Book Review: Abraham Lincoln - Vampire Hunter

You know, some people are already yakking about how 'mash up' fiction is just a passing fad and already on it's way out the door. For those of you unfamiliar with that type of fiction...where have you been the last year? Basically, it's when authors take an established work of fiction and turn it into a new genre. And it may very well be on it's way out, but personally, I'm going to enjoy it as long as it's here.

I have not yet read Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, the bestseller that started this whole 'fad' (my cousin informs me that I have to read the original first, and no offence to Austen fans out there, but that's just not going to happen). But one of the many titles that have since come out of the woodwork caught my attention; Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter. Me being as big a vampire fan as I am, it was perhaps inevitable that this would cross my path. Written by Seth Grahame-Smith, who also wrote Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, the concept of the story, which tells the 'real' history of Lincoln's life and presidency, really hooked me. Apparently, as if the 16th President of the United States hadn't accomplished enough with ending slavery and the Civil War, he was also hunting vampires on the side. 'Cause you know, those overachievers have to be involved with everything.

Before you go thinking what a silly gimmick that is, let me assure you that it works surprisingly well here. Written in the epistolary-style, the reader does get the sense that this is an autobiography, pieced together by documents both historically verified and 'lost'. From the first chapter, in which the author describes how he came to be in possession of the 'secret diaries' and letters of Lincoln, you are treated to an alternate history, in which so many facets of both Lincoln's life and American history are given a new spin. And in the context of vampire fiction, it all comes together nicely. Grahame-Smith obviously researched Lincoln in quite a bit of detail, and paints a very vivid picture of a brilliant yet haunted man who grows and learns through life experiences and, to paraphrase Shakespeare, is born great, achieves greatness, and most assuredly has greatness thrust upon him. And as you're reading you can buy into every word.

From Lincoln's earliest days, to his first steps into hunting, to his unlikely yet pivotal life-long alliance with a man named Henry Sturges, to his days as a lawyer, a politician and a president, right up to his assassination, the plot that unfolds is informative, dramatic, gory, funny, heartbreaking and surprisingly resonant. This was no small feat that Grahame-Smith has pulled off, making all these disparate pieces fit together, but by gosh, I'm liking it. A lot.

Along with P&P&Z, Vampire Hunter is in talks to be adapted to the big screen. Tim Burton is looking to direct. I wonder who could star as Lincoln? Not many actors could play him, the man was so distinctive looking. Still, I'm excited. I'm thinking Johnny Depp could be Henry Sturges.

My Verdict: Despite some initial scepticism, I think most readers will be pleasantly surprised by how this 'real' history is brought to light. I know I was.

Ladies and Gentlemen, Your American Idol!

We have a winner! The moment we've been waiting for since January finally arrived tonight as Lee DeWyze, the former paint salesman and underdog of the competition beat out Crystal Bowersox for the Season 9 crown. As per usual it was a star-studded event, and was, I think, a fitting conclusion to a very bizarre season.

After seeing deserving contestants get eliminated early and not so great contestants linger longer than they should, it came down to Mommasox and The Boxer. Crystal was definitely there on talent, and while Lee was definitely a talented singer, I think he was also there because of a popularity vote. But he earned his popularity, there is no doubt. When he started he was clearly lacking in confidence, and over the last few weeks he's really come into his own. Personally, I would've been happy if either contestant had one, but I admit I was rooting for Lee. Some will wonder if the right Idol was crowned, but I'm satisfied with America's decision.

Quite a few good performances tonight, with Alice Cooper, Christina Aguilera, Kris Allen, Hall & Oates, Chicago, the Gibbs, Janet Jackson (who sounded creepily like Michael during her first song), etc. all showing up to perform. One person I was happy to see was Bret Michaels, who did a duet with Casey James. After nearly loosing him to a brain hemorrhage, it's good to see Michaels back on his feet and singing.

But tonight was special for another reason: it was Simon's last night as a judge. I'll take a minute to let you absorb that concept. Alright, let's move on. It's Simon Cowell's last night people! The guy's been with the show since the beginning, 10 freakin' years! He's one of the faces of the whole industry. Where does he think he's going anyway?

