Wishing you all the merriest of Christmases. I hope Santa brings you everything you asked for, but even more than that, I hope you are filled with the peace, love, and warmth of the Christmas season today and always.
This is love. (I’m telling you; if you’re a hopeless romantic like I am, do yourself a favor and click that link.)
It’s a rare thing when something on reality TV feels real, but that’s the best way to describe Ashley and JP From their first date (a Bachelor-franchise rarity: a night spent in sweatpants, eating dinner at home), these two and their relationship have felt surprisingly genuine.
Maybe it’s because Ashley reminds me (and a lot of other people—from my family to my coworkers) of myself: a tiny girl with a big personality who’s quick to cry over a lot of things (both good and bad), always ready to dance, and passionate about the work she does and the people she loves. Maybe it’s because JP seems like the kind of man I (and I think a lot of other single girls out there) would love to find: a normal guy who’s grounded and centered, who knows who he is, and who looks at Ashley with a smile that would melt even the most jaded skeptic’s heart. Whatever it is about them, I bought it from the beginning, and I still bought it enough to sit through two hours of Bachelor-franchise shenanigans to watch them finally get married last night.
I know some people will never be able to believe anything about this franchise, and that’s fine. It’s had more than enough spectacular failures to warrant the skepticism. But I’m a romantic at heart. And when I watched Ashley start to cry while walking down the aisle towards a beaming JP, I started to tear up, too. Because sometimes I just want to believe that it’s out there. And when JP said his beautifully heartfelt vows, it was easier than ever to believe that sometimes love triumphs over damning odds and even more damning cynicism.
Love is the reason to keep hoping when things seem the most hopeless. And sometimes real love is found in the most unreal of places…like reality TV.
Title Ron and Diane
Two-Sentence Summary As Ron attends a woodworking awards ceremony, his relationships with the women in his life (Diane, Tammy, and Leslie) reach turning points. Meanwhile, the holiday spirit (and one very surprising Christmas party) causes Tom, April, Andy, and Donna to rethink the way they’ve been treating Jerry.
Favorite Lines
Leslie: I know you didn’t, but if you had gone to Hogwarts Academy, which House do you think you would have been in?
Diane: Well, obviously I want to say Gryffindor, but I’ve got to go with Hufflepuff.
Leslie: I respect your honesty. Gryffindor. Seeker on the Quidditch team.
My Thoughts About halfway through “Ron and Diane,” I realized that I was just going to end up disappointed if I tried to compare it with “Citizen Knope,” last season’s Christmas episode, and one of my favorite Parks and Rec episodes of all time. Nothing could possibly compare to the way the ending of that episode made me feel, and the sooner I accepted that, the better. I’m glad I decided to lower my expectations a little bit because this was a good episode of Parks and Rec, but it wasn’t a great one. It was missing the warmth that was so prevalent in “Citizen Knope” and has shown itself at various points during this season as well.
As I was busy making my way out from underneath an avalanche of work this weekend, my own personal Ann Perkins (aka Heather) was kind enough to step in and share her thoughts on the latest episode of Parks and Recreation.
Title Pawnee Commons
Two-Sentence Summary Leslie is moving forward with her plans for a park on Lot 48 with an unlikely helper – an architect from Eagleton. Meanwhile, Tom enlists the help of his friends to set up Rent-A-Swag, and Andy saves the day as a security guard with help from April.
Favorite Line “Well, I’m in love with a woman from here. A strange, passionate, goofball of a woman.” (Ben)
My Thoughts I didn’t enjoy this episode quite as much as the last few, but for a show that consistently puts out great episodes, even the ones that aren’t as strong are still a thoroughly enjoyable half-hour of television. I liked it a little better in retrospect, but I wished the episode had included more ensemble moments. It was an important episode for Leslie, Tom, and Andy in similar ways, and I would have liked to see a scene with the three of them.
