Gossip Girl: Season 5 Episode 16

The newest Gossip Girl installment, "Cross Rhodes," didn't disappoint in that it was filled with character progression and enough drama between the characters to make up

The scene that introduces the episode is our first look at Dan's new manuscript, Monarch of Manhattan. We know that Dan has been struggling with an idea for something to follow his first book, Inside, for a while now. It's a relief to see him writing again and proud of something that is rightfully his, that doesn't tarnish his reputation with his friends. He also knows that it is an original Dan Humphrey idea. Rufus and Dan talk about his new manuscript as Rufus drops by. He really wanted his green fur jacket from his past and realizes it is still in Brooklyn. Dan is judgmental about the jacket and says that it really is as bad as Lily claims it to be, fashionably speaking.

Serena and Blair are still not speaking and Blair grows ever more uncomfortable with the very awkward silence. In the mirror, she sees her and Serena's reflection and in the daze, smears her lipstick over her mouth and leaves behind a rosy imprint. Even at breakfast, the two are not able to stop their fighting. Frustrated, Dorota locks them up and threatens to keep them in there until they can repair their relationship. This is similar to an instance in past seasons when they were locked in an elevator and forced to work out their problems. Blair is determined to prove to Serena that she and Dan are just friends and to prove this, she vows to, instead of avoiding him, spend the entire day with him. She heads to find Dan, who is working with Lola and her youth improv group, the Upright Citizens Brigade, to adapt excerpts of Inside. Dan is surprised because he assumed they weren't friends anymore as they haven't seen or talked to each other since Valentine's Day. Blair acts as if nothing has happened and tries to act normal. She is desperate to show Serena that everything is fine and she texts Serena a picture of them posing together. After Lola asks how to play one of the scenes, in which Clare and Dylan kiss, Blair protests that they would never passionately kiss. The two end up kissing to demonstrate, in which Serena sees them yet again. Dan pulls away, as he finally has had enough of Blair's antics as she again claims that she is "just friends" with him. He expresses that he wants to be more than that and if they can't, he doesn't want to be friends anymore as it is painful for him to think that he is always going to be wanting more from her. As Blair stands there, stunned at what just unfolded, the casting director for the brigade sees Charlotte walk away and needs a new Clare. He casts Blair then and there. Blair plays her role and as she hears what "Dylan" (Dan) has done for her and how he has been for her, she realizes that she really does have feelings for him. She leaves the play and goes to find him.

Amidst these happenings, Alessandra and Chuck are getting closer and closer. They set a date for 5:00 later that evening as Alessandra has to review Dan's book proposal before submitting it to Karp. However, Chuck comes over sooner than expected and convinces Alessandra to submit Dan's proposal without reading it over first. Little does she know, Chuck has switched Dan's real proposal with a makeshift copy that will cost Dan. Chuck also sabotaged Dan earlier when Chuck saw Dan that morning. He got ahold of Dan's laptop and deleted the file of Dan's fixed proposal. Chuck then admits that he's a sadist, not a masochist. Nate and Lola are also at Chuck's suite and witnesses Chuck and Dan's interactions. Lola makes up an excuse that her phone has no battery and uses Nate's phone to call Charlie. Nate realizes this and confronts Charlie. She immediately confesses and says that it bothers her that Charlie did not add her as a friend on Facebook, even after she went ahead and added her. We realize that CeCe is getting worse and might need surgery. Lily is called and alerted to the situation; Serena then finds out that her grandmother is not doing well and heads to the hospital. Charlie remains with CeCe and despite Carol's protests, stays in the hospital. Lola sees a tip from Gossip Girl and goes to the hospital. She was in for a shock as she found her mother present. The scheme with Charlie comes out and Carol still tries to remain innocent by painting a poor picture of Ivy instead. Ivy is told off by Serena and is left crying. Blair arrives and admits to Dan that she has been making excuses for why they can't be together. She knows that this is not an opportune moment for the two of them to be together but that she can wait if he can because she does have feelings for him. She kisses him again and Serena catches them, in a whimsical fancy as she wishes that she was in Blair's shoes. The bad news regarding CeCe has been delivered as she had a heart attack before her surgery. This causes the whole family, without Ivy and Lola, to gather around CeCe as she fades away. In the after-moments, Lola leaves Carol and decides that she is done with her mother's lies. Blair calls Chuck to lay off of Dan and Chuck sends in Dan's real proposal to Alessandra. But right after he does this, Gossip Girl breaks the video secret to Chuck, sending him into a rage. Ivy leaves but her story is not done yet as she holds Georgina's number in her hand and is ready to fight for her rights.

