"The Half-Blood Demon" [PG-13] - 7/7

"THE HALF-BLOOD DEMON"

EPILOGUE

The doorbell rang. Olivia stared at the door, wondering who could be her new visitor. Certainly not Paige, who could have simply orbed back inside the apartment. Could it be . . .? Olivia held her breath in anticipation, as she walked toward the door.

She peered through the peephole and felt a slight twinge of disappointment. It was Cole's mother - Nimue. Olivia fixed a faux smile on her face and opened the door. "Nimue. Hello. Is there something else I can do for you?"

The demoness entered the apartment. "Oh no, not really," she answered. "I just wanted to thank you. For helping me deal with Belthazor."

"It was nothing. I thought he was making a mistake and wanted him to reconsider his actions." Olivia sighed. "I suppose Phoebe will have to live with the fact that the man she loves will never be completely mortal."

Nimue snorted with derision. "That is a dilemma that Miss Halliwell will not have to face very long."

"Meaning?" Olivia frowned.

"My dear, isn't it obvious? Belthazor's relationship with his former wife will not last. Especially after his decision to remain a daemon." A wry smile touched Nimue's lips. "And he's still in love with you. I certainly could tell. I assure you - he will return to your arms in no time." Her smile widened.

Annoyed by the other woman's assumption, Olivia retorted, "What makes you think I care about reconciling with Cole?"

"If you didn't, why did you bother to try to stop him from removing his powers in the first place?" The demoness' blue eyes widened.

Olivia hesitated. "I . . ." She realized that lying to Nimue seemed futile. "Never mind." She gave the demoness an appraising stare. "Why are you so anxious for Cole and I to be together?"

"I don't care who Belthazor ends up with . . . as long as she can make him happy." Nimue paused. "I feel that you can make him happy. Accept him for himself. You seem like an open-minded young woman. Or perhaps I have a fondness for . . ."

The doorbell rang. Olivia stared at Nimue. "Fondness for what?" Before the demoness could answer, the doorbell rang for the second time. Still frowning, Olivia made her way toward the door. She glanced through the peephole. It was Cole. The red-haired witch opened the door and stared at the half-daemon. "Cole! What . . . what are you doing here?"

Cole glanced at his feet, as if reluctant to meet Olivia's eyes. "I . . . uh, I wanted to thank you. For stopping me from making a big mistake. I also . . ." He glanced up and stared past Olivia's shoulder. A frown appeared on his face. "Mother?"

"Belthazor." Nimue coolly strode forward.

Suspicion now glimmered in Cole's eyes. "What are you doing here?"

"For the same reason as you. To thank Miss McNeill for helping you."

"Really?"

Nimue heaved an exasperated sigh. "Really Belthazor! You need to keep that paranoia of yours, under control. I've told you so many times in the past. There is nothing . . . sinister . . . about my visit. Understand?"

Cole's face turned red. "Sorry," he muttered.

The demoness faced Olivia and smiled. "Again, thank you for your help, Miss McNeill. And good day. Who knows? We might see each other again." She faced Cole. "Good-bye Belthazor. For now. I might be dropping by for another visit sometime in the near future." She shimmered out of the apartment, with that same smile stamped on her face.

Silence filled the apartment. Olivia stepped aside, allowing Cole to enter. They seemed reluctant to look at each other. Then Cole finally said, "Well, I better get going. I only dropped by to thank you . . . for your help." He paused. "Uh . . . thanks."

"Back to Phoebe, huh?" The words left Olivia's mouth before she could stop herself.

Cole's eyes narrowed, as he gave her a hard stare. "No," he coolly replied. "No, I won't be going back to Phoebe. It's over between us."

The news not only stunned Olivia, it filled her heart with joy. And hope. Until she began to speculate on who was responsible for the break-up. Cole seemed to have read her mind, for he added, "Before you ask, I was the one who ended it."

"I didn't ask," Olivia snapped.

Cole shot back, "You were about to."

Heaving a sigh, Olivia began, "Cole . . ."

"Olivia, the real reason I'm here is . . ." The half-daemon sighed. "I wanted to ask if we could start over again. I want you back."

Struggling to keep her emotions in check, Olivia demanded, "Why? Because you're no longer with Phoebe?" She felt a little bitter that it took the half-daemon three weeks to want her back.

"Did you think I had enjoyed being with Phoebe again?" Cole cried out in a fit of anger. "Because I didn't! It was a pain in my ass dealing with her possessiveness and her family's self-righteous bullshit!"

Now angry herself, Olivia retorted, "Then why did you stay with her FOR THREE WEEKS?"

"Because I was desperate to be with someone! Especially after you first dumped me, and then ran out on me with you tail tucked between your legs after Margolin's spell had ended!"

"I'm not the one who had rebounded with my ex!"

"And I'm supposed to be condemned for that . . . forever?" Cole demanded. "My God, Olivia! It was a mistake! I was in a world of pain, when you dumped me! And since Phoebe and I had recently made our peace over the whole Source thing, I went back to her. Well . . ." Cole lowered his voice, ". . . actually, she was the one who had suggested we give it a last chance. And considering what happened between us, I thought . . . why not? Especially since I thought we were through."

