"TRANSFORMERS: Dark Side of the Moon" (2011) Photo Gallery

Below are images of "TRANSFORMERS: DARK SIDE OF THE MOON", the third entry in the TRANSFORMERS movie franchise. Directed by Michael Bay, the movie stars Shia LaBeouf:



"TRANSFORMERS: Dark Side of the Moon" (2011) Photo Gallery

"The Many Loves of Rafe McCawley" [PG-13] - 3/7

"THE MANY LOVES OF RAFE McCAWLEY"

PART 3 - The Homecoming Queen

LONG ISLAND, NEW YORK; DECEMBER 1940 . . . "Say Rafe? Are you still sore? That I talked Lila Deakins into driving you away, like that?" Danny glanced uneasily at his friend.

The pair slowly made their way to the next station. Rafe seemed distracted. Almost sad. Danny knew who was on his mind. The Shelby Belle. "It's okay, Danny," he said softly.

Danny blinked. "Huh?"

A sad smile touched Rafe's lips. "It's okay. About Lila. Hell, I forgave you about two hours after I left the Shelby House. It didn't take me long to figure out that you were simply trying to protect me."

"You seemed distracted for a moment."

Nodding, Rafe continued, "I guess I was remembering Lila on that last day. After I left the house, I had looked back and saw her staring out the window. Crying."

"Maybe you should have went back and . . ." Danny said, feeling a sudden burst of guilt.

Rafe shook his head. "No. I did the right thing. Actually, Lila did the right thing. I was too young. Hell, Sheriff Crawford would have put her behind bars if anyone had ever found out. Besides, she didn't stay around Shelby very long."

Danny remembered. Two months after Rafe's last visit to the Shelby House, the two friends had learned from local mechanic Farley Bates that Lila had departed for Memphis. Danny recalled that his friend had remained silent for nearly the rest of the day. Quite a feat for the usually talkative Rafe McCawley.

After the Shelby Belle's departure, Rafe had turned to girls of his age with a vengeance. Danny remembered that he did not remain with one very long, during those last three years in high school. He usually dated a girl for at least four to six months. Except for one who barely lasted a month.

"Say Rafe," Danny said out loud, "do you remember Eleanor Conway?"

A frown creased Rafe's forehead. "Ellie Conway? What made you think of her?"

Danny shrugged. "I don't know. I guess I was thinking of all the girls you've dated in high school. Then I realized that you didn't stay with Ellie Conway as long as you did with the others. Not that I'm complaining."

The two friends found themselves standing in line to have their reflexes tested. In a very long line. One of Rafe's brows quirked upward. "Is this your way of telling me that you didn't care for Ellie?"

Danny, in a rare moment of sarcasm, shot back, "Are you saying that you did?"

* * * *

SHELBY, TENNESSEE; OCTOBER-NOVEMBER 1933 . . . Coach McCuffie blew his whistle and the Varsity football team of Shelby High gathered around him on the field. "Okay boys! That's enough practice for today. Don't forget that a bus will be in front of the school, tomorrow morning. And it will leave precisely at 9:30a.m. Now, hit the showers!"

Rafe McCawley and his fellow players, streamed off the football field. Some ran toward the Physical Education building, whooping at the top of their lungs. The remaining athletes, including Rafe, slowly made their way off the field. "Hey there, Rafe!" A high, silvery-voice stopped the seventeen year-old in his tracks. Was that . . .? He turned around. Behind him stood a nubile, pretty girl with elfin features, and blond hair. Eleanor Conway.

Everyone at Shelby High knew about Ellie Conway. Cheerleader. The new president of the Chatelaine Society Club. And recently elected Secretary of the Student Body. Not much brains upstairs, Rafe recalled, but very shrewd. Especially when it came to her social position. Her father happened to be the head manager of a local mortgage company. Another thing about Ellie Conway that everyone knew - she happened to be an ardent Hollywood movie fan. She had especially developed an obsession toward one of Hollywood's newest sex symbols - Jean Harlow. That explained why Ellie's usual honey-brown hair had been dyed platinum blond.

Rafe gave the cheerleader a polite smile. "Hey, Ellie. What can I do for you?"

Pale blue eyes flashed at him. "I'm having a little party at my house, tomorrow night. You know, to celebrate our victory?"

"What victory? The game isn't until tomorrow." Both Rafe and Ellie referred to the football game Shelby High would play against a high school at a nearby town.

A coy Ellie lightly slapped Rafe's chest. "Oh c'mon Rafe! This is Marshall High we're talking about. I reckon we can beat them blindfolded!"

Rafe could not deny the truth. Marshall High School possessed one of the worst football teams in this part of the state. Like Ellie, he figured that Shelby High would easily come out the winner.

Ellie continued, "Since it's certain our team will win, I decided to have a party, tomorrow night. Wanna come?"

"I don't know, Ellie," Rafe replied. "You see, I don't have a date." Just a week ago, his three-month relationship with Cora Hale had ended.

Ellie's pert nose crinkled. "That's okay. Why don't you bring Danny along, instead? I'm sure he would love to come."

Surprise overwhelmed Rafe. Although a popular guy himself, not many have been willing to include Danny in their parties. Being the son of the dead Lucas Walker had done nothing for the younger boy's popularity. "Well, that's really nice of you, Ellie," Rafe replied. "We'll be there."

"Good. I'll see you tomorrow." Ellie further surprised Rafe by planting a quick peck on his nose.

* * * *

"She invited me to her party?" Danny eyed the older boy suspiciously. "Ellie Conway?"

The two friends sat on the porch, outside the McCawley farmhouse. Rafe and Danny had just finished eating supper with Rafe's parents. While the latter remained inside the house to listen to the radio, the two adolescents had decided to sit outside for some fresh air.

Rafe nodded. "Look, I know you find that hard to believe . . ."

"You can say that again!"

Shooting his friend with a dark look, Rafe continued, "Well, believe or not, you've been invited."

"Why?" Before Rafe could answer, Danny continued, "I can't help how I feel. Aside with a few like Dick Hobbs and Rebecca McPherson, I'm not exactly a popular guy at school. The only reason I can think why Ellie is willing to invite me to her party is . . ." His brown eyes narrowed. "She's after you, ain't she?"

"What?"

"Ellie. I heard she just broke up with Johnny Shaw. Caught him with Ginny Welland. And with Homecoming just a month from now, she needs a date. A Homecoming King. And who better than Rafe McCawley, football hero, member of the Shelby Science & Math Club, Student Body Sergeant-At-Arms and one of the few people in this whole damn county that can actually fly a plane. She's after you."

Rafe shot to his feet. "You got some kind of beef with me, Danny?" he growled. "Cause, I don't see no reason why you should be shouting at me."

A moment passed. Strains of Fred Allen could be heard from inside the house. Danny sighed. "No, I . . . I guess that sometimes, I get so tired of being treated like a second-class citizen at school. All because my daddy was a drunk. And now I have this feeling that Ellie only invited me because she wants you."

"I don't know what Ellie wants," Rafe said, as he sat back down. "But after Cora, I really feel like a party. And if you can be there. . ."

Danny let out a heartfelt sigh. "All right, I'll go."

Rafe smiled.

* * * *

The football game against Marshall High ended as Ellie had predicted. It ended in victory for Shelby High. Later that night, Rafe and Danny arrived at the Conway residence for the celebration. The party was already in full swing. Bing Crosby singing, "You're Getting to Be a Habit With Me" blasted from a phonograph. The two friends squeezed their way through the crowd.

"Rafe!" Ellie's high voice squeaked above the music. "You made it!" She threw herself into Rafe's arms and gave him a hug. After she stepped back, her eyes fell upon Danny. Ellie gave the latter a friendly smile. "Danny. Glad you could come to my party." To Rafe's relief, Danny responded with a friendly nod.

It wasn't bad as parties go. The food seemed pretty good to Rafe. Everyone seemed to be on a high, following the football team's victory over Marshall. Rafe noticed that the guests' good mood had spilled over to Danny. Aside from a few malcontents determined to shun the latter, most seemed as friendly as Ellie.

At least an hour later, Rafe found himself in a good mood. Of course, several cups of punch spiked with brandy from the liquor cabinet helped. Along with Ellie's company. A new song blared from the phonograph - "Smoke Gets In Your Eyes". Rafe's own eyes blinked through an alcoholic haze, as he watched Ellie sauntered forth. More like danced. She leaned forward and whispered in his ear, "Why don't we go outside for some fresh air?" Rafe immediately agree.

The pair made their way through the crowd. Rafe spotted Danny staring at him through narrowed eyes. Which he ignored. Once outside on the Conway back porch, Ellie again threw herself into Rafe's arms. "Hey," she whispered. Her breath smelled of fruit punch and brandy.