I am very overwhelmed with this episode and how much was packed into it. Emotions were all over the place today and I'm still reeling from the constant back-and-forth between the couples and the families. I wish the writers would keep it more consistent. One can only hope that the next episode creates more of a cushion for the events to come rather than have more events unfold with dramatic consequences.

Till then,

The Omnipresent Publicist.

Freedom Writers

I finally watched Freedom Writers for the first time and I have to say, I really wonder why I didn't watch this sooner. It is a hidden treasure in the land of Hollywood and it should be unearthed as everyone needs to read and celebrate this story.

It is about a teacher named Erin Gruwell who inspires her students to take pride in their education and overcome, in their own minds, all the harsh situations that they have been exposed to at a young age. On a basic level, she tries to understand who each of them are as people. The journals or diaries that they kept helped her connect with them as she began to see that they want to learn but have not been given the opportunity to do so in the time that they have been at school. Mrs. Gruwell then proceeds to buy her students books that relate to their personal experiences, changing their outlooks on life and each other.

It made me think about our education system and how we need more teachers like that to show how much fun education can be. There is a whole world out there and it can all be discovered if you look carefully and really try to absorb cultural differences.

Gossip Girl: Season 5 Episode 15

I have been a fan of Gossip Girl for only a couple of years and I have to say, the earlier seasons impressed me more than the newer episodes themselves. But as the new tension and relationships begin, I am slowly more and more intrigued.

"Crazy, Cupid, Love" is an episode centered around Valentine's Day. Coincidentally, Valentine's Day happens to be tomorrow. Happy couples, flowers, hearts, chocolate and all the pink and red that one episode can handle, were stuffed into this one. Blair, meanwhile, tries to be a matchmaker for Dan and Serena, as she can tell how upset they are at being alone on Valentine's Day. They both recall how their best Valentine's Days were with each other in high school. Blair decided to set them up at Nate's party, which was only put on after Nate tried to get Lola to notice him again. As Nate fails, Chuck shows his good side by offering the Empire as a potential place as he really wants to help Nate and sees this as his opportunity. Lola doesn't want to work at a Spectator party but because this party is at the Empire, she doesn't know that Nate will be there and agrees to work as the cater-waiter. Ivy is back in town for the first time in weeks. She really needs to talk to Lily and so, the first place she goes is Rufus and Lily's apartment. She runs into Rufus, who is surprised to see her back. Rufus has been busy picking out Cartier jewelry for Lily's return. Lily, as it turns out later on, is delayed and ends at the Empire. Ivy heads to the Empire and runs into the real Charlie Rhodes. They two of them talk and catch up on old times but before Ivy can reveal all, she realizes that she needs to leave due to her flight to Europe. Nate, however, ends up spilling her secret by revealing how she has a crazy mom in Florida and that she is the real Charlie Rhodes but her mother made her grow up with the name Ivy Dickens so that she wouldn't have to face the Rhodes name and the pressures of having to live in New York. Lola is extremely confused by this and finds it strange that someone that she used to know is impersonating her. Little does she know, the story is much more complicated than this. We finally find out where Lola's been, at Juilliard and playing out her dreams. Let's see what else happens with this story arc!

Blair and Dan had their little moments per usual and this time, as Blair was listing all of the great things Dan has done for her in the past year, you could tell that she is really seeing Dan in a new light. Dan also realizes that Blair has finally noticed him and they share a sweet kiss. Blair even kisses Dan back this time! The two of them are in Chuck's room and all of a sudden, Georgina walks in and she decides to snap a picture of them mid-kiss. Serena also happens to walk in at the same time and she looks really defeated. Serena was on her way to meet Dan as Blair had just told her moments earlier that Dan was excited about how their lunch date went and would love to be with her and try this whole thing again. Serena and Blair fight again; by the end of the episode, they still aren't speaking and will probably be at this impasse for quite a while as I see the writers tempting us with Dan and Blair for at least the next few episodes.

Chuck has finally realized that Blair does not want to be with him anymore and has moved on to Dan as Georgina shows the photo she snapped of Dan and Blair together to him. Chuck then goes and remembers how Dan's agent came on to him previously. Chuck embraces this new challenge and decides to take her up on her offer to spend the night together. The two of them end up in each other's embrace.

