The REEL Housewives Recap

By Callan Farris

Now that the latest season of the Bachelor has ended (Blauren is still going strong), I highly suggest programming your DVRs to record Bravo trash and Bravo trash only because you are not going to want to miss a single second of the RHO-Everywhere train wreck. As all of my fellow Housewives-aholics know, we are smack dab in the middle of this Bravo franchise’s take over of our televisions, but if you are one of the select few that have somehow managed to escape this Housewives invasion - read on!

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RHO-Beverly Hills
Status: Reunion

I never want to hear the name Munchausen again. EVER. If Yolanda Hadid (RIP Yolanda “Foster”) wasn’t sick this season then there wouldn’t have been a season. It seemed there was not a single scene that these Hollywood ladies were not gossiping about the former super model’s (and mother to famed super models Gigi and Bella Hadid) battle with Lyme disease, or lack thereof. The only pause we got from this tired topic was the breath of fresh air newcomer Erika Jayne (aka Erika Girardi, famously married to the recent headline grabber Tom Girardi) who is a no-nonsense provocative pop performer that doesn’t have time for the other ladies’ catty bullsh*t. “I’m an enigma wrapped in a riddle and cash” was Mrs. Girardi’s introductory tagline this season, and truer words were never spoken. This eight-time number one singles star (and self-proclaimed lover of the C-word) showed up reeking of money and confidence in every scene and quickly cemented herself as the new head bitch in charge. Other than “Sicky” (Yolanda) and “C*nty” (Erika) it was per ushe for the Beverly Hills old-timers. Kyle was weepy and dramatic, Lisa Rinna was the token sh*t-stirrer, Eileen was equal parts sensitive and blah, Lisa Vanderpump was the master manipulator (that I personally still adore), and the other newcomer, Kathryn Edwards, was just evil enough to solidify her spot on the cast next season. I am giddy with anticipation to see how much drama unfolds at the upcoming RHOBH three-part reunion. Drink every time you hear Munchausen’s. You are sure to be as wasted as Kim Richards was last season (too soon?)

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RHO-Atlanta
Status: Hiatus

I didn’t think it could get any better than the famed “fix your face; fix your body” duel between Sheree Whitfield and NeNe Leakes but when Kim Fields and Kenya Moore got into it at this season’s RHOA reunion my mind was quickly changed. Quick rundown: Child star, “Tootie”, Kim Fields is at the “grown folks table” and the self-titled “K-eyonce” (who isn’t at the grown folks table according to Mrs. Fields) get into it about who is the better producer/director the entire season and the outcome is an explosive head-to-head reunion couch debate that ends in the best GIF in Real Housewives history.

If that’s all we got out of this Atlanta season it would be enough but fortunately for us the drama between these Georgia peaches started long before.

Season highlights: infamous drunken Peter (husband of Housewives veteran Cynthia Bailey) “cheating” video emerges on the Internet and is passed around more than the ladies pass out “tea” (Urban Dictionary that word if you want to keep up with these ladies), Cynthia gets her kung fu panda on, Porsha gets kicked, Kenya has a new (and very much younger) man, Kandi and Todd welcome their much anticipated baby boy Ace, Phaedra and sons finally make their long-awaited prison appearance, and most importantly NENE IS BACK! All in all, well done Atlanta. You’ve once again taught me some very valuable life lessons, especially how to properly use the word “THOT” in my every day conversations (again, urban dictionary).

RHO-Potomac
Status: Irrelevant

Why this status? Because I think we’ve seen the last of the Potomac ladies. If you aren’t a fan of biracial debates that stretch over 8 long episodes then you won’t be a fan of this DC suburbs Housewives debut. White, black, mixed - who cares?  They won’t be back.

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RHO-Dallas
Status: Premiered

As a fellow Dallas-ite and proclaimed lover (ok, obsessor) of the Real Housewives, I couldn’t have been more excited for the premiere of this new edition in my own back yard. I honestly think I screamed in delight when I heard the Bravo cameras were coming to town. I started my “Dallas Housewives” group chat, prepared my snap chat to catch any memorable one-liners, nestled into my couch with remote in hand and pressed play with as much joy running through my body as when my first child was born. But by the first commercial, reality set in. It’s horrible.  Actually, “horrible” is too nice of a word; it’s downright embarrassing. The cast is made up of what I can only presume Bravo wants to be perceived as the crème de la crème of Dallas socialites but Stephanie Hollman, Cary Deuber, Brandi Redmond, Tiffany Hendra and LeeAnne Locken collectively dished out a big Texas helping of hot mess. Farting on command, unflattering impersonations of charity leaders, poop jokes, and countless awkward laughter in front of the cameras were just a few of the cringe-worthy moments during Monday night’s premiere. These are the women Andy Cohen chose to represent the Lone Star State?  Halfway through the show LeeAnne, who describes herself as “loud and aggressive”, even said “it’s getting real Plano up in here” and it wasn’t meant as a compliment. Last time I checked Plano wasn’t exactly the slums, ladies (and how dare you insult the home of Whiskey Cake!) Each episode will no doubt be fueled with “Jesus Juice” (wine) but I don’t think any amount of booze is going to help get me through this season. I am hopeful, but it aint lookin good y’all.

Till next time! Callan

The X- Files Season 10 Review …. We Were Warned!

By Collin Lotter & Tyler Foster

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The promotion was heavy and frequent on the primary Fox network and as a kid who grew up in the nineties… I was all in. That's right, when we first heard that Fox was bringing back the X –Files with all the major players from the original series, we all said “sign me up.”  And Fox was counting on this, with a reported 20 million spent on promotion for the month leading in to the tenth season premiere mainly tied around the highly rated NFL playoffs. Many fans can’t tell you how it ended or why it was continuing, but unlike most television installments, there has always been mega intrigue around the X Files cases and characters over the past 20 years.  Over its 10-season, two-movie run, there have been almost as many X-Files “endings” as there have been twists. The last few seasons, never sure of the show’s future, proposed a few different ways to send Mulder and Scully into the sunset. Scully was announced pregnant a few seasons back, just around the same time Mulder was abducted.. The next season Mulder and Scully shared an intimate moment to potentially answer the inevitable will they / won't they teased romance throughout the episodes. The second movie in 2008 left somewhat of a concrete ending showing Scully and Mulder on vacation seemingly at peace and the fans with some finality… however we all knew these questions would again be resolved.

