As I sit on my windowsill looking at the snow falling down outside--- SCREECH!
It's not snowing outside and I am definitely not sitting on a windowsill. But that would be cool, wouldn't it?! No, I am on my lunch break on my last day of work before my L-O-N-G Christmas vacation and I just can not wait to be home. Christmas is only 4 days away and my 72 hour celebration is only 2 days away. (You read that right. 72 hour celebration. Word.) I know you, my readers, just love to get my sound and sage advice on just about everything so I will give you a present early: my Christmas Entertainment Survival Guide.
My favorite Christmas movies are 90% old classic cartoons and classic movies with a few newbies thrown in for good measure.
5. The Holiday- An instant classic, this holiday romance stars Jude Law, Kate Winslet, Jack Black, and Cameron Diaz. I think this might be some of their best acting (although Kate is always superb) and honestly it is very true how most people feel around the holidays. And you can always benefit from learning what a 'meet-cute' is and how to stage your own. I mean... whoops.
4. The Family Stone- Drama, drama, drama. The ensemble movie, lead by SJP, Diane Keaton, and Rachel McAdams, is a touching, hilarious, and sometimes brutally honest look at a big family dealing with life and the holidays. Need a good cry? This is your movie.
3. Elf- I honestly held off on this movie for a really long time. But when you work in a video store and it's your boss' favorite movie and he watched in on repeat for the entire holiday season (not kidding), you realize that you had been missing out on a great movie. Will Ferrel, you might be an anchorman, race car driver, and a step-brother but to me you'll always be Buddy the Elf.
2. A Charlie Brown Christmas- It's not the holiday season if I don't watch this movie. I need to hear Linus explain the meaning of Christmas and I need to see Lucy flirting with Schroeder over a piano. And who doesn't love Snoopy playing all the animals or Charlie Brown bringing everyone together over a sad, but symbolic Christmas tree? I don't want to meet that person.
1. White Christmas- The greatest Christmas movie of all time (sorry Christmas Vacation, A Christmas Story, and It's A Wonderful Life) has all the best elements: Bing Crosby, singing, Vermont, a Christmas miracle, and snow, snow, snow! I can recite this movie by heart and it's not Christmas without it.
Now there are also some classic Christmas TV episodes that help me bide my time til Santa comes. Bones has a couple of good entries but the best is the season 3 episode "The Santa in the Slush" really hits the ball home. The Big Bang Theory won me over 3 years ago with "The Bath Item Gift Hypothesis" and I haven't looked back. Grey's Anatomy has two memorable episodes "Grandma Got Run Over By a Reindeer" in season 2 that sparked this quote "Why are you helping me?" "Because it's what Jesus would freaking do!" and a season 6 holiday mixture, "Holidaze" that packed an emotional punch. Glee also joined the season with two holiday themed episodes that features two albums worth of classic (and new classics) Christmas music. My newest classic is from the phenomenal comedy New Girl which is the gift that just keeps on giving in "The 23rd."
Some TV shows created their own holiday's such as Seinfeld's "Festivus". While not a fan of the show, I can appreciate this episode. But my favorite new holiday was introduced to me by The O.C. by Seth Cohen: Chrismukkah. With a holiday episode each season, my love for Jesus and Moses just grew like the Grinch's shrunken heart. (The Grinch is a classic with Frosty, Rudolph, Kris Kringle and The Night Before Christmas. I watch these back to back after Charlie Brown because we have them on a VHS tape. Yet, old school. Represent!) All I need to truly celebrate the holiday is my very own yamaclaus.
I also can't get through the holidays without a couple songs. I personally love all the Glee Christmas songs. I also own the Rosie O'Donnell Christmas CD's and there are some great renditions on those as well. And who doesn't love the N*Sync CD? Here are some other can't miss songs on my playlist:
-Baby, It's Cold Outside. (Pretty much any version but I am a fan of the Glee/Elf versions.)
-Christmas Shoes. (LOVE. Cry every time.)
-Last Christmas (Not the Wham version, it's too slow. Glee and most others!)
-Any Celine or Josh Groban or Michael Buble versions
- White Christmas (Best holiday song.)
I think that should keep you busy for the next 4 days, readers. Just remember that the holidays are better with the people you love and not the presents you get.
" 'And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God, and saying, 'Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.' That's what Christmas is all about, Charlie Brown."
Wednesday, December 21, 2011
Friday, December 2, 2011
Your Love Is My Drug
I... can't... breathe. I'm sitting in a panicked state of frozen silence. There is a crippling sense of helplessness that won't dissipate.
I left my phone at home today.
This is a serious issue. My mind constantly wanders, thinking of all the important (i.e. Facebook updates and notifications) that I am not receiving as they happen. I will forget for a minute and when I look to my right to look for that shining light that means I have a message... nothing.
Clearly this is a bit dramatic. (Only a bit.) I had always laughed at people who would post on Facebook "Left my phone at home todayyy. What am I going to do?!!!?" (Yes, I realized that there is only one 'y' used to spell 'today' but this is how people talk. Irritating, isn't it?) I finally understand the emotion.
I can hear all the adults saying "Kate, you're at work. You shouldn't be worrying about your phone." I know, I know. But I can't help it. We live in a society where being connected 24/7 is the norm. People sometimes say they were born in the wrong decade or time period. Not me. This is my era, the era of instant gratification. And I am the reigning Queen.
If you have never hung out with me I can understand that you might not know my nickname: The Enabler. I can make any situation seem ok and plausible; especially when it involves food and purchases. Why? Because money is just money. When you die, what good will all the money do sitting in a bank? None. (Unless you thought it out and donated it or something cool like that.) I do think that a certain amount of your money needs to be saved for the more unpleasant spending events in life: college, a new car, bills, a house, etc. But the rest? SPEND IT. When I see something I want, I think to myself "Kate, do you need this?" "Yes." "Really?" "No." "Will it make your day better?" "Yes." "Go for it." (Just kidding Mom and Dad! ::skeptic look on my face::) I do weigh the pros and cons, but if I want it and can afford it out of my spending money then I go for it.
That might seem like an off-topic train of thought but if you think about it, society made me that way. They gave me vehicles to have whatever I want at my finger tips. TiVo (my first clandestine love) and its other family members, cell phones, Facebook, Twitter, and all other social medias. If I come home and my show isn't waiting for me, WATCH OUT. Not a happy camper. Feeling connected to all of my "friends", real and Internet, is a way to instantly gratify my need to be in the loop.
I thought about driving home at lunch today to pick up Jarvis. (That's my phone's name.) I decide to write this blog instead. Sacrifices have to be made sometimes.
Only 5 more hours til we are reunited. I'm counting the minutes.
No. Really.
I left my phone at home today.
This is a serious issue. My mind constantly wanders, thinking of all the important (i.e. Facebook updates and notifications) that I am not receiving as they happen. I will forget for a minute and when I look to my right to look for that shining light that means I have a message... nothing.
Clearly this is a bit dramatic. (Only a bit.) I had always laughed at people who would post on Facebook "Left my phone at home todayyy. What am I going to do?!!!?" (Yes, I realized that there is only one 'y' used to spell 'today' but this is how people talk. Irritating, isn't it?) I finally understand the emotion.
I can hear all the adults saying "Kate, you're at work. You shouldn't be worrying about your phone." I know, I know. But I can't help it. We live in a society where being connected 24/7 is the norm. People sometimes say they were born in the wrong decade or time period. Not me. This is my era, the era of instant gratification. And I am the reigning Queen.
If you have never hung out with me I can understand that you might not know my nickname: The Enabler. I can make any situation seem ok and plausible; especially when it involves food and purchases. Why? Because money is just money. When you die, what good will all the money do sitting in a bank? None. (Unless you thought it out and donated it or something cool like that.) I do think that a certain amount of your money needs to be saved for the more unpleasant spending events in life: college, a new car, bills, a house, etc. But the rest? SPEND IT. When I see something I want, I think to myself "Kate, do you need this?" "Yes." "Really?" "No." "Will it make your day better?" "Yes." "Go for it." (Just kidding Mom and Dad! ::skeptic look on my face::) I do weigh the pros and cons, but if I want it and can afford it out of my spending money then I go for it.
That might seem like an off-topic train of thought but if you think about it, society made me that way. They gave me vehicles to have whatever I want at my finger tips. TiVo (my first clandestine love) and its other family members, cell phones, Facebook, Twitter, and all other social medias. If I come home and my show isn't waiting for me, WATCH OUT. Not a happy camper. Feeling connected to all of my "friends", real and Internet, is a way to instantly gratify my need to be in the loop.
I thought about driving home at lunch today to pick up Jarvis. (That's my phone's name.) I decide to write this blog instead. Sacrifices have to be made sometimes.
Only 5 more hours til we are reunited. I'm counting the minutes.
No. Really.
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
They Scream, I Scream?
::thousands upon thousands of screaming fangirls:: "Ahhh. Shut it already!!!" Sorry readers. I've reached my Twilight fandom quota for the day. I can only take so much these days. "But Kate, the movie comes out at midnight Thursday. Aren't you going to that?" Ummm... yes. "Well, haven't you been to all the movies at midnight?" Errr... "Don't you have 'I <3 Edward..."
YES. Ok, I am going to the movie at midnight. It doesn't mean I like the movies. I own all the current movies, in 2-Disc Special format. So what. I will be waiting in line for about 8 hours. Who hasn't!?
It's time I faced the truth: Twilight is my drug of (non)choice. As Edward states in the book and movie, "“You're like my own personal brand of heroin." I see you Edward. It's awful; I know I should stop. I just can't. I ::gulp:: like these movies.
I've talked about this franchise before. The books are by far superior to the movies. When the trailer for Twilight originally came out it gave me shivers. This was going to be fantastic. What ensued was one of the biggest movie letdowns I have ever experienced. I was hiding in my hoodie and in the arm of my friend Sam. It was just awful. Vampires looked like they had sparkles dumped on them. The acting was... atrocious is the word that comes to mind. Am I being harsh? You bet. But when you get so invested in a book series only to be monumentally letdown on the big screen, it's hard not to be.
Two of my best friends and I decided to go see the first movie when it was in the dollar theater for a good laugh. Color us stunned when the entire audience acted like the movie was the greatest thing since Titanic. It took all of our willpower to not bust out laughing at the film and the serious movie watchers.
Now as the movies progressed, they did get better in all aspects. Acting was improved, special effects were mastered, and the directing changed and helped boost my approval for the series. One of my friends biggest complaints is that Kristen Stewart can't act. "Did you know someone cast Kristen Stewart in another movie!" was a legitimate conversation I had with a friend when they found out that Hollywood didn't expel Stewart from the acting world. My take- I don't really care either way about her. I hate her character to begin with so whatever she does is irrelevant to me at this point. I have proof of all the other actors/actresses acting ability so I firmly blame the directors on the failure to make the characters not a joke.
What I do like about this series is the tradition I have developed. I go see these movies with my best friends (lately kicking and screaming but they still love me enough to join.) and just have a good time. I'm young and I enjoy the friendships you develop with random strangers. After 10 hours together, they aren't strangers anymore. (Holla HP family!) And yes, I will probably do this when I'm an "adult" as well. (I say adult in quotes because I might be an adult in age or by society's standards, but in my heart I'll always be this obsessive and kid-like.) I enjoy the camaraderie that happens when hundreds of fans come together, even if they take it INCREDIBLY serious. (What else would I have for entertainment?)
So, I woke up today excited. Very excited. Will I only get 3ish hours of sleep tonight and then come to work? Yep. Will I sit in line and race into the theaters to get my prime seats? Heck yes. (I'll knock you down if you get in my way. Try me.) Will I argue for hours about the series with people I have never met before? Yes. Will I pick a team? Team Edward. Duh.
But more importantly: Team Memories for Life.
(Gotta throw this joke in here: Stephanie Meyer's boggart is logic.)
YES. Ok, I am going to the movie at midnight. It doesn't mean I like the movies. I own all the current movies, in 2-Disc Special format. So what. I will be waiting in line for about 8 hours. Who hasn't!?
It's time I faced the truth: Twilight is my drug of (non)choice. As Edward states in the book and movie, "“You're like my own personal brand of heroin." I see you Edward. It's awful; I know I should stop. I just can't. I ::gulp:: like these movies.
I've talked about this franchise before. The books are by far superior to the movies. When the trailer for Twilight originally came out it gave me shivers. This was going to be fantastic. What ensued was one of the biggest movie letdowns I have ever experienced. I was hiding in my hoodie and in the arm of my friend Sam. It was just awful. Vampires looked like they had sparkles dumped on them. The acting was... atrocious is the word that comes to mind. Am I being harsh? You bet. But when you get so invested in a book series only to be monumentally letdown on the big screen, it's hard not to be.
Two of my best friends and I decided to go see the first movie when it was in the dollar theater for a good laugh. Color us stunned when the entire audience acted like the movie was the greatest thing since Titanic. It took all of our willpower to not bust out laughing at the film and the serious movie watchers.
Now as the movies progressed, they did get better in all aspects. Acting was improved, special effects were mastered, and the directing changed and helped boost my approval for the series. One of my friends biggest complaints is that Kristen Stewart can't act. "Did you know someone cast Kristen Stewart in another movie!" was a legitimate conversation I had with a friend when they found out that Hollywood didn't expel Stewart from the acting world. My take- I don't really care either way about her. I hate her character to begin with so whatever she does is irrelevant to me at this point. I have proof of all the other actors/actresses acting ability so I firmly blame the directors on the failure to make the characters not a joke.
