DVD Review: Ugly Betty The Complete Fourth and Final Season

There's one show that won't be returning this fall that I am going to miss like crazy. Actually, I'm already missing it like crazy. Thankfully, I can relive the final season over and over again as Ugly Betty The Complete Fourth and Final Season recently released on DVD.



Release Date: August 17, 2010
Rating: TV PG
Running Time: 860 minutes

Betty sure has come a long way! She is finally coming into her own and getting what she’s worked so hard for. But what she doesn’t realize is that she’s starting over in so many ways, and if she wants to play in the big leagues she needs to keep up. Ugly Betty: The Complete Fourth and Final Season focuses on her transformation – both personally and professionally – and how she will navigate these new waters as only she can. If Betty wants to succeed, she will once again have to rely on her heart, perseverance and intelligence – along with some help from her family, friends and a few unlikely allies.

Ugly Betty was one of the most entertaining and under-appreciated shows on television in recent years. I admit, I had my preconceptions about the show prior to watching an early season on television when a marathon happened to be running over the holidays. After that, I was hooked. I could not believe that I had opted not to watch this show for so long. I won't be able to look at Vanessa Williams anymore without thinking about Wilhelmina Slater. Every character has grown so much since season one and in such positive ways...and aside from Betty, I was most pleased with how much Wilhelmina grew as a person in the final season. What I enjoyed the most about the final season is that even though the cancellation was somewhat of a shock, the announcement was given in enough time for this season to be written out well. Everything wrapped up smoothly and nothing was rushed. After seasons of watching Justin struggle with his sexuality, he finally came out to his family. After seasons of watching Hilda go in and out of relationships, she finally found the one for her. The Suarez family as a whole always stood by each others' sides no matter what the situation. Though sometimes they butted heads, the Suarez family represents a strong and loving family to the end and that is admirable. My favorite partners in crime, Marc and Amanda were entertaining together but seemed to get farther individually and believe it or not, it was refreshing and quite exciting to make moves as individuals. Claire reunited with her long lost son and that was a person and story line that I rooted for surprisingly more than I expected myself to. There was quite a bit of conflict for the Meade family all around. So much happened in this season and every bit of it I enjoyed. Though there are some actors that did not reprise their roles one last time (*cough* Rebecca Romijn *cough*), I really did enjoy how everyone's story lines wrapped up. The actors shined their brightest in the hottest locations and the writing was truly superb. I especially enjoyed the episodes in which Mode went to the Bahamas, when Betty held Hilda's bachelorette party in London, England, and the alternate reality episode. I laughed, I cried. I loved it all.

Bonus Features:

Mode After Hours - Becki Newton and Michael Urie are two of my favorite actors on Ugly Betty, so watching their web series on the DVD was such a treat! I purposely did not watch the web series while the show was still on the air so that I could still have new Ugly Betty footage to watch even after the series finale. It was definitely worth the wait and is definitely worth watching over and over again. These two never fail to make me laugh or drop my jaw in shock, or both. This is a must see feature for all of you die hard Ugly Betty fans.

Betty Goes Bahamas (8:30 minutes) - Becki Newton and Michael Urie are back in another special feature! They can be seen relaxing on the beach and afterwords, begin a hunt to find the other cast members that are hanging out around the island of the Bahamas. They aren't lucky spotting the cast members, but the fans are lucky enough to see what the cast is up to on their downtime. Ana Ortiz and Marc Indelicato swim with the dolphins, Vanessa Williams, Judith Light, and Tony Plana are at the fancy restaurant, Nobu, and America Ferrera can be seen lounging by the poolside. It's fun to soak up the beautiful setting of the Bahamas as well as watch Becki and Michael run around the island playfully in and out of character.

Betty Bloops (6:32 minutes) - Round of applause to the all involved in making this reel over 6 minutes long. I strongly dislike blooper reels of comedy shows that are barely 3 minutes long, so I am thrilled that this show went above and beyond. This truly is one of my favorite blooper reels this year. Fans will see random spouts of laughter, cast members missing marks and messing up their lines, pranks, prop issues, and lots more. There's a small portion of the reel dedicated to "Accidents" aka trips and falls, "Smoochin" aka when Amanda is kissing Matt and then sees Betty in her mind, and "Noise" aka odd noises on set and odd noises from the cast. "Smoochin" was quite hilarious since Becki and America were laughing hysterically right before the big kiss. Such professionals. Got to love those two! "Noise" was interesting since this bit actually included not only odd noises but bits of the cast making odd faces and then the reel ends with the crew dancing wildly in the Bahamas during a sunset. It's all very bittersweet this reel...and you really can't watch it just once.

Deleted Scenes - In Guy Talk, Bobby asks Marc for advice on being friends with Justin and it would have worked with in the show if Justin hadn't gone to the Beyonce concert with Austin. In Wedding Planning, the Suarez family is sitting at the table working on Hilda and Bobby's wedding plans when Justin comes downstairs and Bobby suggests that he invite Austin to the party as a friend. Betty chimes in to say that she is bringing a friend but based on Justin's reaction to Bobby's suggestion...it seems this scene would have taken place right after Bobby saw "the kiss." I am glad that this was taken out because Bobby tries to encourage Justin to be more open and that has to happen on his time. Had this scene not been deleted, I do not think that Justin's relationship with Bobby would have become what it has become in the same amount of time since Bobby seemed to cross an unwritten boundary. In Going To Far, Marc boldly tells Wilhelmina that she is going to far in her schemes. I would have loved to have seen this scene placed right before Willie ended up in the hospital. I don't believe that is where the scene was originally supposed to fit, but I think that would have been great. For the most part, I enjoyed the deleted scenes and wish commentary had been added to explain why these scenes were cut.

Commentary for "All the World's A Stage" - The commentary was conducted by Actors Michael Urie and Mark Indelicato. The day that the two stars they recorded this commentary was actually the last day that they were shooting on the Mode set. So it was bittersweet and full of laughs and entertainment. Hearing the two bounce back and forth off of each others' words was so much fun. I wish this had been a video commentary. The guys talk more about the show in general than this episode, but it doesn't matter because it's all great stuff. I especially enjoyed when the two talked about working with guest star, Carol Kane and Broadway star, Aaron Tveit (Next to Normal). If you have this DVD in your posession, you are really missing out if you do not listen to this commentary.

Own Ugly Betty The Complete Fourth and Final Season on DVD today.

DVD Review: The Last Song

After having enjoyed reading The Last Song by Nicholas Sparks, I was very excited to see the film adaptation. I am happy to say that I was pleased with the film and I have become the owner of The Last Song Blu-ray DVD Combo Pack.



Release Date: August 17, 2010
Rating: PG
Running Time: Approx 107 minutes

Miley Cyrus shines as the star of this heartwarming coming-of-age movie that will strike your emotional chords. Based on the novel by Nicholas Sparks (Dear John, The Notebook), The Last Song follows Ronnie (Cyrus) and her estranged father as he tries to restore the loving relationship they once had. But reconnecting with his rebellious daughter isn’t easy, so he chooses the one thing they still have in common — music. Complete with not-to-be-missed bonus features — the Miley Cyrus music video “When I Look At You,” exclusive interviews with the actress and more — this uplifting and touching drama about family, first loves and second chances is a heartfelt story to you won’t soon forget.