Olivia added, "And then?"

Cole sighed. "I found out about Margolin's spell. And when you showed up at the penthouse that day . . . Shit! I was in such a state of shock that I couldn't say a word. Then Phoebe let the cat out of the bag about our relationship." He paused. "And you left."

His last words brought back memories of that awful moment to Olivia. And her subsequent reaction. "Okay. Maybe I shouldn't have done that," she murmured. "But seeing you with Phoebe . . ."

"Yeah, I understand." Cole shook his head. "Those three weeks with Phoebe were . . . I had no idea that it would be so difficult. She tried to pick up where we had left off. Before the Source had possessed me. But I guess I wasn't in the mood. And dealing with Piper and Leo was no picnic. But the last straw was when Phoebe had suggested I get rid of my powers. I wanted to tell her to shove that idea up her ass . . ."

Olivia snickered, amused by the image in her mind.

Cole continued, "But after a year and four months of silent warfare between us, I . . . I just gave in. I surrendered. I think our divorce may have taken a toll on me. I just didn't feel like fighting Phoebe over the whole powers issue. And she would have bugged me to death, if I had said no."

"So, your mother and I came to your rescue."

"In a way." Cole fell silent. Olivia glanced away, aware of his eyes upon her. "So . . . like I had asked before . . . I mean . . ." He shook his head in self-disgust.

Olivia quietly asked, "You mean what?"

Cole sighed. "I don't know. Pick up where we had left off. Start all over again? I'm still in love with you, Olivia. I miss you. I just . . . I guess I just want to be with you, again."

"Oh." Olivia stared into those blue eyes that expressed love and passion . . . and nearly drowned. "I . . ."

Cole took a step forward. "Yeah?"

Olivia let out a slight gust of breath. "I feel the same. About you."

"Which is?"

Typical Cole. Always needed details for everything. Olivia glared at him . . . half-heartedly. "God, you're such an asshole! Sometimes I wonder . . ." She paused.

Once more, Cole took a step closer. "Wondered what?" he murmured.

Olivia inhaled, reveling in his scent. "Sometimes I wonder why I'm in love with you. Why I still want to be with you."

"Well, let me remind you." Olivia became breathless, as Cole lowered his mouth upon hers. The touch of his lips seemed like water, after a week in the desert. She moaned lightly, as he gently slipped his tongue into her mouth. While they continued to kiss, she reveled in his hard body pressed against hers. His hand then slid underneath her blouse and caressed her waist. Another moan left her mouth. And when he lifted her off the floor and into his arms, she gasped with surprise.

Olivia protested softly, "Hey!"

Cole lifted an eyebrow. "Moving too fast?"

A wide smile curved Olivia's lips. "How about . . . not fast enough?"

"It has been too long, hasn't it?"

"Hmmmm." Olivia giggled. Then she pressed her lips against Cole's for a quick, hard kiss. "Definitely too long."

"Well, I have a solution for that." Cole kissed her again, as he carried her toward the bedroom.


THE END

"THE DEBT" (2011) Review

"THE DEBT" (2011) Review

Four years ago, Assaf Bernstein directed a movie about three retired Mossad agents confronted by a challenge from their past in a movie called "THE DEBT". Just recently, John Madden directed a remake of this movie with the same title. Although originally intended for a December 2010 release date, the movie was finally released at the end of August.

This new version of "THE DEBT" The espionage thriller began in 1997, when two retired Mossad agents, Rachel as shocking news reaches retired Mossad secret agents Rachel Singer and Stefan Gold have received shocking news about their former colleague David Peretz. All three have been celebrated by Israel for thirty-one years for successfully tracking down a Nazi war criminal named Dieter Vogel back in 1965-55 in East Berlin. However, the reactions of both Rachel and Stefan and several flashbacks questioned whether or not if the team's mission was accomplished.

I have never seen the 2007 version. Which means there is no way I could compare this new version to the older one. But I could say this about "THE DEBT" . . . I thought it was one of the best movies I had seen this past summer. In fact, I thought it was one of the best movies I have seen this year. "THE DEBT" is a superb thriller about a dangerous mission to capture a Nazi war criminal - a mission that led to a labyrinth of lies, guilt, regrets and a desire to correct a mistake. The sequences set in Israel and Russia of the late 1990s and in flashback sequences, 1965-66 East Berlin. The three protagonists in the film proved to be a complicated trio, haunted by not only the Holocaust, but also their personal demons and desires.

The central figure in the story is Rachel Singer, a former Mossad agent who gave up her career when she became pregnant with her only child. Rachel spends the years 1965 to 1997 being caught between two men - the team's charismatic and womanizing leader, Stefan Gold; and the quiet and intense David Peretz. Both of them became attracted to her. But whereas Stefan viewed Rachel as a brief romance, David began falling in love with her. Rachel felt the same, but turned to Stefan for a one night stand - an act that ended up having major consequences in the relationship between the trio. In a very intense and well directed sequence, the agents finally managed to capture Vogel. But a bad encounter with East German guards at the Wollankstraße Station forced them to take Vogel back to their safe house and guard him, until they can find another way to get him to Israel. What followed was a deliciously acted cat-and-mouse game between manipulative Vogel and his three captors. The shocks and tensions continued, once the story shifted permanently to 1997. In that time frame, Rachel was forced to travel to Russia and clean up a mess caused by the major secret created by the three colleagues back in 1966. I wish I could give away the story, but to do so would give away the plot twists. All I can say is that one of the best aspects of this movie are the plot twists.