Rafe whispered back, "Hey yourself."

"You look a little drunk. Maybe you've drunk one too many glasses of punch."

"Don't you mean spiked punch?" Rafe added playfully.

Ellie giggled. Then her mouth inched closer. "How else can I get you out here, alone?" The small, pink mouth now hovered inches away from Rafe's. "Lord, you sure are one tall drink of water. Aren't you gonna kiss me?"

Why he hesitated, Rafe had no idea. After all, Ellie Conway was considered to be one of the prettiest girls at Shelby High. And one of the most popular. So why did he feel so reluctant to kiss her? "Well, I . . . uh . . ." Rafe began. Before he could say anything further, Ellie pressed her little pink lips against his.

Alcohol and lust overcame Rafe's reluctance and he drew Ellie into his arms. He gently forced her mouth open. What had begun as a small kiss, soon became a torrid meeting of tongues. At that moment, Rafe knew that Ellie had hooked him, line and sinker. And quite frankly, he did not care.

* * * *

Three days after Ellie's party, Shelby High's faculty announced it would accept nominations for the Homecoming court. Rafe had no interest about Homecoming or who would become its Queen. He only felt grateful that he had a date for the dance. Apparently, Ellie did not share his feelings.

"Say that again?" he demanded. Rafe and Ellie shared a table inside the school's cafeteria. He had been eating his lunch when she surprised him with a bombshell.

Ellie took a deep breath. "I said that it would be nice if you helped me campaign for Homecoming Queen."

Rafe stared at her. "What the hell for?"

"I thought it would be fun for me to run for Homecoming Queen." A pout formed on Ellie's lips. "And I thought you could help me."

Right. A dark suspicion entered Rafe's mind. Despite her words, he suspected that Ellie took this whole Homecoming business, seriously. Even worse, she needed to be associated with a popular man-on-campus, someone like Johnny Shaw or himself, to get elected Homecoming Queen. Ellie may be familiar on campus, but not even her popularity had reached the heights of Annabelle Parker, another cheerleader. But, he kept these dark thoughts to himself.

"Fun huh?" Rafe grunted. Then he sighed. "I reckon there's no harm in helping you. Maybe it would be fun."

A smile curved Ellie's lips. "I'm sure it will."

* * * *

Danny stared at Rafe with disbelief shining in his eyes. "You're gonna help Ellie Conway run for Homecoming Queen? What the hell for?"

Annoyance surged through Rafe. He sat behind the wheel of his 1927 Ford convertible. Danny sat next to him, in the passenger seat. The convertible sped along a rural road that led to the McCawley Farm. "Because I thought it would be fun," he snapped back. "You got a problem?"

An exasperated sigh escaped Danny's mouth. "C'mon Rafe! You gotta be kidding me! You, help Ellie Conway run for Homecoming Queen? What are you, her publicity manager?" He paused momentarily. Then, "Wait a minute! This is all Ellie Conway's doing, ain't it? She talked you into it!"

"Yeah Danny, she did. So what? It's just a goddamn dance. Nothing to get excited over."

"Nothing to . . ." Danny signed again. "Dammit Rafe! Can't you see? She's using you!"

"Using me for what?"

Danny rolled his eyes. "You know why! Johnny Shaw dumped her for Ginny Welland. And she's using you as a substitute for Johnny."

Now brimming with anger because he knew that Danny had hit close to the truth, Rafe drove his convertible off the road and stopped. He switched off the engine. "And why does she need me as a substitute, Danny? What's the matter. You can't say it out loud?" Rafe pierced his friend with a hard glare. Danny's eyes cast downward. Rafe heard him mumble under his breath. "What's that? I didn't hear you."

His face turning deep pink, Danny spoke louder. "Ellie needs you to become Homecoming Queen. Like Johnny, you're a popular guy in school. Ellie may be popular herself, but she hasn't a chance against someone like Annabelle Parker. She needs you."

"You're a real smart fellow, aren't you?" Rafe asked quietly. When Danny failed to respond, he sighed. There were times he hated facing the truth. Like now. "Has it occurred to you, Danny, that I may be using Ellie?

Danny frowned. "Using her? Why?"

Rafe stared directly at his friend. Then he murmured, "Lila."

Realization lit up Danny's eyes. Just a week before Rafe had ended his relationship with Cora Hale, the two boys had learned from Harley Bates that an obsessive customer had stabbed Lila Deakins to death, during a violet brawl in a Memphis whorehouse. "Is that why you and Cora . . .?" Danny began. He paused. "Did Cora know about you and . . .?"

Rafe snapped back, "Of course not! It's just . . . well, things weren't the same after Harley told us . . . told us about Lila."

"Oh." Again, Danny fell silent.

Rafe continued, "I know what you're thinking. Why would I raise a fuss over a dead whore. It's just that Lila was dif . . ."

"I understand, Rafe. I understand. Hell, I reckon you were the only fella in the whole county who didn't have to pay to see her after the first time." Danny added. "But how long can Ellie help you forget? Ever ask yourself that?" Silence fell between the two friends.

* * * *

Homecoming 1933. It was a magical time for the students at Shelby High. The night began on a high note, when the school's Varsity football team won a difficult victory over Boone High. The game ended with a final score of 21 to 17, after quarterback Rafe passed a 30-yard touchdown to a Shelby fullback name Donnie Cole. Both Rafe and Donnie became the heroes of the day.

Not that Rafe really cared. He had another matter on his mind. Namely, tonight's Homecoming dance. Rafe made sure that he was dressed perfectly in a black tuxedo he had rented for the evening. Since Danny also had a date, Rafe allowed his friend to borrow his Ford convertible, while he used his dad's Pontiac sedan. At exactly 6:30 p.m., he drove to the Conway residence to pick up Ellie. He had to admit that she looked beautiful in a slinky, pale pink gown that looked like something out of a Hollywood movie.

"You look very beautiful," he greeted Ellie, smiling. She responded with a peck on his lips. "Ready?"

Ellie nodded and the couple headed for the Pontiac. It took them five minutes to reach the high school. The Homecoming dance was being held inside the school's largest gymnasium. When Rafe and Ellie entered, a loud applause broke out. Looking like a cat with cream on its whiskers, Ellie squeezed Rafe's arm. "Oh Lord!" she nearly squeaked. "Isn't this exciting?"

Seeing the estatic look on her face, Rafe's pleasure in the evening immediately began to dim. The evening was beginning to look perfect. Maybe a bit too perfect. And Ellie seemed to be eating it up. Everyone gushed over her dress and congratulated Rafe in winning the game. Even Danny seemed to having a good time. Rafe spotted his best friend dancing with Rebecca McPherson. And both seemed lost in their own little world.

The evening's celebrations ended in triumph for Rafe and Ellie. Much to no one's surprise, Ellie was declared Shelby High's Homecoming Queen for 1933. She practically squeaked when the principal placed a small, plastic tiara on her head. Rafe expressed delight at Ellie's triumph. Or at least tried. If anyone had paid close attention, they would have noticed a subtle, yet lackluster expression on his face.

In fact, the evening went downhill for Rafe, after Ellie's crowning. He struggled to maintain a happy smile, while a photographer took photos of the "Court". Rafe felt a deep relief every time someone danced with Ellie. Including Johnny Shaw. His relief increased tenfold when the time arrived for him and Ellie to go home. Danny and Rebecca, he noticed, had already left.

Twenty minutes later, the McCawley Oldsmobile pulled up in front of the Conway residence. Ellie let out a sigh. "It's been such a wonderful evening, Rafe. Don't you agree?"

"Yeah," Rafe quietly replied. "Swell."

"Rafe?" Ellie gave him a quizzed look. "Is there something wrong?"

Rafe's gaze focused on the oak tree that rose from the Conway's front lawn. "No, everything's fine." He paused. Then he opened his mouth to continue, but Ellie spoke first.

"By the way, I'm organizing a hayride for next week. It'll start at the McBride's Farm. When can I expect you to pick me up?"

Rafe sighed. Long and hard. "Sorry Ellie," he finally said, "but I'll be busy, next weekend. Flying. You'll have to find someone else to take you. Why don't you try Johnny Shaw? You two seemed to be friendly."

Disbelief shone in Ellie's pale eyes. "What?"

"I said that you'll have to find . . ."

"I heard what you said!" Ellie screeched. She rounded on Rafe. "What the hell's the matter with you, Rafe McCawley? You've been a sour puss all evening! Don't think I haven't noticed!"

A smirk appeared on Rafe's lips. "Say Ellie, does your mama know that you use such language?"

"Stop it, Rafe! What's gotten into you?"

