZDXzAqy10zLhWTv70-NauRZrywdDbjiZ0nXQ-_9G7I1bAg6fjv2JPp8ptU8yv95g5G-BpMNn63h61FuH/s1600-h/white-edge-page.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 197px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs5NmIaYaAPzizVn2AQhQxArVo9BN6wevCsvgr3CRRFrgXstc83ynS8mSR804CZDXzAqy10zLhWTv70-NauRZrywdDbjiZ0nXQ-_9G7I1bAg6fjv2JPp8ptU8yv95g5G-BpMNn63h61FuH/s320/white-edge-page.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5374381988315554562" border="0" /></a><br /><span style=";font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:100%;" >What kind of music would we be listening to if the guitar had never been invented? Would we all be jamming to Mozart while sitting in rush hour traffic? I pondered this thought while waiting to discover when <span style="font-style: italic;">It Might Get Loud</span>, the new documentary by Davis Guggenheim, will be premiering in my city.<br /><br />In his film, Guggenheim explores the instrument that links three talented musicians, each from a different generation. First, there is guitar legend Jimmy Page from the Yardbirds and, of course, Led Zeppelin. Next we have the Edge from U2 and Jack White of The White Stripes. The film recounts how each man discovered the guitar and attained fame, but Guggenheim said there is also a universal message.<br /><br />"It's less about the gadgets and the toys and the guitars and more about these guys' creative path," Guggenheim told <span style="font-style: italic;">USA Today</span>. "It's the story of what it's like to be a kid in a remote city wanting to say something and finding your voice."<br /><br />Getting the three to participate was the first challenge.</span><span style=";font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:100%;" ><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj67Cyybi9IIxoMSaW5tD0_Nqsqk6ynWi-r7PnA2MDFEj0SRvbMAM5-YWPaDd4noLNqNiV2h54WsQPTht7A3rX50e8EirR3NdoUBE2WL43JX2tAhZ7Noi32GNa7sxGVfcOxxDNKJo2eX1lx/s1600-h/Page.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 155px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj67Cyybi9IIxoMSaW5tD0_Nqsqk6ynWi-r7PnA2MDFEj0SRvbMAM5-YWPaDd4noLNqNiV2h54WsQPTht7A3rX50e8EirR3NdoUBE2WL43JX2tAhZ7Noi32GNa7sxGVfcOxxDNKJo2eX1lx/s320/Page.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5374382110284430850" border="0" /></a><br /></span><span style=";font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:100%;" ><br />"I'm not the sort of person who wants to be bothered about being profiled all the time," Page said. "But it is important to pop out now and then to show you're not 6 feet under."<br /><br />The Edge said he does not usually like to discuss music because it is difficult to avoid cliches, but that the film was able to capture honest moments.<br /><br />"I sort of forgot the cameras were there after a while because I was absorbed in the memories."<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">It Might Get Loud</span> opened in N.Y. and L.A. Aug. 14 and will be premiering across the country over the next few months. Release dates can be found at the official <a style="color: rgb(153, 51, 153);" href="http://www.sonyclassics.com/itmightgetloud/">Web site</a>.<br /><br />Check out a <a style="color: rgb(153, 51, 153);" href="http://www.spin.com/articles/exclusive-video-jimmy-page-it-might-get-loud">clip</a> from the film featured on the <span style="font-style: italic;">Spin</span> Web site.<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Who is your favorite guitarist of all time?</span><br /><br />This topic often produces much spirited debate between musicians and fans. Below are some of my favorites. Post your choice in the comments!<br /><br /></span><span style=";font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:100%;" ><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhESWoNU2oRnglVZ_bJ7DW-l4HdLmOjDkWW6xiRnNkaWHAPULDWyQLM7phjCaOXjztrEOW3HynaeJpQcagPboVy4u3tvh2mJ8Bo7j7Ks57_1nvigvw_SaHJCk_OpG9OeVqmCmdmwALyPRpi/s1600-h/jimihendrix.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 171px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhESWoNU2oRnglVZ_bJ7DW-l4HdLmOjDkWW6xiRnNkaWHAPULDWyQLM7phjCaOXjztrEOW3HynaeJpQcagPboVy4u3tvh2mJ8Bo7j7Ks57_1nvigvw_SaHJCk_OpG9OeVqmCmdmwALyPRpi/s320/jimihendrix.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5374382365413244946" border="0" /></a></span><span style=";font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-weight: bold;">Jimi Hendrix</span><br />Often cited as the greatest guitarist of all time, Hendrix began his career at the age of 16. Known for his flamboyant playing, which included using his teeth, Hendrix pioneered an innovative style by combining fuzz, feedback and controlled distortion, which other guitarists tried to emulate, but never quite mastered.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /><br /><br /><br /></span></span><span style=";font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:100%;" ><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDf8w8GEmu9OI0qNRtm0qIfQ19z3gn4oS2Lqz6qH1EmhBaaKO9XmPlHywanq_3fEzoQYWmcM6noSREBWRIVl-xXcIgqFyJPSinhIUYBY0oDUFy3aB0AG2aYS1b92H47Qd4aeywOpywJW2_/s1600-h/page2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 137px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDf8w8GEmu9OI0qNRtm0qIfQ19z3gn4oS2Lqz6qH1EmhBaaKO9XmPlHywanq_3fEzoQYWmcM6noSREBWRIVl-xXcIgqFyJPSinhIUYBY0oDUFy3aB0AG2aYS1b92H47Qd4aeywOpywJW2_/s320/page2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5374382647042895122" border="0" /></a></span><span style=";font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-weight: bold;">Jimmy Page - Led Zeppelin</span><br />It is no surprise Guggenheim invited Page to participate in <span style="font-style: italic;">It Might Get Loud</span>. After working as a first-call studio musician at Decca Records in London for several years, Page eventually joined the Yardbirds which evolved into the powerhouse known as Led Zeppelin. Page's powerful riffs and solos, as well as his innovative use of a bow, helped make him one of the most influential guitarists of all time.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /><br /><br /><br /></span></span><span style=";font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:100%;" ><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSmQyhUf0Jna_ksxbHzK5yq_SkFBXBZQNr3AcNOV5knDqY11zcPUOKdPlpM_gJ4ROepW-WzJJOjMRa-KRXSSxtpSQ0yJfTW7LcjpjFrHLUvn1jrBBHmOEWB9zybLllPovaDbNAdgr5ijkK/s1600-h/Clapton.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 171px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSmQyhUf0Jna_ksxbHzK5yq_SkFBXBZQNr3AcNOV5knDqY11zcPUOKdPlpM_gJ4ROepW-WzJJOjMRa-KRXSSxtpSQ0yJfTW7LcjpjFrHLUvn1jrBBHmOEWB9zybLllPovaDbNAdgr5ijkK/s320/Clapton.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5374382818271238290" border="0" /></a></span><span style=";font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-weight: bold;">Eric Clapton</span><br />Nicknamed Slowhand because of his laid back style, Clapton started playing guitar at the age of 13. Influenced early on by the blues roots of American music, he made it his own. Clapton's solos burst with blues, soul and creativity, making his oeuvre required study for young guitarists everywhere.<br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></span></span><span style=";font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:100%;" ><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsoXSFm9m1XfqqIrauIQzRckmj0a99WM0-bP-ATGj20h_YqAYQS-8Y3AT7RKa75ODGbEK_BdOe_rruBqcfW8JkTQx215nmOSfGetZfDRu-gyziFf_dpY-KY11ynnaTrj8EaK5DbqJFw90k/s1600-h/krieger.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 187px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsoXSFm9m1XfqqIrauIQzRckmj0a99WM0-bP-ATGj20h_YqAYQS-8Y3AT7RKa75ODGbEK_BdOe_rruBqcfW8JkTQx215nmOSfGetZfDRu-gyziFf_dpY-KY11ynnaTrj8EaK5DbqJFw90k/s320/krieger.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5374382996105153122" border="0" /></a></span><span style=";font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-weight: bold;">Robbie Krieger - The Doors</span><br />Perhaps the most underrated guitarist in music history, the riffs Krieger created with The Doors proved not only his creative talent, but also his versatile artistic style. Trained first in flamenco, Krieger went on to study folk, jazz and the blues, all of which are present in The Doors' body of work.</span>Amanda Mitchellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08949318833347231894noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-884833223367481291.post-83078338879400166542009-08-12T20:41:00.043-04:002009-08-13T00:24:32.609-04:00Has the Curtain Fallen Forever on Decent Teen Movies?<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKuQFupHG8ZvNbAAEVanWRpGBqjZOFfHiniRpXH8fIElpYqetO3kbWbA-Tf6hDNy07tJwoB0P9oV5DOIei3tY2LpKHZfIceqX-qIct0zyaEkWQHxIUm-JjhKyw7p2yQEbgiZBum5h8LHAP/s1600-h/hughes.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 141px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKuQFupHG8ZvNbAAEVanWRpGBqjZOFfHiniRpXH8fIElpYqetO3kbWbA-Tf6hDNy07tJwoB0P9oV5DOIei3tY2LpKHZfIceqX-qIct0zyaEkWQHxIUm-JjhKyw7p2yQEbgiZBum5h8LHAP/s320/hughes.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5369253523425484658" border="0" /></a><meta equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><meta name="ProgId" content="Word.Document"><meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 10"><meta name="Originator" content="Microsoft Word 10"><link style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" rel="File-List" href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5CAmanda%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtml1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml"><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> </w:Compatibility> <w:browserlevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><style> <!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:"Trebuchet MS"; panose-1:2 11 6 3 2 2 2 2 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:swiss; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:647 0 0 0 159 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> </style><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman";} </style> <![endif]--> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:";" ><span style=";font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:100%;" >When the news broke last week that writer/director John Hughes, 59, had died of a heart attack, I will admit that I got more than a little teary-eyed. Like most of my generation, I grew up with his films, and his marvelous dialogue still peppers my everyday speech. In fact, the day he passed away I had already quoted <span style="font-style: italic;">The Breakfast Club</span> twice before I even heard the news. </span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <span style=";font-family:times new roman;font-size:100%;" ><span style=";font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:100%;" >
