Review: Easy A

Easy A
Director: Will Gluck
Date of Release: September 17, 2010
Summary: After a lie of her losing her virginity spreads around school, girl next door Olive decides to use this to make herself more popular with expected hilarious results.

AKI: I totally want to sew an “A” on every piece of clothing I have and maybe dye my hair red and wear slutty outfits. “Easy A” is the best teen flick I’ve seen in a long time…perhaps since “Bring It On” (the first one, all the others are crap). Emma Stone (as Olive) has excellent comic delivery, and unlike some self-centered comic characters, you actually like her and feel really bad for her when her phony-sex plan starts to backfire. Her parents, played by Stanley Tucci and Patricia Clarkson, steal the show! You know the type of parents who can make fun of their African-American adopted son but still be funny and loving? I don’t either, but those parents are in this movie and they are awesome! The only downside is that you will choke on the overabundance of John Hughes’ movie references. But for keeping me laughing throughout the entire 90 minutes - Easy A, you are forgiven. * * * * 1/2

RYAN: I wanted to watch this movie because it had a few of my favorite veteran actors such as Lisa Kudrow, Stanley Tucci, Patricia Clarkson and while those two latter actors DO steal the show as the easy-going cool parents, it was relatively newcomer Emma Stone who was the breakout star of the film. The success of the film as a John Hughes-inspired teen-style high school comedy was squarely put on Stone's shoulders and she carried the film spectacularly with her unassuming yet charismatic presence. The film itself had plenty of laughs and heart to fill its 92 minutes of running time. If I had one complaint, it'd be the underdeveloped and broadly written supporting characters (excluding her parents) which were still enjoyable enough. But again, this was a star vehicle for Emma Stone and it was a tricked-out BMW playing Natasha Bedingfield. * * * *

Review: True Blood Season Finale

True Blood
Episode: Evil Is Going On (Season Finale)
Air Date: September 12, 2010
Summary: After a heavenly vision of his dead maker (Godric), Eric decides death may be too good for Russell so he buries him in cement so Russell will be trapped for a hundred years. After Bill tries to do the same to Eric, Eric somehow escapes and tells Sookie what the real deal is with Bill. Their whole relationship is apparently based on lies; Bill was sent by the Queen of Louisiana to seduce Sookie and get at her tasty tasty fairy blood. Sookie is so upset she runs away and finds fairyland where she completely disappears (I know, WTF). Bill promises to kill everyone who knows Sookie is a fairy to keep her safe, which means he must kill the Queen. Jason has to stand by and watch his were-panther girlfriend be taken away by her half-brother/fiancé and he is also put in charge of a redneck village in need. Shapeshifter Sam shoots his brother for stealing. Hoyt’s mother continues to try to save her son from his vampire girlfriend, Jessica. Layfayette’s boyfriend is a witch. Werewolf Alcide may be dead. Arlene still has a serial killer's baby in her tummy. And Tara cuts her hair and totally peaces out, leaving behind this messed-up supernatural backwater.

RYAN: Many people were not a fan of the multiple story-lines that never really verged this season, but I was more than okay with it since none were as tedious as last season's MaryAnn plot. With that said, Jason's storyline with the inbred were-panther white trash came close to getting on my nerves, but thankfully there were other story-lines I could focus on. I'm a huge fan of Jessica/Hoyt so even though I could complain about their limited screen-time this season, their scene in the finale, kissing in their brand new house (with a creepy voodoo doll... eek) was quite nice. Obviously Russell was such a huge part of what made this season great as he played menacing and psychotic with such a joie de vivre that it was quite somber when he was buried in cement where he'll inevitable escape a season or two from now to seek revenge.

Four characters that I have had trouble warming up to in the past, got a great deal more interesting, not just in the finale, but throughout the season. Learning Sam's past and seeing his relationship with his family, more specifically with his brother, has been very interesting and it'd be tragic if he did end up killing Tommy since there's still so much story to tell there. Then there's Bill/Sookie and I've never really been a fan, but the brand new knowledge that Sookie and we, the audience, find out abotu Bill in the end really shakes up the character and their relationship, for the better. Plus if Bill was worried about Sookie's attraction to Eric, he should also keep an eye out for Alcide who is thankfully a series regular next season. Finally, Tara got herself a new haircut and hopefully a new outlook in life. We see her leave Bon Temps in the end and I hope she comes back a new, more determined, woman. Will be very interesting what she and Sookie will talk about since Sookie also left Bon Temps, to another plane of existence, with her fairy family.

Obviously the big storyline next year will be witches which is where Jesus and Lafayette comes in. As sweet as their courting was, I think their storyline was rushed and/or not given enough time to organically developed. With that said, looking forward to what they do next season, and that goes out to all the disparate story-lines as well. * * * 1/2

AKI: So we get Bill fighting the Queen of Louisiana, but we don’t see the bloody outcome. Hoyt’s mother buys a gun, but we don’t see her use it. Since when have cliffhangers been boiled down to simply not bothering to finish story-lines? Oh right... since Lost. Still, shame on you True Blood writers! And I totally can’t wait for next season. I guess your diabolical plan worked. Dammit!!

Generally, I’m excited. Bill is a scoundrel? I love it! Sookie is no longer annoying because she is too pissed off at Bill and vampires in general for using her. Seriously, I wouldn’t be surprised if she joined the Fellowship of the Sun. And who the hell knows what Jason is going to do with that village full of dirty people in their underwear. So much weird crap is happening and I can’t get enough. If Jesus descends, reveals his fangs and bites Mary Magdalene on the neck, it would make sense in this screwy world and I would sit and watch. * * * *