Now if you've seen or read previous Nicholas Sparks films/books than this film is completely predictable. It's a love story and there's a death. The set up is not as smooth as it is in the book, but once the film gets going, you get sucked in. Though easily predictable, who can't get sucked into a love story and broken family? Yes, I'll say it...it's what you would expect a melodrama starring Miley Cyrus to be. Miley is not fantastic when tackling drama. But because Miley fell in love with her co-star, Liam that obviously made their chemistry much sweeter on screen. If they hadn't fallen in love, I don't think that this film would have been as good as it is. It is so much fun to watch the romance unravel between both Miley and Liam and their characters Ronnie and Will. Aside from the romantics, Ronnie's relationship with her father clearly needs repairing. Unfortunately it takes a tragedy to make this happen, but better late than never. Ronnie came to the South from New York at the beginning of the summer one person and left a completely different person. She met her first love and lost a very important one. Sure, I enjoyed Sparks' other book/film, Dear John that came out in theaters the same month as The Last Song. There's not as much depth in The Last Song but Ronnie learns to find herself and appreciate love and life in such an innocent way and that is what I love about The Last Song. It's sweet, it's charming, it's heartwarming. This is a feel good movie that will leave you thinking about how you will next show your appreciation for the ones that you love and the opportunities that you have. If you want the best insight into these characters though, I do recommend reading the book.

Bonus Features:

Set Tour with Bobby Coleman (5:06 minutes) – Actor, Bobby Coleman takes viewers behind the scenes of the movie set in Tybee Island, Georgia while he interviews various crew members including Interview Producer, Adam Shankman, Miley Cyrus' Trailer Security Guard, Warren, Makeup Department Head, John R. Bayles, Hair Department Head, Patricia Glasser, Key Craft Services, Reva Grantham, Grip, Chris "Barefoot" Alled, and Video Assist, Charles "Chaz" Laughon. Miley Cyrus makes a brief appearance in this feature. Overall, this is a fun feature to watch since viewers are introduced to crew members that usually are never in the spotlight. As far as a tour, there isn't a general layout shared as to where the departments are on the set amongst each other but this feature was worth it just to meet some of the amazing people who worked on this film.

Making of the Music Video, “When I Look At You” with Miley Cyrus (4:20 minutes) - Miley Cyrus talks about how the song became attached to the film and Director, Adam Shankman talks about the premise of the music video in this special feature as well as working with Miley and the cast and crew. I was happy that it was made a point that the goal was to create a more mature and still simple version of Miley Cyrus. Even though Miley's character in the book is grungier, I love the wardrobe and look that was chosen for Miley on screen. She pulled off the look great. Also in this feature, co-star, Liam Hemsworth talks about his part in the music video and production designer, Nelson Coates talks about the use of the black grand piano in the music video. The shots of the grand piano are my favorite in the music video, so I definietly appreciated the time spent on talking about it. Overall, this was a very well produced special feature that I would watch again and again if I was a huge Miley fan. It's a very well put together behind the scenes look.

Miley Cyrus Music Video: “When I Look At You” (4:15 minutes) - Miley fans, the entire music video is on this DVD as a special feature and it's a fabulous one. Miley is all grown up and in a classy way in this music video. Not only is the song beautiful, but the setting is as well and everything about this music video is fantastic. It is definitely worth the watch, whether you are a Miley fan or not.

Commentary - The commentary was conducted by director, Julie Ann Robinson and co-producer Jennifer Gibgot. Honestly, I was not all that captivated by this commentary. This was probably the least interesting commentary that I have listened to in quite some time. There were a few interesting facts that I learned. For instance, the crew scouted 4 states before they reached their shooting location of Georgia. Though Georgia did provide a number of weather conflicts. Another conflict was working with raccoons. Listen to the commentary for the reason why. Liam got scuba certified and Miley had a body double, Stephanie since Miley was under the age of 18 while filming and her work hours were restricted. You'll see Stephanie many times in the film and not even realize it is her. Although while watching the film, I did notice a certain shot was not Miley (when Ronnie is leaning against the door after she gets kissed) since Miley is not as short as Stephanie. Anyway, there is lots to learn about what went on behind the scenes though it's honestly just too boring and dry of a commentary to listen to in one sitting or right after viewing the film.

Own The Last Song on DVD & Blu-ray today.

New Outsourced Sneak Peak

I absolutely loved the Pilot of NBC's new Thursday night comedy, Outsourced...but until you get to see the show's premiere, check out this new sneak peak with clips and interviews from the cast!



Outsourced premieres Thursday, September 23, 2010 at 9:30/8:30c on NBC.

Chris Riggi Talks About The Film, Vampires Suck

It's Friday night and if you aren't at the movies, you are probably on your way there figuring out what you would like to see. After seeing the hilarious trailer for Vampires Suck and interviewing star, Chris Riggi about the film...my recommendation would definitely be Vampires Suck. But don't just take my word for it...see what Chris had to say about working on the film below in this new interview:




So what was it like working with the directors of Vampires Suck, Jason Friedberg and Aaron Seltzer?
I knew the directors' work, so the audition process was pretty quick. They were great and they were really serious. If you know the work that they have done, when you meet them, you might assume that they will be a little laid back but they are so on fire for their work. They know exactly what they want, no questions asked. They are really dedicated and driven. They are all about their work.

So was there any room for improv?
I really didn't improv at all. There were some moments that were improved but the guys know what they want. During the audition, I took off my shirt and spread oil over my body and they included it in the film. But while fining, I stood with the script and just did what they wanted.

How many times have you seen the Twilight films?
Oh God. I've seen them all dozens of times. I had them on set to watch a lot to relate to and mimick some movements and such. I hadn't seen the film until I had gotten the role. The films were a lot of fun and I'd say that I'm a Twilight fan now.

What were the challenges playing Jacob?
I got the comedy down for what they wanted done but I'd say that getting in shape was the hardest part for me. It was a pleasure though.

What is your favorite aspect of the vampire?
Since they've been around for so long, they've experienced so much history and have so much knowledge. What they know about life and even the way that they talk to women…they are so romantic and they know how to do it right. Though I don't know what the whole sucking blood thing is about. (laughs)

Have you heard any feedback from the Twilight Actors? Also, since the release of the trailer, what have you found the reaction to be from Twilight fans?
No not at all. I've heard some things from the fans though and it's been a mixture. Though the twihards seem to like it a lot. I'm sure there are people who just love Twilight and won't see it or there will be fans who will see it and may feel that it made fun of the characters. We are really complimenting the actors and the film. It's a form of flattery if anything else.

What was your favorite part about filming a parody film?
I took the work very seriously but I like the fact that I didn't take myself too seriously. It made it easier to do the things that I needed to do. I also had never worn a harness and been shot in the air, so that was fun. You know, the physical parts weren't as challenging since I had gotten into such great shape over 3 months, so it was a lot of fun.

So will you be watching the upcoming season of Gossip Girl or perhaps re-appear on the show?
I had a blast filming and I would totally go back to that show. Everyone was so kind and everyone let each other have room to breathe. I'm really flattered when people mention Gossip Girl because people really love these characters and this show. I leave the television on for my dog, so when I am cooking in the kitchen and the show is on, I do watch it. I'd love to go back to the show and be more playful with the character.