<br /></span></span><meta equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><meta name="ProgId" content="Word.Document"><meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 10"><meta name="Originator" content="Microsoft Word 10"><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> </w:Compatibility> <w:browserlevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if !mso]><object classid="clsid:38481807-CA0E-42D2-BF39-B33AF135CC4D" id="ieooui"></object> <style> st1\:*{behavior:url(#ieooui) } </style> <![endif]--><style> <!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:"Trebuchet MS"; panose-1:2 11 6 3 2 2 2 2 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:swiss; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:647 0 0 0 159 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> </style><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman";} </style> <![endif]--><meta equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><meta name="ProgId" content="Word.Document"><meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 10"><meta name="Originator" content="Microsoft Word 10"><link rel="File-List" href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5CAmanda%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtml1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml"><o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="place"></o:smarttagtype><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> </w:Compatibility> <w:browserlevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if !mso]><object classid="clsid:38481807-CA0E-42D2-BF39-B33AF135CC4D" id="ieooui"></object> <style> st1\:*{behavior:url(#ieooui) } </style> <![endif]--><style> <!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:"Trebuchet MS"; panose-1:2 11 6 3 2 2 2 2 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:swiss; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:647 0 0 0 159 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {pa</style><meta equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><meta name="ProgId" content="Word.Document"><meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 10"><meta name="Originator" content="Microsoft Word 10"><link rel="File-List" href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5CAmanda%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtml1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml"><o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="place"></o:smarttagtype><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> </w:Compatibility> <w:browserlevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if !mso]><object classid="clsid:38481807-CA0E-42D2-BF39-B33AF135CC4D" id="ieooui"></object> <style> st1\:*{behavior:url(#ieooui) } </style> <![endif]--><style> <!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:"Trebuchet MS"; panose-1:2 11 6 3 2 2 2 2 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:swiss; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:647 0 0 0 159 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> </style><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman";} </style> <![endif]--> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Although he had given up on </span><st1:place style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Hollywood</st1:place></span><span style=";font-family:";" ><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"> years ago and had made countless entertaining films outside the adolescent-angst genre (<span style="font-style: italic;">Planes, Trains and Automobiles</span> and <span style="font-style: italic;">Home Alone</span>, just to name a few), while Hughes was alive there was still hope. Hope that one day he would return and do what he did best — write and direct a movie about what it is really like to be a teenager. </span></span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <span style=";font-family:times new roman;font-size:100%;" ><span style=";font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span>
<br /></span></span><meta equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><meta name="ProgId" content="Word.Document"><meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 10"><meta name="Originator" content="Microsoft Word 10"><link rel="File-List" href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5CAmanda%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtml1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml"><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> </w:Compatibility> <w:browserlevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><style> <!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:"Trebuchet MS"; panose-1:2 11 6 3 2 2 2 2 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:swiss; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:647 0 0 0 159 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> </style><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman";} </style> <![endif]--> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:";" ><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">The pain, the heartbreak, the struggles, and the laughter, these integral elements were all present in <span style="font-style: italic;">Pretty in Pin</span>k, <span style="font-style: italic;">Some Kind of Wonderful</span>, <span style="font-style: italic;">Sixteen Candles</span> and, of course, the mighty <span style="font-style: italic;">Breakfast Club</span>.</span></span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <meta equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><meta name="ProgId" content="Word.Document"><meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 10"><meta name="Originator" content="Microsoft Word 10"><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> </w:Compatibility> <w:browserlevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><style> <!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:"Trebuchet MS"; panose-1:2 11 6 3 2 2 2 2 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:swiss; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:647 0 0 0 159 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> </style><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman";} </style> <![endif]--><span style=";font-family:";" >
<br /></span><meta equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><meta name="ProgId" content="Word.Document"><meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 10"><meta name="Originator" content="Microsoft Word 10"><link rel="File-List" href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5CAmanda%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtml1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml"><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> </w:Compatibility> <w:browserlevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><style> <!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:"Trebuchet MS"; panose-1:2 11 6 3 2 2 2 2 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:swiss; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:647 0 0 0 159 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> </style><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman";} </style> <![endif]--> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:";" ><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Nobody did it like Hughes. He did not write teenage characters as one-dimensional, sex-crazed idiots because, as actor Judd Nelson confirmed, that is not how he saw them.</span></span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <span style=";font-family:times new roman;font-size:100%;" >
<br />
<br /></span><meta equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><meta name="ProgId" content="Word.Document"><meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 10"><meta name="Originator" content="Microsoft Word 10"><link rel="File-List" href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5CAmanda%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtml1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml"><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> </w:Compatibility> <w:browserlevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><style> <!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:"Trebuchet MS"; panose-1:2 11 6 3 2 2 2 2 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:swiss; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:647 0 0 0 159 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> </style><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman";} </style> <![endif]--> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:";" ><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">“John’s desire for the truth of the spoken word aligned perfectly with his gift for treating young </span></span></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu4TMdxv7FY7PNrKmCKZqlvhhy0SiXvdQGJL2MwPLCYEAJfNoQFnpTfpoOFsE3GpmVRLOgNadei4NnbRiMGiuRY5iEi9OvXhz4pXNmw1I4OtApFS73IlESH8ACBPVu3J-C_mfR2I9L1jeK/s1600-h/breakfastclub.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 147px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu4TMdxv7FY7PNrKmCKZqlvhhy0SiXvdQGJL2MwPLCYEAJfNoQFnpTfpoOFsE3GpmVRLOgNadei4NnbRiMGiuRY5iEi9OvXhz4pXNmw1I4OtApFS73IlESH8ACBPVu3J-C_mfR2I9L1jeK/s320/breakfastclub.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5369260068825887298" border="0" /></a><span style=";font-family:";" ><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">people not as children but as developing adults,” Nelson said in a statement to Buzzine.</span></span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<br /><meta equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><meta name="ProgId" content="Word.Document"><meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 10"><meta name="Originator" content="Microsoft Word 10"><link rel="File-List" href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5CAmanda%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtml1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml"><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> </w:Compatibility> <w:browserlevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><style> <!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:"Trebuchet MS"; panose-1:2 11 6 3 2 2 2 2 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:swiss; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:647 0 0 0 159 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> </style><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman";} </style> <![endif]--> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="font-size:100%;">Hughes also had not forgotten those awkward years which, for many people, are the toughest of their lives. In an article she wrote for The New York Times, actress Molly Ringwald said that Hughes relived his teens through the characters he created in writing and nurtured through directing. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<br /><meta equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><meta name="ProgId" content="Word.Document"><meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 10"><meta name="Originator" content="Microsoft Word 10"><link rel="File-List" href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5CAmanda%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtml1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml"><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> </w:Compatibility> <w:browserlevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><style> <!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:"Trebuchet MS"; panose-1:2 11 6 3 2 2 2 2 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:swiss; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:647 0 0 0 159 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> </style><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman";} </style> <![endif]--> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:";" ><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">“In retrospect, I feel that we were sort of avatars for him, acting out the different parts of his life — improving upon it, perhaps,” Ringwald wrote. “In those movies, he always got the last word. He always got the girl.”