"The Uninvited" [PG-13] - Act I

"THE UNINVITED"

ACT I

"Not bad," Paige declared, as she glanced around the elegant room. She took a sip of her gingerale. "Although, this party could use some decent music."

Harry smirked. "By decent music, are you referring to Alanis Morissette? Aimee Mann or the Bare Naked Ladies? Don't forget that Mom and Dad are hosting this engagement party for Cole and Olivia - and they come from a different generation." He and Paige sat at one of the tables that filled the Colonial Room at the Westin St. Francis Hotel. "Besides, what's wrong with 'The Look of Love'? I've always liked Burt Bacharach."

"I'm not into Oldies. I like my music, contemporary."

With a sigh, Harry shook his head. "Sometimes Paige, I think you have no sense of history."

The music finally stopped. One of the many couples on the dance floor broke away and approached Paige and Harry's table. "Why aren't you two dancing?" Piper asked. She sat in the chair, next to Paige's.

Harry replied, "It seems Paige isn't into Oldies." He glanced up at Piper's companion. "So Scott, are you enjoying yourself?"

"Great party." Scott Yi shot a friendly smile at Piper. Who responded with one of her own. Earlier in the evening, Olivia had introduced other members of her squad to the Halliwells. Paige and Piper learned that one of them, Scott Yi, not only knew about the existence of magic, but was also a practitioner. A powerful sorcerer. Scott's eyes scanned the hotel ballroom. "What happened to sister number three?"

Piper replied, "Phoebe? She's in Hong Kong. With her boyfriend. And boss."

"Oh, Jason Dean." The two sisters stared at him. "I remembered him from the DeWolfe Mann case. He was always calling the station about an update. And Olivia has told me about him."

Paige added, "Yeah, well Phoebe had decided to stay with Jason for a while."

"Have you heard from her, yet?" Harry asked.

Piper sighed. "She called about three days ago. Apparently, she and Jason had just returned from some party aboard a . . . taipan's yacht."

Both Harry and Scott exchanged amused glances at Piper's mention of the word, "taipan". Still smiling, the red-haired witch commented, "Taipan, huh? Boy, she really must be turning native."

"Turning 'Chinese' would be more like it," Scott added. "I guess that usually happens when someone becomes exposed to a new culture for a period of time."

Paige rolled her eyes. "Tell me about it! Every time we have a conversation with her, Phoebe starts spouting Eastern philosophy. Really gets on my nerves." Aware of Scott's presence, she shot him an embarrassed glance. "Ooops! Sorry, no offense."

"None taken," Scott shot back. "Besides, I understand. I knew a guy who became a born-again Christian. I was happy for him, but unfortunately, he wouldn't stop talking about it."

Piper nodded. "Knowing Phoebe, I'm sure that she'll get over her philosophical musings, once she returns home for good."

A soft, Irish voice said, "Phoebe is out of town?" The three witches and the sorcerer glanced up and found Cole's mother looming before them. Paige could not help but admire the demoness' chic, powder-green cocktail dress and stylish haircut. Mrs. Turner regarded the quartet with observant, blue eyes. "I wondered why I didn't see her, this evening."

Piper coolly replied, "Phoebe is . . ." She paused and broke off - as if she realized that she had said too much.

"Phoebe is . . . where?" Cole's mother asked.

Scott added, "Actually, she's in Hong Kong." Ignoring the Charmed Ones' dark glances, he stood up and held out his hand. "How do you do? I'm a friend of the bride-to-be. My name is Scott Yi."

"Elizabeth Turner," the demoness replied, shaking the police inspector's hand. "Cole's mother." She turned her gaze upon Harry. "And you must be one of Olivia's brothers. I see the family resemblance."

Harry stood up and smiled politely. "Yes, I'm Harry McNeill, Olivia's younger brother. It's nice meeting you." He shook hands with the demoness.

Mrs. Turner continued, "So, Phoebe is in Hong Kong. How charming. She must be with that publisher companion of hers. Jason Dean?"

The two Charmed Ones regarded Cole's mother with surprise . . . and suspicion. "How did you know about Jason?" Paige demanded.

"Well, after meeting my former daughter-in-law, last summer; I took it upon myself to learn more about her. And you." Mrs. Turner gave the two sisters a bright smile. "After all, Bel . . . Cole used to be part of your family." She returned her attention to Scott. "Have you, by any chance, ever heard of a man named Yi Tse Lao? I believe that he once owned a pharmacy on Grant Avenue."

Scott nodded. "Uh, that would be my great-uncle. My grandfather's brother."

"Really? As I recall, Mr. Yi owned a most remarkable shop. His collection of herbs and other . . . medicines was most extensive."

Piper demanded, "Is there a reason why you're here?"

With eyes that reflected a lack of emotion, Mrs. Turner glanced at Piper. Paige found the demoness unsettling. Then she turned to Harry. "By the way, Mr. McNeill, I'm looking for your parents. There is . . . something I wish to discuss with them."

"Discuss what?" Paige asked.

The demoness coolly replied, "Something. It's for Cole and Olivia's engagement." Her eyes pierced Paige's. "Anything else?"

Feeling slightly embarrassed, Paige murmured, "No."

Harry added, "They were dancing not long ago. I, uh . . ." He scanned the ballroom. "Oh, there they are. Near the refreshment tables."

"Thank you, my dear. Ladies, gentlemen." Mrs. Turner flashed one last smile at the quartet and walked away.