Rafe paused. He had started this. Might as well finish. "I'm bored, Ellie. With you." A gasp left her mouth. "Normally, I would feel mighty guilty for this, but in your case, I don't. In fact, I don't really care."

Ellie snarled, "What do you mean by that?"

"You don't need me anymore, Ellie," Rafe continued. "You got what you wanted. You're the Homecoming Queen. You even got the chance to rub that into Johnny Shaw's face. Let him know what he had missed. Why don't you be honest? You needed someone like me - 'a big man on campus' - to help you get the crown. And the only reason I let you use me is that I was using you to get over Cora." And Lila, he silently added.

A slender hand roundly smacked Rafe's left cheek. SMACK!! "You son-of-a-bitch!"

"Now that's certainly not proper language for a young lady such as yourself."

"You wouldn't know a lady if you met one, you scum!" Ellie screeched. "You and that white trash friend of yours!" She opened the car door.

Rafe sighed. "I guess this means you're leaving?"

"Just as fast as I can!" Ellie climbed out of the car. "And I swear to God that I'll never speak to you again, Rafe McCawley!"

Rafe playfully shot back, "Is that a promise?"

Ellie slammed the door, shut. She speared Rafe with her most withering glare and stalked toward the Conway front door. Rafe realized that if he was lucky, Ellie just might never speak to him, again. He never did like that squeaky voice of hers.


END OF PART 3

"DOWNTON ABBEY" – Series One Retrospective

"DOWNTON ABBEY" – Series One Retrospective

The announcement of ITV’s new series, "DOWNTON ABBEY", had attracted my interest the moment I had learned it would air on American television, during the winter of 2011. I happened to be a fan of Robert Altman’s 2001 movie, "GOSFORD PARK". And when I learned that the movie’s Oscar winning writer, Julian Fellowes, was one of the series’ creators, my interest soon transformed into anticipation.

Focused upon a vast estate during the last years of the Edwardian England, "DOWNTON ABBEY" was able to allow viewers to glimpse into the lives of the estate’s owner (or caretaker), Robert Crawley, Earl of Grantham; his immediate family; and the family’s servants through seven episodes. This first series began with news of the R.M.S. Titanic disaster in April 1912, which sparked a crisis for the Crawley family. The series ended with the commencement of World War I, over two years later. During those two years, the family endured the loss of two heirs presumptive, a new heir from the wrong social class, a personal scandal for Lord Grantham’s oldest daughter, a series of minor problems and a mystery surrounding his new valet, a pregnancy, a hostile valet, and the youngest daughter’s embroilment in the women’s suffragette movement.

"DOWNTON ABBEY" did not strike me as an original series. After all, I have seen both another television series and a movie with a similar premise – namely the 1971-1975 BBC series, "UPSTAIRS, DOWNSTAIRS" and "GOSFORD PARK" (which had a murder mystery attached to it). "DOWNTON ABBEY" had a good number of plotlines. Two of them are continuing plotlines – Lady Sybil Crawley’s politics and friendship with the family’s Irish-born chauffeur, Bronson; and the fallout from Lady Grantham’s accident, caused by her personal maid, Sarah O’Brien. But the meat of the series centered around two major storylines – the Earl of Grantham’s new heir and his impact upon the family’s fortunes; and the mystery surrounding the new valet, John Bates.

Lord Grantham and John Bates first met, while serving together during the Second Anglo-Boer War, in which the latter was crippled for life. Years later, Lord Grantham helped Bates by hiring him as a new valet. The latter’s arrival (which occurred on the same day that the household learned about the Titanic sinking) sparked a feud between him and the venal first footman, Thomas, who had coveted Bates’ new position. Due to her friendship with Thomas, O’Brien became drawn into the feud. And the two spent the next two years attempting to get Bates fired. Bates acquired his own champion in the form of head housemaid, Anna Smith. By the seventh episode, Bates and Anna were in love. But Bates refused to pursue a romance, due to some mystery regarding his marriage to a questionable woman.

The other major story proved to be a lot more complicated. Lord Grantham’s marriage to an American heiress brought him money for the family estate, unexpected marital bliss, three daughters and no male heirs. Because he had no sons, Lord Grantham’s first cousin became his heir presumptive. And his oldest daughter, Lady Mary, became engaged to his cousin’s son. However, the Titanic disaster took the lives of the two heirs and a new heir was found – a Manchester attorney named Matthew Crawley, who happened to be Lord Grantham’s third cousin. Unfortunately, not only had Matthew been raised in a middle-class environment, he would end up inheriting the Grantham title, Downton Abbey and the money that came with Cora, Lady Grantham’s dowry – money that his three female cousins will never be able to touch following their father’s death. Although most of the Crawley women initially found the idea of Matthew as the next Earl of Grantham abhorrent, both Lady Grantham and the Dowager Lady Grantham decided to consider the idea of Lady Mary marrying him. They saw this as the only means for a member of the immediate family to have access to Lady Grantham’s dowry. This storyline played into Lady Mary’s efforts to find a husband as a way to avoid marriage to Matthew. Unfortunately, her reputation was compromised by a Turkish diplomat, who decided to visit her room during a weekend hunting party. The storyline also played a major role in the on-going rivalry between the much-favored Lady Mary and the ignored and less beautiful middle sister, Lady Edith. This rivalry ended in disaster for both by the seventh season.

I believe that "DOWNTON ABBEY" certainly lived up to its hype. The series turned out to be a sharp and well-written television drama that also proved to be a breath of fresh air. And that is an interesting conclusion for me to arrive, considering that "DOWNTON ABBEY" is not what I would call an original premise. I suspect that Julian Fellowes might have a talent for drama with a multi-class premise within a single setting, as his work with both the series and "GOSFORD PARK" seemed to prove.

Fellowes’ handling of the servants’ storylines and characterization proved to be adept and well-written, but not as complex of his handling of the immediate Crawley family. Mind you, I rather enjoyed the storyline surrounding the John Bates character and the mysteries of his past. Because of his handicap, Bates drew the ire of the other servants, who resented that they had to cover his mistakes caused by his disability. But this resentment transformed into a feud between Bates and the villainous Thomas that lasted throughout the entire first series. The problem I do have with Fellowes’ characterizations of the Crawley servants was that they seemed to lack a good deal of the same complexity that made the Crawley family very interesting. Most of the servants struck me as a bit too likeable – almost to the point of being noble. This was especially true with four of the characters – John Bates, the butler Charles Carson, the housekeeper Mrs. Elsie Hughes and head housemaid Anna Smith. The worse most of these characters seemed to suffer from – especially Bates and Mr. Carson – was pride. The servants did show signs of some moral complexity, when they expressed both surprise and resentment at housemaid Gwen Dawson’s aspirations to leave service and become a secretary.

On the other side of the spectrum, there was Thomas and O’Brien, who turned out to be villains of the story. Well . . . at least Thomas did. I must admit that O’Brien’s hostility seemed to be stemmed from her resentment toward her position as a servant. And she proved to be horrified and remorseful that she had caused Lady Grantham to miscarry an unborn child. Thomas, on the other hand, proved to be a thorough villain. Not only did he make several attempts to remove Bates as Lord Grantham’s valet, he also expressed callous disregard toward the death of second footman William Mason’s mother and Lady Crawley’s miscarriage. By the seventh season, he was fast becoming a one-note villain. And I found it disturbing that the series’ one true villain was not only a servant, but also a homosexual. It is possible that I am putting too much into this, but having the series’ one unrepentant villain also be a homosexual strikes me as slightly homophobic.

Fellowes handled the characterizations of the Crawley family with a complexity that I found a lot more satisfying. The series’ two most complex characters turned out to be the older Crawley sisters – Lady Mary and Lady Edith. Both proved to be decent women that had to deal with their own personal angst. Lady Mary had to deal with her damaged reputation and resentment toward her father’s interest in her cousin Matthew Crawley. And Lady Edith had to endure her parents and grandmother’s lack of attention. However, Lady Mary and Lady Edith’s sibling rivalry also proved how ugly they could become. Lady Mary seemed very unsympathetic toward her younger sister’s emotional plight. And Lady Edith’s resentment led her to expose her sister’s late night encounter with the Turkish attaché, Mr. Kemal Pamuk. After discovering Lady Edith’s treachery, Lady Mary sabotaged the younger sister’s developing romance with the widowed Sir Anthony Strallen.

