Catching up

Just some of the good stuff I've been enjoying this past week -

My favorite "new" tv show: Drop Dead Diva

Two episodes in and I'm in love with this new comedy on Lifetime. I've never liked any scripted show on this channel so I wasn't sure what to expect from Diva even though it has Margaret Cho and she can pretty much do no wrong for me. But what a gem! It's smart and funny and not cheesy and charming. And the leads are great!
Brooke Elliot is a revelation. She makes the Jane/Deb character so appealing. And Ben Feldman as Fred the angel - where has this kid been all my life? SO cute. So talented. And of course Margaret Cho rocks. So far she hasn't been featured enough in the show to please me but I'm hoping that changes as the season progresses. The show's getting a lot of buzz now, and there are quite a few notable guest stars coming up, so I hope it gets picked up for more seasons. If Lifetime can keep putting out dreck like "Army Wives" I'm sure they can find a place for this entertaining show.

Actor having "a moment" for me right now: Peter Facinelli

I've always had a soft spot for The Fatch. But lately I just can't get enough of him. His work as Coop on "Nurse Jackie" is so fantastic; in a crowd of great perfomances on that show. I'm also loving Facinelli's Twitter feed (@peterfacinelli). His tweets are so funny and "regular" and he responds to his followers like they're his best buds that he's known for years. You feel like he's your friend and you go over to his house and hang out with Jenny and the kids having coffee. So great.

TV show that's having a great 2nd season - True Blood

The sophomore slump so often hits shows that get a lot of hype and attention in their first season. And I was really worried that True Blood was going to suffer from this, especially when I thought that they had gotten rid of Lafayette (and the awesome Nelsan Ellis). But no worries. This show is having a great season so far; really using the talents of the actors and characters that were sort of secondary last year. This is especially true for Aleksander Skarsgard who plays the vampire sherrif Eric. Can't say enough good things about him.

Movie that put me in the BEST MOOD!: Julie & Julia

I had the pleasure of getting to see an advance screening of this marvelous film last night. I got to the theatre in a horrid mood after a bad day at work and left with a huge smile on my face, feeling lighter and happier than I have in weeks. Julia Child holds a special place in my heart because of her connection with me and my mother; I also read two of the memoirs that this film is based on, so I knew a lot of background going into it. But whether you've ever heard of Julia Child or care a lick about cooking, you will love this movie. A love of cooking and Julia helps of course, but I know that some people are going to dismiss this movie as a "chick film". It's so much more than that. The entire cast is superb; Amy Adams is button-cute and makes Julie much more personable than I feel the book did. Meryl Streep is MERYL STREEP; that is to say so perfect as Child that you can't imagine anyone else in the role. Supporting players Stanley Tucci as Paul Child, Chris Messina as Julie's husband, and Jane Lynch, in a scene-stealing cameo as Julia's sister Dorothy, are all awesome.