The Amityville Horror (2005) – “This House is Bad.”

It’s time again for Catie Rhodes and me to break down another cinematic original and its remake.  Sticking with our usual ways, Catie reviews the original and I take on the remake.  This month we tackle the classic horror film, The Amityville Horror.

First, let’s take a look at Catie’s summary that applies to both films:

Some bargains are too good to be true.  After getting a great price on a historic home in which a set of gruesome murders occurred, a family is terrorized by a malevolent paranormal force.  This movie chronicles the twenty-eight days they lived in the home before fleeing for their lives.

It may be hard to believe, but I didn’t actually request to cover the remake this month.  To be honest either version was fine by me—I hadn’t seen either one in its entirety.  So, I let Catie choose which one she wanted to review before turning in any requests.  And with her decision to cover the original, I set out on a venture to grab a copy of the remake.

The Amityville Horror claims to be based on a true story, and it is—sort of.

On November 13, 1974, Ronald DeFeo, Jr., believing to be possessed, heard voices, instructing him to kill everyone in his house at 112 Ocean Avenue.  So he did—his father, mother, and four siblings (sisters, 13 and 18, and brothers, 9 and 12), all while sleeping in their beds.  DeFeo, Jr. is currently serving his prison sentence in New York.

These murders led to the release of the novel of the same name written by Jay Anson in 1977, as well as ten films.

The 2005 adaptation begins one year after the murders when a newly married man (George Lutz, played by Ryan Reynolds), his wife (Kathy Lutz, played by Melissa George from TV’s Alias and Hunted), and her three children move into the DeFeo house.  Despite learning about the multiple murders, the Lutzes decide to take the great deal on the house and begin their new lives together as one big happy family.  After all, “There are no bad houses, just bad people.”

But then strange occurrences begin to take place…  George wakes up every single night at exactly 3:15 a.m., the approximate time DeFeo killed his family; the family dog barks incessantly at something that can’t be seen inside the boat shed; and the young daughter (Chelsea, played by Chloe Grace Moretz from Kick-Ass and Dark Shadows) welcomes an imaginary friend into her life—a girl who lives in the closet.  Not only that, but George begins to feel ill and starts losing his temper with his wife and the children… something that is very unlike his personality.

One thing leads to another, and twenty-eight days later, the family flees for their lives… even if “Houses don’t kill people.  People kill people.”

While I haven’t seen the 1979 film in its entirety, I’ve seen enough to recognize a few similarities… like the priest being surrounded by an infestation of flies as he attempts to bless the house.  Ryan Reynolds even sports longer hair and the full-on beard like James Brolin.  And speaking of James Brolin, that is one man who gets sexier with age… am I right, ladies?

The real-life Mr. Lutz was allegedly not pleased with the 2005 remake.  However, in an interview, Lutz did confirm quite a bit about the details shown in the movie: the Lutzes did have the house blessed by a priest; the house and boat shed did indeed have “cold spots”; the Lutz family did discover a hidden room in the basement; and Mr. Lutz became sick not long after moving in.  In case anyone is interested, here’s Jeff Belanger’s interview with Mr. Lutz via Ghostvillage.com.

But let’s get back to the movie, specifically Ryan Reynolds.

I was looking forward to seeing Mr. Reynolds in this role.  I’ve loved him over the years in the raunchy comedies that launched his career—National Lampoon’s Van Wilder, Buying the Cow, Waiting…, and Just Friends.  Throw in the earlier action/adventure movies (Foolproof and Smokin’ Aces) and the romantic comedies (The In-Laws and The Proposal), and one might consider me a full-fledged Ryan Reynolds fan.  Heck, I can’t even count how many times we’ve watched The Change-Up and Safe House in our house… probably more than my guy would like to admit (and I’m sure he’d say I forced him to watch these movies over and over again, but whatever).

However, now that I’ve had the chance to watch him in this horror/psychological thriller, I’m sold.  Not only is he funny, and not only does he have a pretty face (and body, ladies…his body is plain insane in this film), but he can act.

It was rumored that James Van Der Beek turned down this role.  And if that’s the case, I’m glad he did.

Bottom line, the 2005 remake did not disappoint this horror fan at all.

Before I go, I have a little personal history with the house at 112 Ocean Avenue.  Amityville, New York is approximately ten to fifteen miles from a house my godparents lived in when I was a young girl.  On a family visit in the late ‘80s, my parents took me to the DeFeo Murder House.  That’s right; I’ve been there… I only wish I could remember more.  Mostly, I remember the “nice” things from my trip to The Big Apple and Long Island, like visiting The Empire State Building, seeing my first ever homeless person and blue Mohawk, being pulled by a horse-drawn carriage through Central Park, and eating at Tavern on the Green.

However, visiting the real “Amityville Horror” house as a small child explains a lot as to why I love horror and true crime today… thanks, Mom and Dad.  Seriously.  I wouldn’t have it any other way.

What do you think?  Have you seen either the original or the remake of The Amityville Horror?  If you’ve seen both, which do you prefer and why?  If you haven’t, do you want to?  Have you ever visited the scene of a true crime and/or haunted house?  I’d love to hear from you! 

Remember to stop by Catie’s blog discussing the original if you haven’t already.

And if anyone is interested, here is a forum site with FAQs that Mr. Lutz launched prior to his death…

Why It’s Worth a Watch Wednesday – The Supernatural and Hemlock Grove

We’re doing something a tad different today here at The Ooo Factor… we have our first Why It’s Worth a Watch Wednesday guest blogger!

Everyone, meet Jenn Alexinas.

Hi, Jenn!

Jenn, everyone.

I met Jenn at the “Corporate America” company where I worked for ten years.  At first, our relationship was strictly virtual with the occasional phone call.  Then, in 2008, we both relocated to the DFW area for the company.   Without going into too much detail, we knew even before we met in person that we would be lifelong friends.  We both studied English; we both have fair skin and a variation of red hair; we both found ourselves in unique long-term relationships; we both have senses of humor, mine somewhat sarcastic and hers a bit less sarcastic (but she gets me); and somehow, with my being from Texas and her from Ohio, we both have similar values and hobbies, even if I did have to pull her into the world of football.