So what are your upcoming projects?
I have a few projects under wraps though in a recent project, I play a rock n roll drummer and that was fun. I had a drum teacher before filming and on set. It was such a delight to be able to learn how to play such a cool instrument.

Have you continued playing as a hobby?
Oh yeah, totally 100%. I'm constantly going out to auditions and it comes into play sometimes but I don't know if I want to be in a band just yet.

So what do you think about Leighton Meester and Taylor Momsen's music careers?
It's cool how they transitioned from acting to music. Any one who can juggle both, props to them. I've heard Leighton's music before and I just love Taylor's song, "Make Me Wanna Die." I play it when I work out.


Vampires Suck is in theaters now.

Film to Look Out For: Expecting Mary

High School Musical star, Olesya Rulin can soon be seen in the upcoming film, Expecting Mary, which has already been well recognized by many film festivals.



Expecting Mary is the story of pregnant young Mary, who's had all the trappings of an upscale life, but it's only when she finds herself in a small New Mexico town, in a down-trodden trailer park, that she learns the real meaning of love, sacrifice and family.

The film also stars Elliott Gould, Lainie Kazan, Cybill Shepherd, Cloris Leachman, Della Reese, Fred Willard and Gene Simmons and is written & directed by Dan Gordon (“The Hurricane” and “Wyatt Earp”).

If you like what you see in the trailer, you can "like" the film on Facebook (and by doing so will be eligible to win free movie tickets!) and follow the film on Twitter.

I will definitely go out to see Expecting Mary this September. How about you?

Expecting Mary hits theaters September 10, 2010.

Jimmy Fallon & Kylie Minogue Entertain on America's Got Talent

Last night, I went to a taping of America's Got Talent! It was a lot of fun! Jimmy Fallon made a surprise appearance and Kylie Minogue performed her new single, "Get Outta My Way" from her new album, Aphrodite. Jimmy is hosting the Emmy Awards this Sunday, so it was quite exciting to see him and Kylie rarely comes to America...so it was such a treat to be able to see her in action. Both performers were fantastic!

You already know that I'll be watching the Emmys. But you may not have known that I do not own a single Kylie Minogue album. After last night's performance, I will definitely be changing my tune and collecting her music. She is fabulous. I always knew it but never went the extra step. I think seeing her has encouraged me to take that step and put her tunes on my iPod.

Kylie's performance was a once in a lifetime experience but you can catch Jimmy Fallon sharing one of his talents, channeling Adam Sandler, Robin Williams, Bill Cosby, and many more. Check it out here:



After a couple of hours of waiting in line, the show started and time flew by. Since the show is in the semi-finals, we did not see any of the contestants perform. We did catch an act from last season, Recycled Percussion perform as well as 5/10 of the contestants move onto the next round. All in all, it was a fun experience and I would definitely go back.

You can watch the full episode here. Enjoy!

Be Backstage at the Emmy Awards!

This Sunday night, seven cameras will follow the stars backstage at The 62nd Primetime Emmy Awards and stream all of the footage live online! Not only that, the "thank you" speeches spoken backstage after the big win on stage will also stream live!

And of course, first and foremost, the red carpet can be seen first on UStream for those of you who won't be in front of the television until the award ceremony begins. The live stream begins at 4pm PST / 7pm EST right here.

Also, if you haven't seen host Jimmy Fallon's Emmy Award promo videos, check them out below:





The 62nd Primetime Emmy Awards will air LIVE on Sunday, August 29, 2010 at 8ET/5PT.

You Again Stars on Funny or Die

If you haven't visited Funny or Die before, you are really missing out...so here's a good time to do so. The stars of the upcoming comedy, You Again recently created a new FOD video and you can watch it right here. It is so funny!



You may remember hearing a bit about the film when I recently interviewed actress, Christine Lakin. Since then, the synopsis has been released. Check it out:

Successful PR pro Marni (Kristen Bell) heads home for her older brother’s (Jimmy Wolk) wedding and discovers that he’s marrying her high school arch nemesis (Odette Yustman), who’s conveniently forgotten their problematic past. Then the bride’s jet-setting aunt (Sigourney Weaver) bursts in and Marni’s not-so-jet-setting mom (Jamie Lee Curtis) comes face to face with her own high school rival. The claws come out and old wounds are opened in this crazy comedy that proves that not all rivalries are forever.

You Again stars Kristen Bell, Jamie Lee Curtis, Sigourney Weaver, Odette Yustman, Christine Lakin, Kristin Chenoweth, Victor Garber and Betty White.

You Again is in theaters September 24, 2010. I'll be heading out to see the film this fall and hope that you do as well!

Get Flipped

Movie fans...

Flipped Star, Madeline Carroll (Astroboy) and Writer/Directer, Rob Reiner (Stand by Me, When Harry Met Sally, Sleepless in Seattle) will take part in a live video chat tomorrow at 7/6c on Facebook.



Flipped is a movie that explores the return to the simplicity of first love as a teenager along with great family values, in a story that everyone can relate to. It is a perfect introduction to the adolescent war between the sexes.


Flipped has received lots of positive buzz here in LA so I am looking forward to the nationwide response and finding out what the two discuss in the chat. RSVP on Facebook.

Flipped opens nationwide August 27, 2010.

Jennette McCurdy Releases EP

iCarly star and singer/songwriter, Jennette McCurdy has released her first country EP, Not That Far Away on iTunes!



I am a huge fan of iCarly and was quite surprised with Jennette's singing talents when I watched a few of her YouTube videos, so I am excited to listen to the EP. Jennette co-wrote three of the four tracks on the EP including the title track which she wrote with Rachel Proctor and Blair Daly and all of the tracks were produced by Paul Worley (Lady Antebellum).

Jennette is also currently working on her debut album. She has also collaborated with Lady Antebellum’s Dave Haywood and Charles Kelley and co-written with Jessi Alexander (Miley Cyrus’ “The Climb”), Liz Rose (Taylor Swift), and Luke Laird (Carrie Underwood). Jennette signed with Capitol Nashville on her 17th birthday, inking her deal June 26, 2009. A lot has taken place since then, so I am really looking forward to all of her upcoming music. It is definitely worth checking out.

Not That Far Away is available on iTunes now.

iCarly, currently in production on its third season, airs regularly on Saturday at 8pm (ET/PT) on Nickelodeon.

BACK2BROADWAY MONTH

To kick off the new season of Broadway, this year Broadway will continue its annual events including new shows, free concerts, special offers & discounts, and more! Check out some of the key events below:

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 12th at 11:30am
Broadway on Broadway® free concert presented by HUE LEGGINGS and Continental Airlines, and proudly sponsored by AT&T and The New York Times - This free outdoor concert in the heart of Times Square kicks off the new Broadway season with star performances from new shows and long-running favorites, accompanied by a live 30-piece orchestra. (Times Square, 11:30am)
broadwayonbroadway.com

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 14th
Broadway Salutes – Second annual public celebration presented by The Broadway League and the Coalition of Broadway Unions and Guilds (COBUG) honoring the myriad of artists who have made Broadway great for decades – with special recognition for those who have worked 25, 35, and 50 years in their respective theatrical craft. (Duffy Square, 4:00pm)

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 15th
Broadway Open Call Karaoke in Times Square - Sing your favorite show tunes in the heart of Times Square, hosted by Sirius XM Radio’s Julie James. (Duffy Square, 5:00pm)

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 22nd
Broadway Dance Studio in Times Square – Learn the hottest moves in the middle of the theatre district! Hosted by Sirius XM Radio’s Julie James (Duffy Square, 5:00pm)

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 25th
Broadway Open House Theatre Tours – An exclusive look at what goes on in Broadway’s historic playhouses before the audience comes in.

