Gone fishin'

Stephanie and I were waaay too busy to film this week.

This photo should give you an idea of what we're doing.

Fangirl's Top 10: Favorite Halloween Films

Yes, I am falling into a trend of blogging about horror movies during the month of Halloween. Sue me. Halloween is my absolute favorite holiday of the year, and I love horror movies. That is, when they actually accomplish the feat of being able to scare me. But horror films are not the only ones that I like to watch during Halloween. Oddly enough, my two absolute favorite Halloween films are not scary at all. You will see what I mean...

10. "The Ring"

I don't really consider this a horror movie, even though there are a few parts that make my skin crawl. It's more of psychological thriller, that gives you a good flinching, gasping and jumping moment every now and then. Let's be honest, who didn't jump, scream or gasp when that deer crashed through her driver's window in the sequel? I'm good at predicting endings, and whenever one completely alludes me, I'm impressed. That's the reason "The Ring" is on my list. It keeps you guessing, with fast paced intensity, and just when you think it's over, it's really not after all.

9. "Cloverfield"

Yes, I know. Most people either didn't like it, or didn't even give it a chance. However, I really enjoyed this movie. I was curled up in my seat in the packed theater the entire movie. Though, it may not be a movie that keeps me up at night, it carries you along for a ride as you watch it. This film was meant to be seen in the theater, and remains one of the most tense theater experiences I have ever had. My seat would shake whenever they were close enough to feel the creature's footsteps. The way it was shot made you feel like you were the one holding the camera. And of course, there is always the classic theme of horror films: the fear of the unknown. The fact that we never find out where this creature came from, what happened to it, or the rest of the world, is scary. J.J. Abrams certainly knows how to make an audience have a great experience.

8. "Scream" franchise

I personally think these movies are genius. Even though I guess who the killers are every time, they are still too much fun to watch. From the stand point of an aspiring writer that studies all the ins and outs of story, I just can't get enough of how this franchise not only enhances the teen horror film, but makes fun of it as well. Like using the classic "I'll be right back" line, and the determination and discussion of what truly makes a sequel. We constantly talk about how stupid the average teenage girl is when she runs upstairs away from the killer, instead of out the front door. It is because of this, that even though we know the killer is hiding behind the door, we still jump. Or even though we can guess who the killer is halfway through, we are still surprised. I don't know about you my dear readers, but I for one am ecstatic for "Scream 4". And as long as Neve Campbell, David Arquette, and Courteney Cox are still able, they can make 10 of these films and I will still go see them.

7. "Paranormal Activity"

This movie goes down as the single, only film that has ever kept me up at night. In fact, it still does. I still sleep with a night light thanks to this cheap genius of a film. The reason it scares me? Not only do I believe in the paranormal, and do I believe in evil spirits, but I spent my entire childhood living next to a haunted house, having my own experiences with the paranormal. This movie still makes me weary of the dark, and I definitely recommend it to anyone who wants a good scare.

6. "Frailty"

Many people find this movie terribly dull and boring. I think quite the opposite. I'm a nut for movies that take the religious card to killing. Not only are they usually superbly written, but they are compelling, keep you on the edge of your seat, and keep you guessing until the last moment. Sometimes, I like to call this film the award-worthy companion to the cult classic "The Boondock Saints", because they deal with the same story. Men who believe they are called of God to rid the world of evil. This film, along with others on this list, force you to face the realities of the savagery that humans are truly capable of, and for some, that is what we fear most. Plus, Bill Paxton and Matthew McConaughey are phenomenal.

5. "28 Days Later"

The best zombie movie I have ever seen, which is actually, just today. I am finishing watching it for the first time while writing this post. I may be more critical over horror than any other genre, but even more so over specifically zombie films. Too many times to count they are over loaded with too much blood, too many ridiculous action scenes and dialogue that's really more of a "wannabe cool" than actually badass-ness. This film is about the survivors, not the infected, or even killing the infected. It's about the survivors surviving. And in times of catastrophe and crisis, it's a story about the terrors that humans can be capable of.

4. "Seven"

More a psychological drama that a horror film, but this movie still scares me. It doesn't leave me huddled in my chair, with a hood over my head, but rather, it's terror comes from the horrifying reality of what humans are truly capable of doing to each other. It is no coincidence that the serial killer of this film kills those that are in his eyes, sinners. And that he too, is one, and must be punished. The themes and questions that this movie promotes are terrifying to ponder. We call ourselves a civilized race, yet, history alone can tell you how savage we truly can be. Plus, this movie is perfect for anyone that loves a little gore. The crime scenes are the most skin crawling I have ever seen. And from a writing stand point, you almost can't do better than this crime masterpiece.

3. "Aliens"

I know most people prefer the first film of the cult "Alien" franchise, however, I like the sequel, "Aliens" best. Perhaps it's the story of the greedy businessman putting his career over the lives of his shipmates. Or the bond made between Ripley and Newt. Or maybe it's even the hilarious rants made by Bill Paxton's Hudson. In fact, I still believe that this is James Cameron's finest film, over "The Terminator", "Titanic" and even "Avatar". This movie is the perfection of scary science fiction. We already know the story. We know how dangerous just one of these aliens can be, and finding our characters surrounded by them is even more terrifying. This movie may not scare me anymore, but I love watching it, over and over again. I am always amused by Hudson's desperation. Burke's death holds a certain gratification for me, and of course, who can resist saying one of film's most infamous lines of dialogue with one of our favorite science fiction hero's? "Get away from her you bitch!" And if you ever have a hankering to watch it, just check the Spike Channel. They play it almost as much as "Star Wars".

2. "A Nightmare Before Christmas"

Yes, I am one of the many cult followers of Tim Burton's "A Nightmare Before Christmas". Why? For me, it's the music. I have always had a soft spot for musicals. And when they gave me a musical that mixes in my favorite holiday, it was bound to become one of my favorites. During the month of October, the songs that I find myself humming are every single one from this movie. Sometimes, when I can watching it by myself, I may even throw in a dance step or two. This is one of two movies that goes into my DVD player on October 1st, and doesn't come out until after Halloween. Sometimes, it even stays in until after Christmas.

1. "Hocus Pocus"

I know what you are thinking. A children's movie, your favorite Halloween film? What can I say. This has been my all time favorite Halloween movie since it came out. There is just something about it, like a guilty pleasure. It could be Bette Midler and Sarah Jessica Parker as some of the wackiest witches around, or it could just be that Binx is the coolest movie cat ever. In fact, I named one of my cat's after Binx. I make sure that this is the first movie I watch every Halloween night, before following it up with something scary. I dare you to say that the "I Put a Spell on You" singing and dance number is not a classic Halloween moment.

New 'Batman' villain roundup part two

With word that the title of the new Batman movie is "The Dark Knight Rises" and the villain won't be the Riddler...