Anyway, I’ve had a lot on my plate lately, and instead of reblogging an older post today, I asked Jenn to step in.  She loves to write, and is darn good at it, and she has watched a show I do not have access to… a show I’ve been dying to watch—Netflix’s original series, Hemlock Grove.

So now, I hand the keyboard over to Jenn…

*****

Hemlock Grove is Netflix’s newest original series, which, like its predecessor, House of Cards, premiered with all episodes available to watch at once—lending itself easily to a marathon-style-all-in-one-sitting- viewing binge.   I watched the first episode, and immediately found myself intrigued.

If you can get past a few small things, Hemlock Grove is worth a watch.  I’ll admit…the show is not for everyone.  Fans of the standard horror genre might get impatient.  Those who are partial to the ubiquitous supernatural love story might be irked by the lack of melodrama.  Someone who appreciates good acting might turn it off after the first twenty minutes.  And everyone else might just find themselves… confused.  I will say this, though… anyone who feels desensitized to the blood and gore in today’s films and TV shows, and who thinks it impossible to be taken aback by any program’s purported “shock value” may have finally met their match.  At least, I think I did… I mean, I can’t think of the last time I actually breathlessly told a co-worker about how cool a werewolf transformation scene could be.

Looks painful… or maybe he’s just angry?

The story starts with the death of a high school cheerleader in a small industrial steel town. This was a gruesome death, and we aren’t sure if the culprit is human, animal, monster, or something else entirely. However, we quickly learn that while this murder (and subsequent murders) drives the action in the coming episodes, it isn’t really what the story is focused on… if you can claim there is a focus.  We mostly learn all about the town of Hemlock Grove and its denizens, who run the supernatural gamut from gypsies, werewolves, and telepaths, to mad scientists, monsters, and maybe even angels with the ability to impregnate human teenage girls.  Yeah.  There’s a lot going on in this town.

There are some aspects of the show that I really enjoyed.  I’ve gotta say the opening credit sequence is perfectly dark and creepy, with titillating hints of mythology and mysticism.  The aforementioned werewolf transformation scene is just really cool, and extremely graphic in that hope-you-didn’t-just-eat kind of way.  There is certainly some eye candy for the ladies (Landon Liboiron as Peter Rumancek and Bill Skarsgard as Roman Godfrey).  And for the men, there is Famke Janssen, whose sex appeal is enough to make you (almost) overlook her horrendous attempt at a British accent.   My favorite character in the whole show is Shelley (played by Nicole Boivin in close-ups and Michael Andraea in long shots), the “Frankenstein’s Monster” type of creature who is the result of some type of reanimation experiment that is only referred to in two flashback conversations held outdoors in the middle of raucous thunderstorms.  I found the adolescent Shelley, with her disfigured face, bandaged hands and 8 foot frame and inability to utter sounds other than grunts, the only truly likeable character in the series.

Yay!! Eye candy alert… a new Skarsgard!!

In our house, we strategically watched one episode per night, and more than once, that episode left my boyfriend and I looking at each other, open-mouthed, wondering what in the heck just happened.  Sometimes that was because the final scene of the show was so shocking, and other times it was because we really honestly, had no idea what the heck actually had just happened.  As the series progressed, we found ourselves starting each episode with full attention, and then drifting off doing other things, leaving it on in the background.

In keeping with Why It’s Worth a Watch Wednesday’s tradition, I need to rate this show, and I am awarding it the JFTV rating.  Just like that plate of nachos piled up high with gooey cheese and all the toppings, it’s kind of a mess, really fun to get through, and leaves you knowing you’ll probably go back for seconds, even though you shouldn’t.

*****

Thank you SO MUCH for taking the reins this week, Jenn.  You are welcome back anytime.  I mean it.

And I still want to watch Hemlock Grove…

What do you think?  Have you seen Hemlock Grove?  If not, do you plan to?  We’d (Jenn and I) would love to hear from you!

PS.  Readers, please convince Jenn to come back again sometime… she doesn’t currently blog and I’ve been trying to get her to do a guest post for what feels like forever.

And she may kill me for doing this (it’s better to ask for forgiveness than for permission, right?), but you can follow Jenn on Twitter here.

And remember to stop by the #watchwed hashtag in Twitter to discuss today’s review, or to mention any television programs that you’d like to see on Why It’s Worth a Watch Wednesday in the future.

A Recap of The WatchWed Review System:

GTV (Gourmet TV): Everything we want and more
MacTV (MacNCheese TV): Guilty pleasure. Not perfect, but is satisfies
GMacTV (Gourmet MacNCheese TV): A combination of fine wine and comfort food
JFTV (Junk food TV):It’s not great for us, but we’ll go back for seconds
TBPTV (Twice Baked Potato TV): Part gourmet and delicious, while absolutely horrible for our cholesterol
SSTV (Still Simmering TV): It has potential, but the jury is still out
NIV (NyQuil Induced Viewing): Perfect for that late night television sleep timer
LOTV (Liver&Onions TV): Do we really have to explain? Blech
Inedible TV: Exactly how it sounds…

Ready for a Twisted New ABC Family Murder Mystery?

I’ve not kept the fact that I love ABC Family’s teen mysteries a secret.  Heck, I’ve only blogged about Pretty Little Liars at least five times.  The ongoing questions have me hooked: Who killed Alison? Who is leading the “A” team? How do they have so much dirt on Aria, Hanna, Spencer, and Emily? Why do they continue to torture these girls—what could they have possibly done to deserve this?

One can only assume that the “A” team is composed of primarily teens (Mona and Toby for example) and young adults (I’m convinced Melissa is in on it as well), so how is it that they know the deep-dark secrets of the girls’ families too?  No one is safe on this show; not the teens, not the parents, and I love it!