Part of the major intrigue for myself as a viewer in the six-episode rebirth was to be able to see new episodes from an introspective thirty-year-old point of view rather than a young kid trying to be scared for the night and fulfilling realism to my own imagination. Seeing it from the perspective of the same age that Mulder and Scully were when they began the show was a draw to a lot of the post millennial demographic to give this show another chance and while the show had some highs and the main characters seem to age extremely gracefully, it was safe to say from critics and hardcore fans response that the show did not in its newest rendition. On the surface, you can conclude that Fox viewed the mini series/tenth season as a major hit compared to their other original programming. Ratings were solid and there looked to be a healthy amount of social media buzz for X Files all together. This was definitely evident initially with a huge premiere audience of 17.8 million fans tuning in, but this wouldn't last for the series finale with viewership dipping to a disappointing 6.9 million fans. Also feedback ran rampant on all social platforms/message boards that the finale felt hollow and unfulfilling for such a rabid fan base starting out. But based on the overall response, the harsh truth in here is that it’s as if creator Chris Carter and his collaborators have forgotten what people liked about the show.

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This season starts out with Fox Mulder and Dana Scully back on the hunt (initially with Mulder leading his own one man investigation) after receiving new information, and a mysterious woman might be the victim of an alien abduction close by. Mulder starts questioning what he originally solved in past cases and goes into full rogue/detective mode throughout the first episode. Along the way they meet, Tad O’ Malley (Joel McHale), a Web-TV Blowhard who individually believes he has stumbled upon the most evil ,trust nobody conspiracy that undermines the first nine seasons and two movies. Mulder is initially extremely captivated and wants to dig deeper (much to the dismay of Scully). Seeing the great Mitch Pileggi appear as Walter Skinner was a nice surprise to the premiere two episode – two night event and the back and forth between David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson still had charm. However, as a viewer it became extremely clear that 13 years later the stories and characters don't have the same energy.

The middle of the season had chunks of excitement with some great comedic moments and guest stars like Rhys Darby(Flight of the Conchords) who plays a New Zealander that is neither a guy, nor a man., He is a lizard. The third episode is powered by his appearance and brings some light-hearted humor to a dull opening two episodes for anticipating fans. Darby was so good in this role as he narrates his whole transformation from a wishful point of view of the luxuries that humans have over reptiles. The interaction with him seems to reinvigorate Mulder who has a keen trait to believe the unbelievable..

The good vibes don't last long entering the fourth episode as Scully receives a phone call from her brother informing her of the news that her mother has entered a coma and she must rush to the hospital to see her immediately. Scully who is also dealing with the issue of whether giving her son William up for adoption was ultimately the right choice, seems torn apart throughout the episode, leaving Mulder to sit by her side as well as keep solving the clues to the latest case. The amazing thing about this episode is the amount of awkward tension between Mulder and Scully.lots of uncomfortable touching and consoling as well as unnatural romance leaving viewers a little perplexed who have always concluded the two were naturally made for each other.

The last two episodes were arguably the two most misguided in the series’ history, which is discouraging considering they were the two final go home epilogues to the series for fans. The fifth episode titled “Babylon” begins with a man praying with ominous undertones playing in the background. This character then proceeds to blow up an art gallery in rural Texas. This scene erringly similar to the Oklahoma City bombing scene in the first X-Files movie…There Mulder and Scully meet two young recruits who are assigned to this Texas devastation. Lots of one ups between the young ambitious recruits and the savvy veterans transcend from conflict to partnership and it results in capturing the villain who bombed the gallery.  The series finale, which was heavily promoted by Fox to have a scintillating cliffhanger that would leave us talking for months… (As a concurring theme to whole show’s revival),. the cliffhanger wasn't that surprising and left us empty.  Scully protected from a global biological attack by her alien DNA, can only hope to save Mulder with the stem cells of their son William, whom she gave up for adoption 14 years ago. That might have been a twist if not for the fact that Scully’s maternal guilt had been the season’s most consistent thread. As for the episode’s final minute — a spaceship sets its beam on Scully as the show ends with iconic imagery and best scenes in its entirety.

Perhaps it was the condescending, older, bitter person in me that didn't allow myself to have as much fun with this six-episode fest as I should. However, as previously stated the whole show left a void incomplete compared to years past. It lacked energy, creativity and a startling finale to keep me

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The Cultural Anomaly: How Lecrae is Seeking to Merge Two Cultures

By Daniel Fox

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Confession… As a Christian growing up, I never found myself gravitating towards today’s Christian music.  Through varying conversations with other people, it feels like I’m not alone in this.  Is there anything functionally wrong with most of the Christian music today?  Not necessarily, but when you’ve been introduced the varying degrees of musical genius that can be found in the likes of the Stones, Zeppelin, U2, Nirvana, and others, most other music can seem rather bland.  Most times when I turn on the Christian radio station, I am unable to differentiate between the artists, other than if they are male or female.  Everything seems to have the same melody with the same straightforward, uplifting lyrics.  But hey, to each his own, and there is definitely a market for that style and plenty of people who prefer that music to anything else on the radio and that’s ok.  However, for me, I felt it hard to enjoy and would often feel guilty that I didn’t necessarily like the “good, Christian music” and preferred music the Church would deem as “wrong, or secular.”  Remember when the Youth Pastor or special guest-speaker would ask you to throw away your “secular” CD’s?  Yea that wasn’t very fun, and I’m sorry Mr. Youth Pastor, but my CD of “Siamese Dream” was going nowhere near a trashcan.

