Sometimes I read about an upcoming film production and I get giddy with anticipation to see the finished movie.  This is unfortunately not one of those times.  There’s been a flurry of press the past couple of days for a film currently in preproduction called ‘The Raven’.  I should be the target audience, so why am I suppressing the urge to throw up?

Here’s how the project is described: “‘The Raven’ is based on a Hannah Shakespeare/Ben Livingston script set in the last five days of Poe’s life, when a serial killer is running around Baltimore using Poe’s stories as the backdrops to his killings. Poe and a young detective have a ticking clock to outsmart the killer before he kills again.” (via Variety.)  The Hollywood Reporter adds that Poe joins forces with the detective when his fiance is kidnapped, presumably by the serial killer.

Obviously some liberties have been taken with the story.  While there is some mystery surrounding Poe’s death at the age of forty, as far as I and any Poe historians know, there was never a serial killer using Poe’s stories in connection with his crimes.  I’m also fairly certain that Poe didn’t have a fiance at this point in his life.  This film sounds like ‘Shakespeare in Love’ meets ‘Se7en’.  I like both of those films, but I just cannot get on board with this one. It especially irks me that certain entertainment websites are calling this a biopic.

Shooting is scheduled to begin late this fall in Serbia (yeah, because when I think nineteenth century Baltimore I think Serbia).  And if you haven’t heard, the actor signed on to play Poe is none other than John Cusack.

My first thought was how ludicrous!  But on closer examination I can see some resemblances in their features.  They both have dark hair, small eyes, large foreheads and sort of crooked noses.  It’s still hard to imagine a man I associate with charming romantic comedies embodying the disturbed nature of Poe’s final days.  And while I don’t know what Poe’s voice sounded like, I never imagine it to sound like John Cusack’s voice.

I may live to eat all these words.  This film could come out and be completely up my alley.  But for now I see it as another Hollywood train wreck.

Do you share my misgivings or does this sound like something you’ll go see?

Sadly, True Blood didn’t win the Outstanding Drama Emmy last night.  On the bright side, Alexander Skarsgard joined newlyweds Anna Paquin and Stephen Moyer onstage as presenters.  The trio looked gorgeous and relaxed.  Anna wore Alexander McQueen and I was reminded once again that she is the luckiest woman alive.

As they took the podium, Stephen joked that an archaic Emmy law required the trio to make a vampire pun while onstage.  Alexander jumped in, “Stephen, don’t. This is going to be quite painful. Allow me. It is now our bloody thrill —it’s worse than I thought—to present the award for Outstanding Directing in a Miniseries or Movie.” Referencing a moment earlier in the show when presenter Ricky Gervais ranted about the show’s dry policy and then had waiters serve beers to people in the front rows, Alexander added, “We just want to thank Ricky Gervais for the non-alcoholic beer. It was delicious.”

As we reach the last two episodes of season 3 I have to admit that this season has let me down a little.  It’s still my absolute favorite show on air, but I’m frustrated with all the disconnected story lines pulling everyone in different directions.

If I could pick one story to throw clean out this season it would be Jason’s.  In season 2, Jason fell into the trap of the seductive Church of the Sun.  This season, he’s all over the place.  Sometimes he’s trying to be a cop.  Sometimes he’s trying to put the new local football player in his place.  And other times he’s in love with a were-panther/meth dealer that he barely knows.  Crystal and her desperate need to escape from Pot Shot, but also save the citizens of Pot Shot from a drug raid (put into motion by Jason) is so annoying.  And what is a were-panther?  It’s a totally made-up thing as far as I can tell (unlike werewolves which have been recorded throughout history — you can’t hear my tone of voice so I feel the need to say this comment is a bit tongue in cheek.)  While I sympathize with Jason’s vulnerability at the new rising football star beating his old high school record, his self-righteous denigration of V is too hypocritical to get excited about.  I don’t like Crystal.  I don’t like Jason’s obsession with a high school student.  I miss the fun-loving, trouble-chasing Jason of season’s past.

The other stories, even the more minor ones, have a better hold on my attention.  Jessica and Hoyt are back together where they belong.  After coming down from their V high, Lafayette and Jesus are driven apart by Lafayette’s fears that Jesus has a demon inside of him.  Tara confronts Andy Bellefleur about Egg’s death and the subsequent cover-up and he tearfully apologizes.  His quiet performance is heartbreaking and one of the most truthful emotional moments of the episode if not the season.

The other emotional drama involves Arlene’s quest to rid her body of Rene’s spawn.  The spell she and Holly do to bring on a miscarriage almost works, but that evil creation is hanging in there.  Arlene’s fear for her family if she brings Rene’s baby into the world read natural and true, even if there is no evidence that serial killing is a genetic trait.

