Audrey Visits Starbase Indy 2010

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Disclaimers...not for the sake of being a Negative Nancy, but for the sake of clarity.

1. I say "Trekkie" not "Trekker". It's just the way I was raised and I don't consider it derogatory. Speaking of which...

Medium: The Series Finale (Spoilers Aplenty)

The series finale of Medium aired last Friday. Of course, I watched it Saturday On Demand because we had a power-outage thanks to a winter storm on Friday night that lasted, I kid you not, from exactly after the opening credits of the show until the ending credits of the show.

My husband and I have been watching the show since season four. Most TV shows are said to peak in seasons four and five, so we came into it when the writing was strong and the seasonal plot arcs were definitive and intriguing. The show was good, not because of the fact that it focused on a woman who had the ability to dream things before they happened, but because the writing centered around a healthy and realistic portrayal of a marriage and a family. The lead characters, Joe and Allison loved and fought and parented and lived through career struggles with a type of chemistry usually reserved for the big screen. When the recession hit, it hit them too. The family went through seasons of change and financial struggle and success, just like the rest of us do. The show was funny, engaging and filled with a cast of supporting characters that enriched the plot.

But the series finale was awful.

Anne Hathaway as Catwoman: Yay or Nay?

I was just wondering the other day if Nolan would finally bring some female strength to the screen for the next Batman movie. After all, the DC Universe, specifically the world of Gotham City, only has about a billion butt-kicking action heroines to choose from.

Today it was announced on Moviefone (and eight trillion other websites...my goodness but I tend to favor hyperbole today) that Anne Hathaway will play the role of Selina Kyle, aka, Catwoman.

Personally, I think it's a great bit of casting, especially when we stop to consider the fact that Nolan really focuses on characterization and motivation, not just costumes and a comic-book tone. In keeping with his pattern of looking for performers that can actually perform and not just look good in a suit, I think his choice makes perfect sense.

(No, I absolutely will not use any cat puns. You know, "purr-fect". Someone has to draw the line...the internet may implode today from the sheer amount of puns flying around. We shall also not speak of the Catwoman-who-shant-be-named. You know who I mean.)

My fears? That Nolan will relegate Kyle to her true identity and we'll have to watch her origin story take a long and winding road that will only lead to a glorious reveal at the end of the movie. After all, his series has been all about the origins of the Dark Knight and his various villains.

To be honest with you, Catwoman's glory has all but eluded the big-screen. She's fabulous in the comic books, especially in more recent series like Sirens of Gotham. But just like Tomb Raider, she's been consistently controversial. Is she a feminist masthead or a sexist exploitation? Well, like everything else in the world, it depends on who is writing, drawing and portraying her.

I liked Michelle Pfeiffer's portrayal from Tim Burton's highly stylized version and I also love all the old kitschy Julie Newmar and Eartha Kitt versions. I trust this Batman franchise with a new vision for a timeless character. Comic book characters are like Sherlock Holmes and so many other pop-culture icons that are meant to be seen again and again. To me, a figure that begs to be brought to the screen time and time again just doesn't worry me too much. Because the same pressure isn't there to "get it right". This will just be a different version of Catwoman, and I have faith that it will be a good one.

Of course, the real Catwoman lives on my bookshelf in my box of comics. Maybe that's why I'm not so worried...they can do whatever they want with her on film. Catwoman on film is like Santa Claus at the mall...we all know she's not the real one.

In case it wasn't clear, that's a "yay" from me.

Live Blogging - The 2011 Golden Globes

(All photos courtesy of TMZ.)

I love the Golden Globes. They're a great warm-up for The Oscars and they're a lot more light-hearted than other award shows. The red carpet was fun this year, I was especially thrilled with Robert Downey Jr.'s wavy Sherlock Holmsian hair and his fun Nick and Nora relationship with his wife Sarah. Tina Fey was stunning as usual and was that a tattoo on Scarlett Johansson's forearm? I quite liked it.

Christian Bale's Win - Sure, I was chanting "Rush, Rush, Rush, Rush" but that doesn't mean I'm not happy for Christian Bale. Kudos to him for thanking the family...any bets on what he said as the music cut him off for going over his time limit?

Katey Sagal Wins! - Yes, agree, agree, agree! I feel bad though that she had to take that two mile walk to the stage. I'm typing as she talks so I'm not looking at her face, and therefore it sounds like Leela is accepting an award. Double Win.

Julianne Moore - Always lovely. Not my favorite dress of the evening though...her side cape makes me think of the pink cape Mary Catherine Gallagher wears to an awards show in her daydream.

Ricky's Back - Personally, I love him as a host. "Like Pac Man." Priceless. (I was just introduced to his stand-up "Animals". It's intermittently filthy, but laugh-out-loud brilliant!)

Red's Nom for Best Comedy. I loved this movie, more than anything else because it was so different. It had a very early nineties mix of humor and action and the casting was perfection. I hope it wins.

If You're Looking for a Good Cause...

I have one for you. I know as bloggers and writers and individuals we're used to giving to large charities. But I just wanted to post a link to this family chip-in page if you feel moved to go there, read their story, and make a donation. Even a small one would help. This was originally brought to light by my sister-in-law Dana on Facebook and you can see her note below.

I should mention that Dana has spent a huge portion of her life rescuing animals in need. Abused animals, neglected animals, animals with medical problems. It's times like this when people like her, someone who has given so much of her own time and money to worthy causes, should be supported.

I guess I also feel somewhat helpless in times like these, so I wanted to use the only real avenue I have to help as a writer...my words. I asked Dana's permission to share this and she said "yes". Below is a link to the chip-in page (that was originally set up for Dana's dog rescue organization Iron Underdawgs) and a copy of the note that Dana originally posted on Facebook asking for help...which I know must've been a hard thing for her to do. You will note, what Dana is really asking for help with are jobs for her dad and brother. Not just charity, but some way to equip them so they can get on with their lives and be happy. But a monetary donation certainly won't hurt at this point either...








