Griff the Invisible

There it was in lights, “Griff the Invisible.”  I was one of the lucky ones that got to go see Griff at the Shattuck Cinema in Berkeley, California on August 19th. Like anybody else who’s obsessed with True Blood’s Ryan Kwanten, I scoped out the joint to see what I could get my grimy little paws on to share with my buddies at the Nest. First stop, popcorn.  And there it was.  A small and simple postcard of Griff, double sided and staring at me whispering, “Take me.”  Luckily there was a stack of postcards, from which I took a handful, which made me very happy.

Griff started off like a typical superhero movie. Griff running down a dark alley saving the woman in distress and doing a marvelous job at it, but soon you get to see Griff for who he really is.  A shy, exocentric guy by day who’s a bit of an outcast and gets picked on by one of his fellow co-workers (don’t worry he gets him back in the Griff way).  But by night, Griff transforms himself in to the superhero in the name of justice.  Having an elaborate tracking system setup in his apartment to watch the neighborhood, and to be able to rid his community of their criminals and waiting to hear from the commissioner on his Red Griff Phone, he sets forth every night dreaming of saving his neighborhood.  But at last, that’s all it is.  It’s only a dream in his mind. It seems like Griff has a very vivid imagination which his brother (Tim) played by Patrick Brammall, knows all too well. He doesn’t seem to mind at first, moving from Los Angeles to be with Griff.  He helps him get a job and visits him on regular basis.  On one of those visits he brings a girl over that he’s been telling Griff he’s been dating, and thinks she could be the one. Well Griff, not use to company, freaks-out a bit but then lets them in. Tim’s new girlfriend Melody, played wonderfully by Maeve Dermody, is a bit of an eccentric herself and sees something more in Griff. She actually finds a soul mate of sorts in him. Melody also has a unique perception on life and we watch her test her faith over and over believing at the right moment in time she could figure out how to become invisible to walk through walls hitting her head and falling every time she tries.  She sees herself in Griff and quickly becomes smitten with him.

Meanwhile, Griff is on his quest to become invisible to get back at his coworker who has bullied him. Though we quickly see, through his imagination, inventions that he really isn’t invisible at all and loses his job and gets beaten up from his co-worker once he see the surveillance camera with a very visible Griff rigging up his desk and computer.  This revelation makes Griff look like a fool in the office.

All along, Melody is in the wings trying to get Griff to let her be his sidekick and when Griff finally lets her into his world and realizes she’s really amazing.  Griff’s brother, Tim, is actually okay with the thought of him and Melody together.  However, things fall apart for them.  He overhears a conversation over the walkie-talkies between Melody and Tim. Tim is telling Melody that it isn’t right to fill Griff’s head with all the nonsense of being a superhero.  Griff, crushed and a bit confused, changes his ways and starts acting normal for the sake of keeping Melody in his life, fearful that she really didn’t like his superhero ways. Griff spends dinner at Melody’s home with her parents and they really liked Griff, though Melody is hardly pleased with the way Griff has change into this normal person. Melody wasn’t going to stand for that and goes to Griff’s apartment where they begin to have an argument and break-up.  After Melody leaves the apartment, she decides to stand outside Griff’s door and hears Griff inside crying.  Holding his hand to his chest, like his heart has been broken, the most amazing thing happens.  Melody falls through the door, back into the apartment, and they realize at that moment that they are perfect for each other. The movie ends with Melody living with Griff.  Tim, after meeting a new girlfriend, drops off a package at Griff’s apartment for a mission for Griff, the Invisible, to rid the neighborhood of criminals and at last Griff the Invisible is a reality – Well for Griff and Melody at least.

The ending was absolutely beautiful. I judged Ryan’s performance by how often he made me think of Jason Stackhouse in True Blood, which was never.  This leads me to realize how I felt about the movie. Ryan’s acting was superb, transforming in to his character and making the audience laugh, smile, and cry, especially at the end when he brought Griff to life for me.  I highly recommend “Griff, The Invisible,” and urge you to see it as soon as you can. It was a brilliant portrayal of fun, love, and romance.  Therefore, I give “Griff, The Invisible” 3 and a half Tru Bloods out of 4. Griff would be great for a first date movie.  It’s a must see.

