The Bachelor: See You in Hell, Rozlyn

Or at least I know I’ll see you next Tuesday.

This week we had The Women Tell All special of The Bachelor, which, in a word, was bitchin.

The two hour block started out as you might expect with any reality show has-beens: in various states of undress while fully liquored up. It’s the Bachelor “family” (endorsing incest, of course), which is kind of like the cousin to the Real World/do-they-even-still-make-Road Rules super dysfunctional branch of the family tree. Wes made an appearance and out-douched himself by gloating about how great his dating scene has been since being the only guy in Bachelor history to make it to the final four with a girlfriend (note: he in fact said he has been getting the double amount of “nibbles” not “nipples”). Like waking up with a terrible hangover accompanied with shameful memories from the night before, this little segment was followed up with some karma cleansing Bachelor community service.

After everyone changed the channel for that portion, the good stuff was back. Chris “The Enforcer” Harrison was there to guide us through the best gossip session in Bachelor history. Before we get to Rozlyn, I’m going to ever so quickly run through the other notable girls. Feel free to scroll, my feelings won’t be hurt.

Xtina: Jake regretting getting rid of you so early in the game and I do too. I loved/hated you from the second you got out of the limo as the self confessed bitch.  That aside, you were actually pretty hilarious. If only you were your bitchy self the whole time, sigh. At least you went out on a funny note with a tear in your eye and yall-ing about some rat/raccoon/mouse after getting kicked off. Hope to be seeing you, Teeny.

Michelle: Still mental. At least she was able to laugh at herself during the montage of crazy? Her terrible hair wasn’t helping the situation. I feel bad for her because that stuff was pretty embarrassing, but I still don’t think she got quite how abnormal she was. Locos deserve love too though and I wish her all the best…and a better colorist.

Ashleigh: What an awesome bitch. Hailing from my hometown, I’m proud of what an elitist a-hole she was with her parting statement: Vienna? That effing trailer white trash whore? Mmm if that’s not class I don’t know what is. She was seriously entertaining though so no harm done in my eyes.

Gia: I LOVE YOU. I think I started to like Gia even more when I saw how much she swears in the blooper footage.  She was so sweet and sequiny, how could anyone ever let her go? I think she actually learned a lot about herself through this experience, which makes up for the 3498 failures this show produces. Since she learned how to be more open and honest with her feelings, I’m lobbying for her to be the next Bachelorette.

Ali: Gotta love consistency. As always, looking like she just rolled out of the sleeping bag that she probably keeps under her office desk, Ali talked a lot about regret. Bla bla bla Jake totally picks her after the final rose. He should have just let her come back in St. Lucia. Prediction: his little “you’ll always have a friend” sentiment is really code for “come to the ATFR taping and I’ll pull a Jason.” The only thing I didn’t like about Ali was that she said “as people we need to support Vienna, because the tabloids are trashing her.” As people? As opposed to what, penguins? And I never heard anyone come to that humanitarian defense of the likes of Lindsay Lohan etc., so I’m going to continue buying trash for the truth… and you know, for the economy.

Rozlyn: Roz is not healthy for children and other living things. First of all, she was wearing an unironed pillow case and her hair looked like mine when I used to straighten it in middle school (aka BAD). Could she be more unlikable? Could I sound more like Chandler Bing? During this whole interview/exercise in lying, I just couldn’t understand why she agreed to this. It couldn’t have been to clear her name because she is the worst liar in the world. Maybe she is really trying to promote herself as a Jenna Jameson’s double? If so, mission accomplished. None of this portion made sense. Rozlyn’s only defense to the many accusations of a physical relationship with one of the producers was “absolutely not,” and tried to blame the whole story on the show for not letting her call her son. Chris tried to build his case with exhibit A: Jessie, who swore on her dog’s life that she saw Rozlyn and the producer kissing on the stairs. Roz, trying to one-up Jess while securing her place in hell said that she swore on her child’s life that that never happened (followed by gasps from the audience and the planet). Exhibit B: Ella stating that Rozlyn was clearly fixin for some booty when she said she was waiting downstairs for the producer to put her to bed. Exhibit C: That Homemaker said that one night when she was sick and wandering around the house (?) she couldn’t find Rozlyn anywhere. Exhibit D: She is Jenna Jameson.

So, with the mounting evidence against her, Chris gave Rozlyn one last chance to come clean for her sake and the producer’s, since he had many friends at the show and this affair had real consequences. Roz took this opportunity to be a gigantic wench and throw Chris under the bus, accusing him of hitting on the producwhore’s wife in New Zealand. Props to Chris for keeping his cool when a lesser host would have cut a bitch.