The rest of the Crawley family seemed less complex than the two older sisters. But they had their share of flaws. Superficially, the Earl and Countess of Grantham seemed unusually tolerant toward their servants, for members of the aristocracy. Yet, Lord Grantham did reveal his willingness to make his chauffeur, Tom Branson, a scapegoat for his youngest daughter’s political interests. And both he and Lady Grantham’s cool dismissal of the plainer Lady Edith’s chances of matrimony struck me as rather callous. The Dowager Lady Grantham initially came off as a snobbish, blunt and a bit too reactionary. And yet, she also had a sharp wit that many found entertaining. She even managed to warm up to her son’s middle-class heir and the latter’s mother. Speaking of Matthew Crawley, he seemed like a sympathetic and strong-willed character. And yet, I got the distinct impression that he also had a chip on his shoulder and a tendency to make assumptions about others – especially Lady Mary, with whom he had fallen in love. And his mother, Mrs. Violet Crawley was a decent, forthright woman and former nurse, who also came off as what the British would describe as a swot. In other words, she sometimes came off as a know-it-all prig. The only member of the family, whose complexity seemed to be at the same level as most of the servants, was the youngest daughter, Lady Sybil. Fellowes nearly portrayed her as a lively, upbeat, compassionate and forward-thinking young woman, with a deep interest in politics. In other words, she came off as a bit too ideal in my taste.

For me, the best aspect of Series One was the storyline featuring the effects of no male heirs and the estate’s entails had upon the Crawley family. Fellowes must have put a great deal of effort into creating it. Looking back, I am surprised that so many plots had such a strong connection to this storyline regarding the new family heir and the entail. Who would have thought that the sinking of the Titanic would prove to have such a strong impact upon the Crawley family? Especially upon the lives of the two elder sisters – Lady Mary and Lady Edith – and their cousin Matthew? To avoid a future in matrimony with Matthew, Lady Mary set out to find a rich and socially acceptable husband. Unfortunately, a late night encounter with a Turkish diplomat during a family-hosted hunting party left a whiff of scandal in Lady Mary’s wake. And due to Lady Edith’s resentment toward her older sister, she quietly revealed the true details behind the death of Mr. Kemal Pamuk to the Turkish Ambassador, the whiff developed into a full grown scandal that tainted Lady Mary’s reputation.

As much as I admired the series’ writing, there were some aspects of it that left me scratching my head. I have already complained about Fellowes’ occasionally one-dimensional characterization of most of the servants and Lady Sybil. I also have a complaint about another character. Although his characterization of the Dowager Countess was basically ambiguous, the character strongly reminded me of another that Maggie Smith had portrayed in "GOSFORD PARK" - namely Constance, Countess of Trentham. Only her character in the 2001 movie seemed a lot more subtle. And there is also one aspect of the Lady Mary-Mr. Pamuk storyline that troubled me. All those who knew about Mr. Pamuk’s presence in Lady Mary’s bedroom never bothered to question how he discovered her bedroom in the first place. Well, both Anna and Lady Grantham had jumped to the conclusion that Lady Marry had invited the attaché into her bedroom. But not even Lady Mary bothered to question his presence in her room. She never expressed one question. If she had, she and her mother would have eventually discovered that the only person who had the best chance of revealing her bedroom’s location to Mr. Pamuk was Thomas. The footman had served as the attaché’s temporary valet during the hunting party.

"DOWNTON ABBEY" proved to be a big hit on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean . . . and deservedly. Despite some of its flaws, it was a well made and well written television series. This first series allowed viewers a glimpse into the world of the British aristocracy and its servants during the last two years before the outbreak of World War I. Now that war was declared in the seventh episode, I look forward to seeing how the series will handle the Crawleys and their servants’ experiences during the war. But if Series Two will cover World War I, does this mean that "DOWNTON ABBEY" will continue on into the period between the world wars – the same period now being covered by the recently updated "UPSTAIRS, DOWNSTAIRS"? I guess we will have to wait and see.

"Defense of the Realm" [PG-13] - 7/14

"DEFENSE OF THE REALM"

CHAPTER 7

Cole stared at his selection of ties in an effort to decide which one to wear. After five minutes of contemplation, he realized that not only was he unable to make a choice, he simply did not care. Not a proper attitude to harbor for an upcoming date, but he could not control his feelings.

He had planned to take Phoebe to the theater, followed by dinner at one of her old stomping grounds - Quake. Unfortunately, he could not drum up any enthusiasm. Not with Olivia still on his mind. And there was the new houseguest that Marbus planned to dump on him. Cole sighed. Life had been so much easier, over a month ago. Now once again, it has gone to hell.

Realizing that he was better off without a tie, Cole returned the garments to his dresser drawer. He grabbed his jacket and headed for the living room. At that moment, he heard a knock at his door. He glanced through the peephole and saw two figures standing in the narrow hallway - Marbus and a handsome, dark-haired woman, whom Cole assumed to be the fugitive whitelighter. He quickly opened the door and ushered the two visitors inside the penthouse.

"Belthazor," Marbus announced, "I would like you to meet Natalia Stepanova. Natalia, this is my nephew . . ."

The whitelighter held out her hand. "Yes, I have heard of Belthazor," she said in a Russian accent. "A great deal."

"And I've heard a few things about you," Cole said, shaking her offered hand. As with all whitelighters, Natalia left a white film on his hand after contact. "You were the one who had warned Marbus about the Elders' plans to kill me. I wish I had paid closer attention."

Natalia continued, "Actually, it was Mathilda who was after you, not the Council. And Barbara and I had no idea that she and Leo would use Miss McNeill to kill you."

Cole nodded. "I understand. Anyway, I hope that you will enjoy your stay, here. You can use the guest bedroom on the left. I usually have breakfast around seven in the morning and dinner around eight. If I'm not around, feel free to fix your own meals." He hesitated. "Uh, that is if you know how . . ."

"I happen to be an excellent cook, Belthazor."

"Cole."

One of Natalia's brows formed an arch. "Pardon?"

"You can call me Cole. If you like."

Natalia smiled. "Of course."

"Okay." Cole glanced at the clock on the fireplace mantle and heaved a sigh. "Uh, I have a date tonight . . ."

Natalia frowned. "A what?"

Cole patiently explained, "I will be taking a young lady to the theater this evening. And later, we'll be dining at a restaurant."

"Oh." Natalia responded with an understanding smile. "How charming. Who is the lucky young lady?"

Before Cole could answer, Marbus said, "He must be taking his former wife. Frances."

Cole shot a quick glare at his uncle. "Her name is Phoebe. Why is it that after nearly two months, you still can't get her name right?"

"Sorry lad, but Phoebe is not a name I find easy to remember."

Natalia added, "Oh! One of the Charmed Ones! The seer! Your former wife." A frown creased her forehead. "What happened to Miss McNeill?"

A silent pause filled the room. Cole smiled patiently at the whitelighter. "We're just friends."

"Oh. So, you're dating one of Leo's sisters-in-law." Natalia paused. "And the third sister is Samuel Wilder's daughter. Right?" Then she added, "Do you plan to . . .?"

"Tell Phoebe about you?" Cole finished. "Do you want me to?"

The whitelighter quickly shook her head. "Please . . . no. It is not that I do not trust her . . . I am simply afraid of how Leo would react if he knew of my whereabouts."

Cole nodded. "I understand. Besides, Phoebe was never great at keeping secrets." Then he sighed. "Okay, the place is yours for the evening. I'll see . . ." He hesitated at the sound of Marbus' cough. "What?"

"Do I have to remind you, lad?" Marbus replied. "Natalia has already been tracked to the Gimle dimension and here on earth. I think you should provide some kind of protection, just in case the Elders have managed to track her here."

Cole sighed. He seemed to be doing that a lot, lately. "Right." As he began to prepare a protection spell to shield the penthouse from the Elders' radar, he wondered if he had made a mistake in offering refuge to the fugitive whitelighter. He could image how Phoebe would react if she ever found out.

--------

Paige appeared in the doorway of Phoebe's bedroom. "Cole's here," she announced.

Phoebe let out a squeak and continued to finish getting ready. A quick glance at her watch told her that she was running slightly behind schedule. As she checked her appearance in the long, oval mirror, she asked, "How's Cole doing? Is he alone?"

"Aside from Piper giving him the cold shoulder," Paige murmured, "yeah. Leo hasn't returned from the store, yet."

"Oh God." Phoebe turned away from the mirror. "How do I look?"

Paige shrugged. "Nice."

"That's it?"

Heaving an impatient sigh, Paige added, "Phoebe, you look great! Okay?"

"Okay." Phoebe grabbed her purse. "I'm ready."

Paige blocked Phoebe's path in the doorway. "Two more things, Miss Halliwell. One, you got a phone call."

"So, didn't you take a message?" Phoebe tried to bypass her younger sister.

After a brief hesitation, Paige answered, "Yeah. I did. I told Jason that you would call him back. He left a number."

