It's been taking me a long time between these posts because I haven't loved watching Buffy. Not so much that it's not a good show, it's more the detailed analysis I have to do as I watch instead of just watching it for fun.
Read MoreRated F
Once Upon a Movie: Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
Let's start at the very beginning. A very good place to start. Disney's first feature-length animated film was based on a fairy tale and would become the first in a long line of Disney animated fairy tale movies. But how does Disney's story stack up against the original Brothers Grimm fairy tale?
Read MoreNo Sex in My City: Bay of Married Pigs
“Married people are the enemy."
The women discuss the idea of marrieds vs. singles after Carrie gets kicked out of her friend’s beach house because she saw her friend’s husband sans undies.
Read MoreBuffy Virgin: Season 2, Part 1
Finally, we continue our adventures in Sunnydale! Now with screenshots, so you can feel like you were there watching it with me. (Don't you wish?)
Read MoreBuffy Virgin: Season 1
Can you believe I've never really watched Buffy the Vampire Slayer? I have vague memories of watching it as a kid. I know the main characters and vampires. But I never watched it week-to-week when it was on the air. I now consider myself a Joss Whedon fan (Firefly, Dr. Horrible, The Avengers, Much Ado) but how can I say that when I have not fully experienced Buffy? Well, I'm experiencing it now! Come with me as I watch Buffy from beginning to end, making snarky comments and counting deaths.
Read MoreNo Sex in My City: Models and Mortals
“What am I? Your intellectual beard for the evening?”
Read MoreNo Sex in My City: Sex and the City
The year is 1998. Sarah Jessica Parker's hair is brown. And Carrie is talking directly to the camera. Sex and the City has begun.
Read MoreRecollections: Mean Girls
I'm sure you've been seeing and reading a lot about Mean Girls this, the week of its tenth anniversary, so here's one last article to end your Mean Week. Realizing that it's been ten years since Mean Girls sends me into a time warp. Has it really been ten years since I was in grade nine?! And, has a movie really stayed in the pop-culture vernacular for ten years straight?!
Read MoreRecollections: The Matrix
It's been 15 years since The Matrix was released. Really? 15 years? No, surely that's a glitch in the Matrix...
Read MoreMovie Marathon: Planets in the Sky
This is what I call extreme science fiction. Hyper-drive, laser weapons, space ships, and terra-formed moons are all fun to watch, but obviously far from our current reality. But, a planet so close to Earth that we can see it in the sky? That's bringing some serious science fiction home.
Read MoreRecollections: Cool Runnings
The Olympics were last month. Right? I try to ignore it as much as possible as I have very strong opinions about the Olympics. (Namely the money and the spirit of competition). The one good thing about all that Olympics talk was that it reminded me to watch one of my favorite movies, Cool Runnings. And that is as close as I want to get to the Olympics.
Read MoreThe Twelfth Doctor, My First Reveal
Don't let the title fool you; I am not a total NeWhovian*. I have seen the entire "new" Doctor Who series (more than once). However, I only gave into peer/geek/British pressure to give the show a chance (I thought I didn't like sci-fi! How naive I was!) in 2011, after Matt Smith had finished his first season (aka the Eleventh Doctor aka Season 5).
Read MoreMovie Marathon: Wintertime Fun
I think I make this resolution before every Winter here in Ottawa; I will make the most of Winter by doing fun Winter activities like skating, building snowmen, sledding or whatever. It never happens. I was a figure skater when I was younger, but I don't even own skates now. I never seem to want to play in the snow on days that the snow is the right consistency for building. And I have yet to even inquire about such festivities as
. Watching movies about other people having fun in the Winter is much more my style. I think we all know by now that I live vicariously through movies and have no life of my own to speak of.
Every kid's dream, right? No school today, go play in the snow instead. I mean, even as an adult, every day there's a big snow fall, I hope I'll get a call that my shift is cancelled. It happened once. I wish I could say I really made the most of it by getting outside in my snow pants and built an epic snow fort and army of snow zombies, but I probably spent it in my cozy bed. I do, every so often, get the urge to go play in the snow, but being a semi-grown-up living on her own at the opposite end of the city from her friends, I can't just forge a path through the snow drifts to my BFF's house down the street and ask her to come outside and play. This movie also reinforces my fear of snow plows. I mean, really, what if they didn't see you and just buried you in snow? I'm terrified.
