I’ve watched three Christmas movies so far this holiday season. Here is a quick review of each of them (in order that I watched them). Two ratings on two different scales of 1-10
Holidate (2020)Moving rating: 3/10 Christmas movie rating: 4/10 Reccomended: No Age Rating: TV-MA, not family-friendly Genres: romance, comedy Summary: “Fed up with being single on holidays, two strangers agree to be each other's platonic plus-ones all year long, only to catch real feelings along the way,” (Netflix). My Commentary: The idea of the movie was funnier than the movie itself. A lot of the humor depended on the cringe-factor which isn’t my favorite kind of humor. But, it made me laugh plenty. The romantic speech at the end almost made the rest of the movie forgivable (and forgettable), but that’s might just be me. It’s not the worst movie I’ve ever watched and I don’t regret watching it, but I wouldn’t watch it again and don’t really recommend it. That is, of course, unless you enjoy bad Christmas movies. Then this might just be up your alley. Starring: Emma Roberts and Luke Bracey Other actors I enjoyed in this film were Manish Dayal and Kristin Chenoweth. Director: John Whitesell Screenplay: Tiffany Paulsen Producers: McG, Mary Viola Christmas Catch (2018)Moving rating: 5/10 Christmas movie rating: 5/10 Reccomended: Sure Age Rating: TV-PG Genres: romance, drama, crime thriller (sort of) Summary: “A cop working undercover to trail a possible diamond thief gets caught in a tricky spot when she finds new clues — and new feelings — for the suspect,” (Netflix). “Detective Mackenzie Bennett is hot on the trail of Carson, a suspected diamond thief, and goes undercover to catch him in the act. While working, Mack not only falls for Carson but begins to suspect that he's been framed,” (Google knowledge panel, unclaimed). My Commentary: Definitely cute and a little different from other Christmas movies I’ve seen. Then again, it wasn’t particularly Christmasy. It took place in December and the MCs loved Christmas, but that is about it. One thing I loved is that both main characters loved Christmas to a ridiculous extent, the spirit of it, and especially decorations. I found it a nice reprieve from the characters (especially female-leads) who want Christmas to die until they meet Santa or something. I recommend it more as a sweet romance and light mystery than a Christmas movie™. It’s not going to win any awards, but there are things like that the female-lead is supposed to flirt and is so bad it had me in stitches. As if that wasn’t good enough, her mother (also her captain) and her (cop) partner KNOW she’s terrible at it and tease her pretty mercilessly. It’s hilarious. Starring: Emily Alatalo, Lauren Holly, Yanic Truesdale Director: Justin G. Dyck Screenplay: Patrick McBrearty Producer: Myles Milne Christmas Chronicles (2018)Note: A sequel came out this year.
Moving rating: 8/10 Christmas movie rating: 10/10, it had Santa, kids, decorations, reindeer, music, everything Reccomended: Absolutely! Age Rating: TV-PG, family-friendly Genres: comedy Summary: “After accidentally crashing Santa’s sleigh, a brother and sister pull an all-nighter to save Christmas with a savvy, straight-talking St. Nick,” (Netflix). My Commentary: Even though this is the movie I liked best on this list, I don’t know what to say about it. It was super sweet, funny, and fun. It had the most original Santa (character) I’ve seen. I did not stop laughing the whole movie, I don’t know where to start. The kids, Santa, the elves, the normal people they interacted with and their reactions to Santa- all priceless. Everytime you think you know what is going to happen next- you are wrong, haha. I definitely recommend this movie for the whole family! Starring: Kurt Russell, Darby Camp, Judah Lewis Director: Chris Columbus Screenplay: Chris Columbus, Matt Lieberman Producers: Kurt Russell, Chris Columbus, Mark Radcliffe, Michael Barnathan
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Have you ever stopped to wonder if there was a comedy about cannibalism out there, waiting to be enjoyed? Probably not, but if you have, I am here with good news. Delicatessen (1991) is a French film directed by Jean-Pierre Jeunet (Amélie, 2001) and Marc Caro (The City of Lost Children, 1995). It takes place in the future, in a post-apocalyptic France (although there's a certain timelessness about it), focusing on a single apartment owned by The Butcher. It is full of interesting tenants, all of whom share one, dark secret. And it’s the reason they keep needing to hire new handymen. Some of the tenants...
