Archive for category TV
Choice Quotes: GIRLS
Posted by Amy Steele in TV on March 29, 2013
“He’s not reading your essay, he’s not reading you.”
–ep. 2
“You know who ends up living their dreams are like sad messes like Charlie and the people who end up flailing behind are the people like me who have their shit together.”
–Marnie, ep. 8
“When you love someone you don’t have to be nice all the time.”
–Adam
“I can’t be surrounded by your negativity while I’m trying to grow into a fully developed human being.”
–Shoshana, ep. 10
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TV review: BATES MOTEL
Posted by Amy Steele in TV on March 17, 2013
“My mom’s just a little bit impulsive. She has these ideas about things and then we move and start over.”
Six months after his father’s death, Norman Bates [Freddie Highmore] and his mother Norma [Vera Farmiga] move from Arizona to a valley town with plans to run a motel. Norma Bates bought the motel on foreclosure and wants to start over. Yet what is she starting over from? The death of her husband or something darker than that? In the opening scene when Norman finds his father and runs to get his mother she doesn’t seem at all shocked that her husband’s dead. Creepy moment number one.
Bates Motel serves as a precursor to PSYCHO yet it’s updated. The brilliant aspect to this is that the motel setting remains dated. The music that play, how his mom dresses and acts and treats Norman all seems terribly old-fashioned. When Norman goes to school everything’s fresh with cool music. Interestingly only girls befriend Norman—a popular group headed by Bradley [Nicola Peltz] and the chronically ill, geeky Emma [Olivia Cooke], who tells him “You’re kind weird. Weird good.”
At school in his language arts class (what kind of subject is that by the way?) his teacher asks Norman if he plans to become involved in some extracurricular activities. She suggests he try out for track. When Norman arrives home his mother’s waiting for him like a stereotypical, bitter 60s housewife. Creepy moment number two. The table set, candles lit, wine poured. Immediately she starts attacking Norman and guilt-tripping him [an ongoing thing] about why he’s late and that she’s been working on dinner all day long. He explains he be involved in school. We just bought a motel? How can I do this myself? she demands then exclaims she’s lost her appetite.
The show’s filled with creepy moments, unsettling moments and also touching moments between mother and son. The true bonding moment between mother and son– after Norma bludgeons her rapist and her son helps her clean up the kitchen– she says, “Go wash up a little. Put your bloody clothes in the trash bag.”
A supremely talented actress, Farmiga [Up in the Air, The Departed] convincingly portrays a range of emotions as Norma. Highmore is great at being awkward and insular. See Toast, Finding Netherland.
Norman: “It’s you and me. It’s always been you and me.”
Monday, March 18 at 10 pm. on A&E
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Lifetime TV movie review: Restless Virgins
Posted by Amy Steele in Books, TV on March 9, 2013
Toward the end of Restless Virgins, Emily (Vanessa Marano), in recalling the event that forever changed her senior year at Sutton Academy, says: “I believed the fairytale of what Sutton should be instead of what it was.” Such true words for a mostly wise and prescient young woman challenged by fitting in and finding her place in a world that generally values looks over intellect; athleticism over compassion. As a scholarship student and local Emily stands out. She also edits the school paper where she writes feminist articles about female repression and slut shaming.
Similar to other pressure cooker boarding schools, Sutton Academy is a Boston-area prep school filled with Ivy League (or other top tier colleges) bound students, many already part of legacies. Popular senior girls are dubbed “the elites.” The jocks get the girls. On a normal class day lacrosse players judge the girls walking to class by holding up signs with numbers on them. When are boys going to realize that it’s wrong to judge girls? Maybe as soon as society/ men/ adults realize it’s not okay to judge anyone based on looks?