With every episode of Pretty Little Liars, the questions keep coming.  And every once in a while, we get answers… but not many before the show breaks for hiatus.  I hate the mid-season hiatuses.  I can’t stand waiting for the new episodes to return.  However, I do appreciate ABC Family’s seasonal run—they split each season up, usually airing new episodes in the winter and in the summer, instead of the traditional September through May like the major networks.  And more times than not, we can expect a new one-hour special, usually around Halloween, that keeps with the story and introduces more mysteries to us.

And because I enjoy Pretty Little Liars as much as I do, I decided to give The Lying Game a try last year when it premiered.  While this teen drama didn’t start out as a murder mystery, we have seen a few dead bodies since…

I can’t say I like The Lying Game as much as I do PLL, evident by the fact I’ve only blogged about it twice.  However, similar to PLL, The Lying Game is riddled with questions:  Who is the twins’ biological mother?  Who is the twins’ biological father?  Why were they split up at birth?  And who split them up?  How could Sutton have turned out so nasty (she really is a Queen B) in such a loving household, and Emma so sweet when she was bounced from one horrible foster family to another?

One by one, most of TLG‘s secrets have been answered; and as they’ve been revealed, I have literally found myself with goose bumps (while some have sadly been predictable).  But don’t be fooled; once a truth is uncovered, another mystery begins…

So, it’s because of the allure and success of these two teen programs that I plan to watch ABC Family’s newest mystery starting tonight—Twisted.

Twisted follows Danny Desai (Avan Jogia, from the popular Nickelodeon series, Victorious), a troubled teen recently released from juvenile detention after serving five years for his aunt’s murder.  Looking for redemption, Danny immediately reconnects with two of his best girl friends from his past—Jo (Maddie Hasson, from The Finder) and Lacey (Kylie Bunbury).

Since Danny’s conviction, Jo has had trouble moving on and is considered by many to be a social outcast, while Lacey has left her past behind… for popularity and a new boyfriend.  Bringing this group back together doesn’t go as smoothly for Danny as he had hoped, especially after a classmate is found murdered and he becomes the prime suspect—again.

This new series also stars: Denise Richards (mostly recognized for her tumultuous marriage to Charlie Sheen, but also from her seductive and messed up role in Wild Things) as Karen, Danny’s mother—the former socialite, whose social status hasn’t quite recovered since her son’s arrest; Sam Robards (Gossip Girl) as Kyle, Jo’s father and the town’s sheriff; Grey Damon (Friday Night Lights and The Nine Lives of Chloe King) as Archie, Lacey’s new boyfriend; Kathy Najimy (Veronica’s Closet) as Mrs. Fink; and Kimberly Quinn (Terriers) as Jo’s mother.

Twisted premieres tonight (June 11^th) on ABC Family.

Are you an ABC Family fan?  Do you plan to check out the new teen mystery, Twisted?  I’d love to hear from you!      

Pinteresting – June’s Recipes

Over the past few months, I have fallen into the Pinterest craze along with millions of other people.  At first, I didn’t know exactly what to do… but once I got the hang of it, I found myself spending hours on the weekends checking out neat Do-It-Yourself tricks for around the house, finding cute clothes that I needed to add to my wish list, learning interesting beauty and hair techniques, and probably my biggest downfall, discovering recipes that I absolutely must try.

Now it’s time for this month’s Pintersting post where I share a few Pinterest ideas I have grabbed from other users and share whether or not they work.

Today, we’re taking on a few of the recipes…

*****

“Baked” Poached Eggs – Before…

Poached eggs in the oven?  What?  You are kidding me, right?

Nope!

I love eggs… and for the most part, they’re not that bad for me either.  But one thing I can’t stand is hovering over the pan and/or pot at watching them cook, stirring when necessary.  Which is why when I saw this recipe on Pinterest, I simply had to try it!

Just like our “baked” hard-boiled egg recipe last month, get out that trusty-worthy muffin pan.  Spray with cooking spray (I use olive oil spray) and crack an egg open in each one—you do not have to break the yolk, not matter how “runny” you like the eggs.  Season as preferred and bake at 350 degrees (ten minutes for a runnier yolk and fifteen minutes for a hard yolk).

We’ve even played around with making mini-omlettes this way.  While, I don’t have any pictures, it’s just as easy… only this time, break the yolk and stir in whatever ingredients you wish to use (chopped onion, olives, ham, tomatoes, pesto, etc.)  and bake at 350 degrees for fifteen minutes.

After – on toast with a little Chipotle Cholula

It’s that easy.  And trust me—YUM!

*****

Drunken Italian Sausage Pasta

My godmother’s husband hails from Italy; therefore, I’ve grown up absolutely loving a good, homemade pasta dish.  And while I don’t make the actual pasta from scratch like he does, there’s nothing wrong with braving the heat and making a tasty homemade sauce.

Or so I thought… this dish had great flavor, but it definitely took a lot of work.  Maybe it’s because I’ve never made it before, but let’s just say I was a bit moody and on my very last nerve while prepping this dish.

But like I said, the dish was very tasty.  We had family in town the night I chose to make this, and luckily they pitched in where they could to help me keep my sanity… but bottom line—everybody loved it!

Olive Oil
4 or more spicy Italian sausage links (casings removed)
**had I paid attention to this part, “casings removed,” my life would have been much simpler that night…
1 onion, thinly sliced
3 or more bell peppers, any color, thinly sliced
4 garlic cloves, pressed through a garlic press
**Thank you, Pampered Chef for my fabOoolous garlic press.  I love it!
½ cup white wine
1 can (28 ounce) diced tomatoes (with juice)
2 tablespoons freshly chopped parsley
¼ cup fresh basil leaves
8 ounces of pasta (recipe called for Pappardelle noodles, but I used rigatoni because I love it!)
Salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning to taste

Heat two tablespoons of olive oil in large pan (or braising pot)
Crumble the spicy Italian sausage into the pan, keeping it fairly chunky, and brown it like you do hamburger meat
Remove the browned sausage from the pot with a slotted spoon and place in a small bowl for later
Add sliced onion into the pan, allowing it to caramelize or become golden (approximately 5 minutes)
Add salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning
Stir
Add bell pepper, sautéing with the onion for about two minutes
Add garlic, allowing to cook just long enough until aromatic
Add wine, reducing for a few moments (until completely reduced—this took longer than I expected…)
Add tomatoes
Add sausage back into pan, folding into the mixture
Simmer for 3-4 minutes
Drizzle in a couple of tablespoons of olive oil to create a silky, rich flavor
Add parsley and basil
Stir and keep warm while cooking pasta

Prepare pasta according to the instructions on the package

Serve, top with Parmesan cheese if so desired.

