More Vampire Diaries

I'm a sucker for most vampire teen dramas (see Buffy, Angel, Twilight, True Blood), so I'm really happy with the news that The Vampire Diaries is getting a full season! The show is totally my guilty pleasure. It's got a great villian in Ian Somerhaulder's Damon - he's just having a ball being evil and it makes it that much fun to watch him.

I'm not saying the show is up to the level of Buffy, Angel, or True Blood, but it is an entertaining show to help ease the wait between New Moon and True Blood Season 3.

While the show isn't drawing in the same amount of viewers as current TV hits like Grey's Anatomy and NCIS, it is a bonafide hit for the little network that could, The CW. Just last week, it brought in 3.8 million viewers. Pretty solid considering the network's staple show, Gossip Girl only had 1.9 million viewers this week. Interesting that Gossip Girl is their tentpole, and inspiration for starting shows like 90210 and Melrose Place back up again, when it's not even their most watched show. America's Next Top Model, which is in its billionth cycle, had 3.1 million viewers this week.

The CW really cashed in on the vampire craze with this one. It's an entertaining, guilty pleasure show that airs just at the right time - when True Blood isn't. It gives us all us junkies something to chew on while we wait for our other vampire franchises to come back.

[numbers found on LATimes and Zap2it]

Peter Pan: Outdated and Sexist

My roommates and I just watched Peter Pan, the original Disney classic. The last time I saw this, I was maybe 12, at the oldest. Wow, what a little time and perspective does to a movie. I remember watching this film as a kid and absolutely loving it, as I do with most Disney movies. However, this is one Disney movie that does not stand the test of time. Its depictions of women and Native Americans make me want to keep this one off my DVD shelf. I know many Disney movies don't have very feminist messages, having fairytale routes, but in this film they were particularly negative.

Women of Peter Pan

I already talked about her inappropriate outfit, but that's just the tip of the iceberg. In the movie, through absolutely no dialogue, you see her as a shallow, jealous, and manipulative woman. Her introductory scene shows her concerned over the size of her hips and jealous over Peter Pan's fascination with Wendy. She doesn't get any better as the movie progresses. She races to lose Wendy and orders the Lost Boys to shoot her down. She nearly kills Wendy! All because she doesn't want Peter Pan to focus on any other woman but her. And then, instead of trying to apologize or get to know Wendy, she runs off hurt and alone. Later in the movie, Hook hears of her being spurned and decides to use her in his plot to kill Pan. Hook is sure this will work because "a jealous woman can be tricked into anything." Yes, that is a direct quote from the movie. She does save Peter Pan from the bomb, but that doesn't redeem her in my eyes because she never tries to make things right with Wendy. The closest she gets to an apology is covering the ship with pixie dust to drop them off back home. So in the end, she does get rid of Wendy and has Peter all to herself.

The mermaids are only in one scene, but they still manage to fit within the poor image of women in this film. They are shallow beings, again focusing mainly on their looks. They sit and swim around all day, and spend a lot of time just combing their hair and looking pretty. When Wendy shows up, they become mean and jealous. Apparently, Peter Pan is the only man of interest in Neverland and all the ladies want him and they don't want to share.

Wendy isn't as shallow and petty as the other ladies, because she's the "mother" in this movie. It shows that only motherly type women are supportive and nurturing. The young, carefree mermaids and Tinkerbell only care about getting their man, at any cost to other people.

This telling of JM Barrie's Peter Pan is definitely my least favorite of those I've watched recently. Disney's Peter Pan will not be getting the repeated viewings of Aladdin, The Lion King, and Pixar films. For this story, I think I'll stick with Hook, Finding Neverland, or the even new Peter Pan.

Free Pasta!

Check out this great deal from Buca Di Beppo:


Buca is giving out a free 8oz. portion of spaghetti AND you get to take home a free package of pasta noodles so you can have even more spaghetti at home! Don't miss out on this great deal on 10/26. Because in this economy, every little bit helps.

Monday Videos

Monday at work can be a drag. Here are some videos to help ease you into the work week!



I love that while one person is in the foreground, you can see everyone else rocking out in back. I especially love the one woman who isn't participating and still trying to work during the madness.



Isn't it crazy what some people can do with a camera, cardboard, and paint? I wonder how long this video took to make!

We Were Once a Fairytale

I have no idea what I just watched. This short film starring Kanye West, directed by Spike Jonze starts out with a Kanye we're all familar with - drinking and clubbing and loving life. Then things take a turn for the strange, which is to be expected of Jonze's work. I really don't want to give it all away and take away from the experience of watching this short for yourself. So check it out. And if you have any insights into the deeper meanings that might lie within, please share!

[via Cinematical]