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 26th
Broadway Flea Market and Grand Auction benefiting Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS – The biggest and brightest stars from Broadway, Off-Broadway, dance and daytime television come out to greet fans and sell memorabilia. Costume pieces, autographs, original scripts, rare photographs, and more. (Shubert Alley, 10:00am – 7:00pm)

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 22, 29
SIRIUS XM Radio “Live on Broadway” Lunchtime Concert hosted by Seth Rudetsky - Free live taping of weekly national satellite radio program featuring musical performances and interviews with Broadway stars (Broadway Concierge & Ticket Center®, 12:00pm – 1:00pm)

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 29th
Broadway Star Chat: Interactive panel discussion featuring Broadway stars and insiders.

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 30th
Broadway Happy Hour – A chance to mingle with Broadway stars, insiders and theatre-lovers. Details to be announced on Facebook.com/BroadwayHappyHour.

To get more information and a full calendar of events, visit ILoveNYTheater.com.

NBC Web Exclusives

NBC has just released some cool behind-the-scenes and interview footage for its new and returning NBC shows...so here are a few video exclusives from 3 new shows that I am anticipating very much and one video exclusive from my favorite NBC returning show, Chuck!

Ben Rappaport and Rebecca Hazlewood shed some light on each other's characters from Outsourced:


The Event star Jason Ritter talks about filming of the Pilot episode here:



Check out a clip from the Fall Press Tour interview with Undercovers cast members, Mekia Cox and Carter MacIntyre:



Bromance is the name of the game when it comes to Chuck and Morgan. Watch the cast and crew of Chuck talk about their unique relationship here:

DVD Review: Cougar Town The Complete First Season

I was really surprised at how entertaining Cougar Town Season One turned out to be. I am not a cougar myself nor do I have any interest in seeing a cougar on the prowl. But I kept hearing such good things about the show that I had to get back to watching after I had seen the Pilot. I am so happy that I did and am now a happy owner of Cougar Town The Complete First Season on DVD!



Release Date: August 17, 2010
Rating: TV 14
Running Time: 520 Minutes

Golden Globe nominee Courteney Cox (Friends) stars in the hilarious hit comedy Cougar Town: The Complete First Season. After spending the last seventeen years as a wife and mother, recently divorced Jules (Cox) has reluctantly waded back into the dating pool and quickly finds herself in over her head. Now forty-something and single, Jules tackles real-life issues – dating, parenting and friendship. It doesn’t help Jules that her two best friends can hardly stand each other, her ex-husband is hanging around more now than he did during their marriage…and there’s that handsome divorced neighbor that Jules can’t quite get out of her head. Packed with laugh-out-loud moments and featuring a cast of television’s brightest comedic stars, Cougar Town struts its stuff in this DVD collection, along with exclusive bonus features and one or two special surprises. Cougar Town – it’s more than a place, it’s a state of mind.

In the beginning, Cougar Town is a very fun and racy look at 40 year old real estate agent, Jules (Courteney Cox) rediscovering her 20s. Around episodes 6 and 7, the tone shifts as the elements to the show mature. It becomes less about sex and more about serious romantic relationships, friendships, and family. The chemistry amongst the cast is so genuine and ultimately makes up one hilarious dysfunctional family. This ensemble cast delivers the comedy perfectly. I couldn’t imagine anyone other than Busy Philipps playing Laurie, one of Jules’ best friends. Her comedic timing and delivery is impeccable.

I also really enjoyed the direction that the show headed after the first few episodes…as there are only so many sex jokes one can hear before everything seems redundant. Thankfully, this show improved significantly in its plot and with its characters. The writing is solid…very clever, the dialogue is sharp and shockingly honest…the show has heart. Cougar Town is not mean spirited or insulting. That might be because the stars of the show are so tightly connected behind the scenes. Star, Courteney Cox and her husband, David Arquette both executive-produce the series. Christa Miller who plays Ellie, Jules’ longtime best friend is also the music supervisor for the show and her husband, Bill Lawrence is the show’s creator/executive producer/writer. Regardless of the reason, I am glad with how fabulous the show has become. The setting of Florida is quite refreshing and pleasing to the eyes (for those who haven’t been to Florida and don’t know any better and for those who haven’t been to Culver City, CA where the show films). In the end, this show is definitely worth watching and ABC’s entire comedy line up this fall is worth watching. So make sure to pick up Cougar Town The Complete First Season on DVD and stay tuned for new episodes of all of ABC’s comedies this fall.

Bonus Features:

Taming Cougar Town (4:47 minutes) – This feature puts the spotlight on the creators of the show and the cast during the filming of the Pilot episode. Executive Producer/Creator, Bill Lawrence talks about how the concept for the show was created. Co-Executive Producer/Creator, Kevin Biegel mentions that it was intentional to not have the show set in LA or NY though I wish he explained why Florida specifically was chosen. Florida is a great place, so it would have been cool to get more background on the decision to choose the setting, which is really a main character in the show as well. What I did find interesting was Producer, Randall Winston talking about the double standard of women dating younger and men dating younger. I can appreciate this truth, especially since it seems the cast plays exaggerated versions of themselves. It makes the show all the more honest and humorous. Not only that, but the crew makes sure to keep a balance amongst the sexes when it comes to the "nudity." There is as much male "nudity" as their is female "nudity" on the show. Though there is a battle of the sexes, ultimately no sex is left behind. What I found to be brave, smart, and really appreciative was Courteney Cox not using a body double in the opening scene of the Pilot, specifically. Good job Courteney! She has no shame in aging and that allows her to do so much on the show. This was a fun and simple feature to watch that can possibly spark quite a discussion amongst your circle of friends. Courtney Cox, Christa Miller, Ian Gomez, Dan Byrd, Josh Hopkins, and Busy Philipps also appear in this feature.

Deleted Scenes - There are five deleted scenes on this DVD and only one caught my attention. "Time Warp" from the episode, Into The Great Wide Open made me laugh aloud. I wish that this had been kept in! The other deleted scenes are worth the watch but it is completely understandable why they were deleted. "Free Sessions" and "Man Pillow" from the episode, Pilot, "It's Okay To Be A Little Selfish" from the episode, Don't Do Me Like That, and "Tiny Bubbles" from the episode, Two Gunslingers are the other deleted scenes on this feature.

Bloopers (1:48 minutes) - There's lots of dancing and goofing around, a few cast members messing up their lines, Ian Gomez's backside, Courtney flops with a few props, and more in this blooper reel. For such a funny comedy, I expected lots more footage on the reel, though what was shown was pretty entertaining.

