Eclectic Pop

One Last Suck: True Blood: The return to Bon Temps was an exciting one and the episode that launched the series into its final season, indicated it was firing on all cylinders. The entertaining opener produced a shocking death, a raunchy hook-up and a heartfelt plea from Sookie. The stakes are high for every character on the canvas and they are all tied together by its umbrella of repercussions.

The ensemble has never been so interwoven and it’s working. The best teamwork award would have to go to Bill and Andy, an unexpected duo, whose underlying animosity (at least on Andy’s end) provides a gripping nuance to their dynamic.

Last Sunday, the Daytime community was supposed to be honored at this year’s Daytime Emmy Awards. Even before the event, there was drama leading up to it. Instead of airing on TV, the annual event got streamed online. The first awards show to have the dubious honor.
Unlike other mediums, Daytime onl…

Based on Kate Snell's 2001 book “Diana: Her Last Love,” this film adaptation alleges to depict the late Princess Diana’s clandestine romance with heart surgeon Dr. Hasnat Kahn. Offering a supposed glimpse behind the palace walls, “Diana” interestingly delves into royal isolation and its penetra…

Best New Bet: "Begin Again" John Carney, the director of 2006’s highly acclaimed music film “Once” is returning 7 years later with this similarly themed venture. Keira Knightley stars as a singer-songwriter going through some relationship troubles when she meets a struggling record-label …

One of those movies you have to see just to say you watched it, “Endless Love,” tells the dramatic tale of two lovelorn teenagers and the dangerous obsession that consumes their families. Looking back at Franco Zeffirelli’s 1981 adaptation of Scott Spencer’s novel through the eyes of current standa…

Throne Showdown: Game of Thrones: The season finale had its share of pivotal moments as some major stories finally converged. Stannis met Jon Snow, Brienne found Arya, Bran finally made it to the tree, Cersei came to an agreement with Jamie in regards to their twisted relationship and Tyrion made two shocking moves. The showdowns are what stuck out in this finale, series-long payoffs and the bitter end to characters whose exit will leave unfulfilled holes in the series.

Best New Bet: "The Rover" Set after a cataclysmic event leaves the world without power, "The Rover" finds a man (Guy Pearce) fighting for his one worldly possession after it is stolen by a gang. Caught in the crossfire during the struggle is the brother (Robert Pattinson) of one…

As many of you know there has been some hotly debated casting recently, as there always is in Hollywood. Who will get what role and whether they are even up for grabs in the first place makes for interesting fodder. In this new feature titled Casting Brainstorm, Eclectic Pop offers some suggestions/wishful casting selections for upcoming roles.

For the past 9 weeks, the FX series has kept viewers in suspense wondering what will be the final fate of its characters. They range from a deranged hit man to a hapless guy turned psychopath and finally a determined police officer. All represent a different facet of human nature, they are not easily categorized. In fact, those aforementioned descriptions are only a tidbit, a slight taste of the characters that roam the frozen tundra of “Fargo”.

Backstory: Penny Dreadful: The highly anticipated Vanessa-centric episode finally took place. What an episode it was, grim, graphic and disturbing. It must be said that the mechanism revealed as the culprit for Vanessa’s downward spiral was disappointing because it wasn’t wretched enough to warrant her self-loathing. The upside was the hour’s magnificent display of Eva Green’s talent. Few actors can carry an entire episode on their shoulders and remain as intriguing from beginning to end.

New to the box office are two sequels and two Indies; one a sci-fi effort and the other an attempt to make viewers cry all of the tears they didn’t during “The Fault in Our Stars”.

22 Jump StreetWhat's it's About: Schmidt (Jonah Hill) and Jenko (Channing Tatum) go undercover as college stud…

Seldom does an action film take their protagonist’s character development as seriously as “Edge of Tomorrow” and that is what not only makes it stand out but excel past its peers. Adapted from Hiroshi Sakurazaka’s novel “All You Need Is Kill”, the story finds the world fighting an alien invasion. Cage (Tom Cruise) is an officer who has never been in combat and that all changes when he is deployed for a veritable suicide mission.