The preview for next week consists of all Dan and Blair scenes with Chuck in only a few seconds' of the overall preview. I wonder what will go down next week!

Till then,

The Omnipresent Publicist.

Miss Potter (There are spoilers.)

Review on Miss Potter

Miss Potter is a story very few of us can turn away from as it is truly a story for everyone to enjoy. It is the true story of Miss Beatrix Potter, the beloved children's author of timeless tales such as "The Tales of Peter Rabbit" and Jemima-Duck. She didn't always used to be an author but she became one the moment the Warne brothers approved her portfolio to be published. Her parents didn't always believe in her artwork and didn't think she could make a career out of what seemed to be just another hobby. Her mother especially found it to be a waste of time and something that a woman in that day and age just should not bother with. Women were supposed to learn to take care of the household and to be married to "acceptable" suitors so that they could take care of their children and their husband. They needed to know how to do everything from cook, clean, fold, wash and even more as they didn't necessarily work outside of the house; that was a role for only their husbands.

Beatrix Potter refused to be just another woman and knew that her artwork would take her somewhere. She was approached by Norman Warne, the younger brother of the Warne brothers, as the editor of her book. He was engrossed and impressed by the sheer beauty of the drawings. He became deeply involved with how each of the stories came about. After the trials of publishing their first book were through, the results began to be seen. People were picking up the books off the shelves regularly and her career seemed promising. Their association seemed to be ceasing until they both suggested that they wanted to expand her stories into an entire series. Working on bigger and better projects, the two found that they had many similarities and eventually fell for each other. At a Christmas party, Norman Warne proposes and Beatrix is amazed but surprised. She seeks the approval of Millie, the very beloved sister of Norman Warne who chooses to remain unmarried. Millie began to become her confidante as they both shared similar likes and dislikes and approved of a woman's role as being outside of the house rather than in. Millie also loved to engage and keep Beatrix laughing, which always made Beatrix enjoy her journeys to the Warnes' household. Norman and Beatrix are engaged after as Millie gives her approval wholeheartedly. Beatrix's parents, however, disapprove and only agree to give their condolences if they keep it a secret for until after the summer, as Beatrix and her family go to the Lakes every year. Sadly, the summer does not spell good news for the happy couple as Norman falls deathly ill and dies shortly after. Beatrix, as she has not told of her good fortune, was not allowed to go to the funeral and mourned in silence, from the comfort of her London home. Shortly after, she hears of her financial stability and decides to buy a comfortable farm property, a property that is a second home to her as she meets her wonderful friend William Heedlis from years past. After they bond over an auction to preserve the beauty of the farmland, it is revealed that they did marry eight years later.

After watching this masterpiece, I found myself thinking about what a great and wonderful surprise this movie was. I picked it up due to the cover being very distinctive and ended up sitting through the journey of the story with a smile on my face and my heart beating to the rhythm of the words and animations. It makes you feel for her situation and sympathize with how she loves her imaginary animals more than anything in the whole world. She sees them playing and sees them being so free that she herself wants desperately. She was so close to freedom with the escape into marriage but instead, she became trapped in her own mourning. She had to have enough courage to move past all that and be strong enough to continue drawing and creating her stories. Her deluxe personality and vibrant colors, as well as her messages to be youthful and imaginative, shine through and make the reader feel like they are personally being touched and invited into the world that she has created. Her stories are to the children a sense of reliving childhood memories and the fondest of adolescent joy. I am definitely very glad that I decided to pick up this movie and I want to share this with all of my readers. Do yourselves a favor and see what a great experience this can be.

Sincerely,
The Omnipresent Publicist

P.S. I have included a link to purchase this DVD on Amazon, in case you are interested.
http://www.amazon.com/Miss-Potter-Ren%C3%A9e-Zellweger/dp/B000N4SHOE/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1328933699&sr=8-1

Introductions

Welcome welcome to my very first blog post!

I am super excited and definitely glad to start blogging as I have so much to say. I'll start by introducing what this blog will be about. I have had a lot more free time recently and so, have had much experience with television shows, movies, books, magazines and even the occasional documentary. I want to use this blog to post my reviews on these and allow them to read what isn't always noticed and see what they might not have previously thought to view. I hope that you enjoy these and I welcome any and all comments!

Thank you and happy reading :).