"Whew!" Paige released a gust of breath. "That is one scary woman. I can't understand why your parents would invite her to this party."

Harry replied, "Because she happens to be Cole's mother. And this is a family affair."

"She's also dangerous," Piper added. "In fact, I don't think even Cole is comfortable about her being here."

With a shrug of his shoulders, Scott said, "He should have thought about that before he told her about his engagement."

Harry stared at Paige. "I'm a little surprised that you would be against Mrs. Turner being here, considering that she had helped Olivia regain Cole's powers from that daemon."

"Did you really have to bring that up?" Paige retorted, still embarrassed over her part in that incident. "Besides, what Piper was trying to point out is that Cole's mom is a dangerous and powerful demon."

"Aren't we all dangerous? Good, evil, witch, daemon, sorcerer or whatever . . . our powers make us dangerous. In fact, any kind of power can be dangerous if not used properly. Don't you agree?" Scott shot back.

Paige opened her mouth to retort. But past memories of Cole's problems with the Source and the incident regarding Darryl and the Valkyries led the Charmed One to hold her tongue.

Piper avoided answering Scott's question. Instead, she changed the subject, much to Paige's relief. "I wonder if Cole and Olivia's engagement is really on Nimue's mind?" she asked. "Or is there something else she might want to discuss?"

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

Nimue found her son's future in-laws standing near a refreshment table, while a uniformed attendant served them food. "Hello!" she greeted the couple. Her eyes briefly glanced at the spread before them. "I must say that this food is quite lovely."

"Yes, it is," Gweneth McNeill said with a nod. "Thomas Rimpel is a marvelous chef. He's one of the few here in San Francisco whom I consider first-rate."

Jack McNeill smiled politely at the demoness. "Here for a bite to eat?"

"Oh no." Nimue shook her head. "I've just finished eating about ten minutes ago. I'm stuff. Actually . . . I wanted to speak with you, regarding a private matter. I'll wait for you, at your table." She smiled once more and headed for an empty table.

A few minutes later, the McNeills joined her, carrying plates of food. Once they had sat down, Jack said, "So, what exactly can we do for you?"

Nimue smiled. "I just wanted to thank you for inviting me to this party."

"Well, you are Cole's mother."

"Of course." Nimue continued, "And as Olivia's parents, I would like to invite you to my own engagement party for her and Belthazor. In fact, your entire family is invited."

Gweneth frowned. "I didn't realize that you were living in San Francisco."

"Oh, I'm not. I own a townhouse in Boston. On Beacon Hill." Nimue hesitated. "However, I don't plan to hold the party there. I . . . Have you ever heard of the Melora dimension?"

A gasp escaped from Gweneth's mouth. Her husband and Nimue stared at her. "Gwen?" Jack said. "You've heard of this place?"

"I only went there once," the redheaded witch replied. "When I was nineteen. Bloody gorgeous, it was. Melora is regarded as some kind of sanctuary from any conflicts between all kinds of magical beings - witches, whitelighters, darklighters, warlocks, daemons, wizards, fairies . . . you name it. Everyone put all of their conflicts aside and enjoy themselves at any of the dimension's resorts."

Nimue added, "That is about right. I felt that the Melora dimension would be the perfect place to hold the party. Considering the guest list.

Jack's eyes narrowed warily. "Guest list?"

"Oh . . . there will be a few members from my order. A wizard or two. I plan to hold the party at the Berisa Resort Hotel." Nimue gave the couple a reassuring smile. "It is quite lovely."

"You need to hold the party for a few guests . . . at a hotel?"

Bloody hell! Nimue sighed. "To be perfectly honest, there will be more than a few guests." She noticed the alarmed expression on the couple's faces. "Oh, but don't worry. I plan to have a variety of guests. My brother and his family will be there. Along with a few members of the Gimle Order, Belthazor's friend - Riggerio, and perhaps a witch or two. Like the Charmed Ones, perhaps? And hopefully Olivia's friend, Miss Green."

Jack and Gweneth McNeill seemed to relax slightly. "Well, I guess I won't mind accepting your invitation." The former turned to his wife. "Gwen?"

"I'm looking forward to seeing the Melora dimension again," Gweneth added.

Nimue smiled. "Good. I'm sure that you'll enjoy yourselves."

Two figures appeared beside the table. "Enjoy what?" Nimue glanced up and met the suspicious eyes of her son. Olivia stood next to him. His eyes still gleaming with suspicion, Belthazor added, "What exactly are you talking about?"

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

Chris orbed into the middle of the manor's Solarium. The two sisters glanced up from the television set. "Well, look who's here," Piper caustically announced. "Have you finally decided to tell us the truth about yourself? And why you're here?"

"I told you everything," the whitelighter protested. "About the fact that Wyatt might be in danger. About me being half-witch and half-whitelighter. About Bianca." His blue eyes reflected momentary pain at his mention of his former lover. "What more do you want?"

Paige replied, "How about who your parents are, and how you became to be half-witch? Or how we're supposed to save Wyatt? Or the fact that you didn't seem that concerned about Cole and Olivia's engagement?"

"My parents are my own concern," Chris shot back. "And as for Cole and Olivia - contrary to what Leo believes, their marriage won't be a future threat. Trust me."

Piper coolly regarded her whitelighter. "Why should we? You've either been lying to us, or trying to manipulate us. Why should we trust anything you say?"

Chris sighed. "Because I can't tell you everything, right now. This isn't the right time."

"When is the right time?" Paige demanded.