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source: hbo shop

Believe it or not, this man is not guilty of Global Warming

I’ve always held a deep fear of Apocalyptic films, maybe because they tend to miss the serious basis the great science fiction literary works provide. If you are a bit bitchy, as I am, and tend to always look for inconsistencies, you’ll know what I mean. In this genre, everything tends to be done fast and looks like the only things that matter are the special effects. I’m somewhat relieved to find out that “Ice” is not like that, at least not exactly. “Ice” generates a kind of serene entertainment; even if the situations in the film are chaotic, you don’t get mad at storytelling blanks and you don’t find your intelligence insulted at every scene change. And some of the scenery in the film is beautiful, though, as you probably know, my favorite view is anywhere with Stephen in it.

“Ice” is an adaptation of James Follett’s environmental apocalypse thriller and it’s directed by Nick Copus. It was filmed in New Zealand in 2010 and stars Richard Roxburgh, Frances O’Connor, Tom Hern & Sam Neill, among others.

It is 2020. After global warming, the world is suffering from a lack of energy, and obstinate as only humans can be, they still need oil. Environmental scientist Professor Tom Archer (No, it’s not Grant Bowler but it could be his twin bro), finds out that the Greenland Glacier is melting due to oil drilling by Halo, the oil company that has the exclusivity on the area. Archer is ignored (as all apocalyptic movie heroes are), and a flow of terrible effects start with devastating consequences for Earth. The North Hemisphere is going to freeze under a new Ice Age and it’s going to be so bloody cold that even Stephen’s hotness won’t be able to stop it!

Stephen plays Simon Peterson, the Minister of Environment and chairman of the polar sub-committee that monitors the effects of global warming on the Arctic Circle. He is first reticent to Archer’s warnings, but soon, he will learn that mad scientists are always right.

Mr. Peterson is a troubled man

He appears in the first 15 minutes of the film, and as time goes by, the terrible effects of the Ice Age start to appear. You look to your own heater, which is no doubt contributing to global warming, and you start feeling slightly asleep – is it because of the cold? But wait, open your eyes, ’cause you’ll be able to see our man briefly from time to time. It’s at this point you understand the meaning of “with Stephen Moyer” in the opening credits. He’s the hook of the film, but don’t expect him in a leading role (after all, that would distract from the story wouldn’t it?).  There’s devastation all around, but there’s hope yet, Peterson remains alive. And as the film evolves, right in the middle, his role gets a little more focus. Don’t get your hopes too high though, notice the word “little.”

Stephen’s interpretation of Simon is fine and elegant, as usual. I’ve always believed that an actor feeds from all the roles he has given life to, and of course, playing Bill Compton for 4 years gives Peterson shades of my favorite vampire (oh yeah, you can point at me, The Nest is biased!), shades that you’ll surely enjoy if you are reading me at this point. Maybe it’s because the continuous preoccupation of Peterson, or because of his stylish dark look. And believe me when I say that Peterson is worried; when he receives the duty to arrange the mass evacuation of the population of the United Kingdom you start to wonder if he will whisper “Sookeh” at any time. In my opinion, Peterson doesn’t suffer less than Bill does with the wildly crabby waitress (said warm esteem towards Miss Stackhouse). It proves how a fantastic an actor Stephen is, how such a vital and funny guy, as he is in real life, can get so good at being moody and looking perpetually tormented. I’m not a film critic, but when I believe in a character, I know it’s because there’s a good actor in the role. (Now many of you will beat me but this is something I never got with Al Pacino or Nicolas Cage, till the point I gave up watching movies with them in it.)

Difficult situations is not the only thing Peterson and Bill have in common; as per Stephen’s own words, “Well, he is English, and he is alive which is a major difference. But he is very concerned about doing the right thing but he realizes he has to do them within the structures of the law.”

But does Stephen think the movie relates to current day?

“2020 seems quite like it is now – obviously we survived the movie 2012 – I think everyone’s going to be very warm, and we’ll have nice radioactive tans if we make it that long.” Stephen told to New Zealand Herald.

Stephen honey, I don’t want you to feel treated like a sexual object but allow me to alert everyone: don’t expect to see some naked Stephen in “Ice” (for the obvious reason, who would get naked in the middle of an Ice Age?). Please don’t think I’m obsessed with his sex-appeal (but I know you are!); it’s been great to see him in post-True Blood work. “Ice” is a good movie to watch on a Sunday evening, when you didn’t expect it on TV. Stephen shines too much for this easy-to-forget film, and hello? Hollywood? It is time to give him a real role as a protagonist in a good movie. And I hope 2011 will be the year.

