Month: July 2010

DC Cupcakes are Half-Baked

Since this show is filmed near where I live, and because the bakery’s coconut cupcakes are so heavenly, that not a week goes by that I don’t crave one, I really wanted to like the show DC CUPCAKES on TLC.  Really.  I really did.  But…and here’s the but…as someone who generally views reality shows as robbers of jobs for writers of scripted shows, the show has to be stellar on all fronts to be impressive.  Unfortunately, DC CUPCAKES is not impressive.

The sisters who own a bakery in the trendy Georgetown section of DC LOVE baking, they LOVE each other, they LOVE their mother, they LOVE charities, they basically LOVE everything. Regrettably, the show can’t sustain on love alone primarily because the sisters really have no television presence. The interviews seem incredibly flat, as if they are reading from a cue card, and the “conflicts”, for instance having to fulfill a charity order at the very last minute, seem overly rehearsed and incredibly inauthentic.  Even the staged guy outside asking about the line. Really? That was absolutely necessary? Totally unreal. That’s it. There is little authenticity to this installment and in a reality market saturated with pastry shows  – the best still remains ACE OF CAKES on the Food Network (nobody comes close to the charm and individuality of Geof Manthorne who’s head to head with the show’s host Duff Goldman for most interesting) – the competition is fierce in its demands for a genuine, or at least appearing genuine, television personality.

But I still highly recommend the coconut cupcakes. Delicious.

True Blood – Supernatural Characters for Grownups

It seems if the Twilight vamps and werewolves are for the tweens, than the supernatural characters of TRUE BLOOD are definitely for adults. As a fan of Charlaine Harris’s books, I was interested in seeing her well-built world transition to the small screen. My interest was piqued further with Alan Ball’s (SIX FEET UNDER) immediate decision to change Tara from white to African-American.  I couldn’t wait to see what future seasons would bring.

The result well exceeds expectations.

TRUE BLOOD, now in its third season is off to a HOT start with a new cast of characters playing some furry and some extremely evil entities. These new additions are bringing a new level of conflict – something that is sadly missing from the tomes of Stephanie Meyer and unfortunately have not been addressed in the screen adaptations. This is what makes TRUE BLOOD the show to watch for grownups.    Although last season it hit a bump in pacing with the whole Maryanne arc (wonderfully played by  Michelle Forbes – I remember her well from STAR TREK NEXT GENERATION), the series explored and continues to explore real issues by brilliantly paralleling them to what’s going today – the most prevalent – vampire rights/gay rights.

Conflict in storytelling is what keeps the reader/participant/viewer interested and it is so difficult to achieve. But the writers and producers of TRUE BLOOD have managed to keep the world of Charlaine Harris and add a new layer of conflict that is not only interesting but believable. That is quite the feat when dealing with a supernatural world that was created in a totally different medium. It’s got to be believable for people to tune in again.

To quote LaFayette, “Are you feelin’ me? Are we clear?”

Despicable Me – Not in 3D

It seems lately the only movies I feel worthy of a trip to the theater have been animated features. I already spoke of Toy Story 3 and its brilliance, but the Steve Carell’s cartoon Despicable Me is yet another funny and totally entertaining time.

Now, I didn’t see it in 3D and if it were up to me 3D would die off with Avatar.  I did sit through it for Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland and left with a headache that no amount of Excedrin could cure.

The “new” but old way of viewing films did nothing to help the sad, sad story line of the James Cameron…cough…masterpiece and it did nothing to propel or enhance the story of Alice back down the rabbit hole.  But it hasn’t stopped studios from putting films into the ever-growing queue to become 3D – M Night Shyamalan’s The Last Airbender comes to mind.  Not wearing the funky looking glasses for Despicable Me was the right thing to do. I laughed just as hard. Enjoyed the story just as much. And didn’t have to worry about having a bottle of Tylenol handy.

Deadliest Catch Is All Heart

The past few weeks I’ve caught Deadliest Catch fever. Watching the fisherman navigate through ice cold water to yield pots of crab is one thing, but to watch how the show has dealt with the sickness and eventual death of a prominent cast member has been something else.

I have to congratulate the writers, story editors and producers of Deadliest Catch in the delicate and poignant way they’ve portrayed the loss of Phil Harris, Captain of the Cornelia Marie.  It was not only great TV, but it was great storytelling. From the hospital scenes to the receipt of the news by the other ships to Phil’s sons publicly dealing with not only the demise of their father, but their own mortality, Deadliest Catch has been an affirming experience and a brilliant testament to how good television can actually be.

First of many – Toy Story 3

So, this is going to be the first of many posts regarding all things written – movies, TV, books and plays. These are the things I am most passionate about .  Let’s begin with the film Toy Story 3.

It’s not surprising that this latest effort from Pixar is absolutely stunning – in so many ways. Growing up is bound to happen, but witnessing it through the eyes of a toy is well…genius. Although presented as a children’s movie, it is clear this latest installment is meant for adult enjoyment – as most of the Pixar works. In fact, most of the adults in the theater were sniffling by the end.  And if movies keep on the same dull pattern this year, Toy Story 3 will have a strong chance of a best picture nomination since the academy upped the nominees to 10 – dumbest move ever! But good news for this movie.