Browsing Wikipedia, I had an impromptu brainstorming session regarding Christopher Nolan's Batman universe.

Some Batman villains could be tweaked just a bit to make them fit into the realistic world. Others require a bit more origin mixing around to fit in, but could work.

So, let's get right into it and go villain by villain and theorize how they'd fit in Nolan's world.

Bane - Gets super strength from a drug called Venom. Makes his muscles grow to monster sizes. Some real drugs like PCP can make users a bit crazy with what seems like unusual strength and feeling no pain. Playing off that would be easy and could make for a scary villain.

Clayface - Radioactive material turned the second Clayface into a monster who could take any form and mostly appeared as a monster made of clay. The first Clayface was actually a normal guy.

He was an actor who went crazy and started killing people. An easy realistic approach could be to have Clayface be a master of disguise. He could be an actor who's family or loved one was killed by something in the first two films and he blames Batman.

Mr. Freeze - Was a scientist who had to live in subzero temperatures. He also used various weapons to freeze people. The only real realistic approach would be to make him some sort of serial killer who uses liquid nitrogen to kill people.

Penguin - This one is an easy fix. Just get a small fat guy who has an umbrella fixation. Just give him an umbrella gun and an umbrella sword. Make him the new mob boss of Gotham.

'Castle:' Checkmate

Press release from ABC, 'nuff said:

“Castle” (10:00-11:00 p.m.)


ABC’s “Castle” outperformed CBS’ high-profile reboot, “Hawaii Five-0,” for the first-time ever in Adults 18-49 (+7% – 3.0/8 vs. 2.8/7), while outdrawing the CBS drama in Total Viewers (+18% – 11.8 million vs. 10.0 million) for the 2nd week in a row. In addition, “Castle” hit season-best numbers in viewers and young adults, delivering the ABC drama’s strongest performance in both measures since April – since 4/12/10.

•More than doubling the performance of its NBC drama competition, ABC’s “Castle” towered over NBC’s “Chase” for the 6th week running with its widest margins to date in both Total Viewers (+141% – 11.8 million vs. 4.9 million) and Adults 18-49 (+131% – 3.0/8 vs. 1.3/4). •Topping its performance on the same night last year for the 6th consecutive telecast, “Castle” is up over its averages over the same weeks last year by 1.6 million viewers (12.2 million vs. 10.6 million) and by 19% in Adults 18-49 (3.2/8 vs. 2.7/7).

New 'Batman' villain roundup part one

On last week's show we talked about "Inception" actor Tom Hardy being cast in the upcoming sequel to "The Dark Knight."

Yeah, I won't call it "Batman 3."

Oops.

During that news Stephanie and I both discussed which villain he might be playing.

I am in the mind that it's down to three characters: Black Mask, Hush or the Riddler. Here's why:

In the realistic world of Christopher Nolan's Batman these are the easiest choices that wouldn't require a giant leap in logic or changing the character much.

Black Mask used to be a childhood friend of Bruce Wayne, who grew to hate his parents for forcing him to be friends with Wayne. He also hated Wayne for "buying out" his company and humiliating him.

He created a mask out of the coffin of his dead father and went on to become a major force in the organized crime world of Gotham City. Sometime later the mask would become permanently attached to him, driving him a bit more crazy.
He also did horrible, horrible things to Catwoman and her family. Like worse than Joker kind of stuff.

Hush was also a childhood friend of Wayne, but with a different outlook. While Wayne lost his parents in a tragic accident he had no control over, Hush lost his father to a tragic accident he caused... on purpose. He later killed his mother when she kept comparing him to Wayne.

Crazy isn't even a good word to describe Hush. He literally wants to be Wayne, while trying to destroy and dismantle his life.

Recently he's even had plastic surgery to look exactly like Wayne in order to destroy the Wayne name from within.

And of course, the Riddler. Everyone knows the Riddler and he'd make a perfect choice.

Any of these three choices would fit perfect in the Nolan-Batman world.
Black Mask fits in with the mob control over Gotham set up in both films, so this is my educated guess for the villain.

"Paranormal Activity 2": Are you afraid of the dark?

I'm glad I saw it during the day this time, because once again, I walked out of that theater trembling I was so anxious.

Having already had a scary experience with the first movie last October, I decided to brave it once again, and see the sequel. Now, since about 10 years old, I haven't had to sleep with a night light, being able to fall asleep in complete darkness with ease. However, that changed after I saw "Paranormal Activity" last year. I have slept with a night light ever since, and not afraid to admit it.

It scared me for the same reason that the sequel did: I'm a believer. Not everyone believes in ghosts, or especially in evil spirits or demons. I do. With these films, there is no stretch of the imagination, or suspension of belief. I do believe. I know that this has happened before, and is happening now, and could (Dear God I hope not...) happen to me. That's why these films terrify me. So why do I go see them? Honestly, I love the experience of a movie that actually succeeds in scaring me, because it never happens. Not even 1 in 100 horror films actually succeed in that. These are the only two films that have ever kept me up at night. Anyway...on to the movie.

The sequel in fact takes place, 2 months before the beginning of the first film, which confused me until the end. Kristy and Daniel are raising 2 children, teenager Ali and one year old Hunter. After a strange break in, Daniel decides to install cameras in the house, not expecting them to show astonishing evidence of the paranormal. Kristy is in fact, the sister of Katy from the first film, who pops in for visits many times throughout the film with Micah, her boyfriend. Every night, the activity escalates, until one night, Ali is at home by herself with Hunter, and it tricked into answering the front door and is locked out of the house, with Hunter still inside. That's when things start getting a little crazy.

Kristy and Daniel just want to ignore it, but the teenage daughter refuses. After a little research, she finds out that Hunter is the first son born into Kristy and Katy's family since the early 1900's, and ponders the possibility of an ancestor making a deal with a demon that required a son as payment. Sounds ridiculous right? Not in the outcome of the story. After the spirit purposefully injuries the family dog to get Kristy on her own, it is able to pull Kristy down to the basement and possess her. It's the following night when all the madness happens. Kristy is just standing over Hunter's crib, watching him, much like how Katy was in the first film. She attacks Ali, who is convinced that the spirit has possessed her and reviews the footage from last night to prove it. After watching the spirit drag Kristy into the basement, terrified, she calls her dad and has him watch it. With the help of their former housemaid who was fired a few weeks before, he is able to exercise the spirit from Kristy.

The film fast forwards three weeks later, at which we realize that Kristy and Daniel have decided to completely ignore past events, even after Katy admits that something strange is now going on at their house. This is in fact the time period that the first movie begins. Once again, it fast forwards to October 9th, the night after Micah is killed. In a well shot and scary sequence, a possessed Katy enters the house, kills Daniel and Kristy, and leaves with Hunter. Ali returns home from a trip 2 days later to find them dead, and Katy and Hunter still missing.

