Where Are You Now?

Last night I finished a very good book.  What book you ask?  Where Are You Now? by Mary Higgins Clark.  This book is part of a stack that my aunt left for me and my mom to read.  Most of the books we get from her are on the romance side, which I am totally okay with, but it was nice to get one that wasn't all lovey-dovey and had some excitement to it.  Here's what the sleeve says: It has been ten years since twenty-one-year-old Charles MacKenzie Jr. ("Mack") went missing.  A Columbia University senior, about to graduate and already accepted at Duke University Law School, he walked out of his apartment on Manhattan's Upper West Side without a word to his college roommates and has never been seen again.  However, he does make one ritual phone call to his mother every year: on Mother's Day.  Each time, he assures her he is fine, refuses to answer her frantic questions, then hangs up.  Even the death of his father, a corporate lawyer, in the tragedy of 9/11 does not bring him home or break the pattern of his calls.  There's more to it, but I don't want to give it all away!  This book is a very fun read.  It's very attention grabbing and suspenseful.  I would definitely recommend you go the library or go buy a copy if you want a thrilling, interesting story of suspense and mystery...ooooOOOOoooo!

The Limits of Control

Yesterday afternoon I watched a very...interesting film.  It's called The Limits of Control.  It is definitely very different.  I wasn't very much into it.  I guess it was just way too deep for my poor little brain!  Anyway, here's the plot: An enigmatic stranger (Isaach de Bankolé), with no friends to speak of and no one to trust, is on a shadowy criminal mission. His moves are always marked with the knowledge that the law is never far behind. Acclaimed indie filmmaker Jim Jarmusch (Broken Flowers, Coffee and Cigarettes) writes and directs this tale, which is set against the backdrop of contemporary Spain. Bill Murray, Tilda Swinton, John Hurt and Gael García Bernal co-star.  I was interested in this movie because I saw my dad watching it on TV once.  He always watches TV at night with the sound off, so just watching it the movie seemed very weird.  I thought maybe if I watched it with sound I might come to some conclusion as to what this movie was all about.  You can watch it with sound or you could watch it without sound, either way I didn't get it.  It's about 2 hours long, so if you want to see this movie you have to make a commitment and sit through it.  I kept thinking that when it got the end it would all come together and make sense for me...nope!  I guess I just don't understand the theme of it all.  So, if you want to feel very confused I recommend this movie, otherwise...eh...I wouldn't worry about it!

Scott Pilgrim vs. The World

This week one of the best movies came out on DVD.  Yes, I'm talking about Scott Pilgrim vs. The World.  I could literally watch this movie over and over and never get tired of it!  It's very quirky and funny with a great cast of characters!  Here's the scoop: When dreamy delivery girl Ramona (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) starts popping up in his life, slacker musician Scott Pilgrim (Michael Cera) takes notice. But to win the love of this rollerblading goddess, Scott must vanquish all seven of her evil exes in martial arts battles. Based on Bryan Lee O'Malley's graphic novels, director Edgar Wright's action-packed romcom also stars Anna Kendrick, Brandon Routh and Chris Evans.  This really is a must see, so...GO!

The Outsiders

Last night I finished reading one of the best books I've read in a while, The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton.  It is such a great book!!!  I really couldn't put it down!  It is one of those books you want to keep reading, but then you don't want to finish it because it's too enjoyable.  It's really a great story.  It's very real and very heart-felt.  The whole story is told by Ponyboy (great character) and I just love the way he sees things and feels things!  It was just really good and I thoroughly enjoyed it.  What else can I say?  Go read it!  Now I can't wait to see the movie again...it's been soooo long!

The Bounty Hunter

Last night I watched that new movie The Bounty Hunter.  I thought it was pretty funny.  It was kind of slow getting into it, but it came around.  I wouldn't say I loved it or anything, but it was good.  I sort of hate Gerard Butler's character, but then he was also funny...hate to love him I guess!  One of my favorite thing about this movie was Jason Sudeikis.  He had a really small part, but he always cracks me up in anything he does!  I guess as far as action comedies go it wasn't a bust, but don't take my word for it!