Okay, I know this movie is sad. I know it doesn't take place entirely in the Winter. But, what I remember most of this movie is the two of them having fun in the snow. Playing football, rolling around kissing, being a cute couple walking together, watching him play hockey, and figuring skating outdoors. I even wrote a
just about all the fun things Love Story showed me to do in the Winter when you're in love. I truly believe it's actually a love story devoted to Winter. It is because of this movie that I am convinced that some year, I may actually not completely despise a cold & snowy Ottawa Winter, if only I had a special someone to be totally adorable with in the snow. I mean, maybe if it warms my heart, it will warm the rest of me? A Canadian girl can only dream...
23 Years, 23 Movies: Part Two
Let's continue, shall we? This half of the list is filled with movies that are really some of my all-time favorites. I think that's because, at these older ages, I had more immediate access to movies, so the movies of these years I was actually watching in these years. As influential as some of the 90's movies were on my childhood, these movies were influential in a different way, as I was more aware of their influence. With the Internet and what-not, I was able to really embrace my movie obsessions with DVD extras, downloadable wallpapers, website extras, IMDb.com fun facts, movie posters, and other media. And then there's just the scientific fact that I can remember my teenage & recent years much more clearly than my childhood years, so I still have strong memories attached to each of these movies.
2002
:
Before there were all those Nicholas Sparks movies to choose from, there was this, the ultimate teenage, ultimate romantic, ultimate chick-flick. I remember this being the best example of the perfect love story, the perfect romantic nice boy. So, when I found a boy that said he actually loved this movie, he seemed perfect, too. Of course, he wasn't. But when you're this young, it's nice to have too good to be true love stories to help your daydreams of a perfect boy out there somewhere....
2003
:
This movie was a big part of my life story because it was one of the first movies I ever downloaded when I was 14. Which means that I watched it many, many, times because when I felt like watching a movie, I had a very small selection to choose from. Although I was a little older than 13 when I watched this, I related to it so much. Stuff I was going through currently, or had when I was much younger. The dynamic between the two girls was so familiar to me. I was also fascinated with the movie because it was "Indie", something I was just starting to learn about. Independent film. And this indie movie in particular was more interesting because I learned that one of the stars of the movie, Nikki Reed, had in fact co-written the script based on her own life. It doesn't get any more real than that.
2004
:
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
This movie blew my mind. (Just like another 2004 movie,
The Butterfly Effect
, but I had to pick just one.) I'm sure it wasn't until after seeing it five times that I could make sense of it all. But I love movies that challenge my brain like that. Sure, it's nice to just sit back and enjoy a story going on in front of your face. But once in a while a movie comes along that really makes me think. That makes me watch it again and again. That makes me shell out the cash to actually buy the DVD so that I can see all the behind-the-scenes extras. Michel Gondry is a genius. You have to see the behind the scenes stuff of how he made so many of the movies effects live, right there, in front of the camera, not digitally in post. Amazing stuff.
2005
:
This movie sparked my need to travel. A road trip around America is now in my life plans. This movie just makes me want to hit the road! And also be super confident and quirky like Kirsten Dunst. As usual. I think there's a pattern in my favorite movies from high school in that they all feature a female character that I wanted to be more like. I also loved their relationship in that they're getting to know each other, becoming close, and, sure there's some sexual tension, but really they're becoming friends. This movie is nostalgic, hilarious, romantic, strange, thoughtful... Just everything I was looking for.
2006
:
For my 17th birthday, it was a choice between
Marie Antoinette
and
Factory Girl
to see in theatres. I think
Marie Antoinette
won and I was delighted with the overall prettiness of the movie while all my friends were bored by the slow plot. But that didn't mean that I didn't see
Factory Girl
as soon as I could get my hands on it, and immediately become obsessed with it, the fashion, Edie Sedgwick, Andy Warhol, the 60's, New York, everything about it. To this day, I still love Edie and everything 60's.
2007
:
This movie is important to this time in my life partly just for the pop culture of it. So many jokes quoted amongst people, references and parodies in other media. I think this movie at this time is remembered by most people. I also have a very specific memory of the night I saw this movie in theatres. I was in college, just starting to make friends. A group of film students were all going to see it, so I went with my new BFF Jason as my "date". I remember we had really bad seats because the place was packed and that Jason kept joking that we should have a baby and rubbing my stomach to which I would swat him away and say "Ew!"