It wasn't nearly as surprising as the first film, because we already knew the habits of this demon that is haunting this family. But, more happens. There are more jumping and gasping moments in the sequel than the first. I think perhaps that this film scared me more than the first simply because of one of the paranormal events that does happen, seeing as it is very similar to a paranormal experience of my own, just not nearly as violent. I grew up and lived beside a haunted house for 20 years. While in the house one day, I walked into the kitchen after thinking someone was in there, and opened the swinging door to find almost every cupboard and drawer open. But no one was in there previously. The scene in the film, where Kristy is sitting in the kitchen and all the cupboards and drawers burst out violently scared the hell outta me. It connected with me personally, and I was trembling through the rest of the film.

I believe the fact that this story also involves the vulnerability of a child makes it resonate a bit more and makes it just that more terrifying than the first. Overall, a very well made horror film, and is a step above the first, with it's own compelling and surprising storyline. It was enough to keep me curled up in my "horror movie position", huddled up in my theater seat, with my knees pulled up to my chest and hood over my head the whole time.

If you love a good, scary ghost story, I recommend "Paranormal Activity 2".

Box office Monday

There were no surprises at this week's box office, with "Paranormal Activity 2" taking the top spot. It brought in an impressive $41.5 million, which Paramount is no doubt ecstatic about considering the film's $3 million budget.

It also played in IMAX at select theaters and those tickets always add a few extra dollars to the pot. The interesting thing will be how it competes next week against "Saw 3-D."

In second place was "Jackass 3-D," which had a 57 percent drop off but still managed to bring in $21 million. The film has already grossed more than $87 million, which means Paramount has already greenlit the sequel. Look for "Jackass 3.5" to be released late 2010-early 2011.

The rest of the top five included: "Red" with $15 million, Hereafter with a dismal $12 million and "The Social Network" at $7 million.

There shouldn't be much change to next week's box office with only "Saw 3-D" opening. However, the weeks after that include "Due Date," "Megamind," and "Skyline."

Of course, "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1" comes out on Nov. 19 to blow everything out of the water.

New episode up...

Marvel characters get Tron-ized

Here are all the "Tron" covers that Marvel is doing and their release dates.

Images courtesy of Marvel Entertainment.

"Wolverine" #4, on sale Dec. 1

"Thor" #617, on sale Nov. 11

"Secret Avengers" #7, on sale Nov. 24

"New Avengers" #7, on sale Nov. 17

"Invincible Iron Man" #33, on sale Dec. 22

"Incredible Hulks" #618, on sale Dec. 8

"Captain America" #612, Nov. 24

"Avengers Academy" #7, on sale Dec. 15

"Avengers" #7, on sale Nov. 17

"Amazing Spider Man" #651, on sale Dec. 15

Vampire Diaries: Predictions for "Plan B"

After being quite disappointed with the season so far after "The Return", episode 5 "Kill or Be Killed" has officially turned my frown upside down. I'm not going to bother trying to recap this episode, because far too much happened. I just wanted to share my predictions with you, for this next epic two parter, and onward.

Before I do that, there is one thing about "Kill or Be Killed" that I want to mention. I was very happy with the confrontations between Damon, Caroline and Liz. I have always enjoyed the Damon/Liz scenes since Season 1, and when Damon calls Liz his friend in this episode, I nearly died of happiness. I think Damon was truly hurt that Liz didn't trust him, regardless of being a vampire or not. There have been many times when Damon has gone out of his way to be a friend to Liz, and to help her with Caroline. To try and fix the relationship between them. And when he told you, "You are my friend," you knew he was hurt. I think Liz is truly the only real friend he has. Yes, he has Stefan and Elena, but they don't really count. I least, I don't count them. I am hoping that Liz in fact did not go through with the mind wipe that she wanted at the end of the episode. I imagine, throughout the three days that Liz was being kept in the boardinghouse, that Damon was down there talking to her, and has decided to keep her memory.

Now, on to the predictions.

1. Katherine and the Lockwoods

We were told by Kevin Williamson and Julie Plec that Katherine has a history with the Lockwoods. Now we know that she has a close history with Mason. Although this completely shatters my prediction that he is the gay character, I completely called the relationship between them. Not the physical one by any means, but that they knew each other. Now that Mason has the moonstone, what is going to happen? Well, I think we all know Katherine enough to know that she is using him, and he of course, is idiotic enough to obey her every whim. In fact, he reminds me alot of when Damon was still human. And like Damon, Mason is one of her victims.

Myself and my fellow skype buddies, believe that Katherine has been lying to the Lockwoods all along. That she tricked them into hiding out the moonstone for her own purposes, and now, she will be taking action. What is Katherine going to use the moonstone for? That is an entirely different prediction that I will get to momentarily.

2. Mason and Damon

From this week's promo, we know that Damon traps Mason. I think there is only one reason that he would do that: to tell Mason the truth about Katherine. The question is, will Mason believe it or not. Personally, I think he is way too far under Katherine's spell to side with the Salvatores. I hate to say it, but I think he is going to die a lot earlier that I thought. Damon is going to try and get through to him. Stefan will try to get through to him, maybe even Elena, but it's not going to work. He is still going to help Katherine, and he will die for it.

3. Jeremy and Bonnie

I know I'm not the only one that has been missing Bonnie and Jeremy in the middle of the action since "The Return". We have all been wondering where they have been through all this Katherine madness, and now that get to face her head on. Jeremy joins the hunt with the Salvatores, Elena and Alaric, and Damon approaches Bonnie for help. Personally, I am very happy that it's Damon that goes to Bonnie, and not Elena. That he's the one asking for help. I may be a Damon/Bonnie shipper, but I'm no idiot. I know that for there to be any chance of a relationship between them, that it won't be for a long time. But that doesn't mean that I can't be happy with just simple dialogue between them. I really do think that Damon and Bonnie could put aside their differences and be an unstoppable team. And if you add in Alaric, that's just the icing on the cake. However, this is only going to happen if Bonnie takes a big girl pill and grows up. I know she has some issues to work out, but she is still being childish. She decided to accept her family legacy and protect Mystic Falls. But since then, all she has done is had one temper tantrum after another. I really hope that she grows up soon.

When it comes to Jeremy, I'm not entirely sure what to think yet. It's clear that he wants to help, that he is tired of being on the sidelines. He has in fact, taken a step higher than Bonnie, put aside his differences with Damon and decided to fight beside him. When Elena being kidnapped very soon, I'm hoping that Jeremy is going to be taking the steps to become a bad ass hunter like Alaric. There is no one better to be trained by.

