<title> 2011 September</title> (3)

January 27, 2012

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Pan Am takes over Sunday nights

September 26, 2011 By 1 Comment

I love it when a television show nails it so completely that I want to rewind the episode and watch it again immediately just to bask in the glow of it a while longer before I call all my friends and threaten to disown them if they don’t watch it too. Pan Am was everything I had hoped The Playboy Club would be and more. It was glitzy, smart, funny, sexy, well-written and a joy to watch. I know I can blow things out of proportion sometimes but I am seriously not kidding when I tell you that this show is fantastic. What love story there was kept its place with the rest of the story instead of smothering it with a pillow like on most shows these days. Contrary to what demographics may tell you not everyone wants to see their tv characters romancing each other up all the time and the “will they or won’t they” tension just gets old. Pan Am played it right with some clearly defined relationship drama that was neatly stowed in the overhead bin for the majority of the flight. Sure, it will get pulled out again later but for now I am content leaving it up there with the complimentary pillows. If you didn’t watch, and by God what were you doing instead if you didn’t, here is the 411. It’s a bit spoilery, but I don’t give away the whole goose or anything.

Pan Am departs from New York City in 1963 where airports are freakishly clean and the most coveted job on earth for a young woman is to be a Pan Am stewardess. Not flight attendant mind you, but stewardesses and these girls own it completely. Held to an almost pageant like standard of beauty the women are inspected, weighed and belittled by the severe looking headmistress. The job is so wonderful that timid beauty Laura Cameron (Margot Robbie) bolts from her wedding and signs up to join her sister Kate (Kelli Garner) on the maiden flight of the brand new jet clipper Majestic. She’s been on the job a week and already made the cover of Life Magazine on a fluke. At the helm is Ken Doll lookalike Captain Dean Lowrey (Mike Vogel) and First Officer Ted Vanderway (Michael Mosley). Ted is a bit of a Playboy and hits on the new stewardess the moment the plane is in the air. Dean on the other hand is pining over Bridget, a purser who mysteriously didn’t show up for work. Her absence leads to Maggie Ryan (Christina Ricci) getting a call and being airlifted in to fill the spot at the last minute. Also on board is French beauty Colette Valois (Karine Vanasse). More about her in a bit.

Before the flight leaves the gate we learn that there is more going on here than just a jet-age romance and excuse to wear cool clothes. Turns out Kate is working with the CIA and is quite adept at the art of deception and slight of hand. The tight blue costume helps a bit too we find out. We also find out that the crew of the Majestic do more than just serve drinks to travelling businessmen. They recently airlifted refugees out of Cuba after the Bay of Pigs, a mission that probably got Captain Dean his promotion and managed to lose him his girl at the same time. Oh and remember that love story I mentioned earlier? The one stowed neatly in the overhead compartment? It gets pulled out again in a big way when we learn that Dean’s girl Bridget has vanished from London without a word and Dean is not too happy about it. I suspect he’ll get over it though. Pretty boys usually do. Also suffering a romantic blow is Colette who learns more than she wanted to about her transatlantic boyfriend on this flight, and gets put in her place like an unstowed tray table.

The one girl we didn’t learn a lot about was Maggie, but we have whole season for that. In the meantime I’m content to watch the long tracking shots of the fabulously glamorous stewardesses walking across the terminal in slow motion, every eye in the place on them. And for good reason. These girls are the bees knees and they know it. Pan Am arrives at your gate on Sundays at 10pm, right after Desperate Housewives on ABC, and YOU SHOULD WATCH! No really, you should.

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Desperate Housewives: Secrets That I Never Want to Know

September 26, 2011 By 1 Comment

If you’ve been watching Desperate Housewives since the beginning and I know there are a few of you die-hard Wisterians out there, then you are probably grinning from ear to ear today because that season eight finale was seriously awesome. Let’s get right to it.

When we left our darling housewives they had just helped Gabby (Eva Longoria) cover up the murder of her abusive stepfather Alejandro who spent the duration of the dinner party stuffed into a trunk in the living room. After burying him in the woods the ladies make a pact to keep the secret, but not before Lynette (Felicity Huffman) and Susan (Teri Hatcher) have a little freak-out session. Good old Susan is always good for a meltdown. At least she had some clothes on.

I love how bad-ass Bree (Marcia Cross) was during the whole murder/burial/secret pact. You’d think she had done this before. Oh wait she has! She’s the Chairman of the Dead Guy Committee!

