LET ME IN

Artwork and Review By: Daniel Albert


To begin let me say that Horror is not a genre I typically enjoy and in a time where Twihards rule the roost Let Me In had me more than a bit leary. Add to that the fact that this movie is a remake of an already largely popular Swedish version based on the Novel of the same name by Swedish writer John Ajvide Lindqvist and you have, to me at least, a recipe for disaster.

What I found during Let Me In however suprised me immensely. Instead of some Twilight love story rip-off, (which would've made me want to gouge my eyes out), the movie depicts a quirky love story where one of the characters happens to be a vampire. The story takes place in the 1980s which adds to the overall nostalgia of the film, as sprinkled throughout is the clever integration of bits of 80s pop culture.

The plot is essentially about a young boy named Owen (Kodi Smit-McPhee) who is constantly bullied at school.  When a strange new girl named Abby (Chloe Moretz) moves in with her guardian (Richard Jenkins), Owen jumps at the chance to befriend her, longing for some kind of companionship, despite her original resistance to their relationship.  As the story progresses we realize that Abby is actually a vampire with an aged mind trapped in the body of a 12 year old girl.

From here the movie could've gone in a million different directions.  It could've played out like a typical slasher film killing off characters one by one or a sappy "oh woah is me, I'm a baby vampire" flick (despite the fact this actually worked in Interview with the Vampire), but it doesn't play out like a horror film at all. Instead Director Matt Reeves delivers an almost lyrical look at the troubles of childhood, bullying, and the progression of a great friendship between the two main characters.

What impressed me most about the film was how delicately each storyline was not only treated by the director, but acted by the characters.  We get to peek inside the psyche of each character individually, pulling the scope of the film well beyond the boundaries of normalcy.  Even secondary characters like Abby's guardian get more than a cursory glance as we watch him reach his wits end, a broken man commiting gruesome acts in order to provide for his child. 

As I said this before this movie hardly plays out like your typical horror movie.  However after viewing it I feel its placement in this category is the only logical choice that could be made.  Had Let Me In been put in any category but horror it would've been torn to shreds by critics at first sight of gore (and yes this movie has quite a bit).  That being said this movie actually has quite a few strategically placed laughs and moments so uncomfortable you can't help but chuckle with nervousness, adding some much needed innocence to a sometimes very dark film.  Overall a fine piece of film, both aestheically pleasing and more than adequately entertaining.

Rating: A



At The Center

Live Orange County Takes a Look at What’s Hot at the Performing Arts Center in the Month of January Written By: Daniel Albert

When it comes to the Arts, Orange County is rich in tradition. The city of Laguna has been a hotbed for art activity since the Sixties and as we progress further into the 21st century, Orange County continues to thrive with the expansion and addition of many galleries, theatre companies and contemporary art houses. But when it comes to the heart of Orange County Art culture there is only one place that comes to mind and that is the Orange County Performing Arts Center.

OCPAC got its start in the late seventies when the local Segerstrom family donated a 5-acre site for the original facility. Today,this magnificent center encompasses the 3,000-seat opera house style Segerstrom Hall, the 2,000-seat Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall, the 500-seat multi-functional Samueli Theater, 250-seat Founders Hall and 46,000-square-foot Community Plaza. In this multi-dimensional environment, OCPAC now offers the world’s leading dance companies, Broadway shows, award-winning classical, jazz and cabaret artists, family entertainment, special events and even year-round educational programs. In addition the OCPAC is also the home of three resident companies: Pacific Symphony, the Philharmonic Society of Orange County and Pacific Chorale.

As we move into 2011, OCPAC continues to provide the highest quality arts for Orange County Residents as it rolls out three great new shows that span the entire spectrum of entertainment. These shows are each unique and exciting, offering a welcomed change of pace from the usual fanfare.

The first featured show of the 2011 season will be offered January 14th-16th with the debut of Tango Buenos Aires, the world’s most acclaimed and authentic tango company. This highly lauded troupe returns to the Orange County Performing Arts Center’s Segerstrom Hall as audiences will experience the true spirit of this evocative art form with the company’s fast-paced rhythms and flawless synchronization. Tango Buenos Aires is an ensemble of Argentina’s leading dancers and musicians who will perform Fire and Passion of Tango, a new program that gives an insider’s look at the evolution of this international dance sensation, which has been hailed as “Dazzling!” by the Washington Post.

In addition, free tango lessons will be available on the Arts Plaza beginning at 6 p.m. prior to the January 14 (Friday) and 15 (Saturday) performances, to celebrate Tango Buenos Aires’ engagement. The lessons are free to Tango Buenos Aires ticket holders, as the dance parties are part of the Center’s “Free for All Series”, which offers the public opportunities to experience the Center in new and exciting ways – and all totally free.

