Great Television Characters

#3

George Costanzo

Played by Jason Alexander

in Seinfeld

Following on from last weeks Frank Burns is Seinfeld's George Costanza, another character lacking in nobility, Elaine (Julia Louis Dreyfuss) described him as a "short, stocky, slow-witted, bald man" and described as "Lord of the Idiots" by himself. He is very neurotic and self dominated.

Friends with Jerry Seinfeld (the character) since their middle school years. Episode plots frequently feature George manufacturing elaborate deceptions at work or in his relationships to gain or maintain some sort of small or imagined advantage. His relationships with women are always unsuccessful. His most disastrous was his engagement to Susan Ross, one of the few that ends "well" for George; he fears marriage and Susan's unexpected death saves him from the commitment and he was somewhat to blame for her by skimping on the cost of envelopes (watch the series if you don't know what I mean!)

Often desribed as dumb by his friends he is also considered an expert liar, and as often talked his way out of extraordinary situations (considered a useful skill by his friends).

George is primarily based upon co-creator Larry David and many of George's predicaments were based on the real life experiences of David. For example, when George quits his job in fury, he realizes his actions were a mistakes, he goes back to work the next day as if nothing happened, mirroring David's actions while working as a writer on Saturday Night Live.

George appeared in all but one of the Seinfeld episodes (season three's The Pen) and he goes down as one of the greatest television characters in history for his perfect self loathing and nuerosis.

Bask in the Loveliness of...

Jennifer Garner

Bask in the loveliness of...

Kelli Garner

Switchblade Romance Review

Switchblade Romance

(aka High Tension) (aka Haute Tension)

(2003)

Reviewer Bias' Loves: Great bad guys Likes: French cinema Dislikes: Hates: Pointless violence that is there only to shock

If this film would have been made 20-30 years ago it would have easily been paired with the so-called video nasties of that time. It already somewhat conjours up the memories of The Last House on the Left, Straw Dogs Et al.

The plot sees friends Marie (Cécile De France) and Alex (Maiween Le Besco) go to visit Alex's parents in the countryside and study in their peaceful surrondings. However the peace is soon broken when during the night, a truck driver (Philippe Nahon) breaks into the house murder Alex's family and tie up Alex. Marie manages to evade the truck driver. When the man carries Alex into the back of his truck, Marie is forced to attempt to rescue her friend.

First things thing. The movie is utterly gripping from start to finish, De France is excellent in the lead role as is Nahon who is brilliantly chilling. The deaths are very glorified and linger a bit too long, it sometimes is a bit hard to like a film when a little kid is killed but I guess makes sense in the all family getting massacred sort of way.

I don't know why but I never felt completely satisified by the entire film, I guess I felt a little uneasy- bloody and gory movie deaths don't effect me but I think I was confused because the deaths seemed to be in a different tone to the rest of the gripping story. SPOILER: The twist at the end is somewhat well done, better then say Identity, worse then The Sixth Sense when it's revealed De France is actually the killer and Nahon maybe just of been a part of her split personality.

In conclusion, all I can say is, it's well worth a watch, there's a lot to recommend, occasionally intense (perhaps too intense), occasionally over gory but still a damn good watch from director Alexandre Aja (The Hills Have Eyes remake).

()()()

(3 out of 5)

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Natalie Portman

Work in Progress.

Firstly, I haven't quite finished my Guilty Pleasures for this week. Also I'm in the middle of working on a couple of reviews -proper reviews- which is probably my first in over a year. All should be up tomorrow or Thursday.

You know I mentioned earlier about one of my students making a film about 9/11 conspiracy. Well South Park went and spoilt it for me the other night by making a mockery over the all situation and doing it funny which will make it a bit harder for the poor lad's film to be quite taking as serious by me.

What else can I say? I've been off the past couple of days because of Bank Holiday weekend and of course my workshop is Wednesday night -the fifth week off the top of my head- got an 18 shift coming up in September that I'm exicted/scared of.

Bask in the loveliness of...

Rachel McAdams

Dawson's Creek Season Six

Review:DAWSON'S CREEK SEASON SIX Reviewer Bias Loves: Busy Philipps. Likes: Pacey, Joey, Jack, Jen and Grams. Dislikes: "The College Years" of shows, Impossibly good looking love interests. Hates: Dawson Leery, Pointless Celebrity Cameos.

Okay I'm considering this my first attempt at a proper review in a long time, so bear with me.