*****

Two Ingredient Lemon Bars – Before…

Oh, yeah!  Only two ingredients.  No joke.

I found this recipe floating around Facebook before Easter.  Considering I love lemon flavored desserts, I knew I had to try this:

1 box Angel Food cake mix
2 cans lemon pie filling (I used Lucky Leaf for a total of 44 ounces)

Mix dry cake mix and cans of pie filling together in a large bowl by hand
Pour into greased 9X13 pan
Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes or until tip starts to brown
**I would bake a bit longer than 25 minutes, my bars were more like a runny lemon-mud pie… but still tasty.

After… with a little powdered sugar

Besides the fact I could have cooked mine for longer and will next time, I did have an even bigger issue when making this—I could never find the lemon pie filling anywhere in the DFW area.  Seriously.  I tried multiple Wal-Marts, Krogers, Tom Thumbs, and even Whole Foods.  Nothing.

So finally, my parents brought me two cans from Midland’s Albertsons.  Who would have thought Midland, Texas would have had something DFW did not?

After much anticipation, I wasn’t very impressed but I will try again.

*****

Your turn—have you tried any Pinterest recipes that you would like to share?  Did it taste as good as its picture looked?  I’d love to hear from you!

Original Pinterest recipes found on these sites:

http://www.amyskitchencreations.blogspot.com/2012/05/eggs-for-breakfast-sandwiches.html

http://thecozyapron.com/a-cozy-pasta-italian-drunken-noodles-and-shaking-things-up-a-bit/

And, feel free to follow me on Pinterest.

Why It’s Worth a Watch Wednesday – CBS Couldn’t Forget About Unforgettable

After two weeks of reviewing new summer TV shows, I’m back to taking a break from the regularly scheduled program.  Sort of.

While I’m not reviewing a new show that has never been seen before, I am showcasing a program that was new to TV in 2012… yet cancelled by CBS last May.

Why?

Because CBS couldn’t forget about Unforgettable.

That’s right… a network actually admitted (in a roundabout way) that they were wrong, or at least hasty, in one of their decisions.  And this doesn’t happen often—ever really—but CBS has officially picked up Unforgettable for a second season after canning it last year.

So, for the sake of today’s Why It’s Worth a Watch Wednesday post, I’m sharing an older post from 2011, featuring a show that returns to CBS next month with its brand new season.

Unforgettable stars Poppy Montgomery (Without a Trace) as former Syracuse detective Carrie Wells.  Carrie remembers everything:  every moment and every aspect of every day, except for the murder of her sister when she was a child.   When asked to help the New York City police solve a crime that took place outside her apartment that she sort-of witnessed, Carrie is reunited with her ex beau and partner, Detective Al Burns (Dylan Walsh, Nip/Tuck).

After assisting with the one case, Carrie decides to join Al and the NYC force with one major goal—solve her sister’s murder.

The other detectives on the squad (Detective Mike Costello played by Michael Gaston of The Mentalist, and Detective Nina Inara played by Daya Vaidya from Robbery Homicide Division) aren’t quite sure what to think of Carrie; both react as if they think she is weird and don’t appear to want to get to know her on a more personal level.  At first.

But Detective Roe Sanders (Kevin Rankin from Trauma) actually takes an interest in Carrie; he’s amazed with her recall and often times tests her memory, trying to catch her in a slip.  This friendly banter prompts Carrie and Al to open up and share her history and the mystery surrounding her sister’s death with Sanders.

Toward the end of season one, Unforgettable added a TV superstar to the cast – Jane Curtin (Kate & Allie was one of my childhood favorites… and who doesn’t remember Ms. Curtin from SNL back in the day?).  As Dr. Jane Webster, Curtin’s character will supposedly be crucial to Carrie’s ability to solve her sister’s cold case.

Additionally, Marilu Henner (Taxi) consults production.  Similar to the character of Carrie, Henner possesses the rare ability to recall all autobiographical events in real life, a condition known as hyperthymesia.  And of course, Henner also guest stars in a recurring role as Carrie’s aunt…

Carrie Wells is the ideal detective; especially considering she’s the perfect study subject for a mystery writer as she recalls everything about a crime scene.  Additionally, I absolutely adore Dylan Walsh; while I like Poppy Montgomery (big fan of Without a Trace and love the red hair), I initially watched Unforgettable because of Dr. Sean McNamara (Walsh’s character from Nip/Tuck).

Then there’s the story… with each episode, the writers give viewers not only the fresh case every week, typical of TV’s police procedurals, but also the ongoing serial mystery behind Carrie’s sister’s murder.  However, there is one downfall… the individual cases seemed a bit too predictable for me throughout season one.  I personally don’t like to watch one hour crime dramas only to have the “bad guy” figured out in the first ten or so minutes (my guy likes to call me a TV ninja; I’ve had to learn to keep my opinions to myself while watching police procedurals or I ruin it for him).

But don’t get me wrong; I recorded every new episode and usually watched Poppy and the boys within a week… and I remember thinking it was a shame the show was in danger of cancellation after the season finale last year.  Not to mention, I consider most crime dramas great writing research.  For this, I award the JFTV rating to Unforgettable—no matter the predictability, I’m hooked like a fiend, craving another greasy potato chip.  But, if I’m busy, this is a show that can pile up on the DVR and catch later.

Oh, and guys – this one’s for you: season one really liked to show off Poppy’s amazing arms.  Carrie wears a tank top in almost every episode.  Yea, I’m jealous…

Unforgettable returns July 28th to CBS.

Did you watch Unforgettable?  If not, do you plan to this summer?  Are you as shocked as I am that CBS is bringing a show back after giving it the ax last year?  I’d love to hear from you!