2008
:
I'm not a Twi-hard, or anything close, but I have read the books and seen the movies and for a while I was a bit caught up in the hype. I saw the first
Twilight
with my friend for her birthday, without knowing anything about it, and we both came out swooning over Robert Pattinson for the rest of the night. I went on the read the books, which I enjoyed, and have kept up with the movies, but not rushing to see them in theatres. But this Twilight makes the list because, yes, for a while this was my go-to romance movie, my Hollywood crush, and I still have fond memories of that fun birthday night with Kim.
2009
:
This is one of those movies, like
Marie Antoinette
, that I like to watch just to be immersed in the visuals of the world, the vibe, the fashion, the characters, just the overall feeling it gives me. Yes, it gets dark with all the weird time travel stuff, and I do like that, but it's also the dreamy lightness of other parts of the movie. The girls driving across the dessert, best friends, their aloofness with strangers, the long flowing hair, the pretty dresses, the freedom of it all... And then there's the fun of trying to wrap my head around all the tiny details, and trying to fit the multiple time traveling story together. It's another movie that makes me want to jump in the car and just drive.
2010
:
I immediately loved the style of this movie. They managed to combine a movie, a comic and a video game into one delightful masterpiece. It's hilarious, it's
comic
al, it's bad ass. The characters are all so distinct in their personality and their appearance. You can really tell that it was adapted from a comic book if you notice how every character has a very specific style, shape, silhouette. It was also really fun to watch because it is set & filmed in Toronto, where some of my friends live. Scott is so adorkably loveable, Romana is so badass, and the rest, I just want to be friends with. After seeing the movie, I wanted to read the comics and I love them even more. The story actually extends over a couple years and includes the mundane life stuff juxtaposed with the video game style battles every so often. It's such a fun world to dive into.
2011
:
I was looking forward to this movie for at least a year before it came out. The actresses, the concept, the imagery, I was addicted from the beginning. And it did not disappoint. I also got to see it in one of the new fancy theatres with comfy seats and amazing surround sound. (That was actually a bit too much sometimes. I didn't really need to feel the vibrations of the giant warriors stomping.) This movie is just exactly my definition of bad ass. The girls are sexy, but standing up for themselves, there's action and adventure and some kick ass tunes. I love escaping in this world(s). I heard a lot of people thought it was silly and stupid, but I think it's brilliant.
2012?
We'll have to wait and see...
Writing about all of these movies has brought back so many memories of my life attached to these movies. I can really look back on my life match movies to times in my life. I can remember watching certain movies with certain people at certain times. Things like who introduced me to that movie, the songs that I got from that movie, the boy I was hanging out with while I watched that movie, what movies I watched at my birthday parties, at friend's houses, which ones I saw in theatres, rented, borrowed, downloaded, bought, how many times I've watched them, things I noticed upon second and third viewings, things I learned from the IMDb trivia or DVD extras. Basically, movies have defined my life, at least since I was about 13 and really started acquiring movies, learning more about them, and getting attached to visual themes, characters, stories, directors, genres. My life is defined by the movies I watch. Maybe in another 23 years, I'll look back and see what movies defined those years of my life...
Movie Marathon: Magic
It's that very special time of year, folks. But, before we get to the straight-up Halloween movies, let's ease into the theme of the holiday with some magical movies.
Now, I've had a thing for movies and TV shows to do with magic and witches since I was a wee youngin'. I suppose it was just one type of the wider fantasy genre that I latched onto. I was always dreaming about finding an ancient spellbook or amulet in the attic that would give me my magical powers. I think most of that comes from wanting to be special. (Woah, Tish. Calm down, this isn't therapy.) My friends and I even pretended to be witches for while and when I was older, my love of
led me to discovering
, and I was actually really into that for a while.
My witchy childhood aside, magic in movies is usually reserved for us girls. Once upon a time, we were just the evil witches ruining the Disney princesses' lives, but over the years, and particularly during the girl power revolution of the 90's, we started to see more female-starring movies, including magical movies. Witches no longer had to be old hags. They were beautiful young women- teenagers, even. And magic didn't have to be evil, it was used for good- even fun! Unfortunately, I'm long past those formative teenage years when girls get the "You're a witch!" notice. But, it's fun to watch some witchy movies and daydream that it's still not too late for me to discover some ancient token that will finally give me my powers...