"Oh." Shit! "Yeah. Okay, I'll get back to him." Again, she tried to bypass Paige.

"Phoebe!"

The older woman gave the younger one an exasperated stare. "What?"

"You mean to say that you haven't broken up with Jason, yet?"

Oh God! Phoebe wished that Paige would mind her own business. "I'll get around to it. Soon."

"Uh huh." Shaking her head, Paige continued, "Also, I think a jacket goes with that outfit. Doesn't it?"

"Oh yeah. Thanks." Grateful to dismiss Jason from her thoughts, Phoebe snatched up her jacket, ducked under Paige's outstretched arm and raced down the hall. Paige followed closely behind. They found Cole sitting on the sofa, looking very tense. Fortunately, neither Piper nor Leo was in sight. This did not look good. Phoebe pasted a too-bright smile on her face and warmly greeted her ex-husband. "Hey sweetie!" She leaned down and gave him a swift peck on the cheek. "Everything's okay."

To Phoebe's surprise, Cole blinked. "Huh?"

"Cole, are you okay? Ready to leave?"

Before the half-demon could answer, blue lights appeared and Chris materialized before the others. Ignoring Cole, he turned to the two sisters. "Where's Piper?" he asked.

Piper burst into the living room, with Leo at her heels. "I'm right here," she said. "What's wrong?"

"I need your help," Chris replied. "In fact, the Elders' Council is seeking the help of all witches."

Paige added sarcastically, "Are they asking? Or ordering us?"

Chris sighed. "The Elders need your help in tracking down a fugitive. A whitelighter named Natalia Stepanova. They believe that she is somewhere here on Earth. Which is why they want our charges to help find her."

"This Stepanova person," Paige continued, "is she behind the deaths of those Elders?"

Chris nodded. "The Elders found out that . . ." He hesitated, as his eyes rested upon Cole. "Oh. Uh . . . Aren't you . . .?"

Phoebe quickly made the introductions. "Uh, Chris - this is Cole Turner, my ex-husband."

Piper added, "The demon formally known as Belthazor."

Cole shot the eldest Charmed One a dark look, while Chris stared at him. Like a scientist examining a specimen. "Oh, um . . . nice to meet you. I've heard a lot . . . about you. I mean . . . I've met . . . I mean . . . you. Naturally . . ."

"You've heard?" Cole frowned.

Smiling nervously, Phoebe interrupted. "Cole honey, this is Chris Perry, our new whitelighter."

Cole offered his hand to the young whitelighter. Chris briefly hesitated, before shaking the offered hand. "So, you're the new whitelighter. I only hope that you do a better job than your predecessors."

"Hey!" Piper protested.

Chris laughed nervously. "I just hope that I can do a good job."

One of Cole's brows formed an arch. "Good. So uh, why are the Elders after this whitelighter, again?"

"I . . . um . . ."

Leo sharply interrupted, "Sorry Cole, but this is a private matter. In other words, it's none of your business."

A cold smile curved Cole's lips as he faced Leo. Anxiety flared within Phoebe's breast. "Then I guess you shouldn't be here, as well."

"Just because you and Phoebe are now dating, doesn't mean you have every right to know what's going on in this house!"

Piper placed a hand on Leo's arm. "Honey . . . don't. He's just trying to bait you."

Cole continued, "You know, this Stepanova whitelighter sounds familiar. Didn't a witch named Keith McNeill used to be one of her charges?"

Another outburst left Leo's mouth. "Why are you still here? Why don't you just leave?"

"Well, you've already tried to get rid of me, Leo. When you and Margolin had set up Olivia to kill me." Cole's smile grew even more deadly. "But, as usual, you failed to achieve your goal."

"That's it! I've had enough . . ."

Cole took a threatening step forward. "And what exactly are you going to do? Bore me to death with more threats?" His face became a cold mask - an expression that Phoebe had always found frightening. "Or find another witch to do your dirty work for you? You better pray, for your sake that he or she doesn't get caught."

Piper stepped between the two former brothers-in-law. "Okay! That's it!" She glared at the half-demon. "Cole, we want you out of here! Now! We have family matters to discuss."

His eyes now cold with rage, Cole sprung to his feet. "Don't worry Piper. I'm more than happy to oblige." And he beamed out of the living room, much to Phoebe's distress.

She turned on her eldest sister in a fit of anger. "Piper! How could you?"

"Hey! He started it with his threats to Leo!" Piper shot back.

"Actually, it was Leo who started it!" Then Phoebe glared at her brother-in-law. "You just had to open your mouth, didn't you, Leo? You had to say something to Cole!"

Looking stunned by Phoebe's accusation, Leo protested, "Phoebe, I'm sorry, but had no right being here! You girls have a matter to attend to. As witches."

"Matters that we're supposed to discuss with our whitelighter . . . who happens to be Chris! As I recall, you're no longer our whitelighter! Are you?"

Piper sprang to her husband's defense. "Uh, wait a minute Pheobe! There's no need to jump down Leo's throat! He's only trying to help!"

"And I'm trying to get out of here, so I can go on a date!" Phoebe raised her head and called out her ex-husband's name. "Cole? Cole!"

Chris spoke up. "Look, we have a whitelighter to find. One who might be a killer."

Regarding the young whitelighter with suspicious eyes, Paige demanded, "And why are 'we' searching for Whatshername, anyway? Why don't the Elders simply clip her wings or snatch her?"

A shrug lifted Chris' shoulders. "I don't know. I guess she's managed to elude them, after she was detected on Earth. The Elders had abriefly detected her in some demonic dimension. She's got to be hiding, somewhere."

Paige's dark eyes continued to bore into the young whitelighter's. "And you don't know where she is?"

"How would I know?"

Rolling her eyes, Paige continued, "Because you're the one from the future."

A pause followed before Chris finally answered, "Well . . . yeah. But I'm just a lowly whitelighter. I don't have knowledge of everything that happened in this time period. Besides, I only knew about the Titans destroying the Elders. The whitelighters were disorganized after that."

Paige shot back, "Yet, surely your memories of the future have changed, after the Elders had dealt with the Titans. Right? So, you must know about Natalia Stepanova. Where she's hiding and if she's guilty."

"I tell you, I don't know every . . ."

Phoebe held up her hand. "Look, we understand. It's okay. But I really don't understand how the Elders expect us to track down a missing whitelighter. And since other witches might be looking for her, there's a little matter about my date, tonight. Your missing whitelighter will have to wait. Cole!"

Frowning, Chris protested, "Phoebe, this isn't the time . . ."

"What lead do you have on this Natalia Whatshername?" Paige demanded. "Why come to us? Why not the McNeills, who have some past connections to her? And what makes the Elders think she's the right culprit?"

"Hey! I don't know!" Chris protested angrily. "I'm just the messenger!"

Phoebe added, "Well until you do know, I'm going on my . . ."

Cole reappeared, looking slightly abashed. "I just remembered," he mumbled. "Reservations at Quake are hard to get by, lately. I went through a lot of trouble, tonight, and I left my car outside." He glanced at Phoebe. "Still interested for tonight?"

Phoebe eagerly linked her arm with her ex-husband's. "More than interested." She ignored Piper's look of disgust, as she and Cole walked toward the front door.

----------

Despite the ten months he had spent as a whitelighter and Elder, Kevin James missed the mortal world. Which surprised him very much, considering his previously unhappy life. When he had eagerly agreed to replace one of the retiring Elders, Kevin had no idea that he would spend the rest of his existence in such . . . surroundings.

To deal with his bouts of boredom, Kevin made occasional visits to the mortal realm to indulge in his favorite pastimes. He would either visit the Halliwells - whom he had first met before becoming an Elder - or head for the place that usually appealed to his adolescent nature. Namely the various Disney theme parks throughout the world, the shopping mall, the beach and the movies. Tonight, Kevin had decided to settle upon the latter.

He had overheard two whitelighters discussing a movie called "PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: CURSE OF THE BLACK PEARL". And since the topic combined two of his favorite things - movies and Disney amusement parks, he decided to check out this new movie at a theater in Sausalito.

Three hours later, Kevin emerged from the theater, a very happy whitelighter. The movie had more than lived up to his expectations. Quite simply, he loved it and planned to see it as much as possible before it disappeared from the theaters altogether. Humming the movie's jaunty score under his breath, Kevin made his way to a nearby alley, where he could orb out of sight. Upon reaching his destination, he glanced around to make sure that he was alone. And at that moment, he felt a sharp pain between his shoulder blades.

Kevin gasped aloud and reached behind to investigate the source of his pain. When he felt a shaft protruding from his back, he realized that he had been struck by a darklighter's arrow. Kevin fell into a state of panic, as he tried to remove the arrow.