Jimmy Kimmel Live: Saber-Tooth Tiger Town (1:58 minutes) - This feature here is Jimmy Kimmel's idea of a Cougar Town spin off. This parody stars Cloris Leachman and is definitely worth watching after you have watched the entire season of Cougar Town. I know I appreciated this parody more after having seen the series.

"My Sexuality" Music Video (1:02 minutes) - This music video is not a full length music video/song, but the song will get the song stuck in your head nonetheless. Viewers watch Josh Hopkins recording the song in the studio as well as clips from the show. I heard the song enough on the show, so I don't see myself playing this feature over and over again.

Ask Barb - There are 9 uncut segments where Barb answers your questions about herself and sex. Needless to say, this is for mature audiences only. Each segment is less than 2 minutes long and is hilarious! She sports 4 different outfits in the 9 segments and all are quite colorful, along with the drinks in her hands as she is sitting at the bar. Hopefully this web exclusive continues to make it on future DVDs because this is funny stuff! Carolyn Hennesy is a riot!

Stroking it with Bobby Cobb - There are 4 segments, all less than 1:20 minutes where Bobby Cobb give golfing advice with co-star, Andy Torres in 3/4 segments. Golf is a big deal in Florida, so it's no surprise that a feature was dedicated to the sport. Though the first segment is less about the sport and more about what sexual references can be made while playing the sport. Hmm...perhaps next season a local golf star can have a walk on role? Who knows. That would be a better tie in than these features. Ah well, they tried.

Own Cougar Town The Complete First Season on DVD today.

Cougar Town Season 2 Premieres September 22, 2010 at 9:30/8:30c on ABC.

Parenthood Promo

One of my favorite new NBC shows from this past TV season was Parenthood, so I am very exciting to be sharing a new promo for the new season!



Ah! I love it!

Season 2 of Parenthood premieres Tuesday September 14, 2010 at 10/9c on NBC.

Friday Night Lights Coming to ABC Family

In case you haven't heard...Friday Night Lights is coming to ABC Family weeknights beginning Tuesday, September 7th at 6pm!



Expanding on the hit feature film and best-selling book “Friday Night Lights,” the award-winning show centers on life in Dillon, Texas, where high school football brings the community together—and the drama of small town life threatens to tear it apart. Coach Eric Taylor must lead his Dillon Panthers through the highs and lows of high school football, as well as the curve balls that life outside of the game throws at them. Through it all, the Panthers try to achieve greatness on and off the field.

After watching the "Pilot," I had always been interested in this show, so I will definitely be watching. I look forward to finally being serious about getting into the show (through ABC Family & Netflix) and being all caught up before the series finale on NBC. I have heard nothing but positive things about this show and have heard numerous times that is it the one show that you may not be watching that you need to be watching. So definitely tune in this September!

Friday Night Lights stars Kyle Chandler, Connie Britton, Aimee Teegarden, Zach Gilford, Brad Leland, Taylor Kitsch, Minka Kelly, Adrianne Palicki, Jesse Plemons, Gaius Charles and Scott Porter.

Bond of Silence on Lifetime Monday Night

This Monday night, check out the new Lifetime original movie, Bond of Silence, starring Kim Raver (Grey’s Anatomy, 24) and Greg Grunberg (Heroes).



In “Bond of Silence,” Kim Raver stars as Katy McIntosh, a woman whose husband, Bob (David Cubitt), is mysteriously murdered while trying to quell a wild teenage house party on New Year’s Eve. Searching for answers about her husband’s death, Katy faces a shroud of secrecy from the teens and their protective parents as they attempt to prevent her from finding out the truth. Greg Grunberg stars as Paul Jackson, the detective helping Katy uncover the secrets behind what really happened.

It sounds interesting and I love the two leads, so I'll be watching. Will you?

Bond of Silence premieries on Lifetime Monday, August 23, 2010 at 9/8c.

Watch E! This Sunday Night

An all new season of Keeping up with the Kardashians premieres on E! tomorrow at 10pm! This season, viewers will get to see not only what Kim, Khloe, and Kourtney have been up to but what little sisters, Kendall and Kylie have been up to this past year. There will be lots to be entertained by, so definitely tune in tomorrow night!



Stay tuned afterwards, as the new series, The Spin Crowd, which is executive produced by Kim Kardashian, premieres at 10:30 pm. PR guru Jonathan Cheban takes his New York-based business bicoastal and aims to conquer the Hollywood celebrity scene, assisted by his affable lieutenant Simon Huck and the group of publicists that make up Command PR when The Spin Crowd premieres!

E! never fails to reel me in and I know you'll enjoy these shows, so make sure to DVR them if you aren't able to watch live!

Reviewing Big Brother 12 So Far

Now that it's the halfway point of Big Brother 12, I wanted to share my thoughts on all that has gone on.



In the beginning of the season, as far as first impressions go, I was not a fan of Annie. She seemed like someone who didn't need much to get her off once angry - (fast forward to this week and it turns out that person is Britney). Although once Annie was introduced as the first saboteur of the season, I was actually kind of thrilled. It wasn't until that point that I kind of wanted her to stay. Too bad Hayden as HoH and the rest of the house didn't knock out the showmance early on by evicting Rachel instead of Annie since Brendon won the veto and took himself off the block...making Hayden put up Annie in his place. It's so funny how the house could have gotten Rachel out the very first week but chose to evict Annie. It's so funny how things change from week to week in the house.

As for week two, I knew that Britney was snarky but I didn't realize that there wasn't an off switch. She reminds me of myself and my sisters times 10. She's a very smart girl and if there is any female that I am rooting for in this game, it would be her but I just do not see the reason to be so snarky all of the time. Still, I was glad that she won the POV, Rachel put Matt up in her place, and Monet was evicted in the end. Monet didn't seem like she was playing the game, hence taking up space so au revoir!

Week 3 was kind of shocking since Matt went against his alliance, "The Brigade" which consists of Matt, Enzo, Hayden, and Lane. I'm surprised there wasn't a fallout amongst this alliance over Matt's decision. Matt is good at persuasion. Clearly, Matt is doing his own thing, while sitting pretty in a comfortable alliance. He could definitely make it in the final two. So he nominated Andrew and Kathy instead of the showmance, Brendon and Rachel. Of course he left the nominations the same since the house wanted Matt to backdoor one of them. Andrew was evicted and as far as I am concerned, that's a good thing. He seemed like a good guy but at times he seemed too frazzled and some of the things that he did on the live feed were questionable. So, it was nice to see him go before he did something unforgivable. His goodbye speech sure shook the house.

Andrew didn't leave without dropping the news of Hayden and Kristen's showmance. These two kept their romance very under the radar, so there was some shock amongst the house guests. I hadn't read what was going on in the live feeds lately, so I was unaware of the growing tension between Rachel and Kristen. As far as I knew, they were the best of friends. That changed quickly. With Rachel winning HOH (again) and putting the new showmance on the block, the game was on! Showmance vs. showmance. Britney is a firecracker at the POV competitions and won again. She will definitely be a target once the showmances are evicted. But anyway, she won and kept the nominees the same, so Kristen was sent home packing. I am so glad that it was Kristen because Hayden definitely deserved to stay. It took Kristen far too long to start campaigning for her to stay, so she did not deserve to stay.