Next week, the finale! Vienna or Tenley? Tenley craps rainbows and dreams in cartoons while Vienna was hated by all the other women. Clearly a toss up. But really, it doesn’t matter because Jake will totally choose Ali in the end (or, “real life”) and Vienna will go back to working Hooters and auditioning for High School Musical in Florida while Tenley will go back to living out The Sound of Music in Portland, getting dressed by sparrows and getting advice from talking woodland creatures. I just hope Jake kicks that light and walks out of an interview in the process, because we were promised that scene dammit and I’m sick of seeing him cry.

Season 14, Episode 8: The Women Tell All (originally aired February 22, 2010)

For more on The Bachelor, click here.

Photographs courtesy of ABC, Craig Sjodin, Greg Zabilski, and IMDbPro.

Syfy: More Fairy Tales, Please

A couple of years ago, my dad insisted (on several occasions) that I needed to watch a Syfy channel special called Tin Man. My dad and I both love The Wizard of Oz, and he had enjoyed the mini-series. I recorded it, but never got around to watching. I changed cable providers and lost the recording. Later that year, my dad called to tell me it was re-running and I recorded it again. I finally watched it (I can be stubborn when someone ‘tells’ me to watch something). Bottom line – I thought it was genius.

The mini-series came from a contemporary reimagining of The Wizard of Oz. All the same characters, with the plot expanded and twisted, made for a mind-blowing experience. As a lover of the original, keeping up with the references amused me as well. In addition, I fell in love with Zooey Deschanel for the first time and she hasn’t disappointed me since. Zooey plays D.G. (short for Dorothy Gale, of course) who magically travels from our world into the Outer Zone (O.Z.). She is being tracked by an evil queen and (of course) picks up an odd assortment of friends along the way. Going through the plot would ruin too many things, but if you can catch it, I highly recommend.

Recently, a friend turned me onto a similar Syfy Channel project entitled Alice. Intrigued again, due to a lifelong love of the Alice in Wonderland stories, I sat down to watch. The story is another brilliant take on the original story. Alice is a contemporary girl with father issues and a boyfriend who wants to settle down, when she falls down a pothole and ends up in Wonderland. This Wonderland is dark, more like the original story than the Disney version, with a scary Queen and an even scarier ulterior motive. Again, all the same characters pop up, some the same and some different. The plot alters, giving this Alice room to face and overcome her own issues. The Hatter is expanded, and becomes integral to both the story and to Alice’s life. I loved it.

I never hear people talking about these two mini-series (outside of my dad and best friend) and have to wonder if anyone else has discovered them. Do people like them, or would we rather our Classics remain intact? Wicked is my favorite Broadway play, but I know people who resent the reshaping of the classic Oz characters. In my book, as long as these creative endeavors are done well I’m all in favor. Thus far, the Syfy takes have been original, fun, and well produced. I’d like to see them do more reimagined fairy tales, especially ones with more independent and feisty female leads. Maybe another Cinderella, Hansel and Gretel, or Robin Hood. I’m all for it. Except when it comes to the ridiculous take-offs of Jane Austen (re: Pride and Prejudice and Zombies). This, I cannot abide. What do you think, though? Do you love them, hate them, or don’t care enough to watch either way?

For television reviews, click here.

Photographs courtesy of Syfy, NBC Universal, James Dittiger and IMDbPro.

Real Housewives: The Fun is Gone

If everyone on this show isn’t already on pills, they should start taking them.

I was taken aback when I realized that Tamra actually made the most sense this week when talking about how dysfunctional the ladies’ lunch was in San Francisco. When last we left, Alexis was attacking Vicki for being a hypocrite since she was taking work calls at the table after she had chastised Alexis the night before for being on the phone with Jim all through dinner. Somehow Alexis thought it made the most sense at that moment to tell her that it wasn’t the phone calls that bothered her, it was Vicki in general. She took that opportunity to bitch about how Vicki said that the rest of the housewives’ husbands didn’t work and basically told Vicki to shut her pie hole. Of course Vicki gets upset and leaves. Normally I would call her out for being the victim, but everyone really was all up in her grill.

The ladies were overcome with guilt when Vicki’s daughter Brianna reminded them that she might have cancer and there were bigger things than their egos and fake boobs (or maybe I was just thinking that) and then went out to talk Vicki off the edge. Of course Tamra tagged along because she likes to pretend like she is Vicki’s BFF, and, yeah Vicki didn’t exactly own up to the rude things she said, but who cares. Eventually all the women came outside to try and tell Vicki to come back because this is middle school after all and everyone needs to be involved, and even Lynne had the clarity to recognize this is all so stupid. Vicki plays up the emotional impact of this ridiculous lunch on her by telling Gretchen (still wearing that terrible hat) that the fun is gone. They all used to giggle and laugh and it’s OVER NOW. Wah wah. Brianna finally wrangles all these women back inside and Alexis takes this opportunity to pray. For twenty minutes. Most of the women are looking around thinking, when will this awkward prayer end, while Brianna and Vicki are crying. I really hope Brianna isn’t sick (just because, duh), but also because I don’t want her illness to be an instrument of manipulation anymore, ahem, Alexis you wench.