A figure appeared before. A dark-haired woman dressed in black. Kevin immediately recognized her as Belinda Lucas, one of the Realm's whitelighters. "Yo . . . you . . ." the young Elder stammered.

"That's right, Junior," Belinda replied with a cold smile. She held a bow in her hands. "I shot you."

"Wha . . . what did . . ." Kevin gasped, as more pain shot through every nerve in his body. "What did . . . she promised . . . you. Na . . ."

Belinda sneered. "If you're speaking of Natalia Stepanova, you guessed wrong. She's innocent. Besides, why should you care? You'll be dead within a minute or so."

Kevin fell upon his knees. "Wha . . . how can you kill . . . a fellow whitelight . . .?"

Shifting the bow into one hand, Belinda reached from inside her blouse and pulled out what looked like a medallion hanging from a leather strap. "Who said that I was a whitelighter?" She let the medallion hang down, loaded the bow with another arrow, and aimed the weapon at the young Elder. "I bet you now wish that you had never accepted that offer from the Council. Don't you?"

Kevin blinked, as the darklighter arrow spun straight toward his heart.


END OF CHAPTER 7

"FAST FIVE" (2011) Review

"FAST FIVE" (2011) Review

I have never seen a movie from the FAST AND FURIOUS franchise before 2011. Never. I never had the inclination to see any of these movies, despite the series being a consistent cash cow for producer Neal H. Moritz and Universal Studios for the past decade. One might begin to wonder what led me to see the franchise's latest entry, "FAST FIVE".

I might have to retract a little. I did see the first movie, 2001's "THE FAST AND THE FURIOUS" last December. Well, I only saw two or three minutes of one of the movie's early scenes on a large screen television at my local store. But those two or three minutes did not convince me to go see "FAST FIVE". The movie trailer did. When I first saw it, I had rolled my eyes in disgust at the idea of a fifth FAST AND FURIOUS movie. When I saw the trailer for a second time . . . it intrigued me. Because of this, I decided to end my ban on the franchise and see the movie.

In order to understand the beginning of "FAST FIVE", one would have to watch the past four movies - especially 2009's "FAST AND FURIOUS". That movie, featured law enforcement officer Brian O'Conner's reunion with the Toretto family - street car racer/thief Dominic "Dom" and his younger sister, Mia - after he had allowed Dom to escape arrest at the end of the first movie. Dom and Brian investigated the murder of the former's girlfriend, Leticia "Letty" Ortiz and her connection to a major drug lord. Brian made arrangements with the FBI for Dom's release in exchange for the latter's assistance in the drug lord's capture. However, a Federal judge reneged on the deal and sentenced Dom 25 years to life in prison. The movie ended with Brian, Mia and two of Dom's colleagues (Tego Leo and Rico Santos) attempting to free Dom from a bus en route to the Lompoc Penitentiary.

"FAST FIVE" picked up with Dom's rescue from the prison bus. Dom, Brian and Mia are forced to leave the United States as fugitives from justice. Upon their arrival in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; they encounter Dom's former colleague, Vince. He recruits them to participate in steal cars from a moving train, on behalf of a Rio businessman and crime lord named Hernan Reyes. When Dom realizes that one of their fellow thieves, Zizi, is only interested in stealing one car - the Ford GT40 - he has Mia steal the car, while Dom and Brian fight Zizi and his henchmen. The fight results in Zizi's murder of three DEA agents on board the train. The murders are pinned on Dom and Brian. The trio discover a computer chip from the Ford GT40 that consists of details of Reyes' criminal operation and locations of $100 million dollars in cash. They decide to rip off the crime lord's money in order to start a new life, with the help of old friends. Dom, Brian and Mia also discover that a diehard U.S. DSS agent named Luke Hobbs is in Brazil to capture them for the murders of the DEA agents.

When "FAST FIVE" first hit the theaters, many fans and critics declared it to be the best in the franchise. Following my first viewing of the movie, I watched the other four that came before it. Two of them proved to be well-written entertainment; one of them seemed decent, but a little mediocre; and one barely maintained my interest. But "FAST FIVE" definitely turned out to be better than the first four movies. Although the movie featured an extreme car chase through the streets of Rio, it barely touched upon street car racing, a theme that dominated the other four films. In fact, the movie only featured two street car races - a good natured contest between four of the characters and another between Dom and Brian right before the movie's end credits. In other words, "FAST FIVE" was more of a heist film. And although certain fans had complained about the limited emphasis on street car racing, the critics and other fans had expressed that the heist plot made "FAST FIVE" the best in the franchise. So far.

Not only do I believe that "FAST FIVE" is the best in the franchise, I feel that it is one of the better heist movies I have seen in recent years (aside from 2001's "OCEAN'S ELEVEN" and 2007's "OCEAN'S THIRTEEN"). Aside from a small quibble regarding the Vince character, screenwriter Chris Morgan's plot turned out to be a strong continuation of the first, second and fourth films. Morgan's utilization of characters from the previous films provided "FAST FIVE" with a strong ensemble cast. In fact, I happily noticed that none of supporting characters had been shoved into the background or overshadowed by the Dom, Brian and Mia characters. Most of the supporting characters have previous connections with Dominic, except for two - Roman Pearce and Tej Parker - who appeared in 2003's "2 FAST 2 FURIOUS" as Brian's friends. This fifth film provided a warm and humorous private reunion between the three. And thanks to Morgan's script, the franchise's theme of family (especially fatherhood) resonated strongly. This theme also led me to view the Dominic/Brian friendship with a jaundiced eye.

The movie's production also struck me as top notch. Aside from the train robbery sequence, many of the exterior scenes were shot in Puerto Rico and Rio. Director Justin Lin and cinematographer Stephen F. Windon did a first rate job in conveying the elegance, color, chaos and squalor of Rio de Janeiro. I also have to commend Kelly Matsumoto, Fred Raskin and Christian Wagner for their editing of the film - especially the foot chase through Rio's Rocinha Favela (shantytown) and the chase sequence throughout the city.

Before I end up gushing over the movie, I do have a few quibbles. The train heist had been shot in Arizona . . . and looked it. I am aware of the scrub lands that exist in Brazil, but the train featured in this sequenced looked as if it was traveling through a very stark and dry looking terrain. And Morgan's script never revealed how Vince ended up in Brazil. He had last been seen in "THE FAST AND FURIOUS", being evacuated to hospital by a medivac, after being badly injured in truck heist gone wrong. Had he been convicted following his release from the hospital? How did he end up in Brazil in the first place?

Considering the number of performers featured in the cast of "FAST FIVE", I figured it would take a separate article to write about them. If I must be honest, there was not a performance that hit the wrong note. I noticed that the movie seemed to have a strong sense of ensemble acting. Not only did the gang of thieves summoned by Dominic and Brian clicked with perfect magic, but Dwayne Johnson and the other actors who portrayed the DSS agents clicked very well as a team. And I could say the same about Joaquim de Almeida as crime lord Reyes and Michael Irby as his henchman, Zizi.

There were some performances that caught my eye. Vin Diesel and Paul Walker made an even stronger screen team, now that the latter's character (Brian O'Conner) officially became a criminal. And Walker's chemistry with Jordana Brewster seemed a lot stronger and more stable than it was in the first and fourth movies. Speaking of Walker (again), he was also able to re-create his strong chemistry with Tyrese Gibson, who portrayed his childhood friend Roman, from the second film. As for Gibson, not only did he have the worst line in the movie, he also had most of the best ones. He was dynamic as ever. Chris "Ludacris" Bridges gave a deliciously cool and sardonic performance as Tej Parker. Spanish-born actress Elsa Pataky really connected with Diesel and Johnson in separate films. And it was great to see Almeida in a strong role again. I found his character's view on the differences between Spanish and Portuguese colonization rather interesting and chilling. Sung Kang (Han Seoul-Oh) and Gal Gadot (Gisele Harabo)'s characters created a surprisingly sexy romance. Tego Calderon and Don Omar made a hilarious screen team as Dom's old colleagues from the Dominican Republic. And even Dwayne Johnson gave a slightly scary take on the "holy roller" Federal agent, Luke Hobbs.

Considering how long this article is, one would assume that I really enjoyed "FAST FIVE". And that person would be right. And I find this surprising, considering my initial contempt, when I first saw the movie's trailer. Not only did I really enjoy "FAST FIVE", it is one my favorite movies of the summer . . . so far. It is also one of my favorite movies of 2011, as well. I am impressed.