Tickets to see Tango Buenos Aires start at $16 and are available online at OCPAC.org, at the Center’s Box Office at 600 Town Center Drive in Costa Mesa or by calling 714.556.2787. For inquiries about group ticket discounts for 15 or more, call the Group Services office at 714.755.0236.

On January 20-23, OCPAC continues its theme of dance with the world premiere dance showcase of Reflections. In order to bring this exclusive event to Orange County, the OCPAC has formed a new artistic

partnership with the famed Bolshoi Ballet. The Center and the Bolshoi have commissioned several new works created by many of today’s leading choreographers in order to showcase six extraordinary ballerinas, all who have trained at the Bolshoi Ballet Academy, including “Maria Kochetkova” of the San Francisco Ballet, “Yekaterina Krysanova”, “Natalia Osipova” and “Yekaterina Shipulina” of the Bolshoi Ballet, “Olga Malinovskaya” of the Ballet Estonia and “Polina Semionova” of the Berlin Staatsoper Ballet. They will be joined by four of the Bolshoi’s leading male dancers: Alexander Volchkov, Vyacheslav Lopatin, Denis Savin and Ivan Vasiliev.

“We believe our audiences will be thrilled by the world premieres and breathtaking dance at the heart of Reflections,” OCPAC President Terry Dwyer said. “Our partnership with the Bolshoi Ballet and Ardani Artists has enabled us to premiere this ambitious project at the Center and to share the work of its extraordinary artists with all of Orange County. With Reflections, the Center’s goal is to inspire a legion of new dance fans, strengthen our reputation as one of the nation’s premier presenters of great dance and to contribute to the dynamic cultural scene in Orange County.”

Tickets are available online at OCPAC.org, at the Center’s Box Office at 600 Town Center Drive in Costa Mesa or by calling 714.556.2787, starting at just $14. In addition there will be free preview lectures one hour prior to each performance, while guests are encouraged to consider that artists and programs are subject to change.

Finally the Orange County Performing Arts Center finishes January in style with the 2009 Tony Award-winning Best Musical Revival HAIR: The American Tribal Love-Rock Musical, which will begin on January 25th and continue on until February 6th. With a score including such enduring musical numbers as Let the Sun Shine In, Aquarius, Hair and Good Morning Starshine, this one of a kind musical depicts the birth of a cultural movement in the ‘60s and ‘70s that changed America forever. The musical follows a group of hopeful, free-spirited young people who advocate a lifestyle of pacifism and free-love in a society riddled with intolerance and brutality during the Vietnam War. As they explore sexual identity, challenge racism, experiment with drugs and burn draft cards, the show resonates with an irresistible message of hope more than 40 years after it first opened on Broadway. According to the New York Times “Diane Paulus’s THRILLING, EMOTIONALLY RICH production delivers INTENSE, UNADULTERATED JOY". This is surely one that you won’t want to miss.

Single ticket prices will start at $20 and may be purchased online at the Center’s Box Office. Also the OCPAC will offer a special 2 p.m. performance on Saturday, February 5th, that will be sign-language interpreted for the hearing impaired.

With a rich history and newly developed exclusive shows, The Orange County Performing Arts Center continues to thrive as Orange County’s premiere location for arts and entertainment. Whether it be irresistible sensuality with Tango Buenos Aires, the grace and beauty of ballet in Reflections, or the fun and spirit of Broadway in Hair, January at the Center truly shines and shows us why OCPAC is OC’s own precious gem.



The Fighter

Artwork and Review By: Daniel Albert

Going into The Fighter I wasn't really sure what to expect. Of course I knew it was about boxing and also that it was based on a true story, but those are the only two things I really knew about it, so I wondered what was in store.  Would I find a Raging Bull reboot?  Or maybe some cheesy reincarnation of the Rocky saga? 

I was pleasantly surprised to find that The Fighter was neither.  Instead of a formulaic "climb to the top" type fight flick, The Fighter actually proved to be quite complex.  That's not to say the story doesn't follow a common character arc, it certainly does, but instead of following the life of just the boxer in the ring we also follow the one struggling to get back in. 

At a glance most would suspect The Fighter is about "Irish" Micky Ward (played deftly by Mark Wahlberg).  Ward has become known as a stepping stone in his small hometown of Lowell after several tough losses mostly in part due to poor management from his mother.  But as the camera pans out and our point of view broadens we begin to see another fighter, brother turned trainer and ex-boxing pro Dicky Eklund (Christian Bale). Dicky is also partially to blame for Ward's slump as his crack addiction and lackadaisical attitude towards training hinder Ward's preperation dramatically.