Pay attention to your local TV listings, if we got it in Spain it shouldn’t take much until it spreads around the world. And as always, enjoy some Stephen Moyer!

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This collection of essays, like all collections, contains some offerings that are better than others, some topics were more interesting to me, and the organizational system left something to be desired (the order felt random).

That aside, the book was a lot of fun. It’s aptly titled for fangbangers, as it’s not pretending to be intellectual or academic. Rather, the essays tend to feel more like thoughtful (albeit long) posts, or a discussion that would occur between friends over vampire-kiss martinis during a True Blood marathon. I appreciate that honesty in the book’s definition and intended audience, and I think it makes for a better read.

The book focuses on the show, only dipping into the world of Southern Vampire Mysteries in a particularly nice little essay on the unique challenges of adapting stories to the screen. The True Blood-related topics covered aren’t particularly unique: they include the imagery in the opening credits (although without acknowledging the film Searching for the Wrong-Eyed Jesus, which even DigitalKitchen credits), whether or not True Blood is soft-core vampire porn, the implications of Sookie “hearing” everyone all the time, Maryann’s magic, how Vampire Bill has changed since episode 1.1, the significance of Merlotte’s, shape-shifters, Jason’s sex addiction, etc. They’re the same topics fan(g)s have seen on various threads since the beginning of the show. I’ve personally read and written on many of them, but not everyone has the time (or desire) to be on a community board like I have for the past year and a half.

The various writers have very different backgrounds and credentials, and I didn’t always agree with what the essays were arguing. Some are obviously on “Teams” and write from that bias. There were errors here and there (one poor soul described the Fishers, from Alan Ball’s Six Feet Under as WASPs, at which point I had to raise my eyebrows and wonder how she missed all of David’s Catholic angst). There was a bit of Alan Ball worshiping going on, not that I’m opposed to that, as I think he’s grand too.

SmartPop is offering, in addition to the book, on-line updates throughout Season 3, which is interesting in of itself. A Taste of True Blood also contains a really handy episode guide for the first two seasons and notable quotes, perfect for the poster who needs a quick reference.

In conclusion: This collection of essays, while not new fodder for the die-hard fan(g) or perfect in its execution, is presented in an easy, conversational tone that makes for an extremely engaging read.

Salon.com has a wonderful take on “Beautifully Broken”‘s theme of what happens when “parents” abandon their “children”:

“The children grow up bitter and vulnerable, never having learned how to change quickly from a dog into an owl should they find themselves about to be hit by a Mack truck (Sam). Or they walk away from true love (Jessica) and when they have to dismember the trucker they accidentally killed and hid in the basement, they have no idea how expensive chainsaws are! Or they end up suicidally depressed, grieving the accidental death of their zombie serial killer boyfriend (Tara)… “Life is suffering,” Lafayette reminds Tara, on the way to visit the nasty, cold, grinch-hearted woman in the hospital who is apparently his mother. True. But it’s nice to know you can still rent chainsaws.”

“The vampires also seem a little lost. Bill, because he actually was lost in the woods until he is found by the King and invited to dinner with the King’s authentically French male companion (yes, he really is French, not just another serial killer with a fake accent. I’m from Montreal, I can tell).” (I have to interject here – isn’t Talbot meant to be Greek, not French?)

“But ever since Eric lost Godric, he seems to be using Sookie as some kind of emotional substitute, even while he pretends to be all Viking-ish. “Don’t cry” he says to her. “It makes me feels disturbingly human.” For some reason feeling disturbingly human makes Eric flashback to that time he and Godric were posing as German SS but were really hunting Nazi werewolves. Good times. (Which in case you hadn’t noticed is bon temps in French.) ”Nazi werewolves?” you ask. (Because you don’t care about French. I get it.) Yes, I wondered about that too, until I saw the above faux vintage documentary.

Eric tries explaining this all to Sookie, but it starts getting confusing. Sookie utters the best B-movie mash up line ever: “You mean the werewolves weren’t really Nazis?” No! The whole time the vampires were posing as SS, the werewolves weren’t Nazis either! I’m not sure I totally follow this, but as Eric explains, the werewolves are a highly organized ancient secret society that is actually funded by vampires. If I understand correctly, Eric and Godric thought they were hunting Nazi werewolves but they were really hunting something closer to Rosicrucian werewolves.

Whatever you say Eric. I invite you in. In fact, you’ve been welcome over anytime since you got that great haircut. But I get that you have to focus on getting into Sookie’s house right now, if only because there is a scary man with vintage pointy boots looking through Sookie’s pictures.

