‘The Other Woman’ – Blu-ray Review

Article first published as ‘The Other Woman’ – Blu-ray Review on Blogcritics.

Movies make it to disc so much more quickly these days than they used to! Barely three months after its theatrical release, The Other Woman gets the Blu-ray and DVD treatment on a single disc. The story of a wife, her husband’s mistress, and his other mistress, it’s a comedy of female bonding and revenge, with a dash of 9 to 5 vibe, as the trio of women make the sleazy man who has wronged them all pay. Too bad it’s not that funny.

At the center of The Other Woman are two figures. Cameron Diaz (Bad Teacher) plays Carly Whitten, a tough lawyer who thinks she has finally succeeded in the dating world, a struggle that has made it hard for her to care about others as a coping mechanism. Leslie Mann (This is 40) is Kate King, the spouse without a job or kids to occupy her, and who desperately needs something in her life besides giving her husband ideas to use at work. They form an unlikely bond of friendship as they decide how to handle their common scourge, Mark (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Game of Thrones). They later find him sleeping with Amber (model Kate Upton), too, which prompts them to take their schemes to the next level, determining that Mark must be stopped once and for all and punished severely.

Diaz and Mann are two film veterans, so one would think that their casting in The Other Woman would be a no-brainer. But they aren’t well used and the film suffers from a mediocre script. It’s nice to see Diaz playing the rock at the center of the crazies, and Mann does annoying well. But Kate is too annoying, to the point where it’s hard to feel any sympathy for her, even as one realizes that Mark’s behavior may be a driving factor in her current personality. The two also go from detesting one another to being bosom buddies without enough explanation in between, during their second night of getting plastered. A smidgen more connection between point A and point B would be welcome.

The Other Woman doesn’t get any better when Upton shows up. Upton and singer Nicki Minaj, who plays Carly’s entitled assistant, are not actors and it shows. Thankfully, Don Johnson (Nash Bridges, Miami Vice), who plays Carly’s dad, and Taylor Kinney (Chicago Fire), who is Kate’s brother and Carly’s love interest, are good. However, this makes for a very uneven ensemble, keeping the film rough around the edges.

Coster-Waldau is deliciously charming and sociopathic, but we don’t get to see that enough. For most of the running time of The Other Woman, he’s getting away with things, not suffering at all for his sins. In fact, at least one of the females who has the most justifiable anger towards him still is tempted to sleep with him even after the truth about him is exposed. By the time he gets his comeuppance, which, of course, must happen, it’s satisfying, but doesn’t give the actor enough of a chance to shine in that more interesting situation.

The story stumbles along for quite awhile, taking a bit of time before it goes anywhere. Then, once it does, it goes a little too fast, jumping from tiny pranks to the big finale quite quickly. Some of the emotional hurdles between the three women and their feelings for the man are leapt over with barely a mention, making the girl power angle fall short, too. The ending is very neatly tied up, which makes sense for a film like this, but it also robs the proceedings of authenticity and honesty. This could be forgivable if there were more jokes, but since the tone is more focused on pathos than laughs, it doesn’t quite land. There are worse ways to spend two hours, but neither can I really recommend this movie.

The extras for The Other Woman are light. We get eight deleted scenes, including an epilogue tag for Mark, a gag reel, gallery, trailer, and “giggle fit,” nothing that really gives insight into the production or story. The picture and audio quality are excellent, as most current films tend to be on blu-ray, but other than a couple of beach shots, there’s not really anytime this is taken advantage of, so blu-ray is preferred only in that DVD starts to look bad after watching most video in high definition.

In all, The Other Woman is forgettable and this release doesn’t show much effort to try to make up for that. If you’re so inclined, it is available now.

Chicago Fire burns

The television airwaves are flooded with police officers, doctors, and lawyers. It seems only a matter of time until fire fighters join their ranks. Sure, we had the cable series Rescue Me, but when was the last time those who put out the blazes found success on the broadcast networks? If it has ever happened, it certainly did so before my time. NBC tries its hand at making it work this week with Chicago Fire.