It would've been possible for Director David O'Russell to focus on Ward's ascension individually, but half the film would've been lost.  At times Bale's portrayal of Eklund, the one time all-star of Lowell who "knocked down" Sugar Ray-Leonard, outshines everyone including Wahlberg, giving nuance to one of the best performances of his career.  Dicky's drug addiction, which he uses to blind himself from the fact that he's been riding his famed coattails for much too long, becomes almost as much of a central part in the movie as Ward's title fight, as we get to see fictionally the filming of a real HBO Documentary: High On Crack Street: Lost Lives in Lowell.

With the addition of this storyline comes the depth of Wahlberg's character.  Not only does he have to train to fight in the ring, but he also has to battle his way from out of his brother's shadow.  In addition he has to tread lightly on the decision of whether to cut his family loose and perhaps get the quality training he deserves or keep his family in charge and possibly ruin his career, and his life, forever.

When the time comes for the actual scene of the title fight you're so emotionally involved with the characters you can't help but root for Ward.  Not only that, but the cinematography is so pitch perfect that it doesn't feel stilted or recycled, but instead fresh and exhilerating.  Sure you've seen boxing before in movies, but overall this movie plays out like there was a drama being filmed and then a fight broke out.

Rating: A

Black Swan Movie Review

Art and Review by: Daniel Albert

I suppose the saying "expect the unexpected" is a worthy advisory phrase for any Darren Aronofsky film.  Having previously viewed some of his other movies (Requiem for a Dream, The Wrestler) I knew quite well what he was capable of, yet adhered to this motto and expected to be given something I couldn't imagine. Fortunately for me, and I do stress the word fortunately, I wasn't too sure of the depths he would take his new film Black Swan, and after viewing it I have to say he once again gave me something completely unexpected, even if that's what I expected.

As I said before I'm no stranger to the mans work.  With this viewing background in tow, along with a high intensity trailer and the header of "psychological thriller", I knew this was going to be a dark film.  What I didn't know is just how truly dark the movie could be. 

Black Swan is one of those movies that sneaks up on you.  It plays more like a concerto than a film, using every instrument in the pit to paint a visceral picture for its audience.  It starts off slow and steady, lulling you into the depths of its world, using every tool in the director's arsenal.  The cinematography is so pitch perfect I felt myself getting agitated more and more with every shot, a discomfort that is completely intentional and in no way haphazard.

What surprised me most about the film however wasn't just the skilled hand of the artisan behind the scenes, but instead the delicate strokes he used.  The film is essentially about Nina Sayers (Natalie Portman) a fragile and timid girl obsessed with perfection.  Nina is finally given her chance to shine at the ballet where she's been working and we watch her character's descent into madness, as an obsession with perfection becomes so complete it manifests itself in every facet of the film.  The farther into the depths the she goes, the farther down we go with her, without remorse, because well, hey you kinda asked for it. 

As I watched I got swept along so subtly I hardly felt a transformation at all until the film reached its crescendo and I found myself thinking "Did I see what I think I just saw or am I going nuts?".  My madness, like many others I'm sure, is in a large part due to a tour de force portrayal of the swan queen by  Portman that will surely earn her Oscar nods come awards season.  The dichotomy of her character makes one wonder whether or not she used a split personality disorder to carry it off so effortlessly.

Being a dark film, there is always the line a director is never allowed to cross where entertainment becomes torture.  A director should never turn on the audience and as this movie progresses Aronofsky traverses this line like a tightrope walker, always pushing but never too far.  Every graphic or violent or disturbing scene serves its purpose as part of a whole and nothing is left in that isn't absolutely essential.  If the director wants you to be scared or agitated he shows it and if he wants you to be sympathetic he switches gears seamlessly.

However with all this talk of darkness I tread lightly,  I'm definitely not saying there's no beauty in this film. After all, at the end of the day it is set within a rendition of Swan Lake. What I am saying is that even though the film has heavily dark undertones, the beauty still manages to shine through. In fact I'd have to say that one of the darkest scenes, when Nina's transformation into the Black Swan is finally complete, I was taken aback by one of the most visually stunning scenes I've seen in years.  It was lyrical and sad, reverent, yet twisted and frightening.  You know a film has done it's job when you experience more than one emotion at a time.

Before I heap more praise upon this movie I'll just stop and say this film is everything everyone claims it to be, and perhaps even more.  It's heartfelt and visually stunning, terrifying and sensual, and even at times a bit funny.  You don't have to be a film snob to enjoy this one.

Rating: A

HOLIDAY DECORATING DELIGHT
Written by: Joen Garnica

 Uncomplicate your holiday décor with easy to implement tips.