"STAR TREK VOYAGER" Retrospect: (6.26-7.01) "Unimatrix Zero, Parts I and II"

"STAR TREK VOYAGER" Retrospect: (6.26-7.01) "Unimatrix Zero, Parts I and II"

This two-part episode of "STAR TREK VOYAGER" centered around the Voyager crew’s attempt to save Borg drones who are trying to develop individuality. (6.26) "Unimatrix Zero, Part I" aired at the end of the series’ sixth season and (7.01) "Part II" aired as the premiere for the series’ seventh and final season.

When Seven-of-Nine began having dreams about a beautiful forest, she eventually discovered that the forest is a real subconscious realm inhabited by the minds of certain Borg drones during regeneration periods. Few drones possess the recessive gene required to experience the realm called Unimatrix Zero. In Unimatrix Zero, Borg of various species and ages exist as their individual, unassimilated selves and interact with one another. While out of regeneration, they revert to normal drones and have no memory of their time spent together there. The Borg Queen knows about Unimatrix Zero, which she considers a disease. First, she destroys as many drones as she can, who are capable of visiting it. But the process of detecting affected drones turns out to be time consuming and she is eager to find a faster method of finding and deactivating them.

During a journey to Unimatrix Zero with Captain Janeway, Seven discovers that she used to have a lover named Axum. Both women also discover that Axum had deliberately contacted Seven, because he and other drones need their help. They had created a masking nanovirus which would inoculate them against being detected by the queen, but it can only be administered from the corporeal world. After Janeway and Seven witness the attack upon the Unimatrix Zero inhabitants by assimilated drones, they agree to help. In the end, Janeway came up with a plan to administer the nanovirus for the Unimatrix Zero. This plan involved a few members of Voyager’s crew to board a Borg cube, risk being assimilated and administer the nanovirus.

When I first saw the preview for ”Unimatrix Zero – Part I, my first thought was that it was a rehash of the ”STAR TREK NEXT GENERATION” episode, (3.26-4.01) “The Best of Both Worlds”. To my surprise . . . and delight, ”Unimatrix Zero” proved me wrong. Thanks to the script written by Mike Sussman, Brannon Braga, and Joe Menosky; I quite understood the story, despite the usual Trek technobabble. And I understood how previous episodes like (5.10) "Counterpoint" and (6.21)"Live Fast and Prosper" served this story. Both episodes established Captain Janeway's talent for manipulation and scamming other. Considering the situation that she, B’Elanna Torres and Tuvok found themselves in ”Part II”, she found herself being forced to pull off a difficult confidence game against the Borg Queen.

”Unimatrix Zero” also featured the first time that Janeway and Chakotay learned to act as a fully effective command team in the face of one of her . . . more bizarre plots without succumbing to any conflict, which marred their relations in episodes like (2.14) “Alliances”, (3.26-4.01) “Scorpion” and (6.01) “Equinox, Part II”. Although he had reservations, Chakotay seemed willing to go along with her plan to infiltrate a Borg drone to administer the nanovirus. And Janeway agreed to accept a few of his suggestions, in case the plan went wrong. And is it just me or did there seemed to be a lot of affection on Voyager in this episode? Seven discovered an old love in Unimatrix Zero. Tom Paris and Torres exchanged a few intimate moments after Paris received his old rank of lieutenant junior grade and when he expressed reservations about the chief engineer volunteering for the mission to the Borg cube. And one of the most blatant moments of sentimentality, Janeway and Chakotay engaged in a brief hand-lock on the Bridge before she left to begin her mission. I found myself almost inclined to burst into "Can You Feel the Love Tonight?"

In the end, the screenwriters and directors Allan Kroeker and Mike Vejar almost produced a four-star episode in ”Unimatrix Zero”. I found the writers’ idea of using the Unimatrix Zero concept as a lead-in to an uprising in the Borg Collective very inventive. And there were moments in the story – especially in ”Part II” that I enjoyed. These moments included the use of neural suppressors by the Starfleet infiltrators to keep from being part of the Borg Collective, in case they ended up being assimilated. Janeway’s confrontations with the Borg Queen, thanks to performances by Kate Mulgrew and Susanna Thompson, were even more effective than they were in (5.15-5.16) “Dark Frontier”. I also have to give kudos to Robert Beltran and Robert Duncan MacNeill who gave excellent performances in a scene that featured an exchange between Chakotay and Paris about the latter being First Officer. I found myself wondering about the thoughts going in Chakotay’s mind, when Paris revealed his hang-ups about being Voyager’s First Office. The only aspect of ”Unimatrix Zero” that I did not care for was the romance between Seven-of-Nine and Axum. Their scenes struck me as a replay of many bad romance novels from the 1950s and 60s. And even the talented Jeri Ryan and actor Mark Deakins could not save this romance.

Thankfully, the Seven/Axum romance did not tarnish ”Unimatrix Zero” for me. More important, the episode set the stage for two episodes in Season Seven that revealed the diminished power of the Borg Collective. And it proved to be the second of three mind blowing personal encounters between Kathryn Janeway and the Borg Queen. In the end, ”Unimatrix Zero” proved to be another example of why I have always enjoyed the numerous two-part episodes featured in ”STAR TREK VOYAGER”.

"Defense of the Realm" [PG-13] - 6/14

"DEFENSE OF THE REALM"

CHAPTER 6

Two unmarked police cars converged upon an apartment building near Clement and 29th Street. Darryl and Olivia climbed out of one car. The remaining members of their squad climbed out of the other.

"Why are we all here?" Marcus Anderson demanded. "For one suspect?"

Darryl checked his pistol. "Because this particular suspect happens to have known accomplices. Everyone ready?" The others nodded. Darryl then gave his squad instructions on how to approach Gallagher's apartment building. Seconds later, the five police officers started after their prey.

Both Darryl and Olivia entered the building through the front door. An elevator conveyed them to the building's fourth floor - the location of Gerry Gallagher's apartment. After the pair approached the apartment door, Darryl knocked. For a brief moment, no one answered. Then he knocked again. A voluptuous blond woman opened the door.

"Yes?" she answered nervously. Her eyes conveyed anxiety.

Darryl smiled and flashed his badge. "Lieutenant Morris of the San Francisco Police. Does Gerry Gallagher live here?"

The woman blinked. Several times. "No. Uh, . . . why don't you come in?"

Strange. Darryl frowned, as he and Olivia began to enter the apartment. Why would she . . .?

"Gallagher!" Olivia's voice boomed in the hallway. She turned to Darryl. "He left through another door!" She raced back into the hallway. A gunshot ricocheted not far from her head.

Darryl turned to the woman. "You stay here!" The he followed his partner. "Suspect is heading toward the east staircase! And he is armed and dangerous!" he barked into his walkie-talkie. "Carmen! Scott! Head for the building's entrance! Marcus! Block the back entrance!"

He continued to follow both Olivia and Gallagher down the staircase. By the time Darryl had reached the fifth floor, he paused before a window, climbed out and landed on the fire escape. Then he quickly made his way down the latter, and to the alley below. Seconds later, he heard Olivia's voice crackle on the walkie-talkie, "Suspect has broke off and is using the south fire escape to reach the alley on the building's west side!"

Sure enough, Darryl spotted Gallagher drop to the alley a few yards in front of him. The police lieutenant withdrew his pistol and pointed it at the suspect. "Gallagher! Hold it right there!" Gallagher froze. "Get your hands up! Slowly!"

As ordered, Gallagher raised his hands in the air, revealing a revolver in his hands. "Drop the gun!" Olivia cried. She had appeared on the scene, after following the robber on the fire escape. Gallagher allowed the gun to slip from his fingers and drop to the ground. She kept her pistol aimed at Gallagher, while Darryl cuffed him. "So, how did you know?"

"Know what?" Darryl replied.

Olivia shot him a dark look. "You know what! How did you know that he would use the fire escape?"

After he finished cuffing Gallagher, Darryl said, "What can I say? Police instinct. Well . . . I figured that if I were him, I would use the fire escape to avoid the front and back of the building."

"Hmmmm." Olivia lowered her gun, as Darryl forced Gallagher to sit on the ground. "Clever." While she talked to the other squad members on the walkie-talkie, Darryl read the Miranda rights to their suspect.

-----------

Cole and his uncle stepped inside a local restaurant in the San Francisco downtown area. "Very nice place," the older daemon declared. "What's the name again?"

"The Tadich Grill," Cole replied. "I'm surprised that you've never heard of it. This restaurant is practically a local institution. When I had first started coming here, it had already been opened for at least sixty years."

The maitre'd led the two men to a nearby booth. After they had sat down, a waiter appeared and asked if they would like to order drinks. Cole ordered his favorite - a Gibson. Marbus asked for a Scotch, neat.

When the waiter left, Marbus added, "Strange, I've never been here. But then, I'm not that familiar with San Francisco."