I’m not necessarily a big Rap fan, so when I found myself in the middle of a rap concert in the summer of 2004 I was pretty uninterested.  But then this artist starting raping lyrics that contained the words “crunk” and “eschatology” in the same song.  Huh?  Excuse me?  “Crunk” a very secular word coined by the Three 6 Mafia, and “eschatology” a very Christian word meaning the theological studying of the end times… used in the same song.  Needless to say the artist peaked my interest and has ever since.  That artist was Lecrae.

Today, 12 years later, Lecrae is very much at the forefront of a revolution that is seeking to merge the Christian and secular musical cultures.  He currently has over a million followers on Twitter, and hangs out with the likes of Steph Curry and Kendrick Lamar.  Yet still publically shares his Christian faith both in his music and in the real world.  This couldn’t work if Lecrae was an average musician, but it does because he is an extraordinary rapper, writer, and producer.  The freshness of his beats at times can seem like a combination of multiple generations with hints of Tupac, Outkast, and Kendrick Lamar all present on the same album or even the same song.  His best work being 2014’s Anomaly, the first Christian album ever to debut at #1 on the Gospel Albums chart and Billboard 200, and only the fifth Christian artist ever, only the third in almost 20 years, to debut at #1 on the Billboard 200. 

Lecrae is an artist standing in the middle of two cultures that majorities of people desire to be separate, but that he desires to be an integral part of each other.  Lecrae said in a 2014 article from Billboard.com, “I didn't really fit in either world.  But it's telling to the gospel industry that there are people who crave a sound that is not traditional. To the mainstream industry, there's a voice of faith from all walks of life."  Of course this creates natural detractors from both sides, the mainstream industry that would prefer faith based music to be kept in its own niche, only occasionally appearing such as when Kanye West released “Jesus Walks.”  A good song that was accepted by the mainstream, but after which Kanye has followed with traditional rap lyrics… and general craziness.  Likewise, most churches today are teaching that Christian culture should be separate from secular culture.  Believing that Lecrae shouldn’t be in the mainstream and strictly stick to what Christian artists have been doing forever.  So there Lecrae sits alone, an artist between worlds, half Jay-Z, half John Piper.  Doing what he loves to the best of his abilities, creating great music for both cultures yet in spite of each culture at the same time.  He certainly is quite the anomaly.

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Cameron Crowe's Elizabethtown

By Michael Clayton Copeland

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Last night I revisited Cameron Crowe’s “Elizabethtown.” A visit I make yearly. I refuse to give up on it. I know this man’s intentions, and I know the greatness he possesses. And “Elizabethtown” has so much greatness. There are many moments in the film that make you wince, but the “winciest” of winces comes from missed-opportunities and wasted gold.

Orlando Bloom was the first mistake. Apparently, Cameron pushed for him, too. I’d like to believe that Cameron realized his mistake during production, and that time and money was what kept him from stopping production and re-casting, but the guy cannot act. The film rests on his shoulders, and the guy just cannot act. Granted, the script by Cameron didn’t always help either, as he chose to both rush and shift emotional arcs several times throughout the story. The two best examples of poor acting meeting poor writing, for me, are when Bloom’s character is sitting at the kitchen table with various members of the family and decides to stand up to them for the first time about cremation and not being from California, and the scene with Kirsten Dunst in the banquet hall where he confesses his love for her. Both of these scenes call for big outbursts that make no sense coming out of Bloom’s character’s mouth. We have been lead to believe that he is quietly dealing with the loss of his Father and the “fiasco” of his career, so to hear him give grandiose speeches that profess his frustrations and love are incredibly misplaced and unbelievable. He comes off as bi-polar; incredibly tormented — and it makes zero sense. And no matter how great the music is, no matter how great the cinematography by John Toll is, it cannot save most viewers from pulling out of the story.

And we cannot ignore the lack of focus. Cameron has a four hour film here that was condensed to two, and it’s incredibly obvious. Whether it’s the cousin Jessie storyline involving his relationship with his son and his own Father, or it’s Susan Sarandon and Judy Greer’s storyline as Orlando Bloom’s Mother and Sister dealing with the loss of the family Patriarch, “Elizabethtown” suffers from too much juggling. We never have time to care about anyone.

There are other distractions like Kirsten Dunst’s southern accent mysteriously disappearing and re-appearing throughout the film, but I still find my way back to this movie year after year.

Why?

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I mentioned the music and cinematography earlier, and these are both key components. Tom Petty and Elton John are heard throughout with perfect marriages to the beautifully-shot imagery on screen, and it should be of no surprise. This is Cameron’s strength. But even more so than this, there are brilliantly written and well-crafted sequences in “Elizabethtown” that have the makings of another Cameron Crowe masterpiece. That is why the film is so frustrating for me.

Whether it’s the opening scene with the truck full of recalled shoes backing up to the loading dock intercut with the Bloom character’s long and reflective journey to his boss’s office, or the tap-dance sequence with Susan Sarandon, the movie has a lot of strength. I also loved the recurring “secret connoisseur of last looks” thread that takes us through the entire story. And the final road trip scene. And Alec Baldwin’s character. And the flashback sequences. And the “Free Bird” performance under the sprinklers.

But, the final cut was the final cut. What we saw is what we saw. It’s a shame that Cameron Crowe’s immense talent wasn’t fully realized in this one. “Potential” is the strongest word you can use to sum up this effort. But the film is still very much worthy of your time. When we look back over this man’s career, much can be taken from “Elizabethtown” to include in the highlight reel. His love of music and its importance is on display here, arguably second only to “Almost Famous.” And that passion is intoxicating, and contagious. He gives his characters great poetry, and while there is plenty of bad execution of said poetry to point to in his career, you can’t deny his love for his characters and humanity at that. He’s a tremendous songwriter in my opinion, and in the case of “Elizabethtown,” it just might be his first album where you’re allowed to skip a track or two.

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Movies with Emotional Baggage

By Donna Arp Weitzman

For many of us, emotional baggage can build from a very early age, and it's important to release that baggage as we enter new relationships. Crazy, dysfunctional prior relationships can weigh heavily on your psyche, and wear you down mentally, physically, and emotionally.