What I do like about this series is the tradition I have developed. I go see these movies with my best friends (lately kicking and screaming but they still love me enough to join.) and just have a good time. I'm young and I enjoy the friendships you develop with random strangers. After 10 hours together, they aren't strangers anymore. (Holla HP family!) And yes, I will probably do this when I'm an "adult" as well. (I say adult in quotes because I might be an adult in age or by society's standards, but in my heart I'll always be this obsessive and kid-like.) I enjoy the camaraderie that happens when hundreds of fans come together, even if they take it INCREDIBLY serious. (What else would I have for entertainment?)
So, I woke up today excited. Very excited. Will I only get 3ish hours of sleep tonight and then come to work? Yep. Will I sit in line and race into the theaters to get my prime seats? Heck yes. (I'll knock you down if you get in my way. Try me.) Will I argue for hours about the series with people I have never met before? Yes. Will I pick a team? Team Edward. Duh.
But more importantly: Team Memories for Life.
(Gotta throw this joke in here: Stephanie Meyer's boggart is logic.)
Thursday, November 10, 2011
Happy Ever After... Psych!
I'm gonna get serious today guys. No, seriously. I mean it! See, this is my serious face.
How to begin. I'm just gonna come out and say it: I believe in happily ever after. That ending of a story that "doesn't happen every day." (Name that movie.) Why? Why not. Life is too depressing to believe that everything will never work out or that life is out to get you. However, the media, movies, and TV would have you believe otherwise.
I saw a great film last night. It is an independent movie and it was about two people's struggle to maintain their love in a difficult situation. Not the most unique story but the way it portrayed the actual relationship was refreshing. I know you can sense the "but" that is coming and I wouldn't want to disappoint you but... it doesn't end well. It ends honestly and to that I can at least be happy. (The movie became an instant hit in my mind and I can see why it won so many awards.) Like the rest of the audience, I spoke (out loud) my frustration as the credits rolled. "What?!" "That's it?" "Maybe they..." "But they were so in love."
That last one stuck with me as I left the theatre. I started thinking about how if you tell a romantic story these days, the result is people not believing the "happy ending". Why is that? Doesn't anybody, besides me, believe in true love and love conquering all?
I am constantly told that I am foolish for believing in these ideas and most times I just let it roll off my shoulders. Writers these days seem to follow the "real life" ending and are you honestly telling me that you can't write a story that's realistic and has a happy ending where the couple ends up together? Now some movies leave it up for interpretation and that at least allows the romantic viewer to say " Oh well, they end up together. Thank goodness."
In a college TV script writing class we had to storyboard one of six films. Dirty Dancing was an option and I practically did it right there. When the assignment was due, the teacher asked one person to come up and write it on the board and I was chosen to present my timeline. When I got the end, I said "And then they end up together." Dr. Dream Killer replied, "Well done Katelin. But they don't end up together." Stunned, I looked at her as she continued to speak to the class. "Of course they do. He came back for her." She looked at me kindly and continued on.
Ok, 1.) Baby and Johnny live happily ever after. There is nothing to suggest they don't. End of story. 2.) Why would you tell me that they don't? Did you write it? Do you have insight that I do not. (No, no one knows more about DD than I do. Just so you know.) 3.) If I believed something like that, why challenge it? (Clearly I never got over this moment.)
It's people like that that make me sad. No one believes or allows themselves to believe in a true love story anymore. Society loves to find the messy underbelly of love and exploit it for it's own disturbing purposes. (Wow. Sounding like an actual journalist. Better throw in a couple of ummm and likes.) I will even admit to my own doubt. I can barely watch a romcom without gagging or silently hating the happy couple on the screen with a passion of a burning suns for finding "true love" after a series of ridiculous plot twists.
So I hereby make a vow: I solemnly swear (that I am up to no good.) that as a writer and a believer to one day write a true love story that is believable and realistic. It's gonna be hard, especially with so few examples. But I feel up to the challenge. Now I challenge you readers; look for the happy ever after in your life and media and try to believe in it.
"I thought I understood it. But I didn't. I knew the smudgeness of it. The eagerness of it. The Idea of it. Of you and me." - Like Crazy
How to begin. I'm just gonna come out and say it: I believe in happily ever after. That ending of a story that "doesn't happen every day." (Name that movie.) Why? Why not. Life is too depressing to believe that everything will never work out or that life is out to get you. However, the media, movies, and TV would have you believe otherwise.
I saw a great film last night. It is an independent movie and it was about two people's struggle to maintain their love in a difficult situation. Not the most unique story but the way it portrayed the actual relationship was refreshing. I know you can sense the "but" that is coming and I wouldn't want to disappoint you but... it doesn't end well. It ends honestly and to that I can at least be happy. (The movie became an instant hit in my mind and I can see why it won so many awards.) Like the rest of the audience, I spoke (out loud) my frustration as the credits rolled. "What?!" "That's it?" "Maybe they..." "But they were so in love."
That last one stuck with me as I left the theatre. I started thinking about how if you tell a romantic story these days, the result is people not believing the "happy ending". Why is that? Doesn't anybody, besides me, believe in true love and love conquering all?
I am constantly told that I am foolish for believing in these ideas and most times I just let it roll off my shoulders. Writers these days seem to follow the "real life" ending and are you honestly telling me that you can't write a story that's realistic and has a happy ending where the couple ends up together? Now some movies leave it up for interpretation and that at least allows the romantic viewer to say " Oh well, they end up together. Thank goodness."
In a college TV script writing class we had to storyboard one of six films. Dirty Dancing was an option and I practically did it right there. When the assignment was due, the teacher asked one person to come up and write it on the board and I was chosen to present my timeline. When I got the end, I said "And then they end up together." Dr. Dream Killer replied, "Well done Katelin. But they don't end up together." Stunned, I looked at her as she continued to speak to the class. "Of course they do. He came back for her." She looked at me kindly and continued on.
Ok, 1.) Baby and Johnny live happily ever after. There is nothing to suggest they don't. End of story. 2.) Why would you tell me that they don't? Did you write it? Do you have insight that I do not. (No, no one knows more about DD than I do. Just so you know.) 3.) If I believed something like that, why challenge it? (Clearly I never got over this moment.)
It's people like that that make me sad. No one believes or allows themselves to believe in a true love story anymore. Society loves to find the messy underbelly of love and exploit it for it's own disturbing purposes. (Wow. Sounding like an actual journalist. Better throw in a couple of ummm and likes.) I will even admit to my own doubt. I can barely watch a romcom without gagging or silently hating the happy couple on the screen with a passion of a burning suns for finding "true love" after a series of ridiculous plot twists.
So I hereby make a vow: I solemnly swear (that I am up to no good.) that as a writer and a believer to one day write a true love story that is believable and realistic. It's gonna be hard, especially with so few examples. But I feel up to the challenge. Now I challenge you readers; look for the happy ever after in your life and media and try to believe in it.
"I thought I understood it. But I didn't. I knew the smudgeness of it. The eagerness of it. The Idea of it. Of you and me." - Like Crazy
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
A Collection to Remember
Dear Readers,
I was watching You've Got Mail, one of my all-time favorite movies last night. I can't help but watch it whenever it comes on TV; no matter where it is in the film I will either sit down and watch it or tape the remainder despite owning it on DVD. I will probably have to buy it on Blu-Ray soon because I just feel that it needs to be watched in all its glory but I digress. It got me thinking about what movies or songs or CD's that I just can't live without. And so an idea was born! (I know, I don't have many but this one is good! I promise.) What if you made a time capsule filled with all of your Must Haves?
"Wow! Kate is just a genius." "I know! I can't believe I never thought of that." "She is so pretty..." Oh stop, guys, you're making me blush.
In all seriousness, have you ever thought about it? I know I've asked what your favorite movie is but have you ever considered what the essentials were? I decided to take a swing at it; we'll see if I can keep relatively small. (Oh, who am I kidding. I'm gonna need a trundle to house my essentials.)
1. Dirty Dancing- Duh. But which copy? The one my dad got me for my 16th birthday that started it all? The 20th Anniversary 2-Disc Copy that I got before I saw the movie in theaters? Or my Collectors Box Edition with a book and 3-Discs? Decisions, decisions.
2. The rest of my top 5 movies: Empire Strikes Back (or if I am being realistic my Blu-Ray of all six Star Wars movies), The Princess Bride, Shrek, and Transformers. Plus You've Got Mail. Pretty Woman, RENT, Star Trek, Dr. Horrible's Sing-a-long Blog, and the Harry Potter series.
3. My Live in Las Vegas: Celine Dion DVD and her Taking Chances CD/DVD combo. Why? Celine is amazing. Get used to it.
4. My Zune with the following CDs/Artists/Soundtracks/Playlists: Taylor Swift, Kate Voegele, The Fray, the Footloose soundtrack (I'm gonna go out on a limb and say it's the best soundtrack. Ever. Debate!) the One Tree Hill soundtracks, RENT/Moulin Rouge/Mamma Mia!/ Wicked soundtracks, all of the Glee songs, Maroon 5's Hands All Over, Journey's "Don't Stop Believin' ", and Brendan James.
Here is where it gets tough. ("Really? Because you were being so discretionary before." "Quiet you...") How to decide which TV gets brought? I own over 20 series (way over 20 but that's a nice number so we'll stick with that.) of television on DVD so I just dump them all in but I won't do that.
1. One Tree Hill series. And I already broke my rule. It's my all-time favorite show. I can tell you what my favorite episode is (Season 4, Disc 4, Some You Give Away) but I can't not have the series in its entirety.
2. The series finale of Dawson's Creek. I have the 2-Hour DVD of this great show and it manages to make me laugh and sob every time I watch it.
3. Glee- "Pilot", "Power of Madonna", and "Dream On". All from Season 1 and probably my top three episodes to this day.
4. Buffy- "When She Was Bad", "Becoming Part 2", "Something Blue", "The Body", "Once More with Feeling", and "Chosen". These six episodes are what Buffy was all about: teenage drama, forbidden love, enemies becoming allies, death (supernatural and natural), music, and a sense that you can be chosen but not alone.
5. Alias- The Rimbaldi Cube Series Collection. What? It comes in a cube (the Rimbaldi cube which is so frakking cool.) and so it automatically is travel size.
6. Friends- Really, I just would like to watch the bloopers. But any episode from any season still makes me laugh so I would just grab a random disc from each season and be content.
7. The Nanny- "Green Card" and "The Finale Part 1 and 2". I love The Nanny. Sue me. She cracks me up and I think all of life's most valuable lessons can be learned from the nasal-tastic Fran Drescher.
Books. Oh the books I've read. This is a much easier list for me to compile than the rest because I reread these ones so frequently.
1. My paperback set of the Harry Potter series.
2. Nora Roberts' Tribute, Divine Evil, and The Chesapeake Bay series. I own 95% of all her books now so I can say with some authority that these are some of her finest books.
2. Nicholas Sparks' A Walk to Remember. Lightweight, less than 250 pages, and still one of my favorite books.
3. Ellen Raskin's The Westing Game. I read this book back in 6th grade for a book club and still pulls me back in.
4. Suzanne Collins' Hunger Games trilogy. Recently devoured these books and they became an instant classic in my mind.
5. Julie Andrews' Mandy. A childhood favorite and just a lovely book.
6. James Patterson's Beach House. I really enjoy his Women's Murder Club series as well.
Well I think that should fill a time-capsule the size of a trunk. What can I say? I love a lot of things and I don't want to be without any of them. Can you create your own time-capsule? Did I miss something? Let me know!!
I was watching You've Got Mail, one of my all-time favorite movies last night. I can't help but watch it whenever it comes on TV; no matter where it is in the film I will either sit down and watch it or tape the remainder despite owning it on DVD. I will probably have to buy it on Blu-Ray soon because I just feel that it needs to be watched in all its glory but I digress. It got me thinking about what movies or songs or CD's that I just can't live without. And so an idea was born! (I know, I don't have many but this one is good! I promise.) What if you made a time capsule filled with all of your Must Haves?
"Wow! Kate is just a genius." "I know! I can't believe I never thought of that." "She is so pretty..." Oh stop, guys, you're making me blush.
In all seriousness, have you ever thought about it? I know I've asked what your favorite movie is but have you ever considered what the essentials were? I decided to take a swing at it; we'll see if I can keep relatively small. (Oh, who am I kidding. I'm gonna need a trundle to house my essentials.)
1. Dirty Dancing- Duh. But which copy? The one my dad got me for my 16th birthday that started it all? The 20th Anniversary 2-Disc Copy that I got before I saw the movie in theaters? Or my Collectors Box Edition with a book and 3-Discs? Decisions, decisions.
2. The rest of my top 5 movies: Empire Strikes Back (or if I am being realistic my Blu-Ray of all six Star Wars movies), The Princess Bride, Shrek, and Transformers. Plus You've Got Mail. Pretty Woman, RENT, Star Trek, Dr. Horrible's Sing-a-long Blog, and the Harry Potter series.
3. My Live in Las Vegas: Celine Dion DVD and her Taking Chances CD/DVD combo. Why? Celine is amazing. Get used to it.
4. My Zune with the following CDs/Artists/Soundtracks/Playlists: Taylor Swift, Kate Voegele, The Fray, the Footloose soundtrack (I'm gonna go out on a limb and say it's the best soundtrack. Ever. Debate!) the One Tree Hill soundtracks, RENT/Moulin Rouge/Mamma Mia!/ Wicked soundtracks, all of the Glee songs, Maroon 5's Hands All Over, Journey's "Don't Stop Believin' ", and Brendan James.