Remember to stop by the #watchwed hashtag in Twitter to discuss today’s review, or to mention any television programs that you’d like to see on Why It’s Worth a Watch Wednesday in the future.

A Recap of The WatchWed Review System:

GTV (Gourmet TV): Everything we want and more
MacTV (MacNCheese TV): Guilty pleasure. Not perfect, but is satisfies
GMacTV (Gourmet MacNCheese TV): A combination of fine wine and comfort food
JFTV (Junk food TV):It’s not great for us, but we’ll go back for seconds
TBPTV (Twice Baked Potato TV): Part gourmet and delicious, while absolutely horrible for our cholesterol
SSTV (Still Simmering TV): It has potential, but the jury is still out
NIV (NyQuil Induced Viewing): Perfect for that late night television sleep timer
LOTV (Liver&Onions TV): Do we really have to explain? Blech
Inedible TV: Exactly how it sounds…

Oh, Those Pretty Little Liars…

The insurgence of YA mysteries on TV these days receives a DVR priority in this Young Adult mystery writer’s house.   Thankfully, ABC Family provides young mystery lovers (and some of us “old”) with a few great soap-opera style whodunits… with Pretty Little Liars topping the list. 

Needless to say, I am so very excited about the summer premiere next week!  So in honor of the “Pretty Little Liars,” I am sharing an older blog post to help get everyone ready for the return of Aria, Hanna, Spencer, and Emily this summer.

*****

Alison

The series begins when Alison DiLaurentis’ (Sasha Pieterse) remains are found a year after her mysterious disappearance in the fictional town of Rosewood.  This event brings together her four former best friends, who had drifted apart following that fateful night.  Alison was the glue that held the girls together, the leader of the high school clique.

As the episodes progress, viewers see Alison’s viciousness and many of the secrets that she holds over everyone’s heads… is she just a mean girl, or is she simply misunderstood?

After attending Alison’s funeral, the four friends reunite outside the chapel when each of their cell phones sound—they’ve received their first threatening text message from “A”—and the mystery begins: Who killed Alison? And who is “A”?

*****

Aria

PLL #1 – Aria Montgomery (Lucy Hale) returns home from a year abroad with her family, and forgetting she’s a teenager and back in America, goes to a local bar where she meets Ezra Fitz (Ian Harding).  The two immediately hit it off and share a kiss after connecting over their love for literature.

The next day at school, Aria walks into English class where she discovers Ezra is also her teacher.

Hello, Mr. Fitz!

Meanwhile, emotions erupt at home when her mother (Ella Montgomery, played by Holly Marie Combs) leaves her father after learning the true reason behind the family’s extended absence from Rosewood—Aria’s father, a professor, had an affair with a teaching assistant at the local college.  Aria and Alison knew this secret prior to the Montgomeries’ extended vacation… having spotted Mr. Montgomery (Chad Lowe) making out with his TA in his car.  Whoopsie!

Isn’t it ironic that Aria now begins a torrid love affair and dates her teacher after torturing her father for a similar inappropriate relationship?  And don’t worry, “A” won’t let Aria forget it…

*****

Hanna

PLL #2 – Hanna Marin (Ashley Benson) replaced Alison as the most popular girl in school following her friend’s disappearance.  “Hefty Hanna”—as Alison liked to call her—dropped her baby fat, partnered with her new BFF Mona (Janel Parrish), and took to a life of brattiness and shoplifting.

Hanna lacks the self-confidence a young woman needs, having watched her father walk out on her and her mother.  She spirals out of control, throwing herself at her then boyfriend, only to be rejected.  Not helping matters, Hanna watches as her single mother (Ashley Marin, played by Laura Leighton) bails her out of trouble by bedding the local detective on Hanna’s shoplifting case.

Hanna really has the worst luck… like when she is involved in a hit and run because she gets dangerously close to discovering “A’s” real identity.  Or when Mona throws her a surprise “glad you’re alive party,” and someone (assumedly “A”) steals all of the money that Hanna’s mother “borrowed” from a client at the bank, threatening to expose her mother’s secret.

Love Caleb’s style…

While following “A’s” sordid trail back to the money, Hanna falls for the wrong boy—who happens to be feeding information to the girls’ nemesis, Jenna Marshall (Tammin Sursok)—and who of course later turns out to be the right boy for her anyway (Caleb, played by Tyler Blackburn).

*****

PLL #3 – Spencer Hastings (Troian Bellisario) is the poor-little-rich-girl of the bunch.  Spencer’s successful parents push her to be the absolute best, much like they did with her older sister Melissa (Torrey DeVitto).  Spencer is brilliant, but plays second fiddle to her sister, always aware that her parents favor the older Hastings daughter.

After Melissa’s shotgun wedding to a boy on the PLL’s unofficial suspect list, Spencer begins to investigate her new brother-in-law… and slowly uncovers an affair between him and Alison that happened just before Alison’s disappearance.  As she continues to investigate, Spencer believes that her new brother-in-law not only stalked her best friend but also killed her, causing the rift between Spencer and her sister to intensify.

Toby, Toby… is he good or not?

Now a suspect herself in Alison’s murder, just like the other girls at one point or another, Spencer befriends Toby Cavanaugh (Keegan Allen) who also happened to serve time in jail briefly as the main suspect in Alison’s death.  Oh, and did I mention that Toby is also the half-brother of Jenna?  Jenna, the girl the PLL’s are blamed for temporarily blinding…

*****

PLL #4 – Emily Fields (Shay Mitchell) is the daughter of a military father always away on assignment.  Emily is confused with her own sexuality, starting the series with a boyfriend but then falling for the new girl in town, sending her mother (Nia Peeples) into a tailspin.  Making even more of a splash, Emily takes Toby Cavanaugh to the homecoming dance as her date, attempting to hide the fact that she’s gay AND ignoring the fact that the entire town believes him to be a murderer.

After accepting that she is a homosexual, Emily is further devastated when her girlfriend is sent away to military school after marijuana is found inside her backpack.  Emily’s world continues to turn upside down when her mother announces that they’re leaving Rosewood to live with her father while he is stationed in Texas.