</span></span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<br /><meta equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><meta name="ProgId" content="Word.Document"><meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 10"><meta name="Originator" content="Microsoft Word 10"><link rel="File-List" href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5CAmanda%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtml1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml"><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> </w:Compatibility> <w:browserlevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><style> <!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:"Trebuchet MS"; panose-1:2 11 6 3 2 2 2 2 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:swiss; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:647 0 0 0 159 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> </style><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman";} </style> <![endif]--> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:";" ><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">The teen movie has suffered so completely since Hughes retreated, it is no longer even worthy of a genre. There is no ache of first love, merely sex shenanigans with dessert foods. There is no dialogue, just profanity lazily used as adjectives. There is no trace of the sarcastic, clever comedy Hughes brilliantly wove into his screenplays, merely stereotypes who can barely tie their shoelaces. </span></span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<br /><meta equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><meta name="ProgId" content="Word.Document"><meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 10"><meta name="Originator" content="Microsoft Word 10"><link rel="File-List" href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5CAmanda%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtml1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml"><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> </w:Compatibility> <w:browserlevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><style> <!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:"Trebuchet MS"; panose-1:2 11 6 3 2 2 2 2 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:swiss; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:647 0 0 0 159 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> </style><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman";} </style> <![endif]--> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:";" ><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">No thanks — I’ll stick with <a style="color: rgb(153, 51, 153);" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mNGIg8f-0Wc">Duckie’s side-splitting interpretation of “Try a Little Tenderness.”</a></span></span><span style=""> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<br /><span style=";font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:100%;" ><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikJmAQbFjZ3GYcAniJLJXNEHGkPUPr_hJDRT3qxLDY7eHMmq-JlVILvr1oqfP00emChP04QSRR9r4vsy821ClD6-SUKhrRWWFC-1dQ2UPsSLLLmlYg06BQ0tg2y2sS6f0s7WFgC0wE18zh/s1600-h/duckie.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikJmAQbFjZ3GYcAniJLJXNEHGkPUPr_hJDRT3qxLDY7eHMmq-JlVILvr1oqfP00emChP04QSRR9r4vsy821ClD6-SUKhrRWWFC-1dQ2UPsSLLLmlYg06BQ0tg2y2sS6f0s7WFgC0wE18zh/s320/duckie.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5369253863312600642" border="0" /></a></span><span style=";font-family:";" ><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mNGIg8f-0Wc"></a></span></span><o:p></o:p></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikJmAQbFjZ3GYcAniJLJXNEHGkPUPr_hJDRT3qxLDY7eHMmq-JlVILvr1oqfP00emChP04QSRR9r4vsy821ClD6-SUKhrRWWFC-1dQ2UPsSLLLmlYg06BQ0tg2y2sS6f0s7WFgC0wE18zh/s1600-h/duckie.jpg"> </a><meta equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><meta name="ProgId" content="Word.Document"><meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 10"><meta name="Originator" content="Microsoft Word 10"><link rel="File-List" href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5CAmanda%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtml1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml"><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> </w:Compatibility> <w:browserlevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><style> <!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:"Trebuchet MS"; panose-1:2 11 6 3 2 2 2 2 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:swiss; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:647 0 0 0 159 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> </style><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman";} </style> <![endif]--> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:";" ><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Those who should be most offended by the pieces of drivel being marketed to young people is the target audience themselves. Is this how they want to be perceived as a generation? More importantly, is this how they see themselves? I hope not. In fact, I hope one of them will step up to the plate and do it right.</span><span style=""><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span></span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal">
<br /><span style=";font-family:";" ><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style=""><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span> </span></span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <meta equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><meta name="ProgId" content="Word.Document"><meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 10"><meta name="Originator" content="Microsoft Word 10"><link rel="File-List" href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5CAmanda%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtml1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml"><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> </w:Compatibility> <w:browserlevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><style> <!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:"Trebuchet MS"; panose-1:2 11 6 3 2 2 2 2 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:swiss; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:647 0 0 0 159 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> </style><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman";} </style> <![endif]--> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="font-size:100%;">John Bender and Ferris Bueller would no doubt have endless fun tormenting the neo maxi zoom dweebies of today’s teen flicks, while Duckie cheered them on from the sidelines and Samantha Baker subjected them all to a severe sarcasm beat-down. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <span style=";font-family:times new roman;font-size:100%;" >
<br /></span><meta equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><meta name="ProgId" content="Word.Document"><meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 10"><meta name="Originator" content="Microsoft Word 10"><link style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" rel="File-List" href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5CAmanda%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtml1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml"><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> </w:Compatibility> <w:browserlevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><style> <!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:"Trebuchet MS"; panose-1:2 11 6 3 2 2 2 2 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:swiss; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:647 0 0 0 159 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> </style><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman";} </style> <![endif]--> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:";" ><span style=";font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:100%;" >Below are some of my personal favorite John Hughes quotes. Please share yours in the comments.</span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <span style="font-size:100%;"><o:p></o:p></span><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">
<br /><span style="font-size:100%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="text-align: center;font-family:trebuchet ms;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><o:p></o:p><span style="font-weight: bold;">The Breakfast Club</span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000555/"><meta equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><meta name="ProgId" content="Word.Document"><meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 10"><meta name="Originator" content="Microsoft Word 10"><link rel="File-List" href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5CAmanda%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtml1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml"><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> </w:Compatibility> <w:browserlevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><style> <!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:"Trebuchet MS"; panose-1:2 11 6 3 2 2 2 2 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:swiss; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:647 0 0 0 159 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> </style><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman";} </style> <![endif]--></a><a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000555/"><span style=";font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:100%;" ><span style="color: rgb(51, 0, 51);">John Bender</span>:</span></a><span style=";font-family:";" > </span><span style=";font-family:";" ><span style=";font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">What do you guys do in your club? <span style="text-decoration: underline;">
<br /></span></span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style=";font-family:";" ><span style=";font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Brian Johnson:</span></span></span> <span style=";font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:100%;" >Well, in physics we...we talk about physics, properties of physics…</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000555/"><span style=";font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:100%;" ><span style="color: rgb(51, 0, 51);">John Bender</span>:</span></a><span style=";font-family:";" ><a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000555/"><span style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"></span></a> </span><span style=";font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:100%;" ></span><span style=";font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:100%;" >So it's sorta social. Demented and sad, but social. Right?</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"> </p> <span style=";font-family:times new roman;font-size:100%;" ></span><div face="times new roman" style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><meta equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><meta name="ProgId" content="Word.Document"><meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 10"><meta name="Originator" content="Microsoft Word 10"><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> </w:Compatibility> <w:browserlevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><style> <!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:"Trebuchet MS"; panose-1:2 11 6 3 2 2 2 2 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:swiss; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:647 0 0 0 159 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --</style><meta equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><meta name="ProgId" content="Word.Document"><meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 10"><meta name="Originator" content="Microsoft Word 10"><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> </w:Compatibility> <w:browserlevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><style> <!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:"Trebuchet MS"; panose-1:2 11 6 3 2 2 2 2 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:swiss; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:647 0 0 0 159 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> </style><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman";} </style> <![endif]--> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000555/"><meta equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><meta name="ProgId" content="Word.Document"><meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 10"><meta name="Originator" content="Microsoft Word 10"><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> </w:Compatibility> <w:browserlevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><style> <!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:"Trebuchet MS"; panose-1:2 11 6 3 2 2 2 2 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:swiss; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:647 0 0 0 159 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --></style><span style="font-size:12;"></span></a></span><span style=";font-family:";" ><span style=";font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:100%;" >