The acting was superb. Jesper Christensen, who had impressed me in the last two James Bond movies, was even more fascinating in his subtle performance as the ruthless, yet manipulative Dieter Vogel. Both Tom Wilkinson and Ciarán Hinds gave solid performances as the older Stefan and David. But the real star of the 1997 sequences was Helen Mirren, who was wonderful as an older Rachel, who believed that she had finally put the past behind her. She also proved that one could still be a first-rate female action star at the age of 65/66. If Helen Mirren was the star of the 1997 sequences, the real stars of the entire movie were Jessica Chastain, Sam Worthington and Marton Csokas. In my review of 2010's "MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS", I had not been kind to Chastain's performance in that movie. A lot of my criticism had to do with how her character was written. But I must admit that she was superb as the younger Rachel, who found herself caught up not only in a deadly mission with a dangerous adversary; but also in an emotionally confusing situation between two men. Cskokas gave an enlightening performance as the colorful and commanding Stefan, whose extroverted facade hid an ambitious drive that made him willing to do anything to maintain his career. It was good to see Sam Worthington in a first-rate role after nearly two years. His portrayal of David Peretz was probably the most intense in the entire episode. Worthington did a superb job of conveying not only David's quietly expressed desire for Rachel, but also his reluctance to get emotionally involved with others following the loss of his entire family during the Holocaust.

If "THE DEBT" had one flaw - at least for me, it was the ending. I have to be honest. I usually do not mind if a movie ends on an ambiguous or vague note . . . as long as it works. For me, such an ending worked for the 2010 movie, "INCEPTION". The vague note on which "THE DEBT" ended, failed to work for me. It simply did not feel right and I had the suspicion that either Madden or screenwriters Matthew Vaughn, Kris Thykier, Eduardo Rossoff were trying to be just a little too artistic. And "THE DEBT" struck me as the type of story that did not need an ambiguous ending of that kind.

Despite the movie's unnecessarily vague ending, I must admit that I truly enjoyed "THE DEBT". It had an exciting and fascinating story that was served well by the screenwriters, director John Madden and a superb cast led by Helen Mirren and Sam Worthington. As I had stated earlier, it became one of my favorite movies of both the summer and of this year so far.

Favorite Films Set in Berlin

Below is a list of my favorite films set in Berlin, Germany:


FAVORITE FILMS SET IN BERLIN



1. "Valkyrie" (2008) - Bryan Singer directed this exciting historical thriller about the July 1944 plot by German Army officers to assassinate Adolf Hitler and to use the Operation Valkyrie national emergency plan to take control of the country. Tom Cruise starred.






2. "The Bourne Supremacy" (2004) - Loosely based upon Robert Ludlum's novel, this sequel continued the story of Jason Bourne, an amnesiac former CIA paramilitary operative and assassin who finds himself caught in a political and financial scandal regarding a C.I.A. executive and a Russian millionaire amidst a personal tragedy. Matt Damon starred in this movie directed by Paul Greengrass.






3. "A Foreign Affair" (1948) - Billy Wilder directed this comedy set in occupied Berlin about an Army captain torn between an ex-Nazi cafe singer and the U.S. congresswoman investigating her. Jean Arthur, John Lund and Marlene Dietrich starred.






4. "Conspiracy" (2001) - Kenneth Branaugh and Stanley Tucci starred in this fact-based psychological study of Nazi officials involved in the Wannsee Conference about "Final Solution of the Jewish Question" during World War II. Frank Pierson directed.






5. "Unknown" (2011) - Liam Neeson starred in this thriller about an American visiting Berlin, who awakens from a coma, discover that someone has taken on his identity and that no one - including his wife - believes him.






6. "The Big Lift" (1950) - Montgomery Clift and Paul Douglas starred in this poignant tale about two U.S. Air Force sergeants who meet and fall in love with two women in Berlin during the 1948-1949 Berlin Airlift.






7. "Octopussy" (1983) - Roger Moore portrayed James Bond in this tale in which the British agent's investigation into the death of a fellow agent and a fake Fabergé egg leads to an international jewel smuggling operation being used to disguise a nuclear attack on NATO forces. Directed by John Glen, the movie also stars Maud Adams, Louis Jordan and Steven Berkhoff.






8. "Torn Curtain" (1966) - Alfred Hitchcock directed this thriller about an American scientist who publicly defects to East Germany as part of a cloak and dagger mission to find the solution for a formula resin and figure out a plan to escape back to the West. Paul Newman and Julie Andrews starred.






9. "One, Two, Three" (1961) - Billy Wilder directed this zany tale about a Coca-Cola executive in West Berlin, who may be fired if he cannot keep his American boss's daughter from marrying a Communist. James Cagney starred.