This film has romance, it has action and suspense, and it will surely make you laugh out loud. Story aside, the cinematography and audio are incredibly clever. You can find English subtitles, but even without understanding the dialogue, you can figure out a lot. The story comes alive on its own. It is a crazy and even ridiculous story at times, but always intriguing. I highly recommend this movie (rated R). I wouldn’t consider it true horror, but still suggest not watching it right before bed or while you eat. When my mother was 18, the movie “When Harry Met Sally” came out. She loved it, of course. She said she’s pretty sure it was always playing somewhere in the all-women dorm. 31 years later, I am 18, so she showed it to me. And I’m so glad she did. Because it was beautiful. And hilarious. And heart-wrenching. And I loved it, too. There are many enemies-to-friends-to-lovers slow burn romances out there, but few as phenomenal or as iconic as this one. And few with so much hair. If you don’t know the movie, here is the basic premise: Sally (Meg Ryan) drives Harry (Billy Crystal) from the University of Chicago and New York City, not because she likes him, but because they were going to the same place. It was both the practical and the kind thing to do. I believe she later describes the drive to a friend as “the longest night of [her] life.” When they get to the city, she drops him off at his new apartment and drives away. This was first time I wanted to squeal. They said goodbye as if that were it! “They don’t know,” I’d said to my mom then, “That this is only the beginning of their movie.” Of course, they meet again. And again. And again in another random place by coincidence. And soon they become friends, best friends, even though Harry has always claimed that men and women can’t really be friends (the sex part always gets in the way). This movie made me laugh so hard I couldn’t breathe while also leaving me teary, clutching my heart. The beauty is in the details. The writing, the dialogue especially, was incredible. The characters were in the most interesting situations, including setting and activity. And it all worked perfectly. The conversations were incredibly clever in both the writing and the delivery. I don’t know what more I can say about it. I had to write this down before I could go to sleep. It was simply too good to wait. I 100% recommend this movie to any romantics, for I think it will please your hearts. And for anyone who doesn’t usually watch romantic comedies, I still recommend it. It is that good. Oh, one more thing, I do not know if I am in love with Sally or if I merely relate to her very much. Either way (maybe both), I think she is a fantastic character. Director: Rob Reiner Writer: Nora Ephron Fantasy/ Action Directed by Joachim Rønning Written by Linda Woolverton, Micah Fitzerman-Blue, and Noah Harpster. A sequel to Maleficent (2014). Both movies are based on the story of Sleeping Beauty, focusing on the evil witch. LOTS OF SPOILERS FOR BOTH MOVIES (sorry, I couldn’t help it) If you haven’t watched the first one, stop right here and go watch it. It’s amazing. People laugh, but I’m serious about watching and reading stuff in order! I think it matters. I loved this movie, and as soon as it ended I thought I was ready to write a review. But, it’s taken me a while to finish it because I haven’t quite figured out how to explain why I love both Maleficent movies so much. I wanted to do them justice. IThey are fun, action-packed movie that ended up holding a deeper message than I was able to explore all at one. The sequel did not disappoint. SummariesMalificent (2014) The first movie shows a cheerful, kind young woman with big, powerful, and beautiful wings and magical powers. She was a fae named Maleficent (Angelina Jolie) who lived among a other fae in the Moors, a magical forest. One day, a human man named Stefan (Sharlto Copley) discovered the forest and met Maleficent. They fell in love. Then, humans begin attacking Maleficent and the Moors. She doesn’t want to hurt anyone, but must protect her kingdom and the fae. Humans see her self-defense as an act of war, as aggressive. The king offers his throne and the hand of his daughter to anyone who could cut off the wings of Maleficent and bring them to him. Stefan was a poor peasant and his greed and stupidity were stronger than his love and humanity. He visited Maleficent as though everything was normal and lovely. He cut off her wings in her sleep and took them.