(1998)
What movie could have been better for my young, impressionable mind but a witch-romance combo? Well, probably a lot of things, but I fell in love with Nicole Kidman's flowing orange hair and goth-boho style, Sandra Bullock's hair, too, actually, the sister-sister bond, the occult style, the beautiful Victorian house in the idyllic coastal town, and "midnight margaritas!" Although, I kind of hate Sally for rejecting her inner witch and going on and on about wanting to be "normal". Why would you want to be normal when you can be magical?! I think she just has really low self-esteem and the childhood taunts of "Witch! Witch! You're a bitch!" really broke her spirits. While some magical movies are focused on the magic, this movie really just uses it as a tool to tell a story of sisters, family, and tolerance.
(1996)
Now this one is definitely, maybe a movie that was not so good for my impressionable young mind. I became just slightly obsessed with it in grade 9. I started dressing in all black and white, pleated skirts, collared shirts like they do. (Ya, my somewhat-goth phase.) Nancy (Fairuza Balk) was of course my favorite. I mean, yes, she goes crazy and evil, but I identified with her so much. Not the evil crazy thing, but because she was way more into this stuff than the rest of them. She wanted to complete the circle, she taught them everything, she was the leader. And she looked so badass while doing it, amiright?
(1996)
Ah, 90's high school movies. There's nothing like 'em, right? I feel like this story is almost the opposite of another 90's high school movie,
Clueless
. Here, we are with the losers of the school, instead of the popular kids. Sabrina just wants to fit in at her school, and then suddenly she finds out she's even more of an outsider than she thought. (Who else was hoping for that news on your 16th birthday? Anyone?) Poor, naive teenagers always wanting to fit in. Again- Why be normal when you can be magical?! Fortunately, for all of us, Sabrina learns to appreciate and love being a witch. So much that she continues to use (or misuse) her magic for 7 seasons of the following TV series!
(2005)
Yes, I'm going to talk about the recent movie, not the original series. This is Movie Marathon, okay? Also, I haven't seen the series. I'm sure I caught bits of episodes here and there, but I'm no expert. Each witch movie has its own witch rules. In
Charmed
they fight demons, Sabrina points her finger, some witches are old school with spells and potions, but in
Bewitched
world, it's a nose twitch (or an ear tug). It also appears that witches live in their own world where they use their magic freely and only a crazy witch would want to live in the mortal world where she has to hide her magic and do crazy stuff like get a job. (Does she really, though? I mean, she just magicked up herself a house, a car, home furnishings, and anything else she needed first.) This is definitely a magic-lite movie. None of the negative aspects of a magical life. It's all sunshine and lollipops and Will Ferrell.
(1986)
This is one of the rare times that I will include a movie in a Movie Marathon that is actually just bad.
The Worst Witch
is one of the worst movies. But in a delightful, 80's, bad special effects, Tim Curry kind of way. Which means it's actually worth a watch. See, bad movies can be bad in a boring, forgetful way or a "This is so bad! Look at that! That's so awful! And now they're doing what?! Oh my god, I can't believe someone was allowed to make this movie!" way. At the very least you have to check out the best worst part of the movie. Tim Curry aka The Grand Wizard is introduced to the students in this horrifying, trippy
. It's also clearly where J.K. Rowling got her idea of a school of witchcraft and wizardry. While I didn't discover the movie until much later, I watched the TV show growing up. And consequently dreamed of a witchcraft boarding school with cute uniforms, broomstick riding lessons, and mandatory pet cats.
(1989)
I only discovered Hayao Miyazaki's movies a few years ago, so I'm always jealous when someone says they grew up watching his movies, including this magical delight. I can only imagine how seeing this movie as a child would have led to even more daydreams about being sent off at age thirteen to begin my witch training. I mean, I was already in love with the idea of black cats, spellbooks, and secret worlds. This story of a young witch somehow manages to be magical and yet mundane in that she uses her magical powers, not for fun as any 13 girl would be expected to, but to start her own business. I mean, when I was thirteen I wanted to start my own occult shop online, but it never happened. Maybe if I had a talking cat and a broomstick, my entrepreneurial dreams would have come true a lot sooner.
Movie Marathon // New to School
I used to love the pre-back-to-school time of year. Shopping for cute new school supplies?! Yay! Everything seems great. You've got your new wardrobe, new hair-do, new stuff, new you! Until you actually get back to school and you realize it's going to be the same shit with the same people all over again. Right?
Well, that part I definitely don't miss about school. But the excitement of a new school year? Yes! Or even more exciting/terrifying- Being new to a school. You get to try to completely reinvent yourself, make new friends, create a reputation, be the center of attention or the mysterious new kid... Oh, the possibilities.