"The Backstory....

Bedknobs and Broomsticks in a Snowstorm

One of my Christmas gifts this year was a generous Barnes and Noble gift card from my Dad. I used it to buy "Some Like It Hot", "A Night at the Opera" and "Bedknobs and Broomsticks". While I work on polishing up my thesis (a nonfiction book of essays) before it enters the committee process officially tomorrow, I thought I could use some of the good vibes and happy tears that always come with a viewing of this live-action Disney classic. The soundtrack alone is enough to fill you with joy and take you all the way back to childhood. I love all the songs, but there's always one song on this soundtrack that gets me crying, happy tears of course, but it always sneaks up on me when "The Soldiers of the Old Home Guard" comes up in the first ten minutes. I love it so much, maybe because it reminds me of my Dad, a veteran of the Marines, maybe just because the song is so well written. No matter what the reason, this movie always gets me in the emotional core, which is where I need to be to finish this book. It's a movie all about "the age of not believing" and the power of imagination and goodness and child-like joy, and I hope that's what I can say my book will be about too. May the song inspire you as much as it inspires me. Enjoy the snowstorm and keep chugging away on whatever project you've got going...after all, it's a step in the right direction.

Some Like it Hot

Tonight, before my final semester in grad school kicks off, I'm enjoying the special edition of the classic "Some Like It Hot", one of the greatest movies of all time and one that gets a spot on my permanent top ten list. The special features are amazing and I would highly recommend this version of the film to anyone. This movie comforts and inspires me in so many ways. Have you watched it lately? Well, why not?

The Dude Abides...and so shall I - The Big Lebowski as Therapy

I was talking to one of my friends this week about how I use movies. They’re my therapy, my inspiration, my teaching tools and my allegory. I usually take solace in the super-duper when it comes to the big screen. I like epics and spaceships and guns a blazin’. I like high adventure, high seas, and high stakes. I think my heart beats “genre, genre, genre”. So it surprised me this week at around 11:00 p.m. on a Wednesday night when all of the sudden I felt this intense and sudden need to watch The Big Lebowski. Before Wednesday night, I’d only seen the movie once before and even that took some major effort on my husband’s part.

I love the Coen Broethers, they’re masters of their craft. And they clearly love genre just as much as I do, likely much much more than I do. But due to a case of mistaken identity that would’ve been fit for Fred and Ginger, I avoided The Big Lebowski for years because I kept mistaking it for Kingpin,the gross-out Farrelly Brothers bowling romp. I think there are exactly two movies out there that revolve so closely around bowling imagery, so one can understand my confusion. When Jake insisted that I watch The Big Lebowski a few months ago, I obliged and found myself promptly blown away. This movie is just one of a billion things that my husband has brought into my life that made it better, but I have to say, this one is pretty high up on my list. Maybe a part of me likes it so much because I know he likes it so much. The Dude's antics and Jake's hysterical laughter are one and the same to me. The two can't be separated, so I'm sure subliminally that has something to do with my sudden obsession. 

Weregrannies - My Sister Wrote A Book

And it's good and witty and funny and just plain FULL of movie and pop culture references. Buy it! Download it to your Nook, Kindle, iPad...whatever. Just get your hands on it. Today. Here's the synopsis and below is a great preview...

""Weregrannies" is the story of what happens when a sweet elderly woman, and some of her pals from the local retirement home, become the accidental victims of a hapless werewolf. But will it make her feel like a victim or restore her to the vigors of youth? When a recently divorced granddaughter moves to town just in time to become entangled in the mystery, the scenario becomes even more complicated...especially when that granddaughter may be falling in love with the werewolf responsible for grandma's new heightened senses. With the sweetness of, "Cocoon" and the humor of a Douglas Adams novel, you may find that you've never been so excited to read about a grandmother who can finally stoop down to pick up some fallen antacids."

Happy New Year!

It's been a long full 2010 for me. I'm really looking forward to 2011 and all of the exciting changes that are happening this year, and that's putting it lightly. (My book is finally going to be finished...and after a few years of writing, and writing, and writing some more...there will actually be a few more books coming quickly off the heels of those. Topical memoir essay collections, on family, on theme parks, on action heroines, and maybe even a "best of Born For Geekdom" as well. There will be some readings and performances and hopefully some meetings with publishers...)

Going into my fourth year of being a blogger, I've spent the past few days doing what I always do this time of year...asking myself why I continue to blog. The honest answer? Because I'm constantly at the computer anyway, haha, and that's the truth.

So here's to a very exciting new year. One where I finish my Masters Degree. One where I finish a couple of books. One where I get to devote some more energy to my work in public radio. One where Jake and I will have to face the great unknown of an official post-education life. Where will we live? What exactly will we do after I graduate? When will we start a family? Will I teach or move straight into putting all my energy into Storiented. Oh yeah...did I forget to mention that Jake and I have decided to pool all of our individual freelance energies into, or rather under, one umbrella? Our own company. Storiented Media.

With all of that and more Park Geeks ahead, I'm excited. I'm happy. I'm nervous and scared. But more than anything else, I'm truly thankful. I'm thankful for my husband who is my partner in adventure, who constantly encourages me to go for it, go for it, go for it. I'm grateful for my health. My friends and family. I'm even thankful for my cats for crying out loud. So in true Born For Geekdom fashion, I just have to tie this to a film clip. If there's one movie clip that best sums up the way that I feel about life...it's this one from "Joe Vs. The Volcano". May you live long and prosper in the new year!