THE NINE LIVES OF CHLOE KING just finished its first season on ABC Family, one of the many Disney subsidiaries--which surprisingly also airs shows like Secret Life of the American Teenager, where the storyline revolves around the extraordinarily active sex lives of teenagers...yeah, not so much. Despite this little stumbling block, ABC Family's THE NINE LIVES OF CHLOE KING is an urban fantasy spin set in beautiful San Francisco where teenagers are not bed-hopping but doing relatively "normal" things like meeting for coffee, driving Kia Souls, getting their first kiss, and yes, dealing with different supernatural species like the MAI.

The MAI are descendents of the Egyptian goddess Bastet, whose early depictions are of a female form with a lioness's head, later demoted to a more dimunitive feline representation.

Chloe King learns on her 16th birthday that she is, in fact, MAI. Adopted as a baby, Chloe was raised by typical humans and so had no idea about her supernatural genetics until weird things began to happen...like coming back to life after a mortal fall.

Chloe is played by Skylar Samuels who you might recognize from Disney's WIZARDS OF WAVERLY PLACE. I can see why Samuels is a Disney-darling: Her face is as angelic as Sandro Boticelli's 15th century painting of Venus, not to mention her ability to pull off Buffy-esque moves. I don't think anyone can replace Sarah Michelle Gellar, but if anyone could be a contender, it's Samuels.

What I love about this new urban fantasy meets young adult adaptation is how it recognizes the innocence of teendom--and despite shows like Pretty Little Liars and Secret Life, other than the supernatural drama--THE NINE LIVES OF CHLOE KING shows a Gilmore Girls-esque relationship between Chloe and her single yet professionally successful mom, shopping trips with her best friend Amy, and all while testing the sometimes turbulent dating waters...no teen pregnancies need apply. And although there is sometimes a taste of Disney's sickeningly sweet cultural sugar substitute, the overall storyline is really quite good.

The other actors include young people like native-born Brit, Benjamin Stone, who plays one of Chloe's love-interests, Alek. You may recognize Ben from 10 Things I Hate About You. If it's his voice you recognize, you play too many Harry Potter video games...and I pity you. Forty-two-year old Amy Pietz plays Meredith King, a more benign (and put together) version of Lorelai Gilmore. Amy's been a character actor on a varietal of television shows, including The Drew Carey Show and even Star Trek: The Next Generation (she has my vote!). Newcomers Grace Phipps and Ki Hong Lee delightfully play Chloe's best friends, Amy and Paul. Grey Damon plays Brian Rezza, the human boy Chloe not-so-secretly loves. Grey has played parts in 10 Things I Hate About You as well as Kitch Maynard in the pop culture love-of-my-life, True Blood. Alicia Coppola and Alyssa Diaz play a mother and daughter--Alicia's character is the stoically-strong San Francisco MAI leader while Alyssa plays Chloe's protector and friend.

The season finale left us wondering who was going to live or die. And I have some spoilers for you, assuming CHLOE KING gets a second season. Valentina, Coppola's character, dies but Jasmine, her daughter played by Diaz, doesn't. Brian looks like he's dead, too, but hold your breathe! It aint over 'til the fat lady sings. And I have a sneaking suspicion that Alek and Chloe may be siblings...explaining why Chloe loves him but doesn't feel "right" about their potential relationship. And no, I have not yet read the three-book series by Brit-born author Braswell....

In my pop culture book, the more kick-ass girl-characters, the better. We need more Chloe King's!

On the Housel-scale, THE NINE LIVES OF CHLOE KING gets a heart-warming 9/10!

The long-awaited close of the Harry Potter film franchise precedes the Twilight saga's close this fall. Arguably the most popular literary and cinematic phenomenon in the 21st century, fans will not be disappointed at the definitive and hopeful closure offered in the film.

Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson--all could play their HP-parts in their sleep if they wanted to. The three young actors have a good chemistry, which makes great cohesion on screen. You can believe the sometimes tinny-acting of Radcliffe. Grint and Watson make a terrific twosome. And the other long-time actors in the film like Robby Coletrain and Dame Maggie Smith have stellar performances. The action is gripping. The cinematography, equally so.

I really don't have a bad word to say about the well-written, well-performed, wrap up of billionaire-author Rowling's best (and only) work. Joanna, Harry and I all share the same birthday. Perhaps I can't be a billionaire-author because of it. Or a powerful wizard. But I am a fan of both, and wish the entire cast and crew all the best for the future.

Harry Potter is dead. Why do I suddenly feel like Neitsche? Hopefully, you won't find me running around naked with horses anytime soon....

HARRY POTTER & THE DEATHLY HALLOWS --PART II receives a well-deserved 10/10 on the Housel-scale. It's cinematic and pop culture history...don't miss it!