Meanwhile, over at the Vampire King’s house, Bill is enjoying a lovely blood bisque, after the citrus flavored “cruelty free” blood drink. In the background a string quartet does a cover of Santana’s “Evil Ways.” The King reveals his plan to marry the Louisiana Vampire Queen, and to make Bill the sheriff of the entire district of Mississippi. Bill does not look as thrilled as the King would like. Perhaps because the rest of his eternal life is flashing before his eyes and he’s seeing himself playing a lot of Yahtzee. Also by now he’s starting to get glimmers of this whole vampire-funded werewolf society. Tempers begin to flare.

At the bar, a stranger enters. Intriguing British accent. Pale. Orders a bottle of True Blood. Tara grudgingly gives him a cold one (the microwave’s broken). Mysterious British Vampire seems to be bonding with Tara. Oh, the wounded children, will they ever develop good people instincts? Obviously not, because the camera pans down and, he has POINTY BOOTS.”

The entire review is quite wonderfully written. Click on the link above to check it out!

“Skin overshadowed scares last week, but Episode 2, titled “Beautifully Broken,” made up for it by pandering to the horror crowd with a chainsaw (wielded by the wonderfully immature young vampire Jessica, who will hopefully take on a larger role), a completely unnecessary reference to Stephen King’s Christine, and a flashback involving werewolf Nazis. This really was the Tarantino episode.”

“The show began and ended with a burst of excitement, but in between, it fizzled, burdened by a strained plot and too many long close-ups of very serious faces. Thus far, the major battle of the third season of True Blood is not between light and dark so much as between light and heavy. Heavy dominated this time.

Tara and Sookie were both in tears over lost loves. To which I say: Get over it, ladies. That was an entire episode ago, a lifetime in soap-opera years. Lafayette hardly brightened the mood with this groaner: “The Buddhists weren’t lying when they said life is suffering.” Did “the Buddhists” write this episode? And look, one plotline about reuniting with lost parents can slow a pulp soap opera down, but two? That’s dramatic quicksand. Moreover, when Sam sat down with his parents (Lafayette also visited his mother), his moody new brother stormed out of the room because … why exactly?

You know the writers are getting lazy transitioning from one heated moment to the next when they rely too much on the stomping-out-of-the-room gambit. When Sookie ran into the bathroom after Bill proposed marriage, you almost wanted him to take back his offer—that is, if you didn’t know enough about the conventions of the show to realize that storming out of a room is just True Blood code for Something Big Is About To Happen.”

Ouch. I have to say, he does make some valid points. There’s much more to this review – Eric’s tender side and some of the many new additions to the cast. Click on the link above for the entire article.

“How difficult it is to be sleek, sexy, and swift — all qualities True Blood displayed so effectively last season — when you’re straining to introduce new friends and enemies to your audience. That’s the challenge of True Blood‘s third season. There’s so much going on with the characters to whom we’re committed (Anna Paquin’s Sookie, Stephen Moyer’s Bill, Alexander Skarsgård’s Eric, Rutina Wesley’s Tara, and Sam Trammell’s Sam Merlotte, to skim the surface) that the first few episodes of the new season are crammed to bursting with plotlines — and faces — old and new.

The big addition this season is the introduction of werewolves to the true bloodiness of the show. Remorseless shifters with superstrength who get hopped up on vampire blood as though it were some combination of Ecstasy and crack, the werewolves arrive with a World War II backstory complete with flashbacks of Eric and Godric (Allan Hyde) posing in Nazi uniforms. In a show this stuffed with goodness, may I offer a small suggestion? Flashback scenes just take up valuable time we could be spending in the present.”

The crowded set has been mentioned by many reviewers and critics, although I have to respectfully disagree with Ken Tucker – in the previous season, the flashbacks have been parts of the show I’ve most enjoyed. With so many wonderful characters who’ve lived such long (albeit dead) lives, not tapping into their back-stories would be tragic. (Maybe Alan Ball and Co. can consider doing Biography-style hour-long specials?)

In conclusion, Ken Tucker wrote, “What show creator Alan Ball has brought to True Blood‘s pulp-horror trappings is a unifying theme of power versus helplessness: an insistence that victims are capable of toughening, of overcoming their powerlessness to become smarter and stronger. It’s a positive message that Ball and his writers and directors smuggle into a show that only seems to revel in decadence, gore, and duplicity. True Blood‘s dirtiest little secret is that it may be among the most ethical, even righteous, shows on television.”