The half-whitelighter glanced around. "Where's Phoebe? Out on a date?"

A caustic Piper replied, "Try Hong Kong. She's with Jason Dean."

"What?" Chris looked horrified. "What the hell is she doing in Hong Kong? What about the Power of Three?"

Paige sighed. "We think that Phoebe's personal life is more important than killing demons, right now. Besides, she needed some time alone with Jason."

"But in Hong Kong?"

Piper retorted, "Hey! We had managed to do without the Power of Three, when Paige was in Europe, last summer. We can do it, again. And if we do need extra help, Paige can orb Phoebe back here. Or we can get the McNeills or Cole to help."

But Chris refused to be placated. "Are you serious? What if Phoebe being in Hong Kong and not here, leads to Wyatt . . ." He quickly broke off.

Paige stared at him. "What does Phoebe being in Hong Kong have to do with Wyatt?" Before Chris could answer, the doorbell rang. Paige jumped to her feet. "I'll get it."

Chris turned to Piper. "Listen, this idea of you allowing Phoebe to be in Hong Kong is a mistake."

"Who said that I had . . . allowed Phoebe to be with Jason?" Piper retorted. "She's a grown woman."

An anxious-looking Paige returned, escorting their visitor. Piper took one look at the latter and immediately shot to her feet. "Guess who's joined us for dinner?" the younger woman quipped nervously.

Elizabeth Turner emerged from behind Paige. A polite smile stretched her lips. "Good evening, Miss Halliwell. How are you?"

Piper glared at her sister. "Paige! You let her in?"

"I . . . I mean . . . she . . ." Paige began sheepishly.

Mrs. Turner's smile became tart. "Oh, there's no need for concern, my dear. I'm not here for any nefarious reason. If I were, I would not have used the doorbell."

Keeping her hostility in check, Piper demanded, "Then why are you here?"

Still smiling, the demoness eased herself into one of the wicker chairs. Piper burned inwardly burned at the woman's boldness. "To issue an invitation, Miss Halliwell. For an engagement party I'm hosting, in honor of Bel . . ." She paused, as her gaze fell upon Chris. ". . . in honor of Cole and Olivia." Then, "Do I know you, young man?"

"Uh . . . I don't . . ." Looking insecure, Chris glanced at Piper. "I don't think so. I'm a friend of the family."

Blue eyes continued to bore into the young whiteligher's. "And do you have a name?"

Again, Chris glanced at Piper. "Uh, Chris. Chris Perry."

"Hmm. It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Perry." Mrs. Turner returned her attention to the sisters. "As I was saying, I'll be hosting an engagement party for . . . Cole and Olivia. And I'm here to invite you."

The two sisters stared at each other. Should they accept? Paige shrugged her shoulders, as if conveying the message - "Why not?" Then Piper sighed and replied, "We, uh . . . would love . . . to come."

"Excellent!" Mrs. Turner responded with a brilliant smile. "They party will be held on Friday. You can pop up at any time you like."

Paige frowned. "Pop up? To where?"

The demoness hesitated, as her gaze returned to Chris. Piper sighed. "For heaven's sake! He's our whitelighter."

"Oh. I see." Mrs. Turner nodded. "Well then . . . the party will be held at the Berisa Resort Hotel, in the Melora Dimension. Like I said, you can pop in at any time. I'm sure that Miss Matthews will have no trouble in teleporting you." She smiled at Chris. "And Mr. Perry can join you, if he likes."

Looking slightly embarrassed, Chris mumbled, "I don't know . . . I . . . maybe I'll come. I think."

Mrs. Turner stood up. "Well, it's up to you. And I believe it is time for me to depart. I do look forward to seeing all of you. And say hello to Phoebe and young Wyatt, for me. Good evening." She flashed one last smile and shimmered out of the room.

The two Charmed Ones heaved a sigh. Chris regarded them with eyes shining with disbelief . . . and yelled, "Are you two out of your damn minds?"

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

Around the same time, the engaged couple returned to Cole's penthouse that he now shared with Olivia. After the Thanksgiving holiday, it had become her permanent residence. Although most of her furnishings had been placed in a storeroom, Cole and Olivia managed to move a few of her belongings into his penthouse - allowing the latter to look more hospitable.

"An engagement party in the Melora Dimension." Cole shook his head. "Why would she hold a party for us, in the first place? I'm not exactly beloved by the demonic community. And I sure as hell don't look forward to a reunion with the Thorn Brotherhood."

Olivia dumped her purse on the coffee table, and sat down on the sofa. "Do you think that one of your former colleagues might want revenge for Raynor's death?"

Cole flopped down on the sofa, next to Olivia, and sighed. "I doubt that any one of them would be able to kill me. At least outright. But any one of them could hurt you. Besides, I'm still wondering why Mother wants to hold a party for us."

"Let's see," Olivia commented sardonically. "You are her only son. And you did tell her about her engagement . . . which she had accepted a lot better than you said she would."

Cole grumbled, "I remember. I also remember that she has plans for a big bash in the Melora Dimension. And my question is - why?"

Olivia grabbed hold of one of Cole's hands. "Maybe she's trying to win back her son. How long have you two been estranged?"

"Since I was fifteen," Cole replied. "Or maybe sixteen. We had a brief reunion back in the late 30s. But I managed to remember why I distrusted her in the first place."

A tight smile stretched Olivia's lips. "Courtesy of Raynor, I'd bet."

Cole shot her a dark look. "What makes you . . . never mind."