Meanwhile, Emily holds the key to the photo evidence the girls have uncovered on her home computer… evidence they believe links back to Alison’s killer… which conveniently gets erased when the realtor shows the Fields’ house.

*****

Each of the girls has oodles of conflict surrounding them individually, even without “A’s” threatening their every move (there’s SO MUCH MORE that I didn’t mention).  Throw in the suspicions the police and their parents have regarding their involvement in Alison’s murder, and the lies they continuously try to hide despite “A’s” best efforts, and Pretty Little Liars doesn’t bore its viewers—it has twists and turns week in and week out.

And the suspicions…

I have my suspicions that the incorrect identification of “A” is just another twist masterfully planned by the real “A”—confused yet?

And the fear…

Despite the fact that I’m in my thirties, I tune in every single week to watch these little teenagers scurry around, playing detective, trying their best to solve their BFF’s murder, and hoping to discover the true identity of the creepy texter known only as “A.”

Pretty Little Liars is one of my favorite programs on TV today… I can’t wait for it to return this summer!

And seriously… there is so much more that I didn’t even mention!

Who is wearing the red coat?? Could it really be??

What do you think? Do you watch Pretty Little Liars?  How would you rate it?  Who’s your favorite character and why?  Have you read any of Sara Shephard’s books?  I’d love to hear from you!

Pretty Little Liars returns to ABC Family Tuesday, June 11th!

Football Sweetheart’s Video Book Trailer!

As of last night, and with a BIG thanks to Nigel Blackwell for helping, Football Sweetheart‘s video book trailer is now live on YouTube!

Author Nigel Blackwell and His Paris Love Match

Like most of the other writers I adore today, I first met Nigel Blackwell on social media back in 2011… that’s how I usually start off with my author interview introductions.  But not this time!

Author Nigel Blackwell

Nigel is one of the very few writers that I actually met in person before stalking on Twitter or Facebook.  One Saturday morning, sitting on the floor of a nearby community college’s writer’s workshop, I met Nigel.  We shared lunch and talked about our writing journeys—kind of odd for strangers, but his kindness and generosity made me feel right at home.  He shared tips, such as craft books that I needed to read, and helped me understand the importance of loglines.  We were instantly friends.

Soon after, I joined Nigel’s local writing group and he was one of the very first (and few) I bounced plot and story ideas off of while writing Football Sweetheart.  He has since helped me with the logline for FS2, and most recently, helped me with my very first book trailer (to be released soon).  Seriously, his generosity goes on for days and days—he is simply a gem.

Oh, and did I mention he’s British?  I could listen to Nigel talk for hours.  I mean it… hours.

But before I ramble on, here’s a little bit about Nigel in his own words:

Nigel Blackwell was born in rural Oxfordshire in England. He has a love of books, a PhD in Physical Chemistry, and a black belt in pointing out the obvious.

As a teenager he toured Europe and loved seeing the wonders of the world and the people in it. Since then he has been fortunate enough to travel across Europe, North America, the Middle East, and Japan, and hasn’t been anywhere that doesn’t have the potential for a story.

He now lives in Texas with his wife and daughter, where they enjoy the sunshine and listen to the coyotes howl at night.

Before we jump into the interview, check out Nigel’s blurb for his debut suspense novel, Paris Love Match…

Enjoy!

Paris Love Match

Getting a taxi in Paris can be hell.
Piers Chapman expected a boring business trip to Paris.
What he didn’t expect was to fight over a cab with a beautiful girl.
After a bad meeting, Sidney Roux just wanted to hail a cab, go home, and have a glass of wine.
She didn’t expect to fight over a cab with some pompous British tourist.
Neither of them expected another man to jump in their cab.
Or to be involved in a gun fight.
Or a car chase through the streets of Paris.
Or for the man to die.
But they’re thrust together when the mob demands they return what the dead man stole.
Will Piers and Sidney work together?
Will they find what he had stolen?
Will they stay alive?
And will they do the last thing they expected?
Will they fall in love?

*****

When you were a small boy, did you dream of one day writing a bestseller, or did you have something else in mind?

When I was five I wanted to drive a train. My dad worked for Great Western Railways. I thought that was so cool, and at age 15 I did drive a train. Ok, it was at the Cotswold Wild Life Park and it used to come of the tracks regularly, but hey, I was a train driver.

When I grew up, I don’t think English teachers in the UK considered anything younger than 100 years old worth teaching! I read a lot even in my elementary school days. At age 12 we had to read Chaucer. I didn’t understand a word! I much preferred the likes of HG Wells, Ian Fleming, Arthur C Clarke, Asimov, and anything that didn’t require translating! That was when I started writing. I used to go through pens like there was no tomorrow; it drove my parents nuts, but they were very supportive. I never gave the idea of writing serious thought. Science and math were pushed hard at school, and that’s the way I went. I’ve been really happy over the past few years to get back to creating stories.

Witney Green – close to where Nigel grew up (photo courtesy of Nigel Blackwell)

Where do you find the inspiration for your stories?

I wish I knew. I think everyone has ideas for stories, it’s whether you can fashion them into something that has a purpose. For me, that always takes work.

Once I’ve got an idea and I’m writing, I find that I dream about my stories. Usually between 3am and 5am I have these vivid dreams, like I’m running about as one of the characters. I keep a pad by my bed and write stuff down. I don’t turn the light on, so sometimes it’s hard to read when I get up!

Who are a few of your favorite authors?

Lee Child, definitely. His style is crisp and sparse, yet eloquent in so few words. He makes a gripping story from a handful of ingredients and a well-paced revelation of character motives.

Other authors are Paul Wilson (the Repairman), Caleb Carr, Michael Crichton (Esp Great Train Robbery which has great style, atmosphere, and attention to detail), Dean Koontz, and … It’s a never-ending list, which is a good thing, right?

The cover art for your book is amazing.  Did you design it yourself?