Malifacent: the Mistress of Evil (2019) In the second movie, Aurora , Princess of the Moors,-who grew to become like a daughter to Maleficent in the first movie- is marrying Prince Phillip (Brenton Thwaites in first movie, then Harris Dickinson) and they hope to reign over both the human kingdom and the Moors. Of course, things do not go as planned. The story paints a vivid picture of how dangerous lies can be and how easily they can spread. My ThoughtsThis was a great sequel and a great movie. It followed the story appropriately, i.e. it made sense both chronologically and the characters were consistent, but it still stood on its own. It felt different from the first movie in the best way. I was on the edge of my seat the whole time. Visual Effects The visual effects were breathtaking. All of it: the costumes, the set design, the CGIs, the stunts and the world-building overall were all incredible. I felt like I was there. Characters I have a range of opinions about the characters. I was impressed by the villain, Queen Ingris (Michelle Pfeiffer). She had a backstory (mentioned briefly, but solid) and a strong motive to do what she did. Also? She was smart. She didn’t get so far with her plan by sheer luck (that drives me crazy). She started a real, full-on war all by herself without anyone realizing that she was doing it. Talk about manipulative. Not only was she smart and manipulative, she was crazy evil. She hurt people in her own kingdom and fae alike without regret or empathy and proved to be ruthless. All of that is why I hated the ending she got. I feel like the writers failed her. When they could have done anything with the ending, they tried to make it funny. I’m not saying she should have been killed, but there’s a moment when she falls facedown in the dirt and looks up like a pissy girl at a party in a comedy (or something) when she stood up. It was an injustice to her character and diluted her power. Overall, the ending was pretty great, but there were parts specific to her ending that were flat out unsatisfying. Aurora and her hubby, Prince Philip’s, characters served their purpose but were very bland. It wasn’t until after I got home from the theater that I realized there was not a ton of interesting dialogue or many lines at all (definitely not from those two). It still worked. There was so much to look at that I didn’t care. But, these characters were not the draw. Maleficent was spectacular. Angelina Jolie performed this role with incredible talent and grace. The character was complex and broken and beautiful. And she managed to capture all of that. Deeper Insight - Maleficent's Important Connection In one scene, Maleficent is shot down from the sky (by orders of the evil queen) and would have died if not saved by Conall (Chiwetel Ejiofor), a fae. He was the same kind of fae as Maleficent. Remember: before this, she had never met another fae like her. So, he brings her, unconscious and dying, to a hidden nest that opens into a large cave filled with faes just like her and patches her up. She wakes up and meets them. She watches them move, flying like she does with beautiful wings. She sees them walking and talking. One thing that caught her attention came as a surprise to my mom, but makes perfect sense to me: she was mesmerized by the young children learning to fly. In the first movie, Maleficent falls in love with the young Aurora she cursed. She definitely has a soft spot for kids. Another thing from the first movie concerns the very first scenes. She grew up alone, but happy and playful, just like thee kids she saw in the cave. One night, they had a party. Some fae drummed and played music while others danced and yet others simply sat around and talked. Happily. This was the emotional turning point for Maleficent. No one can fight without having something to fight for. All of a sudden, she wasn’t alone. She wasn’t a monster to them like she spent years being told she was by humans. I love that she found her people and culture. That is what gave the movie a punch, for me. I connected to it and I think anyone who has ever felt outcasted, especially those who have been lucky enough to later find a community that accepted them, can relate with Maleficent in these scenes. Conall believes in peace. He wants to co-exist with humans so that his people can live free. She agrees fully until she meets also Borra (Ed