When Madison holds a massive party and then has some issues Emily’s the one to talk with Madison about it while her supposed peer group merely laughs and gossips in the background. At this party Emily rekindles her crush on lacrosse player Lucas (Max Lloyd-Jones), a super sweetie who transferred to Sutton from Nebraska his junior year. He recently broke up with some popular elite. His teammates, led by ultimate jock Dylan (Charlie Carver) mock him because he’s still a virgin. The lacrosse players think Emily’s ugly and taunt him about hooking up with her at the party. He secretly continues to get to know her. Compared to the rest of the lax team, Lucas is ultra-sensitive. Must be those mid-Western values. Could be that he doesn’t have much money and he values everything he gets more than his prep school classmates who’ve grown up with everything they’ve ever wanted.
this is only still Lifetime has of the couple– not studying in library or holding hands at carnival or kissing sweetly under umbrella
Emily and Lucas proceed to have the sweetest high school romance ever. They’re having exactly what you’d want to have or exactly what you would’ve wanted to have. It’s just that perfect. Vanessa Marano and Max Lloyd-Jones have the best chemistry.
Lacrosse captain Dylan decides that this year’s senior hand-off, a Sutton tradition, will be epic. He wants to make a sex tape. Here’s where the formula: Testosterone+athletics+prep schools+privilege+peer pressure=disaster. They plan to get some girls to meet them in the athletic center. They’ll tape it and pass it to the juniors. When it happens. The five players can’t believe what this girl did to them and watch it over and over again. They blur out their faces. Then one of the players tells another and someone sends it to Emily who posts it on the newspaper site. It goes viral. She’s called in to see the Dean who threatens to suspend her.
When the lacrosse team’s questioned Dylan calls his Senator dad (Timothy Busfield) and suddenly payouts get offered. Emily and Lucas’s relationship becomes threatened. How much is it worth to keep your mouth shut or let the truth be known? Does tradition trump humanity? Does privilege override compassion and what treating someone right? [How much is it worth to stop exploiting women and to stop treating women as objects?]
Lucas: “What have they ever done to you?”
Emily: “Other than rating me based on my looks and making this a hostile environment?”
Based on the amazing and disturbing nonfiction book by Abigail Jones and Marissa Miley, Restless Virgins is based on actual events at Milton Academy during the 2004-5 academic term. The film is executive produced by Michael Roiff (Waitress–one of my all-time favorite films) and produced by Harvey Kahn (She Made Them Do It) and directed by Jason LaPeyre (I Declare War). The superb cast and compelling script by Andrew Cochran (Adult World) make it a movie well worth tuning into. The subject matter is one always worth contemplating and discussing.
–review by Amy Steele
RESTLESS VIRGINS premieres SATURDAY, MARCH 9 AT 8 PM ON LIFETIME.
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Remembering Malcolm X [1925-1965]
Posted by Amy Steele in Books, DVD, TV on February 21, 2013
civil rights activist Malcolm X was assassinated on this day in 1965
READ:
The Autobiography of Malcolm X [as told to Alex Hailey]
SEE:
Malcolm X [a Spike Lee film]
Betty & Coretta on Lifetime
–Mary J. Blige stars as Dr. Betty Shabazz, wife of Malcolm X and Angela Bassett stars as Coretta Scott King, wife of Martin Luther King, Jr. It’s a lot to pack into 90 minutes and starting in the middle can be rather confusing for those unfamiliar with civil rights history or with Malcolm X or MLK. These are strong, smart women. Although there’s an initial rivalry between the women and an animosity between the men and their opposing messages– Malcolm X wanted to use “any means necessary” to fight the system and MLK spoke out for civil disobedience– this film is about the women’s friendship after the assassinations of their husbands. Betty Shabazz earned her doctorate and taught. Coretta King worked tirelessly for the national holiday recognizing her husband.
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Choice Quote: House of Cards
Posted by Amy Steele in TV on February 12, 2013
Francis: “Is it the hot flashes?”
Claire: “Get out.”