Jingle Bells are jingling, the air outside is crisp and the steam from my hot cocoa is warming my holiday spirit. Holding my warm cup of cocoa between my hands, I close my eyes and take in the sweet aroma, savoring every second. A smile comes over my face. I slowly open my eyes and the sound of a screeching record stops me in my tracks. Staring back at me are dusty boxes of tired holiday decorations.



You didn’t think that would derail my holiday decorating, did you? Of course you didn’t.



Many things can complicate the holidays, such as the drag race to see who gets what seems to be the only parking spot. Making your home festive doesn’t have to be one of the complicated things in life. I am going to uncomplicate your holiday decorating life with ideas on keeping it simple, while making a dazzling impact.



Create a Theme – Gone are the days that creating a theme meant using nutcrackers or Santa Claus. Get creative and keep it simple. It can be as easy as picking a color or two (or three). Unify décor and create flow with your colors of choice. Pepper your home with a color theme or with a bolder theme such as jewels and jewel tones.



Focal Pointer – Pick a couple of areas in your home that will give you more bang for your buck. Focus your efforts on areas such as entryways, dining rooms or living rooms. Create one focal point in each of these areas, while sprinkling holiday cheer in between.



Tea Light Twinkle – Drop a votive or a tea light in a clean glass food jar, tie a ribbon to the neck and you now have a simple, yet beautiful luminary. For a more layered look add peppermint candy, sand or cranberries under the candle. Group a few luminaries together for dramatic evening lighting.




Borrow from Nature – Not many things are easier than going outside and borrowing from nature. Infuse outdoor items such as magnolia leaves, twigs, nuts, berries or even sea shells and sand into your décor. Natural items are easy and good for the environment.



Mantle Madness (Or lack of) – Don’t have a mantle? Temperatures don’t often dip very low in Long Beach. So if you don’t have a fireplace, use a console or sofa table in lieu of a traditional mantle. Hang stockings and decorate the table top as you might a mantle over a fireplace.



Festive Floral – Poinsettias are abundant this time of year, but are not the only floral option for the holidays. Use other stunning classic flowers that coordinate with your holiday décor colors. Tie in the holiday theme with holiday greenery such as pine needles.




Window Wonderland – Toss out the can of snow and instead opt for ribbon, wreaths and ornaments. A stunning window can be as simple as hanging a wreath or ornaments on ribbon and placing in your window. Accomplish indoor and outdoor décor with one step.



Gift Wrap– Add a touch of the unexpected to your holiday gifts by making the wrapping part of the gift. Embellish gift-wrap with an ornament, candy, a beautiful brooch or wrap the gift with a stunning scarf. I have to admit that this tip doesn’t necessarily uncomplicate your holidays. I will however go out on a limb and say that one of these gifts will be love at the first sight for the person on the receiving end. Not to mention the enhanced experience of unwrapping.

This time of year is all about joy, laughter, sharing and holiday parties. A beautifully decorated home for the holidays is just that. The best, least complicated tip I can offer you is to fill your home with much joy, laughter, friends and family and make memories that will last a lifetime. Happy holidays!

(FALL) Movie Guide
Intro By:  Katie Cervantes
Written By: Daniel Albert

Fall is the perfect time to snuggle up with a blanket and some hot coco and watch movies when Southern California is too cold to spend outside. It's a great excuse to spend half your paycheck on a new film where Jennifer Aniston plays the same character yet, again. Or you may opt for another 3-D film where you dish out a few more bucks than necessary, or an award-winning film that leaves you questioning the meaning of life. Either way, it's movie season.

Whether you're into a true story that will leave you crying and clutching your hot coco, or if you want to see your favorite stars fall in love, we're here to ensure you get just what you need without wasting any of your time or money this season.



127 Hours

Starring: James Franco, Amber Tamblyn, Kate Mara, Clémence Poésy

Rated: R

Opens: November 5

Speaking of Oscar Nods, there’s been talk that this one is in the mix for James Franco, who depicts the true-life story of Aron Ralston, a mountaineer who becomes trapped when a boulder falls on his arm during exploration of a remote canyon in Utah. Over the next five days, Ralston examines his life and considers his options, leading him to an agonizing choice: to amputate his own arm and possibly survive, or remain pinned to the canyon wall and possibly die. If this isn’t dramatic enough for you, you might want to check your pulse.



Due Date

Starring: Robert Downey, Jr., Zach Galifianakis, Jamie Foxx, Michelle Monaghan

Rated: R

Opens: November 5

The one-two punch of RDJ and Zach Galifianakis should be enough to make you shell out the $12 for this one. Add to that a hilarious plotline that includes a road trip concerning a soon-to-be father’s (Robert Downey Jr.) cross-country trip to make it back in time for his baby’s birth — with the only roadblock being the dubious passenger (Galifianakis) who’s along for the ride. Long car rides are rough. Zach Galifianakis shows us why.