What I Did For Love

Just the other day I finished reading What I Did For Love by Susan Elizabeth Phillips.  It felt like it took me forever to finish reading it, but I've been slack on the reading front lately.  It was a good book.  It was very predictable, your typical romance novel.  It was one of the books my aunt left for my mom and me to read.  Even though it was nothing super special, it was still cute and just an easy read.  I wouldn't say to go run out and buy it and read it, but if you come across it and have the opportunity to read it, go ahead, it's not that bad!

Toy Story 3

I just saw one of the best movies ever last night!  I've been waiting for it and finally got my chance.  Toy Story 3!!!!!  If you have not seen this movie, go go go NOW before it leaves the theater!  It was so good!  I laughed (a lot!), I cried, I gasped, and oohed and aahed the whole time!!  This movie really hit me on two levels.  First of all, I was a kid when the first Toy Story came out, I've grown up with them so it was really exciting to see the third and all the characters I love.  I was so emotional about the toys' family bond...I'm such a cry baby!  Second, in the movie Andy is leaving for college and letting go of his childhood.  Oh shit did I relate to that!  My lip was quivering...I was trying not to cry out loud and sob in the theater!  Being around Andy's age I totally felt the connection, bye childhood, hello real-life.  Well I'm going to do my best to avoid real-life for now and I want to play with some toys!!!  Please go see it...I swear it won't disappoint!!

The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou

Holy crap!  How have I not seen this movie until now?  The Life Aquatic is sooooo good!  I freaking loved it.  A lot of the humor is so subtle and I just LOVE the characters!  It was just such a good movie, but how could you not love a movie with Bill Murray?

Hot Tub Time Machine

I think it was a week ago, but I saw Hot Tub Time Machine.  I read all of these super horrible reviews for it in the paper and some magazines, but I thought it was really funny!  Sure, it was pretty much a modern day Back to the Future (Crispin Glover is in it!!!!  Loved that!), but it was still entertaining.  It was kind of awesome to see John Cusack in this kind of comedy.  I'm so used to seeing him in romantic comedies, it was a great change of pace!  So overall, I thought it was a good laugh.  Check it out.

Eclipse

Yesterday I went to go see Eclipse.  I thought it was really good.  Everyone either loves Twilight or hates it!  I know a lot of people who hate it only hate it because everyone is so crazy about it...and when I say everyone it's really the 15-year-old girls who are so obsessed.  I really liked it.  They stay very true to the book and now I really just can't wait for Beaking Dawn.  Another plus of seeing this movie is pretty much two hours of shirtless Taylor Lautner...now that's an obsession I can get on bored with!!!  So don't let abyone make up your mind for you.  If you are a Twilight fan, be one proudly and go see the movie.  I know I got some hassle from my friends, but I said I didn't care and I liked the books!  So go see it!  It's pretty darn good.

Also, the best soundtrack to the movies so far!!!

Doogal

Today I saw a pretty cute movie, Doogal.  It's a computer animated movie about a dog, a cow, a hare, and a snail saving the day against an evil sorcerer who is a spring and magic comes out of his mustache!  I thought it was cute enough.  They really tried to throw in a lot of adult humor in there which for the most part was funny.  It wasn't the best animation, but it was still good.  I was in the theater with some little kids and one little 3-year-old girl I was with just kept laughing and laughing.  So she seemed to enjoy it, which is wonderful...a movie she actually sat through and paid attention!  I heard a lot of bad things about this movie.  Sure it's no Pixar film, but I thought it was good and good enough to entertain a few children.  But don't take my word for it, go rent it and see what YOU think.

Criminal Minds Season 3

Please go out and rent Criminal Minds season 3 now!  I'm pretty sure you're life will change for the better!!!!!!