<br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><meta equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><meta name="ProgId" content="Word.Document"><meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 10"><meta name="Originator" content="Microsoft Word 10"><link rel="File-List" href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5CAmanda%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtml1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml"><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> </w:Compatibility> <w:browserlevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><style> <!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:"Trebuchet MS"; panose-1:2 11 6 3 2 2 2 2 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:swiss; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:647 0 0 0 159 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> </style><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman";} </style> <![endif]--> </p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000555/"><span style=""><span style="color: rgb(51, 0, 51);">John Bender</span>:</span></a></span><span style=";font-family:";" ><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"> Hey, how come Andrew gets to get up? If he gets up, we'll all get up, it'll be anarchy!</span></span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p></p>
<br /><meta equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><meta name="ProgId" content="Word.Document"><meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 10"><meta name="Originator" content="Microsoft Word 10"><link rel="File-List" href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5CAmanda%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtml1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml"><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> </w:Compatibility> <w:browserlevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><style> <!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:"Trebuchet MS"; panose-1:2 11 6 3 2 2 2 2 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:swiss; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:647 0 0 0 159 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> </style><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman";} </style> <![endif]--> <p style="text-align: center;font-family:trebuchet ms;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Pretty in Pink</span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" face="trebuchet ms"><span style=";font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:100%;" ><a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000208/"><meta equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><meta name="ProgId" content="Word.Document"><meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 10"><meta name="Originator" content="Microsoft Word 10"><link rel="File-List" href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5CAmanda%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtml1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml"><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> </w:Compatibility> <w:browserlevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><style> <!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:"Trebuchet MS"; panose-1:2 11 6 3 2 2 2 2 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:swiss; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:647 0 0 0 159 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> </style><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman";} </style> <![endif]--></a><a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000208/"><span style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Andie</span></a>: </span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"> You know you're talking like that just because I'm going out with Blane.</span>
<br /><a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001083/"><span style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Duckie</span></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">: Blane? His name is Blane? That's not a name, it’s a major appliance.</span></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdve8JTSPLrQhJcqJ3pE4fHxwJYygkRAIk3R-ExPW_cta03xjmCZ1zwdkm5F6iLGvEsHZfSHAIiqJpNhfOweTcDhVmgDmhU_NWaM9ZcyvWkVoo43ibUTSLa83HoOIBkum9-TI0VjCSOHxD/s1600-h/some_kind_of_wonderful.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 131px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdve8JTSPLrQhJcqJ3pE4fHxwJYygkRAIk3R-ExPW_cta03xjmCZ1zwdkm5F6iLGvEsHZfSHAIiqJpNhfOweTcDhVmgDmhU_NWaM9ZcyvWkVoo43ibUTSLa83HoOIBkum9-TI0VjCSOHxD/s320/some_kind_of_wonderful.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5369266071358370850" border="0" /></a></p><p class="MsoNormal" face="trebuchet ms">
<br /><span style="font-size:100%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" face="trebuchet ms"><span style="font-size:100%;"><o:p></o:p><a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000208/"><span style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Andie</span></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">: Were you here long?</span>
<br /><a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001083/"><span style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Duckie</span></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">: No, no! Three, four... hours.</span><o:p></o:p></span> </p> </div><div style="text-align: left;font-family:trebuchet ms;"><p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:100%;" ></span> <span style="font-size:100%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">
<br /></span></span></div></div><meta equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><meta name="ProgId" content="Word.Document"><meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 10"><meta name="Originator" content="Microsoft Word 10"><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> </w:Compatibility> <w:browserlevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><style> <!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:"Trebuchet MS"; panose-1:2 11 6 3 2 2 2 2 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:swiss; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:647 0 0 0 159 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> </style><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman";} </style> <![endif]--><div style="text-align: center;"><meta equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><meta name="ProgId" content="Word.Document"><meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 10"><meta name="Originator" content="Microsoft Word 10"><link rel="File-List" href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5CAmanda%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtml1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml"><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> </w:Compatibility> <w:browserlevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><style> <!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:"Trebuchet MS"; panose-1:2 11 6 3 2 2 2 2 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:swiss; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:647 0 0 0 159 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> </style><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman";} </style> <![endif]--> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:";" ><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:100%;" >Some Kind of Wonderful</span><o:p></o:p></span></p> </div> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:";" ><span style=";font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:100%;" ><a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0180025/"><span style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Laura Nelson</span></a>: Check it out. This girl is popular, she's beautiful and, obviously, in the middle of some emotional shootout to consent to date the human tater tot. What did you do to her, Keith? Threaten her life?</span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <span style=";font-family:times new roman;font-size:100%;" ></span>Amanda Mitchellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08949318833347231894noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-884833223367481291.post-12043089005802517042009-08-09T15:59:00.011-04:002009-08-10T14:30:51.708-04:00The Greatest Movies Never Made<meta equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><meta name="ProgId" content="Word.Document"><meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 10"><meta name="Originator" content="Microsoft Word 10"><link rel="File-List" href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5CAmanda%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtml1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml"><o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="City"></o:smarttagtype><o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="place"></o:smarttagtype><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> </w:Compatibility> <w:browserlevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if !mso]><object classid="clsid:38481807-CA0E-42D2-BF39-B33AF135CC4D" id="ieooui"></object> <style> st1\:*{behavior:url(#ieooui) } </style> <![endif]--><style> <!-- /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> </style><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman";} </style> <![endif]--> <p class="MsoNormal">
<br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="font-size:100%;">For many people film has always been a welcome diversion from the often harsh reality of daily life. However, of late, <st1:city><st1:place>Hollywood</st1:place></st1:city> seems bent on rehashing, remaking, or endlessly sequel-ling (exactly how many “visions” of “Halloween” do we need, Mr. Zombie?) films based on ideas that were not even that good in the first place.