For a bizarre trip, Slade and Gretchen went to Merv Griffin’s estate with her parents. Again, Gretchen was wearing an insane hat (mom was wearing a visor later, I guess it’s hereditary) and warned Slade that her mom is a tough cookie and he needs to work on getting on her good side. After touring the estate while mom and dad took cheap shots at Slade, Slade and Gretchen’s dad went on a bike ride, and I was pretty impressed that both of them were able to talk while peddling that fast. Maybe I need to exercise more. Anyway, Slade basically told Gretchen’s father that he wants to pop the question, to which papa said he needs to work on mama. Things got awkward later when Gretchen went on a drunken tirade about marriage and how she believes people should be leased (pretty sure they are called hookers) rather than married. Slade looked sad slash angry that Gretchen is so put off by marriage, but I bet she would say yes if and when he asks. P.S. when was she married and divorced?

In eviction news, I feel terrible for Frank. So, yeah, he lied to his family about money and got them evicted, but he just seems so emasculated by the whole thing. I couldn’t stand watching him pack up the house alone and then greet Alexa and Lynne in his hotel room and just so meekly try to get into their good graces by telling them they both look so pretty. I’ve seen homeless people (the real ones, not the ones in luxury hotels) with more self worth. Alexa teetered between being rightfully pissed and being annoying, while Lynne just looked gross as per usual. She says she can’t promise Frank forever anymore and they are just going to have to take it day by day. I bet she is wishing she leased Frank instead of that house.

Ugh, Alexis. After feeling guilty about her behavior in San Fran, Alexis had her pastor and his lobotomized wife come over to her house for brunch. She shared how she felt like Sunday’s sermon was directed at her since it talked about watching your words (narcissist) and that she saw how God was really reaching out to her. She also talked about her struggles having big boobs and wearing tight dresses while being perceived as a good Christian. She and Jim ultimately concluded that they just have to use their beauty for good. What humanitarians.

Woof, next week Tamra and Simon have the same conversation about Vicki that they have had a million times before — except this time Simon compares Vicki to Hitler. Drama!

Season 5, Episode 13:  Let’s Bow Our Heads and Pray (originally aired February 18, 2010)

For more on The Real Housewives of Orange County, click here.

Thursdays at 10/9c on Bravo

Photograph courtesy of NBC Universal and Mitch Haaseth.

The Ghost Writer: The Invisible Hand of Roman Polanski

Throughout time, I’ve rarely disliked anything I’ve seen from the Polanski back catalogue. Thus I was quite excited to see his new film, The Ghost Writer.

In fact, my anticipation intensified beyond my wildest expectations, right as I was sitting in the theater waiting for the film to start. You see, I was blindsided, yet again, by the unbearably punishing trailer for Letters to Juliet, just like I have been every time I’ve gone to the movies, in what seems to be at least the past six months.

“Please Polanski,” I said to myself. “Quickly, cleanse me of this rabid desire to stab my eyes out with corn-holders.”

What followed in the next two hours not only healed my Letters to Juliet wounds, it may have actually fortified me against any future damage as well, so enthralling and masterful was this film.

First of all, it’s breathlessly plotted. The Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright David Mamet wrote in his book on the film industry, Bambi vs. Godzilla, that the problem with a lot of the writing in movies these days is that writers don’t sufficiently honor the importance of plot. The resulting phenomenon, as actor Joseph-Gordon Levitt once sort of summed up, is that “you just roll your eyes and keep watching because the chick is hot,” or whatever. Fortunately, these problems were nowhere to be seen in The Ghost Writer.

Ewan McGregor stars as a ghost writer who’s been hired by a fictionalized version of the former British Prime Minister Tony Blair to help him pick up where his previous ghost writer left off, with the task of writing his memoirs.

But what happened to the previous ghost writer?

Ah yes, well, he died of mysterious causes, washing up on the shore near his employer’s stateside (Massachusetts, to be specific) island retreat home, with gallons of alcohol in his blood; an apparent suicide. Hitchcockian menace and intrigue of the highest order ensue.