Here is where it gets tough. ("Really? Because you were being so discretionary before." "Quiet you...") How to decide which TV gets brought? I own over 20 series (way over 20 but that's a nice number so we'll stick with that.) of television on DVD so I just dump them all in but I won't do that.
1. One Tree Hill series. And I already broke my rule. It's my all-time favorite show. I can tell you what my favorite episode is (Season 4, Disc 4, Some You Give Away) but I can't not have the series in its entirety.
2. The series finale of Dawson's Creek. I have the 2-Hour DVD of this great show and it manages to make me laugh and sob every time I watch it.
3. Glee- "Pilot", "Power of Madonna", and "Dream On". All from Season 1 and probably my top three episodes to this day.
4. Buffy- "When She Was Bad", "Becoming Part 2", "Something Blue", "The Body", "Once More with Feeling", and "Chosen". These six episodes are what Buffy was all about: teenage drama, forbidden love, enemies becoming allies, death (supernatural and natural), music, and a sense that you can be chosen but not alone.
5. Alias- The Rimbaldi Cube Series Collection. What? It comes in a cube (the Rimbaldi cube which is so frakking cool.) and so it automatically is travel size.
6. Friends- Really, I just would like to watch the bloopers. But any episode from any season still makes me laugh so I would just grab a random disc from each season and be content.
7. The Nanny- "Green Card" and "The Finale Part 1 and 2". I love The Nanny. Sue me. She cracks me up and I think all of life's most valuable lessons can be learned from the nasal-tastic Fran Drescher.
Books. Oh the books I've read. This is a much easier list for me to compile than the rest because I reread these ones so frequently.
1. My paperback set of the Harry Potter series.
2. Nora Roberts' Tribute, Divine Evil, and The Chesapeake Bay series. I own 95% of all her books now so I can say with some authority that these are some of her finest books.
2. Nicholas Sparks' A Walk to Remember. Lightweight, less than 250 pages, and still one of my favorite books.
3. Ellen Raskin's The Westing Game. I read this book back in 6th grade for a book club and still pulls me back in.
4. Suzanne Collins' Hunger Games trilogy. Recently devoured these books and they became an instant classic in my mind.
5. Julie Andrews' Mandy. A childhood favorite and just a lovely book.
6. James Patterson's Beach House. I really enjoy his Women's Murder Club series as well.
Well I think that should fill a time-capsule the size of a trunk. What can I say? I love a lot of things and I don't want to be without any of them. Can you create your own time-capsule? Did I miss something? Let me know!!
Monday, October 24, 2011
The Edge of Glory... or Anticipation.
I was recently reading my Entertainment Weekly and came to an excerpt from Uncle Stevie or as you might know him Steven King. I haven't actually read any of his books but I really enjoyed his column in the magazine. He is only a guest columnist now but I miss his weekly rants. I also like the idea of his excerpts running in the magazine so I am going to copy him. After all imitation is the sincerest form of flattery right?
Chapter One:
He watched her. Hidden in the shadows, low to the ground and daring not to move an inch, he watched her.
Lily marched triumphantly down the street. She had gotten the lead in the play! Ha! Finally all her hard work had paid off. All those acting classes. How many head shots had she labored over, debating over which pose and hair style before selecting the top three. And the voice lessons, don't even go that direction. Eponine from Les Miserables was hers and no one, especially that tart Julia, could take that away from her.
As she walked home, she felt a tickle in her shoulder blade. Idly scratching it she continued on her merry way, whistling a cherry tune and waving to the people she passed. It was dusk and the sun was setting on the glorious day, at least in Lily's mind. What could possibly go wrong on this wonderful day! Pausing at the sidewalk, she bent over and retied her shoe lace. That nagging sensation washed over her again and this time she looked over her shoulder. Just a couple of bushes next to an old church. But... a small tremble. She peered closer and felt the wind blow through her hair. "Lily, get a grip. It's just the wind for Pete's sake." Straightening she continued her march home as she skipped across the street.
"She almost saw me," the shadow thought. "So close... maybe next time." His hatred for her was as pure as white snow and deep as a well. It had always been this way, he was raised to believe in certain things and hating the tall brunette was one of those things.
But... sometimes he felt that his hatred wasn't pure. Sometimes he worried he wasn't going to be able to fulfill his goal. In those times, he would sit and think hard on the subject. His entire life in question but what would he do if she wasn't there? His mother would banish him for sure and when he thought of that it was too much and banished all other thoughts.
Soon it would be dark and then he would plan. Planning was crucial to his plan. Everyone in the clan knew that he planned and thought he was crazy. "Why plan?" they would say. "Just act. Why do you wait? She will get away from you. There are more to taken. Hurry!" They didn't understand his need for the perfect moment. Then and only then, would he act.
Lily reached her sidewalk, her keys jingling in her hand. "Lily!!! Lily!!! Did you get it!" Lily turned her head and saw her next-door-neighbor Aaron rush out from underneath the hood of his rusty 1963 Mercury Comet, his pride and joy. Wiping the grease from his hands on his shirt, he moved across his yard to hers with surprising speed for a 6 foot tall man. Hands on his hips, he asked "So? Do I live next to a famous person yet?" She lowered her head and whispered something. "Oh Lils. I'm so sorry..." "Gotcha!!" "What! You got it!? I knew you would!" With a whoop and no care for her clothes, he lifted her off her feet and carried her over his shoulder doing a very Rockyesque imitation. Laughing, Lily held on for her life; it would be a long way down if she fell.
"Aaron!! Put me down! You're ruining my outfit." "Who cares about your outfit dollface! Let's celebrate." "Only if you shower and clean off first." Aaron looked down and grinned, not at all sheepishly. "If you say so. Order a pizza and I'll bring the wine. You can tell me all about it!" She laughed as he raced inside his house. "What a fool," she said with a smile on her face.
He watched the man lift his target and run like a baboon around the yard. "Idiot man." An unfamiliar sensation filled him and for the first time he seriously considered abandoning his plan. "Get a hold of yourself. Now is not the time to have second thoughts. It's almost time." Yes, yes it was almost time. The days light was growing dimmer by the minute and soon he would be cloaked in darkness, his favorite time of day. It was his own personal playground at night and only a few of his family attempted to go out during the day. It wasn't done.
He passed by her house. Yes, tonight was part of the plan. Her lights started flickering on and though he wished he could stay and watch, that was not on the agenda for the evening. No, tonight was the trial run and he couldn't afford any mistakes. All the kinks had to be ironed out before he went to her.
He prowled the street looking, just looking. "Ahh..." he thought as he spotted his mark. "This will be fun..."
So readers of my blog, are you intrigued? Are you on the edge of your seat with anticipation? Let me know if you want to know more about Lily, Aaron, and our mysterious italicized menace!
Chapter One:
He watched her. Hidden in the shadows, low to the ground and daring not to move an inch, he watched her.
Lily marched triumphantly down the street. She had gotten the lead in the play! Ha! Finally all her hard work had paid off. All those acting classes. How many head shots had she labored over, debating over which pose and hair style before selecting the top three. And the voice lessons, don't even go that direction. Eponine from Les Miserables was hers and no one, especially that tart Julia, could take that away from her.
As she walked home, she felt a tickle in her shoulder blade. Idly scratching it she continued on her merry way, whistling a cherry tune and waving to the people she passed. It was dusk and the sun was setting on the glorious day, at least in Lily's mind. What could possibly go wrong on this wonderful day! Pausing at the sidewalk, she bent over and retied her shoe lace. That nagging sensation washed over her again and this time she looked over her shoulder. Just a couple of bushes next to an old church. But... a small tremble. She peered closer and felt the wind blow through her hair. "Lily, get a grip. It's just the wind for Pete's sake." Straightening she continued her march home as she skipped across the street.
"She almost saw me," the shadow thought. "So close... maybe next time." His hatred for her was as pure as white snow and deep as a well. It had always been this way, he was raised to believe in certain things and hating the tall brunette was one of those things.
But... sometimes he felt that his hatred wasn't pure. Sometimes he worried he wasn't going to be able to fulfill his goal. In those times, he would sit and think hard on the subject. His entire life in question but what would he do if she wasn't there? His mother would banish him for sure and when he thought of that it was too much and banished all other thoughts.
Soon it would be dark and then he would plan. Planning was crucial to his plan. Everyone in the clan knew that he planned and thought he was crazy. "Why plan?" they would say. "Just act. Why do you wait? She will get away from you. There are more to taken. Hurry!" They didn't understand his need for the perfect moment. Then and only then, would he act.
Lily reached her sidewalk, her keys jingling in her hand. "Lily!!! Lily!!! Did you get it!" Lily turned her head and saw her next-door-neighbor Aaron rush out from underneath the hood of his rusty 1963 Mercury Comet, his pride and joy. Wiping the grease from his hands on his shirt, he moved across his yard to hers with surprising speed for a 6 foot tall man. Hands on his hips, he asked "So? Do I live next to a famous person yet?" She lowered her head and whispered something. "Oh Lils. I'm so sorry..." "Gotcha!!" "What! You got it!? I knew you would!" With a whoop and no care for her clothes, he lifted her off her feet and carried her over his shoulder doing a very Rockyesque imitation. Laughing, Lily held on for her life; it would be a long way down if she fell.
"Aaron!! Put me down! You're ruining my outfit." "Who cares about your outfit dollface! Let's celebrate." "Only if you shower and clean off first." Aaron looked down and grinned, not at all sheepishly. "If you say so. Order a pizza and I'll bring the wine. You can tell me all about it!" She laughed as he raced inside his house. "What a fool," she said with a smile on her face.
He watched the man lift his target and run like a baboon around the yard. "Idiot man." An unfamiliar sensation filled him and for the first time he seriously considered abandoning his plan. "Get a hold of yourself. Now is not the time to have second thoughts. It's almost time." Yes, yes it was almost time. The days light was growing dimmer by the minute and soon he would be cloaked in darkness, his favorite time of day. It was his own personal playground at night and only a few of his family attempted to go out during the day. It wasn't done.
He passed by her house. Yes, tonight was part of the plan. Her lights started flickering on and though he wished he could stay and watch, that was not on the agenda for the evening. No, tonight was the trial run and he couldn't afford any mistakes. All the kinks had to be ironed out before he went to her.
He prowled the street looking, just looking. "Ahh..." he thought as he spotted his mark. "This will be fun..."
So readers of my blog, are you intrigued? Are you on the edge of your seat with anticipation? Let me know if you want to know more about Lily, Aaron, and our mysterious italicized menace!
Monday, October 17, 2011
Dancing Through Life
::deep breathing:: So sorry guys. I know its been a while since I have graced your Internet but I have been extremely busy with a new job (WAHOO!) and enjoying my new found freedom of evenings and weekends. But have no fear, Kate is here! Well, back. And for good this time!
::still catching my breath:: You'll have to excuse me, I'm just catching my breath. From what you ask? Well, I didn't want to spoil anything for you, but I think I found the cure to... basically everything. Mildly intrigued? Come on, you're dying to hear what the cure to everything is, I just know it. Well, here it is...
DANCING!!!
::chirp, chirp:: Um. Let me try this again. Drum roll please! ::badabadabada:: DANCING!!
Still nothing? Wow, you are a hard crowd to please. Do you need some hard evidence to believe me? Ok. I got your evidence right here.
Dancing is a great way to exercise. Exercise gives you endorphins. Endorphins make you happy. Happy people just don't shoot their husbands, they just don't. Um... off track.
At my old job, I used to a wake up/get pumped for the day dance. I would put some hip-swinging, toe-tapping song on and just let go. Yes there were windows all around me and in a heavily trafficked area. So? I didn't care who saw me. If they did see me, I can guarantee that my dancing at the very least put a smile on their face. I would also dance down the aisle around lunchtime and definitely late at night. (There are two videos for proof.) I miss being able to just let go and de-stress by dancing. I do my best by dancing in my swivelly chair now. I'm a grown up. I have to act like one. Psych! ( I do act like an adult Mom and Dad! Just have to maintain my persona on here!)
Did you know that you can dance in your car. It's true! There are a couple of techniques I would like to share with you. The first one is the torso swivel. You just wriggle like a snake. Simple, no? The shoulder shimmy is another personal favorite. I am a big fan of the head bang but it does not help with headaches. I have a specific play list that I put on whenever I'm in the mood to do some hardcore rocking out in my car. Windows down, back seat... whoops! Just kidding. In all seriousness, nothing makes my day better than a good car jamming session where I amaze fellow drivers with my dancing and singing skills in my car.
If my personal testimonials aren't enough to convince you, just look at pop culture. All of the dance shows (Dancing with the Stars, So You Think You Can Dance...) and the current release of Footloose. My rating: B+. Good acting, so-so music (Long live the original soundtrack, which coincidentally is one of the best car soundtracks EVER.), and the BEST dancing I have seen in a really long time.
Well, I think I have the best case I can make for dancing as the cure for everything. Try it. Can't hurt anything. (Unless you pull a muscle. That hurts.)
"Dancing through life/Mindless and careless/Make sure you wear less/Troubles and strife/Woes are fleeting/Blows are glancing/When you're dancing/Through life!"
::still catching my breath:: You'll have to excuse me, I'm just catching my breath. From what you ask? Well, I didn't want to spoil anything for you, but I think I found the cure to... basically everything. Mildly intrigued? Come on, you're dying to hear what the cure to everything is, I just know it. Well, here it is...
DANCING!!!
::chirp, chirp:: Um. Let me try this again. Drum roll please! ::badabadabada:: DANCING!!
Still nothing? Wow, you are a hard crowd to please. Do you need some hard evidence to believe me? Ok. I got your evidence right here.
