FELICE'S LOG

"Breath of the Undead" [PG-13] - 14/15

2012-01-28T23:52:00.000-08:00

"BREATH OF THE UNDEAD"

Chapter Fourteen

"I'm making some tea for Cole. Does anyone else want a drink?" Olivia asked the four guests. Cole glanced around his living room and saw both Darryl and Scott shaking their heads. Both Piper and Master Chan, on the other hand, asked for water. Olivia nodded. "I'll have a bottle of water for each of you," she added. Then she turned to Cole. "And I'll get started on your tea."

Cole frowned at his wife. "What for?"

"After what happened to you this evening, you'll need it," Olivia continued. "You should see your face. You look exhausted." She turned away and headed for the kitchen.

The half-daemon automatically began touching his face. "What did she mean by that?" he demanded. "Do I look tired?"

"A little," Scott answered.

The Taoist priest grunted. "I am not surprised. The breath of the chiang shi can be very powerful."

"But powerful enough to kill Cole?" a confused Piper demanded. "Even for a few seconds?"

With a shrug, Master Chan continued, "Telepathy can affect him. Why not the chiang shi's breath? Not only is it powerful, but insidious as well. Luckily for Mr. Turner, he has a self-healing ability."

"And apparently it's still working," Scott added. "Which would account for the exhausted look on Cole's face."

Cole retorted, "I don't feel tired." Actually, he did. But he had felt annoyed by Olivia's coddling and Scott's immediate observation of his physical state.

Darryl shook his head and said, "I'm still confused by how one becomes a . . . chiang shi. I mean . . . is it the breath of another vampire?"

"Sudden death." An amused Cole noticed that both Scott and Master Chan had spoken at the same time.

The Taoist priest added, "It is like I had explained to Miss Halliwell, every sentient being has two souls - a superior soul or the 'hun', and an inferior soul called the 'po'. You see, the hun or yang energy usually leaves the body upon death. But the po or yin remains active. Especially if the deceased has unfinished business on Earth."

"And Ronald Wong had unfinished business, when he was murdered," Darryl said, nodding. "Okay, I get it." He paused with a frown on his face. "The superior and inferior soul? Now, why does that sound familiar?"

Clearing his throat, Cole explained, "Because Cecile Dubois probably told you something similar, when you were possessed by that bokor over a year ago."

Scott demanded, "What are you talking about?"

Olivia returned to the living room, carrying a tray that held two water bottles and a cup filled with tea. She served the water to both Piper and Master Chan. "Cole is talking about Vodoun or West African beliefs. You remember, don't you, Piper?"

"Not really," the Charmed One remarked dryly.

Recalling what Andre had once told him, Cole continued. "Like the Chinese, Vodoun practitioners believe that the soul has two parts - the gros bon ange, which the Chinese call the hun and the ti bon ange, or the po."

"Now, the gros bon ange reflects the part of the cosmic energy that turns into life force and the ti bon ange reflects the person's knowledge and experience," Olivia added. "The ti bon ange is also responsible for deciding individual characteristics, personality and will and is also the most vulnerable part of the human psyche to sorcery. And when the ti bon ange is dormant - when you are asleep or near death - a person becomes vulnerable to possession." Olivia handed Cole his cup of tea. "Here you go. It's a mixture of thyme, cloves, caraway seeds and peppermint."

The half-daemon rolled his eyes and took a sip of tea. Hmmmm. At least it taste pretty good.

Master Chan shook his head in amazement. "I had no idea that some Chinese beliefs were similar to West African ones. Very interesting."

"What happens to Ronald Wong now?" Piper asked.

Scott shrugged. "His body will be given a proper burial. And since his killer is also dead . . . there's nothing else we can do."

"What about the people who had hired that warlock, Larson?"

Between sips, Cole revealed what he had learned from Hazika. "Now that Curt Decker is dead, his soul now belongs to the Khand Order. Forever."

A silent pause filled the room before Piper continued, "Shouldn't we go after them?"

"What for?" Olivia demanded, as she sat down next to Cole. "Curt Decker is dead. So is Keir Larson. What else can we do?"

Piper muttered, "I don't know. How about we try to save his soul?"

In his most patient voice, Cole explained, "It's too late for that, Piper. Curt Decker had agreed to a contract. Without any coercion by the Khand Order, I might add. Only the Khand Order can break the contract." Piper opened her mouth to speak, but he continued. "If you're thinking of destroying the Khand Order . . . don't bother. The deaths of their members won't change anything. Trust me. A demonic contract usually survives the death of the daemon who drafted it." With a shrug, he added, "What can I say? Loopholes."

"Besides," Master Chan added, "This Mr. Decker had made a deal with 'the devil' - so to speak. Just because he was human does not mean that he can easily avoid the agreement he had made with this demonic order. Human or not, Mr. Decker must pay the consequences for his actions. Even if it means with his soul."

One glance at Piper's face told Cole that she did not care for this resolution. Well, he did not exactly care for it, either. But he knew that the destruction of the Khand Order would not save Curt Decker's soul.

"I have a question," Scott piped up. "For Darryl. What do you plan to do with the surveillance tape from the Diamond Club's parking lot?"

Both Olivia and Darryl exchanged cryptic looks. Then the latter added, "Turn it over to Captain McPherson." His answer produced uneasy looks from the others - including Cole.

"Uh . . ." Scott began uneasily. "What did you do? Change it or something?"

Darryl replied, "Nope. Olivia had convinced me that we might as well leave it alone." Both Piper and Scott opened their mouths to protest. "Don't worry. The tape didn't catch Livy using her telekinesis to grab Larson's sword. And she had turned it off before the rest of you and Harry had even arrived in the parking lot."

"But it still shows the vampire," Cole reminded his wife's partner.

A cryptic smile curved Olivia's lips. "Yes it does. And when McPherson and the FBI finally see it, they will make damn sure that the public will never learn the truth. Trust me."

-----------

Just as Olivia had predicted, the FBI paid a visit to her squad room, the following morning. The redhead found herself inside Captain McPherson's office with Darryl, the Captain and two FBI agents. All five people were viewing the video tape that the Federal agents had retrieved from the Diamond Club's parking lot security camera.

Olivia winced, as she watched herself slice off the chiang shi's head. The camera had failed to tape her picking up the sword, using her telekinesis - thank the God and Goddess. Her fellow companions - including Darryl - watched the video images with rapt attention. Fortunately, the video did not include sound . . . which meant that it did not capture any compromising dialogue. Once the tape ended, Special Agent Daniel Archer let out a breathless, "Wow! You really took care of that . . . that thing, didn't you?" He regarded Olivia with admiring eyes. "When did you learn how to use a sword like that?"

Coolly, Olivia replied, "While taking martial arts lessons. It's a form of Kung Fu called Wu Su." She sighed. "I only wish I could have killed him before he got his hands on Agent Alvarez."

The other FBI agent, a stoic, middle-aged man named Langella, frowned. "I thought that Keir Larson had killed Alvarez."

"No, he had killed Agent Ruhl," Darryl replied. "The . . . um, thing had killed Alvarez. Snapped his neck." Captain McPherson shot him a warning glance.

"What thing?" Langella's words drew stunned stares from the others. "As far as the FBI are concerned, Special Agents Lee Alvarez and Jay Ruhl had been killed by Keir Larson. Along with Ronald Wong, Dean Corbin and Curt Decker. The Justice Department had always suspected that other investors had financed his drug operation. Only, we never learned their names. With Wong investigating the money trail, it only seemed natural that Decker's partners wanted the prosecutor dead. And as far as we're concerned, these investors had also decided not to stop with Wong. They hired Larson to kill anyone connected to the case, including Agents Alvarez and Ruhl who were investigating Decker. I wouldn't be surprised if the main prosecutor - John Reyes - was next on the list."

With genuine sarcasm, Darryl asked, "And how do you expect us to explain the deaths of Kenny Jai and Bernard Remar?"

Captain McPherson answered, "Unsolved cases, as far as the Department is concerned." Olivia opened her mouth to protest. "Not now, McNeill."

"It's Turner," Olivia retorted. "And may I assume that the Diamond Club video tape won't see the light of day?"

McPherson shot back, "Unless you decide to start a citywide panic over unnatural beings. And I don't think any of us would want that to happen. Including you."

Olivia expressed silent resentment, although she privately felt relieved. Her first impulse had been to destroy the nightclub's surveillance tape. But she soon realized that neither she, Darryl nor Scott had any excuses for the deaths of Alvarez, Ruhl and Curt Decker. Also, the police and the FBI had arrived just as Darryl and her had finished viewing the tape. With the video tape in Federal hands, agencies like the FBI or the Homeland Security might realize that Darryl had nothing to hide.

Feigning disappointment, Olivia muttered, "No, I guess not." She ignored Darryl's surreptious glance.

Langella nodded. "Good. As far as we're concerned, there were no . . . vampires." He paused. "The one that . . . flew away, no longer exists. "And as for the . . . uh, man or . . . whatever that Inspector Turner had killed last night . . ."

"Vampire," Olivia curtly corrected. "It was a vampire. I had chopped his head off. Then it became . . . human."

The FBI agent sighed. "Has he or . . . it been identified?"

Darryl spoke up. "His name was Saad Yooung, a Chinese-Malaysian building contractor from Singapore. He had been murdered by person or persons unknown. A few days later, his body had disappeared from his coffin, hours before the funeral."

"As far as we're concerned, Yooung's body is missing," Langella stated. "The FBI will be more than happy to make sure that it ends up back in Singapore. Anything else?"

To Olivia's surprise, McPherson asked a question. "What about that blond man in the video? The one who was talking to Decker?"

Agent Archer inhaled sharply. "You mean Alonzo Giovanni? Two of our agents are questioning him, right now."

------------

Cole picked up the glass of water and took a sip. Then he leaned back into his chair and stared at the two FBI agents that sat on the other side of the conference table. Alonzo Giovanni fidgeted nervously in the chair next to him.

"We want to thank you for coming here, Mr. Giovanni," Agent Black said in a polite voice. "I suppose that you've heard about Curt Decker. He was killed last night by a professional hit man."

Alonzo jerked forward. "Professional hit man? I thought he was . . ."

The female agent sharply interrupted him. "It was a hit man, Mr. Giovanni. A Mr. Keir Larson." She glanced at Cole. "I believe that your wife had been present at the scene."

The half-daemon ignored Alonzo's questioning stare and smiled. "And I believe that you have questions for my client."

The FBI agent allowed herself a sardonic smile. "If you insist, Mr. Turner." Then she returned her attention to Alonzo. "Mr. Giovanni, a surveillance tape for the Diamond Club's parking lot has revealed that you had conversed with Mr. Decker, shortly before his death. What did you two discuss?"

Cole spoke up. "Didn't you find out through the video?"

A grimace appeared on Agent Black's face before she answered, "The video didn't pick up any sound." She turned to Cole's client. "Mr. Giovanni?"

Looking as sullen as ever, Alonzo heaved a sigh. "Money."

"What?"

Cole repeated his client's answer. "Mr. Giovanni said that he and Mr. Decker had discussed money."

Alonzo added, "Curt . . . wanted to borrow money from me. I guess that he's been tight with the cash, ever since his arrest."

"That happened last fall, Mr. Giovanni," Agent Hamill added. He was a stocky man, who happened to be Agent Black's partner. "Are you saying that it took him four months to ask his best friend for money?"

Cole decided it would be best to speak up for his client. "What are you suggesting, Agent Hamill? Are you accusing my client of lying?"

Agent Black sighed. "No, Mr. Turner. We just find it odd that Curt Decker would wait so . . ."

Alonzo interrupted. "If you must know, Curt had first asked me for money after you guys had frozen his assets. But the recent testimony from one of your witnesses and Dean Corbin's death had made him panic. He asked for money, again. I think he was planning to skip town."

Agent Black leaned back into her chair and sighed for the second time. "Okay, Mr. Giovanni. You're free to go."

Cole and his three companions stood up. Then Alonzo took the half-daemon by surprise with his next question. "Ummm . . . what happens to Curt's assets, now that he's dead?"

Both Cole and the agents stared at the blond man. "Why do you want to know?" Agent Hamill demanded.

With a shrug, Alonzo replied, "Just curious. I figured that Curt must have lost a lot of money after he was arrested."

"If you must know," Agent Black said, "Mr. Decker's assets will be confiscated by the U.S. government. I understand that the amount is considerable - over twenty-three million dollars."

Not bad, Cole thought privately. The Federal government manages to make a twenty-three million dollar profit, due to the illegal activities of a millionaire's son. Then Cole glanced at his client. The younger man's face looked deathly pale. Cole wondered how much of that twenty-three million had belonged to Alonzo.

------------

Nearly an hour later, Alonzo arrived at the Giovanni manor. He ignored the family's manservant and rushed upstairs to his bedroom. Once behind closed doors, he whipped out his cell phone and the business card that Curt had given him. Alonzo took a deep breath and dialed the number from the card. Seconds passed before a female's voice answered. "The Twenty-Two Investor Group. May I help you?"

"Yes. I would like to speak to Saundra . . . Gilroy," Alonzo replied. "Um . . . she was recommended by a friend."

The voice asked, "May I have your name, sir? And the name of the person who had made the recommendation?"

Alonzo hesitated. "My name is Alonzo Giovanni. And the person who had told me about your company is . . . I mean, was Curt Decker."

A long pause followed. Then the voice said, "One moment please."

Several minutes passed before another female's voice spoke up. "This is Sandra Gilroy. May I help you, Mr. Giovanni?"

"Um . . . before he was killed, Curt . . . Mr. Decker had recommended your company to help me with a financial matter," Alonzo replied.

Ms. Gilroy hesitated. "Oh. Are you interested in investments?"

"I . . . Does your company only handle investments?"

The woman replied smoothly, "I see. You need to borrow money. Is that it?"

Hope dawned within Alonzo. "I can pay you back," he promised in a slightly wavering voice. "With interest."

Along long pause followed. Ms. Gilroy finally said, "Then I suggest that you pay a visit to my office, tomorrow. It's located at 582 Montgomery Street, Sixth Floor. I'll expect you around . . . ten-thirty."

For a brief moment, Alonzo wondered if he might be making a mistake. After all, the Twenty-Two Group never did help Curt . . . in the end. But unlike his late friend, he did not plan to start a drug operation. Just pay off a blackmailer. "I'll be there," Alonzo quietly replied.

"Good. Good day, Mr. Giovanni."

Alonzo sighed. Somehow, he felt as if he had signed a pact with the devil. "Good day." And then he hung up.

---------------

Piper glanced up as Paige entered the manor's living room. "You're home rather early."

The younger woman sighed, as she flopped down on the sofa. "Barbara had let me have the day off. Especially since Harry and I have been taking care of Janet all night long. And this morning. Ron's family had finally arrived just before lunch."

With a nod, Piper added, "I heard from Scott that Ron's body was found this morning."

"Yeah. Two cops came by to tell Janet." Paige heaved another sigh. "This whole thing has been very depressing. I mean . . . why would anyone want to kill Ron?"

"Scott thinks it has something to do with the Curt Decker case," Piper answered. She frowned. "The odd thing is that the guy who had killed Ron was a warlock. At least according to Olivia and Darryl. Olivia plans to look deeper into his background."

Paige shook her head in confusion. "Why would a warlock want Ron dead? He didn't practice magic, did he?"

"Olivia and Cole think that the late Curt Decker had signed a contract with a demonic order. Maybe they had Ron killed to prevent him from finding out about them."

This time, Paige groaned out loud. "Oh God! I've had it with vampires! If you think that dealing with the Queen of the Vampires was bad enough, try dealing with a chiang . . ."

Blue lights appeared in front of the sofa before they formed into the sisters' whitelighter, Chris Perry. "Hey guys!" he greeted. "I'm glad that you're all here."

Piper rolled her eyes. "Oh God! What is it now?"

"Before we start, we'll need Phoebe on this." Chris turned to the other woman. "Paige, could you send for . . .?"

"No, I can't!" the youngest Charmed One retorted. "In fact, I suggest that you fetch Phoebe yourself. I've had enough of demon hunting to last a lifetime!"

Piper regarded her sister with shock. "Paige!"

"Paige what? I'm serious Piper. I've had enough! I'm tired of being nothing more than a glorified demon hunter. There's got to be more to being a witch than that."

Chris mumbled sarcastically in a low voice, "This sounds familiar."

"What do you mean by that?" Paige demanded. When Chris failed to answer, her voice became even more acidic. "Oh, I see. Another secret that you have to keep from us. What's the point of you being our whitelighter, when all you do is . . ."

Chris interrupted, "You know, why is it that all of you had such a bad habit of complaining constantly about being witches?"

Piper's eyes narrowed suspiciously. "We 'had' a bad habit? Had?"

A sigh left the young whitelighter's mouth. "Great! Okay, I didn't want to say this, but . . . In my time, all three of you are dead. The Power of Three is over."

"We were all killed?" Paige demanded. "I thought you had first told us that I was the one who ended up dead in the old timeline. Because of the Titans."

Chris glanced away nervously. "Yeah, well things changed . . . after the Titans were taken care of. This time . . . I mean, in the new timeline, you were all eventually killed. By a great force of evil."

"Who happened to be?" Piper insisted.

Chris hesitated. "You son. Wyatt. He will become a great force of magical evil. All other witches, warlocks, demons and other beings will be oppressed. By him. And you . . . well, Phoebe and Paige will be killed by him." Another pause followed. "After you, Piper, are killed by a demon. Look, the reason I'm here is to prevent Wyatt from turning to evil. He was in danger of becoming evil, even in the old timeline. I need the Power of Three to find the demon who'll turn him." He stared at Paige. "That's why you can't give up on being witches. Your future . . . and Wyatt's future might depend upon you staying the course."

Silence enveloped the living room. Both Paige and Piper stared at each other in shock before directing their stares at Chris. Paige opened her mouth to speak, but seemed unable to say a word. Piper could see that her resolve to give up witchcraft had crumbled under Chris' words. And even the oldest Charmed One felt a new resolve. Chris was right. Until they found the demon who might end up changing Wyatt's life, their lives as the Charmed Ones might end on a premature and tragic note.

END OF CHAPTER FOURTEEN

"LOST" (2004-2010): Favorite Character Centric Episodes - Part II

2012-01-27T12:47:00.000-08:00

Below is Part II of a list of my favorite episodes featuring "LOST" characters:

"LOST" (2004-2010): FAVORITE CHARACTER CENTRIC EPISODES - Part II

James "Sawyer" Ford

1. (5.08) "La Fleur" - Sawyer, Juliet and the other remaining island survivors are left in 1974, following the end of the time jumps. They join the Dharma Initiative after rescuing one of their members from the Others.

2. (1.16) "Outlaws" - Sawyer becomes obsessed with finding the boar that raided his tent and goes into the jungle to find it. A flashback reveal the murder/suicide of his parents and his hunt for the con man who cheated them in Australia.

Sayid Jarrah

1. (4.03) "The Economist" - Sayid makes a deal with Frank Lapidus to leave the island and head for the freighter, in exchange for freeing Charlotte Lewis from Locke's group. Flash forwards reveal his experiences as Ben's personal assassin.

2. (1.09) "Solitary" - Sayid meets Danielle Rosseau for the first time and is held captive by her. Flashbacks reveal his reunion with an old childhood friend, Nadia

3. (6.06) "Sundown" - After Sayid is recruited to the Man in Black's (aka the Smoke Monster) cause, the latter issues an ultimatum to the Others: either join him or die. Sayid helps his brother deal with a loan shark in the Flash Sideways.

Jin-Soo Kwon

1. (1.17) ". . . In Translation" - Jin finally discovers that Sun knows English, while dealing with his latest clash with Michael. Flashbacks reveal the Kwons' troubling marriage from his POV.

2. (5.05) "This Place Is Death" - This episode featured Jin's experiences with a younger Danielle Rousseau, her team and the Smoke Monster in 1988. Charlotte Lewis dies from the time jumping and Locke finally leaves the island via the Donkey Wheel.

Sun Hwa-Kwon

1. (3.18) "D.O.C." - After revealing that the Others' pregnant women have died before giving birth, Juliet helps Sun confirm the date of conception of her unborn baby, verifying the identity of the father.

2. (2.16) "The Whole Truth" - Sun discovers that she is pregnant. And flashbacks reveal some of her close relationship with an old beau and Jin's infertility. Meanwhile, Ana-Lucia, Sayid and Charlie set out verify Ben's story about arriving on the island in a balloon.

3. (1.06) "House of the Rising Sun" - Sun's unhappy marriage to Jin is revealed in this episode. Also, Jack makes plans to move the crash survivors to a large cave.

Benjamin Linus

1. (3.20) "The Man Behind the Curtain" - Ben leads Locke to a meeting with the Others' leader, Jacob at the island's mysterious cabin. And flashbacks reveal Ben's birth and his early years on the island.

2. (4.09) "The Shape of Things to Come" - In this episode, a team of mercenaries from the freighter attacks Locke's group at the Others' barracks. Meanwhile, flash forwards reveal Ben's early months off the island, which include recruiting Sayid as his assassin and a confrontation with Charles Widmore.

Part III will feature the last five characters

"TINKER, TAILOR, SOLDIER, SPY" (2011) Photo Gallery

2012-01-26T10:43:00.000-08:00

Below are images from "TINKER, TAILOR, SOLDIER, SPY", the new adaptation of John le Carré's 1974 novel. Directed by Tomas Alfredson, the movie stars Gary Oldman as George Smiley:

"TINKER, TAILOR, SOLDIER, SPY" (2011) Photo Gallery

"J. EDGAR" (2011) Review

2012-01-25T11:49:00.000-08:00

"J. EDGAR" (2011) Review

Actor/director Clint Eastwood directed his third - or possibly fourth - biopic film, during his career, with "J. EDGAR", an examination of the career and private life of F.B.I. director, J. Edgar Hoover. The movie starred Leonard Di Caprio as the infamous lawman.

"J. EDGAR" is a 137 minute movie that spanned Hoover's career in a series of flashbacks. The movie begins in the early 1960s, when the famed F.B.I. director is recounting his forty-to-fifty years as a Federal lawman. Hoover's recollections span from his participation in the Palmer Raids - a series of attempts by the U.S. Department of Justice to arrest and deport radical leftists, especially anarchists, from the United States, his appointment as director of the Bureau of Investigations in the 1920s, his "War on Crime" campaign in the 1930s, the Lindbergh Baby kidnapping during the same decade and his investigation of civil rights leader, Martin Luther King Jr.. The movie also focuses on his use of blackmail to retain his position with the F.B.I., and his relationships with both his mother and Clyde Tolson, his assistant director for the Bureau.

I do not think I would ever regard "J. EDGAR" as one of Eastwood's best work. It had the potential to be a top-notch film. But a slightly incoherent script written by Dustin Lance Black prevented the movie from reaching its potential. One, the movie's use of flashbacks started fine. But somewhere in the movie's second half, this use fell flat. I suspect that my problem with the flashbacks was that Black's script and Eastwood's direction seemed inconsistent and slightly confusing.

Another problem I had with "J. EDGAR" was its focus on the Lindbergh Kidnapping Case. It was simply too much. Hoover reached the heights of his fame as the Bureau's director, because of the manhunt for Midwestern criminals such as John Dillinger, Alvin Karpis and Charles Floyd. I realize that this topic was also covered in Michael Mann's 2009 crime drama, "PUBLIC ENEMIES". But Eastwood and Black seemed determined to ignore the topic, aside from Hoover's bouts of jealousy toward the agent that hunted down many of these criminals - Melvin Purvis. Instead, Eastwood and Black decided to focus a great deal on the Bureau's participation in the Lindbergh case. Too much, if you want my opinion. The film never touched on the Bureau's dealings or lack of with organized crime. I find this a pity, because one of the most memorable moments in Hoover's career was his so-called "arrest" of gangster Louis "Lepke" Buchalter, a publicity stunt supported by columnist Walter Winchell.

Fortunately, "J. EDGAR" was not a complete loss. I must admit that despite its flaws, it was a solid and entertaining movie. Eastwood's direction seemed to be at its best in scenes that featured anarchist Luigi Galleani's attempted to assassinate Hoover's boss, Mitchell Palmer with a mail bomb; Hoover's meeting with Herbert Norman Schwarzkopf and Charles Lindbergh; a highly charged scene between Hoover and his mother regarding his sexual preference; and especially the scenes featuring Hoover's relationship with Tolson. Most movie or television productions tend to portray the relationship between the two men with a slight tawdriness. Eastwood and Black's portrayal of the Hoover-Tolson relationship struck me as surprisingly tasteful and compassionate - especially since other aspects of Hoover's life and character was portrayed with less sympathy.

I must admit that Tom Stern's cinematography was a solid piece of work, but it did not exactly blow my mind. And if I must be frank, I was not exactly enamored of the film's slightly gray tone. I also felt slightly leery of the makeup created for Di Caprio, Arnie Hammer and Naomi Watts. The makeup did not seem effective in aging the three leads in the 1960s and 70s sequences. However, I was impressed by James J. Murakami's production designs that conveyed the years between 1919 and 1972. I believe the re-creation of the early and mid 20th century would not have been complete without Deborah Hopper's superb costume designs.

The biggest virtue of "J. EDGAR" turned out to be its cast. Once again, Leonardo Di Caprio rose to the occasion and gave a superb portrayal of a complex and some would say, difficult personality. As usual, Di Caprio managed to inject a good deal of sympathy and poignancy into a historical figure that has harbored a negative reputation over the years. Di Caprio managed to receive a Golden Globe nomination for his performance. But for some reason, was snubbed by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences I had been impressed by Arnie Hammer's solid portrayal of the Winklevoss twins in last year's "THE SOCIAL NETWORK". But he really outdid himself as Hoover's right hand man, Clyde Tolson - especially in the scenes featuring the pair's relationship. Judi Dench gave her usual solid performance as Hoover's strong-willed mother, Anna Marie Hoover. But in the scene featuring Mrs. Hoover's disapproval of her son's sexual lifestyle, she was brilliant and slightly scary. Naomi Watts gave a solid and slightly melancholic performance as Hoover's faithful secretary, Helen Gandy. "J. EDGAR" also featured solid support from the likes Josh Lucas as the introverted Charles Lindbergh, Dermot Mulroney as the ineffectual New Jersey State Police superintendent Herbert N. Schwarzkopf, Lea Thompson as Lela Rogers (Ginger's mother) Geoff Pierson as the intense Mitchell Palmer and Jeffrey Donovan as Attorney General Robert Kennedy. However, I was a little confused by Donovan's slightly exaggerated take on Kennedy's Boston accent, considering that Donovan is also a native of Massachusetts.

I noticed that "J. EDGAR" did not earn enough to make a profit at the box office. In a way, I can see why. I feel that it was a solid movie that failed to live up to any potential it could have achieved - especially at the hands of a first-rate director like Clint Eastwood. But thanks to his direction, the movie's production designs and a first-rate cast led by the superb Leonardo Di Caprio, "J. EDGAR" still proved to be a somewhat entertaining and solid film.

"Breath of the Undead" [PG-13] - 13/15

2012-01-23T21:11:00.001-08:00

"BREATH OF THE UNDEAD"

Chapter Thirteen

The vampires attacked before Piper barely had time to blink. To her left, she saw Harry fend off a blond, female vampire. The latter grabbed him by the neck and opened her mouth, exposing fangs. Harry closed his eyes briefly before the vampire cried out in pain, clutched her head and released him. The redhead took the opportunity to drive a piece of wood into her heart.

Scott beheaded one male vampire, using his sword. Before a second one could attack, Master Chen drove a wooden stake through the vampire's heart. Piper sighed with relief. Three down and one . . .

"Oooof!" The sound came from the Charmed One's mouth, as a pair of strong hands shoved her against the wall. Within a matter of seconds, the fanged creature pounced upon her. Piper quickly flung out her hands and froze the vampire. Then she stabbed it with her own stake, causing it to disintegrate into a pile of dust.

Harry's voice cried out, "Piper! Look out! Behind you!"

The Charmed One whirled around. Her eyes widened at the sight of another vampire zooming toward her. And for some unexplainable reason, she found herself frozen on the spot.

-------------

Larson saw the blond-haired kid rush back inside the nightclub. The other kid, whom the warlock recognized as Curt Decker, found himself a captor of one of the vampires. Since the chiang shi had his back facing Larson, the latter could not determine whether or not he used to be Ronald Wong. The vampire lifted the human off the ground, amidst Decker's screams. The latter's cries soon became gurgles, as the vampire sucked out his breath. The warlock reached for Getz's sword. Before he could move, the vampire rose to the ground and flew away - much to Larson's consternation.

At that moment, a dark-suited man with chestnut-brown hair rose to his feet. He aimed his revolver at the remaining chiang-shi. "Hold it right there!" As the dark-suited man prepared to shoot, Larson removed his hand from the sword's hilt and grabbed his revolver. Swiftly, he aimed his gun at Mr. Dark Suit and pumped two bullets into the latter's forehead. The remaining vampire, whose face remained half-hidden by the shadows, stared at Larson.

Two figures appeared in the parking lot with their guns drawn. Larson recognized them from Getz's divination chalice as the pair who had entered his home. Resentful of their trespassing and determined to kill the remaining chiang shi on his own, the warlock aimed his revolver at the pair and began to squeeze the trigger.

---------------

Scott saw the vampire rush toward Piper before Harry did. As the latter cried out a warning, Scott picked up a wooden stick and hurled it at the attacking vampire. The stick thrust into the vampire's back with great force, causing the latter to disintegrate into a pile of dust.

Piper heaved a relieved sigh. Both Scott and Harry rushed to the beleaguered Charmed One's side. "Are you okay?" Scott demanded.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Piper replied.

Scott added, "Next time, try using your hands to blow up a vampire's head. Trust me, it will . . ."

Piper interrupted him with a gasp. "Mr. Chan!"

Scott whirled around and saw a female vampire grabbed the Taoist monk by the neck. He feverishly searched the ground for a wooden stake. By the time he spotted one, the female vampire had released Master Chan and was now desperately clutching her head, thanks to a telepathic attack by Harry. Scott picked up the stake and quickly plunged it into the vampire's back, vanquishing her immediately.