Despite that horrifying news, I thought they had a good send off for him. With a tribute to his snarky comments, a montage of favorite moments, a special visit from Paula Abdul and previous Idol winners (all except David Cook for some reason) and contestants singing for him, the producers worked hard to make it special without taking too much focus away from the Top 2. Then the man himself got up and said some heartfelt words to the people behind the show, his fellow judges, the contestants and to Ryan. It was touching for all concerned. Man I'm going to miss him. I don't even know if I can watch the show without him. But I wondered if I would tune in last year and I still watched. Again, time will tell.

All in all, I'm glad I hung in there this season. What did you all think? Will you miss Simon as much as I will? Do you think the right contestant won?

Movie Review: Shrek Forever After

So the supposed final chapter of the Shrek franchise came out this week, and my only response was just as I had feared; meh. Not bad, but not great either just...meh.

To summarize this outing, Shrek is feeling tied down by family life and the adoration of the citizens of Far Far Away, so he makes a wish with the nefarious Rumpelstiltskin to spend one day as his old ogreish self. But Rumpelstiltskin has other plans, and Shrek's wish causes an alternate reality where he never existed and Rumpelstiltskin is King of Far Far Away. Shrek has to set things right in order to get his old life back.

Shrek Forever After is not without it's moments, and there are laughs as we see alternate versions of our favorite characters, and there are pop culture references to be had, but there's nothing really memorable or awesome about the film as a whole. Even the 3D effects didn't raise it to must-see movie status. Plus, I found it hard to get past the incredibly selfish attitude that started the whole mess we see unfolding onscreen. Maybe it's just the ogre in him, but Shrek has everything he could want, and he's still not happy. What gives?

My Verdict: Worth checking out, but probably only once. I figure it won't stand the test of time as much as it's predecessor's.

Joss Whedon + Neil Patrick Harris + Glee = Very cool!

So tonight we were finally treated to the Joss Whedon directed, Neil Patrick Harris guest starring episode of Glee entitled "Dream On". As you would expect from the title, the episode focused mostly on the idea of following your dreams. And as you may also expect, it was a pretty darn cool offering.

As both a Whedonite and a Gleek, I was salivating with anticipation over this cultivation of combined awesomeness. And while I have a few minor quibbles, the episode as a whole did not disappoint.

Neil Patrick Harris played Bryan Ryan, a former glee kid and classmate/rival of Will's, who first comes on the scene as a bitter, anti-show-choir advocate, but later attempts to pursue his former passion of singing. He and Will have an awesome duet of one-upmanship with Aerosmith's "Dream On" (did you notice that song and the episode title? They're the same!) Meanwhile Rachel and her now on-again boyfriend Jesse dig up dirt on Rachel's birth mother. And Artie, with some encouragement from Tina, wonders if he will ever walk again and pursue his dream of dancing.

Though there were laughs (like the show choir recovery group, or Sue's secret room "like Letterman"), there was quite a bit of drama. SPOILER ALERT: We discover that Rachel's mother is Vocal Adrenaline coach Shelby Corcoran, played by Idina Menzel (who, I realized while watching the show, does look a lot like Lea Michele). And we find out that Jesse is still working for Vocal Adrenaline and the plan is for him to return to his former choir, but he confesses to Shelby tonight that he does like Rachel. Will he turn out to be a villain in the end, or will he stay with New Directions because of genuine affection for the show's resident bossy ball of fussiness? Time will tell. But we finally got to see Menzel show off her vocal chops with a duet of "I Dreamed a Dream" between Shelby and Rachel. END SPOILER ALERT.

Under Whedon's direction, the episode balanced big scope with character intimacy, something that Whedon is very deft in. From the big production of the "Safety Dance" number and it's mix of stationary and hand-held cameras to the smaller scenes of two people in an office with the sun shining between the blinds, things looked and felt great.

My big complaint? More of Neil Patrick Harris please! I mean jeez, we only had like two songs with him, and one of them wasn't even a full music number, it was in a bar. When Kristen Chenoweth guest stars she has at least three full numbers. What, are they afraid to unleash his full and considerable musical chops on us? We can take it! They better be saving it for another episode, that's all I can say. But other than that, yay!

Only three episodes left for season 1. How will it all play out? Can we stand the suspense? You know where to vent or praise, see below.