4. The moonstone

We have all been wondering what the hell the moonstone does. At first, we all thought it had something to do with the werewolf transformation. But I don't think so at all. Here is my theory. First, the moonstone needs to be activated by werewolf blood. I think that's why Katherine wanted the Lockwoods to keep it close. Hence the reason why I think Mason is going to die in the next few episodes. But what exactly does the moonstone do? That's still a little cloudy for me, but I am seriously leaning towards either calling someone, or bringing someone back. That's where the well comes in. Production photos of Bonnie and Caroline looking down the well were released a couple weeks ago. Now, in the books, Stefan is being held captive by Katherine down in the well. It's obvious that's not the case in the show. But something, or someone is down there.

I'm thinking Katherine trapped someone else down there, and the first person that comes to mind is Emily. Most of us all have our own theories on Emily. I have always felt that she is alive and kicking somewhere, and that she will eventually waltz into Mystic Falls again. Is Katherine going to use the moonstone to bring Emily back to life, or call Emily to her? Tune in this Thursday to find out.

5. Who is Rose?

From spoilers that have been released in the last few months, we know that Rose is a vampire and that she kidnaps Elena. But why? I think it's safe to say that Katherine has something to do with it. I am more interested in who she is exactly. A five hundred year old vampire that is in search of something having to do with Stefan. My skype and Twitter buddies Tasha and Sharie are wondering if that rose tattoo has anything to do with Rose. I'm not sure. That would be an interesting development. Considering how very independent Katherine is, and that she is willing to give up her closest companions for her own survival, I'm thinking Rose has a dilemma against her. Julie Plec revealed that Damon and Rose have some kind of history. Is Rose going to help the Salvatores fight against Katherine? It wouldn't surprise me.

'Secretariat': a super movie for the Superhorse

I love horse movies. Always have.

I grew up loving animals, and always had pets. When I was a kid, even I knew that there is something special about horses that are unlike any other animal in the world. There is a reason they have been a revered species for centuries. Secretariat is one of the special ones. The greatest racing horse of all time.

Any film about this horse, has to be a good one. I really enjoyed this film. A fantastic true story, a great cast and a marvelous uplifting theme about being ahead of life, this film has everything it needs to be a hit.

Telling the true story of Mrs. Tweedy, the owner of Secretariat, and her struggles of running a horse farm and being a housewife. There is no better actress to play a woman like this than Diane Lane, who always has a very strong presence on screen, in every role she plays. John Malkovich pays Lucian Laurin, Secretariat's trainer, and he is hilarious! This is a perfect, bright and flamboyant role for Malkovich. And on screen, the chemistry between Lane and Malkovich is fantastic. I would really love to see them in another movie together.

Even though I already knew how this film ended, being familiar with the story of Secertariat, it was still intense and compelling every step of the way. There were certain tidbits about the story of this horse that I was not aware of, and enjoyed learning them. Having seen many horse racing movies before, I was very impressed of the camera work in this film. When Secretariat is on the track, he is the main character. It's the way the races themselves were filmed, from his point of view, that keeps you on the edge of your seat. Seeing a race from the point of view of a horse was a new experience for me, as an audience member.

The only thing about this film that slightly disappointed me was I wish Secretariat was more of a main character. The only time he is pushed in front of the other characters is when he is on the track. Other than that, Mrs. Tweedy is the main character. I just felt as if the trailers are a little misleading, and wish that Secretariat had more of a main part, like in "Seabiscuit".

However, the story is still unbelievable, compelling and true. I definitely recommend it to anyone that needs a good spirit lifting.

R.I.P Tom Bosley

One of my all time favorite shows is "Happy Days," and today the sad news was announced that we lost one of the cast.

Tom Bosley, who played Howard Cunningham, died from lung cancer at the age of 83.

As Mr. C, Bosley was always ready with an understanding ear for Richie, Joanie and The Fonz. His out of the loop yet cool dad was one of television's best and he will surely be missed.

For a review of Bosley at his best check out the new channel The Hub every night at 7 p.m. for "Happy Days" reruns.

Let's all wear a bowling shirt while we watch and think of Bosley.

'Mad Men' season four finale recap

Last night was "Mad Men's" fourth season finale and it was great representation of everything that's great about this show.

I wasn't a regular viewer of the first three seasons, but season four really captivated me and turned me into a fan. This season has dealt with Don Draper's journey from self loathing to new man.

Jon Hamm's portrayal has been so spot on all season long, but in the finale he was outstanding in all the subtle ways he depicted Don's fear and resigned happiness.

Hamm has gotten more praise for his comedy lately, so its easy to forget that he is a really superb dramatic actor. If he submits any of the last three episodes of this season, he may finally beat out Bryan Cranston at next year's Emmys.

Also delivering an outstanding performance was Elisabeth Moss as the perpetually unappreciated and alone Peggy. The way her face went from jealousy to resignation to offended when she heard about Don's sudden engagement was sublime.

Also the little rant session that she Joan had at the end said everything about their love-hate friendship. Their the only two women at the company who can truly understand what the other deals with and yet they'll never be really close.

It's no secret that I'm no January Jones fan and honestly I think the show is better without the cold, unfeeling Betty. However, the scene between her Don at the end really underscored how much he had gotten himself together and how wrong things had gone for her.

It'll be interesting to see if things work for Don and his secretary/fiancee Megan, or will he fall into his old tricks once he's a married man again.

This was everything a season finale should be, well-paced, well-written and extremely well-acted.

If Clark Kent hadn't finally flown this week, it would definitely be my pick for best of the week.

New episode up...

Jackson confirmed to direct 'The Hobbit'?

As a long time fan of J.R.R. Tolkien and "The Lord of the Rings", it has been a long and painful process for us as we had to watch "The Hobbit" fall in and out of confirmed filming dates and directors.

But as fate would have it, all is well. Finally...

We think.

This morning, both 'Hobbit' films have been greenlit. But who is going to direct? The word is Peter Jackson will actually be the one stepping up to the helm. However, New Line Cinema and Warner Bros. will not officially confirm until the labor dispute between the actors and producers is resolved.

Honestly, fans could care less what is going on financially. We just want to know who and when. So far, the release dates for both films are December 2012 and December 2013, and are both going to be shot in (God help us) 3D.

Check out the full story here, in the Los Angeles Times.

UPDATE:

Only hours after posting this on the blog, Peter Jackson has officially been announced as the director of "The Hobbit" and will start filming in February.

Now it's time for Tolkien fans to FINALLY rejoice!!

New (ish) episode up...

Movies I can't live without

A few nights ago as I watched "The Princess Bride" for the millionth time my mom rolled her eyes and said "this movie again, what makes it so great that you have to watch it every time it's on?"

That got me thinking about the movies that I will stop time to watch and what makes them so immortal.