Megamind

Starring: Will Ferrell, Tina Fey, Jonah Hill, Brad Pitt

Rated: PG

Opens: November 5

Yet another comedy that is sure to please with a little more of a family vibe. DreamWorks Animation gives us a satirical take on the superhero genre focusing on a down-and-out super villain (voiced by Will Ferrell) who has to learn how to get his groove back when he’s left without an arch nemesis. The film is directed by Cameron Hood and Kyle Arthur Jefferson with Tina Fey and Jonah Hill filling out the rest of this comedy veteran cast. Did I mention that you can also see it in 3-D?



Skyline

Starring: Donald Faison, Eric Balfour, David Zayas, Scottie Thompson

Rated: PG-13

Opens: November 12

What screams Fall more than an alien invasion? No I’m not talking about the Pilgrim’s landing at Plymouth Rock, I’m talking about “Skyline.” Although this film doesn’t boast huge names in the industry, its special effects are sure to dazzle enough to make it worth a go. It’s plot is described simply as a time when strange lights over Los Angeles herald the arrival of a malevolent alien force that threatens to swallow up all of humanity. If you haven’t already seen it, you can check out the trailer and see humans being sucked up into the sky like dust mites in an Oreck.



Unstoppable

Starring: Denzel Washington, Chris Pine, Rosario Dawson

Rated: PG-13

Opens: November 12

New dreamboat Chris Pine joins old Dreamboat Denzel Washington in this contemporary thriller based on true events. Director Tony Scott gives us a movie whose action involves two locomotive operators who team up to stop a runaway train filled with toxic waste. This is one of those movies where the characters have depth and our heroes aren’t so cut and dry. Although the “Young Blood” vs. “Old Knowledge” angle has been played out many times in the past, this film should bring some new life.



Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows: Part I

Starring: Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson, Helena Bonham Carter, Ralph Fiennes, Robbie Coltrane, Michael Gambon, Alan Rickman

Rated: PG-13

Opens: November 19

Does this one even need any introduction? Despite the fact that Harry has aged so much that I’m starting to wonder whether or not Hogwarts has a masters program, the gang returns once again for an all out epic battle of magic and mayhem. Now alone, without the guidance and protection of their professors, Harry (Daniel Radcliffe), Ron (Rupert Grint) and Hermione (Emma Watson) set out on a mission to destroy the Horcruxes, the source of Voldemort’s immortality. Though they must rely on one another more than ever before, dark forces threaten to tear them apart. Voldemort’s Death Eaters have seized control of the Ministry of Magic and Hogwarts, and are searching for Harry even as he and his friends prepare for the ultimate showdown. One word: Epic!



Burlesque

Starring: Christina Aguilera, Cher, Cam Gigandet, Stanley Tucci, Kristen Bell

Rated: PG-13/R (?)

Opens: November 24

I’d feel guilty about not including this one for the ladies (and some gentlemen) even though it has me a bit wary. By the time you read this, the full rating might have been revealed, which might also reveal what kind of movie this is set to be. PG-13 would indicate something less provocative and more fun, while an R rating might put it somewhere in the “not-so-but-kinda showgirls” realm. Here are the facts: Christina Aguilera stars as Ali, a small-town singer who takes her shot at stardom performing at a neo-burlesque nightclub in Los Angeles. The cast should be able to keep this one afloat even if it ends up a little campy.



Love and Other Drugs

Starring: Jake Gyllenhaal, Anne Hathaway, Oliver Platt

Rated: R

Opens: November 24

Why does this romantic comedy not star Jennifer Aniston? Probably because it actually looks good (sorry Rachel). Jake Gyllenhaal depicts a salesman who competes in the cutthroat world of pharmaceuticals to hawk a male performance enhancement drug. The film is based on Jamie Reidy’s memoir “Hard Sell: The Evolution of a Viagra Salesman” and with the addition of Anne Hathaway as the love interest, this film is sure to be a sleeper hit with the men as well as the women.



Tangled

Starring: Mandy Moore, Zachary Levi

Rated: PG

Opens: November 24

Yet another animated movie slated for the Fall is this charming tale, based on the legendary lady of locks, Rapunzel. Action kicks off when the kingdom’s most wanted—and most charming—bandit- Flynn Rider (voice of Zachary Levi)- hides out in a mysterious tower, when he’s taken hostage by Rapunzel (voice of Mandy Moore)who is a beautiful and feisty tower bound teen with 70 feet of magical, golden hair. Flynn’s curious captor, who’s looking for her ticket out of the tower where she’s been locked away for years, strikes a deal with the handsome thief and the unlikely duo sets off on an action-packed escapade, complete with a super-cop horse, an over-protective chameleon and a gruff gang of pub thugs. Could their schemes be any more…hair…brained? Yes, I went there, and if you’re not a fan of these types of puns, this film may be off your radar, so take my advice and see it anyway. You won’t be disappointed.