Dancing is a great way to exercise. Exercise gives you endorphins. Endorphins make you happy. Happy people just don't shoot their husbands, they just don't. Um... off track.
At my old job, I used to a wake up/get pumped for the day dance. I would put some hip-swinging, toe-tapping song on and just let go. Yes there were windows all around me and in a heavily trafficked area. So? I didn't care who saw me. If they did see me, I can guarantee that my dancing at the very least put a smile on their face. I would also dance down the aisle around lunchtime and definitely late at night. (There are two videos for proof.) I miss being able to just let go and de-stress by dancing. I do my best by dancing in my swivelly chair now. I'm a grown up. I have to act like one. Psych! ( I do act like an adult Mom and Dad! Just have to maintain my persona on here!)
Did you know that you can dance in your car. It's true! There are a couple of techniques I would like to share with you. The first one is the torso swivel. You just wriggle like a snake. Simple, no? The shoulder shimmy is another personal favorite. I am a big fan of the head bang but it does not help with headaches. I have a specific play list that I put on whenever I'm in the mood to do some hardcore rocking out in my car. Windows down, back seat... whoops! Just kidding. In all seriousness, nothing makes my day better than a good car jamming session where I amaze fellow drivers with my dancing and singing skills in my car.
If my personal testimonials aren't enough to convince you, just look at pop culture. All of the dance shows (Dancing with the Stars, So You Think You Can Dance...) and the current release of Footloose. My rating: B+. Good acting, so-so music (Long live the original soundtrack, which coincidentally is one of the best car soundtracks EVER.), and the BEST dancing I have seen in a really long time.
Well, I think I have the best case I can make for dancing as the cure for everything. Try it. Can't hurt anything. (Unless you pull a muscle. That hurts.)
"Dancing through life/Mindless and careless/Make sure you wear less/Troubles and strife/Woes are fleeting/Blows are glancing/When you're dancing/Through life!"
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
To Live and Die By...
Will they or won't they? And when they do, will they be able to move past the curse? Epic or regrettable, destined or spontaneous. TV is full of romance and the reason many viewers come back is to see their couple(s) end up happily ever after. As the new TV season approaches, I feel many emotions. These characters have become my friends, I am invested in their lives. If they were to be real and ask me for advice I could and would do my very best to do right by them. But do the writers share that feeling? Let's evaluate, shall we?
Observation 1: Breaking up for breaking up's sake.
I can name so many classic couple who have been broken up and for the dumbest reasons. Last year, Glee was the biggest offender. 3 main (and beloved) couples were broken up purely to create drama. But the reasoning behind all the breakups was not believable. Believe me, I get it. Happy couples aren't entertaining. You can make as many arguments as you want but that's not why you watch couples. (An example would be every supercouple from Soap Operas. They are happy 10% of the time and the 90% is spent getting them together, causing misunderstandings, random plot devices, and breaking up for the 99th time. Luke and Laura anyone?) But when you break up a couple at least have a solid reason. I can't stand the stupid breakup.
Observation 2: Spontaneous couples are superior to initial couples.
This theory is very murky because there can be no hard evidence. Let me 'splain. No, there is too much. Let me sum up. (Eh? Eh?!) An initial couple are two characters that are slated to be together at the end of a series and they will get together and break up during the show, but they end up together. A good example of this would be Amy and Ephram of Everwood. Spontaneous couples are something a little more random. Two actors and their counterparts out of the have the best chemistry than could possibly have been foreseen. Our example would be Brittany and Artie of Glee. Now, clearly the initial couple has the advantage because they are who you are supposed to root for and have been programmed to love. But the beauty of the spontaneous couple is that you get to fall in love with them. There is no road map, it's just chemistry and it's a great thing to watch.
Observation 3: Falling for doomed romances.
The reason we watch TV is to forget our lives and troubles and to get so absorbed in somebody else's life. The worst part happens when you fall in love with the secondary romance or coupling that will never end well. Sure you might enjoy a lengthy storyline, a couple meaty episodes, or just lingering looks and touching moments. This is if your lucky. Sometimes all you get are moments where you create emotions and meanings behind every little nuance. I have luckily been on the winning side of the majority of winning couples but I have finally found myself in love with a doomed couple. I don't want to spoil it for you, but I know I have finally lost. And I find I don't like losing.
Observation 4: Moonlighting Curse
The "Moonlighting Curse". This phrase makes me so angry, for so many reasons. In case you don't know what it means I'll explain it. In the 80's there was a show called Moonlighting. Their "will they or won't they" drama ended when they finally "did" and ratings plummeted. This is always brought up when two popular characters have yet to "couple" and are dancing around the issue. I have two examples, Booth and Bones of Bones and Castle and Beckett of Castle. The writers of Bones have chosen their strategy to bypass the curse and I feel cheated. I won't go into much detail because of spoilers but I feel that you can't create a device to overcome the so-called "curse." If you have a talented staff of writers, your stories and plot lines should be realistic and complimentary to the couple. I don't mind waiting (and waiting and waiting and waiting...) for a couple to get together in the end. That's half the fun!!
Realistic or absurd, the couples are the core of a show. And we're stuck with them til the bitter end. Whenever that may be.
Observation 1: Breaking up for breaking up's sake.
I can name so many classic couple who have been broken up and for the dumbest reasons. Last year, Glee was the biggest offender. 3 main (and beloved) couples were broken up purely to create drama. But the reasoning behind all the breakups was not believable. Believe me, I get it. Happy couples aren't entertaining. You can make as many arguments as you want but that's not why you watch couples. (An example would be every supercouple from Soap Operas. They are happy 10% of the time and the 90% is spent getting them together, causing misunderstandings, random plot devices, and breaking up for the 99th time. Luke and Laura anyone?) But when you break up a couple at least have a solid reason. I can't stand the stupid breakup.
Observation 2: Spontaneous couples are superior to initial couples.
This theory is very murky because there can be no hard evidence. Let me 'splain. No, there is too much. Let me sum up. (Eh? Eh?!) An initial couple are two characters that are slated to be together at the end of a series and they will get together and break up during the show, but they end up together. A good example of this would be Amy and Ephram of Everwood. Spontaneous couples are something a little more random. Two actors and their counterparts out of the have the best chemistry than could possibly have been foreseen. Our example would be Brittany and Artie of Glee. Now, clearly the initial couple has the advantage because they are who you are supposed to root for and have been programmed to love. But the beauty of the spontaneous couple is that you get to fall in love with them. There is no road map, it's just chemistry and it's a great thing to watch.
Observation 3: Falling for doomed romances.
The reason we watch TV is to forget our lives and troubles and to get so absorbed in somebody else's life. The worst part happens when you fall in love with the secondary romance or coupling that will never end well. Sure you might enjoy a lengthy storyline, a couple meaty episodes, or just lingering looks and touching moments. This is if your lucky. Sometimes all you get are moments where you create emotions and meanings behind every little nuance. I have luckily been on the winning side of the majority of winning couples but I have finally found myself in love with a doomed couple. I don't want to spoil it for you, but I know I have finally lost. And I find I don't like losing.
Observation 4: Moonlighting Curse
The "Moonlighting Curse". This phrase makes me so angry, for so many reasons. In case you don't know what it means I'll explain it. In the 80's there was a show called Moonlighting. Their "will they or won't they" drama ended when they finally "did" and ratings plummeted. This is always brought up when two popular characters have yet to "couple" and are dancing around the issue. I have two examples, Booth and Bones of Bones and Castle and Beckett of Castle. The writers of Bones have chosen their strategy to bypass the curse and I feel cheated. I won't go into much detail because of spoilers but I feel that you can't create a device to overcome the so-called "curse." If you have a talented staff of writers, your stories and plot lines should be realistic and complimentary to the couple. I don't mind waiting (and waiting and waiting and waiting...) for a couple to get together in the end. That's half the fun!!
Realistic or absurd, the couples are the core of a show. And we're stuck with them til the bitter end. Whenever that may be.
Sunday, August 28, 2011
Crash Course in TV Watching
"Are you ready to rummmmmbbbllleee!?" Actually it's more like "Are you ready for Fall TVVVVVV?!" At least in my world the darkening of the leaves, the colder weather, and wearing of comfy clothes means that my beloved Fall Premiere Season is back. There are some many familiar faces that I have missed all summer long and fresh faces to fall in love with. ::Sigh::
Now as a seasoned veteran of TV watching, I am well prepared for the onslaught of new shows, confusing time changes, and managing my returning shows. But I realize that you may not be. Before I can even give a heads up on what shows I think you should pay attention to come September, I feel it is my duty, nay, my birthright to help prepare you. This may seem simple but in reality it is a grueling day to day training that rivals actually working out. (Thank goodness because I actually have doing any physical exercise.)
1. Get a good TV: Your current TV is probably old. You need a new one. If it looks like a bubble or box, you need to join us and get a flat screen. Choosing a TV is like choosing a fine wine. You need to examine style, substance, and the overall flavor. Bigger is always better. (That's what she said. Yep. I just went there. Deal with it.)
2. Be comfortable: This is where most newbies make the first and worst mistake. You never wear jeans or dress outfits to watch TV. Rookie mistake. Invest in some super comfy sweats or shorts. Anything that feels like you could die from happiness just by wearing it is a good sign. Avoid tight shirts as well.
3. Snacks: This is the best part of TV watching. There are so many possibilities. I have a couple go-to snacks but I like the idea of a snack for a day. Mondays are all about the comedies, eat some popcorn. Tuesdays are drama, drama, drama; chips are the way to go. Wednesday is a grab bag of shows; fruit and crackers and cheese. Thursdays is TVs version of a film festival with the heavy hitters trying to take each other out; go for gold and eat whatever you want and lots of variety.
4. Viewing Parties: This can get tricky. Some shows beg to be watched with a certain crowd, others are just more enjoyable to watch with others, and still other shows make you so tense that if someone interrupts it you kill them. It happens. Give yourself two to three weeks to judge what category your lineup falls into.
5. To DVR: If you eventually get to my level of TV watching, you can not watch every show on the night it airs. It happens, and this is a good thing. This allows you to choose a show you can't wait to see til the next day. And then you also have leftovers the next day! Win win!
Now that I have shared my some of my trade secrets, I hope you listen to my advice before the fall season starts! It's coming fast! EEEEK!
Now as a seasoned veteran of TV watching, I am well prepared for the onslaught of new shows, confusing time changes, and managing my returning shows. But I realize that you may not be. Before I can even give a heads up on what shows I think you should pay attention to come September, I feel it is my duty, nay, my birthright to help prepare you. This may seem simple but in reality it is a grueling day to day training that rivals actually working out. (Thank goodness because I actually have doing any physical exercise.)
1. Get a good TV: Your current TV is probably old. You need a new one. If it looks like a bubble or box, you need to join us and get a flat screen. Choosing a TV is like choosing a fine wine. You need to examine style, substance, and the overall flavor. Bigger is always better. (That's what she said. Yep. I just went there. Deal with it.)
2. Be comfortable: This is where most newbies make the first and worst mistake. You never wear jeans or dress outfits to watch TV. Rookie mistake. Invest in some super comfy sweats or shorts. Anything that feels like you could die from happiness just by wearing it is a good sign. Avoid tight shirts as well.
3. Snacks: This is the best part of TV watching. There are so many possibilities. I have a couple go-to snacks but I like the idea of a snack for a day. Mondays are all about the comedies, eat some popcorn. Tuesdays are drama, drama, drama; chips are the way to go. Wednesday is a grab bag of shows; fruit and crackers and cheese. Thursdays is TVs version of a film festival with the heavy hitters trying to take each other out; go for gold and eat whatever you want and lots of variety.
4. Viewing Parties: This can get tricky. Some shows beg to be watched with a certain crowd, others are just more enjoyable to watch with others, and still other shows make you so tense that if someone interrupts it you kill them. It happens. Give yourself two to three weeks to judge what category your lineup falls into.
5. To DVR: If you eventually get to my level of TV watching, you can not watch every show on the night it airs. It happens, and this is a good thing. This allows you to choose a show you can't wait to see til the next day. And then you also have leftovers the next day! Win win!
Now that I have shared my some of my trade secrets, I hope you listen to my advice before the fall season starts! It's coming fast! EEEEK!
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Hi, My Name is Kate and I'm an Addict.
It's time to just admit it. It's really difficult to tell you guys but I just really feel like I should be honest. It's not that bad really. Everyone does it. We're all addicts. So, welcome fellow addicts. Welcome to Bad Movies Anonymous . We are all guilty of loving awful movies. Don't even try to deny it.
I can hear you all denying it. I don't love bad movies. I would never be caught dead watching that movie. (Actually, I caught you. Fess up.) My friend/spouse/whoever made me watch that. I hated it. I don't own it on Blu-Ray. Yeah. Sure. I believe you. (I know someone who owns 'Xanadu' and that movie is B-A-D. But totally awesome.)
I'll tell you straight up that I proudly love some truly awful movies. I have no shame. I could tell you that in order to appreciate really good movies you have to see some gosh darn bad ones but that wouldn't be quite true. I honestly love bad movies. Why? They are so easy to make fun of and just relax when watching them. Bad movies are just enjoyable. And who says they are bad in the first place? Entertainment Weekly? ( I love that magazine but rarely agree with their reviews.) Working in a video store has given me a lot of perspective on people who rent gems like 'Life is Hot in Crack Town'. (Yep, that's a movie title. It's on my list of movies to watch.) Or why people watch every SyFy (Still hate the new abbreviation. Grrrr...) movie that they come out with. 'Birdemic' anyone?