Everyone has emotional baggage and on its own, it's not necessarily a bad thing.  The problem is not that you may have it, but what you choose to do with it. Do you keep your emotions locked in a closet? Not good.  Do you carry it around until your body aches? Also not good.

 Fortunately for us moviegoers, we always have great films and actors to help us relate on how they handle their personal emotional baggage and the stories they tell. Movies display the problems that we are trying to decipher and give us a direct or indirect road map on how we can combat and build off them.

Here are seven instrumental films in the last 20 years (don’t want to veer to much into the past as the current romantic climate has changed considerably since the internet) relatable to every generation on dealing with the ever-perplexing issue of emotional baggage.

 1.  You’ve Got Mail, 1998. Director Nora Ephron, Starring Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan. The quintessential tech-based romantic comedy that features rivals away from the computer screen, characters Joe and Kathleen (Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan) unknowingly fall in love with each other via an email relationship and humorously deal with a number of common online dating issues. The story, a modernized little "remake" of "The Shop Around The Corner", is more fairy tale than realism -- two people fall in love over email, in war in real life, and however can such a thing be solved -- but it's an enchanting story nonetheless.

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2.  Notting Hill, 1999. Director Roger Mitchell, Starring Julia Roberts and Hugh Grant. This is the best romanic comedy in 1999, in my opinion. It's a story about an actress (Anna Scott played by Julia Roberts) at the height of her career finding the ordinary man (William Thacker played by Hugh Grant) in Notting Hill (an actual place in the UK) and falling in love with him. The unlikely story of travel bookstore owner getting involved with a mega-star actress is a fantasy but then it's a movie... and their story is fun to watch. Their quirky romance struggles a bit while they try to find a common ground for the couple from opposite ends of the spectrum- and the movie tries to convey that even famous actresses have normal needs, too.

 3.  Silver Linings Playbook, 2012. Director David O Russell, Starring Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawerence. Cooper plays a man being released from institutionalized care after a violent episode got him into trouble. Having lost his job and his wife, he is taken in by his parents who must contend with his bipolar condition. Cooper is single-minded in his pursuit to get back together with his wife, to the point of obsession. When he meets an odd young widow (Lawrence) dealing with plenty of personal demons, the two seem like they've got a lot in common. Of course, they seem perfect for each other but Cooper remains oblivious for most of the movie. The ending is perfectly timed out though with the synchronicity of both oddball personalities finally meeting each others match. 

4.  500 Days of Summer, 2009. Director Marc Webb, Starring Zoey Deschanel and Joesph Gordon Levitt. “This is a story of boy meets girl. But you should known in advance, this is not a love story,” intones the voiceover at the start of this bittersweet romantic comedy. Tom (Gordon-Levitt) grew up believing in fate bringing soul mates together whereas Summer (Deschanel) grew up not believing in much of anything, least of all lasting relationships. On the other hand, there's the duality between what one would like to happen and what actually does happen; we often go through life with expectations, even though we know deep down that most will never be met. Tom is in a tug-of-war between his romantic fantasies and the reality that Summer doesn't believe in true love.

5.  High Fidelity, 2000. Director Stephen Frears, Starring John Cusack and Catherine Zeta – Jones. Cusack plays a relatable guys kind of guy who owns a record store and is plagued by the unique flaws of each ex girlfriend. The movie is littered with inner dialogue with Rob’s (Cusack) past experiences and terrible luck with keeping stable relationships. However, as the movie evolves and Cusack’s character matures he realizes the right type of woman for his eclectic personality and oddball personality filled with self-actualized humor and an appreciation in music.

 6.  Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, 2004. Director Michel Gondry, Starring Jim Carrey and Kate Winslet. Focused on two sadden love stories in unique perspectives all four main characters dealing with their own shortcomings. Clementine(Winslet) is a tragic woman who is constantly searching for the right soulmate that may appear in glimpses but always keeps her wondering. Her counterpart Joel(Carrey) is a quirky, soft-spoken introvert who struggles with his own confidence and observations. After learning of a operation that his girlfriend has had to remove him from her memory, Joel decides to copy the same procedure, although both in retrospect realize the emotional baggage and past they have with each other is better not forgotten. 

Photo Credit: Focus Features / Everett Collection

7.  Sideways, 2004. Director Alexander Payne, Starring Paul Giamatti and Thomas Haden Church. Payne masterfully displays how emotional baggage can translate through friendship in this film as much as it can play out in the romantic arena as well. The main character Miles (Giamatti) plays a self-aware novelist who consistently over analyses his previous marriage. This results in daily bitterness of the idea of the love and the daunting process it takes on a person. But in a refreshing albeit abrasive manner, Miles friend Jack (Haden Church) brings a sense of humor and ignorant point of view to counter balance each other. Both dealing with past and current relationships, plan an escape trip to wine country; which in turn only winds up being a harsh dose of reality and the failure of not dealing with it head on. This movie feeds on emotion, Giamatti’s character doing it in a quiet self-analyzing way and Haden Church’s path more outspokenly wrapped around action driven mistakes.

 There are plenty more great examples in the archives of film to show how our favorite story – tellers deal with the encompassing emotional baggage that we all try to take on. But these 7 can bring great examples with laughs, tears and hopes surrounded by unique settings in cinema.

House of Cards: Season 4 Review (Spoiler Free)

By Daniel Fox

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In the ending of “House of Cards” last season we saw an underappreciated and upset Claire packing up and leaving the White House, seemingly leaving her marriage with Frank in limbo.  When she walked out it seemed as if the Underwood’s marriage had finally hit its lowest point, and the same could probably be said for the whole of Season Three for “House of Cards,” which was incredibly bogged down, slow moving, and lacking much of the drama that made the first two seasons a success.  Once Frank had finally gained the Oval Office, Season Three had a Frank Underwood with few obstacles standing in between Him and ultimate power, and the writers failed to capture the “win at all cost” nature of Frank during the season.  The result was a Frank Underwood (and thus an overall season), that I dare to say… was weak.