Black Swan

Starring: Natalie Portman, Mila Kunis, Vincent Cassel, Barbara Hershey, Winona Ryder, Benjamin Millepied

Rated: R

Opens: December 1

This film is my personal favorite on the list for a variety of reasons. First of all it’s directed by all time great Darren Aronofsky (Requiem for a Dream, The Wrestler). Secondly it is a dark story about ballerinas! Only Aronofsky could make a ballerina seem sinister and that’s exactly what he does in this film. Nina (Natalie Portman) is a ballerina whose passion for the dance rules every facet of her life. When the company’s artistic director decides to replace his prima ballerina for their opening production of ``Swan Lake,‘’ Nina is his first choice. However, Nina has competition: Lily, a newcomer. While Nina is perfect for the role of the White Swan, Lily personifies the Black Swan. As the rivalry between the two dancers transforms into a twisted friendship, Nina’s dark side begins to emerge. Add to that some Oscar buzz of its own and this one is a must see.



Fair Game

Starring: Naomi Watts, Sean Penn, Noah Emmerich

Rated: PG-13

Opens: November 5

This CIA spy flick is anything but the ordinary. They take a supremely simple concept, (making their protagonist a female for once!), and shift from cliché driven action to deep value story of  a woman who as to face the fallout when her cover is blown as a covert CIA agent. Valerie Plame’s status as a CIA agent was revealed by White House officials allegedly out to discredit her husband after he wrote a 2003 New York Times op-ed piece saying that the Bush administration had manipulated intelligence about weapons of mass destruction to justify the invasion of Iraq. Now she’s not only running to clear her name, but to save her and her family’s lives. Solid reviews have put this one at the top of several people’s lists, including mine.



The Next Three Days

Starring: Russell Crowe, Elizabeth Banks, Liam Neeson, Brian Dennehy

Rated: PG-13

Opens: November 19

Let’s be honest, everyone loves the Clash song “ I Fought the Law”, and if you don’t well you probably didn’t know that “the Law won”. The Next Three Days is pretty much a film embodiment of that song. Except in this version John Brennan (Russell Crowe) goes on a hell bent mission to break his wife out of prison after she is convicted of a murder she says she did not commit. Don’t worry this isn’t anything like the mess Gerard Butler created with Law Abiding Citizen. Sure it had action, but it also had a ludicrous plotline and tons of unnecessary violence. The Next Three days is a step forward in a genre overwrought by inane car chases and randomly triggered explosions.

INTERVIEW WITH TOP CHEF'S GAIL SIMMONS

Gail Simmons is a proud foodie. She puts her expertise to practice on Bravo's Emmy-nominated, reality series "Top Chef" where she critiques up and coming chefs who want to make it in the culinary world. You can also see her work her judging magic on "Top Chef: Just Desserts" and "Top Chef Masters." Simmons admits to living the dream where she gets to both eat and judge while writing for "Food & Wine Magazine." Simmons talked to LIVE OC about food, her career and what it’s like to judge good grub for a living.


LIVE OC: Why did you decide to be part of the culinary world? What is it about food that fascinated you to get started in this field?


GAIL SIMMONS: I guess originally way back when I first had an inkling that I wanted to be in the food world was when I was in college. My mother actually ran a cooking school out of her home and wrote a food column in the newspaper. Growing up, there was always amazing food around me at all times; she was an amazing cook and was always throwing dinner parties. We traveled a lot as children. My father is from South Africa so travel was a big part of our life. Our parents felt strongly about exposing us to a lot of great food and travel. They were always up for adventures and they were always taking us along. So that kind of was innate in me from a very young age.

And when I was in college, left to my own resources and not a lot of money, I started cooking a lot and actually started writing restaurant reviews for my college paper, but never really realized that was a job. When I graduated, I wanted to write—I always loved writing. I went to work as an intern at a magazine and it was at the magazine when I started following the food editor around, and keep in mind this was long before there was Top Chef, long before there were massive food shows and the culinary world is as big as it is now, I found myself drawn to the food editor because I loved eating and I loved the world of restaurants and the entire experience. I kind of realized there was this whole universe of the restaurant world I wanted to be a part of and it’s delicious. Why not?

LIVE OC: What is the greatest thing about being on Top Chef and what is the most difficult?


Gail Simmons: The best thing would be, well everything is pretty great. I say this without an ounce of sarcasm, I really believe I have the best job on television. I get to eat great food, hang out with people I like, and travel around the country, so it’s pretty dreamy and the food is pretty delicious and impressive. I also get to meet all of these extraordinary chefs both young up and comers and the masters on the show as our guest judges and also the ones on our Top Chef Masters series. So it’s been pretty inspiring all around.