I think, as with most situations in life, the best idea is to just be yourself. Otherwise, you might end up in sticky situations like all these characters who were new to school and tried to be something they're not. Luckily for us, it makes movies a lot more fun, though.
The Musical:
(1978)
You know what makes watching this movie even more fun? Watching this movie with two guys who admit to having been in a performance of Grease in school and can't help but sing along with every song (even the girl parts). Remember that the moral of this story is that you can get a guy to like you if you dress in an all-black spandex outfit. With really big hair. At a school carnival. And sing at him.
The Sandler:
(1995)
I still get quotes from this movie stuck in my head involuntarily. Every time I say something is "so hot", it turns into "Soooo hot! Want to touch the hiney!" in my head. And every time
I'll Tumble for You
by Boy George comes up in my iTunes shuffle I do Billy's little jig on the stairs. Writing all this "back to school" stuff for the blog means that "Back to school. Back to school. To prove to my Dad I'm not a fool." was sung in my head very often. I don't always like Adam Sandler movies, but Adam Sandler in the 90's? Yes, please.
The 90's Classic:
(1995)
This movie had a big influence on me as kid. (I'm sure every girl alive in the 90's can relate.) I remember wanting to coordinate outfits with my best friend. She would wear her pink dress and I would wear my blue dress. With matching shoes, of course. Fortunately, my young mind just ignored all of the not-so-PG moments of the movie. When I watched the movie later as a teenager, I noticed all the drug references and was amazed that I had no recollection of those scenes as a kid. (And it wasn't because they took them out for TV, either. I can remember the bong donation scene, I just didn't know what it was.)
The SNL:
(2004)
A movie about high school girls came out the year I was in ninth grade. The school organized a trip to take all the girls in school to see this movie. They thought it would teach us a lesson about cliques and bullying. We thought it was hilarious and discussed who were "The Plastics" of our school on the bus ride home. I'm pretty sure this is one of the most-quoted movies of the past decade. Thank you, Tina Fey. I'm not the only one who has seen this movie more times than I can remember, but still finds it funny, right? And sometimes we need a nice reminder of what Lindsay Lohan used to be. Sigh...
The LOL:
(2006)
Amanda Bynes is her own special brand of comedy. I never watched her TV show, but I find this movie (particularly her)
so
hilarious. The plot is based on the Shakespeare play Twelfth Night, which involves a lot of cross-dressing and mistaken identities. For the majority of the movie, Bynes' character is pretending to be a boy. Which means she is hilariously awkward in scenes with a delicious shirtless Channing Tatum. Hilariously awkward. Yup, that pretty much sums up the movie.
The Teen Dream:
(2007)
When Bratz dolls came out, I was too old to be playing with dolls. But that didn't stop me. I played with them, made up stories with them, dressed them up, ruined their hair trying to style it. I loved Bratz. For my fifteenth birthday, the Bratz movie (not this one, the first little animated DVD) was on my wishlist and I got it. And I loved it. I'm pretty sure I made a friend come with me to see this Bratz movie in the theatre and then anxiously awaited the DVD release.
I love Bratz, okay?!
This movie has everything. High school drama, friendship, cliques, fashion, a Super Sweet Sixteen party, love stories, musical performances! But seriously, like,
which Bratz are you?
(I'm Jade. Obvy. She wears a lot of black, is really into fashion, but is also a big geek.)
Movie Marathon: Time Travel
Even before I became a
fan a year ago, I've been fascinated by the idea of time travel, and therefor, interested in any time travel movies. I think the reason it most fascinates me is because it is simply impossible. That's why most movies do a horrible job of using it in their plots; they just can't make sense. However, there are some really smart movies that work time travel into their story and manage to keep it comprehensive. Even if it requires a second or third viewing for you to understand it. See if you can keep up and keep track of these time travel movies.
The Dark & Twisty:
After I watched this movie for the first time, I had to sit on my bed in the dark for a while and just take it all in. (I can be a bit dramatic.) It really will blow your mind, if you're clever enough to keep up. Evan Treborn suffered from blackouts, when he remembers nothing, throughout his childhood. Years later, in college, reading from his old journals, it triggers a jump back in time, where he is back in his thirteen-year-old body living the time during one of his blackouts. Evan continues to trigger these mental time leaps, going back in time to figure out what happened during those blackouts, and then trying to do things differently to improve the lives of himself and his friends. However, this movie demonstrates the theory from which it gets its name, the Chaos Theory, often explained with the saying "
Something as small as the flutter of a butterfly's wing can ultimately cause a typhoon halfway around the world.