Despite having never watched an episode of “Firefly”, its film follow-up “Serenity” was an easily enjoyable, stand-alone product that welcomed new viewers. The film version of "Veronica Mars" cannot say the same. As it should be, this movie was clearly made for its commendably loyal fans and this probably won’t disappoint them.

"Edge of Tomorrow"

Director Doug Liman can often be hit or miss, for example his 1999 film “Go” was a brilliant indie that rightly became a cult hit. While his 2008 sci-fi effort “Jumper” would qualify as a miss. He helmed the monster hit “Mr. and Mrs. Smith” which was light popcorn entertainment and the decent “The Bourne Identity”, a consummate actioner that would give life to a strapping trilogy.

Liman’s latest aligns him with pop culture icon, Tom Cruise and a mother-load of special effects. In a bit reminiscent of 2011’s “Source Code”, Cruise’s character dies and repeatedly comes back to life, acquiring the skills necessary to defeat an alien invasion. "Edge" is an adaptation of the graphic novel "All You Need Is Kill" by Hiroshi Sakurazaka.

Bolstering interest for the film is Cruise’s presence and what appeared from the trailer to be an appealing chemistry with co-star Emily Blunt. Blunt has proven herself in similar sci-fi fantasies. She was the unsung vital component of 2012’s “Looper” and her feisty screen persona could breathe life into Cruise’s string of lackluster on-screen pairings. The special effects while bountiful do appear to be well done. Tom Cruise + Emily Blunt + Sci-Fi Action= Worth a Watch. Click here to Read Eclectic Pop's Review

Poignant in its somber tone and heavy subject matter, “The Fault in Our Stars” shoots for the moon with a twinkling soundtrack and stellar performances. The melancholic plot of John Green’s best-selling novel centers on a teenage girl dying from cancer, amidst her blossoming relationship with a teenage boy in remission.

This provocative sequel picks up ten years after the events of “Flowers in the Attic,” circa the 70’s. Now adults, Cathy (Rose McIver) and Chris (Wyatt Nash) raise teenage Carrie (Bailey Buntain) as all of them attempt to find normalcy after their caretaker has died leaving them his estate. As Chris works on his medical degree, Cathy busies herself with her ballet aspirations. Both eternally damaged from the horrors of the first film, they have developed a co-dependency on one another that has excessively crossed the line.

Lifetime’s adaptation of V.C. Andrew’s cult classic book series embraces all of its source material's glorious camp, while giving it a legitimately dramatic presentation. The story centers on the Dollanganger family. When Dollanganger senior dies, family matriarch Corrine (Heather Graham) formulates a plan to get back into her estranged father’s good graces so that she can inherit the vast family fortune.

Memorial Day Marathon: The Dollangangers: Lifetime gave viewers the treat of a double feature, first airing January’s “Flowers in the Attic” before following it up with the premiere of its sequel "Petals on the Wind" and it didn’t disappoint. The latest installment in the camp-tastic series featured car wrecks, ballerina mayhem & tons of hook-ups.

The fireworks from the guilty pleasure fully committed to its disturbing voyage into the underworld of forbidden lust. Rose McIver gave a wonderful performance as the adult Cathy and was complimented by Heather Graham’s villainous turn as Corrine. Lifetime struck while the iron was hot and lucky for them the result was a sizzling drama.

To read Eclectic Pop's Review of "Flowers in the Attic", click here
To read Eclectic Pop's Review of "Petals on the Wind", click here

A visual stunner, Disney’s “Maleficent” offers a swirl of vivid cinematography, dazzling performances and winsome storytelling. Centering on the backstory of Maleficent (Angelina Jolie), the iconic villainess of the Sleeping Beauty fairytale, this re-imagining not only breaks new ground, it breathes new life into the original.

The seventh installment in the X-Men franchise comes 14 years after the original film set the stage for legitimate superhero movies and gave rise to an enduring franchise. After so long with these characters, it is no surprise that the latest “Days of Future Past”, feels reminiscent of a family reunion. The storylines have intertwined in the lives of fans for nearly a decade and a half, spinning tales that have been ambitious, while remaining true to the integrity of its characters.