Rachel handed back HoH to Matt this week and if someone doesn't win HoH besides these guys next week, I am going to scream! At this point, the Brachel showmance is just annoying and not just annoying but the most annoying showmance on Big Brother. So thankfully these two were nominated again, Britney won POV (surprise, surprise) and kept the nominees the same. With Rachel out of the house and the first member of the jury house and with Brendon as the new HoH...it will be interesting to see how things work out for Brendon. Brendon has been a complete douche bag the past two weeks, and he seems dead set on revenge in the name of Rachel. I don't understand the logic of playing for Rachel's best interests instead of his when Rachel isn't in the house anymore! He has her vote if he somehow made it to the final two no matter what he did, since she wouldn't know what he did until after the fact. He needs to get the crazy out of his head and re-evaluate how he is playing this game. Otherwise, next week, he is gone.

As for the others, I would have to say that I loved Ragan right off the bat and hope that the Brigade doesn't toss him out...or should I say that I hope Ragan wins HoH - and during the week of the double eviction so that he could get two of the Brigade members out to better his chances of getting further in the game. I have no idea when the double eviction is. It could be this week. I hope it's not this week, but if it is, I'm sure Ragan is safe. It's fun to see Ragan as the new saboteur! He is entertaining America very much! Go Ragan! Then there's Kathy who's a sweet lady and I really would like her to win some amount of money at this point. But it seems her only game plan is to be weak. I hope she has more planned than that, because she has been on the block before and that should really make her re-evaluate things. As for those in the Brigade, I am rooting for Enzo the most since he's from Jersey and I'm from Jersey and he's cool. go Enzo!

So that's my review on the show so far. I am looking forward to more drama, drama not associated with showmances! Then the game can really get interesting!

Big Brother 12 airs Sundays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays at 8/7c on CBS. Catch the live feed on Showtime after midnight everyday and catch the 24/7 live feed online.

Bridesmaids Filming in Downtown Los Angeles

Living in downtown LA has its perks. I'm still figuring out what they are....but one I know for sure is the filming that goes on every week of different television shows and films. 2 days ago, I spotted the cast and crew of the upcoming film, Bridesmaids.

First, I spotted director, Paul Feig who's writing, producing, directing, and acting credits include Sabrina the Teenage Witch, Freaks & Geeks, Arrested Development, The Office, Nurse Jackie, and many more.

Not too long after I spotted Feig, the ladies came outside to film a scene. Ellie Kemper (The Office), Kristen Wiig (Saturday Night Live), Maya Rudolph (Saturday Night Live), Melissa McCarthy (Mike & Molly), and Rose Byrne (Damages) were all there! Since I was across the street and my camera has seen better days, the photos are not amazing, but they are below, so feel free to click the photos to enlarge them.

TV Review - Too Fat For 15: Fighting Back Premiere

Monday night, Style Network premieres the new hour long docu-series, Too Fat For 15: Fighting Back. The show follows five obese kids as they attempt to begin living healthy lives at a weight loss boarding school, Wellspring Academy in North Carolina.



The Style Network's new docu-series, "Too Fat for 15: Fighting Back," follows the emotional stories of five obese young people attempting to shed hundreds of life-threatening pounds at the acclaimed weight-loss boarding school, Wellspring Academy, in North Carolina. In eight one-hour episodes, cameras go behind the scenes to track the students' progress as they follow the school's intense mind/body curriculum. Compelling, inspiring and often heart-wrenching, the series offers an unprecedented look at the real struggle behind the nation's childhood obesity crisis and finds hope in the true stories of five kids determined to get to a healthy weight (and the unique school that is helping them).

My only gripe with the show and to me, it is a big one, is that none of the kids that are being followed are 15 years old! So basically the show has a really stupid title. At the time of filming, Terinna, Tanisha, and Miranda are 17, Scott is 13, and Emily is 11. Emily is the youngest student ever at Wellspring Academy. Tanisha at 510 pounds is the heaviest student in the school’s history.

The episode opens up just right…with the school director and coordinators/coaches talking about how the school works, as the cameras follow the kids on arrival day and each of the five students are introduced. On arrival day, the coordinators go through the students’ belongings and take away food and anything that has stopped them from being active - until they are able to responsibly use them. That is something that I was thrilled to see because it really brings to your attention, as a youthful viewer how much time in the day you spend not being physically active. So then, the students are introduced to their behavioral coaches, which is the Academy’s version of the school counselor. What I really like about Wellspring Academy is that each student gets their own personal behavioral coach. This is a very helpful and convenient tool for the students and the coaches. I know in high school I was in my counselor’s office almost as much as I attended my classes. So, I am sure it is less stressful on the coach to have one student as opposed to hundreds. Introductions aside, the tests begin! The students are encouraged to walk 10,000 steps per day which is approximately 5 miles per day. These kids are doing more exercise than I have done in a week. So, it will encourage not only those who are obese but everyone who is not physically fit and healthy. So the students must write down what they eat each day along with the calories and amount of fat in the food. Next, the students must run a mile, get their body measured, take a flexibility test, and attend the first of many group therapy sessions. As Scott points out, since he is surrounded by kids who are struggling with being obese like these, these tests are not embarrassing. What can be a much more intimidating test, daily test is what to eat in the cafeteria. Although the camp doesn’t make it easy to even get there, as students have to walk up a steep hill to get to the cafeteria. After eating, exercising, and learning, there comes a time where the infamous scale must be taken out for a check-up. Scott has probably the most positive mindset of all of the students. Emily, the youngest just breaks my heart because she is not only struggling with her weight but socially.

As for all of the kids, they are incredibly brave for letting the cameras follow their weight loss progress. And at the same time it is a smart move to have cameras following their progress because it is a great motivator to reach their goal. But it’s not just about losing the weight. There’s so much more to this program. I like to bundle it into fitness, food, family, and friends. When these students begin and continue a daily fitness routine, actually think about what food they are putting into their bodies, and have friends around them at camp for support…no matter what their specific weight loss goal is, they will have reached the goal of being healthier at the end of their stay. And not only would these teens have begun to live healthier lives, they might have just saved their lives. Obesity is life threatening and to see these kids fighting for their lives…it’s quite emotional. It will get even more emotional when the parents visit the camp in a future episode. I am anticipating and also dreading when the parents visit, because I am afraid to see how many enablers there were, whether aware or unaware that they were enablers. It’s not only the relationship that these kids have with food and exercise but with the people that they live with and are inspired by (whether they want to be or not) each and every day. Originally, I did not think that I would become so emotionally invested into this show. But I am actually very interested in watching what happens in the next 7 episodes.


Too Fat For 15: Fighting Back airs Mondays at 8/7c on the Style Network.

ShaBoom for a Cause

Before I moved back out to LA, I was given a few ShaBoom make up products to try out, but never got around to using the makeup. But with my sister’s birthday party coming up that is Lady Gaga themed…I realized that now would be the best time to try out the makeup!



Pictured Above: Sofia Vassilieva (My Sister's Keeper) is wearing the Naked Lady collection.