She's Out of My League

So this is one of the funniest movies...EVER!!!  She's Out of My League is sooo freaking hilarious!  I need to watch it again just so I can hear what they said half the time, everyone I was watching with was laughing so hard!!  I just love Jay and his character Kirk!  He's just so cute!  Oh gosh, I want to laugh out loud just thinking about this movie.  Go see it now, I promise you won't regret it!!

Criminal Minds Season 2

Criminal Minds season 2...WATCH IT!!!

Fame Renewed

Fame is a great movie.  I really liked it!  I haven't seen the original so I have no comparison there, but it's on my to-do list.  It has a lot of really cool dancing in it.  My favorite scene is probably the lunch scene, you'll know when you see it!  This movie has a lot of loveable characters (and actors) and they are easy to relate to, well, they were easy for me to relate to!  I'm sure anyone will remember going through the same kinds of things when they were in high school, maybe not the 'fame' part, but it's all the same!  One thing about it that was (I don't know what the right wording would be) weird about it was that it seemed to go by very fast.  It kind of went from one thing to the next to the next somewhat quickly.  I guess that's how it's got to work when telling a few different stories.  Overall I really enjoyed it and I recommend it for sure.  Now I have to go watch the original!

Thoroughly Modern Millie

Can we say, "Holy great movie Batman!!!"  Thoroughly Modern Millie is the one of the best movies I have seen in a while.  It's funny and cute, there's singing and dancing, and it stars Julie Andrews...who could want anything better than that?!  this movie was just so much fun, I could watch it over and over!  Julie Andrews is terrif of course and I just love the facial expression she has!  Truly a great cast and just an overall wonderful movie!  Go rent it NOW!

New York, I Love You

So this movie (New York, I Love You) was okay.  It was good and it had some cute and funny little stories in it, but it wasn't my favorite.  It's the same idea as the french movie Paris Je T'Aime.  It has a fully packed cast, but it just didn't really do it for me so much.  I enjoyed it the first time I watched it and who knows, maybe I would like it better the second time around.  I didn't hate it, but once might be enough times to see it, for me.

Song of the Day

Yeah so my plan to do the song of the day every day is still on it's way, but here is a song of the day for you today:  "Free Bird" by Lynyrd Skynyrd

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kgkYN3QjD5M&feature=fvst

Criminal Minds Season 1

If you are looking to get hooked on a new show, this is the one!  Criminal Minds is probably the best crime show I've ever seen.  It is very suspenseful and super smart.  I just finished watching the first season, and I tell you what, it is so addicting!  Once I got started I couldn't stop, and I couldn't wait to go home from work and watch!  It might be a little intense for some people, but overall it's not too gruesome.  Some episodes are little scarier than others, but they are still so catching that you can't stop watching even if you're scared!  I would definitely recommend that you go out and rent season one of Criminal Minds, and then be prepared to want to go out and rent the rest when you are done!

Song of the Day

It's been a little while since I've done Song of the day, but I'm going to try harder to keep up with it.  Today's song of the day is "Gloria" by Laura Branigan.  Enjoy!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M0tcwN4Edok

Mystery Team/I Just Want My Pants Back

A couple of days ago I purchased the movie Mystery Team without having seen it before, but I had complete faith in Derrick Comedy that they would deliver!  My verdict: They totally brought it!  This movie was so freaking funny!  I just love that Derrick Comedy style!  It was silly and funny, but not too super silly to the point where it's reDONCulous.  If you are a fan of the guys' online videos, then you will surely appreciate this motion picture!

Yesterday I finished reading the book I Just Want My Pants Back by David Rosen.  I so loved this book.  The writing is super funny, as well as the main character himself.  The book was also very real-life.  Jason (the main character) could have easily been someone you know.  Sometimes I read some books and it's just like, please, this is so unrelatable!  I feel like a lot of books I read (well mostly the more romance/women's reads) have these characters who are always super rich, money is no object to them, and super successful and then they find someone who is also very well-off and they fall madly in love and sleep on a money stuffed mattress!  This book is very relatable,especially to a twenty something who is still figuring things out, and I would for sure recommend it!