“We bury the body, we bury the secret…forever”

As time passes the ladies realize that Susan is a bit of a loose cannon and her guilty conscience may just doom them to a life in prison. After a silly scene involving the burial of a dead hamster Susan decides to tell Mike everything and ends up in a catfight that lands all the ladies in Gabby’s pool while the menfolk talk about football.


I seriously cannot escape football no matter how hard I try. Oh well.
Speaking of menfolk there is a new beefcake on the block in the form of Ben Faulkner (Charles Mesure) a suave British bloke who is immune to Renee’s bosoms and sexy talk. Poor Vanessa Williams didn’t get much to do this week but shove her breasts around and wiggle. I’m hoping that they have more in store for her this year than that.


The drama this week came from Lynette and Tom who have been avoiding telling the kids about their separation. Tom (Doug Savant) was willing to go along for a while but after yet another manipulation by Lynette he forces the issue and the news is delivered off camera. The gravity of the situation hits Lynette after their pool fight and the ladies rally around her. I love the bond that these ladies have had all these years. Seeing them pull together, even if it’s to cover up a crime really warms my heart. At the core this show has always been about friendship and how it endures even the most ridiculous tests. Yes Lynette is manipulative and Susan is a mess and Bree is a control freak and Gabby is selfish…but they work together as a unit and I love that. Renee has yet to find her place in this group but I think she might before their swan song next spring.


The bombshell came in the closing moments and I hesitate to spoil it here for those who haven’t seen it. I will say this, if you’ve watched since the beginning then it will hit you like a ton of bricks. This opens a whole can of worms and my mind is reeling trying to sort out the possibilities it presents. Bravo Mark Cherry and Team Wisteria for injecting some life (and some desperation) back into my favorite housewives as they start down the road to the end. I can’t wait to see what comes next.

Desperate Housewives returns next Sunday at 9 pm on ABC.

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Taylor Lautner takes ‘Abduction’ across the pond

September 26, 2011 By 2 Comments

When you are as ab-tastic as 19-year-old Taylor Lautner, you have to be prepared to share that gift with the entire world! The Twilight Saga hunk was photographed departing from Radio 1 Studios in London, England on Monday, September 26th, 2011 where he was promoting his newest film, Abduction.

The dramatic thriller tells the story of Nathan (Lautner), a young man who sets out to uncover the truth about his life after finding his baby photo on a missing persons website. It co-stars Lily Collins and Harry Potter star Jason Isaacs.

In the United States, Abduction closed in fourth place at the Box Office behind The Lion King, Moneyball, and Dolphin Tale bringing in a respectful $11,200,000.

Folks across the pond in the UK can catch this new film in theaters September 28th.


Photo Cred: Fame Pictures

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Julianne Moore and Steve Coogan get to work on ‘What Maisie Knew’

September 26, 2011 By Leave a Comment

It has been great seeing photos of Alexander Skarsgard in the last month shooting scenes for his new film What Maisie Knew, but now it’s time for co-stars Julianne Moore and Steve Coogan to spend some time in front of the camera. The duo were spotted on location in New York City, New York on Monday, September 25th, 2011.

Also on set was the adorable Onata Aprile who is playing the title role of Maisie.

What Maisie Knew is a contemporary New York City revisioning of the Henry James novella by the same name. It revolves around unwitting 7-year-old Maisie, caught in the middle of a custody battle between her mother Susanna (Moore), an aging rock star, and her father, Beale (Coogan), a major art dealer.

Hunky Skarsgard plays the role of Lincoln, Maisie’s new step-father. Talk about an upgrade!


Photo Cred: Fame Pictures

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‘True Blood’ stars Joe Manganiello and Kristin Bauer catch the world premiere of Iris

September 26, 2011 By 3 Comments

Is anyone else suffering now that season four of HBO’s supernatural drama True Blood has concluded? It is my commitment to you all to continue promoting all the shows’ fabulous stars so as to make up just a little bit for their absence!

Joe Manganiello and Kristin Bauer were spotted on the red carpet at the IRIS, A Journey Through the World of Cinema by Cirque du Soleil premiere Sunday, September 25th, 2011 exclusively at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood, California.  As much as I want to go on about how hunky Mr. Manganiello is looking in these shots, I have to address Kristin’s stunning leopard print dress first!

The length and fit are perfect for her slender body so were her accessories;  a pair of simple black pumps and a matching clutch.

Now back to Joe!  The upcoming star of the Steven Soderberg film Magic Mike looked adorable in a pair of fitted black jeans and a sweater that featured some stars and stripes.  But could he really go wrong with anything he puts on?