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Television: Celebrate Black History Month with Three World Premiere Movies on LIFETIME
Posted by Amy Steele in TV on January 29, 2013
Betty & Coretta tells the dual real-life stories of Coretta Scott King (Golden Globe® Award-winner and Academy Award®-nominee Angela Bassett) and Dr. Betty Shabazz (nine-time Grammy®-winning recording artist Mary J. Blige), the wives of Dr. Martin Luther King (Malik Yoba, New York Undercover) and Malcolm X (Lindsay Owen Pierre, The Killing Yard). After their husbands’ tragic assassinations, they create a life-long bond.
Kicking off Lifetime’s Black History Month celebration, Betty & Coretta will premiere Saturday, February 2, at 8:00pm ET/PT.
Twist of Faith, an interfaith love story about a single Christian mother (six-time Grammy-winner Toni Braxton) and an Orthodox Jewish widower (David Julian Hirsh, Weeds), whose mutual passion for music and singing draws them together, will premiere Saturday, February 9, at 8:00pmET/PT.
Pastor Brown, which follows a young woman (Salli Richardson-Whitfield) who returns home to take over as pastor of the family church after her father’s (Keith David) death and is forced to face her sordid past and mend fences with her son (Michael B. Jordan) and sister (Nicole Ari Parker), will premiere Saturday, February 16, at 8:00pm ET/PT.
Lifetime received ten NAACP Image Award nominations, more than any other basic cable network, for Steel Magnolias, 2012’s number one cable movie telecast among key demographics (excluding miniseries), and Abducted: The Carlina White Story, which averaged more than 4 million Total Viewers.
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Project Runway Season 11: Teams Edition
Posted by Amy Steele in TV on January 18, 2013
MEET THE DESIGNERS:
Who: AMANDA VALENTINE
Age: 31
Hometown: Lincoln, NE
Current: Nashville, TN
Favorite designers: Isabel Marant, Yves Saint Laurent, Balmain, Alexander Wang
Style icon: Cindy Crawford (1994 House of Style Cindy)
School: The University of Nebraska with a degree in clothing and textile design
Misc: brother is in Maroon 5
Who: BENJAMIN MACH
Age: 35
Hometown: Sydney, AUS
Current: London
Favorite designers: Madame Gres, Madeleine Vionnet, Cristobal Balenciaga
Style icon: The woman who appreciates his design and wears it well
School: Sydney Institute of Technology
Misc: worked with Marchesa in London
Who: CINDY MARLATT
Age: 59
Hometown: Kent, Wash.
Current: Kent, Wash.
Favorite designers: Joseph Altuzarra
Style icon: Michelle Obama
School: Art Institute of Seattle
Misc: funeral director for 20 years
Who: DANIEL ESQUIVEL
Age: 48
Hometown: Austin, Texas
Current: Austin, Texas
Favorite designers: Wes Gordon
Style icon: Sarah Jessica Parker
School: self-taught
Who: EMILY POLLARD
Age: 24
Hometown: Richfield, Ohio
Current: Falls Church, VA
Favorite designers: Gareth Pugh, Haider Ackermann, Ann Demeulemeester, Yoji Yamamoto
School: Savannah College of Art and Design – fashion and graphic design
Misc: likes to make her own fibers
Who: JAMES MARTINEZ
Age: 29
Hometown: Dallas, Texas
Current: Dallas, Texas
Favorite designers: Viktor & Rolf, Valentino
Style icon: Lenny Kravitz
School: unknown
Misc: fashion line called Barron & J
Who: JOSEPH AARON SEGAL
Age: 30
Hometown: Framingham, Mass.
Current: Providence, RI
Favorite designers: JC de Castelbajac, Walter Van Beirendonck, Lanvin
Style icon: Grace Jones, Leigh Bowery, Prince
School: UMass, Amherst—BFA in painting & art history; Rhode Island School of Design– MFA in textile design
Misc: teaches at RISD, clothing lines Pretty Snake and WORLD of JAS
Who: KATELYN PANKOKE
Age: 23
Hometown: Parkland, Fla.
