Are You Ready for “The Stepfather”?

the stepfather

Take off your shirt, Penn. That will protect you!

I love a good edge-of-your-seat, will-I-or-will-I-not-pee-my-pants kind of thriller movie. Something about not knowing whether or not I’m going to scream or cry or lose control of my bladder really delights me. Which is why I’ve been counting down the minutes since I first saw the commercial for “The Stepfather” (and then saw it again 1,000 times) during Gossip Girl a few weeks back.

And it’s finally here! So, this weekend I am forgoing my usual drinking plans, grabbing a boy (a strong boy who can wrap his big, muscle-y arms around me when I’m crying) and scaring the crap out of myself at the movies.

In this remake of the 1987 version, “The Stepfather” is about a man who moves in with his fiance and her family, and then his sketch appears on America’s Most Wanted. For killing his former families. Talk about a buzz kill for that engagement.

But hey, brutal killers need love too, don’t they? Read More »

Girl Crush: Blake Lively

blake_lively[There are some women out there that we just can’t get out of our minds. No, we aren’t switching teams - yet - but we do have some serious crushes on some pretty fierce females. These ladies are all special in their own right and we aren’t ashamed to tell the world we love them.]

I’m suffering from major Gossip Girl withdrawal.  Mainly because it means I don’t get to see the lovely Blake Lively grace the screen each week as the socialite Serena van der Woodsen. I’ll just have to Netflix Season 1 on DVD to get me through the summer months…

I’ve been crushing on Blake long before she was getting herself into trouble (while donning the most delectable duds) as Gossip Girl’s bad-girl-gone-good(ish). My crush developed when Blake played the blonde-bombshell, soccer-playing Bridget in Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants. Back then, Blake was fresh out of high school. She was young and unknown and I found myself wanting to be her.

She’s gotten a little older and has a few new roles under her belt, but my adoration for her has not wavered.

Despite growing up in Hollywood, Blake is a good girl.  You don’t see her out partying it up or doing drugs in the bathroom, and she has yet to be arrested. Though, if Gossip Girl is any indication, she’d have one hot mugshot! The main rumors circulating about her (and there are very few) involve rivalry on the GG set. Oh, and the fact that she is rock solid with co-star boyfriend Penn Badgely. Who she is always PDAing with. And, surprisingly, it doesn’t even gross me out; I actually find it quite adorable. Read More »

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Gossip Girl Recap: “You Idiot! You Don’t Surprise Someone Standing On the Edge of a Building!”

gg1.jpgLast night’s long-anticipated return of Gossip Girl featured a new year, new relationships, new secrets, and an unusually large amount of comic relief.

Jenny’s resolution, apparently, was to finish high school…but she’s dropped the “Little J” business and makes it her goal to save Nelly from Blair’s Queen Bee squad. She recruits Eric and Nelly to take over the “cool” table, and, since Blair’s having a Bass-induced breakdown, J manages to win the upper hand. Ironically, when Nelly realizes that Jenny has no hope of stealing Blair’s crown, she runs back to the popular kids. Ha, ha, ha. What satire!

Meanwhile, the writers took advantage of GG’s break to make a clean break from Serena’s art-beau, Aaron, who doesn’t even get a sappy break-up scene. (Thank God.) Instead, it seems that S. just flat out left him in Buenos Aires when she realized that Lily and Rufus weren’t shacking up and that she could bang Dan without feeling incestuous. Rufus, of course, is less than happy to find Serena and Dan blissfully happy. Remember last month’s cliffhanger? “Was it a boy or a girl?” We find out that it was a boy, and that Lily put him up for adoption and relinquished her rights to ever search for him, much to Rufus’s dismay.

Chuck, still wallowing in the aftermath of his father’s untimely death, has become a zombie that not even Blair can seem to crack. So, he brings a joint to school and breaks the news to Dan that he has an illegitimate half-brother out there somewhere. Blair remains faithful to her shell of a man-crush, and even tries to act as his guardian when he’s summoned to the office for smoking hash in the hallways (how cute), but then the mysterious new character, Uncle Jack, interrupts and takes responsibility. What does Jack have up his sleeve? Read More »

Gossip Girl Recap: “Even Our Doppelgangers Can Work it Out… But We Can’t?”

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Last night’s GG episode was pretty freaking juicy. Within the first 30-seconds, we knew what party (the Senior Snowball) would be the scene of all of the cut-throat drama, and the snowball just kept rolling from there.Here’s the rundown (of the first 5 minutes):

Blair doesn’t know who to bring the Snowball, Serena meets Aaron’s ex-slash-Dan’s-instant-Snowball-date (who wants to bang Dan… go figure), and Vanessa is acting shady… could it be because after stealing Nate’s letter to Jenny, she’s been creeping with Sexkitten Archibald? After that spiel to Jenny about friendship coming first? Oh, snap. You know Gossip Girl is going to spill that news. Read More »

Style Idol: Blake Lively’s Lovely

blake11.jpgCelebrities get paid to look good and serve as a style guide to all us common folk, and part of looking good is flaunting their totally awesome fashion sense. Each week, I will be highlighting my Style Idol of the week: a celebrity who consistently shows keen fashion sense and whose closet I would raid in a heartbeat.

Of course, no celebs are immune to the occasional “what the hell were they thinking?” moment, but for the most part, these celebs look foxy and fabulous and inspire us all to do the same.]

Blake Lively put herself on the radar with her debut in Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, but it was her starring role in Gossip Girl that ushered her into stardom and really put her on the map. It’s hard not to notice her gorgeous blonde locks, those perfect legs that go for miles and her stunning smile, but on top of those physical features, Blake’s got a timeless and perfect style. (Editor’s Note: I want it, I want it, I want it.)