Though McGregor pulls off one of his most delicately calibrated performances in years, carrying the combined naiveté and ambitious fervor of his character with skill and depth, it was Pierce Brosnan as the knock-off Blair that really threw me for a loop here. Absolutely excellent work. Almost makes the movie worth watching based on the seeing is believing factor of his performance alone, I thought.

The quality of the supporting cast is pretty outrageous as well. Barring the worst British accent I’ve ever heard in my life from Kim Cattrall as Brosnan’s chief assistant (though to be fair her work is fine otherwise), you get a series of short, sweet knockouts from the likes of Tom Wilkinson, Timothy Hutton, James Belushi, and Eli Wallach (that’s right: Tuco from The Good, The Bad & The Ugly, now 94 years old).

There’s also Olivia Williams, (made up, I presume, to be) looking way, way older than she did in Rushmore, or even last year’s An Education, as Brosnan’s wife. She also is somehow way more attractive than she was in either of those films. Either way, great stuff from her as always.

Aware readers may notice I have yet to make mention of the reasons for Polanski’s recent appearances in the news. And I won’t, at least not in any remote detail. Yes, Polanski’s personal, inner existence over the many, many years has often been widely read to be reflected in his work, but I don’t think the issues of the headlines he’s been making lately apply to such a reading, if the film is The Ghost Writer.

Indeed, please, take as it is. If you’re a true lover of good movies, you’d be doing yourself a disservice not to.

Jone Dome: Long Night At The Long Room Bar

Season 2 Episode 12: While Poptimal.com was in New York and LA covering the Writer’s Guild Awards, Ference and Double Edge broadcast from The Long Room Bar the night before in Times Square, NY.

Joined by writer Bilal Mian, White Mike, and a host of fans the fellas bring some of the Chocolate City north to the Big Apple.

Show Credits:

Written & hosted by: Ference and Double Edge

Produced & Edited by: Zuberi B. Williams
Venue: The Long Room Bar (Times Square New York)
Intro: Jay-Z (Empire State Of Mind)

Leopold Bros. Distillery

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(If the show does not play using the link at the bottom of the page, you can download it: Download|Podcast Alley)

T. Dubb is a lover of the arts and enjoys drawing, listening to music, and watching movies in her spare time. Originally from Los Angeles, she currently resides in Davis, CA.

RuPaul’s Drag Race: Country Queens

Pearl’s Note:  I’m sorry this is so late, but it was a particularly traumatic episode for me.  (Ok, so I was moving this week.)  I promise to do better, dear readers.  I hope that all seven of you do not abandon me.

Previously on RPDR, some stuff happened, and Nicole Paige Brooks was sent home.

7:28 a.m., and our little ladies are up and at it.  Raven whines about how hard it was being in the bottom two.  Shut up.

They walk into the workroom to see a table setting from a Bob Evans restaurant.  During the She-Mail, RuPaul makes a bunch of country western puns, so we should know where this is headed.  When Ru walks in, he is wearing his outfit from last night at the Round Up, and he explains that, before his career took off in Georgia, he had no money and would eat anything.  Therefore, the mini challenge is an eating competition, Fear Factor style.  The contestants will have unidentified food to eat, and they will have to determine whether they are eating (1) Chicken or (2) What while blindfolded.  They eat all sorts of gross things, including bull testicles, soy chicken, and frog legs.  There’s an eat-off between Mystique, Pandora, and Morgan to eat a basket of fried grossness, the nastiest of which is cow brains.   Mystique—of course—is the winner.  Morgan pukes it all up, and it splatters on Jujubee.  Morgan still finishes eating before Pandora, so she is also a winner.

As their prize, Mystique and Morgan are team captains.  Each must pick a team for a commercial.  The product: Disco Extra Greasy Shortening.  Mess.

Team Mystique – Pandora, Jujubee, Tatianna, and Jessica Wild

Team Morgan – Raven, Sahara Davenport, Sonique, and Tyra Sanchez

Tyra was picked last.  Ha.  Team Mystique will be doing a commercial for fried fish filets, and Team Morgan will do a commercial for fried chicken.  The captains have to assign parts, and both commercials have a chicken role.  Technically, the chicken’s name is “Disco critter.”  The Disco critter on Team Mystique is Jessica Wild, and Morgan assigns the chicken role to Raven, who is pissed about it.

While getting ready for the commercial, Team Morgan starts making fun of Mystique, saying she’s fat.  Truly hateful.  I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again:  fat drag queens are THE BEST because a good one will work twice as hard as a skinny drag queen.  It makes me hate Morgan and Raven even more.

The read-throughs of the commercials are a riot.  Team Mystique crashes and burns.  After the read-throughs, though, RuPaul reveals a twist: the teams will switch scripts.  Everyone complains, and Ru tells them not to F it up.