Heroes and Law & Order both cancelled

By the way, I'm writing from my sick-bed, taken down by a cold on my weekend off. There is no justice in the world. But moving on...

So it's that time of year when TV networks announce which shows will last another season and which are getting the axe. Some of the announced cancelled shows are no real surprise. But two of NBC's cancellations stand out to me; Law and Order and Heroes. L&O is a significant loss from the TV landscape, as it's been a fixture on that landscape for twenty freakin' years. Heroes is one of those shows where, and it pains me to say this as it was once a favorite of mine, it seems like the network is finally putting it out of it's misery.

Let's start with the good show. L&O, the groundbreaking, cut-from-the-headlines, serial prime-time drama that spawned 4 spin offs (Law and Order: Special Victims Unit; Law and Order: Criminal Intent; the short lived Law and Order: Trial by Jury and the across the pond take Law and Order: UK), as well as influencing every other cut-from-the-headlines, serial prime-time drama. It's the longest running crime drama ever, and tied with Gunsmoke as the longest running prime-time drama ever. It's formula is distinctive: the first half of each episode is devoted to the police investigation of a crime, the second half showing the criminal prosecution of that crime. It was one of the first shows about lawyers to be told from the point of view of the prosecution and not the defence. Because it's not a serial drama and did not focus on the personal lives of the characters it had a revolving door of cast members, most notably Jerry Orbach and Sam Waterston. It stayed current with each season, making gripping television out of real life events. It's theme song is iconic. It was one of a kind in a lot of ways.

I used to watch it fairly regularly when it aired late at night on Bravo, watching the earliest seasons. The stories always managed to suck me in; even if I was only planning on watching the first half I ended up having to see how it played out. For me, the trial was always the most interesting part. The police investigation was cool, but nothing could beat the chess game that took place in the courtroom.

It had to be cancelled sooner or later. And honestly I haven't seen any episodes of the last I-don't-know-how many seasons because after so many years, no matter how good a show is it just can't have the same impact it once did. That's the nature of television. Still, the world of TV will feel a little emptier having L&O off the air. Sure it's spin-offs will still be on, and apparently a new one is in the works as we speak (Law and Order: Los Angeles, the first American L&O to be set outside of New York) but the late, great original will be the one to miss.

Now the flip side, let's talk about Heroes, the show that started off with so much promise and then went downhill so fast you had to wonder if somebody on the show just gave up after the first season. Or if maybe someone was pulling a cruel prank on all of us.

The show introduced us to ordinary people from all over the world who suddenly discover they have super powers. There was a slow build to a great climax in the first season, a lot of drama, a lot of humor and heart, a villain that could haunt your nightmares and a mythology you just knew was deeper than was being shown on screen. The first season spawned a phenomena, and I was hooked from the get go.

Then the second season came along and...it was just okay. I mean the whole time-travel subplot with Hiro didn't make a lot of sense and went on way longer than it should have. That whole wonder-twins thing was just kind of dumb. Sylar survived when he really shouldn't have. There was a gaping hole in Peter's storyline that still bugs the hell out of me (what the heck happened to his Irish girlfriend when she was just left in the future?). It was kind of all over the place, but I held out hope that maybe the show could get back on track. The people behind Heroes even cut the season short and promised us a revamp in the next.

They lied. The third season offered nothing new of note, added more annoying plot lines and characters, made a lot of the regular characters come across as whiny and incompetent and finally turned me off of it entirely.

There were three big reasons that made me decide enough is enough. The first being their abandonment of the "Sylar's redemption" storyline. I'm a sucker for second chances, and Zachary Quinto is such a great actor he could convincingly show character growth for someone as evil as Sylar. But then, all of a sudden, after several episodes of him working so hard to be a good guy and doing pretty well, Sylar decided "Nope, I'm evil again". Well, he didn't say it like that, but that was the gist.

Secondly, the writers set brothers Peter and Nathan on each other. Their relationship was one of the cornerstones of the series, and pitting them against each other so did not fly with me at all. Pun intended, as Nathan could fly.