1. "The Princess Bride"

To answer my mom it's the seamless blend of comedy, romance and action that makes this such a fun movie. Cary Elwes personifies the word hero in this movie and Andre the Giant and Mandy Patinkin are a great comedy duo.

It's also about all those quotable lines that I never get tired of hearing like:

• "As you wish."
• "Surrender to me, very well I accept."
• "...that's what to the pain means, I leave you in anguish, wallowing in freakish misery forever...drop you sword," I fall in love with Cary Elwes everytime that scene comes on.

It's just a fantastic movie that never gets old and makes me smile no matter what mood I'm in.

2. "The Shawshank Redemption"

This is another movie that is so good I've been known to rearrange my schedule for it. Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman are at their best in this prison drama that's really about hope and friendship. Even though I always know its coming I'm still blown away when Andy's escape is revealed. A stellar example of great filmmaking. "Get busy living, or get busy dying."

3. "Casablanca"

It's no secret I'm a fan of the classic and for my money this is the best movie ever made. Every line, look, shot and scene has a purpose. There's not a moment of wasted time in the entire film. Plus you'll never see better than Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman at the airport before her plane takes off.

"The problems of three little people doesn't amount to a hill of beans in this world." They don't write dialogue like that anymore.

The real beauty of this movie is in the little scenes like when the police captain is going to shut down Rick's for gambling and then someone brings him his gambling winnings a second later. Pure genius.

While there are several other movies on my list, like "Titanic," "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade" and of course any of the original "Star Wars" films, those are my top three movies I can't live without.

'Castle' ratings: Almost there

Not only was Monday's steampunk episode of "Castle" fantastic, it also did great in the ratings... again.

According to the excellent website TVBytheNumbers.com "Castle" is within striking distance of "Hawaii 5-0."

In total viewers "Castle" is at 10.655 million and "Hawaii 5-0" at 10.699. That is only a difference of .044! For those non-math experts that is 44 thousand.

In the overall 18-49 year-old demographic "Castle" is at a 2.7/7 while "Hawaii 5-0" is at 3.1/8.

Even better news in the 18-34 year-old demographic with "Castle" leading with 2/6 vs. "Hawaii 5-0" with 1.7/5.

ABC quickly issued a glowing press release which stated that "Castle" was "Monday’s only network program to grow week-to-week among young adults."

While "Castle" continues to grow and improve in the size of the audience, the same can't be said for "Hawaii 5-0." Last week's audience was 3.5/9 (18-49) and 12.03 (overall).

By the way, I have to say that tribute to Stephen J. Cannell at the end of Monday's episode was very classy and well-done.

Candace's Vlogs: Supernatural 'The Third Man'

'Law & Order' roundup

Though the original "Law & Order" was canceled after 20 great seasons, the franchise lives on in the remaining four shows. While "Criminal Intent" will return for a tenth and final season on USA Network, "Law & Order: LA," "Law & Order: SVU" and "Law & Order: UK" are all currently airing.

"Law & Order:SVU"

The program has just started its twelfth season and according to the ratings has become the most popular show in the franchise. This show is really all about the chemistry between Mariska Hargitay and Christopher Meloni.

It was the first show in the franchise to break away from the standard formula and tell stories about the characters' personal lives. Because the Special Victims Unit deals with sex crimes, the episodes can be hard to watch sometimes, however, the nature of the cases often provides fantastic drama.

In recent years "SVU" has become the place for actors to go if they want to win an Emmy. The last three winners in the Guest Actress in Drama Series category have been "SVU" guest stars.

The first three episodes have been really good with outstanding guest performances by Henry Ian Cusick ("Lost") and Jennifer Love Hewitt. Cusick in particular played against type as a very good bad guy, while Hewitt was a surprise in an extremely emotional episode.

"Law & Order: LA"

Tim will blog more about this show in the coming days, however, as an avid "Law & Order" fan I wanted to add my first impressions.

Skeet Ulrich and Corey Stoll have a good repartee as two knowledgeable LAPD detectives and Rachel Ticotin has the right amount of S. Epatha Merkerson ballsiness as their tough Lieutenant.

Where the show goes wrong is when it switches between Alfred Molina and Terrence Howard. Like every other show in the franchise, continuity is the name of the game and changes prosecutors every other week makes the audience feel slightly disconnected,

Also, no disrespect to Howard, but Molina clearly out acted him. I doubt he wants that to happen every week. Plus, Howard's character openly defied the District Attorney, a decision that would normally lead to his termination, resulted in no discipline.

The first episode was a "ripped from the headlines" story about a celebrity theft ring that dissolved into a Lindsay Lohan send up. It was only saved by the strong acting of Molina, Ulrich and Stoll.

While the show doesn't deviate from the formula, I'm waiting for it to have a more California feel. It still feels like a New York show.

"Law & Order: UK"

Though this British version of the original is in its third season, it has just started airing in the States on BBC America.

The interesting thing about this version is that it takes classic episodes of the original and adapts them to the British legal system.

So far, its been really good with great performances by a strong cast that includes Jamie Bamber, Freema Aygeman, Ben Daniels and Bradley Walsh. Aygeman really shines in the episode "Alesha" and Bamber proves that he can do more than fly spaceships and save humanity.

Though I may mourn the demise of "Law & Order" the franchise still lives on with these strong spin-offs and of course its constant airing on TNT.

Fall TV: 'No Ordinary Family'

Editor's note: I had waited to watch the second episode of "No Ordinary Family" so I could get a better sense of the show and how it will move forward.

This was the one show I was excited to pick during our drawing.

I love superheroes and the lead actors are all people I enjoy watching; Michael Chiklis and Julie Benz

Needless to say that after watching the first two episodes, I feel just as strongly as I did then.

The premise of the show follows a seemingly normal, slightly dysfunctional family that survives a plane crash only to find themselves with super powers.

Each of them deals with gaining new abilities in different ways.

The mother, who was always busy and never had enough time, got super speed and was happy with living a normal life that running really fast would help with.

The daughter, who gained telepathy, didn't want her powers and automatically felt like an outcast.

The son got super smart, but is trying to keep it a secret.

And the father, who is like Superman, wants to fight crime because he feels like there is something missing in his life.

What makes this show great is that it's all about the family dynamic. No matter what happens the father wants the family to stay together and help each other out in a frightening time.

The first two episodes also showed that the family is not alone as the father ran into a robber who could teleport and a telekinetic assassin is on the loose.

Which leads directly into a classic comic book scenario. You see, the father told a police detective coworker about his powers and the teleporting robber which led directly to her death.

Obviously this tragedy is going to push the father forward and make him a better hero. Some heroes need a major loss like that in order to make them into the hero they were meant to be.

Just like Batman.

Two more members of the cast are great additions.

Comedic actor Romany Malco plays the DA friend of the father who is a sidekick of sorts and provides some comedic relief.