I’m happy to report that Season 4 is a return to form for the series.  There are numerous twists and turns throughout, which gives it a great flow.  The telling thing about binge watching is that if the pace and flow of the season is slow and dragging, then it’s very difficult to retain the attention of the viewer who could possibly either move on to another show, or simply just to forget about it all together.  The very pace that we watch a show on a streaming service is a fair quantification of the shows overall quality… and I burned through Season 4.

This Season picks up immediately after the ending of Season 3, with Frank just (barely) winning the Iowa Caucus’ against main Democratic rival Heather Dunbar, and with Claire flying away from Washington for her Mother’s home in Dallas.  Kevin Spacey has always been the star of the show, and he is still better than ever.  It’s pretty incredible that a two-time Oscar winner will be mainly identified for his role on a TV show, but he is and always will be Frank Underwood for the rest of his career. 

However, the star, and I would say primary focus, of the season is Claire Underwood played by Robin Wright in easily her best run of the entire series.  The past few seasons Claire has been a spectator on the sidelines who desperately wants to get in the game.  However when she does finally get to play in her partnership’s quest for power, it was often with mixed results.  Coming off her failure as the US Ambassador to the UN, Claire is definitely seeking to prove herself and a majority of the season follows her desire to prove herself equal to anyone, especially Frank.  It’s easy to see why many parallel Claire to current Presidential Candidate Hillary Clinton, as they share the same drive, and (probably) the same behind closed door’s political maneuvering that will get them to wherever they need to be, no matter the cost.  When a major plot twist happens very early in the season, Claire gets her chance to shine and her chance to prove herself, and it’s really fun to watch.

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Most familiar faces are back this season in some capacity.  Michael Kelly as Doug Stamper who is finally back alongside the President after a wasted season for him last year.  With the Rachel storyline finally concluded, it was nice to see Doug back doing what he does best, which is really no more than playing the muscle for a mob boss.  Presidential Candidate Heather Dunbar (Elizabeth Marvel), Minority Whip Jackie Sharp (the vastly underused Molly Parker), Frank’s former Chief of Staff Remy Danton (Mahershala Ali), Press Secretary Seth Grayson (Derek Cecil), and Secret Service Agent Edward Meechum (Nathan Darrow) all have their parts to play throughout the season and do fine jobs. 

But it’s the new faces this season that provide some freshness to the series.  Coming on board this season is six-time Academy Award nominee, and one-time winner, Ellen Burstyn as Claire’s Mother, Elizabeth Hale.  Burstyn plays Hale as the rich socialite of Highland Park, Texas who turns her nose up at anything, or anyone, she deems beneath the standards she sets for her family.  The fact that her only daughter married a man who grew up poor in South Carolina still eats away at her pride, and she shows that disdain any time Frank is mentioned in conversation.  Neve Campbell (Scream, Party of Five) plays a Dallas-based political advisor, who gets a chance to shine early in the season, but then fades in to the crowd as the season progresses.  Finally, Joel Kinnaman (The Killing, Robocop) as New York Governor Will Conway, the Republican Presidential nominee.  Kinnaman does his best work since Season 1 of “The Killing,” playing the young, competitive, but inexperienced candidate.

Many criticize “House of Cards” for being unrealistic, or over-the-top.  To his credit, show runner Beau Willimon (in his final year on the show), seems to embrace the surreal this season, and not try to convince the public that what we are seeing could actually happen.  The season definitely benefits from this because in the midst of the political drama, the show taps in to many parallels to current “real world” issues.  Racism, gender equality, ISIS, data privacy, gun control, Russia (in a continuing storyline from Season 3, complete with a Putin stand-in), Social Media; all of these things have their fingerprints on the issues that Frank faces as President, just simply put in a different context and in a different universe.  While viewers will always still crave the theme Frank’s pragmatism, and desire of absolute power, it’s different themes such as Feminism, fear, and narcissism that carry the season.

All of those themes lead to the shows best drop of episodes since Season One.  However, as the stakes continue being raised it’s difficult to see how the show can continue on this path into Season Five.  Everyone knows that a literal House of Cards can’t stand forever, eventually everything will fall to the ground.  As the Underwood’s have been building their house higher and higher, we as the viewer know that at some point everything is going to come crashing down around them… maybe.  And that’s what makes watching so much fun.

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The Oscar Red Carpet Post-Game Report

By Callan Farris

Are you ready for some fashiooooon?! As any fashion-obsessed person would know, the Oscars are the Super Bowl of red carpets, and this year the stars brought their A game. To say I do not know football would be the understatement of the century so humor me as I attempt to round out my MVPs and bench warmers from last week’s 88th Academy Awards.

Bench Warmers (Red Carpet Disasters): These stars may have looked formidable on film but their performance on game day left a lot to be desired. Perhaps they would have been better off on the bench than on the field.

Heidi Klum

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False Start. Klum showed up to the Oscar ceremony in an ombre lavender Marchesa gown that featured one long sleeve, a cutout on the chest, and two gigantic flower explosions. Bad Heidi, BAD! And why is Heidi Klum at the Oscars anyway? Sure, she is a judge on reality television competitions once in a while but her attending the Oscars is like Lebron James attending a Denver Broncos post-game celebration. Or is it? Again, I know nothing about football… or basketball…

Brie Larson

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Remember when Jessica Simpson and Tony Romo dated? It was cute at first and then it got annoying, fast. This is how I feel about the Best Actress winner’s choice of dress. At first glance I thought the bright blue Gucci gown was charming, but after further review it quickly changed to distracting and obnoxious. The fanned out pleats took over Larson’s trim figure and the hair and makeup was boring and predictable. Hopefully on the awards circuit next year this look will be as distant a memory as Simpson’s pink #9 jersey is for Cowboys fans.