Lastly, and most importantly, when I'm invested in a series I have to feel that even if I don't know what the hell is going on with the plot, the writers do and they're just waiting for the right time to reveal all to it's loyal audience. I lost that trust with Heroes. It got to the point that I really began to suspect that the writers were just making it up as they go along. That is not only lazy it's insulting to the viewers. And so, with a heavy heart, I checked out of Heroes about midway through the third season. I haven't watched it since, but I suspect that my geeky hopes that the super powered humans would all eventually join forces into something resembling the X-men did not come to pass. Their loss. Ah well, in my mind they're all still the cool people from the first season and that super-hero team has been formed.

So there's one show that, while it may have been on longer than it should have, is still going out on a high note. And one show that showed so much promise at the start, then left a smoking, charred trail of what could have been. It's a sad moment for both of them, but for very different reasons.

The people have spoken! Betty White hosts SNL

Behold the power of Facebook. Thanks to a fan movement on the social networking site, Betty White hosted SNL last night.

Fortunately the move worked in spades. It was an episode to remember, thanks to White's sense of humor and professionalism born out of decades of working in television. Plus the addition of past SNL female comedians Amy Poehler, Tina Fey, Mya Rudolph, Ana Gasteyer and Rachel Dratch allowed old characters and scenarios to be revisited. A true girl-power evening.

Some highlights: White as MacGruber's grandmother, "Really?!? with Seth, Amy and Tina", and "What I'm most known for is my muffin." Plus the digital short of "Thank You For Being a Friend".

Now if only White could host the Oscars...quick, back to Facebook!

Movie Review: Iron Man 2

My summer movie viewing officially begins today with Iron Man 2. And I'm proud to say I was one of the first people to see it. I and my roommate caught an afternoon screening, right when the theatre opened.

Unlike many sequels, IM2 does not disappoint. As Tony Stark, played with gusto by Robert Downey Jr., deals with new complications that come with being an outed superhero, not to mention coming to terms with some of his own personal demons, new enemies emerge to shake things up even more, including a Russian scientist with a score to settle (played by Mickey Rourke) and an unscrupulous weapons designer (Sam Rockwell).

With a cast like this it's hard to screw things up. There's Downey Jr. of course, whose career was revived by this role in the first movie. Gwyneth Paltrow returns as the fiery Pepper Potts. Don Cheadle replaces Terrence Howard as James "Rhodey" Rhodes, and while I wondered how this replacement would go over I thought Cheadle did a great job. Plus he had some awesome action scenes with Downey Jr. Mickey Rourke and Sam Rockwell make for great villains, one being quiet and menacing and one being talkative and slimy respectively. And Samuel L. Jackson got to do what he does as S.H.E.I.L.D. leader Nick Fury.

My only quibble with the cast is that I found Scarlett Johansen's performance as the Black Widow a tad wooden. Maybe that's supposed to with being a spy, but still I would've liked to see her a bit livelier. Really good martial arts scenes though.

There were some great lines, keeping the humor from the first film. There were also so many comic book references to keep the average geek happy. From a cameo by Stan Lee, to hints at other Avengers. it all stays Geek-tastic.

My Verdict: A worthy successor to the first film, and hopefully a good sign of the new comic book movies coming down the tracks.

P.S. Stay 'til the end of the credits. There's a final scene that's guaranteed to set any comic geek's heart a flutter.

Getting my Muggle on at the Harry Potter Exhibition

What is the technical term for a Harry Potter fan? Pottermaniac? Muggle? Wanna-be-Wizard? Personally, I like Potterphile. It has a literary feel to it.

Such was one of the many questions that came up as I, my mother and my brother's girlfriend made our way to the Ontario Science Centre to check out Harry Potter: The Exhibition. This limited engagement special exhibit boasts props, sets and costumes from the movies for all fans. No way I was passing this up. I even wore my blazer with the ironed-on Hogwarts crest on the back I made for a HP program at work.

My mother is another fan. My brother's girlfriend had seen a couple of the movies, but that was the extent of her interactions with Harry. I was determined to convert her, but whether I succeeded or not has yet to be seen.

The centre itself is an amazing building. Several different levels with lots of different exhibits to challenge the mind and educate the masses. It also has an interactive quality to it, which really engages kids. Through the afternoon we checked out a rain forest, did a water test, saw a tornado machine and everything you could want to know about the human body. But who wants to hear about that? Lets get to Harry!

