TV 164 : CW's Secret Circle

The “Secret Circle” series follows 16-year-old Cassie, who moves from California to live with her grandmother in Chance Harbor, Washington after her mother dies in a murderous fire. As soon as she arrives strange things begin to happen to her. She is eventually told by her “new friends” that her family is part of a legacy. One of 6 families of witches. Now that she is in Chance Harbor she completes the circle making them all very powerful. The real sinister plot in the series are the parents of the teenagers who have an agenda of their own.

What better way for Must See Thursday night TV than to have vampires and witches. Secret Circle is by the same author (L.J.Smith) and people who do VAMPIRE DIARIES (Secret Circle is on right after the Vampire Diaries). It stars Britney Robertson as Cassie who comes back to New England after the firy death of mother. Little does she know the secrets that six families hold back in the old town by the sea.

With every good TV drama comes a wicked villian, and Secret Circle definitely has one. This has to be Gale Harold's best role as of yet. He is splendid as Charles Meade. Would anyone suspect what he's up too?

In the secret circle of witches is the wild child Faye Chamberlian (Phoebe Tonkin from H2O) who so happens to be the principal's daughter. She has her own way of pulling in Cassie to their group. And she knows they need her in the circle so they can be stronger.

Of course, Cassie takes the clique as crazies, but she has a yearning for Thomas Dekker's Adam who is Diane's (the so called level headed leader of the bunch played by Shelly Hennig) boyfriend. Together, Adam & Cassie can make magic in the forest.

Louis Hunter as Nick and Jessica Parker Kennedy as Melissa play supporting roles in the circle. One might wonder if Nick will make a play for Cassie since he has the power to look inside her bedroom window. And is Melissa more than Faye's sidekick? Its been said that Melissa and Nick will get their flirt on for each other in the coming episodes.

The first episode offered special effects and a cool foundation of the characters to get the story started. It left viewers wanting more. The soundtrack is rather infectious too. With a cast like this, one is eager to find out just how powerful the Secret Circle will be.

That awkward moment where the school from The Secret Circle is the same school from The Vampire Diaries.

-kate

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Poetry 163: This Is Not A Poem

This Is Not A Poem

By David Butson

I’m not going to say anything about bridges. or horses. or sky

ripped apart by birds. there are no fires. in this poem. no lips
trailing smoke. no rearview mirror eyes.
I’m not going to compare her eyelashes to flags waved from departing ships.
or her eyes themselves to rain through dusty winter windowpanes.
her lips to wine stains. her fingers to Japanese paper napkins.
that’s not my image anyway. you won’t find any scarecrows
between these rows of words. no train whistles in the vowel sounds.
no silent movies reflected in her sunglasses I’m not going to say
that her syllables are arpeggios of surrender. or anything like that.
in fact. my poem girl’s breath is nothing like the sweet of night’s earth.
her ribcage isn’t rattled by the angry bird I call her heart.

Poetry 162: Funeral Blues

Funeral Blues

Wystan Hugh Auden  

Stop all the clocks, cut off the telephone.
Prevent the dog from barking with a juicy bone,
Silence the pianos and with muffled drum
Bring out the coffin, let the mourners come.

Let aeroplanes circle moaning overhead
Scribbling in the sky the message He is Dead,
Put crêpe bows round the white necks of the public doves,
Let the traffic policemen wear black cotton gloves.

He was my North, my South, my East and West,
My working week and my Sunday rest
My noon, my midnight, my talk, my song;
I thought that love would last forever, I was wrong.

The stars are not wanted now; put out every one,
Pack up the moon and dismantle the sun.
Pour away the ocean and sweep up the wood;
For nothing now can ever come to any good.

Movies 161 : Crazy, Stupid Love

Here is a comedy with a lot of drama. Its the story of a man's marriage breaking up. Yet another about a boy who's found his soul mate. But then there is the 17 year old girl, head over heels for the older man. In the mix is the man at the bar who knows the art of getting the woman, but does he really know what love is?

I wasn't that crazy about the first part of the movie. It was quite a stretch in places. Sure, its awful how the wife Julianne Moore (Emily) springs I want a divorce on her husband Steve Carrell (Cal) who takes it the only way Carrell knows how to take it with his straight man comedy silliness. Then Cal  meets someone like Ryan Gosling (Jacob) in a bar and hands over his credit card, practically willing him to make him over. Yet as the film grows, there are connections that make one smile and even laugh.

Analeigh Tipton retired from pair skating at 16. She plays the babysitter in the movie.

The movie has its moments. Emma Stone's conversation about Conan O'Brien with her girlfriend was amusing. And to find out how smitten she is with Josh Groban (her boss at the law firm). Yet it was the little surprises I liked best in the twist and turns of the humor. Jonah Bobo's performance as the son Robbie was genuine and sweet. Even better, the performance of Analeigh Tipton as the babysitter. She's awkward yet delightful.

Although, Ryan Gosling is buffed and suave, I've seen him in at his best in other characters. Perhaps I've seen Emma Stone in far too many movies this summer. Honestly, I have mixed feelings about the movie. Still, there is a lot to love about this film. And some amazing bit parts by Marrissa Tomei and Kevin Bacon.

STORYLINE: Cal (Steve Carell) and Emily (Julianne Moore) have the perfect life together living the American dream... until Emily asks for a divorce. Now Cal, Mr Husband, has to navigate the single scene with a little help from his professional bachelor friend Jacob Palmer (Ryan Gosling). Make that a lot of help.

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