How I Spend My Time

Smart PeopleMatters of the Heart

Earlier this week I finished reading a book called Matters of the Heart by Danielle Steel. It was a good book. It's no shakespeare or anything but still entertaining. Here's a little Summary according to Books-a-Million:

Hope Dunn has carved out a name for herself as a top photographer, known the joys of marriage and motherhood, and the heartbreak of loss. In her chic SoHo loft, Hope is content with her life, finding serenity and beauty through the lens of her camera. She isn't looking for a man or excitement. But these things find her when she accepts a last-minute assignment to fly to London at Christmas and photograph one of the world's most celebrated writers--an Irish-American author known for novels of thrilling literary darkness. To Hope's surprise, Finn O'Neill exudes warmth and a boyish charm. Enormously successful, he is a perfect counterpoint to Hope's quiet steady grace--and he's taken instantly by her.

I don't want to give you the rest because then I would have told you the whole book, and what's the fun in that right? So, if you need anything to read that doesn't require a lot of hard labor on your brain, this book is an excellent pick.

I also this past week watched an excellent movie: Smart People. This movie is sooooooo great! I really loved it. It is super funny in a somewhat subtle way. The "adopted brother" is just so hilarious, and the rest of the characters are dull of this dry humor which I love. It is said that this movie is witty, romantic, and sentimental, and I happen to agree with all of those words!

 

Sunshine Cleaning

Yesterday i watched Sunshine Cleaning. I really enjoyed this movie. It was like real life. I had watched Amy Adams newer movie Leap Year earlier yesterday before Sunshine Cleaning and although I really liked both movies, they were so different. Leap Year is cute but not very realistic. I guess something like that might happen one time in a thousand in life, but Sunshine Cleaning was very real-life like. It wasn't a super happy movie but it was dark and funny. I very much enjoyed this movie and definitely recommend it. Go rent it: http://www.netflix.com/Movie/Sunshine_Cleaning/70084157?trkid=226870

Weetzie Bat

I have just recently finished reading Weetzie Bat by Francesca Lia Block. It was a very interestinf type of book. It's very different, and has a very interesting writing style, but I enjoyed it.

A brief, off-beat tale that has great charm, poignancy, and touches of fantasy. Weetzie, now 23, is a child of Hollywood who hated high school but loves the memories of Marylin Monroe and Charlie Chaplin, plastic palm-tree wallets, and the roller-skating waitresses at Tiny Naylor's. She wears a bleached-blonde flattop and harlequin sunglasses, covers her '50's taffeta dresses in glittery poetry, and sews fringe down the sides of her minis in sympathy with the plight of the Indian. Nobody understands her, least of all her divorced bicoastal parents, until she meets Dirk, who takes her slamdancing at the hot clubs in L.A. in his red '55 Pontiac. When he tells her he's gay, they decide to go "duuck-hunting" together. He meets his ideal blond surfer, and Weerzie finds her Secret Agent Lover Man. They all move in together, make movies that become underground successes, and have a baby. This recreates the ambiance of Hollywood with no cynicism, from the viewpoint of denizens who treasure its unique qualities. Weetzie and her friends live like the lillies of the field, yet their responsibility to each other and their love for the baby show a sweet grasp of the realities that matter. As in Rosemary Wells' None of the Above (Dial, 1974), these kids spend no time considering college or career. Their only priority is finding love and and keeping it once they find it.

It's a really quick, easy read, but it's fun and different and worth an afternoon reading.

http://www.amazon.com/Weetzie-Bat-Francesca-Lia-Block/dp/0060736259/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1273757797&sr=1-1

My Movie Reviews

The last movie I have seen recently is 500 Days of Summer. I thought it was really good. It's a different kind of movie, not really a chick flick. I really ennjoyed it though, especially the dance number...I love a good dance number! Here's the plot:

When his girlfriend, Summer (Zooey Deschanel), unceremoniously dumps him, greeting-card copywriter and hopeless romantic Tom (Golden Globe nominee Joseph Gordon-Levitt) begins sifting through the year-plus worth of days they spent together, looking for clues to what went awry. As he recalls the good and bad times he spent with the commitment-phobic girl, his heart reawakens to what it cherishes most. Marc Webb directs this uncommon love story.