I was a fan of Dawson's Creek in it's early years. I think it arrived in the U.K in 1999 (I think it premiered in the US the previous year), even though I wasn't a big fan of the Dawson Leery (James Van Der Beek) character I could identify with his dream of becoming a filmmaker and also the idea of unrequieted love. Obviously the better characters of the first season where Dawson's best friend Pacey (Joshua Jackson), soul mate Joey (Katie Holmes) and new girl on the creek, New Yorker Jen (Michelle Williams), the second season introduced two cracking new characters Andie (Meredith Monroe) and her brother Jack (Kerr Smith), Andie would have mental health issues within that season and Jack would come out. Also welcome in the second season was Abby Morgan (Monica Keena) who was a total bitch and all the more loveable for it, she ended up drowning in the pier by the season's end though after a night's drinking with Jen. Meredith Monroe would end up leaving in the fourth season, and Dawson's dad (John Wesley Shipp), a character I didn't like died in a car crash in the fifth season. The series creator Kevin Williamson (who also wrote Scream) left the end of the second season and this information comes into play later.

I'd not seen any of the college year episodes (the fifth and six seasons) meaning I'd missed the introduction of Audrey (Busy Philipps), who I believed was originally introduced as Joey's college roommate so what I'm about to write is without the knowledge of an whole season.

This season feels like Joey's Creek- Dawson at times feels like a supporting character and doesn't even appear in a number of episodes this season, I believe Joey is present in everyone- which is better overall cause the other characters are a lot better and actually more likeable. Speaking of Dawson, Hal Ozsan is wonderful Todd Carr, the director Dawson is assistant to for most the season. Meagan Gray as Emma Jones is also another welcome character -both are British characters but neither actor are from Britain-.

What's bad about the season is things like an all episode around them seeing No Doubt, means we have to see No Doubt perform a few songs, thankfully the band don't act in the film. Jack Osbourne playing himself and a childhood neighbour of Audrey is funny but very distracting from the rest of the show.

What's good about the season is Busy Philipps performance as Audrey while the rest of the cast (sans Dawson) are still brilliant in their roles. Good moments include Audrey's pre-rehab crash into the Leery homestead, SPOILER the fact that Dawson seemingly becomes Joey's only one night stand END SPOILER, Pacey in his new job (not so much for his beard though), Paul Gleason's cameos, Busy Philipps' Freaks and Geeks alumni Seth Rogen's appearance (one of the best episodes of the season), another great episode which sees Joey and Pacey get locked in K-Mart and the penilitumate episode which features the gang coming together to make a film based on the early Dawson's Creek years and a strong last episode.

Speaking of the last episode. Series creator Kevin Williamson returned to the series to give conclusion to the characters he created. Sadly he didn't create Audrey she is mentioned but doesn't appear which is not good since she's such a likeable character. The show is set 5 years after the previous episode and the gang have moved on i.e. Dawson is Ext Producer on a show called the Creek, based on his teenage years, Joey is editor. SPOILER The series does end on a tragic note, when it's revealed Jen as a heart condition and dies END SPOILER but the last episode gives conclusion to the lives of the gang it would be welcome if they did one-offs every few years to catch up with the characters.

Overall, a pretty darn good season. The characters are strong even if not all the episodes are not. If like me you enjoyed the early years but phased out, it is really recommend to go back to the show, you will not be disappointed.

()()()()

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Parminder Nagra

Hung Over...

Went out last night to a poker night at a friends house, had fun until some people started taking the game way too seriously. Found out a friend does coke (cocaine not Coca Cola), I'm not square or anything but I'm just not big on that all drugs thing- I've never smoked and I only drink beer- but I'm not to judge.

Went to my Auntie's BBQ this afternoon still pretty hung over as I'd hadn't really got to sleep until 4 in the morning. Slept at her's for a bit on her seatee before amazingly gaining strength to eat the food, which was very nice got back home at about 7 tonight, was going to sleep but still awake cause other people didn't want to see me sleep clearly.

Working my way through Dawson's Creek Season Six which I've borrowed off my counseller (yes I see a counseller) of all time, not bad, better when Dawson's not about so much and he hasn't been in all of them.

Note:

I mentonied Coca Cola earlier. I used to drink Coca Cola daily and in huge quantities until I give it up along with all caffeine things. Yes I'm totally square. Been "sober" 3 and a half years now.

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Busy Philipps

Say What?

I've been in a proper bad mood all day. I'm not too sure why. Just angry at loads of people for different reasons.

There's nothing much to say I might right about my mood in more detail later.

Somebody should be proud of me for how often I'm updating this blog.

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Michelle Monaghan

Great Television Characters

#2

Frank Burns

played by Larry Linville

in M*A*S*H

What makes a great television character? nobility, sense of what is right, open minded and tolerant of others, well loved by the other characters on the show, maybe that does make a great character but Major Frank Burns posses none of these qualities.