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<br /><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="font-size:100%;">It has become painfully obvious that no one can come up with an original idea. My solution? Steal a great one from someone else, of course! Below are four that I would like to see.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <span style=";font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:100%;" >
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<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_A8812PxUfrtC8se8kbjJdATY_znmR9eDA4LJBjqzsIpGftghZo4466QsL30fkJXMjKNEQhW7dfgRLgqCLrkzpv8M1I-0T-JBayATCkuZ5QyqyoyxE87U6y4yeaV9P6wCj7Fn_k7cqdCX/s1600-h/catcher.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 134px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_A8812PxUfrtC8se8kbjJdATY_znmR9eDA4LJBjqzsIpGftghZo4466QsL30fkJXMjKNEQhW7dfgRLgqCLrkzpv8M1I-0T-JBayATCkuZ5QyqyoyxE87U6y4yeaV9P6wCj7Fn_k7cqdCX/s320/catcher.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5368056467920344386" border="0" /></a></span><meta equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><meta name="ProgId" content="Word.Document"><meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 10"><meta name="Originator" content="Microsoft Word 10"><link style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" rel="File-List" href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5CAmanda%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtml1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml"><span style=";font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:100%;" ><o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="City"></o:smarttagtype><o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="place"></o:smarttagtype></span><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> </w:Compatibility> <w:browserlevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if !mso]><object classid="clsid:38481807-CA0E-42D2-BF39-B33AF135CC4D" id="ieooui"></object> <style> st1\:*{behavior:url(#ieooui) } </style> <![endif]--><style> <!-- /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> </style><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman";} </style> <![endif]--> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:100%;" >The Catcher in the </span><span style="font-size:100%;"><st1:city style="font-weight: bold;"><st1:place>Rye</st1:place></st1:city></span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:100%;" > by J.D. Salinger</span><span style="font-size:100%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="font-size:100%;">It is annoying that such a prolific novel has never found its way to the big screen, especially when countless rip-offs of the protagonist have. It has been reported that Salinger is not keen on the idea and, given the hatchet-job <st1:city><st1:place>Hollywood</st1:place></st1:city> has done on a number of wonderful novels over the years, I can’t say that I blame him.
<br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="font-size:100%;">
<br /></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="font-size:100%;">The book recounts the story of a discontented youth, but it is much more than a run-of-the-mill rebel’s tale. It reveals society’s complexities, flaws and injustices. <st1:city><st1:place>Hollywood</st1:place></st1:city> loves this story and has made many films based on the same premise, so why not the grand-daddy of them all?
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<br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdPMWPwl3oeIrsBvqeHp2QZWHXoMCkA4U5q9SS0YjLCC5xEOxxrWNFG-W6ePR00MX-sdzsq_GRmCFYioDCMk68w02A-DXTDaETJtdy44yM_7viOTw1EKsNN2se1fXOocHax2fHtoN0NelM/s1600-h/sandman_gaiman.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 130px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdPMWPwl3oeIrsBvqeHp2QZWHXoMCkA4U5q9SS0YjLCC5xEOxxrWNFG-W6ePR00MX-sdzsq_GRmCFYioDCMk68w02A-DXTDaETJtdy44yM_7viOTw1EKsNN2se1fXOocHax2fHtoN0NelM/s320/sandman_gaiman.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5368056784146973186" border="0" /></a></span><meta equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><meta name="ProgId" content="Word.Document"><meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 10"><meta name="Originator" content="Microsoft Word 10"><link rel="File-List" href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5CAmanda%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtml1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml"><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> </w:Compatibility> <w:browserlevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><style> <!-- /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> </style><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman";} </style> <![endif]--> </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:100%;" >The Sandman by Neil Gaiman</span><span style="font-size:100%;">. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="font-size:100%;">This comic book series could, in the right hands, become such a major franchise it might even rival the wizards and vampires of Tweendom. Dark, moody and sprinkled with love, lust, and death, this series is a Tim Burton wet dream.
<br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="font-size:100%;">
<br /></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="font-size:100%;">The story centers on a group of mysterious immortals called The Endless who each rule over an aspect of the human condition. Chief Immortal, Morpheus (aka Dream), is assisted by his six brothers and sisters: Destiny, Death, Desire, Despair, Delirium and Destruction.
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<br /></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="font-size:100%;">The last decade has proven there is a huge market for fantasy films and this haunting, remarkable series should be allowed to take its rightful place among them.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="font-size:100%;">
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<br /><o:p></o:p></span></p> <span style="font-size:100%;"><a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0a07KXEpTNCcrnaU0tNLKqI8-XYwQJotjcUh9zghgjfPia3p29arht6hYYfox9eE-5F_CzS6HzlmNRL6P8n7xgK7W0hrlkfPhlv6SwiElXuv2JrCevfE7rHGidda_Of6vgBBzzU4EPoe6/s1600-h/wonder_woman_adam_hughes.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 194px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0a07KXEpTNCcrnaU0tNLKqI8-XYwQJotjcUh9zghgjfPia3p29arht6hYYfox9eE-5F_CzS6HzlmNRL6P8n7xgK7W0hrlkfPhlv6SwiElXuv2JrCevfE7rHGidda_Of6vgBBzzU4EPoe6/s320/wonder_woman_adam_hughes.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5368057038378146194" border="0" /></a></span><meta equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><meta name="ProgId" content="Word.Document"><meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 10"><meta name="Originator" content="Microsoft Word 10"><link style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" rel="File-List" href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5CAmanda%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtml1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml"><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> </w:Compatibility> <w:browserlevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><style> <!-- /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> </style><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman";} </style> <![endif]--> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:100%;" >Wonder Woman</span><span style="font-size:100%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="font-size:100%;">Could we get a female super-hero movie, please? We have seen Iron Man, Batman (two different franchises for this one now, and counting), Spiderman, Superman (again TWO versions), The Green Lantern, etc. and the Amazon chick who can stop bullets with her jewelry continues to be ignored. As a woman, I am angered by this slight, and as a super-hero fan, I am, well, PISSED! <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><o:p> </o:p>
<br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="font-size:100%;">Sure, the series featuring the lovely Lynda Carter was cheesy, but I still watched it every week. However, if this is the reason we still do not have a film version, could we talk about the super-cheesy on a mountain of cheese the old Batman series was? Who doesn’t want to see a hot lady with super-powers kicking some villainous ass? It is a theme that crosses all lines of ethnicity and gender. That’s right —Wonder Woman could unite us all! Well, probably not, but I have an objective here, people.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="font-size:100%;">
<br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjllmSxMuK-y51FvENVbH2YmMsdVwriXC1kSHu70G945vaY4cY-j8lucd8AGWJviq9pisAFuNRJvwqCJQ1tGxhm5DOjS5g3z35_qtfh9JZ75HPlUD0m-AN9izqUu5HjGtMdTP1ddgy-o_7B/s1600-h/StarWarsPhoto.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 156px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjllmSxMuK-y51FvENVbH2YmMsdVwriXC1kSHu70G945vaY4cY-j8lucd8AGWJviq9pisAFuNRJvwqCJQ1tGxhm5DOjS5g3z35_qtfh9JZ75HPlUD0m-AN9izqUu5HjGtMdTP1ddgy-o_7B/s320/StarWarsPhoto.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5368057255348468882" border="0" /></a></span><meta equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><meta name="ProgId" content="Word.Document"><meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 10"><meta name="Originator" content="Microsoft Word 10"><link style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" rel="File-List" href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5CAmanda%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtml1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml"><span style="font-size:100%;"><o:smarttagtype style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="City"></o:smarttagtype><o:smarttagtype style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="place"></o:smarttagtype><o:smarttagtype style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="stockticker"></o:smarttagtype></span><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> </w:Compatibility> <w:browserlevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if !mso]><object classid="clsid:38481807-CA0E-42D2-BF39-B33AF135CC4D" id="ieooui"></object> <style> st1\:*{behavior:url(#ieooui) } </style> <![endif]--><style> <!-- /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> </style><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman";} </style> <![endif]--> </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Star Wars: Episodes </span><st1:stockticker style="font-weight: bold;">VII</st1:stockticker><span style="font-weight: bold;">, VIII and IX.</span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="font-size:100%;">Had they been done well, I might have been more receptive to the prequels of this beloved franchise. As it turned out, I would have preferred that Vader’s origins remain a mystery. Watching golden-boy Hayden Christiansen attempt to “become evil” was more painful than the time I sprained my ankle on Gran’s stairs — and don’t even get me started on Jar Jar Binks.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="font-size:100%;">