"Marcella!" The cry came from the dark-haired vampire with the Southern accent. He stared at the quartet of humans with furious, yellow eyes. Two of his remaining colleagues disappeared from sight, determined to survive the rest of the night. The Southern vamp rushed toward his nearest target - Master Chan - with a growl.

The Taoist priest let out a gasp before the vampire grabbed him by the shoulders. The Southern vampire bared his fangs. "Master Chan!" Scott cried out in horror. Before he could rescue the priest, Piper flung out her hands for a second time and decapitated the vampire's head with her molecular combustion ability. The vampire disintegrated into dust.

"Well done, Miss Halliwell," Master Chan declared breathlessly. He leaned back against the wall with a sigh. "Well done. Your intervention could not have come at a better time."

Piper responded with a modest shrug. "It was nothing. I just remembered Scott's advice about using my combustion power." Gunshots rang out. Her dark eyes widened with shock. "What the hell was that?" she demanded.

Scott replied grimly, "Gunshots. And they came from behind the building."

"The parking lot," Harry added.

"I think we've just found our missing Chinese vampires."

Harry started to walk away. "Let's go." He raced down the alley.

Scott exchanged brief glances with both Piper and Master Chan. The latter shook his head in mock disapproval. "Young men," he muttered. "Always in a hurry."

"I know what you mean," Piper commented with mock suffering. "And Wyatt isn't even a year old, yet." She allowed a knowing smile to touch her lips, as she, Master Chan and Scott followed Harry down the alley.

-----------

Darryl and Olivia appeared behind the nightclub in time to witness the blond-haired Larson's murder of FBI Special Agent Jay Ruhl. The agent dropped to the ground . . . dead. Then Larson whirled around and aimed his revolver at the police officers. Forgetting that Olivia had identified Larson as magically dangerous, Darryl whipped out his Glock pistol and shot the blond man twice - in the heart and in the forehead. Larson's body slumped to the ground.

Olivia anxiously cried out, "Darryl! The chiang shi!"

It did not take Darryl long to recognize Curt Decker as the corpse on the ground. After knowing the Halliwells' secret for four years, the police lieutenant thought he had seen just about every creature imaginable. But the pale-green figure in a red-and-gold Chinese robe took his breath away. Fortunately, not literally. The vampire kicked Decker's body aside and stared at the two partners. He growled something in Chinese.

"What did he say?" Darryl demanded.

Olivia replied in a shaky voice, "I think we're depriving him of victims."

The vampire glared at the pair. "Olivia," Darryl began, as anxiety crept into his voice.

The redhead glanced to her left. His eyes flashing red, the vampire rose from the ground and rushed toward the pair with claws and fangs exposed. Olivia shot out one hand and telekinetically flung the creature against a nearby, parked car. Darryl's relief did not last very long. The chiang shi rose up once more and let out a gust of breath. Darryl could not decide what was more horrifying - the vampire's fetid breath or being flung against the club's brick wall.

Then the chiang shi made its final attack. With claws extended, it zoomed toward Olivia. Darryl whipped out his pistol and shot the creature, hoping to give Olivia a distraction. It worked. Unfortunately, Darryl realized that he had attracted the vampire's attention.

The chiang shi immediately changed directions and flew straight toward the police lieutenant. Darryl froze in shock, anticipating the attack. The next few moments seemed like a scene from a STAR WARS movie. Olivia snatched up a sword that extended from a scabbard that hung from Larson's waist. With both hands gripping the sword's hilt, she executed a few moves and sliced off the vampire's two hands. The chiang shi stared at his stumps in shock before the sword's blade finally lopped off his head.

The sword fell from Olivia's grip and it clattered to the ground. Both she and Darryl stared breathlessly at the chiang shi's headless body, as it weaved for a few seconds before falling down. Darryl's body sagged with relief. Olivia finally glanced at him. "Thanks for the distraction," she said.

"Yeah," Darryl replied between gusts of breath. "Sure. But remind me never to do that again."

Olivia allowed herself a brief smile. Then she glanced up at the nightclub's building and frowned. "Oh shit," she muttered.

Darryl stared at her. "What?"

"Security camera. Above you." Darryl's eyes followed his partner's gaze. Sure enough, a security camera hovered above the club's back door. Olivia seared it with an intense stare before she looked away. "There. I had shut it . . ."

Four figures appeared in the parking lot. Their eyes drunk in the scene of blood, bodies and body parts. "Good grief!" Harry exclaimed. "What the hell is this? It looks like a blood bath around here!"

"Olivia killed a chiang shi," Darryl answered. He noticed the thick dust covering the newcomers' clothing. "What happened to you guys?"

Piper replied, "Vampires. Remember the ones from Golden Gate Park, a few nights ago? Well, we just ran into their friends around the corner." She paused and stared at the bodies on the ground. "Who are all these people?"

"Good question." A figure emerged from the building's right side. It was Cole. "What the hell happened?"

"Oh, nothing much," Olivia replied in a nonchalant manner. She and Cole exchanged a brief kiss. "Piper, Scott, Harry and Master Chan had a run-in with that vampire nest from two nights ago. Larson is dead, thanks to Darryl. I don't even know who had killed Alvarez, Ruhl and Decker. Probably our friendly neighborhood Chinese vampires. Except for Ruhl. Larson had killed him."

Darryl added, "And Olivia had killed one of the chiang shi. Chopped off his hands and head. Man! You should have seen her. She went all Jedi on the guy."

"Really?" Cole regarded his wife with admiring eyes.

Olivia blushed slightly. "It was nothing. Darryl had helped me distract him." She turned to face the Taoist priest. "I'm sorry you weren't able to use a Buddhist death prayer on him, Master Chan."

"No matter," Chan replied. "I can still use it on the other one."

Darryl frowned. "The other one?"

"Oh man!" Olivia slapped her forehead. "I forgot! There's still one other chiang shi out there! Darryl and I saw him fly away."

Harry added, "I think Ron is the one still missing." He pointed at the severed head on the ground. "Because I sure as hell don't know that joker." Everyone - except for Piper who kept her gaze averted - stared at the severed head. Darryl saw that it had belonged to a male from Southeast Asia.

"So, if Ron Wong is still alive," Scott began.

Alarm lit up both Piper and Harry's eyes. "Paige!" the latter cried out. "And Janet!"

Darryl frowned. "You think he might go after . . .?"

"I'm not going to wait and find out," Cole said. He stared at the Taoist priest. "Maybe we can finally put that death chant of yours to good use."

Olivia's former kung fu master nodded. Then Cole grabbed him by the arm and they teleported out of sight.

------------

Ten minutes earlier, both Paige and Janet sat inside the latter's living room, watching television. Only neither woman seemed interested in the images that flickered on the screen.

A sigh left Janet's mouth. "Are you hungry? I realize that it's a little late for dinner, but I can still fix a snack or something." Recalling Harry's views on Janet's cooking, Paige hesitated. The other woman seemed to notice. "Or you can fix it."

"Um . . . do you have any microwave popcorn?" Paige asked.

Janet shrugged her shoulders. "Sure. Anything is better than sitting around, wondering what's going to happen to Ron. Or if he'll show up, again."

Paige tried to assure the other woman. "Don't worry. Hopefully, this will all be over by tonight." Janet's face became a mask. "I mean . . . Ron will . . ."

"I understand," Janet quietly added. Again, she sighed. "I don't know how you can deal with all of this supernatural crap. At least you're not a demon hunter or anything like that. A person would have to be a fool to deal with ghosts, demons and such on a daily basis." Paige remained silent, while Janet chuckled. "I guess you know that Harry hates the idea of being some kind of demon hunter. There was this one guy - an angel, or what Harry called a whitelighter - who used to bug him all the time about going after some demon, back in college."

Paige sighed. "That would be my brother-in-law . . . or former brother-in-law. Leo. He also used to be my whitelighter."

Janet's face turned pink with embarrassment. "Oh. Sorry. Um . . . I guess you must enjoy all of this. Hunting down demons. And killing them."

Recalling her near quarrel with Piper, Paige replied with brutal honesty. "Not really. Not anymore. But I don't have a choice. I'm a witch. It's my duty to protect the innocent."

"Really?" A frown appeared on Janet's forehead. "That's not what Harry told me. He said that although some witches do choose to be regular demon hunters, many others prefer to pursue other paths. Like spiritual guides, healers, environmentalists and teachers. So . . . I don't know. I guess I find it rather odd that you believe that you don't have a . . ." She paused, as her frown deepened. "Did you hear that?"

Paige shook her head. "I didn't hear anything." She stared at Janet. "You think that Ron's here?"

"I don't know." Janet stood up. "I just . . . Never mind."

"Even if Ron is here," Paige continued, "he can't get inside. We had put all of that rice around the house. Just as Scott had suggested."

Janet's frown remained fixed. "Still, I thought I had heard a thump. From upstairs."

The two women glanced at the staircase. Slowly, Paige rose to her feet. She grabbed a wooden stake from the coffee table. As she started toward the staircase, Janet began to follow. "Stay back," the Charmed One ordered. "I don't want you getting in his way." She paused. "Did you leave any of the upstairs windows opened, by any chance?"

"I don't think so," Janet replied. "And I'm still sticking near you. Once you're gone, I'll be screwed."

The pair slowly began to climb the staircase. Upon reaching the first landing, Paige glanced up. The sight that greeted her eyes filled her with horror. "Oh my God! Janet! Stay back!"

"I see him," the other woman said in a trembling voice. "It's Ron."

Sure enough, a figure in red and gold stood at the top of the staircase. Despite the robe, his green-tinged skin and long fingernails, Paige recognized the jovial host from a few nights ago. "Janet, let's get out of . . ." But as she reached for Janet's wrist, the other woman had already began to return downstairs. "Janet!"

The chiang shi, or Ron, rose into the air and sailed over Paige's head. He landed directly between the staircase and Janet. Realizing that the other woman was in danger of being paralyzed again, Paige orbed her to the foot of the staircase, right next to her. The Charmed One grabbed the other woman's hand. "Let's . . ." A fetid odor enveloped the two woman and it knocked them backward.

"Oh God," Janet moaned. "He's coming for us." The vampire had begun to glide toward the staircase.

Paige corrected the other woman, "Actually, he's coming for you. Look . . ." She broke off, as her eyes fell upon a pencil on the coffee table. In a desperate move, she orbed it into the chiang shi's torso. Unfortunately, the latter's thick robe prevented the pencil from complete penetration.

The chiang shi's eyes narrowed dangerously. "Oh shit," Paige murmured under her breath. She grabbed Janet's hand, as she prepared to orb the both of them out of harm's way. At that moment, two figures materialized into the foyer. Paige sighed with relief. With a wave of his hand, Cole sent the vampire flying back into a tall, grandfather clock. "Cole!" Paige literally sang with relief. She glanced at the other newcomer. "Mr. Chan? Where's Piper and the others?"

"They're back at the . . ." Cole began.

A second later, the chiang shi rose to his feet and released a gust of breath. Paige, along with the other three, went sprawling backward until they crashed against the coffee table and the sofa. Cole was the first to scramble to his feet. "Son of a bitch!" he muttered. Before he could retaliate, the chiang shi struck him with another gust of breath. To Paige's dismay, the half-demon's face began to turn a sickly green. Cole clutched desperately at his throat, emitting a gurgling sound.

"What's wrong with him?" Paige demanded.

A shocked Mister Chan muttered, "I believe that the chiang shi is killing him."

"What?" One finally gasp escaped from Cole's mouth. Then his body jerked slightly before it fell to the floor. One glance at the half-demon's pale countenance told Paige that he might be dead. "Oh my God!" she murmured. "Cole! Oh my God, he's dea . . ."

A loud gasp from Cole's body interrupted Paige. She, along with Janet, Mister Chan and the vampire, gasped in shock, as Cole struggled to his feet. Then he immediately waved one hand and the chiang shi froze right on the spot. "I've managed to slow him down," Cole said to the Taoist priest. "Now would be a good time to use that death chant." His voice sounded raspy.

Slowed down? Paige peered closely at the vampire. Sure enough, his body seemed to move at a millimeter per second.

The Taoist priest removed a slip of yellow paper from his jacket pocket. He stuck it on the vampire's forehead. "Thank goodness for post-its, heya?" Then he began to chant in a Chinese language. Once he finished, a greenish light infused the chiang shi. The latter's body convulsed for several seconds. As it dropped to the floor, a white light burst into a visual explosion.

The light finally dissipated, revealing Ronald Wong's body sprawled on the floor. A sob rose from Janet's throat. "Ron!" She broke free from Paige's grasp and rushed forward to kneel beside her former boyfriend. As she stroked his hair, she added, "Oh Ron!" before bursting into tears.

Paige and Cole exchanged uncomfortable looks. Ron's body had to be moved. They could not afford to allow the police to find it here. Questions would be raised. So, the Charmed One stepped forward. "Janet," she began gently. The other woman now cradled Ronald's head in her lap. Paige heaved a sigh. "Janet, we need to . . ."

"Not now," Janet replied in a tearful voice. "I can't . . ."

"Janet, please!" Paige's voice rang with desperation. "We need to move him."

Mister Chan sharply added, "Young lady! You can grieve for your young man, tomorrow. Right now, his body needs to be moved from here."

Paige took a few more steps forward. She touched Janet's shoulder. "Let him go, Jan. You can see him again. Later."

Wiping tears from her eyes, Janet slowly stood up. She turned away, as Cole approached Ron's body. He waved one hand over it. The body immediately disappeared. "There," he said in a voice that remained raspy. "He should be found by someone, tomorrow morning." Another sob tore from Janet's mouth. Cole regarded her with a helpless expression. "Sorry."

It seemed quite apparent to Paige that Janet needed to be alone. Ignoring the two men, she wrapped one arm around the sobbing woman's shoulders and led her upstairs, toward the privacy of the latter's bedroom.

END OF CHAPTER THIRTEEN

"WESTWARD HO!": Part One - "HOW THE WEST WAS WON" (1962)

2012-01-19T09:47:00.000-08:00

Below is Part One to my article about Hollywood's depiction about the westward migration via wagon trains in 19th century United States. It focuses upon the 1962 movie, "HOW THE WEST WAS WON":

"WESTWARD HO!": Part One - "HOW THE WEST WAS WON" (1962)

I. Introduction

The sprawling 1962 movie, "HOW THE WEST WAS WON" focused upon the fifty (50) years history of the Prescott-Rawlins family between 1839 and 1889. The movie was divided into five sections - "The Rivers", "The Plains", "The Civil War", "The Railroad" and "The Outlaws". Westbound migration was featured in the movie's first two segments - "The River" and "The Plains".

"HOW THE WEST WAS WON" opens in 1839 (I think) with the Prescotts, a family from upstate New York, westbound to settle on new land in Illinois. After a trip along the Erie Canal, the Prescotts and their traveling companions, the Harveys from Scotland, build flatboats for the westbound journey on the Ohio River. During their journey, they meet a mountain man named Linus Rawlins (James Stewart), who is eastbound to sell his furs in Pittsburgh. The Prescotts' oldest daughter, Eve (Carroll Baker), and Linus fall in love. After a disastrous encounter with river rapids that led to the deaths of Mr. and Mrs. Prescott; Eve decides to settle at the very location of their deaths in Southern Ohio and accept Linus' marriage proposal. Younger sister Lilith Prescott (Debbie Reynolds) decides to move on.

"The Plains" picks up over a decade later, with Lilith as a dance hall performer in St. Louis. She learns from an attorney that she has inherited a California gold claim from a now deceased customer. Lilith travels to Independence, where she joins a California-bound wagon train by becoming the traveling companion of a middle-aged woman named Aggie Clegg (Thelma Ritter), willing to use Lilith's looks to attract eligible men for marriage. Lilith also attracts the attention of two men, wagonmaster Roger Morgan (Robert Preston) and a roguish gambler named Cleve Van Valen (Gregory Peck).

II. History vs. Hollywood

To this day, I never understood why screenwriter James R. Webb allowed the Prescotts and the Harveys to travel across the Erie Canal. It is obvious that he had every intention of having them settle in Southern Ohio, along the River. So why use that route? According to the 1840 map below, the Erie Canal was a waterway that stretched from Albany to Buffalo in upstate New York.

This meant that the Prescotts and Harveys's first leg of their journey ended at Buffalo, along the shores of Lake Erie. Are we really supposed to believe that the two families then journeyed from Buffalo to the banks of the Ohio River, in order to reach Illinois, when they could have easily traveled near the U.S.-Canada border to reach their destination? And Webb failed to reveal how they reached the Ohio River without a wagon. He could have allowed Eve Prescott and the other surviving members of the family to settle in Illinois or Ohio near one of the Great Lakes . . . or avoid the Erie Canal altogether and end up in Southern Ohio. Unfortunately, the screenwriter settled for a convoluted route. Even worse, he had mountain man Linus Rawlins traveling toward Pittsburgh to sell furs. Really? In 1839? Linus could have easily sold his furs further west in St. Louis or more importantly, Independence in western Missouri, without having to cross the Mississippi River.

When Lilith Prescott traveled to California after inheriting her California gold claim over a decade later, she chose the correct route - the Oregon/California Trails. However, Webb, director Henry Hathaway, and the producers decide to include nearly every cliché regarding western migration.

One, gambler Cleve Van Valen tried to join Roger Morgan's wagon train in Independence, in order to make acquaintance with Lilith. He was told to get lost. Cleve managed to catch up with the wagon train some 100 miles west of Independence. Yet, the terrain looked suspiciously arid for eastern Kansas. The wagon trains used in this production were very large. In fact, they struck me as looking larger than a typical Conestoga wagon. One scene in the movie featured Cleve and a group of male emigrants playing poker inside one wagon . . . while it was traveling. This was Hollywood history at its worse. And guess what? Those wagons were pulled by horses, not oxen or mules.

"HOW THE WEST WAS WON" never featured any well known landmarks along the Oregon/California Trails. I suspect this was due to the movie's constraining time for each segment. However, there was time to feature a large scale attack on the wagon train by a horde of Cheyenne warriors. And this attack was made against a large and well-armed wagon train. In reality, there would have never been such an attack in the first place. And if such a thing had happened, the Cheyenne would have been seriously wiped out.

I cannot deny that "HOW THE WEST WAS WON" was an entertaining film. But in the end, it turned out to be too much "Hollywood" and not enough "History".

"TOM JONES" (1963) Photo Gallery

2012-01-18T08:25:00.000-08:00

Below are photos and other images from the 1963 Academy Award winning movie, "TOM JONES". Directed by Tony Richardson, the movie starred Albert Finney and was based upon Henry Fielding's 1749 novel, "The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling":

"TOM JONES" (1963) Photo Gallery

"TOWER HEIST" (2011) Review

2012-01-16T18:50:00.000-08:00

"TOWER HEIST" (2011) Review

Six years ago, Eddie Murphy had an idea about him and a group of comedians starring in a movie about a group planning to rob Trump Tower. The script developed and changed into an "OCEAN'S ELEVEN"-style caper, leading Murphy to leave the project. When director Brett Ratner continued to develop the idea into the movie's present story, Murphy eventually rejoined the production.

"TOWER HEIST" told the story about three employees of an exclusive apartment building called The Tower, who lose their pensions in the Ponzi scheme of a Wall Street businessman, who also lives in the building. The group enlist the aid of criminal, a bankrupt businessman that also lives in the building, and another building employee to break into the businessman's apartment and steal back their money, while avoiding the FBI Agent in charge of his case.

One of my favorite types of movies has always been the heist comedy. This is why I am a fan of such movies like "LOCK, STOCK AND TWO SMOKING BARRELS", "A FISH CALLED WANDA" and the "OCEAN'S ELEVEN" series. I do not know if I would place "TOWER HEIST" on the same level as the previously mentioned films. I would not regard it as one of the best heist films I have ever seen, or even one of the best comedies. But I cannot deny that I found it entertaining.

I must admit that I did not believe Ben Stiller and Eddie Murphy would ever generate a strong screen chemistry. But in a rather odd way, they seemed to click. I suppose this was due to the fact that Stiller's more subdued performance perfectly balanced Murphy's more extroverted one. And they had solid support from the likes of Casey Affleck, Téa Leoni, Alan Alda, Michael Peña, Matthew Broderick and Gabourey Sidibe. I was especially impressed by Alda's insidious performance as the scheming businessman Arthur Shaw and Sidibe's portrayal of the sharp-tongued maid Odessa, whose savy proved to be the group's godsend on at least two occasions.

Another aspect of "TOWER HEIST" that I admired was the movie's script written by Ted Griffin and Jeff Nathanson. It was not the most spectacular story I have seen on the movie screen. I had a problem with the movie's last five or ten minutes. I would reveal what I found troubling about the ending. But if I did, I would give away the story. I suspect Griffin and Nathanson ended it this way to put a little bite in the movie's ending. It just did not work for me.

However, I did enjoy most of the story. I also liked that one of the main aspects that injected a good deal of suspense into the story was the possibility of one or more of the robbers betraying the others - especially in the case of both Murphy and Affleck's characters. This is something that is usually common in a heist drama. But I have yet to see such a thing in a comedy, until I saw "TOWER HEIST".

In the end, "TOWER HEIST" proved to be a solid and entertaining comedy with a slightly weak ending. The movie was also blessed with a first-rate cast led by Ben Stiller and Eddie Murphy. And director Brett Ratner did a good job in utilizing both the story and the cast to make a pretty solid film.

"Breath of the Undead" [PG-13] - 12/15

2012-01-15T20:05:00.001-08:00

"BREATH OF THE UNDEAD"

Chapter Twelve

Inside the Diamond Club, two young men in their early twenties sat in an isolated booth, far away from the dance floor. The pair was engaged in a conversation so intense that they were unaware of the numerous pairs of eyes observing them.

"This is getting out of control, Curt!" Alonzo Giovanni hissed at his friend. "I mean . . . my God! Your defense attorney is dead?"

Curt Decker's dark eyes shifted uneasily. "Shhh! Not so loud! Everyone will hear you!"

"Everyone knows about you!" Alonzo shot back. "News of the whole mess have been on the front pages of every newspaper in this city!"

Curt heaved a large sigh. "What do you want, Lonnie? Assurances that the Feds won't come knocking on your door? Because they haven't, so far. They don't even know that you're an investor."

"They suspect it!" Alonzo hesitated before he added, "Look, I need money."

"What?" Curt stared at the other man in disbelief. Bitter laughter soon follow. "You've got to be kidding! Dude, I'm the last person who can help you with extra cash. The Feds have frozen my assets."

Frustration welled within Alonzo. "Dammit, Curt! I need . . ." He hesitated. "What about your friends?"

"Who?"

Alonzo snapped, "Your initial investors. The . . . uh, Two-Twenty Investor Group. Can they help me?"

A buxom waitress appeared at the booth. Curt impatiently waved her away. "Dude! Have you forgotten? My attorney is dead! And one of the prosecutors is missing. For all I know, 'my investors' are behind everything. For all I know, I'm next on their hit list. Look, if you need money that badly, why don't you get an advance on your trust fund?"

"I tried!" Alonzo retorted. "The son-of-a-bitch attorney who works for my dad won't help."

Curt asked, "What do you need the money for?"

Alonzo sighed. Long and hard. "Remember when you said that no one probably knows about my investment into your little business? Well, someone does. About a week ago, I had received a message from someone demanding twenty-five thousand dollars to keep the Feds from finding out. I've already managed to collect twenty thousand. I just need another five thousand dollars."

Shaking his head, Curt replied, "I don't know, dude."

"C'mon man! Please?"

After a quick glance around, Curt nodded toward the club's exit. "Let's take this outside. The parking lot." He stood up. So did Alonzo. And the two friends made their way toward the nightclub's exit.

-----------

Several feet away, FBI Special Agents Lee Alvarez and Jay Ruhl eased out of their booths. With their eyes trained upon the two younger men, they followed their targets out of the club.

Neither the two young men nor the FBI agents had any idea that another pair was following them.

--------------

"We've been sitting here for quite some time," Harry complained. "We are we going after our two vampires?"

Master Chan sighed. "And I thought that you had learned to curb your impatience, Harry."

The youngest McNeill sibling protested, "I have! But there's only so much patience I . . ."

"Everyone!" Scott barked. "Check out the roof!"

All eyes glanced out of the SUV's windows. Harry spotted two figures on the roof and both wore red Chinese silk robes. The red-haired witch frowned. "It looks as if they're watching someone. I wonder who?"

Scott climbed out of the SUV. The others did the same. "Who knows? But I suggest that we all keep a close eye. It looks as if they're heading toward the other side of the building." The four people made their way across the street. Scott led them toward the fire escape. "Now, hopefully we'll be able to catch these guys off guard. Piper, Harry . . . do you two have the rice?"

"Yeah," the Charmed One answered. "But I can still try my freezing power."

"We'll use the rice in case that doesn't work," Scott added. He placed a hand on the fire escape ladder and drew it down.

At that moment, Harry heard voices inside his head. Voices that did not belong to any of his three companions. "Uh guys, I don't think we're alone."

A figure emerged from behind a garbage dumpster. It turned out to be a tall, dark-haired man of a slender build. His skin looked unusually pale and he possessed what seemed to be dark-blue eyes. "How very astute of you," he said to Harry. The newcomer spoke with a faint Southern accent. The four humans stared at him. "Good evening."

"Who in the hell are you?" Piper demanded.

Harry knew the answer. "He's a vampire." Images of the stranger biting the necks of past victims filled his mind. "And he wants revenge."

The stranger's dark-blue eyes focused upon Harry. "You must be a mind reader, or something."

Slowly, Scott withdrew his sword. "Revenge for what?"

"You had killed several of our people, two nights ago," the vampire growled. He stared hard at Scott. "You, the woman and a few others. At the Golden Gate Park. We want revenge."

Piper frowned. "We?"

More figures emerged from the shadows. Two of them dropped from another fire escape. Harry counted at least ten of them . . . nearly three times the number of their party. The Southern vampire smiled eerily. "Yes. We."

-------------

Cole had just finished his second glass of Melorian brandy, when Hazika finally returned with her assistant in tow. The latter carried a small stack of files. "I have the information that you had requested, Belthazor." With a wave of her hand, she removed the bottle of brandy and Cole's glasses. Then she instructed Damika to place the files on the table. Hazika resumed her seat opposite the half-daemon, while Damika left the room. "For a family of mortals, the Decker family has quite an interesting history with various demonic factions."

"Like what?"

Hazika handed over one file. While Cole perused it, she continued, "Like Mr. Geoffrey Decker, for one. His family had originally emigrated from Pennsylvania to San Francisco in the late 1860s, when he was seven. On November 15, 1882 - Earth years - he signed a contract with your old order."

The news took Cole by surprise. "The Thorn Brotherhood?"

"That's right." Hazika paused, as if savoring a prize. "And it seemed that your own grandfather had served as the agent for the Brotherhood." Cole's mind reeled from the knowledge. The female daemon handed him another file. "Louis Decker. He signed a contract with the Fornost Order on April 20, 1931."

Fearing that Hazika might end up revealing the entire Decker family history, Cole interrupted. "What about the two men I had asked about? Maximillian and Curt Decker?"

Hazika grabbed two files from the stack and handed them to Cole. "Maximillian Decker had sighed a contract with the Khand Order on December 1, 1987. He had suffered a financial setback and sought their help. His son must have found out about them, because he had signed a contract with them on . . . May 6, 2003."

Cole leaned back into his chair and sighed. Now, he understood everything. He understood why Keir Larson had been hired to murder Ronald Wong. The latter - with John Reyes' authority - could have discovered and exposed the Order's connection to the Decker family. Chances are that the Khand Order had some kind of financial company or operation on Earth. And he also understood why Wong - in vampiric form - had sought Curt Decker's attorney. Wong wanted revenge for his death. Cole suspected that Decker might be Wong's next victim. But did it mean that Alonzo Giovanni might also be on Wong's list?

--------------

Once outside of the Diamond Club, Curt Decker faced the parking lot and whipped out his cell phone. Alonzo watched as the older man dialed a number. Seconds later, Curt greeted, "Sandra, good evening. This is Curt Decker."

Alonzo held his breath, while his friend continued the conversation with someone named Sandra of the Twenty-Two Investor Group. If all went well, not only would he be able to pay off the blackmailer, but find a way to be free of the bastard for good.

". . . that I wasn't supposed to contact you during the trial," Curt continued. "But this isn't about me. This is about a friend." He paused. "His name?" Curt glanced at the younger man. "Alonzo Giovanni." Another pause followed. "Yeah, Mark Giovanni's son. Listen . . . um, he needs a little help. Yes, financial help." Curt nodded. "Yeah, I'll give him your card. Thanks. Bye." He disconnected his cell phone.

Eagerly, Alonzo stared at his friend. "She said yes?"

Curt sighed. "She wants you to give her a call." He reached inside his wallet and pulled out a card. "This is her number."

As Alonzo grabbed hold of the card, a voice cried out, "We'll take that." The nightclub's back door swung open and two men emerged from the building. One of them, a swarthy man with a dark crew cut, flashed his badge. "Special Agent Lee Alvarez of the FBI. And this is my partner, Special Agent Jay Ruhl. We would like that card, Mr. Giovanni."

Both Alonzo and Curt exchanged defeated looks. The former saw his hopes sink into the bay. Special Agent Ruhl barked, "Now, Mr. Giovanni! We don't have time to . . ."

A figure in red jumped upon the agent's back, knocking the latter to the ground. Alonzo recoiled at the sight of an Asian man in Chinese silk robe, long nails and greenish skin. "What the hell?" he cried. Then to his surprise, another figure with a similar appearance, jumped from above.

"Let's get out of here!" Curt cried. Alonzo decided to follow his friend's advice and quickly turned on his heels. The two friends had barely taken three steps when a gust of fetid air knocked them both against the wall.

Feeling slightly dazed, Alonzo watched as Agent Alvarez pumped two bullets into one of the creatures' chest. The latter reached out to grab the agent by the neck and kill him with one snap. The two horrified young men quickly scrambled to their feet. Grateful for his time spent in high school and college track, Alonzo slipped toward the nightclub's front door and quickly slipped inside, barely noticing Curt or anyone else.

-----------

Gunshots echoed into the near empty street. Inside Olivia's BMW, both she and Darryl exchanged anxious looks. "Did I just hear gunshots?" Olivia asked.