That's gonna leave a spot

And do not miss the letter to a magazine by a disgruntled Twilight fan who thought the movie “Werewolf” had stolen it’s entire plot from “Twilight: New Moon.” Make sure you pee first.

Source

True Blood and Philosophy: We Wanna Think Bad Things with You, the latest in the Blackwell Philosophy and Pop Culture Series, wants you to lick their minds. This compilation of academic-style essays, edited by George A. Dunn and Rebecca Housel, digs deeply into the metaphysical and philosophical questions raised by True Blood and Southern Vampire Mysteries. Not for the faint of heart, this collection asks The Big Questions: Under what conditions is it moral to create another vampire, why is it essential for vampires to “dress up and play human,” are vampires capable of being good citizens, why have philosophers always considered humans “more” than other species, are vampires in fact superior to humans, the hypocrisy of the Fellowship of the Sun, is Sam still Sam when he shifts, what are the connections between coming out of the coffin and coming out of a closet, are vampires inherently evil, is Sookie a feminist? These issues and more are viewed through the filter of some of (human) history’s finest minds like Aristotle, Thomas Aquinas, John Locke, Immanuel Kant, Friedrich Nietzsche, and John Rawls.

I openly admit to being a nerd, and I’ve happily spent hours discussing these very questions on the old HBO Boards, and now at Bill’s Wiki’d Women. A huge part of the appeal of True Blood, at least for me, is that while it’s a fun on the surface, there’s plenty going on underneath to sink my teeth into. This book identifies many issues and provides historical context for the discussion, but it ultimately asks more questions than gives answers, leaving the reader to come to his or her own conclusions. Not intended for a quick read-through, this collection is meant to be savored, read slowly and pondered and, ideally, discussed with fellow fan(g)s.

Like all collections, some of the selections are better than others. I particularly enjoyed the existential final section, “‘Our Existence is Insanity’: The Metaphysics of Supernatural Beings,” and the Freudian tongue-in-cheek “Edible” Complex. I loved the notion of “speciesism,” or prejudice among species, and how Bill’s statement, “I am vampire,” (not “I am a vampire”) implies an identity as well as a species. The books raises the question of why vampires would even want equality, since they seem superior to humans in every way (isn’t “equality” actually a step down for them?). There’s a wonderful essay that builds on Malcolm’s line, “Honey, if we can’t kill people, what’s the point of being vampire,” questioning whether or not mainstreaming is contrary to the identity and nature of vampires. I’d never considered that Sookie and Barry’s inability to “hear” vampires is indicative of vampire “otherness.” And I was surprised to find myself reconsidering and even pitying Maryann, something I thought I would never do (as I’ve never been so grateful as when bull-Sam ended that nightmare), when, in “‘I am Sookie, Hear Me Roar!’: Sookie Stackhouse and Feminist  Ambivalence,” Maryann’s motivations are examined. The essay discusses Maryann as a paradoxical mixture of extreme feminism (she’s the quintessential ”man-eater,” as she wants to quite literally devour Sam), but ultimately, she’s spent her long, long life in a very traditional feminine role, trying to lure her wayward “man” back to her with the most attractive hearth and home she can create.

True Blood and Philosophy has the difficult task of recognizing the differences between Charlaine Harris’s world and Alan Ball’s world. While similar, there are vast differences, and the book attempts to straddle the fence, moving back and forth between the material. The intention, no doubt, was to provide book fans and show fans (who may or may not have read the books) with a collection that’s equally appealing to both groups, not relying overly on either source. The result is sometimes muddled, as the authors pick and choose which example best suits their particular point, but realistically, it’d be impossible to execute the book otherwise.

Despite this difficulty and the varying quality of the essays, True Blood and Philosophy offers an interesting perspective on the True Blood/SVM universe. For the fan(g) who wants it all, this intellectual stimulation is just as thrilling and essential as the pulpy goodness of well-written smut.

True Blood and Philosophy is available now at bookstores and online.