The people who watch these movies are genuinely excited about them. And who am I to tell them that they are wasting their money. I love so many movies that most people sneer at. For example I can't go more than a week without watching 'Burlesque' and let me be the first to tell you that if you want some campy Cher/Christina action this movie delivers. 'Grease 2' is a classic in my book, not only for the stellar musical number "Let's Do It For Our Country" or "Reproduction" but for a sassy Michelle Pfeiffer singing that she needs a 'Cool Rider.' You haven't seen it because it would be sacrilege to the late great 'Grease,' I understand. But if you consider them as completely separate entities you can fully enjoy the awesomeness.
What about Sandra Bullock's supposed flop 'All About Steve?' While no where in league with 'The Blind Side' or 'The Proposal,' 'Steve' allows for a slow-building, sincere plot while engaging in insane antics that really delivers a fantastic message about just being yourself. I'm only a tiny bit ashamed to say that I own not only the CD but the DVD for 'American Mall' and 'Spectacular,' some cable channels attempt at 'High School Musical' fame. I'm sure I own way more "bad movies" than I can think of, but who cares? If it's entertaining, why let someone tell you differently?
So the lesson that is being learned today is that it is okay to embrace bad movies. Every movie is someones favorite movie. Some of your best memories can come from watching a truly horrendous film. Would you really miss out on those moments because someone told you it was 'a bad movie' ? I say, heck no. So, welcome to Bad Movies Anonymous. There's coffee and donuts after we're done.
I can hear you all denying it. I don't love bad movies. I would never be caught dead watching that movie. (Actually, I caught you. Fess up.) My friend/spouse/whoever made me watch that. I hated it. I don't own it on Blu-Ray. Yeah. Sure. I believe you. (I know someone who owns 'Xanadu' and that movie is B-A-D. But totally awesome.)
I'll tell you straight up that I proudly love some truly awful movies. I have no shame. I could tell you that in order to appreciate really good movies you have to see some gosh darn bad ones but that wouldn't be quite true. I honestly love bad movies. Why? They are so easy to make fun of and just relax when watching them. Bad movies are just enjoyable. And who says they are bad in the first place? Entertainment Weekly? ( I love that magazine but rarely agree with their reviews.) Working in a video store has given me a lot of perspective on people who rent gems like 'Life is Hot in Crack Town'. (Yep, that's a movie title. It's on my list of movies to watch.) Or why people watch every SyFy (Still hate the new abbreviation. Grrrr...) movie that they come out with. 'Birdemic' anyone?
The people who watch these movies are genuinely excited about them. And who am I to tell them that they are wasting their money. I love so many movies that most people sneer at. For example I can't go more than a week without watching 'Burlesque' and let me be the first to tell you that if you want some campy Cher/Christina action this movie delivers. 'Grease 2' is a classic in my book, not only for the stellar musical number "Let's Do It For Our Country" or "Reproduction" but for a sassy Michelle Pfeiffer singing that she needs a 'Cool Rider.' You haven't seen it because it would be sacrilege to the late great 'Grease,' I understand. But if you consider them as completely separate entities you can fully enjoy the awesomeness.
What about Sandra Bullock's supposed flop 'All About Steve?' While no where in league with 'The Blind Side' or 'The Proposal,' 'Steve' allows for a slow-building, sincere plot while engaging in insane antics that really delivers a fantastic message about just being yourself. I'm only a tiny bit ashamed to say that I own not only the CD but the DVD for 'American Mall' and 'Spectacular,' some cable channels attempt at 'High School Musical' fame. I'm sure I own way more "bad movies" than I can think of, but who cares? If it's entertaining, why let someone tell you differently?
So the lesson that is being learned today is that it is okay to embrace bad movies. Every movie is someones favorite movie. Some of your best memories can come from watching a truly horrendous film. Would you really miss out on those moments because someone told you it was 'a bad movie' ? I say, heck no. So, welcome to Bad Movies Anonymous. There's coffee and donuts after we're done.
Monday, July 18, 2011
To The Boy Who Lived
I haven't written in a while, mostly because I knew I really wanted to dedicate a blog to the world wide phenomenon that is Harry Potter. But in reality, I just didn't want to say goodbye. I would be already to sit down and write about my rereading of all seven books but something would stop me. I thought, wait til after the movie. You can compare and contrast. And so I forgot. At the theater, I thought it would be a really great time to write about waiting in line and some fun memories. I just couldn't seem to sit down and say what this series really means to me, because if I did it would be mean that it was really and truly over.
My story of Harry Potter begins about 14 years ago. After reading the first three books quicker than Voldemort can say "Avada Kedavra", the first movie was coming out the day before my high school placement test in 2001. Aunt Nan came over and we had our first ever Harry Potter premiere party (soon to be the place to be when a new movie came out. Nobody throws a Potter Party then us.) and I still have the picture of us wearing our very own broken glasses. This led to waiting in line for seats and waiting in line for the following 4 books to come out.
The last book was amazing. People died and people came together and expressed their true feelings. Not really that different from most epic stories, I'll admit, but the way J.K. Rowling brought it all together made all the difference. I read the book in 5 hours ( Albeit I took breaks to prolong the ending. I remember pausing on the beginning of the battle, closing the cover and taking deep breaths because this was it. The end.) After it was over, we had three more movies to look forward to.
Before I tell you about my last two weeks, I want to stress a point I don't think most people care to take into consideration. The movies.... (Ready for this?) are not going to be as good as the books. Did I just blow your mind? I know, crazy sauce. The movies are a companion to the books. Do I still compare them? Of course. But they are meant to be taken as entertainment and to allow people who haven't or won't read the books to enjoy them. ( Why I don't think I will ever understand. If you still haven't read them, at least listen to them on tape.) The writers of the movies are going to change things, it's inevitable. Sometimes it's for the better, sometimes not. They have to take what's in print and translate it to the screen and put their own mark on it.
I have actually never read the books back-to-back. I've read them all at least 5 times, but never 1-7, making it my new goal to do so before the last movie came out. I was doing really well; the Tuesday prior to the movie I was on Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, which was not always my favorite but on rereading it this time I actually fell in love with it. I had my tickets (14 to be exact) for the midnight movie and my tickets for the 3 a.m. 3-D IMAX showing. Did you just read that right? Was I actually seeing it twice? Back to back? It gets better...
See, I don't like getting to movies late. I like to get there early. Well, seeing as this was the last Harry Potter movie I was convinced people would be there very, very, very, very early. So I needed to be there first. I got there at 5 a.m. Thursday morning. Yep, you read that correctly. I got there and the cleaning crew was finishing up. But, I was first! I pulled out my book and started reading in my car. Around 6 o'clock, the parking lot lights went off but by 6:30 the sun was coming up. I sat in my car til 9 when the theater opened up and went in and sat in my line.
You can call my crazy, others already have. I had nothing better to do that day then to dedicate it to Harry Potter. I met some great people and made it into the paper. If you have Facebook you can go see my video blog I did during my 17 and half hour wait til midnight, they are quite comical if you can imagine. As I sat in my seat, with the lights dimming, all I could think was this is the end.
Did I like it? Absolutely. I loved it. It might be one of my favorite movies. Did they change things around and add some new stuff. Of course. Doesn't really bother me. The movies have always been there to be companions to the books but these last three movies have allowed them to stand alone from the books too. Director David Yates deserves most of the credit for this as do the very talented cast. Did I cry? Duh. As soon as Professor McGonagall came on screen and the battle truly began, there were tears. I did cry harder the second time but that might have something to do with exhaustion.
I saw the movie again yesterday for the third time and it just keeps getting better. You notice new things, are able to actually hear some of the quieter lines, and just really able to enjoy the movie. It was funny but not as funny as others in the past. Some people say that the humor diminished the drama but in real life there are funny moments during devastating events. Also, it's a movie people. The final battle sequence is different than in the books but honestly it doesn't bother me. I was able to say goodbye and still love the movies and books equally.
Saying goodbye to the actors who brought life to our characters was harder than I thought. I won't say who dies but the sniffling and sobbing heard in the theater tells me that I wasn't the only one devastated all over again. Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, and Rupert Grint will always be Harry, Hermione, and Ron to me.
Is this really goodbye? Of course not. But in a way it is a goodbye to my childhood. I do know that I will always be a kid at heart so I'm not completely saying goodbye. It's just hard to know that there will never be more. But in a way, we can always go back....
"... so whether you come back by page or by the big screen, Hogwarts will always be there to welcome you home." J.K. Rowling
My story of Harry Potter begins about 14 years ago. After reading the first three books quicker than Voldemort can say "Avada Kedavra", the first movie was coming out the day before my high school placement test in 2001. Aunt Nan came over and we had our first ever Harry Potter premiere party (soon to be the place to be when a new movie came out. Nobody throws a Potter Party then us.) and I still have the picture of us wearing our very own broken glasses. This led to waiting in line for seats and waiting in line for the following 4 books to come out.
The last book was amazing. People died and people came together and expressed their true feelings. Not really that different from most epic stories, I'll admit, but the way J.K. Rowling brought it all together made all the difference. I read the book in 5 hours ( Albeit I took breaks to prolong the ending. I remember pausing on the beginning of the battle, closing the cover and taking deep breaths because this was it. The end.) After it was over, we had three more movies to look forward to.
Before I tell you about my last two weeks, I want to stress a point I don't think most people care to take into consideration. The movies.... (Ready for this?) are not going to be as good as the books. Did I just blow your mind? I know, crazy sauce. The movies are a companion to the books. Do I still compare them? Of course. But they are meant to be taken as entertainment and to allow people who haven't or won't read the books to enjoy them. ( Why I don't think I will ever understand. If you still haven't read them, at least listen to them on tape.) The writers of the movies are going to change things, it's inevitable. Sometimes it's for the better, sometimes not. They have to take what's in print and translate it to the screen and put their own mark on it.
I have actually never read the books back-to-back. I've read them all at least 5 times, but never 1-7, making it my new goal to do so before the last movie came out. I was doing really well; the Tuesday prior to the movie I was on Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, which was not always my favorite but on rereading it this time I actually fell in love with it. I had my tickets (14 to be exact) for the midnight movie and my tickets for the 3 a.m. 3-D IMAX showing. Did you just read that right? Was I actually seeing it twice? Back to back? It gets better...
See, I don't like getting to movies late. I like to get there early. Well, seeing as this was the last Harry Potter movie I was convinced people would be there very, very, very, very early. So I needed to be there first. I got there at 5 a.m. Thursday morning. Yep, you read that correctly. I got there and the cleaning crew was finishing up. But, I was first! I pulled out my book and started reading in my car. Around 6 o'clock, the parking lot lights went off but by 6:30 the sun was coming up. I sat in my car til 9 when the theater opened up and went in and sat in my line.
You can call my crazy, others already have. I had nothing better to do that day then to dedicate it to Harry Potter. I met some great people and made it into the paper. If you have Facebook you can go see my video blog I did during my 17 and half hour wait til midnight, they are quite comical if you can imagine. As I sat in my seat, with the lights dimming, all I could think was this is the end.
Did I like it? Absolutely. I loved it. It might be one of my favorite movies. Did they change things around and add some new stuff. Of course. Doesn't really bother me. The movies have always been there to be companions to the books but these last three movies have allowed them to stand alone from the books too. Director David Yates deserves most of the credit for this as do the very talented cast. Did I cry? Duh. As soon as Professor McGonagall came on screen and the battle truly began, there were tears. I did cry harder the second time but that might have something to do with exhaustion.
I saw the movie again yesterday for the third time and it just keeps getting better. You notice new things, are able to actually hear some of the quieter lines, and just really able to enjoy the movie. It was funny but not as funny as others in the past. Some people say that the humor diminished the drama but in real life there are funny moments during devastating events. Also, it's a movie people. The final battle sequence is different than in the books but honestly it doesn't bother me. I was able to say goodbye and still love the movies and books equally.
Saying goodbye to the actors who brought life to our characters was harder than I thought. I won't say who dies but the sniffling and sobbing heard in the theater tells me that I wasn't the only one devastated all over again. Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, and Rupert Grint will always be Harry, Hermione, and Ron to me.
Is this really goodbye? Of course not. But in a way it is a goodbye to my childhood. I do know that I will always be a kid at heart so I'm not completely saying goodbye. It's just hard to know that there will never be more. But in a way, we can always go back....
"... so whether you come back by page or by the big screen, Hogwarts will always be there to welcome you home." J.K. Rowling
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
See You In Another Life Brotha'
I come to you today with heavy heart. I was just going to do a blog about shows that have gone on to that Great White TV Heaven in the Sky, one of those shows being the late, great Lost. My freshman year of college, I didn't really know anyone. My RA, Emma, watched Lost too. I used to run down to her room and knock incessantly because I was so excited about what had just happened. A friend of Emma's, Ian Young, would be there and we would sit for hours and discuss and discuss and discuss. Well, I found out today that Ian passed away. I would like to dedicate this blog to Ian and Emma, both of whom need our prayers.
Some shows find a better life after death. Why? Because people get bored and ask their friends what is good to watch, and they wanna watch it right now. Immediacy. And nothing says immediacy like the entire series on DVD, online, or Netflix. Other people come across these shows through TV reruns, or even an impassioned fan who still mourns the loss of weekly entertainment. No shock here that I am one of these fans. TV is a fickle creature and networks are vicious and cruel to us TV watchers, letting us fall in love and then ripping them away. Here are some of my dearly departed shows that I think you should fall in love with, post mortem.