"You know, Cole, even if your mom does have another reason to hold this party, I don't think her plans include harming either of us." Olivia shook her head. "I don't know. I just have this feeling. Maybe she wants our help, regarding a certain matter. Or information."

Rolling his eyes in disgust, Cole muttered, "Great! It's nice to know that Mother's 'little' party will be more than just about her son's happiness."

A sigh left Olivia's mouth, as she stood up and shook her head. "You know, I'm beginning to wonder why you had such difficulty in becoming part of the Halliwell family. You have so much in common with them. I'm going to bed." She shot a disappointed look at her fiancé and marched toward the master bedroom, leaving him to ponder her last words.

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

The warlock stood before Prax, feeling calm and collected. At five-feet eleven, he possessed a lithe and wiry body, dark-brown hair and sharp features. The warlock, otherwise known as Eric Logan, regarded the daemon with chilly, gray eyes. "I was told that you wanted to see me."

Prax indicated an empty chair in front of his desk. "Yes. My boss, Mr. Winslow, has a job for you."

"Mr. Winslow?" Logan allowed himself an amused smile. "Is he still using that name?"

The daemon glared at his visitor. "Yes. Now . . . he has a job for you. One that promises a very high fee." Prax tossed a thick, yellow envelope to the other side of the desk. "You will find information on the assignment, inside."

Logan grabbed the envelope from the desk and opened it. He removed a brown folder from inside. "What's this?"

"Like I said, information on your next target."

"Oh?" Logan opened the file. Inside laid a photograph of a beautiful, red-haired woman. The warlock whistled. "Not bad! Who is she?"

Prax leaned back into his chair, and locked his fingers together. "Olivia McNeill. She's a witch, who lives here in San Francisco."

A gasp left Logan's mouth. "Are you . . . You want me to kill . . ."

"To kill her, Mr. Logan," Prax coolly replied. "Yes."

Logan stared at the photograph. "But she's a McNeill witch. They're not exactly easy to kill, you know. My old mentor, Morella Walters tried to kill a McNeill witch in Boston, some fifteen years ago. Morella was one of the best assassins around. And she ended up dead, because of that last assignment."

"The McNeills might be difficult to kill, Mr. Logan." Prax leaned forward. "But they can be killed."

As he struggled to maintain his calm, Logan read the file, once more. "Wait a minute! It says here that she's dating Belthazor. Belthazor?"

"Actually Mr. Logan, they're engaged to be married."

At that moment, the warlock wondered if his potential employer had lost his mind. "My God! Even if I do succeed in killing the witch, my hide won't be worth a penny once Belthazor finds out I'm responsible! And he will find out!"

Prax sighed. "I don't see how. You're a shapeshifter. That's why we hired you. If you're in disguise, no one will find out that you were responsible for Miss McNeill's death. And you're one of our best contract assassins. We would never allow you to fall into Belthazor's hands."

"Bullshit! You could have given this job to a demonic assassin." Logan's eyes narrowed suspiciously. "Why give it to me? A warlock?"

"Like I said, Mr. Logan, you're one of the best."

Another thought entered Logan's mind. "And you can't afford to have this hit traced to someone from your order. Am I right?"

"Please, Mr. Logan. Try to keep your paranoia in check." Prax hesitated. "I agree that a warlock would be more preferable for this assignment than a daemon. After all, you would be more difficult for Belthazor, his mother or any other daemon to detect. And if you're worried about that traitorous half-daemon getting revenge, we're in the process of planning something special for him. Now, inside the folder, you'll also find information we have received from a source."

Logan snickered. "You mean a spy."

Again, Prax sighed. "Whatever. Anyway, our source has given us information on Miss McNeill's whereabouts, this weekend. We have made arrangement for you to meet this . . ." A knowing smile curved Prax's lips. ". . . spy, who will help you reach Miss McNeill's destination." He pressed a button. An attractive female with chestnut hair and a shapely figure entered the office. Prax added, "By the way, Mr. Logan, would you like a drink?"

The warlock smiled at Prax's assistant. "A cup of coffee with sugar only. Thank you." The assistant nodded and left the office. Logan turned to Prax. "How much is the witch's death worth to you?"

One of Prax's eyebrows quirked upward. "I beg your pardon?"

"What will be my fee?" Logan leaned forward. "Considering whom I'm being hired to kill, along with the fact that my life will be in jeopardy if Belthazor ever finds out about me, I will be expecting a rather substantial fee."

Prax smiled. "Oh! May I assume that you have accepted the assignment?"

A sigh left Logan's mouth. "I would like for you to state your fee, first."

After a brief hesitation, Prax answered, "Ten million . . . Euros."

The moment Logan heard the amount, he realized that he would not being able to resist the assignment. Or its challenge. Again, he sighed. "Then you may assume that I have accepted this assignment. Shall we go over the particulars?" He returned his attention to the file's contents, while Prax resumed his instructions.


END OF ACT I

"SENSE AND SENSIBILITY" (1981) Photo Gallery

Below are images of "SENSE AND SENSIBILITY", the 1981 BBC adaptation of Jane Austen's 1811 novel. Directed by Rodney Bennett and adapted by Alexander Baron, the miniseries starred Irene Richards and Tracey Childs:

 


"SENSE AND SENSIBILITY" (1981) Screencaps Gallery

"SNOW WHITE AND THE HUNTSMAN" (2012) Review

"SNOW WHITE AND THE HUNTSMAN" (2012) Review

The past ten months has been a busy period for the Brothers Grimm. During that period, there have been two television shows and two movies that featured their work. At least one television series and the two movies retold the literary pair's story about Snow White, including the recent film, "SNOW WHITE AND THE HUNTSMAN".