Ken Tucker wrote: “Picking up right where last season left off, Alan Ball’s wild ride puts the pedal to the metal: Bill (Stephen Moyer) is kidnapped, Eric (Alexander Skarsgard) making his entrance naked (I know – you’re not gonna bother reading the rest of this), Tara (Rutina Wesley) in dangerous grief over the death of Eggs, Jason (Ryan Kwanten) bedding two girls while secretly trying to become a “better man,” teen vamp Jessica (Deborah Ann Woll) trying and failing to control her adolescent hormones, and dear, sweet Lafayette (Nelsan Ellis) recommending “tequila and Klonopin” as a surefire way of getting through hard times. Plus, the return of Evan Rachel Wood’s Queen and an increased role for Eric’s curvy underling Pam (Kristin Bauer). True Blood is, if anything, faster, sleeker, more vicious, more fun than it already was. Yum-yum.”

Here I am, again, in a desperate attempt to ease my ache from “True Blood” withdrawal and since paparazzi videos are disgusting (and there are not enough of them) I’ve been watching every movie and TV show where our beloved Stephen Moyer stars. Some of those experiences have been delightful, some of them have not. Today, my friends I bring you one of the good ones; today I’m going to tell you about NY-LON.

NY-LON is the flight connection between New York and London and this 7 episode series is a story about a Bohemian record store employee and night school teacher Edie Miller (played by the lovely Rashida Jones) from New York and the very driven stockbroker, overachiever and financial genius Michael Antonioni (played by our divine Stephen Moyer) from London.

Stephen on the set of NY-LON - Photo courtesy of photographer Thomas Butler

Michael is a successful London banker that works in this crazy office with much too many people and even more work stations per square feet/square meters, whose boss has the most thoughtless ways of firing people; he is refined, handsome, afraid of commitment, in control and he has the longest sideburns after Bill Compton.  He takes care of his family and his friends but apparently is a dirty bastard when it comes to the ladies, because obviously nothing is perfect.  Edie works at a record store (which I found kind of funny being that Rashida Jones is the daughter of Quincy Jones) and teaches at a night school for disadvantaged people… in New York. She is ridiculously loyal to the people she loves, and is recovering from a really bad breakup from the biggest douche bag since Jeff Spicolli; she also has the most annoying and needy friends ever! They meet in an awkward situation in a bar in London, after her bag is stolen and he lends her some money after selling her one cigarette. (?)

A pragmatic and an idealist can deal very well under the sheets

They end up having this amazing night of endless talking, heavy smoking and easy drinking and next thing we know she’s late for her morning flight back to New York. They are so different we almost don’t understand why they even like each other. She works in an old record store and he doesn’t even own a cd player – and that’s a mortal sin everywhere but especially for Edie who’s last boyfriend is a musician.

He works in a bank selling stocks to make rich people richer, which she hates since she’s a bit of an anarchist/socialist/communist, take your pick; he’s a Catholic who believes in the sanctity/insanity of marriage and she’s an agnostic that doesn’t trust any kind of institution (even though sometimes she needs to be institutionalized herself). His life revolves around his family and his work and the only family she believes in are her friends. He’s a pragmatic and she’s an idealist. But one way or another they like each other and somehow he ends up flying to New York to deliver an earring she left in his apartment and he does it in such a romantic way he makes us hate the idiot we have in our bed.

Edie is insecure as any women we know (at least I know all the insecurities women can have, and I probably have them all). She has this complicated relationship with her ex-boyfriend that also happens to be her best friend even after he broke her heart. Her friends’ opinion is the most important thing for her, even though they are selfish, manipulative and plain irritating, but I couldn’t bring myself to hate her although I really wanted to. Michael is kind of full of himself, he’s used to calling all the shots, never asking what the other person wants, solving all of his family problems even when they ask him not to, taking care of his friends and their lives no matter how messed up his own life is. He takes Edie by surprise… the thing is, she hates surprises!

Despite all the warning signals, they start a relationship, flying back and forward between New York and London. Things gets complicated when he wants to meet her friends and she doesn’t want to as she knows they won’t approve of him – because no one likes a successful and handsome man dating your best friend, right? They are rude to him, they hurt Edie and they don’t apologize, they can forgive drug addiction but they will not tolerate capitalism, ‘cause the worst thing a person can do is work in a bank and having some money. On the London side things are not any easier when Edie realizes the extent of Michael’s commitment to his family and his friends. They are so used to having him around and counting on him that they fear they might lose the safety net that Michael represents if he leaves for New York… and they make sure Edie feels responsible for it. With such friends, who wants enemies? However, no matter how self-absorbed and exasperating they are, we know they act out of love… and that, we can totally understand.