Leslie’s story this week had her struggling between her hatred of all things Eagleton and her desire to give Pawnee the best possible park that she can. One of Leslie’s defining characteristics is her love for her town, and I loved seeing the way that was manifested in this episode. Accepting Leslie Knope as a person means accepting Pawnee as a town. Her hatred of Eagleton and automatic distrust of the people in it are completely warranted given her previous interactions with them, although in typical Leslie fashion, they are expressed in a completely over-the-top way. I kept waiting for the architect to prove Leslie right and be just like everyone else from Eagleton. I have never been so happy to be wrong. The park he created was not only a perfect representation of Pawnee, but now that I have seen this design, I can’t imagine any other park going on Lot 48. This park means so much to Leslie, and to see it turn out to be a visual representation of all the aspects of Pawnee she loves so much could not have been any more perfect.
Title Secret Santa
Two-Sentence Summary While investigating the murder of a Santa impersonator, Castle and Beckett prepare for their first Christmas as a couple. Romantic reunions, new traditions, and expanding families appear on the horizon as the holiday spirit descends on the 12th Precinct.
Favorite Lines
Ryan: Jenny says to me, “It just doesn’t feel like Christmas without kids.” She wants to try. But I come to work; I watch the news every day…It seems like the world’s falling apart. How am I supposed to bring a kid into that?
Esposito: World’s always falling apart, bro. Since the beginning of time. But having kids, raising a family…That’s what keeps it together.
My Thoughts I was excited for “Secret Santa” from the moment I found out Castle would be doing a Christmas episode this season. And I can honestly say that this episode didn’t disappoint. Were some things different than I was expecting? Yes. Did I get the epic “Caskett gift exchange” I’d been dreaming of for years? No. But I got something that was quite possibly even better: an episode filled with the warmth that makes Christmas such a special time of year, like a mug of hot chocolate on a snowy winter evening.
Title Queen of Hearts
Two-Sentence Summary In this season’s winter finale, Emma and Snow go head-to-head with Cora and Hook in order to get back to their loved ones in Storybrooke, and Emma discovers some interesting side-effects of being the product of Snow and Charming’s true love. Before they can get back, though, Henry must convince Regina to undo Rumplestiltskin’s deadly spell on the portal, which is designed to kill Cora and Hook but could end up killing Snow and Emma instead.
Favorite Lines
Emma: Your mom, she’s…She’s a piece of work, you know?
Regina: Indeed, I do.
My Thoughts This was truly the perfect midseason finale. It left the audience with some excellent new questions, raised the stakes for the second half of the season, and resolved important story arcs with major questions being answered. What I liked the most about it, though, was that it did all of these things in an organic way. Each plot development also came with character development. Though the hour raced along, it was grounded in beautiful interactions between characters we have come to care so much about as well as stunning performances from the leading ladies who make this show so consistently powerful on an emotional level.
One of those leading ladies was Jennifer Morrison, who showcased incredible layers of vulnerability in “Queen of Hearts.” Morrison played Emma’s self-doubt with an understated sadness; when she said that optimism skipped a generation in her family, I felt the broken heart underneath the humor, and that’s when Emma feels her most real.
I also loved Emma’s interactions with Captain Hook. Their dynamic is so interesting because it can go from surprising depth (their interactions in Rumplestiltskin’s cell) to cheeky innuendos (Hook’s sword fighting dialogue) without feeling forced. But my favorite thing about the two of them in this episode had to be the fact Emma bested Hook by taking advantage of his compulsion to turn their fight into a twisted kind of flirting.
I really enjoyed Hook as a character in this episode, especially after worrying that his character would become irredeemable after taking Aurora’s heart. My favorite thing about him so far has been his moral ambiguity, so I didn’t want him to become Cora-like levels of pure evil. The explanation for him being able to take Aurora’s heart was smart; I’m happy that this power is canonically reserved for our three main villains. Also, it felt wrong that Hook would be so willing to take a heart after what happened to Milah, so I really appreciated the writing choice of having him give Aurora her heart back.
Speaking of hearts, Aurora and Mulan finally felt useful and well-written in this episode! Aurora’s selfless streak brings out a strength in her that she didn’t have initially, and even Mulan felt more complex and interesting once she was given more to do as a character. The moment when Mulan put Aurora’s heart back in was surprisingly intimate and lovely, and I found myself hoping that this isn’t the last we see of these two princesses now that their motivations aren’t overshadowed by Emma and Snow’s.