I definitely recomment=d you rent this movie, it is really fun, and funny, heartbreaking, and sweet! LOVE IT!

Song of the Day

So here's the song for today:

"Visits to You" by Anthony Rapp

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KVHvPB9MGNM

Sara's Song

Another book I just finished is Sara's Song by Fern Michaels. It is very entertaining and a very easy read. So here it is:

A brilliant career and loving friends weren't enough to heal Dr. Sara Killian's aching heart. For a brief, magical moment, world famous rock star Dallas Lord was part of her life. Then he was suddenly and tragically taken away.

But before he disappeared, Dallas gave Sara a priceless gift--a beautiful love song written just for her. It's a legacy that will take Sara places she's never dreamed of--into intrigue, betrayal and deadly danger. And, when she meets Adam Lord, Dallas's older brother, she will find herself torn--between Adam, the most attractive and complicated man she's ever known, and Dallas, the man her heart won't let her forget...

So you see it's pretty interesting, but don't take my word for it! Go read it!

The Necessary Hunger

I have just finished reading two books, one of which is The Necessary Hunger by Nina Revoyr. It's a great book if you are really into basketball...and reading. If you're not a big reader, it might be kind of slow starting for ya. Check it Out:

As a star basketball player in her last year of high school, Nancy Takahiro's life is about to change forever. Faced with the college recruitment process and unsure of where her skill will take her. Nancy is not prepared for meeting Raina Webber, and All-State shooting guard whose passion for basketball is matched only by her talent for it.

When Nancy's father and Raina's mother move in together, the girls are faced with the challenge of negotiating their already intense friendship and rivalry. As Nancy's love for Raina grows and both prepare to leave the inner city neighborhood that has nurtured them, they find themselves looking toward a future that is no longer easily defined.

Set against a backdrop of racial tension between the Asian-American and African-American communities of Los Angeles and infused with tenderness and passion, The Necessary Hunger explores not only the intracacies of the game of basketball, but also the very nature of the relationsips young women create in the face of the odds that are stacked against them.

So...go read!

Song of the Day

For your listening pleasure

"Fly Me Away" by Annie Little

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OMBFY_hrYWc

Flight of the Conchords

I don't care who you are. You need to go buy or rent the first season of Flight of the Conchords. It is flippin' hilarious! These New Zealanders are tops. Not only is their music quite funny, but it is also good and darn catchy! I thoroughly recommend that you leave the house now and get to Blockbuster because you are missing out on a truly comedic treat!

Song of the Day

Here's the song for today:

"You and I" by Anarbor

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G8jCIntzNY4

Also love the acoustic version!!

My Zazzle Creations!

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See more http://www.zazzle.com/">personalized gifts from Zazzle.



ENJOY!

Song of the Day

So I am going to try to do this everyday, but we'll see!

Here's the song of the day:
"Donnie" by Ace of Base


Here's the link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f9eQerNV81s

Wish List

So yesterday I finished reading this book, Wish List by Fern Michaels. Check it out:

A brilliant career, two adoring husbands--none of it is enough to erase the memory of Ariel Hart's one ture love. Back when she was plain, starry-eyed Aggie Bixby, a dark-eyed boy touched her heart...then vanished from her life.

So she does something shocking and outrageous: She sells her house and leaves Hollywood for Chula Vista. There she meets Lex Sanders, a wealthy rancher and breeder or Arabian horses. There's something familiar about those smoldering eyes...something that triggers long-buried memories of a passion so pure and so perfect it couldn't possibly last.

...Or could it?

I thought it was pretty good. Very easy read and a terriffic one if you're into romance novels!