Monday, July 26

Mad Men, Season Four Premiere
La Belle Personne
True Blood

Oh, Mad Men. It's been three years, now a fourth, and I'm still in love with you--- and Don in that delicious red sweater.
Anyway, I had pre-listened to the opening minutes of the show, Don's interview with Ad Age, on NPR, and I mean just hearing his voice I could have totally wrecked my car. But I liked the opening, and I liked the ending because I feel like I never really know what Don thinks, and I think watching the two interviews show how Don likes to play it. I'm very excited to see how SCDP progresses throughout the season. Also, I love seeing that guy from Jack and Bobby and The Deep End in Peggy's office. Who was that man with her when she went to solve the ham mishap though? Not sure. I didn't love that plot, but I'm glad to see they finally did something better with Peggy's hair. Maybe she'll get some good plots this season. I'm already annoyed by Betty in the way I'm annoyed by her in other seasons. Not to say I don't like her, but her ice queen demeanor and way with the children (I smell an eating disorder for the daughter!) just don't make her a character whose time I wait for on screen. I feel like it's going to be an interesting, Don-slapping season (!).

La Belle Personne is a Christopher Honore film (Les chansons d'amour, Ma Mere) featuring the tres chic Louis Garrel, again, and pleasantly Gregoire Laprince-Ringuet (both in Les chansons d'amour) and Lea Seydoux (supposedly a contender to play Lisbeth Salander in the upcoming version of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo). The film is -- well, I think as a non-French speaker having to rely on subtitles early in this film is a disadvantage. Junie (Lea Seydoux) transfers to her cousin's high school after the death of her mother and meets his friends, who are all screwing each other somehow, and I didn't catch the tangled web, so later on some of the character's motivations were a little confusing. Anyway, Junie starts to date Otto (Laprince-Ringuet), a sweet, sincere, earnest (boring) kid who she plays hot and cold. Not that we really know why, other than she seems to be resisting a romantic interest in her Italian teacher, Nemours (Garrel). Subplots, baguettes and confusion follow. Although I didn't always love this film and never understood all the characters' motivations, I like Honore's films, if for no other reason than the people are beautiful, the mise-en-scene lovely and there's sometimes singing, in this case, at the end, a song by Otto reminiscent of his character in Les chansons d'amour. Lovely if a little empty seeming.

True Blood -- it's back, baby. I love manipulative Eric. I was terrified by Tara's moment with Franklin, but girl can wield a mace. Sookie gets on my nerves when she puts on that I love Bill face. I do love Grant Bowler's werewolf, Coot (better, I'll steal it for ya!). I have nothing against seeing a little Alcide booty post-change. I can't wait for Lorena to die, assuming she does, and Bill is just sooo not what he was season one. Jesus and Lafayette...we'll see. I don't think it's over. Good for Jessica, feeding on that old bitch. And my boss was totally right, the Pickens are dogfighting lowlives.
This episode picked up some, and I really enjoyed this week's 57 minutes. Once again, looking forward to the next one.