If I had to complain about anything I would say that the most difficult part is, because we travel so much for the show, I have to be away from home and the people that I love, so that can be difficult. Luckily enough we all really like each other and it’s been the same crew pretty much since the first day. It’s like traveling with this giant extended family. I like to joke that Padma and Tom are my college roommates. We’re sort of this funny little roommate group. There are certain times of the year where I see Padma and Tom more than my husband, so we know every secret about each other. There’s nothing we can hold back from each other at this point, but we’re lucky because we really enjoy hanging out.

LIVE OC: What are some of your favorite TV cooking shows past or present?

Gail Simmons: Good question let’s see. I’ve always loved watching Jacques Pepin on PBS. I’ve always loved watching him on Sunday mornings or weekend mornings. He’s such a master and he’s so accomplished and, not only has he had such an amazing career, in his late 70s’ he’s still such an amazing teacher. He’s never about the ego or grandstanding—he’s really just a teacher in the true sense of the word. I love that about him. I also love the show with his daughter Claudine because I cook with my mom so much, so I’ve always identified with this family thing because they’re always joking with each other and teasing each other but also making really great food with each other.

Present shows that I love..Anthony Bourdain. Okay, there are two food shows that are on my DVR that are not Top Chef shows: one is “No Reservations” and the other is “Avec Eric Show on PBS.” It is no coincidence that Eric and Anthony are best friends. It’s funny because on the surface they’re total opposites you know Anthony is this kind of crass, loud-mouth, no BS, adventurer, traveling the world and eating all kinds of ridiculously outlandish things where Eric is very put together, buttoned-up, four-star chef who is impeccable in his chef life at all times. But actually they’re best friends and they have two shows that reflect them each. You know Anthony’s is very down and dirty and Eric’s is beautifully designed and produced, but they’re both my favorite food programs that aren’t on Bravo.

LIVE OC: Who are some of your role models in the culinary world?

Gail Simmons: Certainly both of them. I’ve had the privilege of working with both of them on Top Chef. They’ve both been supporters of Top Chef from the first and second season. Eric was my co-judge on the past season of Top Chef and Anthony will be my co-judge on the upcoming season. They’ve both been great mentors to me and they’ve both taken time out of their lives to spend with me and advise me. We’ve traveled a bit all together. They’re the real deal in very different ways. In terms of other mentors, I’ve had three bosses in my life that I think really changed my life and made me who I am: Jeffrey Steingarten, a food critic for Vogue and he’s been writing for them for probably about 25 years if not more 35?, I worked for him for two years as an assistant and he really taught me everything I know about food. I went to culinary schools and worked in kitchens but going to work for him really taught me to get my hands dirty and understand the process of writing about food and quote “talking” about food, the language, the research, to understand the process.

After I worked for him I worked for Daniel Blue, who is a master , truly the best chef in the country if not the world and he is also an amazing businessman and I worked for him for three years. He really kind of opened his home to me and his business and let me follow him around wherever he went for three years. He is so good and such a smart and charming person. Finally, the publisher Christina Grdovic and editor-in-chief Dana Cowin for “Food and Wine Magazine.” You know women in the food world sadly are still pretty few and far between in a lot of ways and the two of them are trailblazers. They’ve been at the magazine for 15 years just about and they just are fearless leaders— they’re so smart at what they do. They’re the first—they get their first. They’re both ahead of their time and are visionaries and I love spending time, traveling, and talking with them for so many years.

LIVE OC: You’re hosting Top Chef Desserts now. What’s your favorite dessert?

Gail Simmons: Ever? That’s like choosing children! It’s similar how I feel about restaurants. I’m so lucky that there are so many restaurants in New York and I can never pick my favorite one. Just like restaurants, I can never pick one dessert— it depends on my mood. I have a dessert for when I feel down, a dessert when I’m feeling happy, a dessert I go to when I want chocolate, a dessert I go to when I want fruit. You know it depends. If I want to share, I have a dessert I will choose. It also depends on the season. I go through these phases. I’m just coming out of this pudding phase—you know just smoothe, creamy rich chocolate pudding, maple pudding, butterscotch pudding. Now I’m going into a fall pie phase, just because that’s the season and that’s what I’m in the mood to cook. Thanksgiving is coming up and the fruit in fall I think,lends itself so well to pies so you know apple pie, pear pie, fig, pumpkin, pecan pies, all that stuff is great.

LIVE OC: What has been your most memorable Top Chef Challenge meal?