Blake Lively has the ability to do something many of us hope we can pull off: look phenomenal not only when all dolled up, but also when doing her daily business in jeans and sweaters. She’s a huge fan of Chanel and oftentimes seems to embody the old glamour that Coco Chanel created.

Part of Lively’s flawless style is her ability to accentuate her assets perfectly. She shows off her gorgeous gams with skinny jeans that accentuate all the right details, and she is a master at coming up with the perfect outfit – from clothes, to shoes, to bags and accessories. Add her hottie bf/co-star, Penn Badgley, onto her arm and this girl is the hottest of hot young Hollywood, through and through. Read More »

Someone Tell Michael Keaton I Found His Eyebrows…

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Unlike a lot of people I know, I don’t watch Gossip Girl.  I just don’t.  I never got into it, and this cover from Details Magazine is honestly not pleading it’s case very well.  I mean, WTF is up with the plethora of Batman eyebrows (circa Michael Keaton)?  Why is their hair greasy?  And are they glaring at me, or just being “sexy”?

I’m sorry, but if this is the kind of eye candy I have to look forward to, I think I’ll just stick with Entourage.

[What do you think of the Gossip Guys? Hot or Not?]

Gossip Girl Recap — Lunch: The Meal Before Dating

00520160554.jpgThe theme of last night’s Gossip Girl episode was post-dating awkwardness, as displayed by Serena and Dan, Lily and Rufus, and Vanessa and Nate. The ep also had at least two major shockers, some really random limited-time alliances (Chuck giving Dan a guy-code peptalk, what?), and Ed Westwick in a purple suit that looked like it was left over from Pee Wee Herman on Ice. I guess GG’s wardrobe department can’t win them all.

Three episodes into the season, and we’re just now getting into Back-to-School season. Hence, the lavish drama-inducing party is replaced by upscale bars that serve teenagers, and the Colorful-Martini-on-White-Dress shtick from the Vitamin Water party is replaced by some sort of acid formula that burns the victims’ hair right off her scalp. Ouch.

Am I getting ahead of myself? Here’s what you need to know: Serena and Dan are each having qualms about seeing each other back at school, while Blair and her drones are preparing for their yearly initiation of potential newbies (which Jenny failed at last year). This creates the perfect set-up for new character Amanda’s entrance. Just as Blair explains to Serena that whomever dates first wins, bam! Dan bumps into Amanda, which can only have a tragic outcome. Read More »

Gossip Girl Recap: I’m Not a Delicate Flower…Show Me You Want Me

gg.jpgIf there’s one thing I learned from Gossip Girl last night, it’s that you can have sex with whomever you want, and the person you actually have feelings for (but aren’t banging, for some reason) will completely understand, and forgive you, and maybe even like you more.

If there’s one thing I already knew, it’s that when you’re the poor, unpopular kid on the Upper East Side, your life will be a continuous cycle of being walked over, speaking your mind, putting your foot in your mouth, and then being magically forgiven and allowed to advance to the next round.

Did you miss last night’s episode? Let me fill you in.

Within the first minute of GG, Nate mentions the inevitable party that will tangle everyone up in some drama that will continue to be played out next week.

Other expected GG staples: Catherine and Nate talk money; Serena and Dan are together but have issues (did I miss them deciding to be a “secret” couple?); and Jenny has some great ideas for her fashion internship, but she’s a lowly intern and isn’t allowed to have opinions.

The best thing about the first half? The mini gossip girls who approach Dan and throw in their two cents. If you missed it, two tweeny-bopping brunettes are on Dan’s side, and one tweeny-bopping blond is on team S. The blond asks Serena how she can kiss Dan, knowing his tongue has been in Georgina’s mouth, which seems a bit much when you consider the girs were, what, 11? The tweensters were obviously comic relief, but for some reason their opinions caused an awkward rift between S and Lonely Boy…which I was over by the next commercial. Read More »

Gossip Girl Recap: Summer, Kind of Wonderful

gg.jpgSo, we’re two seconds into the highly-anticipated season premiere of Gossip Girl, and already the hormones are flying! Cue gratuitous shot of Chace Crawford, panting and frisking some girl in the front seat of a car.

Mmmmm.

But this is GG, people. Chace Crawford sexcapades can hardly satisfy our thirst for smut clothed in Prada. Cut to Chuck, chardonnay in hand, on a beach with one…two…three insanely hot girls. Oh, Chuck Bass. You are what every sixteen-year-old boy should aspire to be before graduating high school.

First shocker of the episode: GG informs us that “Lonely Boy” Dan isn’t so lonely after all. It seems he has a new chick — wait, maybe two new girls? Can you spell R-E-B-O-U-N-D?

Of course, before our first commercial break, we need a love triangle, and some legit dramz. Send Chuck to meet Blair, looking sweet and dapper with roses in hand. Insert random new man (James), let Blair make steamy eye contact with Chuck and then shove her tongue down new guy’s throat. This is how it goes down for high schoolers in the Hamptons.

It’s game, set, match for Blair when she enjoys dinner with both James and Chuck, yet she still feels the need to run after Chuck when he storms away from the table with his tail between his legs. WTF Blair? We know you don’t feel the same way for James as you did for Nate. Otherwise you wouldn’t be chasing Chuck. Alas, poor Chuck, who used to be made of steel, turns on the waterworks again, just in time for another gratuitous Chace Crawford shot — hottie Nate running down the street in his underwear after his new lover’s husband comes home early from work. Read More »