"Yeah, and so did I," Darryl shot back. "Let's go." The two police inspectors scrambled out of the car and quickly made their way toward the nightclub.

As they reached the other side of the street, Olivia glanced up and spotted a robed figure fly away from the building. She pointed the figure out to her partner. "Look."

Darryl glanced up. "Well, looks like he got away. The question remains . . . which one?"

Olivia merely responded with a shrug, before she and Darryl rushed toward the building's right side.

END OF CHAPTER TWELVE

Favorite Movies Set in SAN FRANCISCO

2012-01-13T13:52:00.000-08:00

Below is a list of my ten (10) favorite movies set in San Francisco, California:

FAVORITE MOVIES SET IN SAN FRANCISCO

1. "After the Thin Man" (1936) - Woody Van Dyke directed William Powell and Myrna Loy in this second and my favorite entry in the "THIN MAN" series about the sleuthing couple's efforts to clear Nora Charles' cousin of murder.

2. "Star Trek IV: The Voyager Home" (1986) - Leonard Nimoy directed my favorite "TREK" movie about the efforts of James T. Kirk and company to save Earth from a mysterious probe by traveling back in time to find a humpback whale. William Shatner, along with Nimoy and Catherine Hicks starred.

3. "Bullitt" (1968) - Steve McQueen starred as a San Francisco cop who becomes determined to find the underworld kingpin that killed the witness under his protection. Peter Yates directed.

4. "Foul Play" (1978) - Goldie Hawn and Chevy Chase starred in this delightful comedy thriller about a librarian and a cop who fall in love as they solve a crime involving albinos, dwarves, and the Catholic Church. Colin Higgins directed.

5. "Big Trouble in Little China" (1986) - John Carpenter directed this delightful fantasy thriller about trucker gets dragged into a centuries-old mystical battle in San Francisco's Chinatown. Kurt Russell starred.

6. "The Maltese Falcon" (1941) - John Huston wrote and directed this third and best adaptation of Dashiell Hammett's novel about detective Sam Spade's search for a valuable bird statuette. Humphrey Bogart and Mary Astor starred.

7. "Magnum Force" (1973) - Clint Eastwood made his second appearance as police detective Harry Callahan in my favorite "Dirty Harry" movie. In it, Callahan is on the trail of vigilante cops who are not above going beyond the law to kill the city's undesirables. Ted Post directed.

8. "A View to a Kill" (1985) - Roger Moore appeared as James Bond for his seventh and last time in this entertaining thriller about Bond's efforts to investigate an industrialist who plans to create a worldwide microchip monopoly by destroying California's Silicon Valley. John Glen directed.

9. "Sneakers" (1992) - Robert Redford and Ben Kingsley starred in this complex, all-star comedy thriller about computers and cryptography, government and espionage, secrets and deception and betrayal. Phil Alden Robinson directed.

10. "Zodiac" (2007) - David Fincher directed this interesting thriller about the the hunt for a notorious serial killer known as "Zodiac", who killed in and around the San Francisco Bay Area during the late 1960s and early 1970s. Jake Gyllanhaal, Mark Ruffalo and Robert Downey Jr. starred.

"THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO" (2011) Photo Gallery

2012-01-12T13:16:00.000-08:00

Below are images from "THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO", the new adaptation of Stieg Larsson's posthumous 2005 novel. Directed by David Fincher, the movie stars Daniel Craig and Rooney Mara:

"THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO" (2011) Photo Gallery

"ONE, TWO, BUCKLE MY SHOE" (1992) Review

2012-01-10T08:04:00.000-08:00

"ONE, TWO, BUCKLE MY SHOE" (1992) Review

Nearly twenty years ago, ITV's "AGATHA CHRISTIE'S POIROT" aired an adaptation of Agatha Christie's 1940 novel. Not only was "One, Two, Buckle My Shoe" considered one of Christie's darkest novels, due to its political overtones, the 1992 television adaptation acquired the same reputation.

Directed by Ross Devenish and adapted by Clive Exton, "ONE, TWO, BUCKLE MY SHOE" centered on Hercule Poirot's investigation into the death of his dentist, one Dr. Henry Morely, which occurred less than two hours after the former's last appointment. Poirot's police colleague, Chief Inspector Japp of Scotland Yard, believes that Dr. Morely had committed suicide, because another one of his clients had died from an overdose of anaesthetic. However, Poirot and Japp eventually discovered that both Dr. Morely and Mr. Amberiotis' deaths may be tied to possible attempts on the life of a banker named Alistair Blunt, who also happened to be a client of the dentist. Other suspects in the case include a former actress-turned-missionary named Mabelle Sainsbury Seale, who knew Mr. Blunt and his first wife back in India, during the 1920s; a member of the British Blackshirts named Frank Carter, who also happened to be the boyfriend of Dr. Morely's assistant; Mr. Blunt's American sister-in-law, Mrs. Julia Olivera; and the latter's daughter, Jane Olivera.

As I had stated earlier, many fans of Christie's novel and the "AGATHA CHRISTIE'S POIROT" seemed to harbor a very high regard of this particular story. I must admit there is a good deal about this production that I found impressive. Rob Harris's re-creation of 1936-37 London was superb. In fact, I would go as far to say that out of the many episodes and television movies that aired on "AGATHA CHRISTIE'S POIROT", I would count Harris' production designs as among the best. Harris' work was ably supported by Barbara Kronig's costume designs and Chris O'Dell's photography. And I also had to compliment Andrew Nelson's editing, especially in the sequence that featured the details that led to Dr. Morely's murder. I thought the entire scene was well paced.

The performances also struck me as first-rate. David Suchet was in fine form as Belgian detective, Hercule Poirot. He was ably supported by Philip Jackson's wry performance as Scotland Yard's Chief Inspector Japp. I realize that many may have been a little upset by the lack of Arthur Hastings and Miss Lemon's presence. But to be honest, I did not really miss them. Suchet and Jackson made a pretty strong screen team, as they have done in a few other productions.

Most of the supporting cast gave solid performances, including Joanna Phillips-Lane, Laurence Harrington, and Carolyn Colquhoun. However, there were times that I found the latter's performance as Mabelle Sainsbury Seale to be a little ponderous. Peter Blythe did a good job in conveying both the charm and dignity of his character, Alistair Blunt, even if he came off as a bit smug toward Poirot, a man trying to prevent his murder. Helen Horton gave an amusing performance as Blunt's American sister-in-law, Julia Olivera. And I am relieved that her portrayal as a middle-aged American woman did not collapsed into a cliche, even if Clive Exton's screenplay gave her nearly every opportunity to do so. But I believe the best performance came from Christopher Eccleston, who portrayed one of the suspects - the boyfriend of Dr. Morely's assistant and a follower of the British Union of Fascists. Not only was Eccleston's performance brimmed with energy, he managed to inject sympathy into a character most would regard with disgust.

I wish I could say that "ONE, TWO, BUCKLE MY SHOE" was one of the best Christie adaptations I have seen. Many seemed to think so. I believe it had the potential to be one of the best. But I also believe that Clive Exton's script was riddled with a few flaws. One, Clive Exton wrote a convoluted script, which is not surprising since it was based upon a convoluted novel. Two, Exton and director Ross Devenish should have never included that prologue in 1925 India. It literally made it easier to solve the murders. And three, the script never made it clear why Alistair Blunt was needed to maintain some balance within Britain and Europe's political and economic climates. Why was it so important for Scotland Yard to discover who was trying to kill him? And three, the nursery rhyme chant that permeated the movie really got on my nerves. Why was it that every time ITV aired an Agatha Christie adaptation that featured a title from a nursery rhyme, it had to include an annoying and heavy-handed literary symbol into the production?

Despite a convoluted story and a prologue that made it easier to identify the murderer, I must admit that I still rather like "ONE, TWO, BUCKLE MY SHOE". It has a lot of style. I thought it did a great job in re-creating mid-1930s London. And it featured some top-notch performances led by David Suchet, Philip Jackson and a young Christopher Eccleston.

"Breath of the Undead" [PG-13] - 11/15

2012-01-09T13:15:00.000-08:00

"BREATH OF THE UNDEAD"

Chapter Eleven

The four adults sat inside Piper's black SUV, which happened to be parked across the street from a three-story building. Neon lights in white flashed the words - THE DIAMOND CLUB above the building's third story windows.

"The chiang shi is here?" Piper asked, frowning at the building.

Scott corrected her. "You mean . . . are there. Don't forget there are now two of them to deal with. And you should know. You're the one who had pinpointed their location."

A sigh left Piper's mouth. "Don't remind me." Again, she peered at the building. "You know, I just can't see a Chinese vampire popping up at this place."

"I cannot see myself inside that place," Master Chan commented. "Perhaps one of the chiang shi is after someone in particular."

Disbelief rang in Harry's voice. "At the Diamond Club? Exactly whom would Ronald Wong be after?"

---------------

Cole sat inside the waiting chambers of a daemon named Hazika. The chamber happened to be a loggia connected to a white, rectangular-shaped building located near the edge of a sandy, white beach in the Eshu Dimension. Cole had visited this particular dimension on at least three occasions, but he had always found its semi-tropical setting rather breath taking.

A brown-skinned female with piercing green eyes, an unusually long neck and close-cropped dark hair appear before the half-daemon. She wore a tight-fitting long dress that perfectly accentuated her svelte figure. "Belthazor?" she asked in a bell-like voice.

The half-daemon nodded. "Yes?"

"Hazika is sorry to keep you waiting." The woman smiled, revealing faint ridges on the bridge of her nose. "She is now ready for you." Cole stood up and followed the female daemon . "Hazika has been exceptionally busy, lately. With so many realms in an uproar, clients have been demanding her services." They entered the building and strolled along a narrow hallway. Finally, the assistant indicated a slightly opened door to her right. "You may enter."

Cole murmured, "Thank you," and entered the room. Rolls of parchment paper, books and other items filled the large bookshelf that stretched from one end of the east wall to the other. Opposite the bookshelf, a pair of French doors led to a veranda that overlooked the turquoise ocean beyond.

"Belthazor!" The husky voice came from a petite female with bronze skin, bright green eyes and short-cropped hair. She sat in a white wicker chair. Unlike the assistant, silver hair indicated the female's advancing years. But like her assistant, she possessed a ridged nose. "So, Belthazor, how long has it been?"

Cole bowed respectively before the female daemon. "Hazika. How are you?"

"Doing quite well, so far," Hazika replied. "Sit down." She indicated the wicker chair opposite her own. Cole sat down. "So . . . exactly how long has it been since we last saw each other? Seven years ago? Eight?"

With a faint smile, Cole answered, "Actually, it has been five years or less. I had requested information on a witch. A male witch."

"Oh yes. Now I remember." Hazika nodded. "I also seemed to recall creating a - what do the humans call it? A dossier. I had completed a dossier on the Charmed Ones. For you."

Smiling, Cole shook his head. "Actually, it was the Triad who had requested the dossier."

"But they had handed it over to you," Hazika continued. "Did they not?" She reached for a silver bell from a nearby table. "Would you care for a drink?"

"No thank you."

Hazika placed the bell on the table. "Now, to business. What information do you require this time?"

Cole heaved a small sigh. "I need to find out if a certain human or his family have any connections with any demonic faction."

Hazika placed her fingertips together, forming a small teepee. "Hmmm. How soon do you need this information?"

"As soon as possible," Cole replied.

Again, Hazika reached out toward the small table. She waved one hand and a pen and small pad of paper appeared. "Please write down the name of this human. Also, include age and area of origin."

Cole grabbed a pen and poised over the small tablet. Then he wrote the information down as requested:

Curt Decker - Age 23 Human - Non-Magical San Franciso, California; Earth Dimension

Then he added:

Maximillian Decker - Age 50-55 Human - Non-Magical San Francisco, California; Earth Dimension

He handed over the slip of paper to Hazika. The older daemon stood up. "This might take a while. Are you certain that you don't want that drink?"

Realizing that fulfilling his request might take Hazika longer than he had expected, Cole changed his mind. "On second thought," he said, "a Melorian brandy would be nice."

Hazika nodded, as she stood up. "I'll make sure that Damika will return with your drink. Excuse me." And she left the room, leaving Cole alone with the view and his thoughts.

----------

Inside the FBI Office on Golden Gate Avenue, Special Agent Lee Alvarez removed a slip of paper from a yellow in-office message envelope. The slip of paper revealed a conversation between Curt Decker and someone very surprising. He signaled his partner. "Hey Jay! Guess what I have in my hand?"

The other agent glanced up and frowned. "What?"

"It's from the listening post outside the Decker home," Alvarez continued. "Apparently, Curt Decker has decided to give his old buddy, Alonzo Giovanni a call. After nearly four months."

Excitement danced in Ruhl's eyes. "You think this has something to do with the drug operation?"

"I hope so," Alvarez replied. "I've always suspected that little bastard had been one of Decker's investors. It's too bad that Ron Wong is dead, because he had felt the same."

Ruhl asked, "What did Decker wanted?"

"A meeting between the two." Alvarez paused. "At some place called the Diamond Club."

A low whistle escaped from Ruhl's lips. "I don't know, Lee. I've heard of that place. Pretty exclusive."

Alvarez dismissed his partner's warning with a wave of his hand. "Who cares? This is a chance for us to prove a connection between Decker and Giovanni, other than mere friendship. Maybe we'll be able to find out if Giovanni knows if Decker had any other partners." He stood up and grabbed his jacket. "The meeting is going down in nearly forty minutes. Let's go."

The two partners headed toward the door.

-----------

Darryl pointed at the empty parking spot, located not far from his and Olivia's destination. "There's a spot," he said. "Park there." Olivia guided her green BMV into the parking spot. Once she switched off the engine, Darryl frowned at a two-story building. "Getz's Pharmacy. Are you sure that this is the place?"

"This is it," Olivia replied. "This is where the pendant told us where to find Larson."

"What in the hell would a demon or . . . whatever the hell Larson is . . . be doing here?"

Olivia shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know. There's a good chance that Larson might want some kind of herb for a spell or potion. Or maybe this Getz is an alchemist." Darryl shot an anxious stare at her. "Or not," she revised.

The two partners climbed out of the car. A quick glance around informed Olivia that this particular street seemed nearly empty. They paused before the pharmacy's entrance. Darryl glanced at his watch. "At least it's still opened." He pointed at the sign, which indicated that the shop would close around eight o'clock. They entered the shop.

Nearly a minute passed before a tall man with gray, intense eyes and a Van Dyke beard approached the pair. "May I help you?" he asked in a deep voice. Upon close inspection, Olivia saw that the lines on his face and dark hair mixed with gray, indicated a man in his late forties or early fifties.

The two police officers displayed their badges. "San Francisco Police," Darryl announced. "I'm Lieutenant Morris. This is Inspector Turner. We're searching for a fugitive, who was last seen on this street. In fact, a witness has claimed seeing him entering your shop, not long ago."

"I'm sorry, but I do receive customers practically on an hourly basis," the pharmacist replied. "Who exactly would he . . .?"

Olivia handed over a copy of Larson's DMV photograph. "His name is Keir Larson, Mr. . . ?"

"Herman Getz." The name sparked a familiar note within Olivia's brain. Meanwhile, the pharmacist gazed at the photograph. "Ah yes! He looks familiar. I had sold him a bottle of chlorophyll."

"Chlorophyll?" Darryl's eyes narrowed. "Did Mr. Larson have a little problem with mitosis?"

A polite smile curved Getz's lips. "I suppose so. Mr. . . Larson? He seemed to know what he wanted. Anything else, Lieutenant?"

Darryl hesitated. "Well, as a matter of fact . . ." He glanced around the shop. "Don't you have an assistant? I've never heard of a pharmacist without one."

"I don't need an assistant. Although my business is pretty sound, this isn't exactly your local RITE-AID store." Getz's eyes bored into Darryl's. "Why are you interested in my shop, Lieutenant? Am I under some kind of suspicion?"

During the exchange between Darryl and Getz, Olivia had been trying to remember why the pharmacist's name seemed familiar. Now, she remembered. "Oh my God!" she burst out. "Of course! Herman Getz! You're a wizard who specializes in alchemy. And a whole lot of other stuff I don't want to get into. Which makes me wonder . . . why would a magic practitioner like Larson be interested in paying a visit to your . . ."

The fireball materialized above Getz's open palm before Olivia had a chance to blink. Darryl moved a lot faster, as he whipped out his revolver and shot Getz's hand. The ball of fire exploded and the wizard found his left hand missing. Getz cried out in pain. Then he raised his other arm and Olivia cried out:

"A ring of truth I cast on thee,
Deceit and all confusion flee.
Speak the truth, which must be told.
Or with a lie, your life grows old."

A beam of violet light materialized and wrapped itself around the wizard's body. Olivia declared, "Speak the truth! Now!"

"Stupid witch!" the wizard growled. "Do you honestly believe that your magic can bound me? Resolvo!" But the violet ring failed to dissipate. In fact, it tightened around the alchemist's body. Panic filled Getz's eyes. "What's going on?"

Olivia glared at the wizard. "Simple. For every question you fail to answer truthfully or ignore, the ring will take away a drop of your life force. Now, why did Larson come to see you?"

Getz defiantly tilt his head upward. "None of your business!" he retorted. The ring tightened around his body again and he cried out in pain for the second time.

"Why did Larson come here to see you?" Olivia repeated in a harsher voice. "What did he want?"

A groan escaped from Getz's mouth before he answered, "Chlorophyll tablets for his breath." Once again, the violet ring tightened. Then he added, "All right! All right! He needed my help to find someone."

"Someone?" Olivia and Darryl exchanged frowns. "Like who?"

Following another groan, Getz replied, "A daemon. A daemon who used to be a mortal. The mortal had become a vampire. A chiang shi. That's a Chi . . ."

"I know what a chiang shi is," Olivia coldly interrupted.

Darryl exclaimed, "He's looking for Ronald Wong?"

Getz took a deep breath and said, "I don't know his name. All I know is that he was a mortal before Larson had killed him. The man . . . turned into a chiang shi and Larson needs his body to claim a fee."

"Why did Larson need you to find this chiang shi?" Olivia asked. "He could have used divination."

"The usual divination methods didn't work," Getz answered. "Larson needed me to use the mortal's blood on his knife to track the vampire." The wizard began to wheeze. "Please! Let me go."

Olivia retorted, "One more question. Where can I find the chiang shi and Larson?"

Getz hesitated. The magical ring squeezed his body for the fourth time. "The Diamond Club!" he cried out in desperation. "Some place called the Diamond Club!"

"I've heard of that place," Darryl commented.

Olivia nodded. "Yeah, so have I." She turned to the wizard and declared, "Resolvo!" The violet ring immediately disappeared. Getz's body dropped to the floor with a thud. "I think we better get out of here," she said to Darryl.

The police lieutenant nodded at the fallen figure. "What about him?"

"He served his purpose," Olivia replied with a shrug.

The two partners started toward the front door. The moment Darryl placed his hand on the doorknob, Olivia felt the hairs on the back of her neck rise. She whirled around and saw that Getz now stood on his feet. Olivia gasped, as he flung a fireball toward her direction. Using her telekinesis, the redhead deflected the fireball, causing it to zoom right back at the wizard. The ball's flames engulfed him.

Darryl glanced at the spot where the alchemist once stood. "Why didn't you kill him earlier?" he demanded.

"Because he was down," Olivia replied. "Unconscious. I try not to kill someone who's not in a position to defend himself. I've got enough blood on my hands."

Shaking his head, Darryl opened the door and walked out of the shop. Olivia followed closely behind.

END OF CHAPTER ELEVEN

"LOST" (2004-2010): Favorite Character Centric Episodes - Part I

2012-01-07T20:02:00.001-08:00

Below is Part I of a list of my favorite episodes featuring "LOST" characters:

"LOST" (2004-2010): FAVORITE CHARACTER CENTRIC EPISODES - Part I

Kate Austen

1. (2.09) "What Kate Did" - While Kate tends to a wounded Sawyer, flashbacks reveal her original crime, the murder of her father.

2. (1.22) "Born to Run" - Kate seeks a spot on Michael's raft, threatening to take Sawyer's place. Meanwhile, flashbacks reveal the circumstances behind the death of her childhood love, Tom.

3. "(5.04) "The Little Prince" - Kate and Jack discovers that Aaron's grandmother, Carole Littleton is in Los Angeles. A flashback reveals the truth behind Kate's decision to claim him as her son; while the remaining island survivors jump to the day when Aaron was born.

Juliet Burke

1. (3.16) "One of Us" - Juliet arrives at the castaways' camp, accompanied by Jack, Kate and Sayid. While the survivors question Jack's motives, a strange illness strikes down Claire. Flashbacks reveal Juliet's first three years on the island.

2. (3.07) "Not in Portland" - Flashbacks reveal the events behind the Others' recruitment of Juliet. Meanwhile, she assists Kate and Sawyer in their escape from one of the Others' camps.

Ana-Lucia Cortez

1. (2.07) "The Other 48 Days" - The first 48 days following the crash of Oceanic 815 are shown from the Tail Section survivors' point of view, along with Ana-Lucia's leadership.

2. (2.08) "Collision" - Shannon's death causes a clash between Ana-Lucia and Sayid, near the Fuselage survivors' camp. Flashbacks reveal a tragic shooting in Ana-Lucia's past and her subsequent desire for revenge.

1. (4.08) "Meet Kevin Johnson" - Flashbacks reveal Michael's experiences in New York and the deal he made with the Others to spy upon the crew and passengers of Widmore's freighter.

2. (2.22) "Three Minutes" - Michael convinces Jack, Kate, Hurley and Sawyer to help him lead an attempt to rescue Walt, following Ana-Lucia and Libby's deaths. Flashbacks reveal the time he spent as a captive of the Others.

3. (1.14) "Special" - Michael clashes with Locke over his parenting of Walt. Meanwhile, flashbacks reveal the breakup between Michael and Walt's mother, Susan.

Mr. Eko

1. (2.10) "The 23rd Psalms" - While Charlie leads Mr. Eko to a drug smuggler's plane that contains the latter's brother, flashbacks reveal the path that led to his life as a warlord in Nigeria.

2. (2.21) "?" - While dealing with the deaths of Ana-Lucia and Libby, Mr. Eko accompanies Locke when they find another Dharma station. Flashbacks reveal his experiences in Australia before boarding Oceanic Flight 815.

Part II will feature the next five characters..

"MISSION IMPOSSIBLE - GHOST PROTOCOL" (2011) Photo Gallery

2012-01-04T10:21:00.000-08:00

Below are images from "MISSION IMPOSSIBLE - GHOST PROTOCOL", the fourth entry in the MISSION IMPOSSIBLE movie franchise. Directed by Brad Bird, the movie stars Tom Cruise:

"MISSION IMPOSSIBLE - GHOST PROTOCOL" (2011) Photo Gallery

"MILDRED PIERCE" (2011) Review

2012-01-02T09:35:00.000-08:00

"MILDRED PIERCE" (2011) Review

When HBO first revealed its plans to air an adaptation of James M. Cain's 1941 novel, "Mildred Pierce", many people had reacted in some very interesting ways. Some seemed thrilled by the idea of a new version of Cain's story. But there were many who were not thrilled by the idea. And I suspect that this negative response had a lot to do with the first adaptation.

Sixty-six years ago, Warner Brothers Studios had released its own adaptation of the novel. Directed by Michael Curtiz, the movie starred Joan Crawford in the title role and Ann Blyth as her older daughter, Veda. The movie received several Academy Award nominations and a Best Actress statuette for Crawford. Due to the film's success and lasting popularity, many fans and critics viewed it as a definitive adaptation of one of Cain's works. So, when they learned about HBO's plans for a new version, many regarded the news with scorn. After all, how could any remake be just as good or superior to the classic Hollywood film?

Was "MILDRED PIERCE" as a miniseries just as good or better than the 1945 movie? I will give my opinion on that topic later. I will say that I truly enjoyed both versions. The miniseries benefited from Todd Haynes serving as the director, one of the producers and one of the writers. Oscar winning actress, Kate Winslet portrayed the title role. The miniseries also possessed a talented supporting cast that included Guy Pearce, Melissa Leo, Brían F. O'Byrne, Mare Winningham, James Le Gros; along with Evan Rachel Wood ("TRUE BLOOD") and Morgan Turner. And I cannot deny that I found the miniseries' production designs first-rate, despite a few quibbles. But I have come across a good number of movies or television productions with everything in its favor that still failed to win me over in the end. Fortunately, "MILDRED PIERCE" did the opposite.

Todd Haynes had pointed out that his new miniseries would be more faithful to Cain's novel than the 1945 movie. And he was good on his word. The biggest differences between the Michael Curtiz movie and Haynes' new miniseries were the running times and the lack of a murder mystery in the miniseries. That is correct. Monty Beragon was never murdered in the novel and he certainly was not murdered in the new version. There were no flashbacks on Mildred's life, following her divorce from her first (and third) husband, Bert Pierce. And I am grateful to Todd Haynes for sparing the viewers that nonsense and sticking closer to Cain's plot. I believed that the murder plot unnecessarily dragged the Curtiz movie. And Haynes' miniseries was long enough. Due to the lack of a murder mystery, the miniseries retained Cain's slightly bleaker ending. Much to the dismay of many fans.

Since Haynes had decided to stick a little closer to the novel, the miniseries covered the story's entire time span of 1931 to 1940. Which meant that "MILDRED PIERCE" gave viewers a bird's eye view of the Depression's impact upon Southern Californians like the Pierce family. Part One began in 1931 with Mildred preparing a pie to sell to one of her neighbors. Husband Bert has joined the ranks of the broke and unemployed, thanks to the 1929 Wall Street Crash and the economic hijinks of his former business partner and friend, Wally Burgan. Bert seemed to spend most of his days engaged with chores like mowing the lawn or in an affair with a neighbor named Maggie Biderhof. Bert's announcement that he might spend another afternoon and evening with Mrs. Biderhof proves to be the last straw for Mildred. The couple have a heated quarrel that ends with Bert's departure from the family and eventually, a divorce.

Mildred realizes that she needs a steady income to support their two daughters, Veda and Ray. Unfortunately, Veda lacks any experience for a position outside of customer service. And being enamored of her upper-middle-class status, the idea of being a waitress, maid or housekeeper is abhorrent to Mildred. She also knows that such professions are abhorrent to her pretentious and class-conscious daughter, Veda. After rejecting jobs as housemaid to the future wife of a Hollywood director and waitress at a tea parlor, the realities of the Depression finally leads a desperate Mildred to take a job as waitress at a Hollywood diner. Unfortunately, Veda learns about the new job, which leads mother and daughter to their first major quarrel and Mildred's decision to make plans to open a restaurant. The quarrel also marked the real beginning of what proved to be the story's backbone - namely Mildred and Veda's tumultuous relationship.

As much as I admire "MILDRED PIERCE", it does have its flaws. I would view some of them as minor. But I consider at least one or two of them as major. One of the small problems proved to be Haynes' decision to shoot the miniseries in New York, instead of Southern California. Aside from Mildred's Glendale neighborhood, most of the locations in the miniseries do not scream "Southern California" - including the beach locations. The director claimed that he had chosen the area around New York City, because it was more cost-efficient than shooting around Los Angeles. He also claimed that it would be difficult to find "Old L.A." within the city today. Speaking as an Angeleno who has spent many weekends driving around the city, I found these excuses hard to swallow. Los Angeles and many other Southern California neighborhoods have plenty of locations that could have been used for the production. And could someone explain how filming around New York was cheaper than Los Angeles?

"MILDRED PIERCE" has received charges of slow pacing and an unnecessarily long running time. I have nothing against "MILDRED PIERCE" being shown in a miniseries format. But I have two quibbles regarding the pacing. One, the sequence featuring Mildred's job hunt dragged unnecessarily long. Haynes filled this segment with many long and silent shots of a pensive Mildred staring into the distant or dragging her body along the streets of Glendale and Los Angeles. I am aware that Haynes was trying to convey some kind of message with these shots. Unfortunately, I am not intellectually inclined and the sequence merely ignited my impatience. On the other hand, the speed in which Haynes continued Mildred's story in Episode Three left my head spinning. Aside from the sequence featuring the opening of Mildred's first restaurant, I felt that the episode moved a bit too fast . . . especially since so much happened to Mildred during the two to three year time span. I would have preferred if Episode Three had a running time of slightly over an hour - like Episodes Four and Five.

Complaints aside, this "MILDRED PIERCE" struck me as truly first-rate. As much as I had enjoyed the 1945 movie, I thank God that Todd Haynes did not add that ludicrous murder mystery into the plot. Cain's novel was not about Veda getting her comeuppance for being an ungrateful daughter to a hard-working mother. The story was about a resilient woman, who was also plagued by her personal flaws - which she refused to overcome, let alone acknowledge. Some viewers and critics have expressed confusion over Mildred's continuing obsession over her older daughter. Others have deliberately blinded themselves from Mildred's flaws and dumped all of the blame for her downfall entirely upon the heads of others - especially Veda. But there have been viewers and critics who managed to understand and appreciate the miniseries' portrayal of Mildred. I certainly did.

I have never understood the complaints that "MILDRED PIERCE" had failed to explain Mildred's unwavering obsession over Veda. I thought that Haynes perfectly revealed the reasons behind her obsession. First of all, he revealed those traits that both mother and daughter shared in numerous scenes - aspirations for entry into the upper-class, desire for wealth, snobbery, and a talent for manipulating others. Mildred's refusal to consider those jobs at a tea parlor and as the pretentious Mrs. Forrester's maid struck me as signs of her ego blinding her from the precarious state of her family's financial situation. And when she finally caved in to becoming a waitress at a Hollywood diner, Mildred considered quitting, because her sensibilities (or ego) could not fathom working in such a profession. Her contempt toward others suffering from the Depression after the successful opening of her Glendale restaurant was expressed in a scene with upper-class playboy Monty Beragon. Episode Five revealed her manipulation of Monty into marrying her . . . in order to lure Veda back to her seemed pretty obvious. But one scene not only revealed the core of Mildred's character, but also the miniseries' theme. While despairing over her decision to become a waitress at the end of Episode One, Mildred said this to neighbor Lucy Gessler:

"She (Veda) has something in her that I thought I had and now I find I don't. Pride or nobility or whatever it is. For both my girls, I want them to have all the cake in the world."