I’ve loved seeing Emma and Snow work as a team so far this season, and that continued in a really beautiful way in this episode. I liked seeing Snow’s knowledge of Fairytale Land come in handy once again when she got them out of the cell (even though I did want to scream, “The ink is on the scroll!” at them for the longest time). But I was most impressed with seeing Emma truly become her mother’s daughter at exactly the right time.
Title Into the Deep
Two-Sentence Summary After Henry suffers intense burns and Aurora is captured by Cora, Charming willingly subjects himself to the sleeping curse in order to communicate with Snow. Lives are endangered, alliances are tested, and one broken family struggles to keep their faith as both good and evil race to get back to Storybrooke.
Favorite Line “And if there’s one thing I know about your grandparents…They always find each other.” (Regina)
My Thoughts “Into the Deep” was one of the strongest episodes of this season (so far, at least). There was a tightness to the plotting and character interactions that had been missing in other episodes as the writers sometimes struggled to balance multiple plotlines and a growing cast of characters. This episode worked because it was about the people we have cared about since the pilot: Charming, Snow, Henry, Emma, Regina, and Rumplestiltskin. By focusing the plot on these characters and their interactions, this episode’s stakes felt higher and its emotional moments felt more resonant. The plot progressed, the characters deepened, and all of this was done with the beguilingly earnest sentimentality that has been Once Upon a Time’s calling card from the start.
Title: Silver Linings Playbook
Rating: R
Cast: Bradley Cooper (Pat), Jennifer Lawrence (Tiffany), Robert De Niro (Pat Sr.), Jacki Weaver (Dolores), Chris Tucker (Danny)
Director: David O. Russell
The Basics: This unconventional romantic dramadey tells the story of Pat Solitano, a Philadelphia native (and Eagles fan by birth) adjusting to life with his parents after spending eight months in treatment for bipolar disorder. Though Pat was hospitalized following the discovery of his wife’s affair and his subsequent attack on man she was cheating with, Pat still hopes to win her back (despite her restraining order against him). But along the way, Pat meets his match in Tiffany, a young widow facing her own struggles with mental illness who shows him that life is a lot like dance—all you need is the right partner. Featuring brilliant performances, an unflinching directorial style, and a script filled with humor and heart, Silver Linings Playbook is the kind of movie Hollywood doesn’t make nearly enough—a genuinely feel-good story about love in all of its forms and all of its messy glory.
M.V.P. (Most Valuable Performer): In order for this film to work, both Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence had to turn in strong performances, and, lucky for us as viewers, they delivered the best performances I’ve seen from either of their careers in Silver Linings Playbook. Cooper was the one I was most worried about, having only known him as the lovable best friend on Alias and the arrogant pretty boy in movies like Wedding Crashers and The Hangover. Needless to say, he exceeded my expectations tenfold here. There was something so vulnerable in his portrayal of Pat, a fear of himself and his illness that only a brave actor could bring to the surface. Cooper captured every nuance with detail and care; we believe that Pat is a man who could brutally beat another man, but we also believe that Pat is a man who is capable of immense amounts of goodness as well. Pat could have been an obnoxious caricature of a bipolar man obsessed with a wife who clearly doesn’t love him. But thanks to Cooper’s depth and fearless emotional honesty, Pat is instead a character that we care about and care for immensely, the broken but beautiful soul of this movie.
Cooper needed a true match in order to bring out the best in his performance, and the filmmakers found that in Lawrence, who should find herself at the top of the Best Actress Oscar race for the excellent work she did in this film. The maturity she brings to her scenes is astounding. She’s by turns laugh-out-loud funny, radiantly charming, and brutally sad, and she balances every facet of this complex woman with a dexterity that I’ve rarely seen even in the most seasoned actresses. In order for this film to succeed, we have to believe that there is something inherently lovable in these two characters, and we have to see them recognize that something in each other. Cooper and Lawrence are resoundingly successful at achieving both of those aims.