The teams then shoot their commercials.  Kathy Najimy is directing!  THESE COMMERCIALS ARE A MESS!  Raven, Jessica Wild (“THE SHEEKIN ENTER FIERCE!”), and Mystique have problems, but Tyra and Pandora are hilarious.

For the Main Stage, the girls will need to wear their country best.

RuPaul is wearing a butter yellow confection of a gown.  With a pink wig.  She looks incredible.   Kathy Najimy and Tanya MOTHEREFFING Tucker are the judges!!!!  Tanya Tucker rocks.  She is wearing an outfit made entirely of leopard print.  And her face looks like a Tupperware party unto itself.

On the Main Stage, we get to see the Disco Extra Greasy Shortening commercials.  They are outrageously funny, especially Team Mystique’s commercial.   Go watch them here.  Kathy Najimy accurately points out that Raven looked like the Joker when dressed up like the chicken/Disco critter.

As previously mentioned, the contestants were instructed to wear something country, so we see a range of looks, from Shania Twain (Morgan McMichaels) to Ellie Mae Clampett (Raven) to a Houston, TX, stripper (Sonique).   One lady stands out, however, and she would be dear Mystique.  This poor child is wearing the exact same top from the Disco Extra Greasy Shortening commercial and a pair of black pants.  It’s about as country & western as Andre Leon Talley is.  Mystique is excoriated onstage by the judges for not following the rules.  Her response?  She is from Texas, and this is what her country friends wear to the mall.  Sad.

The silver lining in Mystique’s pathetic defense of her outfit?  It has inspired a new catchphrase: “mall country.”  Here are two recent examples from my life:

1. I was informed by a friend that my outfit looked very “mall country;” consequently, I changed clothes.
2. After I threatened to post a picture of a friend in a blue wig on my Facebook page, I received the following email:  “It would be hard to carry off your ‘mall country’ look in a cast.”  (My friend is Nigerian and does not play.  Needless to say, I did not post the picture.)

I encourage all of you to adopt “mall country” as part of your daily lexicon.

Tyra Sanchez is the winner this week for the great job she did in the commercial and for her three-looks-in-one country couture.  Joining Mystique in the bottom two is Raven, who was truly awful as the Disco critter.  They will Lip Sync for their Lives; the song is Wynonna’s “I Hear You Knocking.”  You know, Raven must work best under pressure because she, again, pulls out all of the stops and wipes the floor with Mystique.

Raven stays and Mystique must sashay away.  Bummer.  I liked Mystique, but I always like a big drag queen.  The thing is she had a bad attitude, and it didn’t serve her well.  She obviously has some issues and has been hurt, but she needs to not carry all of that baggage around.  Anyway, I wish her well.  You should, too.

Season 2, Episode 3: Country Queens (originally aired February 15, 2010)

For more on RuPaul’s Drag Race, click here.

Mondays at 9pm(est) on Logo

Photographs courtesy of Logo Online and Mathu Anderson.

Shutter Island: Delivers Suspense – And More

The “and more” is a jaw-dropping, twist ending that no one in my theatre saw coming. Except me, because I read the book (by Dennis Lehane). After sitting through the nearly two and a half hour film, I really wish I hadn’t. Knowing the big reveal made the rest of the film sort of irrelevant. That was just me though. I’ll try and look past it.

The novel, by the way, is great. The adaptation is fair, in my opinion. I could spend this article extolling the finer points of Leonardo DiCaprio, who is an actor I have immense respect for. He’s one of the best young actors in Hollywood, and has been since he was a child. That said, the way this role is written didn’t offer him a lot of room to work. The turmoil the main character experiences is largely internal and is intended to remain hidden. He gives us the emotion when he’s allowed to, there just isn’t that much to give. His performance is controlled and expert – but doesn’t do his talent justice. He and Scorsese obviously enjoy working together, which is probably the reason he took the job. But enough about Leo. Oh, one more thing. He seriously needs a better hair cut, poor baby.

It’s hard to say much about the movie without spoiling it. The people in my theatre enjoyed it, and were stunned in all the right places. If you are looking to be frightened, this isn’t the film for you. It’s not horror, it’s suspense. It does deliver that. The setting of the insane asylum is vivid and creepy, the 1950′s political worldviews are supported by the environment and the cast. The flashbacks to the liberation of Dachau are haunting and sickening. It doesn’t take long into the movie before we realize the story isn’t about the insane asylum or the missing patient – but about Teddy Daniels (DiCaprio). He lost his wife and is on a mission to bring her murderer to justice. Along the way, he and his partner (Mark Ruffalo) suspect Nazi-esque mind control experiments are being conducted on the island and plan to blow the lid off the operation upon returning to Boston.