I found the female line, Naked Lady to be just that, naked. Natural. Anybody who knows me knows that I am all for the natural look. So it’s as if the Naked Lady line were made just for me! I tried the One Perfect Gloss, which had a lip balm feel to it, since shea butter is an ingredient! Ah, lovely. It had a light cranberry, red raspberry look to it on me with a bit of shine. The feel of the gloss was not heavy and gave off the soft glow look, so I loved it. Apparently this gloss can be used on the cheeks as well, but I didn’t try that. I also tried Dazzling Goldstone Dazzle Dust on my eyes. I think that the Dazzling Goldstone choice creates a natural look for all skin tones…kind of like a one size fits all, just as long as you don’t overdo the makeup. I haven’t tried the other Dazzle Dusts so I cannot speak for the other choices. Either of the products that I mentioned could be used for the day or the evening. Neither will help me with my Gaga inspired look though.



Pictured Above: Francia Raisa (Secret Life of the American Teenager) is wearing the Drag collection.

Surprisingly, I like the eye wear from the men’s makeup line Drag more than the Naked Lady eye wear – specifically for this occasion though of the Lady Gaga themed birthday. Drag is more vibrant and playful than Naked Lady. The Loose Eye Dust that was sent over included Burnt Copper and Emerald City. Burnt Copper speaks volumes paired with the bright and shimmery Fierce Lip Gloss which is a bold shade of red. Sherbert Lip Gloss was also sent over. Skip the lip gloss guys; it’s really sticky and hard to get off. What I was really intrigued by was the Emerald City Loose Mineral Eye Dust because it is bright shimmery green and green is my favorite color. This would be perfect for a Lady Gaga inspired outfit. Perfect! Lastly, the Bronze Shimmer Powder Strokes was sent over. Guys if you get Powder Strokes, don’t use the same skin tone. Get a tone lighter or darker so people can tell that you are actually wearing a product. It’s practically camouflage if you buy your own skin tone…and if you are at that point, just don’t wear anything. So anyway, I know that I will definitely be using the Emerald City Loose Mineral Eye Dust as part of my makeup for my Lady Gaga inspired outfit.

If you are interested in products for your face, eyes, lips, and skin right now, head on over to ShaBoom. Did I mention that these products were used with oil free SPF minerals? That is very important for someone who has complicated skin like me.



Pictured Above: Siobhan, Creator of OneMama and ShaBoom.

Another incredibly awesome note is that ShaBoom Products were actually created to generate social awareness. Proceeds from the sales help assist OneMama’s programs to prevent HIV transmission and teach empowerment and sustainability in impoverished communities worldwide. OneMama is a non-profit organization, which helps impoverished women deliver babies safely and receive proper medical supplies and care worldwide. OneMama’s pilot program in Uganda consists of building an on-site, solar medical clinic where midwives can provide safe post and prenatal care to their patients as well as teach about family planning and economic sustainability. Don’t you just love buying rad make up while also helping the world? It’s pretty sweet!!!

So make sure to head on over to ShaBoom and get your products now for your everyday makeup and party makeup. Also head on over to OneMama for the coolest handmade accessories, clothing, and footwear, as 100% of the proceeds are put into the community, Uganada clinic, and OneMama programs.

DVD Review: Artois the Goat

Release Date: July 13, 2010
Rating: Not Rated
Running Time: 109 minutes

To reclaim the heart of his beloved Angie, hapless lab technician Virgil Gurdies embarks on an epic quest to create nothing less than the greatest goat cheese the world has ever known in the delectable festival favorite ARTOIS THE GOAT , debuting on DVD this July.

Despite Virgil’s lack of resources, experience, or basic competency in the field of agriculture, he heads for the hills (literally) with a felonious German baker, a grave-digging hermit, and a tiny white goat named Artois. With Angie awaiting his return, the FDA breathing down his neck and a conference of the International Cheese Consortium just a few months away, he has no choice but to craft a cheese that will change the world. A cheese that will buy him a new life. A cheese of destiny.

I was pleasantly surprised with Artois the Goat. I watched both a romantic comedy and a story about a man who goes after his passion no matter what conflicts come his way. In a funny way, it was one in the same. From the very beginning, he risks it all to create the best goat cheese ever. Yes, Virgil has his doubtful moments and even finds himself back at square one in a few instances, but in the end he reaches his goal. This story will inspire you to go after your goals while at the same time making you laugh at Virgil’s random team of “nobodies” supporting him and getting illegal products for his goat cheese. I actually enjoyed Virgil’s support team on the farm far more than Virgil’s girlfriend. It seemed she had somewhat planted the idea of the two of them owning their own shop…and then she moves to Detroit to do corporate work instead of staying with Virgil and supporting Virgil in his new found idea to make goat cheese. Sure, Virgil said that he would catch up with her and they had an agreement but it’s honestly not the romance that I thought that it would be. I found most of the romance to be between Virgil and the goat cheese. What I found to be very captivating was the trial and error format, the incredibly realistic writing in this film. Virgil does not become a success with his cheese overnight. The struggle is seen over quite a significant amount of time and not in a glamorous light. The screenwriting and directing were also quite refreshing in the sense that the comedy is “nutty” and it can be because this is an independent film. Virgil has the same dream over and over again but with a different ending, that gets more interesting as he gets closer to his dreams. When you watch the film the first time, the dream sequence seems quite odd but it really comes together and makes sense once Virgil reaches his goal. The film is quite quirky all throughout though, and you’ll either love it or hate it. I loved it and I hope that you will. This is a film with fun actors, fun directing, fun music, and a very heartwarming and beautiful tale. Artois the Goat will no doubt uplift viewers to go out there and be happy…not content but truly happy.

Own Artois the Goat on DVD today.

DVD Review: Entre Nos

If there is one independent drama to own on DVD this year, it's definitely Entre Nos.



Release Date: July 20. 2010
Rating: Not Rated
Running Time: 82 minutes

In ENTRE NOS, Mariana (Mendoza) is determined to keep her family together. Her children, Gabriel (Sebastian Villada Lopez), 10, and Andrea (Laura Montana Cortez), 6, have grown up in Colombia without their father, who immigrated to the U.S. years earlier to make a better life for his family. Finally, after years of separation, the family is reunited in New York City. However, one day, Antonio announces he has found work in Miami and will be moving there – alone – and will send for the family when he is settled.

Days go by, and Mariana does not hear from him. Worried and desperate, she goes to her only friend’s home to find out that her husband will not be coming back. With no one to turn to, rent coming due and fifty dollars to her name, Mariana must find a way, in a strange city where she barely speaks the language, to provide for her family, financially and emotionally. After a failed attempt selling homemade empanadas on the street, and with all her options running out, Mariana turns to the city’s trash, collecting cans in order to put food on the table. With Gabriel and Andrea working beside her, the family finds the most stability they have known since their arrival, and it is during these challenging moments that the family triumphs. Join IndiePix for this remarkable journey where we bear witness to a family’s commitment to survival and their unrelenting hope for the American dream...one soda can at a time.