Skrein) who has another idea. He wants to go to war with the humans that almost wiped out their species and forced the rest into hiding. It’s a hard pitch for Maleficent to ignore after she had tried to make peace only for humans to still hate her and try to kill her. She chooses peace. The question is whether she can convince others to do the same. ConclusionWatch. The. Movies. If I haven’t convinced you already, here’s my last try: The main character is played by ANGELINA JOLIE. Have you seen her jawbones? She plays a gorgeous and regal Maleficent. Romantic comedy Director: Blayne Weaver Screenplay: Patricia Harrington Can you hear the sleigh bells ringing? Tis’ the season for Hallmark Christmas movies! I think Santa Girl had a fresh take to share. What if Santa (Barry Bostwick) wasn’t quite so jolly? He has a business to run after all. His latest matter of business? Convincing his daughter to marry her betrothed, Jack Frost’s (Hank Stone) son, to save the family business. Jack Frost, by the way? Terrifying man, I mean, absolutely despicable. But, with his money and Santa’s elves and toy-making business, they would be a perfect team. Except, Cassie Claus (Jennifer Stone) doesn’t want to marry someone she’s never met. She wants to travel the world and find herself before she has to settle back down in the North Pole for the rest of her life. As a compromise, her father lets her go to college for one semester, just until Christmas, if she promises to come back and get married. Since when do things go as planned in movies? The entry into the real world isn’t a smooth ride, but she makes two friends quickly. Well, she has two boys who have crushes on her (or do they?) and, well, it’s mutual. But, she can’t date or let herself have these feelings because she’s engaged. But, neither JR (Joshua Cody) or Sam (Devon Werkheiser) are going to give up easily.
“The album Lover, is something that I’m so proud of because it really feels like such a special album because it’s the natural continuation of the story of my life … My last album, Reputation, I really looked at that album as- I always do ... visuals, and aesthetics in my mind of what an album represents. Reputation, for me, was, like, city-scape, nighttime, darkness, ahh, like, full swamp witch. But, this album, for me, felt aesthetical and from an energetic perspective very daytime, very sun-lit fields …. I pictured this and wrote music from a much more open very free, romantic, whimsical place." It’s also her first (and only) album that she owns the masters of. Wonder why? Try these articles:
“I don’t know if you guys know this, [but] I have a thing with 13… it’s a very little known fact about me, no one knows it, I’m not obnoxious about it, at all- but, in the 13th year of my career, I really wanted to do something exciting and retrospective and nostalgic." She dug up her old journals to inspire her, starting at age 13, and read some exterpts aloud. It’s super sweet. It comes along with the deluxe version of the album (trust me, it’s already on my Christmas list).
Here are some of my thoughts on each song. This is me writing a review of a book I didn’t like. Reading it won’t kill you, but I don’t recommend it. Here goes. To give her credit, Anica Mrose Rissi wrote a novel about something that is very hard to write about. In Almost Forever Maybe, Betts falls hard when she meets Aiden. The reader can see signs that the relationship is abusive and might get worse, but Betts does not. I’ve talked about, read about, and even done workshops about unhealthy relationships. I know common signs that I hope I could catch in my own relationship or of someone close to me. But, this book challenged that already weak confidence. Betts was so sure that Aiden was right for her. She didn’t listen to her best friend or her parents; quite the opposite, she started to isolate herself from them. Betts had a reason, an explanation for everything, even when Aiden, her boyfriend, hit her for the first time. The transition from bliss to abuse didn’t feel abrupt, which is important, but it also happens over two weeks, which is kind of insane. Overall, I feel like I learned something from Betts thought-process in reaction to Aiden. It felt real. It felt relatable and it forced me to face the possibility of finding myself in a similar situation in a way I hadn’t before. The writing itself was often inconsistent. At