The tension builds as they discover more and more information that doesn’t make sense, interact with prisoners who seem to know far more than they’re allowed to say, and Teddy realizes they plan on keeping him there – for good. It’s tough to say much more, so I won’t. The creepy scenery and even creepier hospital staff lend to the suspense nicely.

Let me begin this sentence by saying I LOVE old movies, particularly Hitchcock. That said – the 50′s, noir score to this film drove me nuts. At one point I was sure it was actually the same music from North by Northwest. It was loud and distracting – and in my opinion a cheap and lazy way to signal the underlying tension. When we watch Hitchcock, the music works because the films are ALL ABOUT THE MYSTERY. This story is much deeper, at least it should be. Teddy Daniels is an interesting character study, his past immersed in compounding levels of pain. By trying to convince us it’s only about the mystery of the missing patient, we downplay the sadness and forlorn nature of the main character. It’s there, don’t get me wrong. We get flashbacks to his past and the pain he’s experienced. Those alone aren’t enough to let us connect to him. I wanted to feel badly for him. There’s one scene, at the end, where DiCaprio is given free reign to confront the depths of his despair, that comes across well.

The movie is worth seeing. There are some intense, disturbing scenes of violence involving both adults and children. I wouldn’t recommend the film for anyone under fifteen unless you are willing to talk with them about the horrors of war and the Holocaust, among other things. I’d love to hear back in the comments from those who didn’t read the book. Did you see the ending coming? Were you surprised? Did you feel emotionally connected to the main character? As always, looking forward to the discussion.

Writers Guild West Awards: Honoring the Unseen Masterminds

Every day in Hollywood, in offices and apartments and sometimes Beverly Hills mansions, a writer sits down and lovingly crafts scenes, creating a blueprint for directors and actors to work from. They are not celebrities or household names and faces. They are simply storytellers.

These writers create blockbuster entertainment like this year’s laugh out film The Hangover, or the gripping edge of your seat drama The Hurt Locker. Without writers, even the visually masterful world of Avatar wouldn’t exist.

This year Poptimal was front and center at the Writers Guild West Awards where we hit the red carpet to talk with the writers of your favorite films and TV shows of 2009.

First time honoree and co-writer of this year’s romantic dramedy, (500) Days of Summer, Scott Neustadter said a lot of his film was personal and was happening even as it was being written.  He said when he wrote it, he began showing it around Hollywood and industry people were receptive, but a lot of people weren’t sure it was a movie audiences would want to see because it wasn’t a classic romantic comedy. He said many actors who expressed interest were only willing to do it if he changed the ending and made it a boy gets girl kind of film. Luckily, when Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Zooey Deschanel came onboard as cast, they were all equally as passionate about telling his story. As a writer, he said he was really lucky working with first time director Marc Webb because they had a year before production began and were able to really discuss the script and collaborate. Often times in film, a screenwriter finishes the script and then it’s in the directors hands with no writer involvement, but Scott said that he was there throughout the shoot and was really lucky to see the film come to life.  He’ll be bringing his talents to the small screen next with an NBC pilot called Friends with Benefits.

We did our best to bring you the inside scoop on this seasons upcoming episodes of the hit FOX drama House from writer/executive producer David Shore, a nominee for best episode. We really wanted to know if there was any juicy stuff to come between House and Cuddy (played by actors Hugh Laurie and Lisa Edelstein).  Shore was cagey, saying they’d eventually give us something with those two, but for now he was keeping quiet. Lucky for us fans, David said that we can expect House to be on the air for awhile. “As long as I keep finding it interesting and Hugh keeps finding it interesting, we’ll keep going.”

We asked him what writers aspiring to be like him should do.

“It’s the same stupid advice.  Keep writing and writing and writing. Don’t fall in love with your stuff. And keep working on it. Keep rewriting. Rewriting is everything,” said Shore.

The funny dudes who brought us The Hangover echoed Shore’s sentiment. “We’re not any smarter than anyone else. It’s about sitting down and doing it. Grinding it out, over and over again,” they told Poptimal.

While many actors decided to skip the red carpet and head straight to the awards, we saw Jason Segel, the star of How I Met Your Mother and I Love you Man; Judd Apatow (writer/director of The Forty Year Old Virgin and Knocked Up) and his lovely wife, actress Leslie Mann. Mila Kunis also walked the red carpet and we caught a glimpse of the talented actor Morgan Freeman who played Nelson Mandela in Invictus, and was there to support Anthony Peckham, the screenwriter of this powerful film.