Amy Poehler

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ILLEGAL PROCEDURE! For any girls reading this who, like me, are not very sports savvy - you can either google “illegal procedure” or take my word for it that this is BAD in football terms.  The “Inside Out” voice actor and comedy force showed up in an embroidered Andrew Gn gown featuring butterflies and flowers; A LOT of butterflies and flowers. Whomever was responsible for telling her this choice looked great really dropped the ball and I am marking this look as a fashion fumble. 

Most Valuable Players (Red Carpet Standouts): This year’s Best Dressed list could have been as long as Cam Newton’s yellow zebra print Versace pants but, for the sake of time, I have decided to only rank my top three looks of the night. 

Rachel McAdams

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Touchdown! This 37-year-old first-time Oscar nominee dazzled in a never-before-seen halter-neck, open-back August Getty Atelier gown. Even though she did not go home with a trophy for her role in Spotlight, this seasoned star was definitely the fashion MVP of the night.

Saoirse Ronan

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Yet another actress that stepped on to the red carpet in a stunning emerald green number, Ronan looked exquisite in the custom-made sequin Calvin Klein gown accessorized with mismatched earrings and effortless flowing locks. It is no surprise that this newcomer showed up to play, as she has had a near perfect record in her short time on the fashion scene. 

Charlize Theron

Credit to Getty Images

The only other person on earth that does more high-end designer campaigns than Tom Brady is Charlize, so it’s safe to say that when it comes to the fashion department she knows what she is doing. This year’s Oscars was no exception as the Mad Max star stunned in a crimson red Dior gown with a plunging neckline and statement jewels. With as much buzz as this superstar has received for her “best carpet look yet”, she is sure not to get a DEFLATED sense of self anytime soon.

After reading this hopefully you can see that sports and fashion aren’t necessarily on opposite ends of the spectrum and are equally deserving of your viewing time. If only we could convince the Academy to play Doritos and PuppyMonkeyBaby commercials, now that would be the best of both worlds.

‘Til next time red carpet! xoxo - Callan

Game of Thrones Season Six Primer

By Logan Cutter | IG: @cuttypants

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Readers of George R.R. Martin’s epic fantasy novel series will be put in a precarious position when they tune into this season of HBO’s Game of Thrones.  How will readers react to watching their cherished storylines unfold on screen in April before they get a chance to experience them through written word?  For those not privy, this season of Game of Thrones will include storylines from his unpublished sixth book.  The Winds of Winter was scheduled to be released earlier this year but Martin has since delayed the novel.  The release date has yet to be announced.  This means HBO will be taking Martin’s narrative and moving forward without the guidance of his complete manuscript.  Fans of George R.R. Martin’s novels have always had the option of reading the story first and then watching HBO’s adaptation afterwards.  That option will no longer exist.  The storyline overlap is an unprecedented situation and a huge challenge for everyone making the show.  Martin has certainly been heavily involved in keeping the plot on the rails but as a fan of his novels I was originally uneasy when I discovered the show narrative would pull ahead of his writing.  I’m over it now.  Martin’s story is in good hands.

The TV show has been a pop culture phenomenon for a few years now.  You can argue Jon Snow theories with your Starbucks barista or discuss last week’s episode with your Uber driver.  Everyone watches.  There’s a reason.  It’s the best show on TV.  It has everything you’d want in a drama.  The casting and acting have been superb.  Their massive budget has allowed them to create the best sets, costumes and special effects money can buy. 

The way Martin weaves his story together in the A Song of Ice and Fire series is magical.  His characters have more depth than Robert Downey Jr. playing Kirk Lazarus playing Sergeant Lincoln Osiris in Tropic Thunder.  Every character is a distinctly different shade of grey and he takes you into the mind of several of them using his unique use of multiple viewpoint characters.

Watching a powerful television drama unfold on your screen and reading an intense saga, such as Martin’s, are entirely different and enjoyable experiences.  There’s no reason one should spoil the other.  They’re two distinct art forms that can be appreciated separately or together in any order.

Too many fascinating storylines will unfold on our screens this spring to let the writer’s procrastination get me down.  Some of them will be entirely new narratives that everyone will experience for the first time on screen.  Some of them will be narratives that the novel has already covered.  Personally, I’m hopeful that the Greyjoy family sees extended screen time because they are some of the most captivating characters from the fourth and fifth book the series.

Let’s get you primed.  Here’s everything you need to know and a few predictions for the upcoming season six of Game of Thrones.  I’ll cover all main storylines and characters with a plot score because scoring things is fun.  The overlooked situation created by the timelines coming together is that readers and viewers will be exposed to events of the story at the same time.  No need to worry about pesky spoilers anymore!

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Jon Snow

Plot Score: 10

The last time we saw him: lying dead in the snow

When I read the Jon Snow death scene I was certain he was dead, for good.  I was devastated like everyone else.  But when I watched the scene on TV, some years later, I wasn’t so sure. 

Here are the facts.  Kit Harington was carrying Game of Thrones.  HBO has already released several season six teaser trailers featuring Jon Snow heavily.  He’s been sighted on set.  Jon Snow was integral in most of the major plotlines of the story.  The Lord of Light religion has been shown to have the power to bring people back to life in the TV show and the novels (Beric Dondarrion, Lady Stoneheart).  Melisandre has this power.  Melisandre was present at Castle Black when Jon Snow was murdered.

There are three likely scenarios;

1. He’s actually dead.
2. He’s resurrected by Melisandre.
3. He becomes a White Walker.

He’s not dead.

My bet is on scenario B.   He will become an undead through the Red Priestess’ magic like Beric Dondarrion and Lady Stoneheart (Lady Stoneheart has only been brought back to life in the novels and has not yet appeared in the show - we’ll leave her identity a mystery for now).  Melisandre sees something in Jon Snow and she wouldn’t hesitate to use her power to bring him back to life.  She’s been backing Stannis since day one and he’s dead now.  There’s a vacancy there. 

Jon Snow as a White Walker is a little farfetched although it is interesting.  He could become evil like the rest of the White Walker’s or be a sort of damned hero and bring them down from within.