Truebies, Fangers, Bangers, and Vampirazzi, alike! We've got lift off!!! Yes, Episode 6 ends with a (lackluster)) sex-scene featuring our two favorite blondes, Sookie Stackhouse and Eric Northman. Episode 5 leaves us burning in anticipation of the moment, as Eric gets drunk on Faery blood, killing Sookie's "Faery Godmother," Claudine. He runs around and swims in the sunlight...until he's on fire. Luckily, Alcide rode up on his white horse to help Sookie with the newly innocent (but still sexy) Eric--the Viking Vampire that could. Just like that little train in the storybook. So cute! Pam, on the other hand, is simply rotting with anger.

Caught in the mayhem of medium-witch, Marnie, Pam finds herself speaking through the veil--literally, But King Bill won't allow vengeance on humans per the Authority. Ah, mediocrity! Alive and well, even amongst the undead....

Jessica and Jason, sitting in a tree--K-I-S-S-I-N-G. First comes love, then comes...Hoyt! Ah, sorry, dude, but your girlfriend's got the hots for Jason. You've got no shot. Best Jason quote to date: "You mean, like why I'm real good at sex...and shooting." Yes, Jason--we all have our crosses to bear.

The foreshadow about Sam's shifter girlfriend's sad tale of shifter-lore and her ability to turn into not just animals, but people, comes to light in Episode 6--Tommy bangs Sam's girlfriend...as Sam. After Tommy kills his parents--naturally. Of course, he only kills them because they kidnap and torture him. Great example of how some of us are just born into bad situations. That's what I love about True Blood--it may be full of hyper-sexual, weirdly-supernatural situations, but the fiction maintains the strangeness of truth. Sam's a good brother, but he's also a killer. Watch out, Tommy....

We think Bill's a bad guy--because he is. But then he let's Eric go at the end of Episode 6, after setting Eric up to take a literal fall this season. Just remember, TB-fans, Bill doesn't do anything without an agenda. Bill's always been a fanged-wolf in sheep's clothing. If only he could meet his true-death at the hands of a real one. We'll have to watch and see what happens.

And will Jason ever become a were-panther??? We think not. But oh what a tangled web we weave when first we practice to deceive....

Terry Bellefleur is definitely father-of-the-year. Such a nice man. He deserves better than what's in store. Stay tuned!

Bill, like the ass he is, had sex with his great-great-great grand-daughter. The fanged perv-boy acts all innocent in front of Bible-toting grandma, Caroline, but this guy's as old as the hills...literally. Are we honestly expected to believe he didn't know before having hot sex with a relative??? All truths are inconvenient to an undead bastard like Bill.    

Tara is caught in a lie by her girlfriend in Episode 5; by Episode 6, their holding hands and eating together at Merlotte's...that is, until a rather pissed Pam shows up. Meanwhile Tara's cousin, Lafayette, is locked in some Mexican shack with Jaquar-Jesus and his crazy-ass grandfather. Nelsan Ellis is one of my favorite actors on True Blood. I want to see his storyline have a Hollywood ending, please. Raelle? You hear me? Mr. Ball? Let's make it happen.

Marnie is in a locked cell in King Bill's manse. Until she's possessed by a 17th century witch-spirit bent on vampire-vengeance. Hey, if you were repeatedly raped, drained, then burned at the stake--you'd be out for revenge, too! 

Holly and Andy are dating! Andy's hooked on V, and Holly's a working-waitress-single-mother-witch...but hey, nobody's perfect. Andy's terrier-sister has a happy ending, too...and no, not that kind of happy ending!

But what about our little Sookie? Eric's innocence is as temporary as the spell that made him that way. And so is Bill's nice-guy act. Things are about to heat up in Bon Temps...don't turn that channel!

Episodes 5 & 6 get a hot-and-heavy 9.5/10 on the Housel-scale. Loving every True Blood-minute this season...keep up the GREAT work everyone!!!

Okay, so I'm a bit behind on my True Blood reviews this summer. And no, it's not because I'm working on a third edition of TRUE BLOOD & PHILOSOPHY...though you never know. I have been faithfully watching this fourth season's adaptation of Harris's literary guilty pleasure, the Sookie Stackhouse novels. And I've got to say, I LOVE it! It's true, I now walk around the grocery store wondering what it would be like to bite out someone's throat with my teeth, but that's just the pop culture talking. I'm a vegetarian, for crying out loud! Of course, so was Edward Cullen--and that didn't stop him....

Episodes 3 & 4 help to move along the long-awaited Sookie-Eric romance, which comes to an eager climax in Episode 6, which aired on July 31st--my birthday. Lucky me! We see Sookie considering Eric (and Bill) with fresh eyes. And in the meantime, we get to see Tara's story continue to unfold as intertwined with Lafayette's, who is in turn intertwined with Jaguar Jesus...you didn't forget about that Jaquar tattoo, did you??? You'll have to re-read my Season 3 reviews from 2010 to catch up!

We also get into poor Jason Stackhouse's storyline as it coincides with Hot Shot and crazy Crystal(-meth) who arranges for Jason to not only be kidnapped, but tortured and repeatedly raped by her inbred sister-aunt-cousins. Is there anyone in Hot Shot who isn't related by at least 34/46 chromosomes???