Judging from Mildred's comments, it was not difficult for me to see that she viewed Veda as an extension of herself and in some degrees, better. I believe that the quote also hinted Mildred's personal insecurities about living among the upper-class. This insecurity was revealed in a scene from Episode Three in which Mildred appeared at a polo field in Pasadena to pick up Veda, who was bidding her "babysitter" Monty good-bye. So, this argument that Haynes had failed to explain Mildred's enabling behavior toward Veda simply does not ring true with me.

Despite my complaint about Haynes' decision to shoot "MILDRED PIERCE" in New York, I must admit that I found myself impressed by Mark Friedberg's production designs. The miniseries' setting did not have a Southern California feel to me, but Friedberg certainly did an excellent job of re-creating the 1930s. He was ably supported by Peter Rogness' art designs and Ellen Christiansen's set decorations. But aside from Friedberg's work, the biggest contribution to the miniseries' Thirties look came from Ann Roth's costume designs. Not only did she provide the right costumes for the years between 1931 and 1940, she also ensured that the costumes would adhere to the characters' social positions and personalities. For example, both Roth and Haynes wisely insisted that Kate Winslet wear the same dowdy, brown print dress during Mildred's job hunt in Episode One. One last person whom I believe contributed to the miniseries' look and style was cinematographer Edward Lachman. If I must be honest, I was more impressed by Lachman's photography of various intimate scenes reflecting the characters' emotions or situations than any panoramic shot he had made. I was especially impressed by Lachman's work in Episode One's last scene and the Episode Five sequence featuring Veda's betrayal of Mildred.

Along with Todd Haynes' direction, it was the cast led by the uber-talented Kate Winslet that truly made "MILDRED PIERCE" memorable. First of all, the miniseries featured brief appearances from the likes of Richard Easton and Ronald Guttman, who each gave a colorful performance as Veda's music teachers during different periods in the story. Hope Davis was deliciously haughty as the Los Angeles socialite-turned-movie producer's wife with whom Mildred has two unpleasant encounters. In the 1945 movie, Eve Arden portrayed the character of Ida Corwin, which was a blend of two characters from Cain's novel - Mildred's neighbor Lucy Gessler and her diner co-worker Ida Corwin. The recent miniseries included both characters into the production. Fresh on the heels of her Oscar win, Melissa Leo gave an engaging performance as Mildred's cheerful and wise friend/neighbor, Lucy Gessler, who provided plenty of advice on the former's personal life. Aside from a two-episode appearance in the last season of "24", I have not seen Mare Winningham in quite a while. It was good to see her portray Mildred's blunt and business-savy friend and colleague, Ida Corwin.

At least three actors portrayed the men in Mildred's life - James LeGros, Brían F. O'Byrne and Guy Pearce. Although his sense of humor was not as sharp as Jack Carson's in 1945, I must admit that LeGros managed to provide some memorably humrous moments as Wally Burgan, Mildred's business adviser and temporary lover. Two of my favorite Wally moments turned out to be his reaction to the news of Mildred's breakup from her husband and to the revelation of her romance with Monty Beragon. Brían F. O'Byrne earned an Emmy nomination as Mildred's ex-husband, Bert Pierce. What I admired by O'Byrne's performance was the gradual ease in which he transformed Bert's character from a self-involved philanderer to a supportive mate by the end of the series. But the most remarkable performance came from Guy Pearce, who won a well-deserved Emmy for his performance as Monty Beragon, Mildred's Pasadena playboy lover and later, second husband. Thankfully, Pearce managed to avoid portraying Monty as some one-note villain and instead, captured both the good and the bad of his character's nuance - Monty's friendly nature, his condescension toward Mildred's class status, his seductive skills that kept her satisfied for nearly two years, his occasional bouts of rudeness and the hurt-filled realization that Mildred had used him to win back Veda.

Two remarkable young actresses portrayed Veda Pierce, the heroine's monstrous and talented older daughter. Morgan Turner portrayed Veda from age eleven to thirteen and I must say that she did a first-rate job. In the first three episodes, Turner convincingly developed Veda from a pretentious, yet still bearable eleven year-old to an ambitious girl in her early teens who has developed a deep contempt toward her mother. My only problem with Turner's performance were the few moments when her Veda seemed too much like an adult in a child's body. Evan Rachel Wood benefited from portraying Veda between the ages of 17 and 20. Therefore, her performance never struck me as slightly odd. However, she miss the opportunity to portray the development of Veda's monstrous personality. But that lost opportunity did not take away Wood's superb performance. Despite the awfulness of Veda's character, I must hand it to the young actress for injecting some semblance of ambiguity. Aside from portraying Veda's monstrous personality, Wood did an excellent job of conveying Veda's frustration with Mildred's overbearing love and the end of her own ambitions as a concert pianist.

I have been a fan of Kate Winslet since I first saw her in 1995's "SENSE AND SENSIBILITY". There have been and still are many talented actors and actresses with the ability to portray multifaceted characters. But I believe that Winselt is one of the few who are able to achieve this with great subtlety. Her portrayal of Glendale housewife-turned-entrepreneur Mildred Pierce is a prize example of her talent for acting in complex and ambiguous roles. Superficially, her Mildred Pierce was a long-suffering and hard-working woman, who overcame a failed marriage to become a successful entrepreneur . . . all for the love of her two daughters. Winslet not only portrayed these aspects of Mildred's character with great skill, but also conveyed the character's darker aspects, which I had already listed in this article. She more than earned that Emmy award for Best Actress in a Miniseries.

Although many have expressed admiration for "MILDRED PIERCE", these same fans and critics seemed to have done so with a good deal of reluctance or complaints. I will be the first to admit that the miniseries has its flaws. But I do not find them excessive. This reluctance to express full admiration for "MILDRED PIERCE" culminated in its loss for the Best Miniseries Emmy to the British import, "DOWNTON ABBEY". I had objected to this loss on the grounds that the British drama - a television series - was nominated in the wrong category; and that I believe "MILDRED PIERCE" was slightly superior.

Flawed or not, I believe that Todd Haynes did a superb job in adapting James M. Cain's novel. He wisely adhered to the literary source as close as possible, allowing viewers a more complex and ambiguous look into the Mildred Pierce character. Also, Haynes had a first-rate cast led by the incomparable Kate Winslet. As much as I love the 1945 movie, I must admit that this recent miniseries turned out to be a superior production. My admiration for Todd Haynes as a filmmaker has been solidified.

EL DORADO WEST [PG] - Chapter Twelve

2011-12-31T23:56:00.000-08:00

The following is Chapter Twelve of my story about a pair of free black siblings making the journey to California in 1849:

Chapter Twelve – On the Trail

May 12, 1849
Tension has permeated the wagon company since Marcus Cross nearly fell into the Kanzas River, two days ago. Mr. Anderson has been trying to put an end to their feud by offering his apologies since the noon break, yesterday. But the Cross cousins maintained their distance. As far as they were concerned, the Louisiana emigrant had been careless.

The Delaware cousins’ hostile silence finally cracked during supper, today. After Marcus Cross rebuked another one of Mr. Anderson’s apologies, the latter turned away, mumbling complaints about ”bad” manners. It turned out to be the last straw for the Delaware native. Mr. Cross grabbed Mr. Anderson by the lapels of the his coat and punched him in the jaw. Intervention by Mr. John Cross, Mr. James and Mr. Wendell prevented the younger Cross cousin from committing further assault.

“I want that bastard hanged!” Mr. Anderson had cried. “That man tried to kill me!” His cries came to naught, for most of the company did not want to get involved in the feud between and the Cross cousins – even if most of them sympathized with the Delaware men.

Whatever feelings most of the company possessed, everyone’s main concern seemed to be that the two feuding men should remain apart. According to Mr. James, there was nothing more destructive to a wagon train than dissention among the emigrants. While the Cross cousins traveled behind the Robbins wagon, Mr. Anderson and his companions traveled at the rear.

May 18, 1849
Nearly two weeks had passed since our departure from Westport. By this time, a daily pattern had emerged for our trek west. The company usually started the day around five in the morning. While a handful of men tended to the stock, other emigrants – both men and women – gathered wood and water for breakfast. Mr. James refuses to allow any of the women to wander off alone. The women usually finished preparing breakfast by six-thirty, which was eaten by seven o’clock. After the company hitched up the wagons, another day’s journey would commence.

Around noon, the wagon train usually formed a circle to guard against marauding Indians (which we have yet to encounter) and prevent the stock from wandering. Only water was usually gathered for the midday meals. Mr. James had suggested we eat cold dinners around this time of the day and save the next hot meal for suppers. The noon halt usually lasted an hour before we set out on the road again.

The second half of a day’s journey usually ended around six o’clock. Mr. James informed us that when the days began to get shorter by September, the company’s evening halt would begin an hour earlier. September? That is four months away. How long will it take us to reach California?

Again, the men gathered water and wood. The women prepared the meals and we all ate supper. It was usually around this time when Mr. James would entertain us with one of his tales about the West or the Palmer brothers would engage in their outrageous sense of humor. One of our Tennesseeans, the younger Mr. Goodwin, seemed slightly perplexed by the New Englanders’ humor.

“What’s wrong with our humor?” Warren Palmer demanded in a more sober mood.

Jonas Goodwin admitted that he found them entertaining. “It’s just that I always thought you Yankees were a serious lot. You know – religious and penny pinching. With no sense of humor.”

Both Palmers broke into laughter. “Ah, the very image of Brother Jonathan himself,” Richard Palmer said with a twinkle in his eyes. “I reckon there are a good number of such men in our part of the country. Since traveling cross country, I’ve noticed that they seemed to be all over. Maybe even in Tennessee?”

The elder Mr. Goodwin spoke up in defense of his son and state. “Now, I would not exactly say that, sir. True, we have a lot of God fearing folk in Tennessee. But I don’t know about penny pinchers.”

“I’m from Kentucky,” Mr. Robbins said. “And I have certainly encountered a good number of Brother Jonathan types there. And in Virginia. I’ll tell you what. How many of you have encountered these Brother Jonathan types back home? With no sense of humor?”

Nearly everyone raised their hands, save the Goodwins and Mr. Anderson. The latter shot warning looks at his female companions. But they refused to be intimidated and raised their hands. “This is nonsense!” The younger Mr. Goodwin cried out. “But all of y’all are Yankees!”

Elias Wendell revealed that he was from Maryland. The Crosses mentioned that Delaware was a border state. Each of Mr. Anderson’s female companions stated that their birthplaces were Augusta, Georgia and Baton Rouge, Louisiana respectively. Mr. James added, “Although I’ve been living in Ohio these past two decades, I’m originally from North Carolina. Just goes to show you, Mr. Goodwin, it don’t do to judge a book by its cover. A fine old adage to follow, if you ask me.”

Unable to support his earlier belief, young Mr. Goodwin acknowledged defeat . . . with good grace, I might add. However, Mr. Anderson seemed annoyed by the whole matter. Some people simply do not want to learn.

End of Chapter Twelve

"WESTWARD HO": Introduction

2011-12-29T11:06:00.000-08:00

Below is the introduction to an article about Hollywood's depiction about the westward migration via wagon trains in the United States - especially during the 1840s:

"WESTWARD HO!": Introduction

I. History vs. Hollywood

Between 2001 and 2004, the A&E Channel used to air a series called "HISTORY vs. HOLLYWOOD". Each episode featured experts that were interviewed about the historical accuracy of a film or television special that was based on a historical event. These experts or historians would examine a newly released film - usually a period drama - and comment on the historical accuracy featured in the story. Not surprisingly, most productions would receive a verdict of "both Hollywood fiction and historical fact".

A rising demand for more historical accuracy seemed to have become very prevalent in recent years. I cannot explain this demand. And if I must be honest, I do not know if I would always agree. If such accuracy ever got in the way of a whopping good story, I believe it should be tossed in favor of the story. Many of William Shakespeare's dramas have proven to be historically inaccurate. I can think of a good number of well-regarded productions that I would never consider to be completely accurate as far as history is concerned - "GONE WITH THE WIND" (1939), "GLORY" (1989), "ENIGMA" (2001) and "THE TUDORS" (2007-2010).

All of this brings me to this article's main topic - namely the depiction of the 19th century western migration in various movies and television productions. I thought it would be interesting to examine five productions and see how they compare to historical accuracy. I will focus upon two movies and three television miniseries:

*"HOW THE WEST WAS WON" (1962)

*"THE WAY WEST" (1967)

*"CENTENNIAL: The Wagon and the Elephant" [Episode 3] (1978-79)

*"THE CHISHOLMS" (1979)

*"INTO THE WEST: Manifest Destiny" [Episode 2] (2005)

II. The Essentials of Western Travel

Before I start making comparisons, I might as well focus on the correct essentials needed by westbound emigrants during their trek to either Oregon, California or other destinations. The essentials are the following:

1. Farm wagon/Prairie schooner vs. Conestoga wagon - The Conestoga wagon is well-known among those who study American history during the late 18th and early 19th centuries. It was a heavy, broad-wheeled covered wagon used extensively during that period in the United States east of the Mississippi River and Canada to transport goods up to 8 tons. It was designed to resemble a boat in order to help it cross rivers and streams.

However, the Conestoga wagon was considered too large and bulky for the 2,000 miles journey between Western Missouri and the West Coast - especially for the teams of stock pulling the wagon. It was highly recommended for emigrants to use regular farm wagons. The farm wagon was primarily used to transport goods. However, small children, the elderly, and the sick/or injured rode in them. But since the wagons had no suspension and the roads were rough, many people preferred to walk, unless they had horses to ride. The wagon - depending on luck - was sturdy enough for the 2,000 to 3,000 westbound trek. More importantly, the wagon would not wear down the team of animals pulling it.

2. Draft animals - The westbound emigrants depended upon draft animals to haul their wagons for the long trek. Horses were out of the questions. A single rider could travel to Oregon or California astride a horse. But horses were not sturdy enough for the 2,000 miles trek and would die before reaching the end of the journey. It was recommended that emigrants use oxen or mules to pull their wagons.

Both oxen and mules were considered sturdy enough for the long trek. However, most would recommend oxen to haul a wagon, for they were cheaper and could survive slightly better on the grazing found along the trails. Mules could do the same, but at a lesser rate. But they were more expensive than oxen. They had a tendency to be temperamental. And they were more inclined to attract the attention of Native Americans.

3. Supplies and Goods - It was very essential for emigrants to haul supplies and goods during their long, westward trek. Upon leaving Independence, Missouri; there were very little opportunities to purchase food and supplies. The only locations that offered such opportunities to purchase more goods were a small number of trading and military outposts along the western trails. However, many emigrants attempted to bring along furniture, family heirlooms and other valuable possessions. They realized it was wiser to rid said possessions in order to lighten their wagon loads. And this would explain why these discarded possessions practically littered the major emigrant trails during the second half of the 19th century.

4. Western Outposts - As I had stated earlier, westbound emigrants encountered very little opportunities to re-stock on supplies during their journey west. Only a series of trading or military outposts on the western plains offered emigrants opportunities for more supplies. Emigrants encountered Fort Laramie (present day eastern Wyoming), Fort Hall (present day Idaho) and Fort Laramie after 1848 (present day Nebraska) along the Oregon/California Trails. Along the Santa Fe Trail, they would eventually encounter Fort Leavenworth (present day northeastern Kansas). Fort Bent (present day southeastern Colorado) and eventually Santa Fe in the New Mexico Territory.

5. Native American Encounters - The portrayal of emigrants' encounters with Native Americans during the western trek could either be chalked up to Hollywood exaggeration, American racism or a mixture of both. But many movie and television productions about the western migration tend to feature large scale attacks upon wagon trains by Native American warriors. One, such attacks never happened - at least as far as I know. The various nations and tribes possessed too much sense to attack a wagon train that was likely to be well-armed. And the number of Native Americans portrayed in these cinematic attacks tend to be ridiculously large. A small band of warriors might be inclined to steal some horses or stock in the middle of the night, or attack a lone wagon traveling on the plains for the same reason. However, westbound emigrants either socialized or traded with the Native Americans they encountered. Or perhaps some trigger-happy emigrant or more might be inclined to take pot shots at a lone rider or two. But large scale attacks by Native Americans ended up being figments of a filmmaker's imagination.

In the following article, I will focus upon the history accuracy or lack thereof featured in 1962's "HOW THE WEST WAS WON".

"SHERLOCK HOLMES: A GAME OF SHADOWS" (2011) Photo Gallery

2011-12-27T18:39:00.000-08:00

Below are images from "SHERLOCK HOLMES: A GAME OF SHADOWS", the sequel to the 2009 hit, "SHERLOCK HOLMES". Directed by Guy Ritchie, the movie stars Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law as Sherlock Holmes and Dr. John Watson:

"SHERLOCK HOLMES: A GAME OF SHADOWS" (2011) Photo Gallery

"EMMA" (1972) Review

2011-12-26T22:52:00.001-08:00

"EMMA" (1972) Review

I am aware of at least four adaptation of Jane Austen's 1815 novel, "Emma". But I have noticed that the one adaptation that rarely attracts the attention of the novelist's fans is the 1972 BBC miniseries, "EMMA".

Directed by John Glenister and adapted by Denis Constanduros, "EMMA" told the story of the precocious younger daughter of a wealthy landowner that resides near the village of Highbury. Emma Woodhouse imagines herself to be naturally gifted matchmaker, following her self-declared success in arranging a love match between her governess and Mr. Weston, a village widower. Following their marriage, Emma takes it upon herself to find an eligible match for her new friend, a young woman named Harriet Smith. However, Emma's efforts to match Harriet with Highbury's vicar, Mr. Elton, end in disaster. Also the return of two former Highbury residents, Jane Fairfax and Mr. Weston's son, Frank Churchill, and her continuing efforts to find a husband for Harriet leads Emma to question her talents as a matchmaker and her feelings for long time neighbor and friend, George Knightley.

Aired in six episodes, this "EMMA" was given the opportunity to be a lot more faithful to Austen's novel. Many critics and fans would view this as an example of the miniseries' ability to delve deeper into the story's plots and characterizations. I do not know if I would agree. The 1815 novel seems such a strong piece of work that even a 90 to 120 minute film could do justice to the story by adhering to the main aspects of the plot. Mind you, I have complained about Andrew Davies' adaptation of the novel in the 1996-97 television movie. But even I cannot consider that a failure.

I do have a few complaints about "EMMA". The majority of my complaints have to do with the casting. But there were some aspects of the production that I found less than satisfying. Director John Glenister's direction of major scenes such as the Westons' Christmas party and the Crown Inn ball failed to impress. The sequence featuring the Westons' Christmas party lacked the holiday atmosphere that I found in the other versions. And I failed to noticed any sense of a change in the weather that led the Woodhouses and the Knightleys to depart from Randalls (the Westons' estate) earlier than they had intended. As for the Crown Inn ball, it struck me as somewhat rushed. Dialogue seemed to dominate the entire sequence . . . to the point where only one dance was featured to the tune of the miniseries' theme song. Both Glenister and screenwriter Denis Constanduros made such a big effort in building up the ball in the previous episode or two. But when it came to the actual execution, it simply fell flat and rushed for me. Even worse, they failed to provide the audience with the Emma/Knightley dance, which could have provided the first real hint of romantic feelings between the pair. And what happened to Jane Fairfax and Mr. Elton at the Box Hill picnic? Where were they? Frank Churchill's flirting with Emma during the picnic had led to Jane's eventual breakdown and observations of the Eltons' quick marriage. The Box Hill sequence played an important part in Jane and Frank's relationship. But without Jane in the scene, the importance of their storyline was somewhat robbed.

And there were performances, or should I say . . . casting that seemed rather off to me. Fiona Walker made an interesting Mrs. Augusta Elton. In fact, she was downright memorable. However, her Mrs. Elton came off as rather heavy-handed . . . to the point that she seemed more like an over-the-top 1970s divorcee, instead of a vicar's pushy and ambitious wife of Regency England. She seemed to lack both Juliet Stevenson and Christina Cole's talent for sly and subtle humor. Belinda Tighe gave a solid performance as Emma's older sister, Isabella Knightley. But she seemed at least a decade-and-a-half older than Doran Godwin's Emma. Donald Eccles would have made a perfect Mr. Woodhouse, if he had not come off as slightly cold in a few scenes. I find it odd that many Austen fans had complained of Godwin's occasionally chilly performance. But Eccles seemed even more chilly at times, which is how I never would describe Mr. Woodhouse. At least Godwin's Emma became warmer and slightly funny in the miniseries' second half. It seemed as if the arrival of Augusta Elton allowed Godwin to inject more warmth and humor into the role. I also had a problem with Ania Marson as the reserved Jane Fairfax. I understand that Jane went through a great deal of stress and fear, while awaiting for a chance to finally marry Frank. But Marson's performance struck me as . . . odd. The intense look in her eyes and frozen expression made her resemble a budding serial killer.

I really enjoyed Robert East's portrayal of the mercurial Frank Churchill. Although I felt that East did not seem effective in his portrayal of Frank's penchant for cruel humor and at times, his handling of the character's many traits seemed a bit off balanced, I still believe that his performance was overall, first-rate. Timothy Peters was excellent as Mr. Elton. In fact, he was spot on. Of all the characters featured in Austen's novel, Mr. Elton seemed to be the only that has been perfectly cast in all four productions I have seen. I really enjoyed Debbie Bowen's performance as the slightly naive Harriet Smith. In fact, I believe she was the perfect embodiment of Harriet. One of the funniest scenes in the entire miniseries featured Harriet's efforts to make up her mind on which color ribbons she wanted to purchase. And Constance Chapman made an excellent Miss Bates. She perfectly conveyed all of the character's likeability and verbosity that made her irritable to Emma. And the scene that featured Emma's attempt to apologize for the insult during the Box Hill picnic was beautifully acted by Chapman.

But I was impressed by John Carson's performance as George Knightley. Perhaps he seemed a bit old for the role, at age 45. But he perfectly conveyed all of Mr. Knightley's warmth, dry humor and love for Emma. And surprisingly, he and Doran Godwin had a strong screen chemistry. I also have to give credit to Doran Godwin for a first-rate portrayal of Emma Woodhouse. Mind you, there were times in the first three episodes when she seemed a bit too chilly for the gregarious Emma. But Godwin did an excellent job in developing the character into a more mature young woman, who became mindful of her flaws. And as I had stated earlier, her Emma also became warmer and slightly funnier upon the introduction of Augusta Elton.

There were also aspects of the miniseries' production that I enjoyed. Aside from the Weston Christmas party, I was very impressed by Tim Harvey's production designs. The miniseries' photography seemed crisp and colorful, even after 39 years. I found this impressive, considering that most BBC television miniseries between 1971 and 1986 seemed to fade over the years. I also liked Joan Ellacott's costume designs - especially for Emma and Jane. However, I noticed that the high lace featured in some of Emma's dresses seemed a bit theatrical and cheap . . . as if they came off outfits found in some minor costume warehouse.

Yes, I do have some quibbles regarding the production and casting for "EMMA". After all, there is no such thing as perfect. But the good definitely outweighed the bad. And for a miniseries with six episodes, I can happily say that it failed to bore me. Personally, I think it is the best Jane Austen adaptation from the 1970s and 1980s I have ever seen.

"Breath of the Undead" [PG-13] - 10/15

2011-12-25T00:00:00.000-08:00

"BREATH OF THE UNDEAD"

Chapter Ten

Agitated voices from outside his office caused Cole to glance up from the bulging file on his desk. One of the voices belonged to his assistant, who cried out, "I'm sorry, Mr. Giovanni, but you just can't . . ."

The door burst open, revealing a very desperate looking Alonzo Giovanni. "Turner! I need to speak to you. Now! It's about money."

"Mr. Giovanni, please! You just can't barge in here without an appointment!" Eleanor glared at the young man.

Alonzo rolled his eyes and coolly retorted, "I can do anything I damn well please. Mr. Turner . . . works for my father. My family."

Annoyed by the young man's arrogance, Cole glared at him. "That's okay, Eleanor," he reassured his assistant. "I'll deal with Mr. Giovanni. Thanks." After Eleanor left, Cole leaned back into his chair and regarded his client's son with chilly eyes. "What do you want, Alonzo?"

"It's Mr. Giova . . ." Alonzo broke off, as he wilted under Cole's withering stare. "I'd like . . . I mean . . ."

"You had said something about money."

Alonzo's face turned red. "Not much. Just a small amount from . . ."

". . . from your trust fund," Cole finished. "Yes, I know." He leaned forward. "We've had this conversation before, Alonzo. Until you reach the age of twenty-five, you will receive a stipend from your trust fund every two weeks. Which means that payday doesn't arrive for you until next Monday."

An impatient sigh left Alonzo's mouth. "C'mon man! What's the big deal? I just need an extra five thousand to tide me over for the next few days."

"Five . . . thousand . . . dollars?" Cole stared at the blond young man with incredulous eyes. "Wha . . . You receive half that much every other Monday!"

Alonzo hesitated. "Look . . . it's an emergency. Okay? There's something I specifically ne . . . I mean want."

"Like what?" Cole demanded.

Shaking his head, Alonzo glared at Cole. "Never mind! This is a waste of my time!" He turned on his heels and marched toward the door. His hand on the doorknob, he turned to glare at Cole again. "I'll find my five thousand from somewhere else." He opened the door.

"Alonzo!" Cole cried out, but the young man left and slammed the door behind him.

Cole stared at the closed door. Something was wrong. Normally, he could care less about Alonzo Giovanni's spending habits or greedy nature. But the desperation in the young man's eyes and voice told the half-daemon that Alonzo had drifted into a sea of trouble. Trouble that probably cost five thousand dollars. Cole sighed in frustration. If only his telepathic abilities included reading minds, instead of simply manipulating them. Then he would know what really troubled his client's son.

------------

The tall, bearded man regarded Larson with confused eyes. "I'm . . . I'm sorry. I don't understand. What exactly do you want from me?"

The warlock sighed. "I need help in tracking down this . . . daemon."

Shaking his head, the other man said, "I'm an alchemist, Mr. Larson. What do you need me for? I'm certain that a divination spell would do the . . ."

"I've tried using divination." Which happened to be the truth. Larson had used various divination tools to track down Ronald Wong - water in a chalice, scrying and even tarot cards. When all had failed, it occurred to the warlock that he might be able to use Wong's blood on his dagger to point him in the right direction. This decision led him to a local alchemist - a human wizard named Herman Getz.

The alchemist sighed and took the dagger from Larson. "Okay. Let's see what I can do with this. I'll need my chalice. Come this way." Larson followed the wizard past a beaded curtain that led to another room, away from the latter's shop.

------------

Olivia guided her BMW to a parking space in front of a two-story clapboard house in San Mateo. The reddish-orange sun hung near the edge of the Santa Cruz Mountains - a sign of the approaching dusk.

"This is it," she said to her companions. "Keir Larson's address. Of course, I don't see any silver Lexus in sight." Olivia glanced at her husband beside her. A frown darkened his usually handsome countenance. "Is there something wrong?" she asked. "You know this Larson?"

"Huh?" Cole finally snapped out of his reverie.

From the car's backseat, Darryl asked, "Something wrong, man? You look a little troubled."

Cole shook his head. "It's nothing. Just . . . trouble with a client." He paused. "Mark Giovanni's son, as a matter of fact. It's . . ." He hesitated. "It's a private matter."

Olivia climbed out of the car. "Well, it's show time, guys." Cole and Darryl also climbed out. The trio made their way toward the house's front door. Darryl knocked.

More than a minute passed before Darryl knocked again. It became apparent that Larson was not home. Olivia sighed. "Talk about a wasted trip," she grumbled.

"Maybe not," Cole replied. "I say that we take a look around for ourselves."

Darryl regarded the half-daemon with horror. "Are you crazy? We can't just break into this man's home without a warrant! Anything we find won't be considered admissible in a court of law. We haven't contact the San Mateo Police. And Olivia and I can lose our badges."

"If we find anything, you and Olivia can return with the San Mateo cops and a warrant. Just pretend that you haven't been here," Cole coolly explained.

Both Olivia and Darryl exchanged wary looks. The latter sighed and nodded warily. "Okay," he began. "We'll do . . ." Before Darryl could finish, Cole teleported all three of them inside the house.

Upon receiving information about the silver Lexus spotted outside Janet Hui's house, Olivia had done a background check on the car's owner. She discovered that Keir Larson owned a private security firm here in San Mateo. Judging from the house's tasteful, yet modern décor, Larson's business must be very profitable. Her eyes caught sight of a tall armoire made from pine.

"Not bad," Cole murmured. "Even if his taste is a little too Spartan for me."

Darryl added, "Very Scandinavian."

Olivia drifted out of the living-room and made her way along a narrow hallway. She soon came across a door on the left side, painted in red. A few twists of the doorknob proved the room to be locked. Using her telekinesis, she unfastened the lock and opened the door. Olivia found a light switch and flicked it on.

What greeted her eyes took the redhead by surprise. A wide cabinet sat against the far left wall. Jars of herbs and various liquids filled the shelves, along with knick-knacks and what seemed to be magical tools. Even a crystal ball rested upon the cabinet's lower left shelf. A small table stood against the room's right side. Upon it laid a map of the San Francisco area and a white pendulum for scrying. Olivia opened one of the cabinet drawers and found several knives - mainly daggers and stilettos - inside. She also found a double-edged ax. In the center of the room stood a table that obviously served as an altar for spells and magic ceremonies.

Both Cole and Darryl appeared in the doorway. "We found something very interesting," Darryl began. "In Larson's . . ." He paused and gaped at the sight before him. "What the hell?"

Cole also stared at the room in shock. "Who is this guy?" he demanded. "What is this guy?"

"Who knows?" Olivia replied grimly. "He's obviously a magic practitioner. And I find it odd that Ron Wong's alleged killer happens to be one." She finally glanced at the two men. "What did you find?"

Darryl held up sheaves of paper. "Receipts showing deposits made into a bank in the Cayman Islands. The last deposit had been for twenty-five thousand dollars - hours before Ronald Wong had disappeared."