Firefly:
Cowboys. Space Cowboys? Yes please. Joss Whedon's late great Firefly is one of the biggest tragedies of television. Only 11 shows aired out 14 (all can be found on the DVD set) and some out of order. Joss, like his Captain Mal Reynolds (an anti-hero, bitter by his war time experiences and turned smuggler who becomes involved in a conspiracy with his enemy), did not give up so easily. A movie was made, Serenity, and did mildly alright but not enough to further any sort of production. Look for Joss' signature dialogue (Mal: And I never back down from a fight. Inara: Yes, you do! You do all the time! Mal: Well... yeah, but I'm not backing down from this one!), quirky characters, and all around good story telling. "Shiny. Let's go be bad guys."
Veronica Mars:
Nancy Drew with sass. Rob Thomas' genius was gritty and witty, with a mystery to boot! 3 seasons with mysteries, family drama (one of TV's best father/daughter relationships), romance (epic romance), and some of the best twists television had never seen coming. Kristen Bell (of Michigan roots) was our feisty heroine before she hit movie star fame. The premise: Veronica's best friend is murdered and Veronica, only allowed to be cool because of her, was relegated back to her place at the bottom of the social ladder. Her father, once the sheriff, was fired and now runs a private investigation office. Veronica finds out the truth and more. Seriously, go watch this show. "They gave me a choice. I could stand by my dad, or stand by Duncan and my dead best friend's family. I chose Dad. It's a decision I live with every day. And you want to know the kicker? I don't even know what's true anymore. Maybe everyone else is right. Maybe Dad screwed up the investigation. Maybe I gave up my circle of friends - my life - over an error in Dad's judgment."
Alias:
Girl spy who finds out she is working for the people who killed her fiance and goes to work as a double agent for the CIA. Oh, and her dad is a double agent too. Throw in a dash of Rimbaldi mystery, a cup of romance, and just a pinch of betrayal and you have the hit show starring Jennifer Garner. J.J. Abrams first true brain child was a smash hit that fell to the rating executioner. But after 5 seasons of a well-rounded cast, dead relatives being not-so-dead, lots of costumes, another epic romance, and an Emmy, the only regret to have is that you don't have the collector's edition Rimbaldi cube which contains all the seasons plus a hidden compartment with special features. Oh, but I do! "The irony is they never lied to me about what would happen if I told someone. It was the one thing they said that turned out to be true. Now I'm a double agent for the C.I.A. and I will be until SD-6 is gone."
Lost:
"Guys, where are we?" With that closing line at the end of a pilot, millions were hooked. Plane crashes, people must work together to survive. Seems simple enough. Polar bears, weird smoke monster, giant foot statue, and oh yeah The Others. Still simple? Not even close. But if you stayed on for the ride, it was truly worth the wait to get all (or most) of the answers that the show threw at viewers. Diverse characters, superb writing (just ignore some season 2) and some of the cleverest plot techniques television had yet to see. People who watched the show can't stop talking about it's end a year later and it still begs many questions. 6 seasons of a psychological thriller that pulls you in start to finish. "Live together, or die alone."
These four shows are some of my favorites and I encourage you to jump on the fan trains. I miss them but I know that they are always there waiting for me to put in another disc. As Desmond from Lost tells Jack, "See you in another life, brotha."
Some shows find a better life after death. Why? Because people get bored and ask their friends what is good to watch, and they wanna watch it right now. Immediacy. And nothing says immediacy like the entire series on DVD, online, or Netflix. Other people come across these shows through TV reruns, or even an impassioned fan who still mourns the loss of weekly entertainment. No shock here that I am one of these fans. TV is a fickle creature and networks are vicious and cruel to us TV watchers, letting us fall in love and then ripping them away. Here are some of my dearly departed shows that I think you should fall in love with, post mortem.
Firefly:
Cowboys. Space Cowboys? Yes please. Joss Whedon's late great Firefly is one of the biggest tragedies of television. Only 11 shows aired out 14 (all can be found on the DVD set) and some out of order. Joss, like his Captain Mal Reynolds (an anti-hero, bitter by his war time experiences and turned smuggler who becomes involved in a conspiracy with his enemy), did not give up so easily. A movie was made, Serenity, and did mildly alright but not enough to further any sort of production. Look for Joss' signature dialogue (Mal: And I never back down from a fight. Inara: Yes, you do! You do all the time! Mal: Well... yeah, but I'm not backing down from this one!), quirky characters, and all around good story telling. "Shiny. Let's go be bad guys."
Veronica Mars:
Nancy Drew with sass. Rob Thomas' genius was gritty and witty, with a mystery to boot! 3 seasons with mysteries, family drama (one of TV's best father/daughter relationships), romance (epic romance), and some of the best twists television had never seen coming. Kristen Bell (of Michigan roots) was our feisty heroine before she hit movie star fame. The premise: Veronica's best friend is murdered and Veronica, only allowed to be cool because of her, was relegated back to her place at the bottom of the social ladder. Her father, once the sheriff, was fired and now runs a private investigation office. Veronica finds out the truth and more. Seriously, go watch this show. "They gave me a choice. I could stand by my dad, or stand by Duncan and my dead best friend's family. I chose Dad. It's a decision I live with every day. And you want to know the kicker? I don't even know what's true anymore. Maybe everyone else is right. Maybe Dad screwed up the investigation. Maybe I gave up my circle of friends - my life - over an error in Dad's judgment."
Alias:
Girl spy who finds out she is working for the people who killed her fiance and goes to work as a double agent for the CIA. Oh, and her dad is a double agent too. Throw in a dash of Rimbaldi mystery, a cup of romance, and just a pinch of betrayal and you have the hit show starring Jennifer Garner. J.J. Abrams first true brain child was a smash hit that fell to the rating executioner. But after 5 seasons of a well-rounded cast, dead relatives being not-so-dead, lots of costumes, another epic romance, and an Emmy, the only regret to have is that you don't have the collector's edition Rimbaldi cube which contains all the seasons plus a hidden compartment with special features. Oh, but I do! "The irony is they never lied to me about what would happen if I told someone. It was the one thing they said that turned out to be true. Now I'm a double agent for the C.I.A. and I will be until SD-6 is gone."
Lost:
"Guys, where are we?" With that closing line at the end of a pilot, millions were hooked. Plane crashes, people must work together to survive. Seems simple enough. Polar bears, weird smoke monster, giant foot statue, and oh yeah The Others. Still simple? Not even close. But if you stayed on for the ride, it was truly worth the wait to get all (or most) of the answers that the show threw at viewers. Diverse characters, superb writing (just ignore some season 2) and some of the cleverest plot techniques television had yet to see. People who watched the show can't stop talking about it's end a year later and it still begs many questions. 6 seasons of a psychological thriller that pulls you in start to finish. "Live together, or die alone."
These four shows are some of my favorites and I encourage you to jump on the fan trains. I miss them but I know that they are always there waiting for me to put in another disc. As Desmond from Lost tells Jack, "See you in another life, brotha."
Friday, June 17, 2011
Songs to Live and Die By
“Many people die with their music still in them. Too often is it because they are always getting ready to live. Before they know it, time runs out.” (One Tree Hill) This blog is dedicated to the music that influences movies and television.
I'm gonna go on a little Glee rant for a little bit. Most people who know me know that I love this show. It is one of my favorites, but not my all time favorite. (There's an idea for a blog. Score.) I love many things about the show but for obvious reasons one of the things I love most about it is the music. I love learning new songs and for the most part I love their take on ones I already know. I was lucky enough to go see them in concert this week. WOW. Just amazing. I felt like I was in an episode. Do you ever have a moment where you know you will remember it forever? I had that moment.
This seems like a really sappy blog and I don't really mean it to be that. I just believe that music is vital to television and movies to convey a message or tone or even to tell you what is happening. There are moments from shows/movies that I can tell you what song is playing because it embedded itself in my mind while watching it, for whatever reason. Peyton and Lucas' theme song is "Heartbeats" by Jose Gonzalez. I can picture the scene with this song whenever I hear it. That's just one example.
I love when the music editors use conflicting music with the images. The scene is a brutal massacre with bullets flying and people dying, but the music is a happy one. The characters are at a funeral and the day is bleak but the music is peppy. These contrasts add an element to the show. If every time the music gets louder when the killer is right behind the victim, it takes the fun out of the kill.
TV/Movies can be a treasure trove of new music that you never knew existed. Soundtracks seem outdated but they are just an old-fashioned mix-tape. And who doesn't love a mix-tape? No one. Everybody loves mix-tapes. You ever met some body and say "You want a mix-tape?" And they say, "Hell no, I don't want no mix-tape?" Mix-tapes are delicious. (What? Name that movie that I just made my quote into!) Some of my favorite artist or songs I found through soundtracks*.
Who can say that they don't know the score to Jaws? I dare you to find someone. You won't be able to. Every girl can identify the score to Titanic. (Not every girl but most.) Jurassic Park and Pirates of the Carribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl has some of the most recognizable music that instantly puts you in the mindset of the movie. Transformers is the same way.
The point of this blog tag teams a point I made in a previous blog about the lack of theme songs. I say bring them back. I miss them. I have nothing else really to add the thought just that it needs to happen. Case in point: Nothing gets me in the mood for Pretty Little Liars or True Blood more than their theme songs.
Do you have a memory that involves music from the movies or television? Do you agree? Do you even notice?
* Kate Voegele, Wakey! Wakey!, Brendan James are smaller artists who could use some new fans! Also Andy Grammar!
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
Lions and Tigers and Vampires? Oh My.
Creatures that go bump in the night. Sparkly. (No. Just for the record. No.) Souls. (Or the soulless.) An undead human who drinks blood. Vampires. Love them or hate them, they are here to stay in our pop culture. I'm gonna break down four shows/movies that highlight the creatures of the night. (In case you can't tell, I like vamps. Surprise!)
My favorite and in my opinion, one and true mythological source for vampires, comes from the brilliant mind of Joss Whedon. Besides being my personal role model, he is a known throughout the industry as one of the most respected and creative geniuses of our day. Whedon wrote the original script of Buffy the Vampire, the movie, only to leave production because the movie veered drastically from his vision. He took his idea to the small screen instead and the TV show was born, spanning two networks, multiple time-slots, 7 seasons, and a spin-off that also lasted 5 seasons. His vampires can be killed by sunlight, drink human blood, and are the closest to Anne Rice's vampire.
I love Buffy. I love the mythology, I love the characters, I love the stories and parallels Whedon infused into the plot. His dialogue even created such a pop-culture phenomenon that a course was/is taught at a college in California. Scooby-speak was imitated and still is to this day. The main vampires in the show revolve around to evil (sometimes) vampires who were completely different (and have different coloring.) Angel and Spike. Both started off as evil, (they are actually related, in a vampire way. Darla sired Angel. Angel sired Drusilla. Drusilla sired Spike. Got it?) both got their soul back (Angel was cursed with his by a Gyspy tribe, Spike went through trials to get his back), both saved the world and both fell in love with Buffy.
After a while Buffy and her Scooby Gang lost the public and mainstream attention. A couple years ago a new breed of vampires hit the scene and they haven't left, much to the dismay of many. Stephanie Meyer created a love story between Bella Swan and Edward Cullen, a vampire. The Twilight Saga was born and I have to say even I was bitten. (Haha.) The story is nothing new, the main character is obnoxious, the vampires sparkle (WHAT?!!?!), and the highly anticipated fourth installment had the most anti-climatic fight scene in the history of the world. (I'm dead serious.) Despite my negative review, there is something about the books that just sucks you in and then its 5 a.m. and you've finished two of the books in 6 hours.
The Cullen clan are different from other vampires, they don't drink human blood. These vampires don't burn in the sun rather they sparkle. They look like models and move with the grace of a dancer. I try to not think about the mythology to much. The movies. Oh, the movies. I am addicted. They are awful. Especially when compared to the books. Still, I have seen every single one at midnight opening night and plan on seeing the final two at midnight, by myself if I have too. I must have been compelled by a vampire to do this but I have no choice.
The next vampire to hit the scene also was adapted from a book series. True Blood is addictive, soapy (in the best possible way), graphic, and violent. Everything a vampire show should be. There's just one problem for me, I hate the main character. Sookie Stackhouse is just plain obnoxious. After getting hooked on the show, I decided to read the first book and I didn't make it past page 3. I blame the TV character on the book character. Again, simple love story. Girl meets vampire. Fall in love and drink each others blood. Girl has powers. Other vampire needs her powers. Said vampires battle for girl. Other plots ensue.
The vampires on the show bleed during the day, their blood is a drug to humans, and when staked they explode. The mythology of the show is still evolving but it's better than sparkling in the sunlight. The thing I love about True Blood is the campy feel of the show. Sure, they rip people's throats out and show you. There are graphic scenes that aren't all together necessary. (Not appropriate for children. At all.) The cast is one of the hottest in business and by hottest I do mean physically. But each episode ends on a cliffhanger. What a way to keep me coming back.
The final and newest addition is based off a book series as well. The Vampire Diaries is a compelling show on the CW. No surprise here but it revolves around two vampire brothers (they are actually brothers who fell for a vampire back in the 1800's who turned them both) who fall in love a girl. This show's vampire mythology is more defined and makes much more sense. They can't go into sunlight unless they have a ring that allows them to live more like humans. They drink blood and have the super human strength.
I think the Buffyverse is the best for vampire mythology because it isn't being adapted from a book. This is coming straight from a man's imagination, which allows it to bend and change as the circumstances call for. Twilight is addictive and so is True Blood. The Vampire Diaries fills the whole Buffy left on television and I couldn't be any happier.
Unless Damon showed up outside my door. Then I might be happier.