Now, I have barely touched on Fiona Shaw's inclusion in this season--she plays Marnie, a powerful witch-medium whose odd social behavior makes her a candidate for the R-wing...and not just because she invokes blood-magic to call upon long-dead vengeance-driven witches from the 17th century to enter her body.  She's like a hippie-throw back with a terribly forced Southern accent. I half-expect Harry Potter to show up any second. You caught the pop culture irony there, right? Her most famous character portrayal is as young wizard Harry Potter's magic-hating Aunt Petunia... Yup. Cosmic irony, pop culture style.

And let's not forget Arlene Fowler's demon-child, spawn of evil. Love the inclusion of baby-vamp Jessica's creepy doll and the apparent ghost attached to it. That storyline's a real fire-starter, wink-wink.

Sam and Tommy still have a sibling rivalry, which heats up as the season continues, along with Sam's romance with a certain hot-mama shape-shifter!

Hello, Alcide Herveaux! Joe Manganiello is a tall drink of cool, dark water. But my biggest question is, where's Sookie's big, bald were-tiger??? Herveaux's a handsome wolf in flannel-plaid sheep's clothing, but he's up to his eyeballs in blonde-ambition with the nutty (and hopefully soon-to-die), Debbie Pelt. Rigorous honesty, my ass!

There's more death, dying, mayhem, torture, and soft-core sex to come! Don't miss a minute...and stay tuned to my TB4 reviews. The season may be half-over, but the fun's just begun!

Episodes 3 & 4 get a raving 9.5/10--summer's MUST WATCH event is HBO's True Blood. Best thing since sliced bread! Next to TRUE BLOOD  & PHILOSOPHY, that is....

Jon Favreau has my vote! Not that he needs it. The two-time director of the IRON MAN franchise is doing well on his own steam. And the audience can certainly see why in his latest directorial feast for the eyes, COWBOYS & ALIENS, based on a 2006 graphic novel.

Favreau and I are cut from the same 80's-wheelhouse cloth. We both went to Hebrew school. We both come from a Jewish-Catholic household (oy, the guilt!). We both got a Bar/Bat Mitzvah. And, we're both writers and comedians. Our matching Jew-fros aside, I'd say we were cosmic twins, except I have a feeling Favreau, raised in Queens, is probably a Yankees fan. I was born in Boston. And Red Sox Nation never dies. I share all this because Favreau so perfectly represents our generation's sensibilities--at least, for those of us with enough intelligence to have a sense of humor. Some of our 80's comrades still think balloon pants and neon colors are in. But there's no accounting for taste--except for mine, which I freely share here. I found Favreau's most recent flick a delightful summer romp featuring two pop culture icons (count 'em--TWO!): 21st century iconic tough guy, Daniel Craig and 20th century iconic tough guy, Harrison Ford. I know, you probably think of Harrison as The Fugitive or Calista Flockheart's domestic partner. But you have to go back a bit and remember that this guy was Han Solo in the BIGGEST movie franchise (and total rule-breaker/maker) of the last century in film, the Star Wars franchise. Hot, I tell you--H-O-T! And Craig, well, what more needs to be said about a man who can move like Craig???  A little Layer Cake on your 007, perhaps? Yes, please!

Only a guy like Favreau could pull off such a brilliant juxtaposition. Favreau--I give you mad props for pulling up your college-drop-out-ass with barely a boot strap to spare. Yesterday, you were just a kid from Flushing, Queens with a wing and a prayer. Today, you're a superhero. Or at least, you direct them. As my Aussie peeps might say, "Good on ya, Mate!"

And COWBOYS & ALIENS is good. Very good.

Hard to get bored amongst the dusty gunslingers, hot guys with piercing blue eyes, Olivia Wilde as an alien...yes, that's right. Olivia Wilde, House-alum and child of fabulously connected premiere journalists, matches one piercing blue eye for another opposite Craig. Good one, Favreau--loved the visual appeal there. You see, film-making is more than just the pretty people on the screen. If that were all it took, well, Halle Berry's Catwoman would have sold out every theatre in America. It's about matching a well written story with equally excellent visuals set to music that doesn't detract (or distract) from the action, but enhances it to the point that the audience practically takes it for granted.

This movie is a pop culture explosion of goodness, like those little wax bottles with brightly-colored liquid sugar on the inside. You know it's bad for you, but you have to sink your teeth in anyway.

Fellow Queens-raised cinematographer, Matthew Libatique, known for his recent work on Black Swan, did an amazing job with sweeping canyon-like views and close-quarter darkened space fighting scenes in the belly of the proverbial beast...the alien space craft. The list of writers and producers is a mile-long but include graphic novel creator, Scott Mitchell Rosenberg, also Chairman of Platinum Studios--the publisher of the graphic novel (which has a sequel, by the way--in case you weren't sure why Craig was riding off in the sunset at the end...and into the next movie!).

So take a trip back to 1873 Arizona this summer with COWBOYS & ALIENS. You won't regret it, Pardner....

COWBOYS & ALIENS gets a 9/10 on the Housel-scale for full-scale entertainment. Nicely done, Favreau, nicely done....