"And I found this." Cole held up a business card. "Just a name and a phone number."

Olivia took the card and read, "James Bishop. No title and no company name. Interesting." An idea came to her. She whipped out her cell phone. "Let's give Mr. Bishop a call, shall we?"

She dialed the telephone number from the car. Seconds passed before a recording voice echoed in her ear. "You have reached the voice mail for James Bishop. Please leave a name and telephone number and I will return your call."

Olivia snapped her cell phone shut. "I only reached a voice mail message. I have to tell you, Darryl . . . I don't think that we have enough to pin Ron Wong's murder on this guy. Just the eyes of a Peeping Tom and these receipts. Which doesn't tell us much."

Cole added, "You should also take into account that magic might be behind Ron Wong's death. If this Larson is involved . . ." He sighed. "I just can't imagine who would want him dead."

"What I'd like to know is why Vampire Ron would go after . . ." She turned to Darryl. "What's his name? The guy who was killed last night?"

Darryl replied, "Dean Corbin. He was Curt Decker's defense attorney. You know, the millionaire's son who's standing trial for drug manufacturing."

"That's it!" Cole's exclamation drew stares from both Olivia and Darryl. "That must be it."

Her eyes still fixed upon her husband's face, Olivia demanded, "What are you talking about?"

"Curt Decker." Cole inhaled sharply. "Janet had told me that he was a close friend of Alonzo Giovanni's. And lately, that little sh . . . I mean, Alonzo has been asking me for extra money. He . . ." The half-daemon paused, realizing that he was about to break client confidentiality. "Never mind. Let's just say that . . ."

A frowning Olivia interrupted, "Wait a minute. Are you saying that Mark Giovanni's son may have been involved in Curt Decker's drug operation?"

Cole nodded. "Yeah."

"But what does that have to do with Ron Wong?"

Darryl added, "Well, he was one of the Federal prosecutors of the case."

"And Janet told me that Ron had wanted John Reyes to subpeana Alonzo," Cole said. "It seemed he had been investigating the money trail to Decker's operation. Alonzo may have been an investor. And if he was an investor that means that Decker had other investors."

Olivia now understood. "Investors who would want to make sure that Ron Wong and John Reyes never find out about them." She paused. "Wait a minute. If Keir Larson was a magic practitioner . . ."

Cole finished, ". . . then his employers - or Decker's investors - might be magically linked, as well. I think I should find out if there is any magical connection to the Decker family."

Darryl glanced at the receipts in his hands. "And we need to find Keir Larson. Find out who had hired him."

Olivia nodded. "Darryl and I will try to find Larson." She sighed. "Only I don't know where to start."

Cole's glance fell upon the map and scrying pendant. "Why don't you try scrying for him?"

Both Olivia and Darryl stared at the map and pendant. "Good idea," Olivia said. "And I have the tools, right here."

"What about the vampires?" Darryl asked. "You know, Ron Wong and the other one."

Cole suggested, "Scott and Piper can find him. Along with Harry and Paige." He pecked Olivia's cheek. "I'll see you later." And he beamed out of the room.

Olivia walked over to the table that held the map. "Well, we best get this show on the road." She picked up the pendant. As the white crystal hovered over the map, she began to chant.

---------------

The white crystal's large tip finally settled upon a spot on the map spread across the table inside the Halliwell manor. "There," Piper declared. "Around Fillmore and Broadway, in the Marina District." She frowned. "Why does that area sound familiar?"

"The Diamond Club," Harry said. "It's one of the top nightclubs in the city."

Piper sighed. She recalled the time she had visited rival clubs to ascertain how she could save P3. The Diamond Club, a glittering nightspot with a Vegas motif, had quickly become very popular since its opening during the summer of '02. The place seemed to be especially popular with the young scions of the city's elite. Customers like Harry McNeill.

"Why would a Chinese vampire hang around a nightclub?" Paige asked.

Scott shrugged. "Probably looking for victims." He glanced at his watch. "It's nearly six-thirty and it's already dark. I suggest that we leave now."

"I'm going home," Janet insisted. "I don't think I can . . ." She broke off, as her voice began to waver.

Piper frowned. "Is that a good idea? What if Ron or the other vampire decide to come after you?"

Paige moved to stand next to Janet. "I'll stay with her. Until you guys return." A wide-eyed Piper stared at her sister. "What? I'm only doing it just in case Ron or that other vampire decides to return. Someone needs to be with Janet. All I need is a piece of wood. I might not be fast enough to stick it into his chest, but I can sure as hell orb it into either of them."

"I'm convinced." Master Chan nodded. "Let's go." He started toward the front door with Harry and Scott close at his heels.

Piper remained behind to give her sister one last questioning stare. And uneasy feeling struck her that Paige had used Janet as an excuse to stay out of any future fray. "Well," she began in a hesitant voice, "take care."

"Yeah. You too. See you later." A mirthless smile touched Paige's lips before she turned away. Piper sighed and followed the three men out of the house.

-------------

The large silver chalice stood on a podium, in the middle of a room filled with materials and tools for magic. The room was located behind Getz's store. "Wow!" Larson exclaimed. "That's one hell of a large chalice!"

"It had originally belonged to a Saxon Pagan priest named Eorpwald," Herman Getz replied. "An ancestor." He held up a silver pitcher of water. As he poured the water into the chalice, he chanted a few words in what Larson recognized as Old Saxon. "Put the dagger into the chalice, please," the alchemist added.

Larson did as he was told. Getz then poured more water into the chalice. Both men leaned over to observe the water's surface. Seconds passed before the water revealed a Eurasian man garbed in a red-and-gold Chinese robe. His face looked slightly green and his fingernails resembled claws. He soared to the rooftop of a building, in which bright lights illuminated the words - DIAMOND CLUB.

"What the hell is that?" the warlock murmured.

Getz coolly replied, "Your mortal is now a chiang shi." The image on the water's surface disappeared.

"A what?"

An audible sigh left the alchemist's mouth. "May I assume that you're not familiar with Chinese mythology?" he asked sarcastically.

Larson shot him a dark glare and retorted, "Do I look like I might be familiar with Chinese mythology?"

"Do I?"

The warlock's mouth formed a grim line. "Just what in the hell is a chiang shi?"

Getz replied, "A Chinese vampire. Or what is also known as 'The Hopping Ghost'." He went on to describe facts about the chiang shi, including ways to kill it.

Larson snorted with derision. "Well, a Buddhist priest is out of the question. Along with fire. I need the body intact to show to my client." The alchemist stared at him. "Don't ask."

With a shrug, Getz continued, "Perhaps you might want to consider decapitation. Once that happens, the chiang shi reverts back to the original host's body."

Recalling the speed and power of European vampires, Larson asked, "Exactly how am I going to slow him down long enough to kill him?"

"Rice," the alchemist replied without blinking an eye. "Remember what I had told you about the rice." He turned his back on the warlock and removed the dagger before emptying the chalice. Then he filled the latter with more water.

Larson cleared his throat. "By the way, how much do I owe you? Was it fifty dollars for . . ."

Getz interrupted. "You better make that seventy-five."

"What for?" Larson stared at the alchemist, whose attention seemed to be focused upon the chalice.

"For the sword I'll be giving you to kill the vampire."

Suspicion niggled in the back of the warlock's mind. "Why do I need a sword from you? I plan to use mine from home."

The alchemist's dark and piercing eyes bored into the younger man's. "I wouldn't return home if I were you. Take a look."

Larson stood before the large chalice and glanced down. The water's surface reflected two men and one woman entering his house . . . and discovering his private room. "Who in the hell are they?" he demanded. "And how . . . ?"

"I have no idea," Getz said with a shrug of his shoulders. "But something tells me that they are looking for you. It might have something to do . . ." He broke off, as they watched the dark-haired man teleport from the room. "Well! This is interesting."

Larson exclaimed, "A teleporter? What the hell?"

Getz handed the sword over to the warlock. "Here. I suggest that you first take care of the vampire, before dealing with your visitors."

With a nod, Larson handed over seventy-five dollars to the alchemist. "Thanks for the sword." He shot one last uneasy glance at the chalice. "And the advice."

END OF CHAPTER TEN

Top Five Favorite Episodes of "LOIS AND CLARK: THE NEW ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN" (Season Two)

2011-12-22T09:24:00.001-08:00

Below is a list of my top five (5) favorite episodes from Season Two (1994-1995) of "LOIS AND CLARK: The New Adventures of Superman". The series starred Dean Cain and Teri Hatcher:

TOP FIVE FAVORITE EPISODES OF "LOIS AND CLARK: THE NEW ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN" (SEASON TWO)

1. (2.18) "Tempus Fugtive" - Lane Davies and Terry Kiser are superb as time traveling villain Tempus, who wants to kill Superman before he becomes an adult, and legendary writer H.G. Wells, who needs Lois and Clark's help to stop him in this first-rate episode.

2. (2.14) "Top Copy" - Raquel Welch plays a television journalist, who is also an assassin hired to find Superman's identity and possibly kill him.

3. (2.22) "And the Source Is . . ." - Having discovered Tempus' diary, a criminal attempts to blackmail Superman into killing Lois Lane, or he will kill Clark's parents. Clark finally summons the courage to ask for Lois to marry him.

4. (2.03) "The Source" - Lois is suspended from The Daily Planet after she fails to help a source to the illegal operations of a corporation.

5. (2.10) "Metallo" - Scott Valentine has a field day as a petty criminal and boyfriend of Lois' younger sister Lucy, who is shot during a robbery before his head is grafted onto a kryptonite-powered cyborg body by a pair of scientists who are also brothers.

"TAKERS" (2010) Photo Gallery

2011-12-21T08:45:00.001-08:00

Below are images of the 2010 crime drama, "TAKERS". Directed by John Luessenhop, the movie stars Idris Elba, Paul Walker, Matt Damon, Michael Ealy, Hayden Christensen, Tip "T.I." Harris, Chris Brown, Marianne Jean-Baptiste, Jay Hernandez and Zoë Saldaña:

"TAKERS" (2010) Photo Gallery

"IN TIME" (2011) Review

2011-12-20T07:43:00.000-08:00

"IN TIME" (2011) Review

New Zealand-born director Andrew Niccol seemed to have developed a habit . . . or reputation for writing and directing a handful of science-fiction oriented movies with the theme of physical youth or some kind of artificial situation as a motif. The recent science-fiction thriller, "IN TIME" turned out to be his fourth (I think) movie in this genre.

Set in the year 2161, "IN TIME" told the story about a working-class factory worker named Will Salas, who lives in a world in which people are genetically created to stop aging at 25. However, they are given the means to buy their way out of instant death and live as long as possible as 25 year-olds by acquiring extra years as currency. Society is divided by social class living in 'Time Zones'. The poor live in the ghettos, working each day to earn a few more hours of life, which they must also use to pay for everyday necessities. The rich live in the luxurious New Greenwich, drive fast electric cars, and can live forever on the time they have acquired.

When Will best friend Borel save a rich 105-year-old man named Henry Hamilton from suffering a time-robbery assault by a mobster boss of the Minutemen gang named Fortis, Will leads Hamilton to safety. Although grateful to Will for saving his life, Hamilton is also mentally and emotionally weary at the idea of living eternally, he transfers all of his life years (116 years), except for five minutes to a sleeping Will. As his time expires, Hamilton commits suicide from a bridge. Will arrives too late to save him, realizes he has been filmed by a nearby surveillance camera, and flees the area. He ends up in New Greenwich, where he meets time-loaning businessman Philippe Weis and his 27-year-old daughter Sylvia Weis. But Raymond Leon, a member of the timekeepers, which is the resident police force arrive and accuse Will of murdering Hamilton. Using Sylvia Weis as a hostage, Will goes on the run and demands 1,000 years from Weis in exchange for the safety of his daughter.

Aside from "THE TRUMAN SHOW", I have never seen any of his other movies. But I must admit that I found Niccol's premise for "IN TIME" rather intriguing, which led to my decision to see the movie. "IN TIME" revealed a great deal of promise, especially in the first half of the film. The idea of humans being genetically altered to stop aging at the age of 25 as a means to deal with population control seemed very . . . well, creepy. I originally thought that the movie would focus upon the hero discovering a means to allow the human population to age naturally. By the time the movie reached its mid-point, I finally understood what it was really about. It occurred to me that "IN TIME" might be Niccol's allegory about capitalism and class distinctions. Just in today's society, possessing enough currency (money in our time and years in this movie) to live a long life of luxury and privilege; or live day by day, making the effort to stay alive and healthy.

"IN TIME" has a running time of 109 minutes. And I must admit that I believe Niccol did an excellent job of not only creating this future world in which aging stops at 25 and additional years are used as currency. I was also impressed by Niccol's storytelling in the movie's first hour or so. But once Will and Sylvia - his hostage-turned girlfriend - became allies and begin robbing her fahter's Time Banks to distribute years to the ghetto's population, the movie simply falls apart. It almost seems as Niccol had created this interesting premise and could not find a way to conclude the story. Because of this, the movie seemed to end on the same note as its mid-point - with Will and Sylvia robbing time banks. Even their decision to rob Philippe Weis of his precious Time Capsule near the end of the film came to nothing.

Fortunately for Niccol, "IN TIME" possessed a truly first rate cast. Justin Timberlake proved that the first-rate acting skills he had displayed in "THE SOCIAL NETWORK" had not been a fluke. He did an excellent job in not only carrying the film, but conveying his character's emotional and moral development. In her wig and heavy makeup, Amanda Seyfried almost looked comical and out of place, as the privileged youngest daughter of wealthy businessman Philippe Weis. Thankfully, her talents proved to be a lot more worthy than her hairstyle and makeup and she gave an excellent performance as the young socialite-turned bank robber and freedom fighter. Niccol must have been a fan of the television series, "MAD MEN". He chose the right actor to portray Sylvia's slimy businessman father. And I cannot deny that Vincent Kartheiser was perfect in the role. Cillian Murphy gave a subtle and complex performance as Raymond León, the obsessive timekeeper hunting for Will and Sylvia. Unfortunately for Murphy, his León ended up going no where by the movie's last half hour or so, thanks to Niccol's script. The movie also boasted solid performances from Olivia Wilde (Will's 50 year-old mother Rachel), Matt Bormer (Hamilton), Johnny Galecki (Will's best friend), and La Monde Byrd (León's second-in-command Rado). The only supporting performance that turned me off came from Alex Pettyfer. His portrayal of mob boss Fortis struck me as somewhat theatrical and over-the-top.

"IN TIME" possessed an intriguing premise and setting, thanks to Andrew Niccol's script. And it also boasted of a first-rate cast led by Justin Timberlake and Amanda Seyfried. Unfortunately, Niccol wasted it all with a story that ended with a whimper and no real conclusion. Pity. Because I believe it had the potential to be a first-rate story.

"Breath of the Undead" [PG-13] - 9/15

2011-12-18T11:06:00.000-08:00

"BREATH OF THE UNDEAD"

Chapter Nine

Darryl leaned back into his chair and sighed. "Murdered. Cole thinks that Ronald Wong may have been murdered before becoming a vampire? By someone else?"

"That's right." Olivia sat down in one of the empty chairs next to her partner's desk.

Shaking his head in confusion, Darryl remarked, "I don't get it. Didn't you and Scott say that a Chinese vampire can't turn his victim into another vampire?"

Olivia sighed. "European vampires can turn their victims into vampires through a blood transfusion. It's different for Chinese vampires. They can't. A chiang shi is created in other ways. If a person suffers from a violent and sudden death, lack of proper burial or a curse, he or she will become a chiang shi. Ron Wong was in good health right before his . . . death. He didn't die from an accident. His car was found in his driveway. So, Cole and I came to the conclusion that he may have been murdered. By someone other than a vampire."

Another sigh left Darryl's mouth. "Well, that's just great. That means that we'll definitely have the FBI breathing down our necks."

"Yeah, I heard that he was one of the Department of Justice's prosecutors for the Curt Decker case." Olivia paused. "I guess you know who Curt Decker's father is - Maxmillian Decker of Decker Enterprises. The family owns the Lange Vineyards not far from the Giovanni Vineyards, near Oakville."

Darryl nodded. "Yeah, and I also know why Curt Decker is on trial. He's facing charges drug manufacturing and trafficking. The Feds believe that he had a small operation on his daddy's ranch. Mr. Decker might be involved, as well."

A thought occurred to Olivia. "If Ronald Wong had been murdered, is it possible that someone in connection to the Decker case killed him? Of course . . ." she paused, ". . . I don't see how. I mean, Ron wasn't the primary prosecutor. Right?"

"John Reyes is," Darryl answered. "Wong was merely a . . ." He broke off, as a grim-faced Scott appeared in the doorway. "Guess what? Another body has been found. In the parking garage near the Monadnock Building." He paused dramatically. "Same M.O. as Jai, Remar and Alamdar."

Both Olivia and Darryl rose to their feet. The latter grabbed his overcoat. "Look, Scott, Carlotta and I will check this new body," he said to Olivia. "I want you and Marcus to look into Ronald Wong's disappearance. Maybe one of the neighbors saw something."

"Sure thing," Olivia replied with a nod, as she followed Darryl out of his office.

--------------

Clutching his backpack, Alonzo Giovanni slowly walked out of Stanford University's Green Library and nearly collided with a man and a woman dressed in dark suits. He flashed a brief frown at the pair and stepped aside to continue his trek. To his surprise, the pair again blocked his path. Only this time, they did it deliberately.

"Excuse me," the young student retorted. "Do you mind?" He tried to continue walking, but the pair refused to step out of the way. "What the hell?"

The woman, a light-brown haired woman in her late thirties flashed a badge. "Pardon me, Mr. Giovanni. I'm Special Agent Alicia Black of the FBI. This is Special Agent Roger Hamill. We need to talk to you about the Curt Decker case."

Panic struck within Alonzo's chest. For several seconds, he wondered if the FBI had discovered his investment into Curt's little operation . . . like the mysterious caller, who has been blackmailing him. Projecting a coolness he did not feel, Curt sardonically replied, "Sorry, but I don't follow the news that closely."

"That's odd," Agent Hamill commented. His dark eyes bored into Alonzo's. "Considering that Curt Decker happens to be a close friend of yours."

Coolly, Alonzo shot back, "Not anymore. I don't hang around with drug dealers. Now, if you'll excuse me." But the Federal agents refused to move. "Look, if you don't let me go, I'll call my attorney and sue your ass for harassment!"

"Mr. Giovanni, we would simply like to ask you a few questions," Agent Black merely said.

Alonzo struggled to maintain his temper and not panic at the same time. "Look, I don't know anything!"

Agent Hamill shot back, "I suppose that you don't know anything about Decker's attorney, Dean Corbin?"

"What about him?"

The two agents exchanged wary glances before the female agent answered, "His body was found near his car, earlier this morning." Alonzo stared at Agent Hamill in shock. "Are you able to answer a few questions, now?"

------------

Around the same time, a pale-looking Janet Hui entered Cole's office, carrying two thick accordion files. "I'm sorry that I took so long, Mr. Turner. I was in Mr. Kline's office." She paused before taking a deep breath. "He, uh . . . it was about Ron. I guess that word had got around."

Cole nodded. "I understand. You can put the files on my desk." Janet did as he had suggested. The half-daemon continued, "Right now, I have a few matters to clear up before I can begin on the Macmillan case. However, I would like you to set up an appointment for the both of us to see her, tomorrow." He paused, as he glanced at Janet with concern. "Are you up to it?"

"Yeah. Sure." Janet flashed a wan smile. "I think I need work to get my mind off . . ." She let out a gust of breath. Her eyes flickered momentarily. "To get my mind off Ron." Shaking her head, she added, "I just can't believe that he's a vampire." She frowned at Cole. "And you . . . are you a . . . witch? Like Harry and his family?"

Cole contemplated an answer to the question and wondered how Janet would react to the truth. "Uh, no. No, I'm not. However . . . I do know magic. Some would call me a sorcerer, instead of a witch, since I'm not an initiated priest."

A hint of unease gleamed in Janet's dark eyes. "So, you know all about magic? Do you . . .?"

". . . use magic to win cases?" Cole finished, fully anticipating the junior associate's question. His face grew hard. "No, I don't. If I did, I would have never lost the Fujikowa case."

Repentance softened Janet's expression. "Sorry. I should have remembered about Harry. I had once asked him the same question about his dad's business. He nearly bit off my head."

"It's okay. I can understand why you would ask." Cole reached for one of the accordion files. One of his telephone lines buzzed. He answered it. "Yes?"

His legal assistant replied, "I'm sorry to interrupt you, Mr. Turner. Alonzo Giovanni is on Line Three."

It took a great effort on Cole's part not to heave a loud sigh. "Exactly what does he want to speak to me about?" As if he did not know.

A pause followed before Eleanor answered, "Uh . . . he said that it was a private matter."

"Well, tell Mr. Giovanni that I'll talk to him, later. I'm in the middle of an . . ." He flashed a knowing smile at Janet. ". . . important meeting with another client."

Eleanor mumbled, "Yes, Mr. Turner." And the telephone line went dead.

Janet frowned. "Was that Mark Giovanni's son?"

With a contemptuous roll of his eyes, Cole answered, "Unfortunately . . . yes. He probably wanted my help in maintaining a bad habit of his - spending too much money."

"It's funny," Janet continued, with a shake of her head. "Ron had suggested to Reyes that they should subpoena Alonzo Giovanni for the Curt Decker trial."

Her words took Cole by surprise. "Wait a minute. Ron? You mean your . . . uh, boyfriend? The one who's missing? He was involved in the Curt Decker trial?"

Janet nodded. "He is . . . was one of the prosecutors. So you know that that your client's son . . ."

". . . Alonzo was friends with Curt Decker?" Cole nodded. "Yes, I do. I had to accompany that little sh. . . Giovanni's son to the local FBI office, last October. John Reyes wanted to question him about Decker."

Janet asked, "Do you think that Alonzo Giovanni knew about Decker's drug operation?"

"Who knows?" Cole replied with a shrug. "He seemed surprised about Decker's arrest and the charges. But if your friend is . . . dead, there is a possibility that the Decker case might be the reason." Janet stared at him with wide eyes. "Just a thought."

-------------

Inside the semi-lit parking structure, the three police officers watched the paramedics load the dead body upon a gurney. Just as the two medics prepared to wheel the body toward a van marked CORONER, voices echoed throughout the lot. Darryl glanced up and saw two men rush toward the body.

"Wait! Wait a minute!" cried one man. Darryl recognized him as FBI Special Agent Lee Alvarez. The other man, he decided, must be Alvarez's partner, Jay Ruhl.

His hands tucked inside his coat pockets, Darryl asked in a nonchalant manner, "May I help you fellas?"

"We'd like to see that body," Alvarez replied in a hard voice. "Now."

Sneering, Scott retorted, "Why should we bother? I have a feeling that you guys already know who's underneath the sheet."

Ruhl fixed Scott with a challenging stare. "We don't have time to deal with local cops who are out of their depths. I suggest you stand back and let us handle this."

"We will 'all' handle this," Darryl firmly added.

Alvarez took a deep breath. "Look Morris, I'm sorry but this is now a Federal case. Especially since we believe that this victim might be Dean Corbin, the defense attorney in the Curt Decker case. Which happens to be Federal."

Darryl nodded. "You're right. The victim has been identified as Dean Corbin. However, we believe that his death may be linked to the body found in Ronald Wong's driveway." He paused dramatically. "Along with two other bodies found earlier this week. All four deaths have the same M.O."

"In that case, we'll handle this case," Alvarez coolly replied. "So, if you and your detectives will just . . ."

"Not so fast," Darryl insisted. The two Federal agents bridled with impatience. "Whomever is responsible for Dean Corbin's death and the body in Ronald Wong's driveway, is also responsible for the deaths of Kenneth Jai and Bernard Remar. Are those two connected in any way with the Decker case?" When the two FBI agents failed to answer his question, Darryl continued, "I see. So, either we all work together on this case or we'll conduct our own investigation. Whether you like it or not."

While Ruhl began to grind his teeth, Alvarez heaved a large sigh. "Fine. We work together. But if we do find out that Jai and Remar are connected to the Decker case, we will assume full jurisdiction over this case."

"Fine," Darryl replied with a nonchalant shrug.

The two agents responded with curt nods and walked away. As the three police officers watched their retreating figures, Carlotta said, "I noticed that you didn't mention anything about Olivia and Marcus digging further into Ronald Wong's disappearance."

Darryl allowed himself a brief smile. "Must have slipped my mind." Then he turned on his heels, leaving behind two gaping subordinates.

------------

Olivia handed a sheet of paper to her colleague. "Here. This is a list of four addresses on this street."

"Four?" Marcus stared at the sheet of paper in his hand.

"We had tried to interview as many neighbors as we could when Ron Wong was reported missing," Olivia continued. "But eight of them weren't home at the time. Maybe we'll have better luck, this afternoon." Both she and Marcus climbed out of the car parked on Tenth Avenue. "Good luck."

Ignoring Marcus' grumbling, Olivia walked across the street. She approached a two-story, gray clapboard house and knocked on its front door. Nearly a minute later, the door swung open. A tall, elderly woman with steely gray eyes stared at her. "Good day, Mrs. . .?"

"Who are you?" the elderly woman demanded sharply.

Olivia flashed her police badge. "Inspector Olivia Turner, San Francisco Police. I'm investigating the disappearance of one of your neighbors - Ronald Wong. He lives across . . ."

"I know him," the woman curtly interrupted. "The young Chinese man, in the dark green house, across the street. He lives with his girlfriend." Her eyes narrowed. "He's disappeared, you say?"

Smiling politely, Olivia replied, "Yes, Mrs. . .?"

"Mrs. Jamelia Kolchek," the woman finished. She relaxed slightly. "I heard that a body had been found in his driveway."

Olivia nodded. "That's right. A Mr. Jan Alamdar. He also lives on this street."

"Maybe Mr. Wong had killed Mr. Alamdar and disappeared," Mrs. Kolchek suggested. "Ran off with another woman." She gave Olivia a cool stare. "But you don't think that, do you?"

After a brief hesitation, Olivia decided to be discreet. "I suppose that's possible," she said. "However, Mr. Wong's car is still in the driveway. I guess I can't see him leaving his car behind after killing Mr. Alamdar or running away with another woman."

Mrs. Kolchek shrugged her shoulders. "I guess you have a point. Mr. Kolchek didn't leave his car behind when he left me." She sighed loudly.

Feeling slightly embarrassed, Olivia immediately changed the subject. "Speaking of Mr. Wong, did you see him on the day before yesterday?"

"No, I didn't," Mrs. Kolchek primly replied. "But then I'm not nosy like some people." She sniffed.

O-kay. "So, do you have a nosy neighbor on this street?"

Mrs. Kolchek sniffed again. "Well . . . I don't like to speak ill of anyone, but . . ." She paused dramatically. "I think that Mr. Shea is something of a Peeping Tom . . . if you know what I mean."

Olivia frowned, as she checked her list of addresses. "Mr. Shea? Where does he live?"

"At 6015," Mrs. Kolchek answered. "Two houses to my left. And his name is Thomas Shea."

"Thomas Shea." Olivia gave the older woman a quick nod. "Thank you for your time, Mrs. Kolchek."

The elderly woman sniffed one last time. "Glad to help. I hope that you find Mr. Wong."

Olivia smiled and turned away from the woman. Next stop . . . the home of Thomas Shea. She rang the doorbell of a two-story tan Victorian manor. After three rings, the front door finally opened. Olivia found herself facing a pale, balding man in his mid-fifties of medium height and protruding pale blue eyes that regarded her with barely concealed lust. "Thomas Shea? I'm Inspector Turner of the San Francisco P.D."

A sheen of sweat broke across Mr. Shea's large forehead. The lust in his eyes disappeared. "The police? Oh! Uh . . ." His eyes shifted nervously. "Um, did someone call about . . ."

"I'm investigating the disappearance of one of your neighbors - Ronald Wong," Olivia explained. "He lives across the street at 6012."

Mr. Shea's rounded shoulders sagged with relief. "Oh yes! Mr. Wong. When I heard about his disappearance, I meant to call the police."

"Oh?" Olivia wondered if she had hit pay dirt. "Why?"

After clearing his throat, Mr. Shea continued, "I didn't exactly see what happened to Mr. Wong, you understand. It was at night. But I recall seeing a strange car parked near his home. A silver Lexus. It had been parked there for nearly forty minutes. Then I saw Mr. Wong's car pull into his driveway. A blond man climb out of the Lexus and approach him." He paused.

Olivia frowned. "What happened next?"

Mr. Shea took a deep breath. "Uh, the phone rang. It . . . it was my brother, Ritchie. Our aunt, who lives in San Jose, had a stroke. When I returned to the window, I saw the Lexus drive away."

"Why didn't you tell the police about this?" Olivia demanded.

"My aunt. I had just returned from San Jose only a few hours ago."

Olivia scribbled the last of Mr. Shea's information on a notebook. "By the way, Mr. Shea . . . did you notice anything unusual about the Lexus or the blond man?"

Mr. Shea squeezed his eyes shut for a moment. "Well . . . he was rather tall. The blond man. About at least six-feet one. And I saw just a little of his license plate as he drove away."

A suspicious thought entered Olivia's mind. "You saw all this at night? You must have x-ray vision."

Looking slightly embarrassed, Mr. Shea murmured, "Um, more like infra-red binoculars. I had ordered a pair from this . . ."

Olivia held up one hand, interrupting the man. "Please, Mr. Shea. Let's not go there." She sighed. "You said that you had seen part of the license plate?"

"Yes," the older man said with a nod. "Um . . ." He closed his eyes again. Then . . . "I got it. Six-seven-two." He opened his eyes. "That's all I saw."

After scribbling the information on her notepad, Olivia replied, "Thank you, Mr. Shea. You've been very helpful."

"Of course."

Olivia paused, as she turned to walk away. "Oh, one last thing, Mr. Shea." She gave him a piercing stare. "I suggest that you consider using those binoculars of yours for less private matters. Like bird watching. Understand?"

Mr. Shea's face became deathly white. "Ye-yes, of course. Of course. Thank you. For the suggestion."

The redhead shot one last smile at the man and walked away. She caught up with her colleague, as he was about to approach another house. "Hey Marcus! How is it going?"