And in one of the most surprising moves, "7th Heaven" father Stephen Collins plays the scientist mother's boss... and villain of the show.

Yeah, the nice pastor is now an evil villain.

Great casting choice there.

Big warning though, it really isn't a family show. Yes, it airs at 8 p.m. but there is talk about sex and some violence which younger kids shouldn't see.

My 9-year-old niece had to leave the room several times after I thought it would be OK to watch with her.

Supernatural: "Two and a Half Men"

Since I don't have too much to say about the episode when it comes to discussion, I am going to stick to a basic typed recap.

I thought this episode was hilarious! It's nice seeing Sam and Dean together again. But not just together. How they treated each other in this episode, except for the end, reminded me of their brotherhood in Season 1. It was lighthearted, before all the madness happened. The prospect of Sam and Dean taking care of a child is a foreign concept to any "Supernatural" fan. The scene in the grocery store is priceless!

Something about this series that impressed me right off the bat when I started watching it two weeks ago (Ha!), is the writer's and actor's abilities to in the blink of an eye, move from such an amusing and fun scene, and instantly make it dangerous and intense. Though a subtle aspect of the series, it is one of the things that kept me watching, and watching during that 24 hour marathon on TNT. The writers know and understand when they can be lighthearted, and know when they have to quicken the pace. In other words, they know how to give their audience constant heart attacks.

Am I the only one that beamed with pride at Dean being able to put a baby to sleep? I mean, really, those of us that have had children of our own, or forced to babysit our nieces and nephews, know how tough this can be. Needless to say, Dean earned about a hundred cool points being able to put a baby together so fast. And I don't know what was more hilarious: Dean's shocked expression, or Sam's.

There is another glimpse into the Campbells in this episode, and even more so than last week, I don't trust them. It's hard for me not to like Christian Campbell because he is played by Corin Nemec, but there is just something about his easy going manner and sly attitude that is hard to trust. Dean being Dean, I know he is thinking the same exact thing. The question is, why are the Campbells acting the way they are towards demons? Meaning, why are they capturing them and not killing them? Why would they be so quick to allow a shapeshifter child be raised into a hunter? And most of all, who was Samuel talking to on the phone? After five seasons, I know we must all have the same gut feeling: that whoever he is talking to will be someone we know, and possibly someone we trust.

In "Exile on Main Street" I kept, over and over again, catching little things about Sam here and there that still made me believe he is possessed by Lucifer. However, this week was different. Not until Dean's last scene with Sam after the Alpha shifter stole the baby back, did I get that hole in the gut, feeling like something was wrong. Why would Sam want to use a child as bait? Sam has always had more of an affinity towards children than Dean ever did. He is the last person I would believe to use an infant as bait. There is just a feeling in my gut, that something is still going on with Sam, whether it has to do with Lucifer or not, that is wrong.

Now, let's be honest here. I dare you to not raise your hand and admit that you were squealing inside the moment you heard the rumble of that engine, and blaring classic rock! Just the way the scene was shot, with Dean uncovering his prized '67 Impala, with the spanning close ups of the black metallic. As if we, along with Dean, were being reacquainted with who we are. The life we're meant for. All topped off with that perfect lopsided smirk from Dean right before fade out. Perfection. Dean and the Impala are back!

Considering the reaction on Twitter, I think everyone was more excited about the promo for this week's episode, "The Third Man", than they were about the entire episode they just watched. I am one of them. The phrase I have been reading all over Twitter this last week is only one thing: Cas is back! It appears that I am not the only one that thinks two episodes without the presence of his dry humor, and innocently blunt personality is just too much. Although, the return of Castiel from Heaven is not the only thing I am excited about.

Apparently, the weapons of Heaven have been stolen, and Castiel returns to recruit the help of the Winchesters to get them back. Is anyone else been repeating that phrase in their heads all week? The weapons of Heaven. This is going to be huge. This just might be one of the main stories of this season. Sam, Dean and Castiel fighting to retrieve the stolen weapons of Heaven that have the potential to kill thousands of innocents. From that simple possibility alone, does anyone else think this season is going to even more epic than the last?

I guess we are about to find out.

Fall TV: 'Raising Hope'

Say hello to the worst new show on television.

"Raising Hope" is the new brainchild of "My Name Is Earl" creator Greg Garcia.

You'd think he would move away from poor white people acting stupid, but apparently not.

The plot follows a 20-year-old loser who works with his dad and hates his job. He quits to dream of a better life. He meets a girl, sleeps with her and then finds out she's actually a serial killer.

Seriously.

Cut to eight months later she is about to be executed and we find out she's pregnant!

She gives birth, they kill her anyways and loser Jimmy ends up with a brand new baby named Princess Beyonce.

His 35-year-old mother and father don't want to deal with a baby, but Jimmy decides to keep her anyway (in hopes of improving his life.)

The comedy, well what they try to do as comedy, comes from the poor dysfunctional family and all of their crazy issues.

Bottom line it's just bad.

You know it's bad when they go to execute the serial killer, Jimmy is there with the baby watching and he covers the baby's eyes! Haha.

Another part found Jimmy changing the baby's diapers, but throwing up on her. His mom walks in and throws up on the baby too.

And it stars Martha Plimpton and Garret Dillahunt! They can do so much better than this.

Needless to say it's not very funny at all.

Painful is more like it.

Star of "Supernatural" welcomes first baby!

So, if you happened not to be one of Misha Collins' 80,000 followers on Twitter (or as he calls us, his Minions...), or a friend of one of his followers, then I am happy to inform you that he and his wife, Victoria Vantoch, welcomed their first child into the world on September 23, 2010.

The star of "Supernatural" welcomed himself back to Twitter last night after two weeks of silence with a few pictures that turned every female on the internet into mush.

Misha Collins: "I've been busy training our newest operative the past eleven days. He makes Rambo look like a delicate rose petal."

"His name is West Anaximander Collins. And like a bee, he can smell fear. Unlike a bee, he likes boobs and needs frequent diaper changes. I like him."

For those of you that are asking, (because I know you are) Anaximander is the name of a famous Greek philosopher. Considering Misha's intellect and his affinity towards harmony and philosophy, this choice of a name does not surprise me whatsoever. I love it.

I can't even explain to you, how fast Twitter broke down with congratulations for the married couple, and a million "googoo's" and "aww's" as comments. I saw one comment from a fellow Minion that said the following. "Be cuter, I dare you."

After a few moments, he followed these comments with another picture: "This is one of our more grueling training sessions..."

Cue Twitter for another round of "ooo's" and "aww's". Are these not some of the most adorable baby pictures you have ever seen?

All the staff at Inscaped sends their congratulations to Misha and Victoria.