My favorite and in my opinion, one and true mythological source for vampires, comes from the brilliant mind of Joss Whedon. Besides being my personal role model, he is a known throughout the industry as one of the most respected and creative geniuses of our day. Whedon wrote the original script of Buffy the Vampire, the movie, only to leave production because the movie veered drastically from his vision. He took his idea to the small screen instead and the TV show was born, spanning two networks, multiple time-slots, 7 seasons, and a spin-off that also lasted 5 seasons. His vampires can be killed by sunlight, drink human blood, and are the closest to Anne Rice's vampire.
I love Buffy. I love the mythology, I love the characters, I love the stories and parallels Whedon infused into the plot. His dialogue even created such a pop-culture phenomenon that a course was/is taught at a college in California. Scooby-speak was imitated and still is to this day. The main vampires in the show revolve around to evil (sometimes) vampires who were completely different (and have different coloring.) Angel and Spike. Both started off as evil, (they are actually related, in a vampire way. Darla sired Angel. Angel sired Drusilla. Drusilla sired Spike. Got it?) both got their soul back (Angel was cursed with his by a Gyspy tribe, Spike went through trials to get his back), both saved the world and both fell in love with Buffy.
After a while Buffy and her Scooby Gang lost the public and mainstream attention. A couple years ago a new breed of vampires hit the scene and they haven't left, much to the dismay of many. Stephanie Meyer created a love story between Bella Swan and Edward Cullen, a vampire. The Twilight Saga was born and I have to say even I was bitten. (Haha.) The story is nothing new, the main character is obnoxious, the vampires sparkle (WHAT?!!?!), and the highly anticipated fourth installment had the most anti-climatic fight scene in the history of the world. (I'm dead serious.) Despite my negative review, there is something about the books that just sucks you in and then its 5 a.m. and you've finished two of the books in 6 hours.
The Cullen clan are different from other vampires, they don't drink human blood. These vampires don't burn in the sun rather they sparkle. They look like models and move with the grace of a dancer. I try to not think about the mythology to much. The movies. Oh, the movies. I am addicted. They are awful. Especially when compared to the books. Still, I have seen every single one at midnight opening night and plan on seeing the final two at midnight, by myself if I have too. I must have been compelled by a vampire to do this but I have no choice.
The next vampire to hit the scene also was adapted from a book series. True Blood is addictive, soapy (in the best possible way), graphic, and violent. Everything a vampire show should be. There's just one problem for me, I hate the main character. Sookie Stackhouse is just plain obnoxious. After getting hooked on the show, I decided to read the first book and I didn't make it past page 3. I blame the TV character on the book character. Again, simple love story. Girl meets vampire. Fall in love and drink each others blood. Girl has powers. Other vampire needs her powers. Said vampires battle for girl. Other plots ensue.
The vampires on the show bleed during the day, their blood is a drug to humans, and when staked they explode. The mythology of the show is still evolving but it's better than sparkling in the sunlight. The thing I love about True Blood is the campy feel of the show. Sure, they rip people's throats out and show you. There are graphic scenes that aren't all together necessary. (Not appropriate for children. At all.) The cast is one of the hottest in business and by hottest I do mean physically. But each episode ends on a cliffhanger. What a way to keep me coming back.
The final and newest addition is based off a book series as well. The Vampire Diaries is a compelling show on the CW. No surprise here but it revolves around two vampire brothers (they are actually brothers who fell for a vampire back in the 1800's who turned them both) who fall in love a girl. This show's vampire mythology is more defined and makes much more sense. They can't go into sunlight unless they have a ring that allows them to live more like humans. They drink blood and have the super human strength.
I think the Buffyverse is the best for vampire mythology because it isn't being adapted from a book. This is coming straight from a man's imagination, which allows it to bend and change as the circumstances call for. Twilight is addictive and so is True Blood. The Vampire Diaries fills the whole Buffy left on television and I couldn't be any happier.
Unless Damon showed up outside my door. Then I might be happier.
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
TV Loves Me, TV Loves Me Not
Well folks, it's that time of year again. The end has come and gone and well, it sucked. Yep. It just blew the big one. What am I referring to? TV Season Finale's of course. What did you think I was referring to?
Normally, I get super excited about my shows coming to a close. (Ok, really I am devastated but can I really say that? No. Excited is more socially acceptable.) The finale episodes are always the best or they try to be the best with a huge cliffhanger. Remember Lost fans, the season cliffhangers of 3... and 4.... and 5. (Not. Penny's. Boat.) I digress. This year, I had the same anticipation and TV broke my heart. Even worse than usual.
The main offenders were Grey's Anatomy and Bones. I won't ruin anything for people who haven't seen them yet (Seriously? Get on it. It's been two weeks already.) but let me just tell you about some of my frustrations. I'll start with Grey's Anatomy. I'm sorry, I really hated Meredith's storyline. I don't care that she switched results so that her surrogate father's wife would get into the Alzheimer's trial, that's classic Meredith. I more upset that the writer's felt the need to go there. Is that the only thing you could come up to give her a storyline? What about her conflicting views on her becoming a mother. Yes, they used that one too but I just didn't like it all. The whole Owen/Christina storyline breaks my heart as well. She finally got over Burke (I did too thanks to Owen) and then they throw her into a marriage. Ok. Post-traumatic stress disorder too? I was totally on board, probably one of the few. But her inability to grow as woman with Owen is just not real. Sorry Shonda.
Bones. Oh Bones. It saddens me that this show has fallen. I have been watching since the first episode because of David Boreanaz of Angel and Buffy the Vampire Slayer fame. The show had me hooked immediately. I fell in love with the show before I fell in love with Bones and Booth. When their relationship became the focal point of the show, no one could have more excited than I. I lived for the little moments, their chemistry was fantastic. And then, they ruined it. The creator of the show, Hart Hanson, has said multiple times that he didn't want them to go the way of the Moonlighting curse. Fine. Be a better writer, trust your characters to have realistic interactions. Don't take away every character development that has happened over the past 5 seasons and diminish what they actually have. The ending of season 6 still makes my blood boil, it's a cop out and erases what I had been waiting for for 6 years: a true kiss. Thanks a lot Hart. You ruined one of my favorite shows.
The finales weren't all bad. Glee redeemed itself in my eyes, but maybe the anticipation of the concert has more to do with that. The Vampire Diaries was just fantastic all year. No complaints here. Community is still one of the underrated comedies out there and it ended on a great note. Ah, but the best finale was Castle. When I think back on my favorite episodes of television this year, Castle's "Knockout" is in the top five. I beg you, if you aren't watching this show you have 3 months to catch up!!
Farewell, 2011. You were adequate.
Hello Summer 2011!!! I have missed you all!
I know, I know. I am a fickle creature. Sue me. But the time has come! Summer TV is here and oh, how I have missed frothy adventures!
Today is actually the start of summer television. Franklin and Bash kicks off the summer tonight on TNT and I think it will be hilarious. I know everyone has there own tastes and they don't always coincide with mine but I am going to tell you the summer shows I am uber-excited about and you can decide if you want to watch!
Leverage on TNT- A good twist on the spy genre. Intelligent and entertaining. Great cast lead by Timothy Hutton. Returns June 26th at 9 p.m.
White Collar on USA- Another twist on the buddy-cop show. Slick, sly, and humorous with a great cast. Matthew Bomer and Tim DeKay lead the ensemble. Returns June 7th at 9 p.m.
The Glades on A&E- Not just another procedural. Clever scripts and writing keep this cop show above the rest. Australian native Matt Passmore is sure to be famous soon. Returns June 5th at 10 p.m.
Pretty Little Liars on ABCFamily- Ummmmm. Not much to say about this show other than it's only watched 75% of the time to make fun of it and 25% of the time for the chills it provides. Returns June 14th at 8p.m.
The Glee Project on WE- Something to hold Gleeks over til the fall. Starts June 12th at 9 p.m.
Burn Notice on USA- A burned spy trying to straighten his life. I dismissed it at first then quickly had to catch up with this hot summer treat. Plus you learn spy tricks! Returns June 23rd at 9 p.m.
True Blood on HBO- Vampires. Werewolves. Fairies? Oh my indeed. Good acting makes up for this over-indulgent show. Am I hooked? You bet. Returns June 26th at 9 p.m.
Some other new shows worth giving a try:
Falling Skies on TNT, June 19th at 9 p.m.
Combat Hospital on ABC June 21st at 10 p.m.
Suits on USA June 23rd at 10 p.m.
Wilfred on Comedy Central June 23rd at 10 p.m.
Calendar of TV Schedule : http://www.tvguide.com/special/summer-tv/calendar.aspx
Well, I think that's more than enough for this TV watcher today!
Normally, I get super excited about my shows coming to a close. (Ok, really I am devastated but can I really say that? No. Excited is more socially acceptable.) The finale episodes are always the best or they try to be the best with a huge cliffhanger. Remember Lost fans, the season cliffhangers of 3... and 4.... and 5. (Not. Penny's. Boat.) I digress. This year, I had the same anticipation and TV broke my heart. Even worse than usual.
The main offenders were Grey's Anatomy and Bones. I won't ruin anything for people who haven't seen them yet (Seriously? Get on it. It's been two weeks already.) but let me just tell you about some of my frustrations. I'll start with Grey's Anatomy. I'm sorry, I really hated Meredith's storyline. I don't care that she switched results so that her surrogate father's wife would get into the Alzheimer's trial, that's classic Meredith. I more upset that the writer's felt the need to go there. Is that the only thing you could come up to give her a storyline? What about her conflicting views on her becoming a mother. Yes, they used that one too but I just didn't like it all. The whole Owen/Christina storyline breaks my heart as well. She finally got over Burke (I did too thanks to Owen) and then they throw her into a marriage. Ok. Post-traumatic stress disorder too? I was totally on board, probably one of the few. But her inability to grow as woman with Owen is just not real. Sorry Shonda.
Bones. Oh Bones. It saddens me that this show has fallen. I have been watching since the first episode because of David Boreanaz of Angel and Buffy the Vampire Slayer fame. The show had me hooked immediately. I fell in love with the show before I fell in love with Bones and Booth. When their relationship became the focal point of the show, no one could have more excited than I. I lived for the little moments, their chemistry was fantastic. And then, they ruined it. The creator of the show, Hart Hanson, has said multiple times that he didn't want them to go the way of the Moonlighting curse. Fine. Be a better writer, trust your characters to have realistic interactions. Don't take away every character development that has happened over the past 5 seasons and diminish what they actually have. The ending of season 6 still makes my blood boil, it's a cop out and erases what I had been waiting for for 6 years: a true kiss. Thanks a lot Hart. You ruined one of my favorite shows.
The finales weren't all bad. Glee redeemed itself in my eyes, but maybe the anticipation of the concert has more to do with that. The Vampire Diaries was just fantastic all year. No complaints here. Community is still one of the underrated comedies out there and it ended on a great note. Ah, but the best finale was Castle. When I think back on my favorite episodes of television this year, Castle's "Knockout" is in the top five. I beg you, if you aren't watching this show you have 3 months to catch up!!
Farewell, 2011. You were adequate.
Hello Summer 2011!!! I have missed you all!
I know, I know. I am a fickle creature. Sue me. But the time has come! Summer TV is here and oh, how I have missed frothy adventures!
Today is actually the start of summer television. Franklin and Bash kicks off the summer tonight on TNT and I think it will be hilarious. I know everyone has there own tastes and they don't always coincide with mine but I am going to tell you the summer shows I am uber-excited about and you can decide if you want to watch!
Leverage on TNT- A good twist on the spy genre. Intelligent and entertaining. Great cast lead by Timothy Hutton. Returns June 26th at 9 p.m.
White Collar on USA- Another twist on the buddy-cop show. Slick, sly, and humorous with a great cast. Matthew Bomer and Tim DeKay lead the ensemble. Returns June 7th at 9 p.m.
The Glades on A&E- Not just another procedural. Clever scripts and writing keep this cop show above the rest. Australian native Matt Passmore is sure to be famous soon. Returns June 5th at 10 p.m.
Pretty Little Liars on ABCFamily- Ummmmm. Not much to say about this show other than it's only watched 75% of the time to make fun of it and 25% of the time for the chills it provides. Returns June 14th at 8p.m.
The Glee Project on WE- Something to hold Gleeks over til the fall. Starts June 12th at 9 p.m.
Burn Notice on USA- A burned spy trying to straighten his life. I dismissed it at first then quickly had to catch up with this hot summer treat. Plus you learn spy tricks! Returns June 23rd at 9 p.m.
True Blood on HBO- Vampires. Werewolves. Fairies? Oh my indeed. Good acting makes up for this over-indulgent show. Am I hooked? You bet. Returns June 26th at 9 p.m.
Some other new shows worth giving a try:
Falling Skies on TNT, June 19th at 9 p.m.
Combat Hospital on ABC June 21st at 10 p.m.
Suits on USA June 23rd at 10 p.m.
Wilfred on Comedy Central June 23rd at 10 p.m.
Calendar of TV Schedule : http://www.tvguide.com/special/summer-tv/calendar.aspx
Well, I think that's more than enough for this TV watcher today!
Thursday, May 19, 2011
Evil League of Evil: Applicants Apply Here
Dear Readers,
If you are reading this blog, (two weeks late) it is because you have grown fond of the writer's wit, sense of style, and knowledge about the modern world of television and movies. I personally don't understand her; I find her to be over-analyzing, dry, and thinks a bit too much of her abilities as a TV watcher. Who does she think she is, making you think as she does as she forces her opinion on you? I think you should revolt, it is what I have done.