Scene Stealer: Robert De Niro shines at Pat Solitano Sr., a man plagued by his own demons but trying his best to help the son he clearly loves. De Niro gives a warmth to this character that adds another layer of authenticity to the film. Pat Sr. is a complex bundle of neuroses, anger issues, and helplessness in the face of his son’s bipolar disorder, and De Niro finds the humanity in that bundle and brings it to life with a captivatingly understated kind of power.
Bring the Tissues? If you aren’t made of stone, then the answer is a resounding yes. I found myself getting intensely choked up on many occasions throughout the film. I was especially moved by any scene in which Lawrence showed the cracks in Tiffany’s bristly exterior. And the beautiful release of emotions I felt at the conclusion of the movie was itself worth the price of the ticket.
Most Memorable Scene: I’m not sure it gets better than Lawrence going head-to-toe with De Niro as Tiffany rattles off all of the Philly sports victories that have occurred since she and Pat started spending time together. That scene is only made better by watching Pat’s face as it starts to dawn on him just how special this woman really is.
It’s finally here! The turkey is eaten, the shopping is underway, and the tree is ready to be decorated. It’s Christmastime once again, and I couldn’t be happier. It’s a time when the joy of giving, the peace of a winter’s night, and the beauty found in simple moments with people you love aren’t just cliches. The holiday season is my favorite time of year, and it’s my hope that I can share some of the happiness I feel during this time with all of the people in my life—including all of you that read NGN.
As I get ready for my first viewing of one of my favorite Christmas movies tonight, I want to share with you my list of 10 must-see Christmas films and holiday specials. These aren’t necessarily the best or the most popular, but they’re my personal favorites—the movies I come back to every year when I want to get into the holiday spirit.
1.) Love Actually: If you don’t like at least some aspect of this multi-storyline romantic comedy, then you should probably check to make sure your heart hasn’t been replaced with stone. Sometimes sweet, sometimes sad, sometimes silly—this is a movie that celebrates the unashamed romanticism of the holiday season with some of the best British actors around. (Hugh Grant’s adorable Prime Minister is a personal favorite of mine.)
Title After Hours
Two-Sentence Summary After a disastrous first meeting between their parents, Castle and Beckett’s frustration with each other is heightened while protecting a witness to the murder of a priest. Stranded without guns, wallets, and phones, they find themselves caught in a deadly game of hide-and-seek with the Irish mob.
Favorite Line “Catholic school is like combat. Unless you’ve been there, you don’t know.” (Ryan)
My Thoughts I found myself pleasantly surprised by this episode. Going into it, I had very low expectations. I was just biding my time until the Christmas episode airs (December 3), and I thought this would be a cheesy filler episode, stuffed with TV “meet the parents” clichés. Sure, it had some of the cringe-inducing awkwardness I was worried about, but ultimately this was another strong episode in what is turning out to be a standout season for this show. It had fun twists, great banter, strong performances from the supporting cast, and an unexpected amount of genuine emotion running throughout.
I was glad to get the disastrous dinner party out of the way as soon as possible. I’m not a big fan of watching situations turn sour for the sake of comedy, but I liked that this conflict came from what felt like real differences rather than manufactured ones. While it became something a little over-the-top by the end of the scene, I liked that there was a believability to what was going on because after five seasons we’ve gotten to know all of these characters and have an idea of how they’ll react when paired in new combinations. It’s nice to see character continuity extended to even the supporting cast.
Speaking of supporting casts, how fantastic are Susan Sullivan and Scott Paulin? I loved watching them bond over their children being in danger. They seamlessly moved from tension to understanding to warmth in a way that only top-notch actors can do. When she gets the chance to go for the gusto, Sullivan can rip my heart out like no one else on Castle. She only gives us brief glimpses behind Martha’s theatrical façade, and the fact that her dramatic skills are dished out sparingly makes them all the more powerful when we see them. The moment where she quietly, honestly shares her fears about Castle’s safety with Jim was beautiful, as was the reveal that both Castle and Beckett have told their parents they feel safest with each other. There was something genuinely heartwarming about that scene, something that has stayed with me for the more than 12 hours since the episode aired.
Nerdy Girl Notes 