10. "The Good German" - Steven Soderbergh directed this interesting thriller about an American military journalist who is drawn into a murder investigation that involves his former mistress and his driver during the Potsdam Conference. George Clooney, Cate Blanchett and Tobey Maguire starred.

"THE IDES OF MARCH" (2011) Photo Gallery

Below are images from George Clooney's new political thriller called "THE IDES OF MARCH". The movie stars Ryan Gosling.


"THE IDES OF MARCH" (2011) Photo Gallery

"The Half-Blood Demon" [PG-13] - 6/7

"THE HALF-BLOOD DEMON"

PART 6

Just as she had been instructed, Paige orbed to the summit of Twin Peaks, overlooking the city. To the west, the reddish-orange sun had began its descent. Also on the hillside stood a petite black woman with three men and two women standing behind her. The Charmed One walked toward the woman. "I have Belthazor's powers," she said. "Just as you had instructed.

The woman held out her hand. "Give it to me."

Before Paige could hand over the jar to the woman, Olivia and Cole's mother materialized on the hillside. Olivia stretched out her hand and snatched the jar from Paige's grasp, using her telekinesis.

"What the . . ." the black woman began. She stared at Cole's mother. "Nimue?"

Cole's mother smiled unpleasantly. "Zamora. I had no idea that the Khorne Order was behind all this. Why? Who in the Order recruited you to steal my son's powers? Or is this little operation your own idea?"

Zamora regarded the other demoness with contempt. "I don't have to tell you anything!" She turned to her minions. "Kill them!"

Paige merely stood by and watched the red-haired witch and the auburn-haired demoness fight off Zamora's minions. The fight did not really take long. Nimue killed two of them with energy balls. Olivia roasted one with a stream of fire and killed another by forcing his knife into his heart.

Zamora disappeared. Seconds later, she reappeared next to the Charmed One. "Paige," she whispered. "Save my friends."

The young witch nodded wordlessly. The moment she saw Nimue toss an energy ball toward Zamora's surviving minion, she summoned it with her power and threw it at Phoebe's former mother-in-law. Olivia re-directed the energy ball at Zamora's minion, who vanquished into a ball of fire.

Paige overheard a slight gasp from Zamora. Then the latter whispered, "Get the jar."

"Yes Zamora," the Charmed One quietly replied. Unaware of the consequences of her actions, Paige teleorbed the jar out of Olivia's hand.

Zamora grabbed the jar. "Thank you." The next thing the half-whitelighter knew, the jar flew out of the demoness' hands and into Olivia's.

"Good-bye Zamora." Cole's mother quickly flung an energy ball at Paige's companion. Before the younger demoness could escape, she dissipated into a ball of fire.

A dizzying sensation struck Paige and she sank to the ground. "What the hell?" she groaned. "What am I doing . . .?"

"Paige?" The Charmed One glanced up and found Olivia and Cole's mother staring at her with anxious eyes. The redhead added, "Are you okay?"

"Yeah. I think so." Paige glanced around. Stared at Cole's mother. And at the jar in Olivia's hands. "What's that?" she asked.

The demoness replied, "Belthazor's powers. You used a potion to take them away from him."

The revelation struck Paige like a thunderbolt. "What?" She struggled to her feet.

Olivia gave the younger woman a pitying look. "It's obvious that someone had cast a spell on you. It's a long story. Can you . . . orb?"

"Yeah, I guess." Paige shook her head in confusion. "I don't know."

Cole's mother grabbed Paige's hand. "I will return you both."

"Uh . . . teleported . . . by a demon? I don't . . ."

Blue eyes challenged Paige. "Is there a problem? Do not worry." Her mouth twisted into a wry smile. "You won't catch anything."

"Huh." Despite her reluctance, Paige allowed the demoness to maintain a grip on her hand. Olivia grabbed Nimue's free arm. And the latter teleported the two witches from the hillside.

---------

Seconds later, two figures emerged from behind a large bush. Artemus regarded the now empty scene with a stony stare. "Do not say a word," he tonelessly instructed Prax. "Not a damn word."

Unbeknownst to the chameleon daemon they had recruited, Artemus and Prax had appeared on the Twin Peaks summit to witness the young witch/whitelighter hand over Belthazor's powers to Zamora. And to ensure that Zamora would not use them for herself. What Artemus had not counted on was Olivia McNeill and Nimue, of all people, interfering in the transaction.

"But . . ." Prax began. He closed his mouth, under the senior daemon's hard stare.

Artemus continued in a low growl, "Yes Prax. I am upset. I'm more than upset. I'm pissed off! That red-headed bitch is really becoming a problem!"

Prax finally regained his courage and asked, "Why didn't you kill Nimue? She wasn't aware of your presence."

"Because Nimue possesses reflexes that even I envy," Artemus shot back. "Because I could not take the chance of her knowing that I was no longer in prison and planning on becoming the next Source."

"Surely . . ."