<br /></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="font-size:100%;">I wanted to see what happened to Luke, Han, Leia, Chewbacca and those lovable droids. After the deaths of Vader and the Emperor, did another corrupt leader gain power? Did Leia ever learn the ways of the Force? What happened to Han and Leia’s kids? Did Leia’s daughter make fun of her mom’s sound-reducing-headphones hairstyle in the high school yearbook? Any combination of answers to these questions could have been the basis for a decent sequel. Alright, maybe not the hairstyle bit, but you get the idea.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="font-size:100%;">
<br /></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">There are countless others I could list, but I do not want to run the risk of overwhelming in the hopes that one of these will actually be produced. There, </span><st1:city style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><st1:place>Hollywood</st1:place></st1:city><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">! That pesky creative part of actually coming up with an idea is already done for you, pick any one you like. Just try not to ruin it, mkay? </span></span><o:p></o:p></p> <o:p></o:p><p></p> <o:p></o:p><p></p>Amanda Mitchellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08949318833347231894noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-884833223367481291.post-1567243708622483092009-08-09T15:27:00.015-04:002009-08-09T18:07:13.020-04:00Radiohead Leave Us Waiting<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style=";font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:100%;" ><br />In a recent interview in the latest issue of <a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://www.believermag.com/issues/200907/?read=interview_yorke" target="new">The Believer</a> magazine, Thom Yorke broke the news that Radiohead won't be releasing a new album for quite some time. However, if we're lucky, we'll be seeing a lot more singles, like "Harry Patch [In Memory Of]" and Thom Yorke's cover of Miracle Legion's "All for the Best",</span><span style=";font-family:times new roman;font-size:100%;" > </span><span style=";font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-size:100%;">released online to tide us over. And if that's not enough to prevent the withdrawal symptoms until their next album, I find I never tire of revisiting Radiohead's past melodic masterpieces: </span><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:100%;" >The Bends</span><span style="font-size:100%;">, </span><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:100%;" >OK Computer</span><span style="font-size:100%;">, and their latest </span><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:100%;" >In Rainbows</span><span style="font-size:100%;">. So, hang in there radioheads, whatever the boys have planned it's bound to be worth the wait.<br /><br />Listen to the latest from Radiohead:<br /><a href="http://stereogum.com/archives/new-thom-yorke---all-for-the-best-stereogum-premie_079431.html" target="new">"All for the Best"</a><br /><a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/today/hi/today/newsid_8184000/8184802.stm" target="new">"Harry Patch [In Memory Of]"</a></span><span style="font-size:130%;"><br /></span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">(source: <a href="http://pitchfork.com/news/36154-thom-yorke-radiohead-not-planning-to-release-any-albums-for-awhile/" target="new">Pitchfork</a>)</span></span><br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-884833223367481291.post-50004059967388563242009-08-05T16:06:00.038-04:002009-08-17T17:19:59.951-04:00Persnickety Movie Guide: Aliens in August<div style="text-align: justify;font-family:trebuchet ms;"><div style="text-align: right;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><br />We're avid movie fans here at Persnickety Press and there's rarely a month that goes by when there isn't something playing that we're willing to spend our hard earned cash on in order to see it on the big screen. Sure, there are more disappointments than there are praiseworthy films of late, but that doesn't mean we can't still hope for the best. Below are just a few highlights of movies that might be worth checking out this month.<br /></span></div></div></div><span style=";font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:180%;" ><br /></span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:130%;" ><u>August 14th</u></span><span style=";font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:100%;" ><br /></span><div style="text-align: justify;font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:130%;" >District 9</span><span style="font-size:100%;"> [<a href="http://www.d-9.com/" target="new">official website</a>]<br /></span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:100%;" >About:</span><span style="font-size:100%;"> Aliens are being held at a refugee camp in South Africa called District 9 while the government search for the secrets behind their weapons technology. The catch: activation of this weaponry requires alien DNA. Tensions between the aliens and humans rise as a field operative, Wikus van der Merwe (Sharlto Copley), contracts a mysterious virus that begins changing his own DNA. He quickly becomes a hunted man as he is the key to unlocking the secrets of alien technology. There is only one place left for him to hide: District 9.<br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><b>Persnickety thoughts:</b> Its got aliens and was produced by Peter Jackson, what more do you need to know?<br /></span></div><span style=";font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:100%;" ><br /></span><span style=";font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:100%;" ><b>Watch the trailer:</b><br /><object width="400" height="216"><param name="allowfullscreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><param name="movie" value="http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=5514361&server=vimeo.com&show_title=0&show_byline=0&show_portrait=0&color=00ADEF&fullscreen=1"><embed src="http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=5514361&server=vimeo.com&show_title=0&show_byline=0&show_portrait=0&color=00ADEF&fullscreen=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" width="400" height="216"></embed><a class="bugpmbfifkrbssxkvhfi" href="http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=5514361&server=vimeo.com&show_title=0&show_byline=0&show_portrait=0&color=00ADEF&fullscreen=1"></a></object><br /><br /></span><div style="text-align: justify;font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:130%;" >The Time Traveler's Wife</span><span style="font-size:100%;"> [<a href="http://www.thetimetravelerswifemovie.com/" target="new">official website</a>]<br /></span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:100%;" >About:</span><span style="font-size:100%;"> Based on the novel by Audrey Niffenegger about Henry DeTamble, a man who travels involuntarily through time and meets the love of his life, Clare Abshire, at various stages throughout her natural lifetime. The inconvenience of Henry's constant traveling makes theirs a complicated and, at times, heartbreaking love story.</span><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:100%;" >Persnickety thoughts:</span><span style="font-size:100%;"> The trailer is a huge disappointment to women and men alike who've read the book. These characters deserve so much more than a cheesy chick flick trailer set to a bubblegum-pop soundtrack; Henry and Clare would be appalled. That said, I'm hoping the trailer is misleading and that there will be at least some form of Niffenegger's beautifully constructed story present in the film. Either way, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Time-Travelers-Wife-Audrey-Niffenegger/dp/015602943X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1249514960&sr=8-1" target="new">go read the book</a>!<br /></span></div><span style=";font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:100%;" ><br /></span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:100%;" >Watch the trailer:</span><span style=";font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:100%;" ><br /><object width="400" height="216"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/USUDlMBR-dQ&hl=en&fs=1&rel=0&hd=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/USUDlMBR-dQ&hl=en&fs=1&rel=0&hd=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="400" height="216"></embed><a class="bugpmbfifkrbssxkvhfi" href="http://www.youtube.com/v/USUDlMBR-dQ&hl=en&fs=1&rel=0&hd=1"></a></object><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:130%;" ><u>August 21st</u></span><span style=";font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:100%;" ><br /></span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:130%;" >Inglourious Basterds</span><span style=";font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:100%;" > [<a href="http://www.inglouriousbasterds-movie.com/" target="new">official website</a>]<br /></span><div style="text-align: justify;font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:100%;" >About: </span><span style="font-size:100%;">Quentin Tarantino's comedic World War II film about a group of Jewish-American soldiers whose mission is to kill as many Nazis as they can get their hands on and leave one alive in each group to spread the word.