There was quite a lot more to the Exhibition than just some displays. Some lovely English-accented employees brought a group of us to the first part, a room with a sorting hat. After our guide asked for volunteers and nobody rushed up both of my companions started pushing me towards the stage. So I sat, in front of everybody with the lights bearing down on me, and was asked which house I like best. Griffindor, natch. The guide placed the hat just above my head and the hats voice spoke out over the speakers. Guess which house I was sorted into? Griffindor! Clearly I'm a natural fit for that house, and the guide definetly did not have a switch or something under her robe. I mean, the other two people who went after me and were sorted into their houses of choice did not mean there was any trickery involved. Right? Lets say it was just magic and leave it at that.

Then we were ushered into a circular room with a bunch of screens, which then played clips from the movies. Then, one of the coolest parts: a side door opened, revealing a lifesize steaming Hogwarts express, and a wizard with a lantern to usher us in. So cool! Just like arriving a the platform to Hogwarts.

The displays themselves were divided into different aspects of the Potter universe. The first part was the student dormitories and classrooms. The attention to detail with each prop and costume was a sight to behold. And we got to pull Mandrake's out of their pots and hear their screeching sounds.

Next we went on to every wizard's favorite sport. These displays included player uniforms for the Irish and Bulgarian teams, as well as for the school houses. I got to explain the finer points of Quidditch to my brother's girlfriend and throw quaffle's at rings. Also we got to look through Hagrid's hut and sit in his big chair. And see a hippogriff up close.

There was also a section for dark magic, with props like that giant freaky skeleton grave stone from The Goblet of Fire and Voldemort's robes which were fluttering in a breeze. "Have You Seen This Wizard" posters hung all over, featuring the worst of the worst in the wizarding world. Also hanging along with them were citations from the Ministry of Magic reminding all about constant vigilance in the fight against dark forces. It's that attention to detail that really made the exhibit so memeorable.

We then saw delectable treats and beautiful gowns in the Great Hall (complete with floating candles). A set of portraits applauded us as we finished the tour.

And of course, there was a gift shop as we left. It had some wonderful things to buy, including some collectable items that were way out of my price range. In the end I bought a necklace with the Hogwarts crest as a souvenir, which I think suits me just fine.

The exhibit is on until August, so go check it out. There is so much more to see than I've written about here. I may have to see it all one more time before the summer's out. Here's a concept drawing below to give you an idea.

Movie Review: Kick-Ass

So here's a rather perplexing question. Why the heck hasn't anyone picked up the mantle and become a 'super hero'. Such is the question that Kick-Ass, a high-action, fowl-mouthed comedy based on a graphic novel of the same name, attempts to answer.

Now it's true, you'd be hard pressed to find someone who can fly, or walk through walls or any of that super-powered crap. But there are lots of examples of people who don't have superpowers but who still take up the cause. Bruce Wayne, for example. He just had gadgets and a lot of training. Or Tony Stark. He just had a good suit.

Cue Dave Lizewski, played by Aaron Johnson, a comic geek with no more motivation than a lot of optimism and a desire to see justice done. Thus he dons a converted scuba suit and becomes 'Kick-Ass', soon gaining Internet fame and inspiring other superheroes to come out of the woodwork. These include old-pros and big time sociopath's Big Daddy (Nicholas Cage) and Hit-Girl (newcomer Chloe Moretz). All of this centers around an organized-crime boss and his son Chris (Christopher Mintz-Plasse) who eventually coins the name Red Mist.

There's bad language, a lot of laughs, geek references, quite a bit of blood and a whole lot of kicked asses. Good times. I feel the movie does a good job of conveying the pros and cons one would expect of that kind of life. Plus it's all set to a soundtrack worthy of a Tarantino film.

If I had one big complaint, it would be that it seemed long for some reason. The film clocks in at just under 2 hours, but it felt longer than that. Maybe it was just the pacing.

But, without giving anything away, they left the door open for a sequel, and I would very much like to see it.

My verdict: Uber-cool take on superhero movies. Not everyone's cup of tea however, especially those who aren't into violence or swearing. If that doesn't bother you, you're good to go.