Artemus cut off his assistance. "Prax, Nimue and I have a long history. We had a brief romance over 200 years ago, but it didn't go anywhere. I . . . well, betrayed her by dabbling with a French warlock named Danielle. She retaliated by cursing me with a . . ." Artemus broke off, deciding not to reveal that little humiliation. "Let's just say that it was an incident that left our relationship less than amiable."

A frown appeared on Prax's countenance. "Strange, I don't recall you two hating one another."

"We've never hated each other, Prax. Actually, it was Raynor whom she hated. But ever since Danielle, she has never trusted me. I'm beginning to wonder if she ever had. And I know for sure that she would have never supported my attempt to destroy the Whitelighter Council. Or support my bid to become the Source. Especially now that she's head of the Thorn Order." He sighed and shook his head. "Why is it that nothing seemed to be going my way, lately? Can you tell me why, Prax?"

The other daemon merely regarded him with wide eyes and shook his head. Artemus rolled his eyes in disgust and left the hillside.

----------

Once again, Cole found himself as a mortal again. And once again, he hated the experience. What made this so difficult to endure was listening to Phoebe babble on in an attempt to reassure him, without a means to shut her mouth or escape from her presence.

". . . might be feeling a little disoriented right now," Phoebe was saying. "But maybe it's for the best. Maybe Paige did you a favor."

Cole stared at his ex-wife, wondering if she had just experienced a lobotomy. "Phoebe, Paige has my powers. And God only knows what she's done with them. Or to whom she has given them."

"I understand," Phoebe said in that defensive whine that he has always found irritating. "You don't want them to fall into the wrong hands. But if Olivia manages . . . well, to find Paige . . . you wouldn't take them back. Would you?" She regarded him with anxious eyes.

Cole opened his mouth to reassure her . . . until Olivia's accusations of him caving into others' desires flashed in his mind. "I don't . . ."

Three figures shimmered into the living room - much to Cole's relief. Paige, his mother and Olivia . . . holding a jar. Cole stared at the jar. "My powers," he murmured.

"We had managed to find Miss Halliwell . . ." Nimue began.

Paige corrected her. "Miss Matthews."

". . . just as she was about to give the jar to Zamora."

Phoebe frowned. "Who?"

"A chameleon daemon," Cole grimly explained. "Remember the shapeshifter I had exposed before Piper was kidnapped by the Source?" The Halliwells nodded. "Zamora is the same kind of daemon. Only she's associated . . ."

Nimue finished, ". . . with the Khorne Order. It is possible that she had been spying on this household for the past several days. And after discovering Miss . . . Matthews' reluctance to help strip Belthazor's powers, she must have cast a spell to make your sister cooperate. Probably a telepathic manipulation spell."

"Bitch," Paige muttered.

Piper eyed her youngest sister. "So, Paige is no longer under a spell?"

"Don't worry. I am once more, my own woman."

"Good. That means I don't have to watch you act like a pod person anymore," Piper added.

Cole's eyes refocused on the jar. "I see that you got my powers back."

"Yeah, we did," Olivia quietly replied. She held out the jar. "Do you want them back? Or should I hide it somewhere?"

Green eyes stared into blue ones. There seemed to be no demand for Cole to make a certain decision. Olivia's eyes only expressed curiosity. Cole recalled his choice before Paige had stripped his powers. In a clear voice, he declared, "I want them back. I want my powers back."

Olivia heaved a sigh of relief.

"Cole!" Phoebe regarded him with dismay. His mother, on the other hand, flashed a triumphant smile.

Olivia nodded. "As you wish." She tossed the jar at Cole's feet. As the glass shattered, a dark gray cloud rose from the ground and seeped into his body. The disjointed feeling that Cole had been experiencing since the loss of his powers, disappeared.

Cole lifted his hand. An energy ball hovered above his open palm. "Back to normal."

Anger and resentment flared in Phoebe's eyes. She stared accusingly at Cole. "Excuse me," she muttered angrily, before marching in the direction of the Solarium.

Cole heaved a sigh. "Shit. Just a minute." He followed Phoebe into the Solarium, where he found her sitting on the sofa and picking up the TV remote. "Phoebe?"

Angry, dark eyes glared at the half-daemon. "What Cole? There's nothing else to say. You've made your decision. Apparently, your powers are more important than us."

Weary of his ex-wife's dramatics, Cole exploded. "God Phoebe! Can't you give it a rest? For once in your life, can you stop being such a drama queen? Everything's not all about you!"

"What the hell does that mean?"

"It means that I have my own life to live!" Cole shot back. In a lower voice, he added, "It means . . . I have to be my own man."

Phoebe retorted rather nastily, "You just lost your chance to be a man, Cole! Now, you're just a demon again."

"Daemon, man . . . who gives a shit? I just want to be me! Is that so hard to understand?" Cole sighed. "But if you can't accept that . . . well, to be honest, I don't really care."

Phoebe shot to her feet. "Cole!"

Three weeks of frustration finally spilled out. "C'mon Phoebe. Why don't we be honest for once? This 'new' relationship of ours is not working. And I think we both need to realize this."

"Oh I see." Phoebe gave him a knowing look. "This is all about Olivia. You still want her back, don't you. I can feel it."