Directed by Rupert Sanders; and written by Evan Daugherty, John Lee Hancock and Hossein Amini, "SNOW WHITE AND THE HUNTSMAN" is a twist on the Snow White tale in which the Huntsman not only becomes the princess' savior, but also her protector and mentor. In this tale, Snow White is a princess of Tabor and the daughter of King Magnus and Queen Eleanor. After the Queen's death, King Magnus marries a beautiful woman named Ravenna after rescuing her from an invading force of glass soldiers. As it turns out, Ravenna is a powerful sorceress that controls the glass soldiers. She kills Magnus on their wedding night and seizes control of Tabor. Duke Hammond and his son William (Snow White's childhood friend) manages to escape the castle. But Snow White is captured by Ravenna's brother Finn and imprisoned in one of the castle's towers.

As a decade passes, Ravenna drains the youth from the kingdom's young women in order to maintain her youth and beauty. When Snow White comes of age, Ravenna learns from her Magic Mirror that the former is destined to destroy her, unless she consumes the young woman's heart. When Finn is ordered to bring Snow White before Ravenna, the princess manages to escape into the Dark Forest. Eric the Huntsman is a widower who has survived the Dark Forest, and is brought before Ravenna. She orders him to lead Finn in pursuit of Snow White, in exchange for her promise to revive his dead wife. But when Eric learns from Finn that Ravenna will not be able to resurrect his wife, he helps Snow White escape through the Forest. Snow White later promises him gold if he would escort her to Duke Hammond's Castle. Meanwhile, the Duke's son William manages to infiltrate Finn's band in order to find Snow White on his own.

What can I say about "SNOW WHITE AND THE HUNTSMAN"? It is not perfect. Well . . . I had at least two minor and one major problems with the movie. The two minor problems centered around the performances of Chris Hemsworth (Eric the Huntsman) and Charlize Theron (Ravenna). Basically, both gave first-rate performances. I cannot deny that. But . . . there were moments during the movie's first half hour in which I found it difficult to comprehend Hemsworth's accent? Was he trying to use a working-class Scots or English accent? Or was he using his own Australian accent? I could not tell. As for Theron . . . she had a few moments of some truly hammy acting. But only a few moments. But the major problem centered around the character of Snow White.

The movie's final showpiece featured a battle between Snow White and Ravenna's forces at Tabor's Castle. The battle also featured the princess fighting along with both Eric and William. When on earth did Snow White learn combat fighting? When? She spent most of the movie's first thirty minutes either as a young girl or imprisoned in the Castle. I figured that Eric, William or both would teach her how to fight in combat before their forces marched back to Tabor. The movie featured a scene in which Eric taught Snow White on how to stab someone up close . . . but nothing else.

The only reasons I wanted to see "SNOW WHITE AND THE HUNTSMAN" were the visual effects and the fact that I was a fan of ABC's "ONCE UPON A TIME". That is it. Otherwise, I would not have bothered to pay a ticket to see this film. But I am glad that I did. Because I enjoyed it very much, despite its flaws. Thanks to Daugherty, Hancock and Amini's script, "SNOW WHITE AND THE HUNTSMAN" is part epic, part road movie, part fantasy horror tale and part romance. For me, all of these aspects made this tale about Snow White fascinating to me. And Snow White has never been one of my favorite fairy tales. Director Rupert Sanders not only meshed these attributes into an exciting movie. More importantly, his direction gave the movie a steady pace. I find it amazing that "SNOW WHITE AND THE HUNTSMAN" is Sanders' first feature film.

The most interesting aspect about the film was its love triangle between Snow White, Eric and William. Although Eric was originally supposed to be nothing more than a savior and mentor for Snow White, someone made the decision to add a little spice to their relationship. I suspect that this had something to do with Hemsworth's age and his chemistry with star Kristin Stewart. The movie did not end with Snow White romantically clenched with one man or the other. Although some people were either disturbed or annoyed at this deliberately vague ending, I was not. I suspect that if Snow White had chosen either Eric or William, she would not have found her choice an easy one - either politically or romantically.

There are other aspects of "SNOW WHITE AND THE HUNTSMAN" that I found admirable. One, I was impressed by Dominic Watkins' production designs, which ranged from horror to light fantasy. I was afraid that the movie would visually turn out to be another fantasy production with another second-rate "LORD OF THE RINGS" look about it. Watkins' designs were ably enhanced by the special effects team led by Vince Abbott and Greig Fraser's beautiful photography. And I loved Colleen Atwood's costume designs. She did a great job for most of the cast. But her designs for Charlize Theron's evil queen were outstanding. Take a look:

 

The performances featured in "SNOW WHITE AND THE HUNTSMAN" struck me as pretty damn good. The revelations of the actors portraying the Seven Dwarfs took me by surprised. Toby Jones was the first to catch my eye. Then I realized that a who's who of well known British character actors were portraying the dwarves - Bob Hoskins, Ian McShane, Nick Frost, Ray Winstone, and Eddie Marsan. They were all entertaining, especially Hoskins, McShane and Marsan. More importantly, I was very impressed by their roles in the movie's final battle. Sam Spruell's performance as Ravenna's sleazy brother Finn sruck me as almost as frightening as Charlize Theron's Queen Ravenna. But only almost. Despite her moments of hammy acting, Theron nearly scared the pants off me, making her Evil Queen just as frightening as the one featured in the 1937 Disney animated film.