LOL. No! I’m an engineer. If I had designed it, it would have been 46pt bold courier on a white background. The ISBN number would have been on the front, too. I mean, everyone loves those 13 digit numbers, don’t they?

Actually, the cover was done by Sarah Hansen at Okay Creations using a great picture my publisher, Jillian Dodd, found. The models in the picture were also in a whole series of related shots that suited the theme of the book, and worked out well for things like the book trailer.

Many writers imagine a celebrity or familiar face when developing their characters.  Did you have anyone particular in mind when writing Piers and why?

Not really. I’m actually terrible at recognizing people, so images don’t stick very well.

Speaking of celebrities, who are you thinking of at this very moment?

Angelina Jolie. My mother survived breast cancer twice. My sister fought it for twelve years. I feel very sorry for her, and hope her preventative surgery is successful. As a celebrity figure she gets a lot of attention, but she does help raise awareness for all those people who face cancer without such public support.

The very beautiful and brave Angelina Jolie and her man, Brad Pitt, in Mr. and Mrs. Smith

Besides writing, what other hobbies do you enjoy?

I love skiing and I love being out on the mountain in the cold air. I used to like surfing, but being in the middle of Texas put paid to that pastime! Of course, dog walking seems to have taken over my life recently.

I wouldn’t be myself without asking about television – what are your four favorite television programs airing today? 

Four?! Unfortunately, I don’t have the time to see much TV. Top Gear would certainly make the list. Sad, I know, but how they take seemingly easy things and effortlessly turn them into a major disaster always makes me grin.

What is your favorite movie all-time?

Arrrggghhh. Just one? Now I’m the other way round to the TV question. Probably The Third Man because of the acting, the atmosphere, and the photography. Oh, and there’s Alien, Gregory’s Girl, 2001, Despicable Me (love the minions!), Romancing the Stone, Indiana Jones, anything James Bond, and … what’s that you say? Oh yeah, sorry, but how can anyone stop at just one?

Jack and Joan… love this movie!!

What snacks do you order when at a movie theater? 

Popcorn. With Butter (even though it’s probably some concoction from a chemical plant).

No doubt… I actually try to stay away from the “butter” at the theater.

You’re originally from England… share a bit about your hometown/region and tell us what made you decide to move to The States.

I grew up in a small town in Oxfordshire. There was very little to do there and unlike everywhere else around it, it wasn’t picturesque (and that’s putting it mildly). The rest of Oxfordshire, however, is beautiful. The UK varies dramatically in just 50 miles. From the rolling countryside of the Cotswolds, to the rugged hills and mountains in Wales, to the wonderful coastline around Devon and Cornwall. I miss that variation.

Montage of the UK (photo courtesy of Nigel Blackwell)

I came to the US with my job. It was only supposed to be for six months, but 15 years later I’m still here and a US citizen. I love the open spaces and sunshine in Texas. Yes, it gets hot, but I can’t help but smile when the sun is shining.

I consider you one of my favorite Brits (and Donna Newton, of course!!)… and if you haven’t already noticed, I love getting lost in translation with British sayings… have any new ones for me? 

Well, thank you!

After the weekend with Donna at the DFW writer’s conference there aren’t many saying left!

There’s “tosh,” which means rubbish (as in that’s tosh); “give it some welly,” means to speed up, or use more muscle to get something done; and to “get shirty” means to get annoyed. Another favorite of mine is to be “at her majesty’s pleasure,” which means you’re in prison (they’re called Her Majesty’s Prisons). And if you know all those I’d say, “well stone the crows,” which means I’m amazed (though in your case I wouldn’t be!).

Nigel, I get shirty way too often.  LOL.  Thanks for the new phrase!

Lastly, you recently adopted a beautiful dog… tell us a little bit about her and how you instantly fell in love. 

Ha ha! I didn’t instantly fall in love. An Alsatian attacked me when I was young, and I haven’t wanted to be near a dog since. But my daughter’s wanted a dog or cat for a long time, and some friends of ours were moving into a smaller place and couldn’t take her. When I went round to see her I was hyperventilating, but she’s really well-behaved and it’s worked out well for both of us. She’s a cutie, loves to walk and is unbelievably obedient. Though she does consider a large portion of the kitchen floor an extension of her sleeping area.

Sideni (photo courtesy of Nigel Blackwell)

*****

Isn’t Nigel great?

Need more Nigel?  I mean, c’mon… we all need more Nigel in our lives… catch up with him at his website, or follow him via his Twitter and Facebook accounts.

Do you have a question for Nigel?  Have you read Paris Love Match yet?  Have any fun (and clean) British sayings you’d like to share with us that might get lost in translation over here in the states?  We’d love to hear from you! 

Be sure and stop by Goodreads for a chance to win a copy of Paris Love Match!

Why It’s Worth a Watch Wednesday – From a Straight Up Mess to Prophet… NBC’s Save Me

The summer shows have started, some of them anyway.  And while we still have quite a few to premiere over the next month or so, I did catch a new NBC sitcom that aired two episodes this past week: Save Me.

We’ve heard the stories… someone suffers a near-death experience, prompting a change in his or her outlook on life.  This change is not always a bad thing; sometimes it is absolutely necessary to save one’s soul, but it’s also not always an easy adjustment for those around us and accustomed to our old ways.

This is the premise behind NBC’s Save Me…

Save Me follows Beth Harper (Anne Heche, Hung), the matriarch of a run-of-the-mill Midwestern family…. or are they?

After Beth nearly chokes to death on a sandwich, she claims she now has a direct line of communication with God (she’s not very religious, so she usually refers to God as “He/She”).  Obviously, she can’t control when God speaks to her; however, Beth chooses to have her one-on-one time with “He/She” while sitting on the porcelain throne.  Why not, it’s a perfect time to think… right?  Anyway, now believing to be a prophet, she’s set on making right with all those she has wronged and even begins to convince her worst critics that she has changed for the better.

The new sitcom also stars: Michael Landes (Final Destination 2) as Tom, Beth’s philandering husband; Alexandra Breckenridge (American Horror Story) as Carly, one of Tom’s “side projects”; Heather Burns (Miss Congeniality) as Jenna, one of Beth’s neighbors; and Madison Davenport (Shameless) as Emily, Beth’s daughter.