Feel it? What the hell? Cole shook his head. Why deny his feelings? After a long pause, Cole said, "You're right. I do want Olivia back. We, on the other hand, should have stuck to being friends like we had originally intended."

"So what are you saying Cole? That you were just using me for rebound?"

Another sigh left Cole's mouth. "Yea, Phoebe. That's exactly it. And I forgot the old saying about being unable to recapture the past." A brief smile touched his lips.

Phoebe glared at him. "You really are a bastard! You know that?"

"Perhaps I am. But you're the one who didn't bother to break it off with Jason Dean." Wide-eyed, Phoebe stared at Cole, who continued, "You were using him as back-up, weren't you? Just in case it didn't work out for us."

Shock, followed by guilt flashed in Phoebe's eyes. "How did you . . .?" Now realization lit up her eyes. "Paige!"

"Paige didn't say a word," Cole said. "I was there that night. Remember? When I took you to Quake's over a week ago? While I was waiting for you, Dean called. Now why would he call, Phoebe, when we had been dating for at least two weeks? And then there were the other signs." Cole paused. "Like the fact that you never allowed me to take you to lunch, in case I showed up at your office. All I had to do was put two and two together."

Phoebe's body sagged in defeat. "I suppose you think I should feel guilty about . . ."

"No Phoebe, I don't." Cole sat next to her. "But I think we should end it between us. Before it gets any worse. Maybe we should make a stab at being friends again."

The Charmed One backed away from his closeness. "I guess," she murmured. "But not now." Phoebe lowered her head. "I just can't . . . Not now. Okay?"

"Yeah. Sure." Cole stood up. "I'll see you Phoebe." He turned on his heels and left the Solarium. Upon entering the living room, he found Piper sitting on the sofa. And no one else. "Where's . . .?"

"Your mom left. She said that she'll drop by to see you later. Paige took Olivia back to her apartment." Piper glanced past Cole. "Where's Phoebe?"

The half-daemon replied, "Still in the Solarium. Upset. You'll be happy to know that it's over between us."

Piper hesitated. "I'm sorry."

Cole shrugged. "I'm not. We shouldn't have taken it this far in the first place."

"Oh." Another long pause followed before Piper continued, "Listen, about what Paul Margolin and Leo had done . . ." The telephone rang. Piper picked up the receiver. "Hello? Oh. Jason? Uh . . ." She flashed an uneasy glance at Cole. "It's good to hear from you. Oh. Oh yeah. Phoebe's home. One minute." Piper removed the receiver from her ear and screamed, "Phoebe! Telephone!" After a brief pause, she hung up.

Cole decided that it was time to leave. "Listen, I better go. I'll see you later." Just as he was about to beam out, he remembered that his Porsche was parked outside. He headed toward the front door.

At that moment, Leo orbed into the living room. Piper glared at her husband. "What are you doing here?"

"Piper, we need to talk," the Elder calmly replied.

The Charmed One shot back, "Talk about what? We have nothing to say!"

"Piper! I know you're hurt. Look, maybe we can't be a family again, but I can do something . . ."

Cole slipped out of the manor, closed the door behind him and heaved a sigh of relief. Poor Leo, he thought. Still trapped in that web of Halliwell dramatics - if not physically, then in spirit. Thank God that he had finally escaped. Feeling emancipated after three long weeks, Cole whistled a childhood tune, as he marched down the front steps and toward his car.


END OF PART 6

"JANE EYRE" (1983) Review

"JANE EYRE" (1983) Review

As long as I can remember, both the Hollywood and British film industries have trotted out Charlotte Brontë’s 1847 novel, "Jane Eyre" in order to make a movie or television adaptation of it. Looking back, I realize that I have seen at least six adaptation of the novel in my life time.

One of those adaptations turned out to be the 1983 BBC miniseries, "JANE EYRE". Directed by Julian Amyes and adapted by Alexander Baron, the eleven-part miniseries starred Zelah Clarke in the title role and Timothy Dalton as Edward Rochester. Following Brontë’s novel, "JANE EYRE" told the story of a plain young English woman in early 19th Britain – from her abusive childhood to her position as a governess at an imposing manor in the Yorkshire countryside. Jane’s story began at Gateshead, where she suffered abuse at the hands of her widowed aunt-in-law and three cousins. After a clash with her cousin John, Mrs. Reed has Jane enrolled at Lowood Institution, a charity school for girls. Jane spends the next eight years under the tyrannical rule of Lowood’s headmaster, the self-righteous clergyman Mr. Brocklehurst – six years as a student and two as a teacher.

Longing for greener pastures, Jane advertises her services as a governess, and receives a reply from a Mrs. Alice Fairfax, housekeeper of Thornfield Hall. She takes the position and becomes governess for Adele Varens, the young French ward of Thornfield’s master, Mr. Edward Rochester. After meeting Mr. Rochester, Jane develops a close friendship with him . . . and the two eventually fall in love. But a secret involving strange laughs, a mysterious fire and an attack on Rochester's house guest, Mr. Mason threatens any chance of marital bliss for the governess and her employer.