Meanwhile Sam’s nice guy persona cracks when he goes on a major bender and abuses everyone he comes across.  After being fired and told to get lost, Tommy sneaks back into Merlottes to steal from his big brother.  Little does he know what happened to the last people who tried that…

But the major story line, and the one I really care about, is the menage a trois pull between Sookie, Bill and Eric along with Eric’s quest to destroy Russell.  Sookie escapes Fangtasia’s basement only to be caught again by Eric and Russell and dragged back.  Eric convinces Bill that he has a plan that should give them both what they want.  Sookie will live and Russell will die.  But Sookie thinks Bill is betraying her again.  Why doesn’t it ever occur to her that they have a plan?  She should know by now that Bill would die for her.  Anyway, Eric and Russell drink from Sookie and go outside.  Russell believes Sookie’s blood will protect him from the sun.  And it does.  For a few moments.  It’s touching to see how much it means to the vampires to be out in the sun again.  Russell tells Pam she can’t even fathom what it means to be in daylight after thousands of years of night.  Unfortunately when Russell realizes his vulnerability he’s handcuffed to Eric who tells him to face death with courage.  They will die together.  That Russell will die I’m fairly certain.  Eric, not so much.  It’s hard to worry over this cliff hanger since he’s such a popular character.  Even so, I hate waiting two weeks to see how it plays out.  HBO is not going to air a new episode next weekend because of Labor Day.  Grumbles.

What did you think of this episode?  Which story lines do you want tied up in the finale and which story lines do you hope will carry over into season 4?

We finally got some answers and some partial answers to the questions that have been at the center of this season.  But can anyone explain what some of Bon Temps’ humans were thinking this week?

The biggest reveal came in the first few seconds: Sookie is a fairy.  Okay, I’m not an expert on fairy mythology, but since when can fairies read minds?  Also, aren’t they supposed to be tiny with translucent wings?  Am I the only person who doesn’t think this makes sense.  Sookie pronounces it lame, but if I were her, I’d be peppering Bill with a lot more questions, such as, what other powers do I have and how do I control them?  Instead, her main concern is if the only reason Bill loves her is her delicious blood.

Lafayette saves Crystal’s father with the help of some V, but the ungrateful lout is furious that he has vampire blood inside of him.  He confronts his daughter and tells her it’s her duty to mate with the man he has chosen, but she vows never to return to PotShot.  Then she disappears until the end of the episode when it’s revealed that she can shift into a Panther.  I’m not sure what supernatural creature takes the form of a panther (werepanther?), but Jason is suitably impressed.

Meanwhile Sam’s dark past is revealed in flashbacks.  He’s committed grand larceny and double homicide.  That’s good to know.  But it raises some interesting questions about the rest of his shifty family.  Why are they making a pittance at dangerous dog fights when they could be stealing expensive jewelry?  Seems like shifters would never have to worry about money because they could steal with minimal risks to themselves.  Maybe Sam will help his little brother come to that conclusion…

Lafayette and Jesus go on a rollercoaster V trip together.  Jesus talks about the magical folk in his ancestry as well as Lafayette’s.  But the trip comes to a frightening halt when Jesus shows Lafayette his grandfather’s dealings with dark magic and Lafayette freaks out.  Lafayette has always avoided tainted magic.  At Sookie’s grandmother’s wake he threw out food people bought because of its bad hoodoo vibe.  But will his fear for Jesus’ grandfather be enough to keep them apart?  If Jesus can reconcile his feelings for Lafayette with Lafayette’s drug dealing, I hope Lafayette can ignore Jesus’ grandfather who is probably in Mexico and no threat to them (at least in the last two episodes of the season).

Hoyt pledges his love to Jessica and pitbull Tommy attacks him in the Merlotte’s parking lot.  Seeing her love in danger is the motivation Jessica needs to act.  She throws Tommy into the trees and heals Hoyt with her blood.  Now he’s going to be even more besotted with her and she’ll always feel when he’s in danger.  Are they truly back together though?

Tara is in love with her hero Jason again.  Until Jason tells Tara that he shot Eggs, and she runs off.  Now why in the world would he tell her that?  While Jason is distracted, Sookie gives him the slip and goes to Fangtasia to talk to Eric.  Are the Stackhouses taking stupid pills?  Eric uses the opportunity to look Sookie up in the basement until he figures out how he can use her to kill Russell.  And where is Russell?  All episode you’d think that Russell would be coming to kill Eric.  He’s faster and stronger so it should’ve been no problem to swoop into Fangtasia (good hiding place Eric) and rip his head off.  Instead he’s playing make-believe Talbot with a human prostitute.  I guess he can afford to be patient, but if I were after revenge I’d get to that first and play with prostitutes later.  There were so many logic problems like that where characters just weren’t acting smart that I finished the episode annoyed with everyone.

What did you think of this episode?  Are you satisfied that Sookie is a fairy?  What is Eric going to do with Sookie?