" Which means we don't know what the consequences will be of even the smallest actions. This movie inspired me to want to learn more about the
and fun stuff like that.
The Romance:
The problem with being in love with a time traveler; meeting in the wrong order. (*See
Doctor Who
, below.) Clare first meets Henry when she is a young girl and he is a grown man. When she meets him again, in college, she knows him very well, but he has not yet traveled back to those times when she was a child. Are you keeping up so far? They fall in love and all that, but all the while, he is- and here's what makes it different-
involuntarily
time traveling at random moments. It's a gift, it's a curse- Well, mostly it's a curse as it gets him into trouble most of the time and leaves her worried about him. You'll cry. Just warning you.
The 80's:
This movie demonstrates the basic principle of why we know traveling back in time would not be possible: The Grandfather Paradox. The paradox is; if you were able to travel back in time and kill your own grandfather, you would never be born, so who went back in time to kill him? In this movie Marty McFly watches himself fade away as he tries to get his parents to fall in love so they can get busy and make him. Scientific flaws aside, I think we can all agree that, if time travel were possible, we would want a DeLorean to be the way to do it.
The Indies:
&
Some people may shun me for including the "continuation"
S. Darko
with the original masterpiece,
Donnie Darko
, but I don't care! I like it, okay?! They both use the same time travel principles which include worm holes, rewinds, countdowns, fate, and creepy dead messengers. In
Donnie Darko,
the titular character is guided by a guy in a creepy bunny mask named Frank, who tells him to do scary things, but it's only because he was in the wrong place at the wrong time, so time got screwed up and he has to go back to fix it. Basically. Seven years later, Donnie's little sister, Sam (played by
in both movies) is experiencing the same time travel symptoms as Donnie, but so are other characters. It takes the original principles and makes it even more complex, not necessarily making it a better, smarter movie, but I still enjoyed it. (Okay, it may be mostly because the first scene is
and I have a crush on Daveigh.)
The Anime:
The Girl Who Leapt Through Time
I don't consider myself an anime fan (I really don't know much about the art form/pop culture.) but I can say that I am a fan of
, the Japanese writer/director of such moves as
Spirited Away
and
Howl's Moving Castle
. Oh, wait. This isn't a Miyazaki movie. But if you're a Miyazaki fan, like I am, you will also love
. In this anime feature, a girl accidentally discovers a device that allows her to, quite literally,
leap
through time. It features the typical time travel movie tricks such as re-doing scenes several times to try to get it "right" and dealing with the consequences of using time travel to mess with people's lives.
TV Bonus
: There are two types of people in the world: Doctor Who fanatics and people who have never seen Doctor Who. For the latter, Doctor Who is a British series about a Timelord (called, simply, The Doctor) who travels throughout space and time usually just for fun but he also ends up saving the world (whichever one he's on). Go watch it right now or we can no longer be friends.
Into the Universe with Stephen Hawking
: If you want to know the science behind these time travel ideas, watch episode two of this three-part documentary series. Stephen Hawking explains how time travel to the future is theoretically possible (if we could travel faster than the speed of light) and invites his future self to travel back in time to attend his own party (Spoiler Alert: It doesn't work.)
Star Wars Movie Marathon Party
Maybe it's just me, as a movie nerd/cinephile/loser who lives vicariously through movies, but I am sometimes struck with the overwhelming urge to watch an entire series of movies. (Like that time I saw the trailer for Fast Five and decided that I had to watch the entire Fast & Furious series, despite never having shown any interest in that type of movie before.)
A while ago, Star Wars just popped into my head and I just decided it was time to watch the entire series, in order, in one day. I've seen all the movies, probably a few times each, but I don't think I've ever attempted to watch them all one after another.
And, so, tomorrow in an apartment far, far away (from you, probably, wherever you are) I shall embark on an epic movie marathon. Over twelve hours straight of Jedis, Sith, aliens, and both really good and good-for-that-time special effects.
I'm embarking on this journey alone because, well, I do everything alone. But if I had friends, I would invite them all over to join me in an epic Star Wars Movie Marathon Party which would include the following.
Activities
- watch all the movies (duh)
- grab anything resembling light sabers and fight!