"Not even when my parents were married?" Cole asked.

Marbus shook his head. "Sorry lad. The first time I had ever clap eyes upon you, Benjamin had been dead for over a year."

Cole frowned. "And yet, you're familiar with Cordelia Morton and her family." He was referring to one of San Francisco's wealthiest families.

"I usually see them in Europe. Either in Monte Carlo or Portofino." Marbus opened his menu. "Now this sounds interesting. Pan-fried sole. What are you having?"

"I haven't decided yet," Cole murmured. He stared at his uncle. A deep suspicion glimmered in the back of his mind that this lunch was more than a friendly gathering between two kinsmen. "So . . . Marbus. Are you going to tell me why you had invited me to lunch?"

Marbus' blue eyes widened with innocence. "What do you mean?"

Cole leaned forward in a sinister manner. "Marbus."

The older daemon leaned back against the cushioned seat. "Bloody hell," he murmured. "If you must know, I need your help."

"Need my help for what?" Cole demanded.

The waiter returned with their drinks and left. After taking a sip of his Scotch, Marbus continued, "I need you to give refuge to a friend of mine."

Cole frowned. "What friend?"

"I've told you about her, once." Marbus took another sip. "Natalia Stepanova. She was one of the two whitelighters who had warned me about plans to vanquish you."

Now Cole remembered. The whitelighter's name brought up memories of a warning he had received from Marbus, about the Elders' intentions to kill him. "Why does she need refuge from me?"

Marbus explained, "Your flat is the only place where she can be safe. The Elders had managed to track her to the Gimle Realm. I got her out before they could snatch her. Then they traced her to the mortal realm. She's now inside my hotel room, but I figured that you're the only person powerful enough to prevent her from being captured."

"And why in the hell are the Elders after her?" The moment Cole had asked his question, the answer came to him. "Wait a minute! Has this anything to do with the death of that Elder? Phoebe had dropped by the penthouse to tell me about it."

A grim-faced Marbus added, "Four of 'em are dead now, lad." While the daemon and the half-daemon sipped their drinks, Marbus revealed the unfolding crisis within the Whitelighters Realm. Only one Elder had been killed on Earth, while the other three had been killed above. Marbus also told Cole about Natalia's revelation regarding the Elders, the Source and the Charmed Ones. He simply could not believe what he had just heard. By breeding a powerful sorcerer with a low-level witch, the Elders had created a powerful weapon to bring down the Source. And endangered the balance of good and evil within their universe.

"Why go through so much trouble?" he asked Marbus. "Why didn't the Elders simply ask this Phillip Lacey to kill the Source, himself?

"He didn't realize that he was being manipulated by the Elders, lad. I suspect that a whitelighter had acted as an agent on earth to ensure that he and Charlotte would meet." Marbus sighed. "And it's possible that he wasn't strong enough to get rid of the Source."

Cole asked, "Does Leo and the other whitelighters know about all this? About this whole mess with the Source and the Elders?"

Marbus shook his head. "Natalia had managed to stumble across all of this in the Realm's archives, recently. And I don't think that she and Barbara DeVilliers had the opportunity to spread the word beyond their followers."

Cole sighed. "If Phoebe and her sisters ever found out about this . . ."

"Well, there's a more immediate matter to consider," Marbus said. "Like providing protection for Natalia." He peered at his nephew from behind the rim of his glass. "Would you mind?"

"Of course not. Bring her by my place, this evening. At least before seven. I'm taking Phoebe out for dinner, tonight."

One of Marbus' brows quirked upward. "Really? You and Frances have been dining out a lot, lately. Haven't you?"

"Her name is Phoebe," Cole said for the umpteenth time. "And what's the problem?"

Marbus coughed slightly. "Nothing. Never mind." He glanced around the restaurant's dining room. "Now what happened to our waiter?"

----------

A defiant Gallagher sat inside one of the police station's interrogation rooms, while Darryl and Scott Yi hovered over him. Olivia sat in one of the chairs, opposite the suspect. "I don't know what the hell you're talking about!" he declared. "How many fucking times do I have to tell you?"

"So far, you've only told us twice." Darryl leaned across the table to face the robber. "Now, I'm going to ask you one last time. What do you know about a robbery and murder at a shop on Kearny called Kostopulos's Antiquities? And about the murder of a dealer named Gregory Liederhoff, at the Powell House Hotel?"

Gallagher shouted, "Nothing! I . . . know . . . nothing!"

Darryl stared at Olivia, who merely shrugged. Scott seemed slightly amused. "So, you don't know a thing. Huh?"

"That's right!" Gallagher sneered. "Now, when are you going to let me go?"

Olivia chuckled mirthlessly. "Oh don't worry. We'll let you go. After you've been charged with robbery and murder . . . and after your attorney has arranged for your bail. And only then will we release you."

Gallagher shot out of his seat. "What the fu . . .?"

"Sit down!" Scott ordered in a harsh voice. "Now!"

Reluctantly, the suspect did as he was told. "You have nothing on me," he whined in an uneasy voice.

"Wanna bet?" Darryl shot back. "Ballistics has discovered that the bullets found in Stefan Kostopulos and Gregory Liederhoff's bodies match the bullets from your gun. The gun you were carrying, when we arrested you. And what you had used to fire a shot at a police officer."

Panic filled Gallagher's eyes. "Wait a minute! I didn't know you guys were cops!"

"Oh, so you admit that the gun is yours?"

"I . . ." Gallagher immediately closed his mouth.

Someone knocked on the door. Then Carlotta poked her head inside. "Say Darryl?"

"Yeah?" the police lieutenant replied.

"Marcus and I found some interesting items inside Gallagher's apartment." Carlotta strode inside and dumped a plastic bag on the table. A triumphant smile curled her lips. "Including this."

Darryl grabbed the bag and dumped the contents upon the table. A small bundle of bills. "Well now! Look at what we've got here!" he crowed.

"Hey, that's not mine!" Gallagher protested. "You guys had planted it on me!"

Carlotta rolled her eyes. "Spare us your bullshit! Marcus and I had found it, along with other bags, hidden underneath the sofa. Items from other . . . jobs, I would assume. And we found all of this stuff in front of witnesses."

"Cops!" Gallagher shot back.

"Including your girlfriend?" While Gallagher's shoulders sagged with defeat, Carlotta continued. "We were able to lift prints from the bag. They match our suspect's prints, perfectly." She nodded at the cash on the table. "That should run to the amount of three thousand, seven hundred and forty-two dollars. Which is exactly what was missing from Kostopulos' cash register."

All four detectives stared at Gallagher. Darryl said, "Are you sure you don't have anything to tell us?"

"Fuck off!"

Fighting the urge to smack the suspect on the side of the head, Darryl continued, "What if I told you that we have a witness to the Kostopulos murder?"

Again, Gallagher shot up from his seat. "Your witness is lying!"

"Sit your ass back down on that seat!" Scott barked. Glaring at the police officers, the suspect did as he was told. "Between the witness, the bullets and this evidence, Gerry," Scott continued, "you're looking at a world of shit! What do you have to say?"

Gallagher suddenly blurted, "It wasn't my idea to rob that place! I was hired by . . ."

"Yes?" Olivia added.

The robber sighed. "This woman . . . she had hired me. She wanted me to do the Kostopulos job as soon as possible. But I had other plans that night, so I did . . ." He hesitated.

"You had another job and you had decided to rob Kostopulos in the daytime," Olivia finished. "What about Liederhoff?"

Gallagher nodded. "Him too. The lady wanted both men dead."

"What 'lady'?"

"She . . ." Gallagher lowered his head. "This woman and her two flunkies had approached me. Her name was Lin Bryant." Darryl heard an intake of breath from Scott. Gallagher continued, "She's a . . ." He shot a nervous glance at the young detective. ". . . part Chinese or something. She owns an auction house. Only I don't know where this place is. She had hired me to get . . ."

Darryl corrected him. "To steal."

Gallagher's face turned red. "Yeah. She wanted me to . . . steal these objects."

Olivia held up the Kostopulos photograph of the medallion. "This?"

"Yeah. Apparently, both Kostopulos and Liederhoff each had one." Gallagher paused. "That's it."

"Lin Bryant." Darryl savored the name. "Where can we find her?"

Gallagher rolled his eyes. "Hey! It's like I said. I don't know where the fuck she is! We had met at the Golden Gate Park every time."

Darryl turned to Carlotta. "Get Marcus in here. Mr. Gallagher is going to provide us with a description of this Lin Bryant." The policewoman nodded and left the room. Darryl returned his attention to Gallagher. "Right, Gerry?"

The robber merely looked away, with a morose expression stamped on his face.


END OF CHAPTER 6