Everyone remember to tune into the new episodes of "Supernatural" every Friday at 9pm on the CW. This week, Castiel (Misha Collins) makes his grand return to the surface of Earth to team up with Dean and Sam to stop the use of the weapons of Heaven to kill the innocent on Earth in "The Third Man".

Fall TV: 'Teach: Tony Danza'

I have seen the face of bad television and lived to tell about it.

Kind of.

My soul has been shaken and I've lost a good number of brain cells.

"Teach: Tony Danza" premiered Friday on A&E and, my God, it was painful.

The basis of the reality show is simple: Actor Tony Danza gives up his current, cheery lifestyle to teach English to sophomores in Philadelphia.

Right there it sounds very interesting. You've got a charismatic entertainer who's doing something great for the community and children.

But, much like the big screen version of "Watchmen," something bad happened.

Now, I'm not saying that this "reality" show is fake, but to me it looks like it is trying really hard to be.

Of course Danza is a horrible teacher to start and no one wants to give him a real chance. Some children think he's a joke and no one really thinks he can accomplish this.

Which nicely sets up an underdog scenario which I'm guessing at the end of the year he'll have turned all these people around and they'll all cry when he leaves.

There are also painful stereotypes from every high school; the horrible assistant principal with no sense of humor, football jocks, goof off kids and the one student who is highly annoying about Danza not giving him a proper education.

He also helps coach the football team, which gets slaughtered in its first game.

Hmm, maybe through Danza's good attitude and words of advice the team will start winning and capture the championship!

To be honest I made it about halfway through before I turned the television off.

It was that bad.

But, my journalistic integrity won and I finished it hours later.

Maybe that's the only way people can get through it.

Looks like no one will for much longer.

Fall TV: 'The Defenders' CBS scores again

I must say, I didn't expect myself to enjoy the Pilot of "The Defenders" as much as I did.

Jerry O'Connell and Jim Belushi do make a great team both as their on screen characters, and have fantastic chemistry as actors.

A courtroom drama of two defending lawyers in Las Vegas, it's more of a lighthearted version of just the law side of "Law & Order." I have always been a fan of Jim Belushi, but it was hard for me to take him seriously as a lawyer. In fact, that's the genius thing about this show. You can't take his character seriously because he is Jim Belushi, which makes his victories that much sweeter.

For a supporting cast, there is Jurnee Smollett of "Friday Night Lights."

Fresh from law school, Lisa a former stripper turned law student. Seriously, where else could that happen but Las Vegas?

Yet another reason not to take these characters seriously, make them more of the underdogs, and even more likable to an audience that just loves rooting for the underdogs.

This series may be more lighthearted than a serious drama, however, it can be intense when they get to the courtroom. These are the stories of men and women that are charged for serious crimes and up against life in prison or worse. There is nothing more realistic than that. There are a nice handful of great laughs, but the show does have a good heart.

So, if you are like me and are finally getting tired of "Law & Order," I recommend trying out "The Defenders."

A great drama with a nice twist of lemon and couple olives. You just can't go wrong with a great story that takes place in Las Vegas.

A Fangirl's Top 10: Most Memorable Hours of Television

I'm a television and movie nerd, but I don't watch everything. There are plenty of series that I have never watched that may deserve to be on this list. But for now, this list is television that I love and have seen.

10. ER "The Show Must Go On"

Even with a series that ran for 15 seasons, it was easy for me to pick the one stand out episode for me. After 11 years in the County ER in Chicago, it is Dr. Carter's last day on the job. He is leaving for Africa and makes his rounds in saying goodbye. On the other hand, it is Abby, Ray and Neela's last day as interns. They are officially residents, and each has to make the decision if they want to remain doctors. And when every attending is at the bar around the corner celebrating Carter's life at County, Ray brings in 8 traumas from a party he was a member of. All on their own, Ray, Neela and Abby run the ER. This episode is epic for me because I watched this series from the beginning, and Carter has always been my favorite. To see him leave and other doctors take his place was a memorable moment in "ER" history. Carter's last moments in the ER, hearing the voices of his past, and passing on the knowledge that Dr. Green gave him so many years ago is one of the most emotional scenes of television I can remember.

9. Farscape "The Peacekeeper Wars"

This may be a mini series that ended the series forever (except in comics), however, this is the story that would have stretched into season 5. So let's just think of it as one damn good episode. After four years of wishing and yearning for John and Aeryn to finally be happy, they are. Time and time again, they are happy for just a fleeting moment before everything breaks apart, again. But not this time. With their help, the Peacekeepers and the Saracens make peace in the aftermath of the destruction of the wormhole weapon. And finally, they are married, Aeryn gives birth to their son D'Argo, and all is well.

8. Stargate SG-1 "200"

Not only an epic moment for the series as they celebrate their 200th episode, but it is also the most hilarious episode ever, paying homage to many other great science fiction and fantasy series. Not only do we get to finally see the Furlings, but also get to see zombies, a great wizard, the return of Jack, and the SG-1 team gets to fantasize themselves as someone else. Anyone else. The writers pulled out every inside joke in the book, creating some of the greatest spoofs in science fiction history. Cam gets to fight zombies, Teal'c gets to be a detective, the team travels through Oz, takes a ride on the Enterprise, and the greatest spoof of all: the team transforms into the characters of "Farscape" and take a ride on Moya. Basically, I spent the entire episode rolling on the floor laughing.

7. Third Watch "After Time"

I still think it's the best investigation show ever created. A series about one precinct of cops, firefighters and paramedics in New York City. Just before season 3 began, came September 11, 2001. In a very brave a courageous decision, the creators decided to rewrite the first 3 episodes of the season, which would start in only a month, and center them around the event. The first was a documentary and memorandum to firefighters, cops and paramedics that died. The first official episode of the season "September 10th" is exactly what it's titled. The day before. The last few moments, one-by-one, each character finds out what happened, and head to Ground Zero. The next episode is "After Time", fast forwarding a couple weeks, dealing with the aftermath of 9/11. We see how the city reacts, and how the characters we have spent 2 seasons falling in love with are dealing with the emotional and physical strain. Only a month after the event, this episode confronts the loss, grief, and anger that the whole country was going through. It forced us to focus on the people that were affected, not taking out our anger on those responsible.

6. Battlestar Galactica "Maelstrom"

One of the greatest written series of all time, it's hard to say one episode is more epic than another. So why did I pick this one? Probably because we come to a major realization in the destiny of one character that we have been confused about since the beginning. Starbuck faces the conflicts she has with her mother with the help of Leoben, and accepts her fate. She will lead all the survivors to Earth, and her death, is a stepping stone to that destiny. And there is no better way for Kara to die, than in a Viper, beside Lee. It was heartbreaking, yes, but groundbreaking and memorable. This episode was the set up for the the crazy cliffhanger of Kara suddenly returning alive and well, knowing the location of Earth.