I can’t wait for production to come down to Tampa!


Photo Cred: Wire Image

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Natalia Jimenez and Giselle Blondet dazzle at the Vanidades Icons of Style Awards

September 25, 2011 By Leave a Comment

It was an evening for fashion and accolades at the 2011 Vanidades “Icons Of Style Awards” Gala held at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel on Thursday, September 22nd, 2011 in New York City. Guests included Oscar de la Renta, Narciso Rodriguez, Iman, Natalia Jimenez, Giselle Blondet, Jackie Guerrido, Juan Luis Guerra, June Ambrose, Isabel Toledo, Carlos Vera, Angel Sanchez, Eduardo Cruz, & the TOUS family to name a few.

COVERGIRL & PANTENE had the honor to co-host the event alongside Televisa’s Vanidades Magazine. Both renowned P& G brands teamed up with Latina beauties Natalia Jimenez & Giselle Blondet to help them prepare their glam looks for the red carpet using the latest makeup and hair styling products by both CoverGirl and Pantene.

Don’t you just love Natalia’s 1960′s vintage dress and Jimmy Choo heels?! She is in a class of her own and is definitely one to watch on the red carpet!

Click here for the detailed products used on Natalia and Giselle including a fun photo diary of Jimenez; the 29-year-old leader of La 5ª Estación who just released her first solo album in June.

Among those honored were Cuban fashion designer Isabel Toledo, Colombian handbag designer Nancy Gonzalez, and Dominican singer Juan Luis Guerra for his philanthropic work.


Photo Cred: Wire Image

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FRINGE is back, and “Neither Here Nor There”

September 24, 2011 By 1 Comment

Where is Peter Bishop?

Fringe is back on Friday nights after the longest and hottest summer in recent memory and the question of the hour is “Where is Peter Bishop?” When we last saw our handsome hero he was patiently explaining the meaning of life to Olivia (Anna Torv) and Walter (John Noble) after saving the universes from certain destruction, then he vanished. To add insult to injury no one else seems to remember him, no one except the Observers whose names I can never get straight. So where is he?

The season four premiere, aptly titled “Neither Here Nor There” does very little to answer that question. In fact very little was said about Peter (Joshua Jackson) at all since no one remembers him. Instead it is business as usual for Fringe division who are hot on the trail of a translucent vampire who sucks the metal out of peoples blood making them translucent as well. When Agent Lee’s (Seth Gabel) partner becomes one of the victims he forces his way into the investigation through an impressive display of his mad FBI skills. He is so badass, and I love a man in glasses.

Peter isn’t completely gone though, and Walter is going more crazy than usual now that he has begun seeing a strange man reflected in mirrors and tv screens. That man is Peter of course but he doesn’t know that. And Walter seems to have reverted back to his crazy season one self, babbling a lot and refusing to leave the lab. Without Peter in their lives the whole team seems a bit off and there is a lot of talk about what is missing from their lives. When Walter realizes one of the victims was wearing an engagement ring he says:

“Nothing is sadder than when two people are meant to be together and something intervenes.”

So true Walter. A few minutes later Agent Lee echoes that sentiment when he senses that Olivia doesn’t care about the lies Fringe division has to tell to victims families to protect themselves. She has a change of heart though and makes nice with Agent Lee by the end.

So where is Peter? I didn’t expect we’d find out in this first episode but given the fact that he’s showing up in reflections and he even flickered into view once or twice when no one was looking is a good indication that he’s stuck between the two universes. Whatever the Observers were trying to didn’t quite work and now the one responsible for the screw up has to complete the job and erase Peter from time completely, because as the older one said “they can never know the boy lived to be a man”. The boy? I assume they mean Peter’s son. Where is that kid anyway? The Observer is unable to throw the switch on his little machine and I’m sure he’ll pay for that later.

One of my favorite moments this week was defintely when the Observer (November? September? June?) went shopping and calmly explained to the clerk that he needed to erase someone from time as if that were the most normal thing in the world. And I love Agent Lee. The other was at the beginning when Fauxlivia and Olivia had a little verbal smackdown. But my favorite quote came from Astrid (Jasika Nicole) when she began examining the second victim with Walter guiding her on the phone:

“I’ll need to check her anus.”

So Fringe is back in my life and everything is right with the world again. I have missed my extended family over these long hot months and it was nice to see them kicking ass and being fantastic. But I miss Peter most of all. Tune in next week and maybe we’ll get a bit closer to finding him.

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