Now, writers of shows featuring doctors, lawyers, and cops have it easy. They can effortlessly slide into a procedural where there is a mystery or case that must be solved, and the characters can spend an hour doing so. While there are fires that require lots of time to put out (think: the forest variety), many of the incidents these brave men and women deal with just will not fill up an entire episode. Sure, it might take an hour to actually put the fire out in reality, but much of that would not make engaging television week after week. I'm sorry, because it's a noble job and those who do it deserve massive amounts of respect and credit, but it's true.

So Chicago Fire doesn't try to go down this road. Instead, it reaches for soapy drama, albeit in a slightly less sensitive way, which should appeal to male viewers more than many other soapy dramas on TV. The focus is the interaction between the characters, the emotions they must deal with, and how their lives play out. This makes for a great "Pilot," and could prove to be a highly watchable series.

At the center of Chicago Fire are Matthew Casey (Jesse Spencer, House) and Kelly Serveride (Taylor Kinney, The Vampire Diaries). Apologies if I get the details of this wrong after only one episode, as I am going by first impressions, and admittedly don't know a lot about how fire teams operate. Matt leads what seems to be the squad we would think of as the "normal" firemen, who pull people out of buildings and extinguish the flames. Kelly is in charge of a small group that do daring rescue operations. There is some obvious clash between the groups, especially the leaders.

Now, what caused this rift isn't clear. There is definitely some pain felt from the loss of a comrade a month ago, shown in the opening scene. But why Kelly seems to hate Matt isn't completely obvious, and while Matt tries to extend the olive branch, it takes another near tragedy for Kelly to even think about accepting it. This is great drama, of course, handled quite well by two fully capable leading men. Even if the specifics aren't understood (yet), one can appreciate the sentiment.

Spencer is quite surprising with an American accent. He does it well enough, to be sure, but for those who spent so long watching him on House, there will definitely be an adjustment period. Kinney cranks up the talent level a notch from his time as a werewolf, believable and solid.

There are also a number of other characters in the series. Chief Boden (Eamonn Walker, Kings) mostly leaves Kelly and Matt alone, but demands that they don't allow anger to fester. A pair of EMTs (Monica Raymond, Lie to Me, and Lauren German, Hawaii Five-0) stick together and try to restore confidence after a perceived mistake is made. Peter (Charlie Barnett) is the new guy who has yet to decide which squad he wants to be in, though if that choice is left entirely up to him isn't made clear. Christopher (David Eigenberg, Sex and the City) likes to cook and keep up on the news, providing heart at the station. Otis (Yuri Sardarov) would like his teammates to stop calling his Otis and learn his real name, hoping that Peter will soon be the new Otis. And Mouch (Christian Stolte, Prison Break) has a secret that Matt is tired of covering for.

This is a good mix of personalities, providing plenty of fodder for many a story, and without a weak link among them. It sets up Chicago Fire perfectly to be a more masculine, male-centric version of Grey's Anatomy, and that's what it should go for. The first episode has humor, and makes viewers quickly care about the characters. There's also the excitement of the actual fire fighting, which itself proves a good draw. Plus, a quick cameo by Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel is a nice way to kick things off.

The only complaint I have about the "Pilot" is the little tidbits of Matt's personal life. We find out he's been involved with young doctor Hallie Thomas (Teri Reeves, Battleground), but they are secretly living apart because she's not ready to start a family, and he is. While there will surely be romance on the series, these scenes seem superfluous and separate from the rest of the episode. Maybe that is the point, to show another side of Matt's life, but it just doesn't seem needed, at least not yet.

Overall, a good first effort that has the possibility to run awhile and be fairly popular. Chicago Fire is worth checking out. It airs Wednesdays at 10 p.m. ET on NBC.