With a sigh, Marcus replied, "Difficult. I had a close encounter with a forty-something widow, who wanted to do more than just talk." Olivia held back a snicker. "However, one neighbor did see a silver Nexus parked in front of Miss Hui and Mr. Wong's house that night."

"I did better. A Mr. Thomas Shea had not only seen the silver Nexus, he saw the man who drove it, approach Ronald Wong. And he saw part of the car's license plate."

Marcus looked dubious. "He saw all of that at night?"

Olivia paused dramatically. "With infra-red binoculars. I'll give you three guesses on what he used them for." Judging from the way Marcus' jaw had dropped and the look of disgust in his eyes, it seemed quite apparent to Olivia that it had only taken him one guess.

END OF CHAPTER NINE

"HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER" and the Not-So-Great Robin/Barney Love Fest

2011-12-15T09:15:00.001-08:00

"HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER" AND THE NOT-SO-GREAT ROBIN/BARNEY LOVE FEST

I am tired of the Robin Scherbatsky/Barney Stinson (Cobie Smulders/Neil Patrick Harris) saga. I really am. They have practically dominated Season Seven of CBS's "HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER" with a romance that seemed to be force-fed by the series' creators Craig Thomas and Carter Bays, in order to satisfy the certain shippers.

What can I say? Everything about the Robin/Barney love story has seemed forced to me. As far back as Seasons Four and Five. When the pair first became a couple back in Season Five, Thomas and Bays managed to screw that relationship by breaking them up in (5.07) "The Rough Patch". And they used one of the most contrived reasons I have come across in television history. After dating each other for a while, the two decided to break up, because their relationship led them - "two awesomes" - to "cancel each other out", making them less than they want to be. Their relationship led Robin to become a sloppy dresser and Barney to gain weight. It was one of the most ridiculous episodes I had ever seen.

But what happened between Robin and Barney seemed nothing in compare to the love saga that awaited viewers in Seasons Six and Seven. Robin introduced Barney to a work colleague of hers named Nora (Nazanin Boniadi) in the Season Six episode, (6.16) "Desperation Day. After Barney struggled with his feelings for Nora throughout late Season Six, he finally realized that he was interested in her in the season finale, (6.24) "Challenge Accepted". In the following season, Barney told Nora about his sexual past in (7.02) "The Naked Truth". She nearly dumped him, until she realized how serious he was about her . . . and decided to give him a chance. During this initial courtship between Barney and Nora, Robin decided that she still have feelings for him. Gee . . . how convenient. Instead of telling Barney about her feelings, she eventually began dating her psychiatrist, Kevin (portrayed by Kai Penn).

I was willing to give the possibility of a second Barney/Robin hook-up another chance. But Thomas and Bays managed to fuck it all up. At least for me. One, the producers had decided to portray poor Nora as a one-dimensional paragon of perfection. During the nine episodes Nora appeared in the series, the writers never developed her beyond her penchant for Valentine's Day, kids and ideal romance. She was a female Ted Mosby (Josh Radnor), but without any flaws or complexity whatsoever. Hell, Ted's past girlfriends were portrayed with more complexity than Nora. And I am not just talking about Robin. Even the latter's new boyfriend, Kevin, seemed more complex and interesting as Nora. The only time I ever came close to really liking Nora was in (7.07) "Noretta", in which she suffered a series of mishaps during a date that was supposed to culminate in sex for the first time with Barney. But Thomas and Bays never allowed Nora's character to develop beyond the mishaps she had suffered in that particular episode. They seemed determined to manipulate the viewers into disliking her and cheering for a Barney/Robin hookup.

In the end, Thomas and Bays got rid of Nora in (7.10) "Tick, Tick, Tick . . .". And how do they achieve this? They allowed Barney and Robin to cheat on both her and Kevin by having sex sometime between (7.09) "Disaster Averted" and "Tick, Tick, Tick . . .". In the latter episode, Barney eventually told Nora that he had "slept with another woman". He failed to inform her that the woman in question was her colleague and the woman who had introduced them . . . namely Robin. Then he dumped Nora. What the fuck? This unpleasant task was followed with a scene in which Robin silently conveyed to Barney that she decided to keep their night of illicit sex as a secret from Kevin. Barney ended up crying in his milk, because Robin decided to stay with Kevin. And how did I feel? I realized that I could not give a shit . . . about either Barney or Robin.

Wait. It got worse. At the end of (7.11) "The Rebound Girl", Robin informed Barney that she might be pregnant. Even worse, he might be the father, since she has yet to have sex with Kevin. This bit of information had me rolling my eyes with disbelief. In (7.12) "Symphony of Illumination", Robin discovered that she was not pregnant. Her celebration was short-lived, when her doctor informed that she could never have children. This last plot twist disgusted me to no end.

Why? Why in the hell did Thomas and Bays use to plot line for Robin in the first damn place? For what purpose? They revealed in a few interviews that Robin's discovery about her inability to conceive would drive her to become more career-oriented. Really? How lame! They could have simply continued to use Robin's dislike of motherhood to explain why she never had kids. Why in the hell did they bother to use this "inability to have kids" plot line, straight out of a Ross Hunter production from the late 1950s and early 60s? It is so Lana Turner. Did they honestly believe that the only way for Robin to remain sympathetic was for her to be physically denied the chance to get pregnant, instead of simply disliking the idea of being a mother? Or was this simply another addition to the Robin/Barney soap opera, leading to their eventual marriage?

What makes Robin and Barney's romance even harder to swallow is the fact that I do not find their romantic chemistry all that exciting. In fact, I find it rather dull. Both Harris and Smulders had great chemistry when portraying their characters as close friends, or whenever Robin repelled one of Barney's cheap come-ons. But when it came to portraying serious romance between the two, I found the chemistry between Harris and Smulders as exciting as a piece of wood. Smulders had better chemistry with Radnor during Robin's romance with Ted. In the Season Two episode, (2.05) "The World's Greatest Couple", Lily had moved into Barney's apartment to help him stave off persistent one-night stands. Harris and Hannigan had more chemistry in that one episode than he ever did with Smulders. He even had better chemistry with Boniadi, when her Nora character was at its most one-dimensional.

The Barney/Robin soap opera seemed to have affected the characters of Ted, Marshall Eriksen (Jason Segel) and Lily Aldrin (Alyson Hannigan). I realize that "HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER" is not solely about Ted's search for his future wife. Six seasons of the series have proven this. But Ted, Marshall and Lily have been treated as supporting characters in compare to Barney and Robin. They have been given silly "B" plots in most of the season's episodes, despite the fact that Marshall and Lily are expecting their first child and Ted is supposed to be the series' leading character. while viewers (at least those who, like myself, are not Barney/Robin shippers) have been forced to swallow the barely digestible Barney/Robin love fest of Season Seven. The balance between all five characters have been off ever since the producers had decided to engage in Barney and Robin's "love story" this past year.

Will the great Robin/Barney love fest abate at least a little by the second half of Season Seven? I hope so, but I have doubts. Barney is scheduled for his own wedding sometime in the near future, thanks to a flash forward seen in the season premiere, (7.01) "The Best Man". Like many viewers, I suspect that the bride in question is likely to be Robin. When the series' first two seasons led toward Marshall and Lily's wedding in (2.21) "Something Borrowed", their characters did not overshadow the other three with dominant appearances throughout the first two seasons. Yet, Thomas and Bays have bombarded viewers with episodes centering around Robin and Barney during this past year. Why? I suspect to satisfy the growing number of Barney/Robin shippers that seemed to have materialize over the past few seasons.

Now, is it really two much to ask for the producers to get over their Barney/Robin obsession and return the balance for all five characters? Is it? Many fans of the show had complained about the quality of Season Six. Mind you, the last season did not feature "HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER" at its best. But I managed to enjoy it a hell of a lot better than Season Seven. If this Robin/Barney love fest get any worse, Craig Thomas and Carter Bays is going to lose a fan . . . namely me.

"THE LADY VANISHES" (1938) Photo Gallery

2011-12-14T17:46:00.000-08:00

Below are images from Alfred Hitchcock's 1938 movie, "THE LADY VANISHES". The movie starred Margaret Lockwood, Michael Redgrave, Paul Lukas and Dame May Whitty:

"THE LADY VANISHES" (1938) Photo Gallery

"THE CONSPIRATOR" (2010/11) Review

2011-12-13T20:08:00.001-08:00

"THE CONSPIRATOR" (2010/11) Review

Throughout Hollywood history, the topic of the American Civil War has proven to be a volatile mix in terms of box office and television ratings. Robert Redford's new drama about President Abraham Lincoln's assassination called "THE CONSPIRATOR" proved to be the case.

Directed by Redford and written by James D. Solomon, "THE CONSPIRATOR" told the story about Civil War veteran Frederick Aiken's efforts to prevent Mary Surratt, the only woman charged in the Lincoln assassination during the spring and summer of 1865. Following the 16th President's death and near fatal attack upon Secretary of State William H. Seward, a Maryland-born boarding house owner and Confederate sympathizer named Mary Surratt becomes among those arrested in connection to the crime. The Federal government, under the authority of Secretary of War Edwin M. Stanton, is convinced of Mrs. Surratt's guilt because of her son John's connections to assassin John Wilkes Booth and the other conspirators. Mrs. Surratt's case was not helped by the fact that they had used her Washington D.C. boardinghouse as a meeting place; or that John managed to evade capture by the Federal authorities following the assassination.

Mrs. Surratt summoned a fellow native of Maryland, U.S. Senator Reverdy Johnson, to defend her before a military tribunal. But political pressure from Stanton and others forced Johnson to recruit Aiken to represent Mrs. Surratt at the tribunal. Unfortunately, the 27 year-old Aiken lacked any previous experience inside a courtroom. The young attorney's initial belief in Mrs. Surratt's guilt and reluctance to defend her disappeared, as he became aware of possible evidence that might exonerate his client and that she was being used as a hostage and bait to lure her son John to the authorities through foul means.

"THE CONSPIRATOR" proved to be one of those Civil War movies that failed to generate any interest at the box office. Most moviegoers ignored it. Many critics bashed it, claiming it was another of Robert Redford's thinly veiled metaphors on the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. I must be honest. I found this particular criticism worthy of some head scratching. Perhaps those critics had been right. But I must admit that I failed to see the metaphor. The manner in which the Army tribunal railroaded Mary Surratt to a date with a hangman's noose sadly struck me as a very common occurrence throughout history. The wealthy and the powerful have never been reluctant to destroy someone they deemed as a threat or a convenient scapegoat.

Superficially, Mary Surratt seemed like the type of person toward whom I would harbor any sympathy. The Maryland-born woman had been a Confederate sympathizer. I personally found her political and social beliefs abhorrent. Yet, by revealing the lies and manipulations that she had endured at the hands of the Army tribunal and Federal government, both Redford and screenwriter Solomon did an excellent job in igniting my sympathy. Mary Surratt's experiences also reminded me that they could happen to anyone - even today. The idea of so much power against one individual or a particular group is frightening to behold, regardless if that individual is a slave, a Confederate sympathizer under arrest or an early 21st century citizen.

Aside from displaying the dangers of absolute powers, "THE CONSPIRATOR" succeeded on two other points - at least for me. I found the movie's basic narrative well written and paced to a certain degree. Both Redford and Solomon had been wise to focus the movie's plot on Mrs. Surratt's case. They could have included the testimonies regarding the other conspirators, but that could have resulted in a great deal of chaos. However, the other defendants' participation in the conspiracy against the Lincoln Administration was utilized in an excellent sequence that conveyed the events surrounding President Lincoln's assassination, the attempt on William Seward's life, John Wilkes Booth's death and the subsequent arrests. With this excellent introduction, the movie smoothly segued into Frederick Aiken's efforts to defend Mrs. Surratt.

However, no movie is perfect. And "THE CONSPIRATOR" had its own imperfections. My main problem centered on three characters - a close friend of Aiken's named Nicholas Baker, who was portrayed by Justin Long; actress Alexis Bledel's portrayal of Aiken's fiancee, Sarah Weston; and the presence of Oscar winner Kevin Kline as Secretary of War Edwin Stanton. My only problem with Bledel was that her performance struck me as mediocre. No amount of romantic scenes or beautiful 19th century costumes could alleviate her performance. Justin Long's presence proved to be a waste of time - at least for me. One, Redford and Solomon included a meaningless scene featuring the aftermath of a nameless Civil War battle with both James McAvoy's Aiken and Long lying on the ground, wounded. What was the point of this scene? To establish Aiken's devotion to the Union cause in the form of his friend, Baker? If so, I feel it failed to achieve this. Long was further wasted as one of the two friends who tried to convince Aiken not to defend Mrs. Surratt. Actually, James Badge Dale, who portrayed the young attorney's other friend, William Hamilton, was used more effectively for this task. Long merely hung around slightly drunk or sober, as he grunted his disapproval toward Aiken. And I cannot understand why Redford even bothered to include his character in the plot. Also wasted was Kevin Kline's portrayal of Edwin H. Stanton. Aside from convincing Reverdy Johnson not to personally defend Mrs. Surratt, barking instructions to government lackeys following the incidents at Ford's Theater and Seward's home, and ignoring Aiken's attempts to contact him; Kline's Stanton did nothing. I had expected some kind of confrontation between Aiken and Stanton . . . again, nothing happened.

Fortunately for "THE CONSPIRATOR", the good outweighed the bad. This was certainly apparent in the rest of the cast. I would never consider Frederick Aiken to be one of James McAvoy's best roles. But I cannot deny that he did an admirable job in transforming Aiken's character from a reluctant legal defender to his client's most ardent supporter. He also infused the right mixture of passion, anger and growing cynicism into his character. I have seen Robin Wright only in a small number of roles. But I do believe that Mary Surratt might prove to be one of her best in a career that has already spanned over twenty years. What truly impressed me about Wright's performance was her ability to avoid portraying Surratt as some ladylike martyr that barely did or said anything to avoid conviction. Although Wright's Surratt did suffer, she also conveyed grit and determination to alleviate her situation.

The majority of the cast for "THE CONSPIRATOR" gave solid performances. There were a few I considered standouts among the supporting cast. One of them turned out to be Danny Huston's intense portrayal of the prosecuting attorney, Joseph Holt. Evan Rachel Wood superbly guided Anna Surratt's character from a defiantly supportive daughter to a young woman on the edge of despair. Despite a slightly unconvincing Maryland accent, Tom Wilkinson gave an intelligent performance as U.S. Senator Reverdy Johnson. I could also say the same about James Badge Dale's portrayal of William Hamilton, one of Aiken's friends, who proved to be a wise adviser. As for actor Toby Kebbell, I have to admit that he made a convincing John Wilkes Booth.

I cannot deny that Robert Redford and screenwriter James Solomon made a few missteps with the plot and at least two characters for "THE CONSPIRATOR". But as I had stated earlier, the virtues outweighed the flaws. Both director and screenwriter provided moviegoers with a fascinating and frightening look into the abuse of power during a famous historic event. And they were backed by excellent performances from the likes of James McAvoy and Robin Wright. I only hope that one day, audiences might overlook Redford's current negative reputation as a filmmaker and give "THE CONSPIRATOR" a second chance.

"Breath of the Undead" [PG-13] - 8/15

2011-12-12T18:48:00.001-08:00

"BREATH OF THE UNDEAD"

Chapter Eight

"How is she?" Olivia asked, as she peered over Harry's shoulder. Nearly a half-hour following the vampires' attack, Olivia appeared at Janet Hui's house.

Harry sat at one end of the living room sofa, as he held up the semi-conscious Janet by the shoulders. "Fine," he said. "And alive, thank goodness. I think that Ron or the other guy had stunned her." He attempted to convince his friend to drink a little tea.

"They were vampires," Cole explained. "Chiang shi."

Paige frowned. "You mean there are more than one of them?"

Olivia sighed. "It started out as one chiang shi. We believe that Ron became one, sometime last night. And the corpse that Harry found in the driveway this morning is a neighbor on this street named Jan Alamdar. He must have encountered Ron or the other vampire, last night. Or both."

"I'm surprised that he didn't become a . . . chiang shi," Paige commented.

"I'm not," Harry said. He finally managed to get Janet to take a sip of tea. "A chiang shi cannot turn his or her victim into another vampire."

Confusion whirled in Paige's eyes. "Then how did Ron become one?"

Before anyone else could answer, a low moan escaped from Janet's mouth. Her eyes fluttered momentarily before they flew wide open. "Oh my God!" she exclaimed. "Was that Ron?"

"Janet!" Harry helped her sit up. Olivia shot a quick glance at Paige, who seemed slightly perturbed by Harry's concern for the young attorney. "Are you okay?"

Janet took a deep breath and nodded. "Yeah. I'm fine. I'm . . . Oh God! That was a chiang shi. Or two! I thought it was some myth that my grandmother used to talk about." She stared at Harry with apprehensive eyes. "And one of them was Ron!"

Harry sighed. "Yeah, I'm afraid so. Look Janet, I think you better stay somewhere else for a while. You don't want to take a chance on Ron . . . I mean . . ."

"I understand," Janet said, interrupting. "But that was Ron, right? Are you going to find him?" Her eyes swept from Harry to Olivia. "I mean, the idea of Ron existing as a vampire for the rest of his life . . ."

Surprise permeated Paige's voice. "Why do you think that Harry and Olivia can help track a . . ." She broke off, as apprehension dawned in her eyes. "Oh wow! You know, don't you? About them being witches." The moment she had uttered the last word, Paige clapped her hands over her mouth.

Harry added, "Janet has known since the last quarter of our sophomore year in college." He said to his friend, "And you need to stay somewhere else, until this is all over."

Janet sighed. "All right. I'll stay at your place. If it'll make you feel better. I just need to pack a few things."

At that moment, the doorbell rang. The five people inside the living room exchanged uneasy glances. "You don't think . . ." Paige began.

"Ron?" Janet's eyes lit up with fear and expectation. Again, the doorbell rang. "Should I answer it?"

Cole stepped forward. "I'll accompany you." He escorted Janet to the front door. A minute passed before the two attorneys returned, accompanied by two dark-suited men. Olivia recognized one of them as FBI Agent Lee Alvarez.

"Well, well, well," Olivia commented, as she stepped forward to greet the new visitors. "The FBI." She held out one hand to a pale olive-skinned man with a crew cut. "Lee Alvarez. It's been a while."

Agent Alvarez shook Olivia's hand. "Inspector McNeill. What are you doing here?"

"For the same reason as you." Olivia glanced at the chestnut-haired man that stood next to Alvarez. "And your partner. Aren't you going to introduce us?"

Alvarez sighed. "This is Special Agent Jay Ruhl. Jay, this is Inspector Olivia McNeill of the San Francisco Police."

"Actually, my name is Turner now." Olivia smiled curtly. "I just recently got married. Or didn't you see the ring on my finger?"

A cool smile touched Alvarez's lips. "Congratulations. Who's the lucky guy?"

"He's standing to your left." Olivia regarded Alvarez's startled glance at Cole with amusement. "Gentlemen, my husband - Cole Turner."

Janet added, "Mr. Turner is my colleague and I'm Janet Hui. What does the FBI want with me? Do you guys have any news of Ron?" Olivia could not help but admire Janet's ability to maintain a cool façade toward the agents - despite her current anxiety.

Alvarez blinked several times. "Actually Miss Hui, we're here to talk to you. Do you have any idea why Mr. Wong would disappear?"

"Of course not!" Janet retorted. "That's why I had called the police in the first place!"

"When was the last time you saw him?" Agent Ruhl asked.

For a brief second, Olivia wondered if Janet's tongue would slip, regarding the chiang shi. But those years of college with Harry, along with legal experience, had trained the younger woman to be discreet . . . and lie smoothly. Janet heaved a dramatic sigh. "Around seven-forty, yesterday morning. When he didn't return home, I thought he had stayed at the office for a few extra hours. So, I fell asleep on the couch. But when I woke up this morning, he still had not returned home."

"So, she called me." Harry stepped forward. "I'm Olivia's brother, Harry McNeill."

Alvarez asked, "Why did Ms. Hui called you?"

"Because we're old college friends," Harry explained. "And Olivia is my sister. I had found a body in the driveway and called her."

Olivia smiled at the two FBI agents. "I'm sure that the San Francisco Police had provided you with information on the body discovered this morning."

Alvarez turned to Janet. "What does Mr. Alamdar have to do with you and Mr. Wong, Miss Hui?"

"How in the hell would I know?" Janet retorted. "He was just some neighbor who lived the block. He'd once complimented our front lawn."

Paige asked, "Why are the FBI interested in Ron's disappearance?"

Slowly, the two agents stared at the Charmed One. She squirmed uncomfortably under their gaze. "And who are you?" Agent Ruhl coolly asked.

Wariness flickered in Paige's dark eyes. "The name's Paige Matthews. I'm a friend of Harry's. And Janet's."

"Well, Miss Matthews," Ruhl continued, "Mr. Wong happens to be an attorney for the Department of Justice. He is . . . or was part of the prosecution team for a very important case. Naturally, the FBI would be interested in his disappearance."

Alvarez turned to Janet. "Ms. Hui, if you have any more information regarding Mr. Wong," the agent handed her a card, "please give me a call." The two agents gave Olivia a nod before heading toward the front door.

Once everyone heard the front door close shut, Cole heaved a sigh. "Those two are going to a problem."

-------------

Scott guided his blue Nissan Altima into a small parking lot, off Kearny Street. Nearby, pedestrians and vehicles flowed along the Chinatown thoroughfare. Piper frowned at the three-story building that rose next to the parking lot. "What is this place?" she asked.

"Master Chan's store," Scott answered. Both he and Piper climbed out of his car. "He owns a herbal shop, like Barbara. Also, he acts as a kind of healer for the locals. You see, Taoist priests usually live amongst those he serve."

The pair left the parking lot and made their way, inside the building. The shop's cluttered interior featured large drawers and shelves filled with herbal products of all kinds. A beaded curtain divided the front store and the shop's private office. Scott led Piper toward a narrow staircase, which took them to the second floor. The aroma of food cooking filled Piper's nostrils. "Master Chan must be cooking dinner right about now," Scott added.

Piper sighed. "When you say Master Chan, you mean Mr. McNeill's friend?"

Scott knocked on one of the second-floor doors. "Yep. According to Olivia, they first met each other at Stanford, during the 60s."

Seconds passed before the door opened. A middle-aged man in casual dress peered out. Piper immediately recognized Mr. Chan, who frowned at the couple. "Jian Lei. What are you doing here? Miss Halliwell?"

Scott bowed. "Master Chan. Uh, do you mind if we interrupt your dinner? We have a matter to discuss. Supernatural matter."

Master Chan opened the door wide. "Come in." Piper and Scott followed the Taoist priest inside a wide room. Aside from a few pieces of furniture scattered about, Piper noticed a circular table with food and a teapot placed on it. The dinner's aroma struck Piper stronger than ever and her stomach growled in protest. The priest led them to a table. "Would you like something to eat? I have plenty of Beef and Peppers with Black Bean Sauce. How about some tea?"

"Tea would be nice," Scott replied.

Again, Piper's stomach growled. Ignoring her hunger, she decided to follow Scott's example. "Yes, tea," she said with a wan smile.

The couple eased into empty chairs around the table. Master Chan followed suit, before serving tea to his visitors. "Now, what can I help you with?"

Scott cleared his throat. "I guess that you've heard the news . . . or not. But there's a chance that a vampire - a chiang shi - might have been responsible for two or three deaths in the past few days."

A gust of breath left Master Chan's mouth. "I see," he said with a nod. "It's been a while, since I've last encountered a chiang shi." He shook his head in a regrettable manner. "Nasty business, the chiang shi. Are you sure?"

Piper spoke up. "I just received a call from my sister, Paige. She, Harry and Cole had encountered one, earlier this evening. I mean, two of them. Unfortunately, they both got away. But, no one was killed."

"Hmmph." The Taoist priest took a sip of tea. "Killing a chiang shi won't be easy. But two of them?" He shook his head and sighed. "This won't be easy for any of us, Jian Lei."

With a shrug of her shoulders, Piper asked, "Why not? Paige once told me that holy water and a cross won't kill a . . . uh, chiang shi. What about sunlight or fire? Or a wooden stake?"

"Your sister was right about holy water and Christian crosses," Master Chan stated. "But the other methods will kill a chiang shi. Along with a few other methods." He turned to Scott. "Exactly what do you know about the chiang shi?"

Scott took a sip of his tea, while Piper's stomach rumbled for the second time. "Well . . . a chiang shi is also called 'the Hopping Ghost'. Only, it's not really a ghost, but a demon. One becomes a chiang shi, following a violent death, being cursed, or dying in the wrong spot. Moonlight cast upon a dead body will also cause it to become a chiang shi. Since a chiang shi isn't known for rising from a grave like a European vampire, the transformation usually takes place before burial. A chiang shi usually kills its victims by sucking out the latter's breath, instead of their blood. Or its halitosis . . ."

"Huh?" Piper demanded.

"Bad breath," Scott explained. "It's bad breath can kill a person. A chiang shi will either go after members of its family or a loved one first. Like Ronald Wong did with Janet Hui. And it usually has green hair, a green tinge on its skin, red eyes, and claw-like fingernails."

Master Chan added, "You forgot to add that a chiang shi can shapeshift. It can also fly or hop. In fact, its nickname is 'the Hopping Ghost', because it hops instead of walks. It's also blind, which means that it can track a potential victim using his or her breath. Now, if a wooden stake, sunlight, or fire won't kill it, there are other methods."

Piper frowned. "Which are?"

"Decapitation, feng shui mirrors, purity rice, straw and chicken blood. Or a death blessing," the Taoist priest promptly replied. "A death blessing can only be done by a Taoist or Buddhist priest. I would need to write a death blessing on a piece of paper and stick on the chiang shi's head."

With a snort, Piper murmured sardonically, "Good luck with that one. I think I'd rather stick with the stakes and fire."

Master Chan quickly added, "Anything other than a death blessing should be a last resort. We would want to release the host body's original spirit so that the body can be buried properly. For the family and other loved ones."

A perturbed Scott frowned. "You're talking about Janet Hui and Ronald Wong's family, right?"

"Yes."

Piper said, "You said something about purity rice?"

The Taoist priest nodded. "As a distraction. Scattered grains of rice will distract a chiang shi, causing him to stop to count the grains." Piper stared at him. "Please don't ask me why. I think it's something symbolic that's beyond my comprehension. So, please don't ask."

"Maybe we can use the rice to distract the vampires," Scott suggested. "You know, distract it before you can use a death blessing on them."

Piper spoke up. "Why don't I just freeze them?"

The two men stared at each other. "Sounds good to me," Scott said.

Master Chan began, "By the way, about the chiang shi's halitosis . . ."

"That it can kill?" Piper added. "Yeah, I remembered that."

The Taoist priest said, "His halitosis can also paralyze or send a person across the room. We need to be careful."

A sigh left Piper's mouth. "Great," she muttered. "The vampire queen that Cole had killed is looking a whole lot better."

"Oh, you mean Alaria?" Both Piper and Scott stared at the middle-aged priest. "Yes, I have heard of her before. Although, why she considered it necessary to call herself 'Queen of the Vampires' is beyond me." Piper's stomach grumbled once more, drawing surreptious stares from both Scott and Master Chan. "Miss Halliwell," the latter said in a polite voice, "pardon my rudeness, but are you sure that you're not hungry? I would be more than happy to serve you some of my dinner."

Although embarrassed by what had just happened, Piper realized that she could no longer dismiss her hunger. "I guess a little meal wouldn't hurt." She flashed a wan smile, as the Taoist priest stood up to retrieve more plates.

-------------

The cell phone on Prax's desk rang. The daemon ignored it and maintained his attention on the portfolio of a company that had attracted the attention of the Magan Corporation. The phone rang three more times before Prax heaved an exasperated sigh and picked up the cell phone. "Yes?" he responded acidly.

"This is Larson," a man's voice answered.

Prax simply demanded, "Is Wong dead?"

A pause followed before the warlock replied, "He's . . . dead. In a way. I had stabbed him to death, last night."

A deep suspicion formed in Prax's mind. "What do you mean 'in a way'? Are you playing games with me, Mr. Larson? Where is Mr. Wong?"

The warlock's next words took Prax by surprise. "I believe that he is now a daemon. Or a vampire. I think that some demonic entity has taken over Wong's body."

For a moment, Prax wondered if Larson liked to play games with his employers. If so, the daemon would have the warlock killed and replaced with another assassin. "Mr. Larson," Prax said in a deadly, "I am not someone you can trifle with. If you had failed to kill Mr. Wong, simply say . . ."

"I am not joking!" The warlock's voice rang with deadly seriousness. "Look, I had killed Wong. Gutted his stomach with my own dagger. I saw him die." A pause followed, as Prax overheard Larson take a deep breath. "And I had left Wong's body in the driveway, so he could be found. But when he failed to be reported dead . . . I went back to his house. Earlier tonight. I saw him . . . in some Chinese robe. He looked different. And he was with another daemon. Both of them leapt . . . or flew away. High into the air."

At that moment, Prax decided that the gods and spirits did not like him. Artemus had ordered him to coordinate the simple murder of a mortal. An act that should have been no problem. Unfortunately, the target - at least according to his hired assassin - had transformed into some kind of daemon. A daemon that flies. Without Ronald Wong's body, Lloyd would never be able to convince William Bourgh to cooperate with the Magan Corporation.

Prax sighed. Long and hard. "Mr. Larson, whatever entity that has entered Wong's body, you will have to get rid of it. And leave the host body intact."

"Me?" Larson protested. "Why don't you simply hire some daemon to . . ."

"Mr. Wong was your assignment, Mr. Larson," Prax reminded the warlock in a hard voice. "He is 'still' your assignment. We've already paid you half of your fee. You're a talented magic practitioner. At least according to your reputation. I'm sure that you can find a way to finish the job."

Before the warlock could protest any further, Prax hung up. He decided to give Larson two days to deal with the Ronald Wong problem. If the warlock fails, well he would have to deal with the matter, himself.