Gail Simmons: Wow! There have been so many that it’s almost like they all blur into one but there have been a few. In general, I tend to have the strongest memories of the ones that really took the chefs out of their elements where they weren’t cooking in traditional kitchens at all. Where we forced them to cook out on the street or over a fire on the beach or you know out of a truck. So in really unusual situations that force them out of their comfort zone, so they aren’t thinking like a chef but as a real person. In every season we’ve been able to do that so that’s been really exciting. If I have to think of my favorite meal I’ve ever eaten on the show, I’d have to say the first season of Top Chef Masters, our finale meal Michael Chiarello, Hubert Keller, and Rick Bayless. It was like the Dream Team. It was like I felt this is “the die and go to heaven meal” and I’m a little worried because I had no rights to eating their food all together,at once, in such an amazing circumstance. It was so memorable.

LIVE OC: What is one important tip that you can give to amateur chefs?

Gail Simmons: I guess the one important tip I’d give is “that there’s no such thing as an overnight success.” I mean it applies in entertainment, but it applies nowhere better than in the kitchen. I mean you come out of school or come out of cooking for a year and you’re a chef I mean Tom will tell you it really takes a lifetime of study and hard work and there is no easy shortcut to it. To be a true chef, to be a leader of the kitchen, to be the one designing the menu, whose name is on the door and to have that recognition, to be what those people consider a great chef these days—you know, you just can’t take a shortcut. You need to learn, you need to find great mentors and study under them. You need to keep your mouth shut, your ears open, your palette ready, and just be willing to work and it’s only through that hard work, learning, and putting your own ego aside that you’ll be able to create a breadth of experience that you can then make your own and you gotta have the passion and the drive to stick with it, because the rewards are great if you’re willing to do the work required.

LIVE OC: You’re doing writing and special projects at Food and Wine Magazine. How is that going?

Gail Simmons: I was at Food and Wine long before I was on television and my position at Top Chef came out of Bravo and Food and Wine coming together to work on the first season of the show and I was chosen as a representative of the magazine. I never anticipated being on television. I always wanted to work in food publishing and magazines and in food media. My job here at Food and Wine has certainly changed over the years as my role on Top Chef has expanded and as the show has continued to thrive, so my job here is very different than it used to be. So I get the chance to do a little bit of writing and recipe work for them and you know just to be an ambassador for the magazine because Food and Wine has been celebrating chef talent and finding what’s new and next in the chef world for 30 plus years. So when Bravo came to Food and Wine to do the show it was this perfect fit and now we can do what we do on a greater scale for the national audience. It gives us this great reason to shout it from the hilltops more than ever that there’s this amazing world of food and chefs tgat everyone wants to be a part of and Food and Wine and Bravo have been able to- hand in hand- show the world that.

LIVE OC: You mentioned your Mom and growing up in food-centered household. Is there any recipe that your Mom passed down to you that you use today?

Gail Simmons: Oh there are several really. Classically, there’s all that stuff that I still make that I would never depart from—her chicken soup, her banana chocolate bread. She has this amazing plum tart that I love. And my father ,who is not a cook and can barely turn on a dishwasher, but there are a few things that he makes that are his speciality and I’m very proud to make them. He makes amazing pickles and he makes his own pickles. He also makes this amazing applesauce right around this time. I love it and I make it.

LIVE OC: What’s your favorite comfort food?

Gail Simmons: Anything with chocolate in it. Chocolate or carbohydrates. When you put those together I’d say chocolate bread pudding. Best of both worlds.

LIVE OC: Do you have a favorite place to eat in California?

Gail Simmons: I haven’t spent any time in Orange County sadly. But I have a really close friend who moved out there a year ago so I owe her a visit and I hear really great things. I don’t have experience beyond LA. Just a few years ago I would say I was not that interested in the LA food scene but I think over the past couple of years, it has just bloomed and I constantly have a list of like eight restaurants I want to go to every time I’m in town. Right now restaurants I’m really excited about in LA.. Animal, one of my favorite restaurants and I eat there every time I come to LA, even though that’s often. It’s just one of the most refreshing restaurants in a long time. I love Street. It’s just super cool. I love Gjelina in Venice.

LIVE OC: What is the one restaurant that everyone should eat at before they die?

Gail Simmons: I have to say two. In Spain, in the basque country outside of Rioja in Spain. It’s this amazing man who does everything over these custom made grills he’s built for himself. He’ll grill everything from caviar to ice cream and it’s just an extraordinary experience. It’s called Etxeberri. On the flip side is Hot Crescenters in Singapore.

LIVE OC: Where do you want to take your career in the next few years?

Gail Simmons: Wow, a big question but a good one. I try not to make a 10-year plan, I just want to stay in this position and continue to teach people how to eat better and be more adventurous.