If you like my reviews, please follow me on Twitter! Check out my website, JeromeWetzel.com! First posted on TheTVKing

The Vampire Diaries haunted by "Ghost World"

     This week's entry of the CW's The Vampire Diaries is called "Ghost World." Damon (Ian Somerhalder) is surprised to be attacked by Mason Lockwood (Taylor Kinney), whom he killed. Then other ghosts begin showing up. Elena (Nina Dobrev) is pleased to see Lexi (Arielle Kebbel), who agrees to help Elena try to get through to Stefan (Paul Wesley). Stefan is still out of touch with his humanity, thanks to Klaus (Joseph Morgan). The deceased tomb vampires terrorize the town again. Bonnie (Kat Graham) is jealous of Jeremy's (Steven R. McQueen) closeness to his dead ex, Anna (Malese Jow). Luckily, Bonnie's grandmother, Sheila (Jasmine Guy), returns to help her send the ghosts, including the tomb vampires, Mason, Lexi, and Anna, back to the other side.

     "Ghost World" is thrilling because a number of characters fans think they may never seen again pop back up. Anna has been around for a handful of episodes now, but seeing Lexi, Mason, Sheila, and others is a fun diversion. The notable absence from all of this crazy is Jenna (Sara Canning). Not that there isn't enough going on already, but it would be nice if she appeared, considering how Elena, Jeremy, and Alaric (Matthew Davis) are still struggling to cope with her loss.

     Mason is the most surprising of the ghosts who invade Mystic Falls. When last seen, Mason is kind of a bad guy. But death changes him, making him realize what is really important in life. This time, Mason's biggest concern is helping his nephew, Tyler (Michael Trevino), who is Klaus's new hybrid vampire / werewolf. As such, Mason is able to put aside his differences with Damon, as he realizes that Damon is his best shot at taking out Klaus, thus freeing Tyler from very negative influence.

     Damon continues to struggle with whether he can be good or not. With Stefan going evil, there is a vacuum of positive vampire influence in town. Damon resists filling that gap, and yet, cannot help doing so to some extent. He's not warm and cuddly, barely apologizing to Mason for killing him, and only because he is forced to. But his friendship with Alaric, well on the way to a true bromance, feels more real, even if Damon won't verbally express his feelings. And, of course, he has true affection for Elena, which motivates him into helping her whenever possible.

     When Stefan returns to his right mind, will Damon go back to being bad? It seems like one of the Salvatore brothers must be somewhat ornery, because, despite their brotherly love, they can't stand being on the same page too often. Or, at least, Damon can't. He may be changed significantly by his time being the good brother, which he has been in the past, but this is unlikely to cause a permanent light to grow in Damon's soul. He struggles with both sides of his personality, and neither will ever win completely.

     Stefan was bad long before The Vampire Diaries begins, but within the relatively short span of a television series, he may not be able to get back to as truly good as he appears in the first couple of seasons. He kills too many people and acts like such a jerk to Elena, it's a wonder that she can maintain her love for him, under the circumstances. Sure, she realizes intellectually that Stefan isn't completely responsible for his actions. But he isn't completely innocent, either. Elena' determination to save Stefan's soul is likely to rob her of many of her feelings for the guy, even if she is convinced it isn't right to stop working to save him.

     Jeremy's love triangle with Anna and Bonnie is equally complicated. Bonnie has every right to be jealous that her boyfriend is spending romantic time with his ex. Yet, it's hard to blame Jeremy in "Ghost World" because of the circumstances. After all, he is still in love with Anna when she dies. How does one choose between a woman with whom his relationship is never resolved, and the one he is with now? Under normal circumstances, Jeremy's actions would be inexcusable. With such a complex set of happenings, though, it's hard to find fault with Jeremy as he sorts through the dilemma as best he can.

     That does not mean that Bonnie does not have a point when she gets angry at Jeremy. She is right when she says that Matt (Zach Roerig) lets go of his sister quicker than Jeremy can dismiss Anna. That means there is something wrong between Bonnie and Jeremy. Jeremy should have gotten over Anna by now, and be moving on. Or else he should not be with Bonnie. This calls into question whether Bonnie is some sort of rebound for Jeremy, rather than true love. If Jeremy is into Bonnie as much as she is into him, he wouldn't let anyone stand in their way, even someone from his past.