You must be a fool or just Edie if you care about your friend's approval on this handsome guy

She spends the entire show giving Michael mixed signals, she likes him but she’s not sure she wants a serious relationship; she wants to be with him but she doesn’t want to disappoint her friends or herself, she loves him but she’s not about to change everything she’s always believed in for someone she just met… and I respect her for that. Michael is a force of nature that won’t accept no for an answer and can’t take things slowly because he doesn’t know what slow means. He makes decisions without asking and refuses to go with the flow unless he is the flow; he knows what he wants and is not afraid of going after it… and that takes courage!

This show is about the issue that generates the greatest discussions and speculations at a dinner table and one of my favorites, I’ll tell you why. Here we ask ourselves the ultimate question when it comes to relationships and love, the same thing we ask ourselves all the time while having beers with our friends on a Friday night: Is it ok to give up your whole life for love? Of course the quick answer is yes, right? But what happens when you love a person, but you’re not sure that person is right for you? Is love, true love, delightful and romantic but also passionate and crazy love, enough to succeed in a relationship? Now, that’s a tricky one, isn’t it? Are you willing to give up your job, your friends, your comfort, your security, for a person that even though you love, represents everything you’ve always been against? Is it ok to sacrifice that much for love when maybe you don’t exactly believe in that kind of love? Of course, in a movie the answer is “hell yeah!”… but is it safe, is it smart, is it reasonable to do it in real life? Especially when your heart and your emotional stability are at risk?

NY-Lon is the story of a transatlantic love, between two very different people from two very different places… and it all happens in my two favorite cities in the world (sorry Paris!). It’s very avant-garde in the way they deliver the story from both Michael and Edie’s point of view so you get the same scene twice from two different perspectives, with divided screen, time zone differences and plenty of jetlag… they make it in a way that you always get the notion of “Ok, so when he was doing this, she was doing that.” They emphasize the differences not only in the characters lifestyles but also in their schedules, language pronunciation, habits… and they do it very convincingly helped by the most amazing soundtrack that gives you the exact feeling you need to have and sets the perfect mood for each situation with every character in both cities!

"well then, prepare to be made up to..."

The story is offered in a probably flat and maybe naïve way at times but the characters are so real, their fears are so genuine and their emotions are so honest, you forget about it. There are some inconsistencies when it comes to flight scheduling, every now and then you get the feeling that going from London to New York is the same thing as jumping from Manhattan to Brooklyn, and I didn’t quite understand how Michael believes that “love is just a chemical reaction” and “you shouldn’t let chemicals mess with your mind,” but it’s ok to buy a transatlantic ticket to give back an earring to a girl that he just met and didn’t even sleep with – oops did I said too much?  But you surely can relate to both characters and their friends, sometimes you’ll love them, some other times you’ll hate them, especially Edie and her friends. Most of the time you’ll want to kill the writers for having such a wonderful idea but not quite succeeding in delivering it, but at the same time you can understand where they’re coming from, their fears, their insecurities and the reason they act the way they do.

The chemistry between Steve and Rashida is sizzling. It’s a story about love in a world that has become smaller and the heartbreak of the fact that we can overcome the barriers of distance but sometimes we can’t overcome the barriers of difference. It has a bittersweet but realistic ending that even though leaves you asking for more, also gives you the feeling of a sad but fair closure.

P.S.: There are some curiosities in this show – or trivia if you will – that I’d love to point out, ‘cause it’s fun!

• For instance, Edie Miller is played by Rashida Jones, the daughter of the producer and music industry genius, Quincy Jones, and her character works in an old funky record store and is surrounded by musicians… so maybe that wasn’t a hard part to play for her.
• There’s another one in an episode when Michael is about to get fired and he makes a very risky move and not only keeps his job but gets a promotion. Right after that happens he receives a call from himself… right. Steve Emery is on line one! As a lot of you must know, Steve’s real name is Stephen Emery and he changed it when he started acting because apparently there was another Steve Emery in the same theater company.
• The last one – and my favorite – is really, really spoilerish so I’m gonna try to do it without telling you everything: In the last episode Michael makes a major decision and goes to New York to see Edie. Things go wrong and he leaves Edie’s apartment; while we see him walking and crying around Time Square we hear Breath Me, a beautifully haunting and heartbreaking song by Sia… that same song is the one we hear in the last scene of the final episode of Alan Ball’s Six Feet Under!

If you are within the United States, you can watch NY-LON online at HULU.

Did you see NY-Lon, what did you think about it?!

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