Will he be the same Jon Snow?  Probably not.  He’s not going back to the Wall.  His Night’s Watch Brothers betrayed and killed him, however, I don’t expect him to seek revenge.  George R.R. Martin doesn’t operate within the black and white lines of storytelling.  No character is either a hero or a villain.  But if a hero does exist in Martin’s story, it’s Jon Snow.  Ned Stark, the original hero, has taught him everything he knows. 

I see a few possible paths for him now that he has seemingly been released from his duties as Lord Commander of the Night’s Watch.  He could set his sights on bringing down The Others (alternate name for the White Walkers) in some hero-like fashion or restoring order to the Seven Kingdoms – or both.  Admittedly, this would be very much unlike Martin but there needs to be some kind of heroic and climactic moment at or near the conclusion for Jon Snow, right?  Maybe not, but the viewers all want this for him.

Arya Stark

Plot Score: 9

The last time we saw her: blinded by Jaqen H’ghar as punishment for murdering Ser Meryn Trant

Royal-birthed tomboy turned faceless assassin.  Her adventures have taken her everywhere and she has a head start on her siblings in exacting revenge on those who have wronged the Stark family.  Surely she can get back across the narrow sea and start picking off Lannisters. 

Bran Stark

Plot Score: 6

The last time we saw him: Season Four

Bran’s plot score should get much higher this season.  He’s about to learn magic.  Bran finally found the Three-Eyed Raven with the help of a couple of forest kids and Hodor in season four.  His storyline took a hiatus in season five and will continue this season.  

The Three-Eyed Raven is an ancient forest wizard that possesses all sorts of magical powers that he is about to bestow on Bran.  We don’t really know the extent of the Three-Eyed Raven’s powers yet but he’s taking Bran to Hogwarts.  In Bran’s final scene he tells him “you’ll never walk again but you will fly” (preferably on a broom chasing the golden snitch).

Jaime Lannister

Plot Score: 7

The last time we saw him: watching his daughter die in his arms

Jaime’s character arc is easily my favorite.  He’s gone from despised jerk off to the most endearing dad on the show, if you can get past that whole incest thing.  His huge moment comes after having his hand lopped off in season three.  He’s talking to Brienne in the bath pits and tells the story of how he came to have his famous nickname, “The Kingslayer”.  Not many in the Seven Kingdoms know the real story so it’s a big deal that he trusts Brienne enough to tell it.  The Mad King had become power drunk and paranoid.  He ordered the crown’s pyromancer to destroy half of King’s Landing via the same Wildfire substance used to rip Stannis’ army apart in season two.  He gave the order right in front of Jaime who was his Kingsguard at the time.  Jaime killed the king and the pyromancer to protect the citizens of King’s Landing.  From that point on, Jaime’s honor is called into question even though he saved thousands of lives by stabbing the king.  What’s cool about Jaime is that he doesn’t care what anyone thinks or says about him, he embraces the role of villain despite his heroic deeds.

I’m not sure what they have planned for Jaime but I’m certain Cersei will blame him for the death of Myrcella.  Jaime’s fatal flaw of loving his own sister will come into play in season six.  His storyline seems like a good candidate to end sooner rather than later.  I wouldn’t be surprised if Cersei decides to have her own brother killed.

Cersei Lannister

Plot Score: 4

The last time we saw her: walking naked through the streets of King’s Landing

Cersei is pissed and she hasn’t even found out her only daughter is dead.  She’ll be taking it out on the High Sparrow, the Tyrell’s and the Martell’s all season.

Daenerys Targaryen

Plot Score: 5

The last time we saw her: surrounded by a Dothraki horde

Daenerys is still trying to figure out how to rule and she’s taking her sweet time.  Everyone is waiting for her long anticipated invasion of the Seven Kingdoms, but for every step forward she seems to take two steps back.  After hopping on her dragon and riding out of the fighting pits, she stumbles upon a Dothraki horde.  I assume they will take her captive and a rescue mission will ensue by her posse and/or dragons.  Having Tyrion’s wits on her side certainly bolsters her cause when and if she ever crosses the Narrow Sea.

Tyrion Lannister

Plot Score: 9

Last time we saw him: watching Dany fly away on her dragon

Tyrion just recently teamed up with Daenerys Targaryen as part of her ruling council.  There’s also a new vacancy for the ruler of Meereen since Dany is on holiday with Drogon.  Tyrion will surely take the opportunity to sharpen his diplomatic skills and strengthen the partnership with Dany.

Sansa Stark / Theon Greyjoy:

Plot Score: 5

The last time we saw them: jumping to their death to escape the Bolton’s

Well not really, I hope.  Surely they’ll survive that 50 foot jump.  Both of these characters have much to accomplish and at least one of them is highly motivated.  Sansa Stark, like all Starks, covets revenge on those responsible for the deaths of her father, brother and mother.  She also recently found out that she is not the only remaining Stark in the world.  Theon let her in on the secret that he actually did not kill her brothers, Bran and Rickon.  It’ll be interesting to see if she seeks revenge or sets her sights on finding the rest of her family.  My guess is both.

I think everyone is rooting for Theon.  How can you not?  He finally mustered up the courage to do something – killing Ramsay’s side chick and helping Sansa escape Winterfell.  Let’s hope he parlays that into more redeemable actions.

The sixth season of the HBO series, Game of Thrones, returns April 24, 2016.

How Marvel’s Deadpool is Breaking All the Rules…

By Collin Lotter

An anti–hero movie featuring a secondary X-men character… A mid- February / Movie Graveyard schedule release to theaters…. A leading character who has already tried his hand in leading two other Superhero characters to mild success at best (Wolverine/Green Latern)… and most of all a hard R rating alienating the main demographic who consumes the genre… Deadpool had all the ingredients to be a mainstream flop for 20th Century Fox productions in a universal way. No wonder this movie took over 11 years to get made and had skeptics lined up out the door making excuses why they didn't want to touch this piece; This potentially had the makings of a another perennial second rate comic book bust. However, in the upside down world we live in right now in the film and television medium, Marvel’s Deadpool has broken all the rules to guaranteed success and potentially changed the game for Superhero and Comic book movies for years to come…

As we enter its third week at the box office, Deadpool is slaying the competition and an instant hit with critics, die hard marvel fans, casual popcorn fans, pretty much everyone who was originally a non-believer. After two straight weeks at No.1 in total gross, the Ryan Reynolds Superhero led movie has now made $241 domestically and $500 million worldwide. To put this in comparison or perspective, Ant-Man and Captain America: The Winter Soldier made $180 and $259 million domestic their entire run.