- have a brother & sister kiss
- encase someone in carbonite
- reveal the results of a paternity test
Food
Cinnamon Buns (Leia's hair)
Popsicles and/or freezies (Light sabers)
Pizza (Jabba/Pizza the Hut)
Easy Costumes
Jedi- Snuggie/bath robe/blanket/poncho
Han Solo- white shirt and vest
Chewbaca- don't shave
C3P0- gold body paint
Yoda- green facial mask
Storm Trooper- all white
Darth Vader or any Sith- all black
Amidala- something big & crazy
Leia- ear muffs
Clearly, it's a shame I am friendless because I could throw the best theme parties ever!
If you wish you could join me for this epic Star Wars fest, but can't (because I'm not inviting you), you can follow my epic journey to a galaxy far, far away on
. Because as much as I love Star Wars, I have seen them all before, so I won't be so wrapped up in the story that I won't have time to make funny comments like how cute the Ewoks are or take a photo of my droid watch to prove my big nerd of an older brother was an influence on me as a kid.
May the Force be with you!
Christmas Movies: Santa is Real!
There are two types of (good) Christmas movies. There are movies that warm your heart with stories of people, family, lovers at Christmastime. And, then, there are the Christmas movies that make you want to believe in Santa again. They're filled with elves, Santa, the North Pole, reindeer, and Christmas wishes coming true. These are my favorite Christmas movies in which Santa is real.
(
,
The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause
)
These are ultimate Santa-Is-Real movies. Is there any other movie with this much Santa magic, Santa's workshop, Santa belief? Why did they spell Santa Clause with an "e"? Well, as we discover, when Santa falls off your roof, and you then put on his suit, you have to become Santa. As outlined in the fine print of Santa's business card, that's the Santa Clause. Some may disagree, but I think the original movie's sequels are just as enjoyable. The stories get a little more ridiculous with each one, but they're still all fun Christmas adventures, full of Santa fun.
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This Santa-filled movie is closer to falling under the made-for-TV-movie category. It's also a coming home to spend the holidays with your family movie. However, in this case, home is the North Pole and family is Santa Claus. Mary is a high-powered advertising exec. (How many times have you heard that character description?) who is determined to have a little as possible to do with her family, and the family business. That is until her dad, Santa, has a heart attack and she travels home to visit and help out with the pre-Christmas rush. Her workaholic ways take over and she takes over the elves' workshop. Her big city business style doesn't work with the childish elves and Christmas production turns into a disaster. But, don't worry, it's a Christmas movie, so it has a happy ending. Oh, and she ends up having to choose between her high school sweetheart and her New York City big shot boyfriend.
Here's another movie in which Santa is not only real, but family. Imagine how ugly sibling rivalry would be if your brother was Santa Claus. I mean, he has devoted his life to making the children of the world happy and oversees the production of millions of toys every year and then delivers them all in one night. And, you're just trying to get yet another business venture off the ground. Santa agrees to lend Fred money, only if he comes to visit for a few days and help with the Christmas rush. It turns out Santa's workshop is having money troubles of its own. From there, the story is pretty standard. Fred first makes things worse, but saves the day in the end.
Is this not everyone's favorite not-just-for-kids Christmas movie? I've heard that somewhere out there, there are people who don't enjoy
movies, but that can't really be true, can it? And there certainly can't be anyone out there who doesn't love the adorable
.(Although, I think we all agree blonde is not her best look.) Who couldn't love a movie about a 6-foot tall "elf"? You can imagine the shenanigans a man, who grew up as an elf in Santa's workshop, would get up to trying to navigate the mean streets of New York City. Don't forget to answer your phone this holiday season with "Buddy the Elf! What's your favorite color?"
Under the Tuscan Sun
This post is actually left over from my
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I am so bad at following through with plans/completing things!
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Which is silly, because of all the movies set in Italy, this is by far my favorite. I defy you to watch this movie and not want to movie to Tuscany and buy a villa. It's so beautiful.
The story reminds me a lot of
, in that a woman fresh from divorce goes to Italy to "find herself" and what-not. She enjoys the country, has some adventures, has some love, has some heartbreak, and in the end lives happily ever after. In Tuscany. Jealous, much?
I watched this again last night
(I'm home sick with a throat infection, unable to speak, so I thought watching some beautiful Italy movies would cheer me up)
and it genuinely makes me want to move to Italy and just... hang out. I mean, as long as I have high-speed internet, I could live very happily in a run-down villa in the middle of nowhere Tuscany.