That's right readers, Kate's alter-ego Katarina, has finally won. It took two weeks of intense brainwashing to get her under but I accomplished my goal. How? Simple. I followed my fellow evil-minded pioneers methods and succeeded where they did not. Being evil is awesome.
I'm sorry? You don't like evil characters? Why the bloody hell not? They are best characters in any form of media. Look at Darth Vader, Jesse St. James, The Joker, and Patrick Bateman. Don't know who they are? I will have to kill you now.... Muahahahahaha.
(Internal struggle. Internal struggle. Internal struggle.......)
Guys! Help! I can't control her, she's too strong and I... can't... stop... her....
I did it. I pushed her back. It was so hard. She had all these evil thoughts but I did it. Thank goodness. I didn't know I had an alter-ego. But now I know the signs.
Signs of a Possible Alter-Ego:
1. When looking in the mirror, your image is smiling but you are not.
2. When you see someone who has wronged you, your inner monologue starts thinking of ways to dispose of the body.
3. You find your taste in clothes becoming better and more chic.
4. You drink a glass of wine with dinner.
5. You wake up laughing like a maniac.
6. You develop an affinity for weapons.
7. You are wittier and more popular than you once were.
8. You discover a taste for red, red, red meat.
9. You find yourself saying "red rum" a lot.
10. You have been experiencing black outs.
Now that you know the signs you will be better prepared than I was. If you'll excuse me I need to go enjoy a nice Pinot Grigio with my deliciously bloody steak.
If you are reading this blog, (two weeks late) it is because you have grown fond of the writer's wit, sense of style, and knowledge about the modern world of television and movies. I personally don't understand her; I find her to be over-analyzing, dry, and thinks a bit too much of her abilities as a TV watcher. Who does she think she is, making you think as she does as she forces her opinion on you? I think you should revolt, it is what I have done.
That's right readers, Kate's alter-ego Katarina, has finally won. It took two weeks of intense brainwashing to get her under but I accomplished my goal. How? Simple. I followed my fellow evil-minded pioneers methods and succeeded where they did not. Being evil is awesome.
I'm sorry? You don't like evil characters? Why the bloody hell not? They are best characters in any form of media. Look at Darth Vader, Jesse St. James, The Joker, and Patrick Bateman. Don't know who they are? I will have to kill you now.... Muahahahahaha.
(Internal struggle. Internal struggle. Internal struggle.......)
Guys! Help! I can't control her, she's too strong and I... can't... stop... her....
I did it. I pushed her back. It was so hard. She had all these evil thoughts but I did it. Thank goodness. I didn't know I had an alter-ego. But now I know the signs.
Signs of a Possible Alter-Ego:
1. When looking in the mirror, your image is smiling but you are not.
2. When you see someone who has wronged you, your inner monologue starts thinking of ways to dispose of the body.
3. You find your taste in clothes becoming better and more chic.
4. You drink a glass of wine with dinner.
5. You wake up laughing like a maniac.
6. You develop an affinity for weapons.
7. You are wittier and more popular than you once were.
8. You discover a taste for red, red, red meat.
9. You find yourself saying "red rum" a lot.
10. You have been experiencing black outs.
Now that you know the signs you will be better prepared than I was. If you'll excuse me I need to go enjoy a nice Pinot Grigio with my deliciously bloody steak.
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
I Paid Ten Bucks For This Movie and All I Got Was This Empty Box of Popcorn
I am outraged. OUTRAGED. Can you believe they are doing this again? Raising prices? Do they really think we will pay this and not say something about it!!?? No, I am not talking about rising gas prices (although that is getting really irritating, beyond irritating actually) but the ever increasing prices of going to the movies.
While it's not the first thought on many peoples minds, it certainly will be come this summer. On average, most people see a movie a month during the regular year. During the summer however, you will find yourself going more often, especially with the upcoming barrage of sequels, superhero, and general summer movies coming out. ( I think I will outline a Must-Watch list. Excellent idea Kate. Why, thank you!) Some of you might be like me and go about once a week, or more. Believe me when I say you will notice the difference in price. Note: The prices I am about to disclose are relating to AMC 20. Most other big name theaters are around the same however.
In case you don't know the ticket prices, here they are: Monday-Thursday until 3:59 everything is $5. At 4 p.m., they go up to $7.50. Friday-Sunday before noon are also $5 and $7.50 noon to 3:59. Midnight showings and Friday- Sunday at 4 are $10.
This all changed about 5 years ago. Movie attendance was the worst it had ever been and so the price of ticketing went up slowly. The first change was the move to $10 at night whereas it used to be $7.50. Following that change was the ridding of student and kid pricing. Eventually the three time periods were established. The last thing to change was the midnight showing pricing. I remember going to see 'Night at the Museum 2' at midnight thinking it was only going to be $5. We walked up to the window and when she said $10, I walked away. I would not pay that much money to see that movie.
I began a boycott of AMC 20 during their prime hours, only going during the week or the day shifts. However, this was just too hard to maintain. I have since spent more than I should have on movies that don't deserve that $10. However, in the past two years attendance to movies theaters has gone up. However, prices have not gone down. I think this is a poor reflection of our society. However, there is not much we can do about it.
Don't despair, I do have some options for you movie lovers.
1. There are still some cheap theaters, they just aren't showing all the movies you might want to see. Canton Cinema still has student prices and is a really excellent theatre. Phoenix Theatre, formerly AMC 10, has been renovated and does have cheaper prices than AMC 20. The Farmington Civic shows 2 to 3 movies that are about to go to DVD and its under 5 dollars.
2. Only go see movies on the weekends that you are DYING to see. Don't go see the popcorn flick that you think you might enjoy for $10. Save that for a week day. Or go support a movie that you really feel needs the money to help it out. I have done this and I know no one else would think about it but it can help you save some money!
3. Ah the craze of 3-D. It will add about 5 dollars to your total. Think about it. Only go see movies that you have heard 3-D enhances the experience or ones that you actually think it will make a difference. Let me tell you, The Green Hornet was not worth the experience.
4. Once you've already paid for the money, you know what comes next. Those yummy yummy snacks. Delicious pretzels, sugary snacks, ice cold ICEES. Mmmmm. Stop. Go to you local dollar store and buy those same delectable treats for a fraction of the cost. Movie theaters can't say no!
Why am I dedicating today's blog to this? In case you haven't heard, production companies are thinking of selling their movies to cable companies and putting them ON-Demand. Many big wig Hollywood guys are against it. (James Cameron and Todd Phillips of 'Hangover' fame are among the growing opposition.) If you are like me and enjoy experiencing a movie for the first time in a theater then take charge and make going to the movies fun again!
While it's not the first thought on many peoples minds, it certainly will be come this summer. On average, most people see a movie a month during the regular year. During the summer however, you will find yourself going more often, especially with the upcoming barrage of sequels, superhero, and general summer movies coming out. ( I think I will outline a Must-Watch list. Excellent idea Kate. Why, thank you!) Some of you might be like me and go about once a week, or more. Believe me when I say you will notice the difference in price. Note: The prices I am about to disclose are relating to AMC 20. Most other big name theaters are around the same however.
In case you don't know the ticket prices, here they are: Monday-Thursday until 3:59 everything is $5. At 4 p.m., they go up to $7.50. Friday-Sunday before noon are also $5 and $7.50 noon to 3:59. Midnight showings and Friday- Sunday at 4 are $10.
This all changed about 5 years ago. Movie attendance was the worst it had ever been and so the price of ticketing went up slowly. The first change was the move to $10 at night whereas it used to be $7.50. Following that change was the ridding of student and kid pricing. Eventually the three time periods were established. The last thing to change was the midnight showing pricing. I remember going to see 'Night at the Museum 2' at midnight thinking it was only going to be $5. We walked up to the window and when she said $10, I walked away. I would not pay that much money to see that movie.
I began a boycott of AMC 20 during their prime hours, only going during the week or the day shifts. However, this was just too hard to maintain. I have since spent more than I should have on movies that don't deserve that $10. However, in the past two years attendance to movies theaters has gone up. However, prices have not gone down. I think this is a poor reflection of our society. However, there is not much we can do about it.
Don't despair, I do have some options for you movie lovers.
1. There are still some cheap theaters, they just aren't showing all the movies you might want to see. Canton Cinema still has student prices and is a really excellent theatre. Phoenix Theatre, formerly AMC 10, has been renovated and does have cheaper prices than AMC 20. The Farmington Civic shows 2 to 3 movies that are about to go to DVD and its under 5 dollars.
2. Only go see movies on the weekends that you are DYING to see. Don't go see the popcorn flick that you think you might enjoy for $10. Save that for a week day. Or go support a movie that you really feel needs the money to help it out. I have done this and I know no one else would think about it but it can help you save some money!
3. Ah the craze of 3-D. It will add about 5 dollars to your total. Think about it. Only go see movies that you have heard 3-D enhances the experience or ones that you actually think it will make a difference. Let me tell you, The Green Hornet was not worth the experience.
4. Once you've already paid for the money, you know what comes next. Those yummy yummy snacks. Delicious pretzels, sugary snacks, ice cold ICEES. Mmmmm. Stop. Go to you local dollar store and buy those same delectable treats for a fraction of the cost. Movie theaters can't say no!
Why am I dedicating today's blog to this? In case you haven't heard, production companies are thinking of selling their movies to cable companies and putting them ON-Demand. Many big wig Hollywood guys are against it. (James Cameron and Todd Phillips of 'Hangover' fame are among the growing opposition.) If you are like me and enjoy experiencing a movie for the first time in a theater then take charge and make going to the movies fun again!
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
Penny (Can) For My Thoughts?
I can't really focus on one subject today. I have many thoughts about television and movies just circling around in my head! I'm just gonna go with the flow and see if you can keep up. Ready? Set? Go?
I really miss theme songs. Don't you? I have specific memories of TV that revolve around theme songs. I can remember thinking at the series finale of both "The O. C." and "Veronica Mars" and "Friends" that this will be the last time I hear these live. It was a sad reality. I think that the age of theme songs needs to have a comeback. I know why networks do this. By cutting out the 45 seconds of theme song time, they can add either more showtime (not likely) or more commercials (ding ding ding). While I truly appreciated the opening of "Lost" (it set the mood for the hour for sure), I really and truly miss having a theme song. Do you have a favorite theme song? I particularly love "Baywatch" and "One Tree Hill".
I feel very accomplished in my movie watching career. I completed fully marathon of a movie series in one sitting. To support Michigan and because I love scary movies, I had a 'Screamathon'. And it was AMAZING. Ok, the first and fourth movies were amazing but that's beside the point. The feeling of completing an entire series in one day is just fantastic! Scream 4 exceeded expectations. The casting was very good (on the new addition side of things), the storyline was fresh and full of twists at the end, and the acting (especially one Emma Roberts) was top notch. I highly recommend it.
Many of you know that I am a very big fan of Glee. I have not used this blog to gush about the show (yet). I just would like to defend this past week's episode. Many critics have said it was awful and I firmly disagree. While it was certainly not the best episode (The Power of Madonna, Dream On, The Substitute) it was not the worst (I can't really come up with a worst, they all have something that I find redeeming.). I agree that has been a bit preachy lately and that most people watch for entertainment and not to be given a PSA about bullying. But I'm gonna ask that you just wait on your negative thoughts for a little while longer. I have a feeling that something is going to be happening that will make the bullying storyline front and center. I won't say what I believe the writers are leading up to but if I were to write the storyline, my thought is where I would go with it.
That's all I have for today. I am sorry about the randomness that was the blog! PS Did anyone watch any of the shows?! Today's title reflects "Cougar Town" being back and making my life so much better! You wanna know what it is and how to play? Just let me know!
I really miss theme songs. Don't you? I have specific memories of TV that revolve around theme songs. I can remember thinking at the series finale of both "The O. C." and "Veronica Mars" and "Friends" that this will be the last time I hear these live. It was a sad reality. I think that the age of theme songs needs to have a comeback. I know why networks do this. By cutting out the 45 seconds of theme song time, they can add either more showtime (not likely) or more commercials (ding ding ding). While I truly appreciated the opening of "Lost" (it set the mood for the hour for sure), I really and truly miss having a theme song. Do you have a favorite theme song? I particularly love "Baywatch" and "One Tree Hill".
I feel very accomplished in my movie watching career. I completed fully marathon of a movie series in one sitting. To support Michigan and because I love scary movies, I had a 'Screamathon'. And it was AMAZING. Ok, the first and fourth movies were amazing but that's beside the point. The feeling of completing an entire series in one day is just fantastic! Scream 4 exceeded expectations. The casting was very good (on the new addition side of things), the storyline was fresh and full of twists at the end, and the acting (especially one Emma Roberts) was top notch. I highly recommend it.
Many of you know that I am a very big fan of Glee. I have not used this blog to gush about the show (yet). I just would like to defend this past week's episode. Many critics have said it was awful and I firmly disagree. While it was certainly not the best episode (The Power of Madonna, Dream On, The Substitute) it was not the worst (I can't really come up with a worst, they all have something that I find redeeming.). I agree that has been a bit preachy lately and that most people watch for entertainment and not to be given a PSA about bullying. But I'm gonna ask that you just wait on your negative thoughts for a little while longer. I have a feeling that something is going to be happening that will make the bullying storyline front and center. I won't say what I believe the writers are leading up to but if I were to write the storyline, my thought is where I would go with it.
That's all I have for today. I am sorry about the randomness that was the blog! PS Did anyone watch any of the shows?! Today's title reflects "Cougar Town" being back and making my life so much better! You wanna know what it is and how to play? Just let me know!
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