Luckily actor John Corbett,  best known for his role on Sex and the City as Aidan, Carrie’s boyfriend was able to stop by and visit with us . Corbett now stars on the hit Showtime drama The United States of Tara written by Academy Award winner Diablo Cody and starring Academy Award nominee Toni Collette.   Corbett said that at first he was intimidated by working with such a talented writer.

“Diablo is scary because she won the Oscar and you’re afraid to make suggestions and you are afraid you might offend her, but after awhile she’s totally accessible and open to suggestions,” he said.

Poptimal was also able to speak with Mark Boal right before he took home the WGA award for best original screenplay for his taut and intense portrayal of an elite Army bomb squad in Iraq. We asked him what inspired him to write this movie when the media has shied away from covering the ongoing Iraqi war.

“It’s just a story worth telling. It was a long process, but it was worth it. It was quite an experience. So many pieces to put together. Reminds people that troops are out there,” Boal said.

We have exclusive video as well with Kathryn Bigelow, the first woman nominated for an Academy Award for best director for her direction of The Hurt Locker and we got insight on writing and the process of creating Grey Gardens from writer and director Michael Suscy who was nominated this evening for best long form original.

Check out our videos and all the photos from this incredible evening celebrating the talented individuals who continue to entertain and inspire the readers of Poptimal.

Grey’s Anatomy: The Time Warp

I’m kind of an ’80s baby, and I grew up on television.  I remember those lame “flashback” episodes of my favorite sitcoms, where the writers wanted to take an episode off, but I guess they really couldn’t do it in the middle of the season.  So, the characters would reminisce about some past events, which just so happened to have been captured in previous episodes.  In order to advance the feeble new storyline, the writers would flashback to previous episodes, basically copying and pasting.  When I saw the commercial for this week’s episode of Grey’s Anatomy, I mistakenly thought their writers were using this same age-old trick.  I should have known better.  The episode did employ flashbacks, in the sense that characters thought back to earlier times, but the episode was more of a pre-quel, which was pretty cool.  We saw the depiction of things we knew about certain characters but had never seen, and I am impressed by the writer’s ability to keep this network staple so fresh.

Settling into his new role as Chief, Derek wants to revise a lecture series where residents tell interns about defining case studies they experienced while they were interns.  Can you imagine the fiercely independent and brilliant Miranda Bailey withering under a resident’s stare?  Bailey was once a lowly intern, a minnow amongst sharks.  While she may have been inexperienced, her keen intellect was always there and she eventually established herself as a gifted surgeon.  Richard mentored her and helped her shed the meek persona and evolve into Bailey the Great.

While Bailey’s words held a captive ear, Callie floundered in her account of a particularly difficult orthopedic surgery.  Alex assisted her on the risky surgery and helps her out filling in the details.  The most interesting storyline of Thursday’s episode, however, was the former Chief’s recollection of his early days at Seattle Grace with Meredith’s mother, Dr. Ellis Gray.  Richard recalled how he and Ellis grappled with discrimination and ignorance from their superiors.  Ellis was treated as a glorified candy striper and Richard was viewed as a charity case.  Together they diagnosed a patient with AIDS, which was dangerous in the early 1980s.  They treated him despite orders to the contrary from their Chief of Surgery.  Of course the patient eventually died, but their courage and compassion in continuing to care for him solidified their belief in medicine and strengthened their own bond.  It was surreal to witness their affair in the early stages, when we already know the damage their infidelity ultimately caused: a neglected child, one failed marriage, and two alcoholics (Richard and Meredith’s father).  It was a fascinating flashback, though I highly doubt a married white doctor and her black colleague would be getting in on the hospital back then.  The world was a little less tolerant at that time, as evidenced by the Chief’s refusal to perform surgery on an AIDS patient.  This climate does not lend itself to inter-racial dating; nevertheless Richard and Ellis appeared to have been in love with one another.  In a powerful scene, Ellis actually gives Richard the first drink that will push him into a 30 year battle with alcoholism.  Meredith’s mother may have been a brilliant doctor, but she wasn’t exactly Woman of the Year.

Fast forward to the present day.  The Chief considers an offer to return to Seattle Grace and work under Derek.  Bailey and the cute anesthesiologist get closer, and everyone else just sits back and listens.  This episode was creative and revealing, and I think the writers have added an extra element to already rich characters.  Best episode of the season.

For more on this episode, check out Defining Moments by Allison Toner.

Season 6, Episodes 15: The Time Warp (originally aired February 18, 2010)

For more Grey’s Anatomy, click here.

Thursdays 9/8c on ABC

Photographs courtesy of ABC and Ron Tom.