I first saw "JANE EYRE" years ago on a video cassette copy that featured no opening or closing credits between episodes. So, it eventually came as surprise to me that the 1983 miniseries had aired in eleven thirty-minute installments. I found myself wondering why the BBC had decided to air the miniseries in this fashion. Why not air it in five one-hour episodes? Or six fifty-minutes episodes? Regardless of the manner in which the BBC had aired "JANE EYRE", I cannot deny that in the end, I found it very satisfying.

Before I wax lyrical over "JANE EYRE", I have to acknowledge some of its aspects that I found unappealing. Many fans probably loved the idea of this adaptation being so close to Brontë’s novel in compare to many other adaptations. And while I am relieved that Alexander Baron’s screenplay did not rush the story in a manner similar to the 1997 television adaptation, there were times when I found this miniseries a bit too loyal to the novel. I might as well confess that I am not particularly fond of the sequences that featured Jane’s years at Lonwood and her time spent with St. John Rivers and his two sisters. The Lowood sequences bored me senseless. I understand that Jane’s interactions with the school’s headmaster was a message on the oppression of a patriarchal society, I practically struggled to prevent myself from hitting the Fast Forward button of my DVD remote. I could say the same about Jane’s time with the Rivers family. While I had initially found her relationship with St. John Rivers fascinating, I heaved a mighty sigh of relief by the time Jane returned to Thornfield Hall. Sometimes, a film or television production can be too faithful to a literary source . . . to the point of dragging the story’s pacing to a near halt.

I have one last complaint to reveal - namely the characterization of Edward Rochester's mysterious wife from the West Indies, Mrs. Bertha Rochester. I realize that Baron and director Julian Amyes were trying to be as faithful to the novel as possible. Unfortunately, Bertha's characterization turned out to be another example of the dangers of a movie or miniseries being too faithful to a literary source. I was surprised to experience a glimmer of sympathy toward the character, while watching the 1997 movie. I felt no such glimmer in this version . . . merely irritation. I cannot blame actress Joolia Cappleman. She must have been following the script or Amyes' direction. But for years, I have harbored the feeling that the characterization of Bertha . . . and Adele's dancer mother, for that matter, may have been examples of Brontë's xenophobia toward the French or anyone who was not British. Bertha's characterization struck me as completely one-dimensional and created in a manner to garner sympathy toward the controlling Rochester, who had just attempted to drag Jane into a bigamous marriage. Considering that the 1966 novel, "Wide Sargasso Sea" had been around for seventeen years around this time, could it have hurt both Amyes and Baron to portray Bertha in a slightly more sympathetic light?

Michael Edwards did a solid job in his production designs for "JANE EYRE". I was especially impressed by his use of Deene Park, located near Corby, Northamptonshire; for the Thornfield Hall sequences. And his recreation of the Yorkshire countryside in 1830s England during those scenes featuring Jane's attempts to find shelter and food following her flight from Thornfield struck me as tolerably convincing. Cinematographers David Doogood, John Kenway and Keith Salmon's photography seemed pretty solid, despite the miniseries being shot in video film. Speaking of the 1830s, I still find it surprising that this is the only adaptation of "Jane Eyre" that is set during this decade. The other five versions I have seen were all set during the early or mid 1840s. I must admit that Gill Hardie's costumes ably reflected that particular decade.

Despite my complaints, I still enjoyed "JANE EYRE" very much. Baron and Amyes did an excellent job of recapturing Brontë's saga. Their handling of Jane's romance with Rochester bridled with passion and intelligence. More importantly, they retained enough of Brontë's work to convey a very plausible development of Jane's character. Both director and screenwriter perfectly maintained Rochester's complex personality. His love for Jane and appreciation of her intelligence seemed apparent. Yet, Baron maintained a good deal of Rochester's sardonic humor and controlling nature. The meat of Brontë's novel has always been centered around Jane and Rochester's relationship. And the miniseries perfectly captured every delicious nuance of it. But I must admit that I was also impressed by the sequences featuring Jane's early years at Gateshead. Baron did a good job of capturing the miseries that Jane suffered at the hands of the Reed family. When I first saw "JANE EYRE", I had lacked the patience to appreciate the sequence in which Jane becomes a vagabond before meeting the Rivers family. This last viewing made me appreciate it, because it conveyed the suffering that Jane had endured after leaving Thornfield Hall - something that most adaptations seem to gloss over.

I cannot deny that the performances featured in "JANE EYRE" were top-notched. Both Zelah Clarke and Timothy Dalton created a strong screen chemistry as the two leads, Jane Eyre and Edward Rochester. Clarke's Jane seemed very submissive in Rochester's "commanding" presence . . . at least at first. There was an interesting scene in which Jane eagerly approached her employer, the morning following an evening of easy camaraderie between the two. Instead, Rochester responded in a brusque manner, producing a wounded puppy dog expression on Jane's face. Another scene that impressed me featured Jane's reluctant admission of her true feelings toward Rochester. The pair acted the hell out of that scene, leaving me convinced that I had witnessed their finest moment together. Some might view Rochester's failed attempt to prevent Jane's departure from Thornfield as that special moment. But the "admission of love" scene was the one that really impressed me.