So two questions come out of this result – How is Deadpool accomplishing this feat? Deadpool doesn't dance around the strong rating, this movie has got it all. Explicit Language, Exotic Dancers, Graphic Violence, Drug Use, you name it.. The Deadpool character indulges in it. Although, after seeing the movie part of the R rating adds to the movie’s charm in a backwards type of way. It gives the Wade Wilson alter-ego a type of grit and edge the character needs to be respectable and in turn the quirky, quick witted Ryan Reynolds directed sense of humor adds a touch of likeable transparence that gets the anti hero over to curious fans. The movie moves by quickly and the backstory seems to give enough information to draw sympathy and vengefulness for the viewer. The villain although not too memorable serves his purpose as does the side characters.

The second main question being, will Fox and other major production houses start to copy this template and take more risks pushing the envelope?  Have we crossed the threshold of our Superhero’s dropping F-bombs, embracing gore, killing unnecessarily or was this movie an one-time outlier that we really don't want to see more of.. Could we imagine a world where The Flash visit strip clubs or Spiderman saves a human from distress but then robs them afterwards? Seems preposterous doesn't it… but the trend maybe changing rapidly.. Warner Brothers is set to release Suicide Squad this August and the trailers look extremely edgy and borderline scary for a 10 – 16 year old demographic. The new and final Wolverine 3 with Hugh Jackman is coming out later this year and Fox has already announced it will have the R rating.

We have always wanted our Comic Book Heroes to be wholesome, family oriented and especially kid friendly for the past 50 years, and the three major sources of super hero movies understand this. Marvel Studios, DC Comics and 20th Century Fox (X-men/Fantastic Four) have all gone on record the last week claiming that PG-13 is their preferred and targeted rating for years to come, but now that Deadpool has taken the box office by storm, the question lingers. The general public has proven a harsh R rated movie like this can resonate with them to their enjoyment. So now we wait and see which route the studios evolve too with their future offerings.. Children can only hope that a drastic shift won’t be soon on the horizon.

A Grammy letter to Rihanna

By Callan Farris

Dearest BadGirl RiRi,
 

How are you? I miss you. I along with the rest of the world was anxiously awaiting your return to the public eye at the 58th Annual Grammy Awards but alas you were nowhere to be found. Why the no show Ri? Was it out of shame and anxiety after last year’s horrific cotton candy poof ball dress scrutiny? Did you and BFF Katy Perry make a pact to sit at home together to silently judge your fellow star mates fashion blunders? It’s ok to admit, we all did. Or, was it for fear of once again being trapped on the red carpet with E! News pest Giuliana Rancic? The thought of enduring another painstaking conversation with her and having to dodge her fake adoration is clearly a good enough reason to RSVP no so no judgement there, we all understand and won't hold it against you. Whatever the reason for your absence, I'm sure it was a valid one and luckily I am here to recap you on all the red carpet Grammy highlights you missed, (or in this year’s case, what you didn't miss.)

Yes, I hate to say it but the Grammy red carpet was an absolute snooze fest. When the most exciting thing coming down the carpet is Taylor Swifts new blunt cut bangs, you know you’re in for a long two hour countdown. Or, if you are watching E!, a 5 hour countdown since they’ve deemed it necessary for their pre-show to have a pre-show. Nobody should have to endure that many hours of Mrs. Rancic’s babble but I am dedicated to you Rihanna so I made the sacrifice in able to scrounge together the top 3 fashion highs from this years “biggest night in music”.

Credit to Getty Images

#1 Taylor Swift. We could have made a drinking game out of how many times the red carpet forum mentioned Swiftys “squad” but tonight all Tswift needed to back her up was her not so understated physical attributes. Although it was hard to notice anything besides her aforementioned new do, what also turned our heads was the unexpected trendy ensemble that highlighted the 16 time nominees bearing mid drift and sculpted super model limbs. Taylor’s choice of a red bandeau and a high-waisted hot pink panty skirt by Atelier Versace was anything but subtle and received almost as much praise as the singer’s 1989 album.

Credit to Getty Images

#2 Kaley Cuoco. Divorce never looked so good on someone as it did on newly single Kaley Cuoco Monday night. The Big Bang Theory star was at the Grammy’s to help introduce Justin Bieber to the stage but she might as well have just been there to show off her newly toned and perfectly tanned bod (and to show her ex what he’s missing obviously) Kaley wore a silver sparkling jumpsuit from Naeem Khan that left no doubt in my mind that she earned the “best dressed” title of the night. Now if only I could be as certain about the Sam Hunt/Cuoco post party canoodling rumors…

Credit to Getty Images

#3 Adele. Adele finally said “Hello” to a flat iron and I for one couldn’t be any happier. Although the Brits highly acclaimed new album “25” was will not be eligible for nominations until next year, Adele arrived “winning” in a black sequin Givenchy gown accessorized by a new sleek and sultry hair style. Yes, the internet is buzzing about how Adele handled her “Water under the Bridge” performance debacle but what we really should be talking about is how she’s finally learned to let go of that dated although signature bouffant. Good for you Adele! We’re all proud of you!

And that’s about it RiRi. The rest of the red carpet was full of women wearing bizarre mens suits, slutty pagenty gowns and Ryan Seacrests shameless attempts at plugging his suiting line, Distinction. You were greatly missed Rihanna and I vow to you that if you grace us with your presence next year I will dedicate my entire Grammy column to you and only you. That is unless of course The Weekend finally decides to change up his hair, then that will clearly be my focus, I am sure you understand. Love and miss you dearly. Xoxo-Callan