Grey’s Anatomy: Defining Moments

Have you ever wondered if Bailey was always the outspoken and bold doctor that we know and love? Have you ever been curious what Richard, or any of the other attendings at Seattle Grace, were like early in their medical careers? I sure have. This week, in a unique episode, we witness the defining moments of Bailey, Callie and Richard’s careers.

The episode opens with Bailey prepping for her lecture with compliments from Ben, Callie freaking out over her fear of public speaking and Richard at rehab, stating that he is forty-five days sober. Good for him!

Next, we see Richard and Derek discussing Richard getting his job back because of his recent sobriety. Unfortunately, he must wait for board approval. During the interim, Derek offers him “general attending surgeon,” which an unhappy Richard refuses. But Richard does agree to take part in the lectures after Derek says, “It’s lecture day and I have an open spot. If you are really going to leave this place, don’t leave it the way you did. Give one last lecture.”

FYI…during the episode, each character’s lecture and flashback were woven together but for clarity I will discuss them individually.

Bailey focuses on a case, a patient with severe abdominal pain, that took place during her intern year in 2003. Surprisingly, she had long braided hair, glasses, went by “Mandy” and did not get along with her obnoxious resident. Richard advises her that “surgery is a shark tank” and she must be “a shark, not a minnow.” The patient had been seen by many doctors and had many surgeries, including Bailey’s first solo surgery, but with no resolution to her pain. When the patient lands in the hospital again to have yet another surgery, a light bulb goes on for Miranda and she realizes her disorder. Bailey then cancels the surgery and blasts her resident, criticizing her lack of knowledge about their patient and her diagnosing skills. Richard overhears and demands that Miranda report to his office but instead of reprimanding her, he tells her “you’re going to make a hell of a surgeon.”

While Bailey looked at ease talking on the stage, Callie was a nervous wreck (in a rather humorous way) and relied on using index cards, until she dropped them. With a little encouragement from Arizona and then Alex, who was on the case with her, Callie is able to talk about the case—a twenty-eight year old student from India with a severe case of polio. Callie had promised the patient that he would be able to walk again, which Richard calls arrogant and explains that her “career lives and dies on this.” Eventually, they decide to perform a series of shorter surgeries, which are successful and the patient is able to walk. How did Callie celebrate after the final surgery (pre-Arizona)? By sleeping with Alex!

Richard’s case was during his residency at Seattle Grace in 1982 with Dr. Ellis Grey. This was also when their affair was taking place. Together they diagnosed the patient with GRID (AIDS) but the patient gets very upset and leaves the hospital threatening to sue for slander. However, he returns, even more sick, and tells Richard and Ellis that they “were right and please help me.” It was the first case of AIDS in the state of Washington and their attending refuses to help since the patient is a “lost cause.” Despite their attending’s negative opinion, Ellis and Richard decide to operate on the patient’s twisted bowel. Before the surgery, Richard tries to end the affair with Ellis but she wants them to leave their spouses, Adele and Thatcher. The surgery is successful, however the patient dies eight months later due to pneumonia. Richard goes on to say, “It changes you, this work. Your patients, your colleagues, you change each other. You never think you’ll lose your way.” He then reminds the doctors of their physician’s oath and repeats it. Once he finishes, he is given a rousing standing ovation.

Afterwards, Derek reminds Richard the job offer (general attending surgeon) is still available and Richard replies, “we’ll see.” The episode ends on a somber note with a flashback of Ellis and Richard at a bar toasting their dead patient. Ellis tells Richard that he needs to start acting like a grown-up and orders him vodka, despite the fact that he hates the taste of alcohol. We watch as Richard takes his first drink…

This episode was a great change of pace for Grey’s and very captivating! It has made me wonder about the rest of the doctors’ pasts and curious to see what other one of a kind episodes Grey’s will come up with.

The acting by the three lecturers, James Pickens Jr. (Richard), Chandra Wilson (Bailey) and Sara Ramirez (Callie) was superb! I was really impressed by Sara Ramirez’s portrayal of the nervous Callie. Also, I enjoyed seeing these three characters in the spotlight.

I am glad to see Richard sobering up but somehow I wasn’t completely surprised to see that he started drinking with, or because of his relationship with, Ellis Grey.

On a side note, Bailey and Ben are adorable! Looking forward to see what is in store for this new couple as the season progresses.

New Grey’s episode in two weeks (3/4)!

For more on this episode, check out Tanya Lane’s review here.

Season 6, Episodes 15: The Time Warp (originally aired February 18, 2010)

For more Grey’s Anatomy, click here.

Thursdays 9/8c on ABC

Photographs courtesy of ABC, Randy Holmes, and Ron Tom.

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