<br /></span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:100%;" >Persnickety thoughts:</span><span style="font-size:100%;"> Has Quentin Tarantino ever actually made a movie that didn't entertain you in some way? If the answer to that question is yes, then go see it just to hear Brad Pitt say "Nazi" in that accent over and over again. What? It makes </span><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:100%;" >me</span><span style="font-size:100%;"> laugh.<br /></span></div><span style=";font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:100%;" ><br /></span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:100%;" >Watch the trailer:</span><span style=";font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:100%;" ><br /><object width="400" height="216"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/eEsPkdlFcxE&hl=en&fs=1&rel=0&hd=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/eEsPkdlFcxE&hl=en&fs=1&rel=0&hd=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="400" height="216"></embed><a class="bugpmbfifkrbssxkvhfi" href="http://www.youtube.com/v/eEsPkdlFcxE&hl=en&fs=1&rel=0&hd=1"></a></object><br /><br /></span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:130%;" ><u>More August releases:</u></span><span style=";font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:100%;" ><br /></span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:130%;" >7th</span><span style=";font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:100%;" ><br />A Perfect Getaway [<a href="http://www.apple.com/trailers/universal/aperfectgetaway/" target="new">watch the trailer</a>]<br />I Sell the Dead [<a href="http://www.apple.com/trailers/independent/isellthedead/" target="new">watch the trailer</a>]<br />Julie & Julia [<a href="http://www.apple.com/trailers/sony_pictures/julieandjulia/" target="new">watch the trailer</a>]<br /></span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:130%;" >28th</span><span style=";font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:100%;" ><br />Halloween II [<a href="http://www.apple.com/trailers/weinstein/h2/" target="new">watch the trailer</a>]<br />Taking Woodstock [<a href="http://www.apple.com/trailers/focus_features/takingwoodstock/" target="new">watch the trailer</a>]</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-884833223367481291.post-70851951570412114142009-08-04T20:28:00.054-04:002009-08-21T07:26:45.231-04:00Why "Jaws" Still has Bite<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-rw5SLHKPy5G6eZogNBO0oKgos9ONsYb_9J5SGkzEgRZZpHfc_pAIVd1ftGUSKc_mCC4ITBNeNOa28aM2veHZlQ48MGJhTSNoZP9rpAeVjioTOi4cZHLHNrqdVqu_4vdwxBgY6yreCDZz/s1600-h/jaws_swims_behind_chief_brody.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 125px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-rw5SLHKPy5G6eZogNBO0oKgos9ONsYb_9J5SGkzEgRZZpHfc_pAIVd1ftGUSKc_mCC4ITBNeNOa28aM2veHZlQ48MGJhTSNoZP9rpAeVjioTOi4cZHLHNrqdVqu_4vdwxBgY6yreCDZz/s320/jaws_swims_behind_chief_brody.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5368106429138260802" border="0" /></a><span style=";font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:100%;" ><br /></span><span style=";font-family:times new roman;font-size:100%;" >This is one of my favorite weeks of the year. Not because I love summer, or back-to-school shopping, but because…IT’S SHARK WEEK! Each summer, the Discovery Channel serves up seven days of thrilling, chilling programming featuring the most fascinating predators of the sea.<br /><br />I wanted to do something to pay homage and what better way than writing about the greatest shark flick of all time?<br /><br />For those who have spent the last 34 years studying glacier movement in the Arctic tundra, “Jaws” premiered in 1975 and is based on Peter Benchley’s best-selling novel of the same name. Directed by then-newcomer Steven Spielberg, the film takes place in a summer resort town called Amity. This is our first sign that things are not going to be, well, amiable (see “The Amityville Horror”).<br /><br />After a swimmer is killed and a little boy is devoured right in front of a beach full of sunbathers, police chief Martin Brody (Roy Scheider) calls on marine biologist Matt Hooper (Richard Dreyfuss), who, after examining what is left of one of the victims, informs Brody they are looking for a great white shark. After enlisting the help of Quint (Robert Shaw), a saucy local fisherman, the three set out to catch the man-eater, who has more than a few terrifying surprises in store.<br /><br />In our modern CGI age, there has been much whining about and critiquing of the special effects in films from </span><span style=";font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:100%;" ><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg9E9YYivZRghdRoO_CHC_8uPlLHFnGnxPHrtb5SpbOdF8F0c_6HufYqpKf-luTuNFQBMTHAdYBzQ4mx7fOQTDmJr8WCo6XA4fAEQiLxrq3RWQVcKUB3Ylkq-V7_mZyf6lfDLL924sKTGC/s1600-h/jaws_girl_swimming.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 133px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg9E9YYivZRghdRoO_CHC_8uPlLHFnGnxPHrtb5SpbOdF8F0c_6HufYqpKf-luTuNFQBMTHAdYBzQ4mx7fOQTDmJr8WCo6XA4fAEQiLxrq3RWQVcKUB3Ylkq-V7_mZyf6lfDLL924sKTGC/s320/jaws_girl_swimming.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5368106541134748210" border="0" /></a></span><span style=";font-family:times new roman;font-size:100%;" >yesteryear, and the animatronic shark in this one is no exception. However, the true genius of “Jaws” is that it is driven by good old-fashioned suspense. Spielberg took some excellent cues from Hitchcock and they are evident within the first five minutes of the film. We do not get a good look at the shark until half-way through the movie, but there are a whole lot of scares, blood and gore beforehand.<br /><br />Spielberg utilizes shots from the shark’s perspective rather than showing it, and the tactic is effective, particularly when we see the doomed swimmer’s legs kicking above us as the predator closes in during the opening sequence, and again when it swims right past Brody’s son, Michael.<br /><br />Throughout “Jaws,” John Williams’ famous two-note score alerts the audience to impending carnage and successfully raises the fear factor. It is no wonder it went on to become one of the most famous pieces of music in film history.<br /><br /></span><span style=";font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:100%;" ><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEhrcrEsYnNNW5B54b6ZhIMx48ilF8uopI1WpDEnrfCEi_6OWjoo_u1NP1JsRs0M740aXFrOx0SAwYfE4JGUxHnoBm9CX4vm76ukMqi6h2oD7N25J1ATWmAyonEuTcGXO6yGsaBJR-9ILx/s1600-h/jaws_robert_shaw_roy_scheider_richard_dreyfuss%5B1%5D.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 130px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEhrcrEsYnNNW5B54b6ZhIMx48ilF8uopI1WpDEnrfCEi_6OWjoo_u1NP1JsRs0M740aXFrOx0SAwYfE4JGUxHnoBm9CX4vm76ukMqi6h2oD7N25J1ATWmAyonEuTcGXO6yGsaBJR-9ILx/s320/jaws_robert_shaw_roy_scheider_richard_dreyfuss%5B1%5D.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5368106691843770034" border="0" /></a></span><span style=";font-family:times new roman;font-size:100%;" >Another highlight of the film is its well-written and witty script. Shaw’s experienced Quint and Dreyfuss’ college-boy Hooper do not see eye-to-eye, and their rivalry offers up some of the funniest scenes in the movie. Early on in their shark-catching expedition, Quint downs a beer in one gulp, crushing the can in one hand and Hooper hilariously mimics him with a miniscule plastic cup.<br /><br />While it is misleading regarding the nature of sharks, “Jaws” is still a hell of an entertaining ride. Shark Week will fill in all the scientific blanks. Even if they do not really have a taste for human flesh, seeing the sheer size and power of these fish still brings to mind Scheider’s line after he, and the audience, finally see the shark for the first time: “You’re gonna need a bigger boat.”<br /><br />We concur, Chief.<br /><br />Check out the original trailer for <span style="color: rgb(153, 51, 153);">“</span><a style="color: rgb(153, 51, 153);" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ucMLFO6TsFM">Jaws</a><span style="color: rgb(153, 51, 153);">.”</span></span><br /><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style=";font-family:times new roman;font-size:100%;" ><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ucMLFO6TsFM"><span style="color: rgb(153, 51, 153);"></span> </a></span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="font-size:100%;"> </span><span style="font-size:100%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <o:p></o:p><p></p>Amanda Mitchellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08949318833347231894noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-884833223367481291.post-95809242319923042009-08-03T20:52:00.010-04:002009-08-09T18:03:25.344-04:00Author Takes the Bard to New Levels of Depravity<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2674/3786390405_8d8dcc51b8_o.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2674/3786390405_8d8dcc51b8_o.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-family:times new roman;">Tackling Shakespeare can be an ill-advised venture. Especially if you are rewriting one of his tragedies as a black comedy, portraying his female characters as degenerate tarts, and rechristening British cities with names like “Lint-Upon-Tweed” and “Bongwater Crash.”</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:times new roman;">All of these hijinks are present in “Fool,” American author Christopher Moore’s absurdist version of “King Lear.”</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:times new roman;">The fact that Will’s oeuvre is not sacred to Moore is hardly surprising considering his includes titles such as, “Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal” and “You Suck: A Love Story.”</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:times new roman;">Narrated by Pocket, the king’s jester, the novel opens with Lear dividing his kingdom among his three daughters, the adulterous and malicious Goneril and Regan, and the virtuous, but often hilariously blunt Cordelia.