The character of Frank Burns did originally appear in the novel written by Richard Hooker (where he was a Captain) where the character was borderline incompetent and egotistical. In the 1970 film version by Robert Altman he was promoted to Major and played by Robert Duvall and possessed many of the "qualities" of his book counterpart.

Larry Linville played the role in the M*A*S*H series from the beginning in 1972 until 1977, whilst the character Linville played was at times borderline incomptent, he could also be described as a pompous twit who was VERY obsessed with military order.

The character of Frank Burns was said to be the exact opposite of Linville in real life, who was considered friendly and courteous thought reportedly Linville could be high-strung, a similiar trait he shares with Frank. He was said to have based Frank on, "Every idiot I've ever known."

Frank was often at odds with Hawkeye (Alan Alda) and Trapper (Wayne Rogers) and later B.J (Mike Farrell) due to his belief in military disipline and unquestioning patriotism. In the early years of the show he and Margaret "Hot Lips" Houlihan (Loretta Swit) are a secret couple., their relationship often consisted of excessive sentimentality and sappy nicknames. Frank is married and a wife back in America when all this is happening.

Burns and Houlihan would later have a falling out and split up, she married Donald Penobscot, another career military office. Larry Linville's last appearance in the show was the final episode of the fifth season in which Margaret and Penobscot got married. The character was written out at his request, Linville had commented that there was actually a very dark aura hovering over Frank, that Frank was not all that stable, yet still operating on patients and felt the character of Frank Burns had gone as far as it possibly could. Linville and Frank Burns left the series off screen.

Linville still worked occasionaly but never matching the success of M*A*S*H. He died aged 60 in 2000 of lung cancer.

Naughty Celebs (Short Time)

LINDSAY LOHAN TO SERVE ONE DAY IN JAIL Trouble actress Lindsay Lohan will serve one day in jail and perform 10 days of community service. She pleaded guilty to two of the seven misdemeanor charges against her. She had been charged with driving under the influence and being under the influence of cocaine in relation to two drunk-driving arrests in Beverly Hills.

I hate to say it but Lohan will end up dead before long, I can easily see her going down in history as one of them tragic child stars who couldn't deal with her adult life.

RICHIE FREE AFTER 80 MINUTES IN JAIL

Nicole Richie is free after serving 80 minutes of a four-day sentence in prison. The pregnant socialite/reality TV star was booked, released and sent home within the 80 minute time period. In a press release, the sheriff's spokesman writes, "At this time, the criteria for a female arrestee sentenced to 30-days or less for a non-violent offense is as follows: the arrestee is booked, screened and usually released within 12 hours. This procedure is based on jail overcrowding to manage population levels mandated by Federal Court guidelines. Based on the mandated guidelines and Ms. Richie's 96 hours sentence, she will be treated in the same manner as other inmates with a similar sentence."

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Rosario Dawson

Naughty Celebs (A-List and Z-List)

BILL MURRAY ARRESTED FOR DRUNK DRIVING IN A GOLF CART

Bill Murray has been arrested on suspicion of drunk driving in a golf cart in Stockholm. He was stopped in the early hours of Sunday morning and alcohol was smelled on his breath and he refused a breath test. While it's unlikely Murray will recieve jail time, it's more likely he will get a fine.

MARIO LOPEZ ACCUSED OF STEALING FLOWERS

I love my Saved by the Bell related news- which as popped up more then a couple of times on this Blog. Anyway A.C. Slater has been accused of stealing flowers from a garden show in California. He allegedly stole the organic flower arrangements during a break from the Southern California Home and Garden Show.

Those Hollywood types think they can get away with anything.

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Mandy Moore

Blah.

I have no idea if this entry will come up. The computer or Blogger itself is been a bit unhelpful. I actually think I'm doing amazing with recent updates on these pages including the attempt at regular columns/ articles/ whatever you want to call them. Bask in the Loveliness will now be a daily thing or a sem-daily thing until I run out of women I find lovely--- there is no rules on the order, it's kind of random, like the other articles--- regular reviews will be up soon, just sorting something out in regards to permission, i.e. if I get notification today, first review would be up tomorrow. If I get no notification I'll be attacking it from a different angle. This is the end of the public service annoucement.

Well, well, well I wish I had some interesting entertainment news to talk about but no, it's been fairly boring past couple of days (touch wood, I don't want to jinx things tragedy wise).. Anyways proper update coming when I get in from work.

Bask in the loveliness of...

Sarah Silverman