Zelah Clarke did an excellent job in conveying Jane's emotional growth from a reserved and pious eighteen year-old governess to the strong-willed and more emotional woman. Her Jane Eyre struck me as slightly more reserved than other portrayals. Which seemed all the more amazing to me, as Clarke slowly revealed Jane's inner passions. Timothy Dalton gave, in my opinion, the best portrayal of the complex Edward Rochester. Mind you, he had his moments of theatricality. But in the end, Dalton superbly conveyed both the best and worst of Rochester's character with seamless skill. Some have declared Dalton as too handsome for the plain-looking Rochester. Considering that just about every actor who has portrayed the character was more attractive than the literary character. I found such arguments irrelevant.

Both Clarke and Dalton received solid support from the rest of the cast. Damien Thomas seemed very impressive as Richard Mason, Rochester's tenuously sane and nervous brother-in-law. I could also say the same about Andrew Bicknell's cool and commanding portrayal of St. John Rivers, the missionary wannabe. Blance Youinou was quite charming as Rochester's young French ward, Adele Valens. And Sian Pattenden was impressively believable as the hot-tempered young Jane Eyre.

I cannot say that "JANE EYRE" is perfect. Unlike other costume drama fans, I do not require that period movie or miniseries be an exact adaptation of its literary source. Although this adaptation of Brontë's novel might not be completely faithful, I do wish that screenwriter Alexander Baron had been even a little less faithful, especially in scenes featuring Jane's years at Lowood and her time spent with the Rivers family. But I cannot deny that this miniseries turned out to be an excellent adaptation. I would probably go so far to state that it might be the best adaptation of Brontë's novel. And we have Baron's writing, Julian Amyes' direction and superb performances from Zelah Clarke and Timothy Dalton to thank.

"The Moral Landscape of the STAR WARS Saga" - Introduction

Below is the introduction to a series of small articles I plan to write about the moral landscape in the ”STAR WARS” saga, created by George Lucas. Each article will focus the moral makeup of each character or group of characters:


”The Moral Landscape of the STAR WARS Saga”

Introduction

Morality has always seemed to be a tricky subject with humans. Probably more so than we care to admit. We like to pretend that the majority of all human societies have basic rules when it comes to morality. But I suspect that is nothing more than an illusion. I believe that each individual . . . or each group has his/her or its own moral compass. What one individual is prepared to tolerate, another is not. It all depends upon our individual feelings regarding a certain matter.

I could probably say the same about the ”STAR WARS” saga, created by filmmaker, George Lucas. Many ”STAR WARS” fans love to claim that their own interpretation of the moral compass of the saga’s major characters exactly matched Lucas’ intentions in his films. I wish I could say the same. But in the end, I realized that each person has his or her own interpretation of an artist’s work. And sometimes, that interpretation might also be different from the artist’s. Having expressed this view, I decided to express my own view of the moral landscape presented in the six movies of the ”STAR WARS” saga.

I am going to make a confession. When I first saw the original ”STAR WARS”, I did not like it very much. In fact, I barely liked it at all. You must understand that I was rather young when the movie first hit theaters in 1977. I suspect that it blew my mind so much that I was inclined to reject it, instead of becoming a fan. This dislike did not extend to ”THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK”, when I first saw it. I was a little older and was able to appreciate what George Lucas was trying to do. And yet . . . I did not embrace this movie, as well. But I must admit that I found it difficult not to think about it. Han Solo’s fate and Darth Vader’s revelation had taken me by surprise and I found myself thinking about it all summer long. Ironically, ”RETURN OF THE JEDI” became the first STAR WARS movie that I fully embraced. I say this with a great deal of irony, considering that it is now my least favorite movie in the franchise. During the late 1980s and the 1990s, I slowly became a major fan of all three films. And by the time I saw the first of the Prequel Trilogy movies, ”THE PHANTOM MENACE”, I had fully embraced the saga.

I realized that the Prequel Trilogy has been met with nothing but scorn and derision by many STAR WARS fans and the media. However, I have never shared their feelings. If anything, the Prequel Trilogy made me appreciate Lucas’ talents as a storyteller. It also made me realize that the producer had presented moviegoers with a very emotionally complex saga.

However, this article is not about my basic feelings regarding all six films in the franchise. This article is about my opinions on the morality and characterizations presented in the films. One of the things I have always enjoyed about the Prequel Trilogy and movies like ”THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK” was Lucas’ revelations had pretty much revealed both the virtues and FLAWS of individuals. The characters in the Original Trilogy were flawed, but I do not believe they had not been portrayed as flawed as the characters in the Prequel Trilogy. And judging from the many articles, blogs and message boards I have read about STAR WARS, many fans seemed to dislike the less idealistic and more ambiguous portrayal of the PT's main characters.

The following article will focus upon the Jedi Order and some of its senior members. I hope to discuss some of their actions and how it affected the Galactic Republic in the Prequel Trilogy and their impact upon the character of Luke Skywalker and the Rebellion against the Galactic Empire in the Original Trilogy.