I must admit that I was not that impressed by Sam Claflin's performance as the missionary in last year's "PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: ON STRANGER TIDES". But I suspect that was due to the role he was stuck with. "SNOW WHITE AND THE HUNTSMAN" provided him with a much better role as the aristocratic William, who felt guilty over his and his father's failure to prevent Snow White's imprisonment following the King's death. Not only was Claflin was able to strut his stuff in a more interesting role and prove that he could be a first-rate action hero; he also had surprisingly great chemistry with both Stewart and Hemsworth. As for the Australian actor, he was superb as the grieving huntsman, Eric. Okay, I had a few problems with his questionable accent during the movie's first half hour. However, he overcame that flaw and gave a great and emotionally satisfying performance as a man whose destructive grieving was overcome by his relationship with Snow White. And he also proved that he was more than an action star in a scene in which he gave a beautiful soliloquy regarding Eric's feelings for the princess. The belle of the ball - at least for me - was actress Kristen Stewart. I must be honest. I am not a fan of the "TWILIGHT" movies or Stewart's role of Bella Swann. But I certainly enjoyed her performance as Snow White in this film. For the first time, Stewart seemed to be portraying a character that seemed animated, interesting and pro-active. She has great chemistry with both Hemsworth and Claflin. And she did surprisingly well in the action sequences . . . especially in Snow White's confrontation with Ravenna. I hope to see Stewart in more roles like this.

I heard rumors that due to the movie's surprising success, Universal Pictures hopes to release a sequel to "SNOW WHITE AND THE HUNTSMAN". I do not know if this is a good idea. Do not get me wrong. I enjoyed the movie very much, despite its flaws. The script proved to be an interesting mixture of fantasy, horror, comedy, romance and a road trip. And the cast, led by Kristen Stewart, Chris Hemsworth and Charlize Theron, was first-rate. But considering how the movie ended, I simply do not see the need or possibility for a sequel. Besides, I felt more than satisfied with this particular film.

"JERICHO" RETROSPECT: (1.07) "Long Live the Mayor"

"JERICHO" RETROSPECT: (1.07) "Long Live the Mayor"

For the past two to three years, I have always believed that the Season One episode, (1.08) "Rogue River" was the one in which "JERICHO" really came into its own. But after watching (1.07) "Long Live the Mayor", the episode that aired a week before "Rogue River", I think I may have made a mistake..

In this episode, Gray Anderson’s return to Jericho brought about a great deal of emotions from some of the townspeople. Especially from two people in particular. This all started when Gray had volunteered to become one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse who had left town in (1.03) "Four Horsemen" . They left to search for outside news following the nuclear attacks. Jake had immediately returned with news of a plane crash that involved Emily Sullivan's missing fiance, Roger Hammond. Another "Horseman", Shep, disappeared for good, due to guilt over the death of citizen during the fallout in the second episode. I do not recall who the third Horseman was, but Gray remained missing for three episodes before his return in this one.

Gray's news turned out to be a mixed blessing. He revealed a disturbing tale of the fatal beating of a FEMA driver by drifters outside of Topeka - a fate that he managed to avoid. Gray also revealed that the New York Police Department found a nuclear bomb in a van minutes before it was set to destroy the metropolis. However, both Lawrence, Kansas and Washington D.C. were destroyed. Gray's experiences on the road eventually led him to suggest to Eric Green that all of Jericho's recent newcomers - including the Hawkins family - be interrogated, in case they turned out to be threats to the town. Of course Gray’s interrogation of the Hawkins family took place in ”Rogue River”. But as I stated earlier, his news affected certain characters.

The news about New York City being spared from destruction, thanks to the NYPD brought a great deal of relief for the sixteen year-old Skylar Stevens, whose parents had been in the Big Apple when the bombs fell. And since Dale Turner – another one of Jericho’s adolescents without any parents – was the one who delivered the good news, the two became closer friends. However, the destruction of Washington D.C. proved to be another matter. IRS agent Mimi Clark originally came from the nation’s capital. When Stanley Richmond, at whose farm she was staying, gave her the news, she realized that she had lost all of her family and close friends. Both Robert and Darcy Hawkins were present when Gray disclosed Washington’s fate and the two eventually told their oldest – Allison. Naturally, Allison discussed the loss of her friends with Robert. She also revealed that Darcy had a boyfriend who also perished.

”Long Live the Mayor” also featured the second appearance of James Remar as Emily’s estranged criminal father, Jonah Prowse. His appearance provided an opportunity for some excellent performances by Remar and actress Ashley Scott It also included Jake’s only kiss with local schoolteacher Heather Linsinki. I wish I could say that I found their screen kiss impressive. But I would be lying. It seemed apparent to me why producers Jon Turteltaub, Stephen Chbosky, and Carol Barbee did not bother to develop any further romance between the two. However, I am certain there are Jack/Heather shippers who feel otherwise. Also in this episode, Mayor Johnston Greene’s illness finally sends him into septic shock after two episodes. With no drugs available to cure him, April tells the Greene family in a rather tense scene that he needs the antibiotic Cipro within the next 12 hours or he would die. Jake and Eric decide to head for a town of Rogue River, the location of the nearest major hospital, in order to procure the drug for their father.