some points, it was strong and descriptive, but then it would go flat, or the message would become unclear. Overall, I liked the character descriptions. But, the dialogue was awkward and felt forced. Betts is a teenager, and like many YA novels written by adults, she wasn’t always a believable character. It’s one thing when something is exaggerated that adds to the story, but the details given of Bett’s high school were painted with child’s paint on cardboard. The teenager’s voices and speech all felt immature (apparently this author normally writers middle grade books). There were also two female characters Betts when to school with who did not have a purpose. She just hated them for no reason? These how-old-are-they-supposed-to-be-again characters go through some hard stuff. Betts best friend, Jo, was the only good character, in my humble opinion. Not only did she have a strong personality, she did all the right things to help her friend when she saw how Aiden was treating her and I like that she was shown doing that. Content warning for the book: two sort of detailed sex scenes. They were weird and didn’t need to be there, but they were. So, yeah, there it is. Proof that I don’t love every book I read. Note: I listened to this on audiobook and the narrator, Brittaney Pressley, did a nice job, given what she had to work with. Spoiler Alert: analysis of the ending belowUpdate: includes details added to the synopsis's and small edits to mechanics. Originally posted 7/29/19. I read the first book in the “Rosie Project” series two years ago, adored it, and wrote a review on this website (click Read More to read it). This summer, I happened to see the two new books in the series on the shelf at the library. It was definitely a wonderful act of fate- I read them within a few days. On every page, the author, Graeme Simsion, surprised me and drew me in closer. I will probably re-read these soon. Overview of the series (slight spoilers) PS. All three of these books are amazing. The Rosie Project (Book 1) - Don Tillman (POV) is a socially awkward, but incredibly intelligent, genetics professor. One day, he decides that he wants to find a woman to be his life partner. It is a struggle, but when he meets Rosie, she changes everything. Trust me, you’ll fall in love with Rosie right alongside Don.
Simsion’s writing is nothing like anything else I’ve ever read. His stories are sweet, but also tackle heavy, emotional issues with grace. I definitely cried a few times. Each of his characters have strong, defining personalities. Don’s voice as a narrative is incredibly well-done and thought-provoking. I love these books so much and hope you read them soon.
Also, I have not read any of it, but Graeme Simsion has other writing published. He has two other novels, as well as short stories and plays. An action-packed comedic movie, directed by Peter Segal and produced by Leonard B. Stern. This is the kind of movie (and these are rare) that both my parents and I all enjoyed. I was cracking up the entire time. It was light-hearted, but had a few sweet moments to give it some umph. The humor had undertones of a slap-stick with some physical comedy, and there were some clever lines, as well. Well-rounded on that front. Also, the lead is Anne Hathaway who is amazing, gorgeous, talented, and all around adorable, playing a badass character- the movie was worth it just for that alone. Synopsis (no spoilers) There was a spy government agency, until the bad guys blew up the building (and all their covers). The only two agents who’s covers haven’t been blown, who can do the mission, are Agent 99 and 86. Agent 99 (Anne Hathaway) is experienced and one of the best in the field. She was safe because she recently had dramatic plastic surgery, so the bad guys didn’t know who she was. The second person was brand-spanking new to the job, Agent 86. Max (Steve Carell) had always dreamed of becoming an agent, and on his eighth try, he passed the field test to become one. Unfortunately for him, the boss wanted to keep him behind the desk, in analytics, because he was so good. But, in the aftermath of the explosion, in the moment of crisis, he was promoted. And, so, the two agents set off. As you can imagine, things went less than smoothly… It’s rated Rated PG-13 for “some rude humor, action violence and language” (IMDb). It was still a great family movie for us, though.