-------------

Inside the Turners' bedroom, Cole laid stretched across the right side of the four-poster bed. He watched his wife, perched on a low stool in front of the dresser mirror, rub skin cream from her face. "Was that Scott who had called earlier?" he asked.

Olivia dipped one hand into the jar of cream. She began to rub the cream on her left arm. "Yep. Apparently, he and Piper had paid Master Chan a visit. To learn more about the chiang shi." She turned to face Cole. "It looks as if Master Chan is going to help us. But considering that we're dealing with a Chinese vampire, we're going to need him." She then applied cream on her right arm.

Cole said, "Tarkin and I didn't use a Taoist priest, when we had encountered that chiang shi, back in the Fifties. We used good, old-fashioned fire. Of course, keeping him to stand still became rather difficult." He paused, while Olivia wiped the last of the cream from her arms. "I would be more than happy to help you apply more cream to your body," he said with a slight leer.

Slowly, Olivia turned around and smiled at her husband. "Thanks, but I only use this cream for my face and arms."

"Oh. Too bad." Cole watched Olivia screw the top back on the jar of cream. "Correct me if I'm wrong, but doesn't one become a chiang shi after suffering a violent death? If this is true, then it means . . ."

Olivia stood up and strode toward the bed. She sat on the edge, next to Cole. "It means that Ron may have suffered from some kind of violent death."

"Or perhaps he was murdered," Cole suggested. "And certainly not by that other Chinese vampire."

Olivia sighed. "Oh God. That means we might have to deal with the Feds. We really don't need them breathing down our necks."

Cole murmured, "Don't worry. I'll deal with them, if they cause any trouble." He stretched out one hand and a bottle of lotion zipped toward him. He shook the bottle. "Is this only good for the face and arms?"

Green eyes widened in surprise, until they shone with realization. "Well . . ." Olivia slid closer toward Cole. A seductive smile curved her mouth. "Why don't we find out?" Cole wrapped his arm around her waist and drew her closer to him.

-----------

Dean Corbin stepped out of the elevator. He strode across the parking structure's fifth floor, toward his car. A sigh of relief escaped from his mouth. His client, one Curt Becker, had received a reprieve thanks to the disappearance of one of the Federal prosecutors.

Corbin realized that John Reyes would eventually find someone to replace the missing Ronald Wong. But until that happened, Corbin would have plenty of time to overlook his case for Becker. Yesterday's testimony by Antonio Valez had been costly. The defense attorney needed to find a way to . . .

He stopped in his tracks. For a moment, Corbin thought he had overheard a sound. Possibly heavy breathing. The attorney whirled around and scanned the parking lot. Not a soul could be seen. Deciding that his mind might be playing tricks on him, Corbin resumed his trek to his car.

The moment he reached his car, the attorney felt a gust of cold wind from behind. Once again, Corbin turned around. The sight of a figure in a red-and-gold Chinese silk robe flying toward him took the attorney by surprise. He opened his mouth and let out a final scream before sharp claws dug into his chest.

END OF CHAPTER EIGHT

"BOARDWALK EMPIRE": Echoing John Webster

2011-12-11T08:04:00.001-08:00

"BOARDWALK EMPIRE": ECHOING JOHN WEBSTER

One of the flashbacks in last week's episode of "BOARDWALK EMPIRE" featured a scene with the future Atlantic City crime lord, Jimmy Darmody, discussing the English dramatist John Webster's 1612 play, "The White Devil" with his class at Princeton University. After watching the entire episode, it occurred to me that another one of Webster's plays could have served as a reference.

I have never posted an article about an episode of "BOARDWALK EMPIRE" during these last two seasons. I have posted a gallery featuring images and a list of favorite episodes from Season One. But after watching (2.11) "Under God's Power She Flourishes", I realized that I could not keep my mouth shut. Or at least refrain from writing something about it. What can I say? It blew my mind. Even more so than the previous episode, (2.10) "Georgia Peaches".

"Under God's Power She Flourishes" featured the deterioration of the relationship between former Atlantic City political boss Nucky Thompson and his Irish-born mistress, Margaret Schroeder. Margaret has been sagging under the belief that her sins - both past and recent - led to divine retribution in the form of her daughter Emily being struck down by polio. Margaret had hoped that a financial contribution to the Catholic Church would lead God to alleviate her daughter's pain. When that failed, she decided that the only way to satisfy God would be to consider testifying against Nucky, regarding the murder of her late husband, Hans Schroeder. Naturally, Nucky is both disturbed and greatly peeved by Margaret's suggestion. He thought he had finally nipped in the bud the possibility of being convicted by the U.S. Department of Justice for Schroeder's murder. Nucky and his attorney had learned from the former's servant about Treasury Agent Nelson Van Alden's murder of fellow colleague Agent Sebso back in Season One.

Like Margaret, Van Alden had hoped that his recent actions - turning over his files on Nucky to Federal prosecutor Esther Randolph, granting his wife a divorce and resisting Mickey Doyle's suggestion that he raid a bootlegging operation ran by Charlie Luciano, Meyer Lansky and Al Capone in exchange for a bribe - would lead God to prevent him from any further suffering or encountering further retribution for his crimes and sins. Instead, Esther Randolph reminded him of Agent Sebso's murder and Van Alden found himself a fugitive from Federal justice. Looking at Margaret and Van Alden's hopes and disappointments, I cannot help but wonder if their idea of embracing God called for some kind of business deal for their safety or the safety of loved ones.

But the meat of "Under God's Power She Flourishes" picked up several hours after "Georgia Peaches" ended. Angela Darmody, who had been murdered by Philadelphia mobster/butcher Manny Horvitz in retaliation for a murder attempt, was being carried away by a coroner's truck. A sheriff deputy questioned mother-in-law Gillian Darmody and Richard Harrow on the whereabouts of Angela's missing husband, Jimmy. Jimmy had traveled to Princeton to unload a supply of bootleg whiskey he was unable to sell in Atlantic City. The news of Angela's death, some booze and Luciano's sample of heroin led to Jimmy recalling his last days at Princeton, before he joined the U.S. Army to fight World War I.

I tried to recall other "BOARDWALK EMPIRE" episodes that had relied on flashbacks, but none came to mind. I have no opinion on the use of flashbacks one way or the other, as long as they manage to serve the episode or movie in question. The Princeton flashbacks certainly served this latest "BOARDWALK EMPIRE" episode, as far as I am concerned. The flashbacks explained a great deal about Jimmy's character and especially his relationships with both his mother Gillian and Angela, who had been a waitress at a local cafe when she and Jimmy first became involved. Jimmy and Angela's pre-marital affair led to son Tommy's conception. The flashbacks also featured Gillian's visit to Princeton, where she met Angela for the first time. It seemed pretty obvious that Gillian did not care for her son's new lady love. I can only wonder if Gillian's feelings toward Jimmy's romance with Angela led her to do what she did that evening. It was bad enough that she had briefly become involved with Jimmy's professor - the one with whom he discussed John Webster. But what she did later - seduce Jimmy into having sex with her - left my head spinning and the Internet buzzing over the incident. The night of incest between mother and son also led the latter to join the Army to escape facing their deed.

But Jimmy could not avoid facing Gillian forever. He eventually returned home to Atlantic City in order to work for Nucky and raise Tommy with Angela by his side. Jimmy also renewed his relationship with Gillian - without any sex being involved, thank goodness. Unfortunately, I suspect that incestuous night at Princeton had left its mark on Jimmy. It may have damaged his psyche considerably. And it may have also led him to make major mistakes such as joining Gillian and his father, former political boss Louis "the Commodore" Kaestner, to betray Nucky, his mentor. It led him to join forces with Luciano, Lansky and Capone, to form their own criminal organization. It, along with pressure from both Eli Thompson and Gillian, led him to organize an unsuccessful hit on Nucky. And it may have led him to commit his two biggest mistakes - welch on a $5,000 payment to Manny Horvitz and suggest that another gangster named Waxy Gordon kill the Philadelphia mobster/butcher. In the end, Angela ended up dead, Tommy motherless and Jimmy finally unable to hold back the memories of the Darmodys' Princeton sexcapade.

But it got worse. Upon his return to Atlantic City in the present, Jimmy found Gillian crowing over Angela's death. With her "rival" gone, I can only assume Gillian saw no need to hide her true feelings about the former "underweight waitress". But her crowing only ignited rage within Jimmy and led him to strangle her. The timely and rather surprising intervention by the recovering Commodore saved Gillian's life. But after stabbing Jimmy's shoulder with an antique spear, Jimmy stabbed his father with a trench knife. Another surprise appeared out of the blue when Gillian, with flashing eyes and a sharp tone, barked at Jimmy to finish the job and kill his father. Which he did. Many fans have compared Jimmy to the mythical Greek tragic hero, Oedipus. But the latter never knew that the man he had killed and woman he married were his parents. Jimmy, probably to his everlasting regret, did not possess such a luxury. But the sight of Gillian carrying Tommy upstairs, while stating that the latter will grow someday, and reminding him of the location of her bedroom, seemed to have left Jimmy wondering if his life had made an even uglier turn.

As for poor Angela . . . did anyone mourn her? Gillian certainly did not. I believe Jimmy did. But his grief seemed to be entwined with guilt over the suspicion that he became involved with Angela for the wrong reasons. Tommy is not even aware that his mother is dead, thanks to Gillian's lie about Angela departing for Paris for a bit of fun. The only one left is hitman Richard Harrow, whose brief and silent regard of Angela's blood made it obviously clear - at least to me - that he will miss her friendship very much. She was the only one who was able to face his disfigurement and situation with an open mind that not even Jimmy completely possessed. But Richard proved that he still had Jimmy's back, when he got rid of the Commodore's body on behalf of his friend.

Jimmy and Gillian's night of incest was shocking, but not really surprising. The series has hinted an incestuous vibe between them since the series' second episode, (1.02) "The Ivory Tower". In this episode, Jimmy finally revealed his return from the Army to Gillian, when he greeted her with a present, backstage at the at the Cafe Beaux-Arts nightclub. I still recall that moment when the two first laid eyes upon each other. A scantily-clad Gillian jumped into his arms and rained kisses on his face before admonishing him for not writing. Jimmy eventually asked her to put some clothes on and handed her a present - a necklace. At first, I thought Gillian was another girlfriend that he kept a secret from Angela. But when he called her "Mom", I found myself in complete shock. What mother would greet her grown son in a scantily-clad costume, by jumping into his arms before wrapping her legs around him? That was the first of many weird moments between Jimmy and Gillian that eventually escalated into that mind-blowing flashback. Some viewers and critics are complaining that the incest came unexpectedly and out of right field. Frankly, I believe they were not paying close attention to the relationship between mother and son.

One of the ironies about the episode is that "Under God's Power She Flourishes" is the motto of Princeton University, the site of Jimmy and Gillian's night of infamy. However, the biggest irony for me turned out to be the Commodore's death. I found it interesting that his death came from his attempt to act as an aging knight-in-armor for Gillian, the very woman he had raped when she was 12 or 13 years-old. In a twisted way, the Commodore's necrophiliac tendencies ended up costing him his life, a quarter of a century later. I did find myself wondering why the Commodore had attempted to save Gillian's life in the first place. Had he grown fond of her during those last months with her and Jimmy in his home? Or did Gillian's bitter recollection of the rape finally brought forth some form of guilt on his mind? I guess we will never know.

And how did John Webster fit into all of this? Jimmy's discussion with his professor about the dramatist's "The White Devil" and the latter's drunken entanglements with the visiting Gillian led to a declaration that Jimmy's life was one Jacobean saga. Webster's tales involved a great deal of tragedy, corruption, murder . . . well, you get the picture. Even the topic of incest had made its way into Webster's works - especially in his 1612-13 play, "The Duchess of Malfi". In that story, the female lead, the Duchess of Malfi, was murdered by her two brothers - in which one of them harbored incestuous feelings for her - after she married beneath her class. Well, the only person Jimmy murdered was the Commodore. But I find it rather interesting that Jimmy and Gillian's incestuous tryst inadvertently led to the Commodore's death.

Some people have expressed fears that the Season Two finale will never be able to top this episode. Frankly, I also rather doubt it will. "Under God's Power She Flourishes" struck me as one of those episodes that many will remember for years to come. I really do not see how (2.12) "To the Lost" will be able even better. I do not see how any episode could top "Under God's Power She Flourishes" so soon. Then again, I had no idea that Terence Winter and his writers would top a first-rate episode like "Georgia Peaches" with the next one. In the end, I can only hope that the Season Two finale would end up being entertaining and interesting in the long run.

"INFAMOUS" (2006) Photo Gallery

2011-12-09T12:16:00.000-08:00

Below is a gallery featuring photos from the 2006 biopic about Truman Capote called, "INFAMOUS". The movie starred Toby Jones, Sandra Bullock, Daniel Craig, Sigourney Weaver, Jeff Daniels, Lee Pace and Gwyneth Paltrow:

"INFAMOUS" (2006) Photo Gallery

"REAL STEEL" (2011) Review

2011-12-09T12:12:00.000-08:00

"REAL STEEL" (2011) Review

Every once in a while, I would come across one of those movies in which I have to be forced to watch . . . against my will. This happened with Matthew Vaughn's 2007 comedy-fantasy "STARDUST". And it happened again with the 2008 movie, "SPEED RACER". Since I ended up enjoying both movies, I finally allowed a member of my family to talk me into seeing the recent Disney movie, "REAL STEEL".

Partially based upon Richard Matheson's 1956 short story called "Steel", the movie told the story of a struggling promoter of boxing robots named Charlie Kenton in the year 2020. After his own boxing robot bites the dust in a match with bull owned by a promoter to whom he owns money, Charlie finds himself saddled with Max, an 11 year-old son he had conceived with an ex-girlfriend that recently passed away. The two stumbles across a discarded robot, whom they hope will rise to the top of the robotic boxing world. Along the way, Charlie and Max manage to learn about each other before the latter ends up in the custody of his aunt Debra and her husband, Marvin.

I understand that the majority of "REAL STEEL" was filmed in Michigan. I find this rather odd, considering that most of the movie was set in Texas. Oh well. The movie did a pretty good job of creating an atmosphere similar to eastern and central Texas, thanks to Mauro Fiore's rich and colorful photograph. Unfortunately, the cast failed to convey the same atmosphere, considering that only one used a Texan accent.

But "REAL STEEL" is not about Texas. It is about the sport of boxing in which the contestants are no longer humans, but robots. Despite the fact that the movie is somewhat based upon a short story that also served as the basis of a "TWILIGHT ZONE" episode. What can I say? The movie failed to impress me. Boxing robots? Perhaps this story theme would have worked in the STAR TREK universe or even in that "TWILIGHT ZONE" episode. But this movie did not work for me. I simply could not find it within myself to care about the characters or whether the main protagonists' robot, Atom, would prevail.

One of my problems with "REAL STEEL" was screenwriter John Gatins' failure to make me care about Atom. The robot seemed more like a slightly contrived plot device created to manipulate tears and compassion toward it. If this movie had been about a human boxer, an android with strong human characteristics (think Data in "STAR TREK: NEXT GENERATION"), or in the case of the "TWILIGHT ZONE" episode - about a human pretending to be a robot; perhaps I could have felt some sympathy or any kind of emotion toward it, instead of sheer boredom.

As for the story regarding Charlie and Max's relationship, I found it very unoriginal and equally manipulative. This estranged parent-child plot line has been done to death in many movies either directed or produced by Steven Spielberg. By the way, "REAL STEEL" was released by DreamWorks, Spielberg's production company. From a technical perspective, "REAL STEEL" seemed like a well made movie. But I found it so unoriginal - despite the premise of boxing robots - and emotionally manipulative that it occurred to me that I may never warm up to it.

Like the movie's plot and production, the cast of "REAL STEEL" seemed technically on spot. I can honestly say that I could not spot a bad performance from the cast. Unfortunately, only two or three performances impressed me. One of them did not come from Hugh Jackman. Charlie Kenton was not the first slightly unsympathetic character he has portrayed. But his Charlie struck me as too much of a cliché for me to really care about. Even worse, Jackman portrayed a Texan with a Brooklyn (or New Jersey?) accent. On the other hand Kevin Durand managed to utilize a Texan accent. He portrayed a sports promoter named Ricky, to whom Charlie owned money. And I was not impressed. It was not Durand's fault. The poor man found himself stuck with a character that was nothing more than a second-rate, one-dimensional villain. Anthony Mackie was clearly wasted as Finn, another sports promoter and Charlie's friend. He gave it his best, but the character of Finn never struck me as interesting. And poor James Rehborn looked as if he could barely generate any interest in his character, the husband of Max's aunt.

But there were performances that managed to impress me. Dakota Goyo gave a savy performance as Charlie's estranged son, Max. Thankfully, he did not spend most of his screen time acting like many other petulant children, noisily resentful of being in the company of an estranged parent figure. Thanks to Gatins' script and Goyo's performance, Max struck me not only a lot more mature than his father; but also a far cry from being a cliché. I could say the same for Hope Davis' portrayal of Max's aunt Debra. Gatins could have easily written her character as a prim and cold-eye parental figure that would drive Max to his father's arms. But Davis had the good luck to portray a warm and intelligent woman, whose desire to raise Max had more to do with love than cold responsibility to a blood relative. Evangeline Lilly had come a long way from her first season on "LOST", seven years ago. I have never viewed her as a terrible actress. But I found her acting skills rather mediocre. Like I said, she has come a long way. Her performance in "REAL STEEL" made it apparent that she has become a solid and competent actress. In fact, I found her portrayal of Charlie's childhood friend and potential love interest, Bailey Tallet, to be a breath of fresh air. Her Bailey was frank, emotional, witty and not tainted by any clichés.

But in the end, neither the performances of Goyo, Hope, and Lilly; along with Fiore's photography could save "REAL STEEL". At least not for me. The movie did turn out to be a hit. And a good number of critics actually enjoyed the film. The problem for me was that I found it difficult to share their opinions. Who knows? Perhaps one day I might change my mind.

"Breath of the Undead" [PG-13] - 7/15

2011-12-07T19:32:00.000-08:00

"BREATH OF THE UNDEAD"

Chapter Seven

The young man's voice babbled on and on, while Cole did his level best to patiently listen. "Look, I'm sorry Alonzo but the answer is no. I cannot extend you any money at this time. Not until it's time for your next check. You know the terms of your trust fund."

"But this is an emergency!" Mark Giovanni's son protested.

Cole sighed. "It's always an emergency with you, Alonzo. I'm sorry, but the answer is no. Look, if you need money that badly, why don't you ask your . . " The line went dead. Cole glared at the receiver and hung up. Spoiled little bastard, he thought bitterly.

"Congratulations."

The half-daemon glanced up and found Veronica Altman standing in his doorway. "Huh? What are you talking about?"

The chestnut-haired woman strode into the office and sat down opposite Cole. "Feldman had just told me the news. You've landed the Macmillan case."

Cole realized that Veronica spoke of his new client, a young Palo Alto socialite named Holly Macmillan. She had been charged with the murder of her much older husband, a wealthy entrepreneur named Tobias Macmillan. "What's to congratulate me about? I didn't ask for the case and everyone thinks she's guilty."

"So what? At least you have a challenging case," Veronica replied. "And guilty or not, the Macmillans are important clients of the firm. If you win this one, the Old Boys will probably make you a partner by the end of the year."

His gaze now focused upon his colleague, Cole quietly asked, "And if I lose?"

Veronica merely responded with a shrug. Then she added, "Didn't Mike Bowers first have this case?"

"Yeah, but he managed to drop out, citing health issues." Cole leaned back into his chair and sighed. "I think he came to the conclusion that Mrs. Macmillan was guilty and lied to the partners to get out of it. Didn't exactly make Jackson or Kline very happy." He paused, as something occurred to him. "Um, do you know the name of the junior associate that was working for Bowers? Kline had mentioned something about one."

Nodding, Veronica answered, "A second year named Janet Hui. She's . . ."

"I think I've met her," Cole said, interrupting. "Yesterday. It turns out that she's an old friend of my brother-in-law's. The younger one."

Veronica frowned. "Wait a minute. Isn't that the one who's now dating your former . . . um, sister-in-law?"

"You mean Paige."

Shaking her head, Veronica quipped, "Don't you find it a tad bizarre that your present brother-in-law is now dating your ex-sister-in-law?"

Cole merely smiled and summoned his assistant. "Eleanor, could you get hold of a junior associate named Janet Hui for me? Thank you."

Minutes passed while Cole and Veronica discussed the current office gossip. Then Eleanor returned his call. "I'm sorry Mr. Turner, but according to Ms. Hui's assistant, she's not in the office, today. Would you like her home phone number?"

Cole sighed. "Yes. Thank you, Eleanor." Then he changed his mind. "No, wait a minute. Ask Ms. Hui's assistant . . ."

"Carl," Eleanor added.

"Yes. Ask him if he could find any files on the Holly Macmillan case in Ms. Hui's office."

The phone line went silent again. Veronica stood up. "I better get going. I have a meeting with a client in . . ." she glanced at her watch, ". . . forty minutes or so. I'll catch you later." She bid Cole good-bye and started toward the door. As she left the office, Eleanor entered at the same time.

Cole stared at his assistant. "Was . . . um, Carl able to find the files?"

"I'm sorry Mr. Turner, but according to him, Ms. Hui had taken her copy of the Macmillan files home with her." Eleanor paused, as she held up a slip of paper. "But I did managed to get her address. If you want it."

Another sigh left Cole's mouth. "Her address will be fine." The assistant strode forward and handed over the slip of paper to Cole. "Thank you, Eleanor." Once alone, Cole sighed for the last time. He had hoped to leave work an hour early in order to begin preparation of tonight's dinner - to celebrate his and Olivia's one-month wedding anniversary. It looked as if a quick trip to Janet Hui's home had nipped his plans in the bud.

-----------

The four police inspectors and the forensics expert filed into Darryl's office. Both Olivia and Debbie Hui eased into empty chairs, while the other three detectives remained standing. "So, Debbie," Darryl began, "is there anything we should know about the body found this morning?"

Debbie shook her head in disbelief. "This is getting unreal. Like Kenneth Jai and Bernard Remar, it seems that this . . ."

"Jan Alamdar," Olivia added.

"Thanks," Debbie murmured. "It seems that this Jan Alamdar had died the same way - collapsed lungs. Both of them. And the puncture marks found on his chest weren't responsible. Sudden loss of oxygen. I also found bruise marks on both of his forearms, caused by large fingernails. Or claws."

Both Marcus and Carlotta stared at the pathologist. "What the hell was he doing on Ronald Wong's driveway?" Marcus demanded.

Debbie glared at him. "How the hell would I know? That's your job." She returned her attention to Darryl. "By the way, blood was found on Mr. Wong and Ms. Hui's driveway. And it didn't belong to this Jan Alamdar."

"Maybe it belonged to Ronald Wong," Carlotta suggested. "Maybe Mr. Alamdar had witnessed Wong being attacked or something . . . and was killed himself."

Marcus protested, "But why leave Alamdar's body behind, and not Wong's?"

Carlotta grunted slightly. "I don't know. This case has been strange from the beginning, if you ask me. I think it's more suited for THE X-FILES." She paused and glanced at the others. "Or maybe that crazy old man was right about this being the work of a vampire."

"C'mon!" Marcus exclaimed. Everyone stared at him. "You can't honestly believe that! Do you? Besides, vampires are blood suckers. Their fangs leave two holes on the necks of their victims. I don't recall any of our victims being 'bitten'."

Debbie retorted, "That old man had claimed that Jai was bitten by a chiang shi. A Chinese vampire. A chiang shi doesn't suck the blood of its victims. It sucks the air. Which could explain the collapsed lungs. Right Scott?"

Scott started to open his mouth, but Darryl intervened before the conversation could spiral out of control. "Right now, we have a pretty wild story for McPherson. Let's just keep investigating, until we can find something that makes sense. Something tells me that either Ronald Wong is responsible for the three bodies, or that he might just end up being body number four." He nodded at the pathologist. "Thanks for the info, Debbie. And that's all, everyone."

Everyone else began to file out of his office. Darryl asked Olivia and Scott to wait before they could leave. They sat down. "Okay, you two," he continued. "What do you think is really going on?"

Olivia and Scott exchanged glances. The latter began, "I don't know. I mean, I can understand if the chiang shi had killed Alamdar. But what happened to Wong? He's missing. His car is in the driveway. I just don't know."

"It's possible that Wong is now a chiang shi," Olivia stated. The two men stared at her. "How else can you explain the fact that he's gone and Alamdar was found dead on his drive?"

Confused, Darryl asked, "You mean to say that this . . . chiang shi may have turned Wong into the vampire?"

Scott shook his head. "A chiang shi doesn't turn his or her victim into another vampire. Not like the European vampires."

Olivia continued, "Let me put it this way. The Chinese - and West Africans, by the way - believe that each person has two souls, a superior or rational soul and an inferior or irrational soul. The superior soul could leave a sleeping body and appear as the body's double as it roamed about. It could also possess and speak through the body of another. Now, the inferior soul, or the po . . ."

". . . or p'ai," Scott added.

Olivia nodded. "Right. Well, the po often lingers in the bodies of the dead. Many believe that it can preserve the corpse. If the p'ai was strong enough, it could preserve and inhabit a corpse for a length of time, using the body to serve its needs. Once the dead body becomes animated by the p'ai, it becomes a chiang shi. Chances are that Ronald Wong had died a violent death and became one."

A horrifying thought came to Darryl. "In other words, we might have two of these Chinese vampires roaming the city." He leaned back into his chair and sighed. "Man, I don't know what to say to McPherson about this. I don't know. Maybe we should just do as you had suggested, Livy. Tell him everything. Especially since Debbie seems to believe in this chiang shi." He shook his head in disbelief. "I'm only surprised that she does."

"I'm not," Scott said. "I think you'd be surprised at how many people believe in the supernatural. They just don't want to admit it, because they fear that such beliefs might make them seem crazy. I mean, if people really didn't believe in the supernatural, shows like "IN SEARCH OF" would have died before the end of its first season."

Darryl rubbed both of his temples. "Well, it looks as if we're in for another night of vamp hunting."

Olivia stood up. "I'll give Paige and Piper a call." And another sigh left Darryl's mouth.

------------

Paige parked her lime-green Volkswagen Bug behind Harry's Mazda. The cell phone on the passenger seat rang. Paige answered it. "Hello?"

"It's me, Piper," her older sister replied. "I got your message. How long are you going to be there?"

With an automatic shrug of her shoulders, Paige replied, "I don't know. Until later tonight, I supposed. Harry's been with Janet since this morning."

A long pause followed before Piper spoke. "All day?"

"It's nothing, Piper!" Paige's voice hardened at her sister's unspoken suggestion. "Harry and Janet are friends . . . and nothing else. I saw how she was with her boyfriend, two nights ago. Trust me."

Piper said, "If you say so. I just find it odd that a woman would contact an ex-boyfriend she hasn't seen in years, after her own boyfriend turns up missing."

"If that ex-boyfriend happens to be the brother of a cop, I'd call him too," Paige retorted.

A sigh left Piper's mouth. "Sorry. I should have known." She paused. "By the way, I just got a call from Olivia. She, Darryl, Scott and Cole might end up hunting for that chiang shi, tonight."

"You go ahead and join them," Paige said. "I'll just stay with Harry and Janet."

Again, Piper paused. "Okay," she finally said. "If you say so. I'll see you later. Bye." The older woman hung up, as Paige disconnected her cell phone. Minutes later, the youngest Charmed One climbed the small stoop that led to the manor's porch. Just as she reached out to ring the doorbell, a familiar sensation tingled the back of her neck. It could only mean one thing - danger. Paige turned around and allowed her eyes to scan the semi-dark street. Nothing. So, she went ahead and rang the bell.

A few minutes passed before the front door swung open, revealing a slightly disappointed Janet Hui. "Hi," she greeted the Charmed One. "Glad you could make it." She did not seem glad, but Paige refrained from saying so. She simply returned the other woman's greeting.

"I gather the police haven't found Ron, yet," Paige commented after entering the house.

Janet shook her head. "No, not yet. Harry's been forcing me to drink chamomile tea all day long. I'm surprised I haven't zonked out, yet." She led Paige toward the living room. "By the way, someone else you know is here."

That "someone" turned out to be Cole. Paige greeted her former brother-in-law with surprise. "What are you doing here? Did Harry . . .?"

"I came here to see Ms. Hui," Cole explained. "Regarding work."

"Oh? Like what?" Paige asked without thinking. Cole responded with a questioning stare. "Oh. Sorry. Didn't mean to be nosy."

Harry asked, "By the way, Cole, have you heard anything from Olivia about Ron? Or the guy I had found in the driveway?"

Cole shook his head. "Sorry, but I haven't heard from Olivia all day. I could get her . . ." He paused and cocked his head upward - as if had sensed something.

At the same time, Paige felt a similar sensation that she had experienced on Janet's front porch. It happened to be the same tingling sensation at the back of her neck. She stared at Cole. "Did you just sense . . .?"

The doorbell rang. Janet stood up and started toward the front door. "Maybe that's Olivia." She disappeared into the foyer. Seconds passed before Paige overheard Janet's voice cry out, "Ron? Ron! Where have you been?"

A frown appeared on Harry's face. "Wait a minute!" he exclaimed. "I don't think . . ." He rushed after his friend. Paige and Cole quickly followed. "Janet! Get away from . . ."

A scream filled Paige's ears. When she, Harry and Cole reached the foyer, they found Janet's body sprawled on the floor. Ronald Wong . . . or someone in a red Chinese silk robe that bore a strong resemblance knelt over her. Paige noticed the green tinge on his pale skin, along with his long, claw-like fingernails. "Oh my God!" she cried out in shock. "What happened to . . .?"

Then a second figure dressed in a similar Chinese robe appeared in the doorway. He opened his mouth, and a strong gust of wind sent Paige, Harry and Cole flying toward a bare wall. Ron, or whatever he happened to be, lifted Janet into his arms. Paige cried out, "Janet!" and the other woman beamed out of her boyfriend's grasp and onto the living room sofa.

Ron glared at the trio and joined his companion in the doorway. Cole hurled two fireballs at the creatures. But they both leapt upward and out of view . . . before Cole's fire could inflict any damage.