Current: Chicago
Favorite designers: Alberta Feretti, Marchesa, Alexander McQueen
Style icon: Grace Kelly
School: Florida State University — Apparel Design and Technology program
Misc: owner and creative director of Elaya Vaughn Bridal
Who: LAYANA AGUILAR
Age: 28
Hometown: Valadares, Brazil
Current: New York
Favorite designers: Alexander McQueen, Givenchy, Balmain, Marchesa
Style icon: Kate Moss
School: Fashion Institute of Technology
Who: MAT ARTHUR
Age: 30
Hometown: Hammond, LA
Current: New Orleans
Favorite designers: Alexander McQueen, Nicolas Ghesquière, Marc Jacobs
Style icon: Kelly Bundy
School: college degree for journalism; self-taught designer
Who: MICHELLE LESNIAK FRANKLIN
Age: 34
Hometown: Portland, Ore.
Current: Portland, Ore.
Favorite designers: Bottega Venetta, Marc Jacobs, Alexader McQueen Derek Lam
Style icon: Auntie Mame
School: self-taught
Misc: worked in Oregon wine industry
Who: PATRICIA MICHAELS
Age: 46
Hometown: Taos, NM
Current: Taos, NM
Favorite designers: Tom Ford, Prada, Diesel, Balenciaga, Coco Channel
Style icon: Debbie Harry, Anna Wintour, Audrey Hepburn
School: Chicago Art Institute and the Institute of American Indian Arts
Misc: first Native American to appear on Project Runway
Who: RICHARD HALLMARQ
Age: 40
Hometown: Sacramento, Calif.
Current: Sacramento, Calif.
Favorite designers: Maison Martin Margiela
Style icon: Grace Jones
School: u/k—degree in Fashion Design and Marketing
Misc: works as Director of Marketing
Who: SAMANTHA BLACK
Age: 28
Hometown: Bronx, New York/ Fairfield, Conn.
Current: Brooklyn, New York
Favorite designers: Alexander McQueen, Balmain
Style icon: Lisa Bonet, Grace Jones, Madonna
School: first of her family to graduate from college
Who: TU NAKCHAT
Age: 26
Hometown: Chacheangsao, Thailand
Current: Springfield, Virginia
Favorite designers: Cristobal Balenciaga, Dries Van Noten, Maison Martin Margiela
Style icon: Queen Sirikit, Carine Roitfeld, Nicole Richie and Lady Gaga
School: Parsons School of Design and Paris American Academy
Who: STANLEY HUDSON
Age: 45
Hometown: Pomona, Calif.
Current: West Hollywood, Calif.
Favorite designers: Balenciaga, Alexander McQueen, Yves Saint Laurant, Halston
Style icon: Halston
School: OTIS and Parsons
Misc: eight siblings
Project Runway Season 11—Teams Edition
Premieres Thursday January 24 on Lifetime
Hosted by supermodel Heidi Klum
Mentored by Liz Claiborne Chief Creative Officer Tim Gunn
judges Nina Garcia and featured judge Zac Posen
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Choice Quotes: GIRLS
Posted by Amy Steele in TV, Women/ feminism on January 3, 2013
“The worst stuff that you say sounds better than the best stuff that some other people say.”
–Hannah
“Jessa has HPV, like a couple of different strains of it. She says that all adventurous women do.”
— Shoshanna
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Choice Quote: Chelsea Handler
Posted by Amy Steele in TV, Women/ feminism on December 13, 2012
“No one has ever said to me ‘go home and make a baby.’ I have been told several times to go to Planned Parenthood and make the baby go away. Happy Hannukah.”
–Chelsea Handler, 12/12/12
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Choice Quote: Curb Your Enthusiasm
Posted by Amy Steele in TV on December 4, 2012
“You’re always attracted to someone who doesn’t want you. But here you have someone who doesn’t want you but doesn’t even acknowledge your right to to exist, wants your destruction. That’s a turn-on.” –Larry David. Season 8, Ep3. Palestinian Chicken.
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covering mostly music and books. focus on alternative/indie and women in music, literature and the arts. feminist. vegan. mostly alternative, a bit bohemian. Masters in journalism from Boston University. BA from Simmons College.
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