If you like movies like this, I highly recommend: Johnny English (Rowan Atkinson, 2003) and The Spy Next Door (Jackie Chang, 2010). Where do I start? Ibi Zoboi might be the most amazing writer of all time. I’m not exaggerating- okay, maybe I am, but she’s really, really good. After the first chapter or two, I realized the book was heavy with exposition. But, hear me when I say that I hadn’t been noticing it. Ibi wove the details of the character’s family, world, and mind in flawlessly, it flowed like water into the action of the book. The writing, overall, gave my this feeling: imagine you are carrying a heavy-but-not-terribly-heavy cardboard box around. It’s big, but fits perfectly in your hands, and against your body. Dust slips off, but you keep walking forward. It is a constant reminder as to what you are doing, what you are tasked with- bringing this box to its destination. The writing was strong and held its own, I couldn’t stop reading it. Zuri’s (1st POV) was incredible. She is a 17-year-old badass, black Haitian-Dominicana with four sisters and two parents and a landlord that everyone called Madrina (“godmother” in Spanish). She has opinions and biases and mistakes and dreams. The writing made her feel real, like she was talking to me. She was strong and her voice matched it and- I want to meet Zuri! She grew up in Bushwick, a neighborhood in Brooklyn or, as she calls it, just the hood. She loves the tight-knit community and the music and the people and the bookstand on the corner. The story begins with a family moving in across the street. The thing is, the house they are moving into didn’t used to be there. It used to be a beautiful, collapsing, rotting, old house, but now it’s a brand-spanking-new mini mansion that does not fit in it at all. Neither does the rich family that comes along with it. Will Zuri clash with the new boys next-door? Oh, you bet she will- she never backs down from a fight. But, what happens when it turns out to be something else? I don’t want to sound like a broken record, okay? but, I cried. I finished it in the car, just as I got to the house, and I for sure screamed. I definitely worried my father. The book just left me with so much emotion and so much to mull over that I didn’t know where to put it. I didn’t know how much I was going to be able to relate to Zuri, it ended up being a lot. Now, I worry I don’t have much credibility left, as a reviewer- mostly given to the fact that I get really excited about pretty much every book I read- but you have to read this one. Trust me, you won’t be able to put it down. If you're anything like me, you will laugh, cry, want to scream (and then maybe scream), but just don't forget to breathe. Ibi is telling an important story here. She’s telling the story of a character that doesn’t often have a voice. A story that is too often forgotten. Directed by: Anne Boden and Ryan Fleck. They also get the main writing credits for the story and screenplay, but IMDb informs me that Geneva Robertson-Dworet should also be listed, as well as, Nicole Perlman and Meg LeFauve for story credits. It is all based on the comic book, “Kree-Skrull War” (originally Avengers #89-97) by Roy Thomas, published in 1971. So, yeah, I finally watched Captain Marvel last night! There were some things that I didn’t understand due to lack of context of the Marvel universe (because I haven’t seen all of their movies or read the comics) and some references were probably lost to me, but, it was still a fun film and I would recommend it! It was extremely dorky, had some great (very funny) dialogue, and lots of not graphic violence (lots of lasers). I found some eerily modern (but not new) connections to our political atmosphere in the movie. That made it additionally interesting. SummaryHopefully no spoilers! Vers- pronounced: veers- (Brie Larson), never actually called Captain Marvel in the film, is in the middle of the war. She doesn’t have any memories past the last six years of her life on a planet named Hala with the Kree. The only relationship of hers that is shown on Hala is with a mentor-figure named Yon-Rogg (Jude Law). Soon, she ends up on Earth- excuses me, planet C-53- and runs into some of her old memories. Well, first she runs into S.H.I.E.L.D. agent Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson), but people call him Fury. Then, together, Vers and Fury track down Marie Rambeau (Lashana Lynch) looking for some answers. Okay spoiler that you should see coming very early on: everything she thought she knew was a LIE! Also Marie has an eleven-year-old daughter named Monica (Akira Akbar) who loves Vers and is super cute. I’m mentioning her because she was definitely my favorite character. Scored Breakdown:Taylor Swift's new song, "You Need To Calm Down" is hella awesome and a total anti-hate anthem- I love it! Also, her music video is perfectly dramatic and wonderful and GAY. So, here, watch it!