END OF CHAPTER SEVEN

"STAR TREK VOYAGER" RETROSPECT: (3.26-4.01) "Scorpion"

2011-12-06T19:41:00.000-08:00

"STAR TREK VOYAGER" RETROSPECT: (3.26-4.01) "Scorpion"

After three seasons, the series "STAR TREK VOYAGER" entered into a new era with the two-part episode, (3.26-4.01) "Scorpion". In "Scorpion", the crew of the U.S.S. Voyager finally reaches Borg space after three seasons - an event that would serve as a turning point for the series.

Aired at the end of Season Three and the beginning of Season Four, "Scorpion" finds the Voyager entering Borg space. To the crew's surprise, they discover that the Borg is engaged in a major conflict with another alien race called Species 8472. An even more discovery awaits when Captain Kathryn Janeway and her crew learn that the Borg is losing its war with Species 8472. But when the crew's Ocampa nurse, Kes, receives hostile telepathic messages from Species 8472 and when Operation Officer Ensign Harry Kim has an encounter with a member of Species 8472 that nearly costs him his life, Janeway decides that the only way for Voyager to survive this new conflict is to form an alliance with the Borg that would guarantee the ship's safe passage through Borg space.

Written by Brannon Braga and Joe Menosky, and directed by David Livingston ("Part I") and Winrich Kolbe ("Part II"); "Scorpion" turned out to be an excellent story that is regarded as the best two-part episode in the entire series by TREK fans. Personally, I do not share this particular opinion. But I must admit that it was first-rate. As I had stated earlier, "Scorpion" served as a turning point for "STAR TREK VOYAGER". First of all, the episode featured Voyager's first encounter with Species 8472. The episode - at least "Part II" introduced new crewmember, Seven-of-Nine aka Annika Hansen. Consequences from Janeway's alliance with the Borg not left her with a new crewmember, but would end up having consequences in future episodes such as (4.16) "Prey", (4.26) "Hope and Fear", (5.04) "In the Flesh" and (5.15-5.16) "Dark Frontier".

The emotional consequences of "Scorpion" was also well-handled by the screenwriters and the directors. One thing, the episode revealed that aside from the "Q" Continuum, a race more powerful than the Borg existed in "TREK" universe. Many fans saw the weakening of the Borg in the following "VOYAGER" episodes as something to mourn. I find this opinion amazing, considering that an episode highly popular with the fans, would prove to provide the first real sign of weakness with in the Borg. I had no problem with the gradual weakening of the Borg. If the Borg had remained the near unbeatable nemesis first introduced in "STAR TREK NEXT GENERATION", their story arc would have remained stuck in perpetual stagnation. And it only seemed proper that the Borg's gradual decline would occur on "VOYAGER", considering that the series was set in the Delta Quadrant, their base of operation. There were other aspects of "Scorpion" that I found admirable - namely Jeffrey Baxter and Dick Brownfield's special effects, along with Marvin V. Rush's cinematography that greatly enhanced the sequences featuring the Borg's confrontations with Species 8472.

"Scorpion" also revealed that the Janeway/Chakotay command team had yet to be fully been realized by the end of Season Three. When I first saw this episode, it amazed me that the Captain and her First Officer had failed to perfect a command style, after three years in the Delta Quadrant. Now I realized that I should not have been surprised. Janeway and Chakotay spent the first two seasons trying to merge the Starfleet and Maquis factions of the ship's crew. Once the two factions learned to regard themselves as one crew , both Janeway and Chakotay spent all of Season Three congratulating themselves for achieving this fusion and ignoring the fact that they had yet learned to create a stable command team. They only had one misstep during Season Three - namely Chakotay's experiences with a colony of former Borg drones in (3.17) "Unity". Seasons One and Two served as Janeway and Chakotay's attempts to fuse Voyager's two factions into one. Season Three served as their honeymoon. But during Seasons Four and Five - starting with "Scorpion" - the two senior officers were finally forced to confront each other's personality quirks and form a solid command team.

Both Captain Janeway and Commander Chakotay made serious mistakes in "Scorpion". Janeway blindly refused to accept Chakotay's warnings about the Borg, believing that her position as Captain made her supremely right. She also allowed her disappointment in Chakotay's doubts to blind her and take his criticisms personally. As for Chakotay, he allowed his past experiences with the former Borg drones in "Unity" to disobey Janeway and literally make a mess of the alliance she had formed with the Borg. It is possible that in this episode, he made a lousy First Officer, because he had yet to recover from no longer being the Captain of his old Maquis starship. Now, I do not expect the First Officer to follow his/her captain blindly. It might make for great screen chemistry, but in reality, I cannot help thinking that would be a dangerous situation. Imagine how the crew of the "U.S.S. Caine" would have fared if Van Johnson had blindly followed Bogart in 1954's "THE CAINE MUTINY". Or how would the U.S.S. Enterprise-E have fared if Doctor Beverly Crusher, Lieutenant-Commander Worf and Lily Sloane had allowed Picard to continue his obsession against the Borg in 1996's "STAR TREK: FIRST CONTACT". I cannot help but feel that this conflict between Janeway and Chakotay should have been experienced by their first or second year together as Captain and First Officer. Not after three years. But unusual circumstances - namely their efforts to fuse the Starfleet and Maquis factions - prevented this.

Before I end this article, I have to comment on the acting featured in this episode. The supporting cast gave their usual solid performances - especially Tim Russ as Lieutenant Tuvok, Garrett Wang as Harry Kim, Jennifer Lien as Kes and Robert Picardo as the Doctor. But the truly outstanding performances came from three people - Kate Mulgrew, Robert Beltran and Jeri Ryan. The latter would prove to be an interesting addition to the "VOYAGER" cast as the ambiguous soon-to-be former drone, Seven-of-Nine. Beltran, who has always been belittled by "TREK" fans as a wooden performer, was far from wooden as a doubtful and paranoid Chakotay. Kate Mulgrew gave an equally first-rate performance as always complex and interesting Kathryn Janeway.

In a way, I can see why "Scorpion" is regarded by many "VOYAGER" fans as the high mark of the series. It is a well-written episode that steered the series into a new direction. But there are other two-part episodes that are bigger favorites of mine. I would not regard "Scorpion" as the high mark of "VOYAGER", but perhaps as one of the series' high marks.

"J. EDGAR" (2011) Photo Gallery

2011-12-05T22:22:00.000-08:00

Below are images of Clint Eastwood's new biopic about F.B.I. director, J. Edgar Hoover. The movie stars Leonardo Di Caprio:

"J. EDGAR" (2011) Photo Gallery

"HALLOWE'EN PARTY" (2010) Review

2011-12-04T19:21:00.000-08:00

"HALLOWE'EN PARTY" (2010) Review

Many years have passed since I last read Agatha Christie's 1969 novel, "Hallowe'en Party". Although it is not considered one of Christie's better novels, the story possessed a style that struck me as rich and atmospheric. I never forgot it. So, when I learned about ITV's 2010 adaptation of the novel, I could not wait to see it.

Directed by Charles Palmer and adapted by actor Mark Gatiss (who appeared in 2008's "APPOINTMENT WITH DEATH"), "HALLOWE'EN PARTY" begins with mystery author Adrianne Oliver visiting a friend named Judith Butler in the small village of Woodleigh Common. Because Mrs. Butler has a young daughter named Melinda, the two women accompany her to a children's Halloween party being held at the home of a widow named Rowena Drake. A young girl named Joyce Reynolds announce that she had once witnessed a murder. Everyone assumes she is lying. A few hours later, Joyce is found drowned in a tub filled with water and bobbing apples. Determined to learn the identity of Joyce's murder, Mrs. Oliver summons another friend, Belgian-born detective to Woodleigh Commons to solve the murder. During his investigation of Joyce's murder, Poirot uncovers a series of murders, mysterious deaths and disappearances that the thirteen year-old girl may have witnessed.

I might as well be perfectly frank. I do not consider "HALLOWE'EN PARTY" to be one of the better written Christie adaptations I have seen. Ironically, the fault does not lay with screenwriter Mark Gatiss. I believe he did the best he could with the material given to him. But I believe that Christie's 1969 novel was not one of her better works. I will be even franker. "HALLOWE'EN PARTY" nearly worked as a mystery. But looking back on it, I realized that it was one of those mysteries that I found easy to solve. Poirot's investigation into past murders, suspicious deaths and disappearances at Woodleigh Common made the story somewhat easy to solve. Even worse, the murderer was nearly revealed some ten minutes before Poirot revealed his solution to the case. Like 2008's "APPOINTMENT WITH DEATH" and 2010's "MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS", "HALLOWE'EN PARTY" also touched on the subject of religion. Thankfully, Gatiss managed to keep the subject of religion on a subtle level - including the topic of paganism.

"Hallowe'en Party" was published in 1969 and heavily reflected the late 1960s. I cannot deny that this television adaptation looked very handsome, thanks to Jeff Tessler's production designs, Cinders Forshaw's photography and Sheena Napier's costume designs. All three did an exceptional job of transporting viewers to a small English village in the late 1930s and capturing the mysterious atmosphere of Halloween. I only have two complaints about this. Despite the first-rate 1930s setting, I wish that the movie had been given the novel's original late 1960s setting. I believe this story was more suited for this particular setting. Also, I wish that both Palmer and Gatiss had not included sounds of children chanting "Snap, Snap, Snap", whenever a lone character seemed to be in a threatening situation. These chants brought back annoying memories of a handful of old "POIROT" movies from the 1990s that featured titles from nursery rhymes.

The saving grace of "HALLOWE'EN PARTY" proved to be the cast. David Suchet was in top form as Belgian detective Hercule Poirot. I found his portrayal subtle, humorous and intelligent. Frankly, I consider his performance to be one of his better efforts in the past three or four years. Many "POIROT" fans have bemoaned the lack of Hugh Fraser as Arthur Hastings during the past decade. As much as I had enjoyed Fraser's portrayal, I did not miss him that much, thanks to Zoë Wanamaker's portrayal of Adrianne Oliver, a mystery author who became one of Poirot's closest friends. I have already seen Wanamaker's previous takes on the Adrianne Oliver character in other "POIROT" episodes. She was marvelous in those episodes and I can say the same about her performance in this one. Also, she and Suchet made a surprisingly effective and humorous screen team.

The supporting cast featured interesting performances from acting veterans. There was Timothy West, whose portrayal of Woodleigh Commons' vicar, struck me as wonderfully subtle and complex. Eric Sykes, whom I remembered from the "DARING YOUNG MEN" movies of the 1960s, was in fine form as the elderly solicitor Mr. Fullerton. Fenella Woolgar made a poignant Elizabeth Whittaker, a local schoolteacher who continued to mourn the death of a potential lover. Sophie Thompson gave an interesting, yet slightly melodramatic performance as the religious mother of the dead Joyce, Mrs. Reynolds. I must say that I was surprised that Julian Rhind-Tutt managed to keep it together and prevent his portrayal of landscape gardener, Michael Garfield, from becoming hammy. Mind you, Rhind-Tutt has been more than capable of giving a subtle performance in other productions. But Michael Garfield is somewhat of a showy character. The movie also benefitted from solid performances from the likes of Amelia Bullmore, Phyllida Law, Mary Higgins, Ian Hallard and Georgia King. However, I believe that Deborah Findlay gave the best performance in the movie, aside from Suchet and Wanamaker. She was subtle, yet superb as the ladylike, yet pushy widow Rowena Drake, whose home served as the setting for the opening murder.

I would not consider "HALLOWE'EN PARTY" to be one of the better Christie stories. As I had stated earlier, I believe its main flaws originated from the author's 1969 novel. However, both director Charles Palmer and screenwriter Mark Gatiss did the best they could. Their efforts were not able to overcome Christie's narrative flaws. But I believe they still managed to provide television audiences with an entertaining and atmospheric story, with the help of a first-rate cast led by David Suchet.

"Breath of the Undead" [PG-13] - 6/15

2011-12-02T20:36:00.000-08:00

"BREATH OF THE UNDEAD"

Chapter Six

The two sisters orbed in the middle of one of Golden Gate Park's pathways. Paige tightly clutched a large wooden stake. Piper, on the other hand, held a large cross in one hand and a bottle of holy water - blessed by her - in the other.

Paige frowned at the objects in her sister's hands. "Holy water and a cross? Piper, we're not after Dracula. We're after a Chinese vampire. Remember?"

"Chinese, Romanian . . . what's the difference?" Piper mumbled.

With a gust of breath, Paige retorted, "The difference is that you can't vanquish a Chinese vampire with holy water and a cross. Didn't you read that article I had downloaded from the Internet and printed for you?"

Piper sighed. "I didn't have time," she retorted irritably. The snap from a broken twig broke the silence that surrounded the pair. Piper glanced nervously over her shoulder. "What was that?"

Paige's eyes cautiously scanned the area. "I don't know. But be careful. Our last encounter with vampires wasn't exactly a walk in the . . ." Another twig snapped. "You know, I have this bad feeling that we're being . . ." She spotted a dark figure between the trees. "Piper, look out!"

Before Paige could do anything, the same figure zoomed in from the right and knocked Piper to the ground. Paige immediately recognized the bestial features and yellow eyes of a vampire. Before the creature could sink his teeth into her sister's neck, Paige orbed the stake in her hand, into his back. The vampire disintegrated into a pile of ash.

"Oh God!" Piper cried. "Get it off me!" She sprang to her feet and began to brush the vampire's remains off her jacket and pants. When she finally removed all of the ash, she turned to Paige. "Is it off me?"

Paige examined Piper's clothes. "Yeah, it's all gone. No more . . ." A scream escaped from her mouth before a fist zoomed toward her face and knocked her unconscious.

------------

A few minutes earlier, Cole teleported himself, Olivia and Scott to another one of Golden Gate Park's pathways. The half-daemon glanced around the wooded area, frowning. "Are you sure this is where the chiang shi can be found?"

"Well," Scott replied, "my Uncle Jen-Hsun managed to track down some vampire activity to this area." The couple stared at him. "Using I-Ching. Divination."

Rolling his eyes, Cole sighed. "Oh God," he muttered.

Scott demanded, "What?"

"Divination?"

Olivia heaved an exasperated sigh. "Who cares how Scott's uncle found out about the vampire's location," she retorted. As long as it's . . ." Her cell phone rang. She removed it from her jacket pocket and answered it. "Hello? Oh Darryl." She said to her husband, "He's ready."

"Right." Cole nodded. With a wave of his hand, he teleported Darryl to a spot next to Scott. The police lieutenant weaved slightly on his feet before steadying himself. "Are you okay?"

Darryl blinked momentarily before he nodded. "Yeah, I'm fine."

"First time you've ever been teleported?"

Shaking his head, Darryl replied, "No, not the first time. It's just . . . the sudden change of location, you know? It's hard getting used to."

"Good." Cole handed over a crossbow to his wife's partner. "It's a crossbow, but it allows you six shots without reloading. Very rare and not common here on Earth."

"Thanks." Darryl nodded at the others. "Ready?"

The three humans and the half-daemon proceeded along the path. They had been walking for nearly five minutes when Cole sensed a presence in the trees, above. A demonic presence. He held up one hand. "Wait a minute," he murmured. The others paused. "I think I sense some . . ."

At that moment, a figure dropped from one of the trees and grabbed Olivia by the shoulders. Before Cole could do anything, flames engulfed his wife's attacker, until he became a pile of ash. Then the red-haired witch pointed at her partner. "Darryl! Look out!" The warning came in time. Darryl whirled around and shot an arrow into what looked like a female vampire. She disintegrated into a pile of dust.

More vampires dropped from the trees. Cole incinerated three of them at once. Olivia incinerated one more. Scott used his electro kinesis to decapitate the heads of two vampires, and Darryl shot the last remaining one.

"So much for the chiang shi," Cole grumbled. "Just your standard European vamps. Looks like we had stumbled across a nest."

Scott shrugged his shoulders. "I never said that Uncle Jen was perfect."

"Who?" Darryl demanded.

A woman's scream penetrated the night air. Cole beamed them to the source of the scream. To their amazement, the quartet found Paige sprawled on the ground and the older Halliwell in the grip of a dark-blond vampire.

"Piper, freeze him!" Scott cried.

With fear stamped on her face, Piper merely managed a faint, "Huh?"

"I said . . ." The vampire's exposed fangs hovered above the Charmed One's neck. Panic filled Scott's voice.

Cole moved his hand and both Piper and the vampire froze. Actually, they began to move at a snail's pace. The half-daemon teleported the Charmed One from her captor's grip and placed her next to Scott. Then the vampire's movements returned to normal and he bit into . . . air. Darryl immediately took the opportunity to kill him with the crossbow.

"Oh God," Piper groaned. "That was too damn close. Where's Paige?"

A moan punctuated the night air. Olivia rushed to the younger Charmed One's side and helped the groggy young woman to her feet. "Wha . . . what happened?" Paige asked. A purplish bruise marked her jaw's right side.

Olivia explained, "You must have been knocked out by that vampire. He was about bite Piper, when we showed up. Cole helped Piper escape and Darryl shot him."

Confusion filled Paige's eyes. "Darryl shot a vampire with a gun?"

"With a crossbow," Darryl corrected. "And by the way, what are you two doing here?"

Piper answered, "Obviously the same as you. Looking for that vampire that killed those two men."

"Don't take this personally," Darryl continued, "but this is a police matter and . . ."

". . . and a magical one," Piper finished. "Our territory. You need our help on this one, Darryl."

Darryl regarded the oldest Halliwell with a cool gaze. "Considering that I work with Olivia and Scott, are you sure about that?"

The stunned expressions on Piper and Paige's faces interested Cole. He had never realized until now that Darryl no longer needed the Halliwells' help regarding all supernatural matters. Especially since he now worked with two magic practitioners - Olivia and Scott. It seemed that the Charmed Ones had finally become obsolete for Darryl. But Cole felt certain that the sisters would still require his help sometime in the future.

Olivia's next words eased the tension between her partner and the two sisters. "I don't know, Darryl. So far, we haven't had much luck in tracking down this chiang shi. Perhaps a little extra help wouldn't hurt." Both Piper and Paige regarded her with grateful eyes.

A sigh left Darryl's mouth. "All right. I guess you have a point. But ladies, please remember that this is a police matter. So, don't go half cock around town trying to track this thing. If you have any idea where this chiang shi might be, please let me, Olivia or Scott know. Okay?"

Piper's eyes blinked momentarily, while Paige's remained wide in shock. "Yeah," the older sister murmured. "Uh . . . yeah, we understand."

"Good." Darryl nodded crisply. Then he glanced at his watch. "It's getting late. I guess we all should be getting home. Maybe we'll have better luck, tomorrow night."

Cole exchanged a brief glance with Olivia. Her eyes reflected his own thoughts - a new era has dawned between Darryl and the Charmed Ones. Or perhaps this new era had already existed . . . and no one knew until this night.

-----------

The sound of a telephone ringing penetrated Harry's deep sleep. He mumbled a few incoherent sounds and shifted his body before covering his head with one of his pillows. The ringing continued. Realizing that he was fully awake, a reluctant Harry sprung into a sitting position. With a groan, he reached over for the cell phone on his nightstand. "Hello?" he murmured.

"Harry? Oh God! I need your help!" The agitated voice belonged to Janet Hui.

Now fully alert, Harry glanced at the nightstand's clock. It read six thirty-eight in the morning. "Janet? Is there something wrong?"

"It's Ron!" his former girlfriend cried. "He hasn't returned home, yet. I think he's missing!"

Harry sighed. "Maybe he had left for work, early."

Janet shot back, "He's been missing since last night, Harry. Ron is usually home by seven or seven-thirty. He hasn't been home ALL NIGHT! Something's happened. Could you . . ." Janet hesitated. "Could you get hold of your sister for me? Maybe she can find Ron."

Another sigh left Harry's mouth. He had planned to finish a special project before going to the office. But since Janet needed his help . . . "Look, I'll be over within an hour. And then we'll call Olivia. Okay?"

Janet heaved a relieved sigh. "Okay. Thanks Harry."

"No problem. I'll see you soon." The two friends hung up.

----------

It took Harry at least twenty-five minutes to shower and get dressed. Before he could reach the front door, Davies accosted him. "Mr. Harry? You're leaving now?"

"Uh, yeah. I'm meeting someone, Davies. An emergency."

The Welsh-born manservant frowned. "What about breakfast?"

Harry bit back a sigh. Davies could be such a worrywart, at times. "I'll get something along the way." Disapproval crept into the manservant's eyes. "Don't worry. I won't stop at McDonald's or anything like that." Before Davies could respond, Harry bid him good-bye and rushed out of the house.

Another twenty-eight minutes passed before his silver-blue Mazda MPV arrived at Janet's Outer Richmond home. He parked his car several feet away from her house. As he made his way toward the driveway, Harry spotted a figure sprawled on the ground, faced down. Fearing that the body might belong to Ronald Wong, Harry used his foot to turn it over.

To his relief, the body did not turn out to be Ronald. But Harry could not help but wonder over the stranger's true identity.

------------

The judge's assistant poked his head into the former's private chambers. "Pardon me, your Honor?"

Bourgh glanced up. "Everyone is ready?" he asked.

Ross hesitated. "Uh, well sir . . . Someone is missing."

Hope and fear mingled beneath Bourgh's chest, as he held his breath. "Really?" He stood up and donned his robes. Could it be? "Who's missing?"

"I think it might be one of the prosecu . . ." Ross began, but Bourgh had already brushed past him.

The judge made his way into the courtroom and a heavy silence ensued. He glanced at the defense table. The defendant, Curt Becker, and his attorney, Dean Corbin, wore smug expressions. He glanced at the prosecutor's table and noticed that only two of the prosecutors seemed to be present. Both John Reyes and Belinda Gilbert wore anxious expressions on their faces.

A sigh left Bourgh's mouth as he sat down. Then he faced the prosecution's table. "I understand that someone is missing."

John Reyes stood up. His thin face expressed concern for his missing colleague . . . and suspicion toward the defense team. "Yes, your Honor. One of my prosecutors, Ronald Wong, has failed to appear in court. I've called his home, but apparently he's missing."

"Missing?" Bourgh inhaled sharply. Missing? Ronald Wong was supposed to be dead. He was supposed to be found dead. How could he be missing? The judge collected himself and took a deep breath. "I see," he replied, expressing official concern. Then he added, "Are you prepare to continue with the case?"

The two prosecutors exchanged uneasy looks. Bourgh almost felt sorry for them. "I'm afraid not, your Honor," Reyes replied. "Not at this time." Triumph flashed in young Decker and Corbin's eyes. "Mr. Wong's lack of presence is detrimental to our prosecution of this case. And until we can learn of his whereabouts, I move that we postpone the trial until further notice."

Becker's attorney sprung to his feet. "Your Honor, I move that you declare a mistrial, considering that Mr. Reyes obviously does not have enough evidence to convict my client."

"I never said that!" Reyes retorted. "I'm only concerned about the whereabouts of Mr. Wong. And in light of his disappearance . . ."

Bourgh slammed down his mallet several times. "Enough!" He turned to the defense attorney. "Mr. Corbin, your motion for a mistrial is denied." The defense attorney's triumph crumbled. "As Mr. Reyes had pointed out, he is concerned over Mr. Wong's disappearance and not any lack of evidence. Therefore, this trial will be delayed until further notice. Court adjourned." He banged his mallet one more time and quickly left the courtroom.

Once inside the privacy of his chambers, Bourgh whipped out his cell phone and dialed a number. Seconds later, a voice answered, "Cedric Lloyd."

"Lloyd? This is Bourgh," the judge shot back. "I just heard about Ronald Wong."

Sounding pleased with himself, Lloyd replied, "Well, I see that you're ready to cooperate with my client."

"Not quite!" Bourgh retorted. "According to John Reyes, Wong is 'missing', not 'dead'. No body has been found."

"What?" Shock reverberated in Lloyd's voice. "How . . .?"

Bourgh interrupted, "All I know is that Wong is missing. Now, until he is reported dead, the deal is off. Good day, Mr. Lloyd!" He disconnected the line, before the other man could respond.

-----------

Later that morning saw Olivia and Darryl standing over a corpse sprawled on Janet Hui and Ronald Wong's driveway. "According to the I.D. found in his wallet, his name is Jan Alamdar," Olivia commented. "He lives in the tan house just several yards away."

"I'm curious," Darryl said, "why are we involved in this particular case?"

After taking a deep breath, Olivia explained about the telephone call she had received from her younger brother. She also learned that Janet Hui's live-in boyfriend had disappeared, last night. "With a vampire on the loose . . ." she began.

"You mean more than one, don't you?" Darryl hinted.

Olivia sighed. "Yes. More than one. Anyway, with our favorite bloodsuckers on the loose, I thought it would be prudent that as members of a special investigative unit, we would get first dibs on this body. As it turned out, puncture wounds were found on his chest, but no slash marks."

"Are these wounds similar to the ones found on Jai and Remar?" Darryl asked.

"Yep."

Darryl turned to one of their colleagues. "Hey Marcus? Have this sent over to Forensics, so that Debbie Liu can take a look at it." He returned his attention to Olivia. "What about relatives? Did Mr. Alamdar have any?"

Olivia shook her head. "As far as we know, he lived alone. He's a financial consultant for a firm, here in San Francisco."

"Hmmm. Let's go inside." He and Olivia entered the two-story manor, where they found Harry trying to console a very anxious Janet Hui.

The moment Janet had spotted the two police officers she sprung to her feet. "Who was that in my driveway?" she demanded. "And what about Ron?"

Darryl calmly replied, "The man in your driveway was a neighbor - one Jan Alamdar." The younger woman gasped. "As for Mr. Wong, he has yet to be found. Normally, a person isn't declared missing until after 24 hours. But considering the circumstances - Mr. Alamdar's body and the presence of Mr. Wong's car in the driveway - we'll put out an A.P.B. on him."

"A.P.B.?" Janet frowned. "All Points Bulletin? Are you . . . are you hinting that Ron is a killer?"

Harry stood up and placed a reassuring hand on Janet's shoulder. "C'mon Jan. You know they don't think that. It's just the fastest way for them to find him."

Nodding, Olivia added, "Harry's right. As soon as Mr. Wong is found, we'll let you know. Meanwhile, perhaps you should stay home for a day or two. Just in case we have more news about . . . Ron."

"Yeah. Okay." Janet turned to Harry with pleading eyes. "Do you mind hanging around for a while?"

Both Olivia and Darryl exchanged wary looks, while Harry replied, "Sure. Mind if Paige joins us, later?"

Janet nodded. "That would be great."

Then Harry shot a cool glance at Olivia. She heard his voice in her mind retort, "Get your mind out of the gutter, Sis. It's not like that between Janet and me."

Olivia responded with a smile.

----------------

The intercom buzzed. Keir Larson glanced up from a pile of papers on his desk and stared at it. The intercom buzzed for the second time. He finally answered it. "Yes?"

"Sorry to interrupt, Mr. Larson," his assistant replied. Larson owned a small private security firm in San Mateo, a suburb of San Francisco. He sometimes used it to hide his murderous activities. The assistant continued, "There is a James Bishop on Line 280."

The warlock sat up straight. He immediately recognized the alias that the daemon, Prax, used in the mortal world. "Thanks Greg." Then he picked up the line. "Mr. Bishop," he greeted in a cool voice. "How may I help you?"

Prax's voice answered, "I'm calling in regard to your assignment, Mr. Larson. Is it completed?"

Larson relaxed. This happened to be one question he could answer with certainty. "Yes, Mr. Bishop. It has been . . . completed. I assure you."

"Then why has there been no report of Mr. Wong's death?"

The question threw Larson into a loop. "I beg your pardon?"

After a moment's hesitation, Prax continued, "There has been no report of Mr. Wong's death, Mr. Larson. My people have checked with the media and the local law enforcement." Before Larson could reply, the daemon added, "May I remind you that I had given instructions for you to make sure that his body would be found? And that it would look like a murder committed by a mortal?"

"Which is what I did!" Larson insisted. "In fact, I left his body on the driveway. Someone should have found it."

Prax shot back, "No one did, Mr. Larson. As far as we know, he has been reported missing . . . and nothing else. I suggest that you look into the matter. If it turns out that Mr. Wong is still alive . . . we'll deal with the situation, ourselves. And you might consider returning our retainer." The line went dead.

Stunned, Larson slowly hung up. Somehow, Ronald Wong's body had disappeared. Did this mean that the young attorney might still be alive? And wounded? For the sake of his own well-being, Larson hoped not.

END OF CHAPTER SIX

Understanding "BABYLON FIVE" (4.06) "Into the Fire"

2011-11-30T17:19:00.000-08:00

UNDERSTANDING "BABYLON FIVE" (4.06) "INTO THE FIRE"

I have seen the Season Four episode, (4.06) "Into the Fire" on numerous occasions, since I first started watching "BABYLON 5" some thirteen years ago.

My opinion of "Into the Fire" had always been somewhat lukewarm in the past. When I first saw it, I assumed it would be another episode that featured a large-scale battle - similar to episodes like (1.13) "Signs and Portents", (3.10) "Severed Dreams" and (4.15) "No Surrender, No Retreat". There were battle sequences featured in "Into the Fire", but to the extent that I would consider it an action-heavy episode.

Sue me. I was young and stupid in those days. I thought a top-notch "BABYLON FIVE" episode should always consist of a large-scale battle. But I finally saw the light. I finally understood what "Into the Fire" was really about. Well, I take that back. I have always understood since I first saw it. But I was so disappointed by the lack of a real battle that I allowed the message to pass over my head.

But not this time. Anticipating to be bored out of my mind, I finally allowed J. Michael Straczynski's message to filter through. I finally understood and accepted the messages about parental or colonial figures letting go and allowing the young - whether they were individuals or nations to grow in their own ways. And in the end, it brought tears to my eyes. Much to my surprise. Thank you Mr. Straczynski for a first-rate television episode. And please accept my apologies for allowing so many years to pass before finally getting the message.

"TOWER HEIST" (2011) Photo Gallery

2011-11-29T17:57:00.000-08:00

Below are images from the new comedy called "TOWER HEIST". Directed by Brett Ratner, the movie stars Ben Stiller, Eddie Murphy and Alan Alda:

"TOWER HEIST" (2011) Photo Gallery