5. Stargate Atlantis "The Shrine"

Not only one of the most emotional episode of "Stargate" on record, but one of the best written as well. This story was so surprising, and groundbreaking on the acting front, that you can't help but remember it above the rest. Rodney is infected with a virus that deteriorates his mind, and there is nothing the team can do to stop it. The team can do nothing but watch as he crumbles before them. Eventually, they bring his sister back to Atlantis to say their goodbyes. However, Ronon has an idea, a place that helped his grandfather before he passed. They take Rodney to the place that Ronon remembers and it gives them the chance to save him. Each character is forced to realize how much they love Rodney, and that it is not going to be easy to say goodbye. It's a fantastic episode in a fabulous last season.

4. LOST "Through the Looking Glass"

This episode contains perhaps the most shocking and epic cliffhanger ever to grace the silver screen. We spend the entire episode trying to place these Jack flashbacks, only to realize in the end, that they are not flashbacks at all, but flashes into the future. As the Losties are trying desperately to get off the island, we realize that something has gone wrong. Some people were left behind, maybe even died. As all the viewers were frantic, trying to figure out how Jack and Kate were together in this apparent flashback, we all realized what was going on the moment Jack screamed at her back, "We have to go back!" I don't know about you, but I was freaking out, my mind already exploding at the idea of Charlie's death. I was speechless. Well, other than screaming in my head "OMG!" about a million times. I'm not sure how long it took me to form a single coherent thought in my head, but I can tell you this: no single episode of television has blown my mind more than this episode of "LOST".

3. Supernatural "The Real Ghostbusters"

Any convention nut, like myself, Tim and Stephanie, would think this is one of the most epic hours of television ever seen. Dean and Sam are tricked into attending the first "Supernatural" Convention at a hotel that ends up actually being haunted. With a couple dozen LARPing Sam and Dean's "poking" at the real ghosts, the real Sam and Dean have to save their fans from the very thing they obsess about. An episode that is a fantastic homage to the series' fans, and fans in general, "Supernatural" certainly knows how to make the most of their genre. Anyone need a new series to get obsessed about?? I recommend "Supernatural". I dare you to watch one episode, and not fall completely in love with it.

2. Angel "Not Fade Away"

Still, the only series that I can list every single episode title in perfect order. Yep, that's how many times I have watched it. At the end of a perfect and landmark season 5 as the owners of the LA branch of Wolfram & Hart, Angel has to fight enemies outside and from within, all while trying to find a way to bring down the Partners at their own game. But it's not that easy. No mere mortals can bring down the Partners, those responsible for every single evil on the Earth. But that doesn't mean they can't fight them. After all these years, the team makes their final sacrifices. Spending a final day doing something that matters before giving themselves to take out the Circle of the Black Thorn, the Partners minions on Earth. Even though I still don't think it was fair for this series to end as it did, Joss Whedon pulled out all the stops to make it the best ending possible. Everything seemed right. For our heroes sacrificing their lives to simply let the Partners know that we might not be able to kill you, but we can still fight you. In the end, meeting in the alley behind the hotel, in the pouring rain, they begin the real fight for their lives. And it's up to us whether we think they survived. Well, unless you read the comics...

1. Buffy the Vampire Slayer "Once More with Feeling"

Yep, that's right, a musical episode. Let's be honest. This is probably the best and most epic hour of television ever. Can anyone really tell me that they were expecting this? I mean, being a fan of Joss Whedon since the beginning, we've all known that he is a brilliantly crazy, but this was different. Crazy and brilliant, yes, yet still beyond mouth dropping. Ask any Buffy fan, and I guarantee you this episode will be in their top 3 favorite of the series. This episode is like any other favorite song that you want to sing-along with. In fact, I am one of hundreds that come together for the screening of the episode at the end of Comic Con every year. And one of hundreds that don't need any lyrics to sing-along with every song. I don't care what series has done it since, or does it next. Nothing is as epic and memorable as this. Not even "Glee".


Honorable Mention:

Band of Brothers Part 7: "The Breaking Point" My favorite part of this award winning HBO miniseries, tells the story of the horrible winter in Bastogne and the taking of Foy, told by the voice over of Donnie Wahlberg's 2nd Lt. Carwood Lipton. Afterward, I learned that his voice over was actually taken from the transcript of the real Lt. Lipton telling the story to Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg.

Third Watch "More Monsters" contains the most intense full episode shoot out I have ever watched! After the 55th precinct is attacked, it continues as men armed with AK-47s charge into the hospital.

The Vampire Diaries "The Return" One of the most shocking and most anticipated episodes on the CW network. The return of Katherine Pierce to Mystic Falls and the emotional downfall of Damon. Overall, an epic, shocking, and emotional roller coaster ride.

Friday Night Lights "The Son" It would be a lie if I told you that I didn't cry in every single episode in this series for one reason or another. But in this episode, as the team and the Taylor family rally around Matt after his father is killed in Iraq supersedes all the rest. An episode that tells the terrifying truth of how hard life can crash down on you.

Heroes "Genesis" Despite the fact that the rest of the series got worse after Season 1, the pilot episode of this series may be one of the best and most intriguing introductions to a series ever created.

Death of an entertainment icon

Prolific producer/writer Stephen J. Cannell died yesterday at the age of 69.

To anyone who grew up in the '70s and '80s, he was responsible for some of the best genre shows of all time.

Stephanie and I both grew up watching "The A-Team" and loved every second of it.

We'll have much more on this news and Cannell's legacy during next week's show.

For now I want to share what was his signature at the end of each show:




And this from one of his best creations, "The Greatest American Hero."

He'll be missed.

New episode up...

October movies project - Tim and Stephanie

First off, an editor's note.

I can't stand "torture porn" movies. That is the genre of movies like "Saw" and "Hostel" which take glee in killing people in horrific ways just for the joy of killing people.

Most times the story doesn't even matter.

Of course, October is the month for scary movies and thus a few "torture porn" films find their way into the month.

It is with great pride that I announce today that all "torture porn" films are banned from this site and show. Nothing against the filmmakers, actors etc. I just don't want to have that kind of genre covered here.

As a result, both "Saw 3D" and "I Spit on Your Grave" have been taken off our October movie list and will not be a part of this month's project.

OK, onto the results for this month:



Yes, Stephanie got a horror movie.

But, I am not the cold hearted monster I play on television. So using my executive level veto powers I am (with Stephanie's permission... and gratitude) switching our movie selections.

I will now be seeing "Let Me In" and Stephanie will be seeing "It's Kind of a Funny Story" when it goes into wide release.

In the event the movie bombs in limited release and doesn't go wide, Stephanie will roll the dice and pick again.

But this time she can't be saved.

And "Paranormal Activity 2" is still on the list.

Candace will be joining us soon in the project.