A great deal of interesting moments and excellent performances filled this episode. But three scenes, featuring three performances really stood out for me. The first performance came from actor Michael Gaston as the opportunist Gray Anderson. In the scene that featured Gray’s revelations about the news outside of Jericho, Gaston portrayed Gray as a man frightened by the horrors he had witnessed and learned during his journey around Kansas. The second performance came from Alicia Coppola, who portrayed Mimi Clark. She gave a superb performance as a Mimi first pretending that she was not shaken by the bad news regarding Washington D.C. and later, releasing her despair in a marvelous rant that should have earned her some kind of acting nomination. Finally, there was April D. Parker, whose Darcy Hawkins faced the triple task of dealing with the destruction of Washington D.C., the death of Doug, her former lover, and Robert’s discovery of said lover. One would think that Darcy would crumble over a series of crisis. Being a strong willed woman, Darcy holds her own. But in a quiet, yet marvelous performance given by Parker, Darcy finally reveals her true feelings about moving to Jericho, Doug and howRobert’s profession had endangered their marriage and family life. Her outburst culminated in a phrase that perfectly described the Hawkins marriage before their arrival in Jericho - ”House of Secrets”. Parker’s performance was another that should have earned an acting nomination.

The episode ended with Heather admitting to Emily that she might be falling Jake, Dale and Skylar becoming closer than ever after she invites him to stay at her house, Stanley trying to help Mimi deal with her grief, Gray determined to investigate the Hawkins family and other newcomers, Emily managing to procure Jake’s old car from Jonah and the Hawkins marriage still in a precarious state. The episode also ended with Jake and Eric on the road to Rogue River to find medication for an ailing Johnston. And their journey to Rogue River would end in consequences that will resonate throughout the rest of the series’ run.

"The Uninvited" [PG-13] - Prologue

This story is a continuation of a series of Alternate Universe stories centered on half-daemon Cole Turner and his relationship with Olivia McNeill, his neighbor who is also a witch. The last story, "The Engagement News" ended with Cole announcing his engagement to Olivia. In this new story, the newly engaged Cole and Olivia celebrate their news at a party: 


"THE UNINVITED"

RATING: PG-13 Adult language.
SUMMARY: Mayhem strikes an engagement party held in honor of Cole and Olivia. Set ten days following "The Engagement News". AU Season 6.
FEEDBACK: - Be my guest. But please, be kind.
DISCLAIMER: The Charmed Ones and Cole Turner belong to Constance Burge, Brad Kern and Spelling Productions. The McNeills, Cecile Dubois, and other characters are, thankfully, my creations.

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Prologue

A knock on the library door distracted Artemus from the map laid across his desk. The powerful daemon heaved a frustrated sigh and glanced up. "Yes?" he barked. "Who is it?"

"Prax, sir," a voice from behind the door answered. "Mr. Lloyd is here to see you."

Artemus immediately recognized the name of the Magan Corporation's senior attorney. The daemon hoped that the mortal had some positive news regarding Mark Giovanni's property in Oakville. "Let him in."

Seconds later, Artemus' assistant ushered in a thirty-something human of medium height. His bland, good-looking features contrasted sharply with a pair of intelligent, gray eyes. "Good afternoon, Mr. Winslow," Cedric Lloyd greeted cheerfully. "I have some promising news."

The daemon leaned back against his chair and stared at the attorney. "Promising?"

"About that plan I had for Magan Corporation to . . . acquire Mark Giovanni's Oakville property?" Lloyd sat in one of the chairs on the other side of the desk. "I think I may have found a judge who can help you." The attorney removed a brown, thick folder filled with documents and photographs from his briefcase. He placed it on Artemus' desk. "His name is William Bourgh, and he is a Federal judge for the U.S. District Court, here in California. The . . . uh, information we had found on him is very interesting."

The demonic CEO opened the file. "Oh?" Then he began to read.

According to the material inside the brown folder, William Archer Bourgh had been born in San Francisco, on February 23, 1943. The folder also revealed that the judge had obtained a Master's Degree in Law from Stanford University in the late 1960s, and became employed by the prestigious law firm - Jackman and Carter (later, Jackman, Carter and Kline). Bourgh's involvement in local politics eventually led to an appointment as a Federal prosecutor for the Justice Department in the early 1980s. Ten years later, Bourgh became a Federal judge.

"Sounds like an upstanding citizen," Artemus commented. "Which leads me to wonder why you believe that he would be willing to help a corporation like Magan, with a history of lawsuits?"

Lloyd pointed at the file. "Check out the photographs. And Bourgh's credit report."

Artemus examined the file, once more. An amused smile quirked his lips. Apparently, William Bourgh had sunk into considerable debt, after years of spending his family fortune. And judging by some of the file's photographs, Bourgh had not only been unfaithful to his wife of 28 years, he also possessed an interesting predilection for what humans would consider kinky sex. "Now, this is interesting!" Artemus exclaimed. He glanced up at his attorney. "Have you approached Mr. Bourgh with this information, yet?"

"Not yet. I wanted to show this to you, first," Lloyd replied. "I plan to offer him a way out of his credit debt, when he returns from his trip overseas in January. But if he proves to be difficult . . ."

"I'm sure that these photos will convince him to assist us," Artemus said, his smile still fixed on his face. "Excellent work, Mr. Lloyd."

The attorney preened, much to Artemus' amusement. "Thank you, sir."

Artemus continued, "By the time we're finished with Mr. Bourgh, the Giovanni property should be in my hands. And both Mr. Giovanni and his . . . attorney won't know what hit them."