This sitcom really does have a sweet family dynamic.  Despite the fact that Tom is cheating on Beth and their marriage is practically over at the beginning of the show, the two stick together for the sake of their teenage daughter.  He may be unfaithful, but it’s also obvious he loves Beth.  And with her new “trick,” he’s beginning to remember why he fell in love with her in the first place.

And then there’s Beth… man, was she a mess prior to her choking on that hero.  She was no angel, to say the least, but in those few minutes when her heart stopped beating, she found something enlightening and decided to better herself—she wants to save her marriage, she wants to be a better mother (and this relationship could really use some work), and she wants to be a better friend.

By now, you know my rules when it comes to comedy—sitcoms must make me laugh out loud.  I can usually tell after one episode if a thirty-minute show will find a permanent place on my DVR queue; but if not, watching two episodes is definitely enough.  After the two episodes of Save Me, I’m not completely sold… but Anne Heche is very entertaining as Beth.  Plus, the message of the show really is sweet.  Deep down, anyway… some of it is a bit raunchy.

So for now, I’m awarding Save Me with the JFTV rating.  This sitcom is kinda like our favorite bag of potato chips—we know eating one right after the other is not at all good for our health, but the flavor bursts (and the salt) keep us coming back for more.

Did you watch Save Me?  Do you plan to?  I’d love to hear from you!

Remember to stop by the #watchwed hashtag in Twitter to discuss today’s review, or to mention any television programs that you’d like to see on Why It’s Worth a Watch Wednesday in the future.

A Recap of The WatchWed Review System:

GTV (Gourmet TV): Everything we want and more
MacTV (MacNCheese TV): Guilty pleasure. Not perfect, but is satisfies
GMacTV (Gourmet MacNCheese TV): A combination of fine wine and comfort food
JFTV (Junk food TV):It’s not great for us, but we’ll go back for seconds
TBPTV (Twice Baked Potato TV): Part gourmet and delicious, while absolutely horrible for our cholesterol
SSTV (Still Simmering TV): It has potential, but the jury is still out
NIV (NyQuil Induced Viewing): Perfect for that late night television sleep timer
LOTV (Liver&Onions TV): Do we really have to explain? Blech
Inedible TV: Exactly how it sounds…

Spring Cleaning – 2013 Edition

Years ago, May sweeps meant that the television industry saved the best for last.  The networks broadcast non-stop, action packed, cliff-hanging storylines every night of the week, hoping to pull in the largest ratings of the year before announcing which shows would receive pink slips.

Time to clean up the DVR…

And while this still rings true for some series, times have changed (for the most part).  Today’s May sweeps ultimately means knowing which shows will return and which shows will be swept away before the season finales have all aired.

Recent years prove that no show is safe: many shows are done after only one season; some shows make it through the toddler years, a minimum of two or three seasons; some programs have aired for years, even decades with multi-generational loyal followers; and, sadly, some still await their destiny.

Television’s broom was very busy AGAIN this year….

*****

One & Done

1600 Penn, 666 Park Avenue, Animal Practice, Ben and Kate, Cult, Deception, Do No Harm, Emily Owens, M.D., Golden Boy, Go On, Guys with Kids, How to Live with Your Parents for the Rest of Your Life, Last Resort, Made in Jersey, Malibu Country, Monday Mornings, Partners, Red Widow, The Family Tools, The Mob Doctor, The New Normal, Vegas, and Zero Hour

Yet another show that kinda/sorta answers the season’s BIG mystery, but still gets canned before viewers have all the answers…

Supposedly, ABC will finish airing 666 Park Avenue and Zero Hour this summer… as will NBC with Do No Harm.  Personally, I’m going to start watching my TV guide for these episodes in June… probably on Saturday nights.

*****

Terrible Twos & Threes

Alphas, Body of Proof, Don’t Trust the B**** in Apt 23, Happy Endings, Smash, Touch, Up All Night, and Whitney

Out with the new and in with the old. Wait, that’s not right… BUT all that matters is that Jack is back in 2014!! That’s right – we’re getting twelve more episodes of 24!!

*****

Seasoned Veterans

30 Rock, 90210, CSI: NY, Dexter, Fringe, Gossip Girl, Private Practice, Rules of Engagement, Southland, The Cleveland Show, and The Office

Another CSI ABSOLUTELY robbed…

*****

Still Awaiting their Destiny:

Hannibal - but don’t worry; rumors say a cable channel might pick it up if NBC drops the ax…

Ugh, the waiting game…

*****

On a positive note, not all chivalry is dead: some shows have earned advance notice that next season will be their last.  Thank you networks; thank you for allowing the writers to close out a series appropriately for the loyal fans.  This doesn’t happen all that often, just ask Law & Order.

“Final Season.” That really bites.

Burn Notice – Michael, Fiona, Sam, Jesse, and Maddie definitely deserve the chance to close out their story… with a BANG!  Thank you, USA.  Seeing the words “Final Season” still stings, but I can’t wait to see what the writers have in store for us this summer!

Enjoy it while it lasts…

Warehouse 13 – Announced this month, Warehouse 13’s fifth season will be its last.  Thankfully, SyFy is allowing for the series to run a short six-episode fifth season in 2014, following the conclusion of this year’s fourth season (now airing) to wrap everything up with Artie, Myka, Pete, Claudia, and the Warehouse.

*****

And this doesn’t happen often—ever really—but one network picked up one of the shows it canned last year after its freshman year!  That’s right… a network actually admitted (in a roundabout way) that they were wrong, or at least hasty, in one of their decisions.

Welcome back, Poppy!

Unforgettable – returns to CBS this summer with all new episodes.

*****

Seems a bit insane, doesn’t it?  What’s the moral of today’s Tele-Tuesday?  Don’t get too attached to freshman television series… AND NO television show is safe from May sweeps.

Which of these cancellations came too soon as far as you’re concerned?  Do you think Hannibal has a chance of surviving?  I’d love to hear from you!