What makes Entre Nos such an incredible film is that this was inspired by the true story of writer, director, and lead actress, Paola Mendoza’s mother. Not only that but this film is really the voice for thousands of immigrant single parents across America. Growing up in a single parent household after the age of twelve, I could relate somewhat but honestly, the fact that I am American makes me feel more sympathy than empathy. Thankfully by the end of the film, neither is needed since the family that is followed is quite a success in the present day. For me though, this film was an eye opener in regards to seeing the everyday struggle of a young Colombian woman who is living in America for just a few weeks before her husband walks out of the picture. This leaves Mariana with her two young children in New York City, during the summer with not enough money for rent and no citizenship for a job. Talk about heartbreaking. This was a very heavy but colorful story, very well written and very inspiring. Mariana represents a fighter for her family and that is what makes her character so significant. The family dynamic is so special. Her family is her energy and that is uplifting to say the least. Mariana’s youngest; Andrea is joyful, perhaps because of her young age. Mariana’s oldest; Gabriel has a better grasp and understanding of their unfortunate low state that the family is at. Though embarrassed and upset, Gabriel comes through and becomes a man in a sense, quicker than he would have under better conditions. There are so many elements to this story that make it so fascinating. Really, all of the elements displayed in this film establish the reality of Mariana’s situation perfectly and of life so well. This film is just perfect. It really puts things into perspective. Entre Nos will encourage you to be thankful for where you are in life right now and where you will end up, with hard work and perseverance.

Bonus Features:

Commentary - The commentary was conducted by the directors, Gloria La Morte and Paola Mendoza. This was quite well informed commentary to listen to. I would have to say that this is one of my favorite commentaries of the year so far. I learned so much about not just the creation of the film but about Paola Mendoza and her family. For instance, there is discussion of the casting of the 2 child leads and many deleted scenes as well as facts shared…one being that the film was shot in just 18 days! The film was shot in Queens predominately but New Jersey as well and there were quite a few challenges during filming and creative battles but it all came together in the end. As for Paola, her mother demanded that Paolo play her and I am so glad that she did because she was phenomenal and I don’t think that anyone could have portrayed this family’s life better than this family. Interestingly enough though, the ages were changed for the children in the film since in real life, Paola was three years old and her brother seven. There is an abundant amount of information to find in this commentary, so if you enjoyed watching Entre Nos, you would be doing yourself a disservice not to watch this commentary.

Behind the Scenes (14:31 minutes) – Viewers get to see raw video footage of the casting sessions for the young two leads, call back meetings, acting exercises, and shooting on location. Viewers will meet a number of the crew from the art department and so on. Viewers will see one the most challenging scenes being shot…the dodge ball scene. You didn’t think that I would say that did you? Paola closes out this feature talking about the moment that her mother and brother visiting the set of the film.

How To Make Empanadas (4:59 minutes) – Directors, Gloria La Morte and Paola Mendoza teach viewers how to make empanadas. I am very excited about this future, because it will be a great help when I decide to make empanadas. Though, the timing for cooking the ingredients is not shared…and where to get a main ingredient is apparently hard to find for those who aren’t Colombian…so you'll only get the general idea for how to make empanadas. The detailed recipe is at entrenosfilm.com. I wonder why there wasn’t such detail in the video?

PSA on Immigration Reform (1:42 minutes) – Paola Mendoza has created a PSA to educate viewers about immigration reform. The explanation goes without saying, so definitely check it out.

Still Standing (A Short Film by Paola Mendoza – 7:42 minutes) – This documentary follows Paola as she helps her Grandmother go through the rubble of her Mississippi home, which was destroyed due to Hurricane Katrina. It’s heartbreaking but her grandmother feels safe in Mississippi so that’s all that matters.

Own Entre Nos on DVD today.

DVD Review: The Girl By The Lake

If you are a fan of mysteries and foreign films, The Girl By The Lake might be worth checking out.



Release Date: July 13, 2010
Rating: Not Rated
Running Time: 96 minutes

The murder of a young woman sets an Italian village on edge in the gripping GIRL BY THE LAKE, the multi-award-winning thriller based on a novel by world-renowned mystery novelist Karin Fossum. This shattering drama marks the extraordinary directing debut of Andrea Molaioli. An immediate sensation upon its Italian release in 2007, GIRL BY THE LAKE won 10 David di Donatella Awards (Italy’s equivalent of the Oscar), including Best Film and Best Actor (Toni Servillo). The movie marks the first big-screen appearance of Fossum’s brilliant Inspector Sejer (who is here called Sanzio), the hero of her best-selling and award-winning series of mystery novels.

I was very intrigued by the mystery that The Girl By the Lake seem to hold, so I decided to check it out. After watching the film, I must say that this mystery drama was not as thrilling as I had anticipated it would be. I believe I was looking for something with more adventure and something scarier. Sure, there are a number of suspects in town who could have killed the girl by the lake…and that is portrayed well. Yet I found the whole film to be quite dry and unexciting. I was not caught on every word…well technically I was since this is a foreign film and I was reading the subtitles the whole time. But I was not caught on every word in the sense that I did not feel attached to any of the characters and was not rooting for who could and could not be the killer. Don’t get me wrong, the story itself seems pretty solid for what it is, well until the ending which I was slightly disappointed with. Simply put, the killer had a ridiculously stupid reasoning for killing the girl by the lake. I wonder if the relationship with the killer and the girl is written about in more detail and back story in the bestselling novel this film is based from, Don’t Look Back by Edizioni Frassineli. If so, I need to read the novel because the ending of the film makes me yearn for a prequel to get to know the killer’s family and everything leading up to him killing the girl by the lake. Usually that would be a good thing, but seriously the killer is psychotic and that’s all there is to it is what I got out of the ending. The event that happened in the killer’s life prior to this present day killing proposes that the killer wasn’t crazy beforehand…but it could be open ended, hence making it quite frustrating to understand how the killer got to this point. Maybe the movie was just about finding out who the killer was and not so much as to why he did it. But if that is the case, the killer should not have spouted their reasoning at the end of the film. Correct? The ending is unexpected but not in a good way. It tries to do something different but I don’t feel that the ideas are a fully developed conclusion. I enjoyed the tone of mystery but I was not thrilled or taken on an adventure. The acting was swell and the locations and cinematography were great. But honestly, I do not see myself recommending this film. I always fear that things get lost in translation in foreign films but why would everything make sense up until the ending? So it’s definitely not the fact that it’s a foreign film. It’s all about not understanding the killer’s mind. It’s as if Freddy Kruger is on a killing spree and you’re given a half ass answer to his back story and why he does the things that he does. Would those movies be very entertaining if you didn’t really understand how Freddy became who he was and why he kills? No, because then it’s just senseless killing and that’s not fun. So, I’ll pass on this film. If there is ever a prequel made though, I definitely would like to see it.

Own The Girl By The Lake on DVD today.

NBC's Fall Primetime Preview

A fall preview is here!!!

Take a look at what’s to come this fall on NBC's new series and your NBC favorites in this 25 minute special below! The special is packed with exclusive, behind-the-scenes footage and interviews from new series, like The Event, Undercovers, and Law & Order: Los Angeles, plus looks at returning series, like The Office, 30 Rock, and Community!

Lelia Broussard Releases New Record November 2, 2010

I am so happy to be sharing this news! Lelia Broussard will release her new record, Masquerade on iTunes and across the web on November 2, 2010!



The cover art is pretty awesome!

You can download one of the tracks from the new record, "Shoot For The Moon" right now for free at Noise Trade.

If you haven't already, also make sure to check out my interview with Lelia from back in 2008. She was one of the first people that I interviewed for Hollywood the Write Way!