"Speaking of Cole Turner," Lloyd commented, "I've just heard some interesting news."

His eyes fixed upon a photograph of William Bourgh and a young woman locked in a sexual position straight out of the "KAMA SUTRA". "Oh? What news?" How on earth did Bourgh and his companion managed to assume this posi . . .?

"He's getting married. Cole Turner."

Lloyd's revelation jolted Artemus' attention from the pornographic photograph. The daemon stared at his attorney. "Say that again?"

Obviously taken aback by his employer's intensity, Cedric Lloyd repeated his words. "Cole Turner. He's getting married."

"You don't say."

"Uh . . . yes," Lloyd continued nervously. "To . . . um, an old classmate of mine. Olivia McNeill. We . . . we went to law school, together."

His heart racing with unexpected anxiety, Artemus said, "So, Bel . . . Mr. Turner is getting married. Well, I hope that he has better luck with his second wife than he did with his first." Lloyd continued to stare at him. "Yes, I know all about his marriage to Ms. Halliwell."

The attorney nodded. "Yes sir. Uh, I guess I'll be contacting Mr. Bourgh in the near future. At the moment, he's on vacation in the Fiji Islands. According to his secretary, he should return right after the New Year."

A thin smile stretched Artemus' lips. "I suppose I can wait another month for you to put your plans into action." He returned the file to the attorney. "Please make a copy of this file for my assistant. And unless there is something else, you can go."

"Yes sir." Lloyd stuffed the file into his briefcase. Then he stood up. "Good afternoon, sir." He then turned on his heels and left the library.

Once the attorney had shut the library door behind, Artemus allowed his anxiety to overwhelm him.Belthazor to marry the Aingeal Staff Bearer? In Cabariel's name! Tiresias had been right, after all!

During his twenty-year incarceration in the Stygian Abyss, Artemus had come across a fellow prisoner, who turned out to be a legend in the magical world. The legend in question happened to be the famous blind seer, Tiresias, who had angered the Greek goddess Hera with his claim that women enjoyed sex nine times more than men. Apparently offended by the Tiresias' comment, Hera blinded him. Legend continued that Zeus had tempered his wife's angry act by bestowing the gift of prophecy.

Somehow, Tiresias had ended up in the Stygian Abyss, where he occupied a cell next to Artemus'. One night, the daemon overheard the seer babble in his sleep about how a Power of Three would destroy the old leader of the daemons, leaving the supernatural world in a state of unbalance. Tiresias also prophesized a union between a powerful human/daemon hybrid and a fire priestess - one that would save the angels' realm, help coronate a new demonic leader and restore the balance between good and evil.

When Artemus had first overheard Tiresias' prophecies, he immediately dismissed them as ravings of a delusional old man. Seven years after the seer's disappearance, a powerful warlock incarcerated in the Abyss, had told the daemon of a prophecy that foretold the death of the old Source at the hands of three witches - the Power of Three. At that moment, Artemus realized that Tiresias had been right and made the decision to escape from the trans-dimensional prison. With the help of a Stygian guard, the daemon discovered a portal to freedom. Once freed, he contacted his former assistant, Prax, and set about re-establishing his power within the weakened Khorne Order.

During the five-and-a-half years following his escape, Artemus had quietly regained control of the Khorne Order and created the Magan Corporation for the order's business dealings. He also hired a sorceress and antiquity dealer named Lin Bryant to find the legendary Erebor medallions. Then news came of the old Source's death at the hands of the Charmed Ones. Before he could make a claim to the Source's throne, he had learned about Belthazor's acension to the Source's throne. Soon, more news followed. Three months later, the Charmed Ones had killed Belthazor, the old Seer and Belthazor's unborn child. Even worse, the Halliwells' whitelighter had ditched the Grimoire into a volcano. Without the book, no one could be crowned as the Source.

After he had learned the news about the Grimoire, Artemus was just about to give up hope on ever becoming the Realm's new leader. Then an old wizard told him of an object located somewhere north of San Francisco. The exact area turned out to be on Mark Giovanni's Oakville vineyard in Santa Rosa County. From that moment on, Artemus dedicated his time toward two objectives - consolidating support and power to become the new Source and getting his hands on the Giovanni property. Although he seemed to be slowly reaching his first objective, the second has proven to be more elusive. Hopefully Mr. Lloyd's plan will finally enable him to get his hands on the vineyard - and the object in question.

One major problem stood in Artemus' way - namely the powerful Belthazor. Even before the half-daemon's return from the Wasteland, he had become a barrier to the older daemon's plans. At first, Artemus had feared that Belthazor would resume control of the Source's Realm with his new powers. When that scenario failed to materialize, Aretemus continued his own plans to become the new Source. Especially since the half-daemon seemed more preoccupied with one of the Charmed Ones. But when Belthazor became involved with both Olivia McNeill and Mark Giovanni, Aretemus' anxiety returned.

Thanks to Cedric Lloyd, he had finally stumbled across a solution to the Giovanni problem. But this latest development between Belthazor and his new witch made Artemus realize that Tiresias' prophecy about a human/daemon hybrid and a fire priestess might come true. Sooner or later, he would have to do something about the couple. And as his old mentor, Krug once told him - there was no time like the present.

Artemus reached for the cordless telephone and dialed a number. His assistant answered. "Prax," the demon barked into the phone. "I need to see you, at once. I need you to find someone." Then he disconnected the telephone and leaned back into his chair, as he waited for his assistant's arrival.


END OF PROLOGUE