Grace VanderwaalGrace Vanderwaal is a singer who won America’s Got Talent with her own songs and her ukulele in 2016, when she was 12-years-old. In her first televised audition, she got the golden buzzer and was called, “The next Taylor Swift,” by Simon Cowell. I can’t help but agree. She is known for her distinctive, raspy voice and, in my mind, her simple background and instrumentation. As of yet, she has 1 full album, 1 EP, and 3 singles out. She headlined for Imagine Dragons in 2018. I recommend listening to all of her songs, by the way. There aren’t many musicians I feel this passionate about. She is incredibly talented and will be going far. I love that she wears so many flower crowns. I saw a video of an outdoor performance where she got stung by a bee and laughed and said, "Yo, that thing stung me!" and kept dancing (barefoot). Love it. "Stray"The song starts with a haunting tone. She builds in intensity throughout the song, but holds onto that quiet, deep soul feel. Her lyrics describe the struggles of songwriting and also emotions, in general. The first lines are: I wanna write a song One that can explain my loss I wanna write a song That you can hear and [pause] Know how my heart yearns The song is led by guitar (different from most previous songs with her ukulele), a steady, simple, drum beat, and simple harmonies of her own voice on top of the melody. Her songs all tell moving stories. Some are about growing up, others about finding yourself, and the fear and uncertainty that comes along with that. I can relate. SingabilityNote: I’m not great at singing (that’s okay), but I love it. I’ve made my peace with this. It’s way too much fun to just stop. Besides, Opequon taught me that there is no such thing as a bad singer. You can make noises with your mouth? Congrats, you can sing. Thanks, Elaine.
Her songs can be difficult to sing, but most of them have the ukulele, which makes them fun to play. And this one feels sort of in my range, so that's cool. I find only certain songs work on the ukulele. The more electronic the song, the flatter it sounds with just me and my uke. I wanted to learn how to play this song particularly badly. I’ve tried some of her other songs, and it’s gone okay. Also, it’s always easy to find chords for her stuff. When I found the chords, there were two things I did not like. First off, the original version starts with a capo on the fourth fret (makes it a bit harder). The second was the E chord. Ugh! Like most songs, it has four chords (Am, F, G, E), which should be easy enough. Except, I’ve worked very hard to avoid practicing the E chord. It’s just hard. E and B chords often are, but I don’t know enough music things to understand why. But, this song was worth it. There are two lines, later in the song, that I want to point out. “I keep only seeing rain” and “I wanna feel the way I used to.” Hit me like a ton of bricks, man. Love it. Let me know if you want to hear more reviews about music, especially since reading isn’t happening for me at the moment. Singers, albums, or individual songs? PS. Grace Vanderwaal is a literal goddess, guys, pass it on. It’s one of those books that I can’t stop thinking about. I listened to this Rosamund Hodge fantasy novel on audiobook (narrated by Elizabeth Knowelden) and the character’s voice still sings in my head, weeks later. I keep stumbling around in my mind trying to remember the plot over and over because it gets more interesting every time. I didn’t think much of the book when I started it, I just needed something. The review that popped up under the book’s synopsis that I didn’t read, said that it fell along the archetypes of Beauty and the Beast. And while I see that resemblance, I think it does the book a terrible injustice. Arcadia is led by the demon king. They call him the Gentle Lord. Those foolish enough can make deals with him, as one does the devil in other stories, but he always requires a heavy price. Nyx’s father made a deal with him before she was born. He and his wife weren’t able to bear children, so he went asking for a son to carry on his name. Instead the Gentle Lord offered him twin girls, if and only if, he gave one of them up to marry him when they turned a certain age. Now, that “sacrifice” was Nyx. And so the story starts. Everything she has ever believed about her world will be turned upside down. Those moments are the kind that leave my mind whirring; the idea of good and evil, about ever being able to draw the lines. Times that show the power of truth and how missing even one piece of it can skew your whole understanding. Nyx was born and