     Though Anna steals the necklace that can send the ghosts home in "Ghost World," she isn't a bad guy. Her actions are because she doesn't want to lose Jeremy again. Considering that their breakup is against both of their wishes, a second chance is something they deserve. But they cannot have it. Anna realizes this, after innocent townspeople are killed by the tomb vampires, and hands the jewelry back over to Bonnie. She is a good girl, and will not let others die just so she can be happy. It makes her return to the other side almost as tragic as the first time, albeit more noble.

     Bonnie is becoming downright scary in The Vampire Diaries. Her magical abilities raise Jeremy from the dead and allow ghosts to come through to this world. Considering her emotional reactions, Bonnie doesn't seem stable enough to be trusted with such awesome power. One who can command elements with that much far-reaching consequence should be wise, not a young girl who can't make up her mind about important matters. Sheila is kind to her granddaughter when helping clean up the mess, but maybe she should be a little more stern. Bonnie needs to stop messing with things she doesn't fully understand, at least until she gets a better head on her shoulders.

     During the town crisis in "Ghost World," Caroline (Candice Accola) saves Carol Lockwood (Susan Walters) from the tomb vampires. Will this mean a whole new relationship for Caroline and her boyfriend's mother? Carol is getting over Caroline's vampire status, after seeing that Tyler is also a supernatural being. But there isn't a lot of affection between the two women. Watching Caroline risk her life to save Carol's should help Carol change her tune. Even if it isn't totally believable that Caroline can take on a bunch of older, more powerful vamps on her own and triumph for very long.


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Article first published as TV Review: The Vampire Diaries - "Ghost World" on Blogcritics.

Vampire Diaries back with The Return

*Before you begin, need a refresher on the finale?  Here's my review from last spring.

     Tonight at 8pm is the long-awaited second season premiere of the CW hit, The Vampire Diaries.  In my press materials, I have been instructed not to tell you "who lives, who dies, who remains mortal, who vamps out, etc."  So I won't.  No major spoilers are below, although there are a few minor ones.  There are still a few things I can talk about without ruining the mystery.  For instance, this episode begins on the same night that the season finale ends, and goes through shortly after the mayor's funeral.

     When last season ended, a number of characters were in mortal peril.  Jeremy (Steven R. McQueen) had tried to off himself with a bottle of pills.  Caroline (Candice Accola) was in a car accident.  And Uncle John (David Anders) had been stabbed by the newly returned, but often talked about, vampire Katherine (Nina Dobrev).  I am happy and sorry to report that one of these three appears to make it through their peril, only to be apparently killed before the end credits roll, though I won't say which one.  I also, unfortunately cannot give the fates of the other two.  But I so want to!  Of course, with this show, even seeing someone get killed doesn't mean they are gone for good.  There are too many possibilities.  And the one whose death I referred to up above may not even really be dead, though I suspect that he or she is.

     Katherine is, of course, the focus of tonight's season premiere, and probably the season.  Nina Dobrev gets to stretch her acting skills, proving she can portray two different people in Katherine and Elena, although, you're not always sure which one she is when the scene begins.  Hopefully the writer's will keep it easy to follow.  Fortunately, the secret that Katherine is back is not kept a secret for long, and soon many characters know that she is in Mystic Falls.  Dobrev has plenty of fun, getting into physical fights with both Stefan (Paul Wesley) and Damon (Ian Somerhalder).  Katherine also tells one brother that she has comes back for them, while telling the other that she never actually had feelings for him.  Again, I won't reveal which is which.  But it's good stuff.  Oh, and she stabs one of them.  I will say that "The Return" is a very strong Damon episode, and fans of the bad boy will not be disappointed.  It's some of Somerhalder's best work.

     The other plot point that will surely have far reaching effects in the premiere is the quick arrival in town is Mason Lockwood (Taylor Kinney, Trauma), who has come to grieve his departed brother.  What this will mean for Mason's nephew, Tyler (Michael Trevino) is still up in the air.  And why Tyler and his father were affected by the anti-vampire device last season has not yet been explained, but at least one character seems to know why.

     The Vampire Diaries will be back tonight at 8pm on the CW.