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:times new roman;">To decide which woman gets the most bountiful share, Lear, who is a few bricks shy of a load thanks to old age, commands that his daughters prove who loves him the most. An appalled Cordelia refuses and is promptly banished to France where she is married off to King Jeff (yes, you read that right) without a dowry.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:times new roman;">The ensuing fight for control between Goneril and Regan receives much encouragement and manipulation from Pocket. Eventually, their duplicity is revealed to Lear who, by this point, is mad as a hatter. Contrite, the king laments his punishment of honest Cordelia and the only soul who can set all to rights is our lovable knave of a narrator.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:times new roman;">Moore’s admiration for British comedy shines in “Fool.” Nearly all of the dialogue reads as if it were torn from the pages of Monty Python. The characters quip and pun their way through debauchery with great vigor. However, despite his best efforts, some of Moore’s punch lines occasionally seem forced.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:times new roman;">Dialogue in which one character continuously misunderstands another has been done ad nauseum, and done best by the Bard himself. Moore’s attempts at teasing out guffaws with this tired tactic fail.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:times new roman;">Overall, though, the author’s sharp prose and black humor are more than capable of inducing soda-through-the-nose bouts of laughter. One of his clever footnotes states that a fictional saint is the patron of “combination skin, cold beverages, and necrophilia.”</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:times new roman;">Most of the high points in the story stem from Moore’s grudgingly acknowledged admiration for Shakespeare.<br /><br /></span><span style="font-family:times new roman;">“No matter what you have to say,” Moore says in the epilogue, “it turns out that Will said it more elegantly, more succinctly, and more lyrically — and he probably did it in iambic pentameter — 400 years ago.”</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:times new roman;">References to Shakespeare’s other plays abound. The witches from “Macbeth” play an integral role in the plot and Pocket encounters a band of traveling actors who regularly perform “Green Eggs and Hamlet.”</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:times new roman;">The novel is a concise 307 pages and those who would rather endure root canal than read Shakespeare need not fear. It is not necessary to read “King Lear” to follow the plot, although familiarity with the play and Shakespeare’s other works will contribute to the entertainment value.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:times new roman;">The author does sprinkle his modern writing style with Elizabethan words and phrases, but for all of these Moore provides witty definitions.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:times new roman;">For those who enjoy British comedy, Shakespeare, bawdy romps, or all of the above, “Fool” will not disappoint.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:times new roman;">For more information on Christopher Moore, visit his Web site at: </span><a style="font-family: times new roman;" href="http://www.chrismoore.com/">www.chrismoore.com</a><span style="font-family:times new roman;">.</span></span>Amanda Mitchellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08949318833347231894noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-884833223367481291.post-31825728457251738932009-08-03T19:17:00.015-04:002009-08-09T18:10:52.372-04:00Twilight: Feel-Good Fiction or Anti-Feminist?<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2472/3786142345_c710a4dcd8_o.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 174px; height: 200px;" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2472/3786142345_c710a4dcd8_o.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style=";font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:100%;" >
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mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} </style> <![endif]--> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="font-size:100%;">
<br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="font-size:100%;">Since the publication of the first novel in 2005, "The Twilight Saga" by Stephenie Meyer has become a runaway success. The young adult series, comprised of four novels, tells the story of teenager Bella Swan, who falls for the hottest guy in school. There is just one tiny problem - he’s a vampire.
<br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="font-size:100%;">
<br /></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="font-size:100%;">The comparison of Meyer’s success to that of Harry Potter creator J.K. Rowling was, perhaps, inevitable. However, few expected a heavy weight like Mr. Darkness himself, Stephen King, to take aim and fire.
<br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="font-size:100%;">
<br /></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="font-size:100%;">"Both Rowling and Meyer, they’re speaking directly to young people," King said in an interview with USA Weekend. "The real difference is that Jo Rowling is a terrific writer and Stephenie Meyer can’t write worth a darn. She’s not very good."</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="font-size:100%;">
<br /></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="font-size:100%;">Twilight fan, Bianca Dreyer, 21, indicated that Meyer’s writing style may have been deliberate considering her target audience is young adults.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="font-size:100%;">"Meyer wrote in a fashion that all readers could understand," Dreyer said. "I don’t think she wanted to use complicated words and phrases to confuse the readers."</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="font-size:100%;">
<br /></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="font-size:100%;">While the series has garnered legions of devoted fans, King is hardly its only detractor.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="font-size:100%;">
<br /></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="font-size:100%;">Take Shannon McKinney, 20, for instance, who said King’s assessment was right on the money</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="font-size:100%;">
<br /></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="font-size:100%;">"Meyer is a really poor writer," McKinney agreed. "To me it seems like she’s writing out her own sexual fantasy, because Bella resembles her in several ways."</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="font-size:100%;">
<br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="font-size:100%;">Stephen Wolcott, an English professor at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, said that the first book in the series was not without its problems.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="font-size:100%;">
<br /></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="font-size:100%;">"I thought ‘Twilight’ seemed like a first novel, with all the good and bad that suggests," Wolcott said. "It was both full of passion and a little raggedly plotted and overly long."</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="font-size:100%;">
<br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="font-size:100%;">Wolcott added that the appeal of the series is not surprising considering the attributes of its hero, the Heathcliff-esque Edward Cullen.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="font-size:100%;">
<br /></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="font-size:100%;">"He's very much the older, wiser man, embodying the self-denial of Victorian romantic heroes," Wolcott said.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="font-size:100%;">
<br /><span style=""> </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="font-size:100%;">Swoon-worthiness of the undead Romeo aside, the major problem some women have with the books is that, in their opinion, Bella is Gloria Steinem’s worst nightmare.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="font-size:100%;">
<br /></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="font-size:100%;">"Bella is the ultimate anti-feminist character," McKinney said. "She’s whiny, she’s submissive, she isn’t independent in any way except doing her laundry and cooking. What kind of message is that?"</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="font-size:100%;">
<br /></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="font-size:100%;">Sheila Coe, a 24-year-old photo clean-up artist from Kansas City, Mo. expressed her anti-Bella point of view in a series of video essays featured at <a style="color: rgb(153, 51, 153);" href="http://www.twilightsucks.com/">www.twilightsucks.com</a>. Coe said Meyer’s treatment of the female characters in the series really bothered her.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="font-size:100%;">
<br /></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="font-size:100%;">"It seems like Meyer actually believes women have no worth without a man and the ability to have babies," Coe said. "Not one character in the whole series is happy to be single."</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="font-size:100%;">
<br /></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="font-size:100%;">While the idealistic nature of the relationships and characters in the books spark controversy, fans of the series remain steadfast in their defense.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="font-size:100%;">
<br /></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="font-size:100%;">"It's fiction," said Cara Hancock, 19. "It is unrealistic to think of finding a man like Edward or Jacob, but girls dream of that anyway."</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="font-size:100%;">
<br /></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="font-size:100%;">"New Moon," the second film in the franchise hits theaters Nov. 20, 2009.</span></p> <span style=";font-family:";" ><span style=";font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:100%;" ></span><o:p></o:p></span> Amanda Mitchellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08949318833347231894noreply@blogger.com2