raised to marry a monster, given the weight of being the only one who could save the world. She thought that made her callous, but it didn’t, not like it could have. She still felt compassion and saw beauty in horrible things. She knew true forgiveness. This was a tale laced with hints of Greco-Roman mythology and new ideas of what lies in the darkness. To say it is merely a retelling of Beauty and the Beast, is to ignore deeper messages inside the pages. Nyx comes face to face with a demon, the thing humans get told horror stories about, the thing she has trained to kill, and doesn’t flinch. She tries to learn all that she can about him and his mysterious castle, and doesn’t stop even when those truths don’t match what she has been told all of her life. I would put this book on the shelf of fantasy/ romance/ fiction for older YA readers. It is dark and, at times, disturbing to the point of feeling trippy, but not horror or all depressing. Powerful shifts between character voices and fascinating setting that I’ve never heard before, very much descriptive enough to visualize. There is so much more I could say on this book. I could go on about how it's funny and surprisingly sweet, but I guess you'll have to read it yourself to find out. I have to start with the director, Ross Gibby, himself because this is no normal review. I met Ross last summer when he was giving a talk about writing to a small group of people. First of all, it was awesome and I ended up writing all afternoon. He gave me some good tips about voice and how to deal with writer’s block. His kindness really brightened my day. Anyway, he talked about one of his projects, a comedic web series, called, “Marketing Tools.” I hope I can do it justice in this post, but you’ll have to watch for yourself. Above is the trailer for the entire series.
I reached out to Ross again, recently, and found out he is shooting a second of the series. No spoilers, but I got to see the script, and it is going to be hilarious. I don’t know when it is coming out exactly, but they are shooting this weekend and I will post as soon as I know.
Speaking of marketing... check out Marketing Tool’s Youtube Channel and Ross Gibby’s Youtube Channel. Give it a thumbs up and subscribe! Warning: do not watch at work because you will be laughing out loud. :) Underrated. I love the characters! The story of this family makes me just laugh out loud and is also very sweet. It’s mostly about various people coming to the house, meeting the family, and being freaked out; all the while, none of them notice a thing because to them, they are normal. I’m not quite sure how to describe them, but I’ll try. I definitely recommend watching some of their stuff, 100%. There is a TV show (1964) with 2 seasons on Hulu and a movie (1991) on Netflix. Theme song: They're creepy and they're kooky/ mysterious and spooky/ they're all together ooky/ the Addams family/ Their house is a museum/ where people come to see 'em/ they really are a scream/ the Addams family/ Neat/ Sweet/ Petite/ So get a witches shawl on/ a broomstick you can crawl on/ we're gonna pay a call on/ the Addams family!
Morticia is probably the most sensible person in the house. She is married to Gomez and they are completely in love. Wednesday and Pugsley are her children and she wants them to have all of the opportunities life could offer. Life’s not all lovely thorns and singing vultures you know. *cutting the flower part of her roses and leaving the thorns* Morticia: Children, what are you doing? Wednesday: I'm going to electrocute him. Morticia: But we're late for the charity auction. Wednesday: But, Mother... Morticia: I said no. Pugsley: Pleeaaaase? Morticia: Oh, all right. Gomez is sporadic, to say the least. He smokes cigars, stands on his head to relax, crashes elaborate train sets, and some sort of gambling on the stock market(?). He respects his wife immensely. They dance and support each other through everything. [about Morticia] I would die for her. I would kill for her. Either way, what bliss. [in court] They say a man who represents himself has a fool for a client. Well, with God as my witness, I am that fool! Gomez [searching for Wednesday]: Fan out. Pugsley, head for the dung heap. Mama and Morticia, the shallow graves. I'll take the abyss. Lurch, check out the bottomless pit. Fester? Uncle Fester: [from a window] Up here! Gomez: Fester, you take the ravine, and the unmarked, abandoned well! Uncle Fester: Somebody should stay behind in case she comes back. Gomez: Good man. Good thinking! Grandmama: Then who'll take the swamp? Gomez: *Thing taps his shoe* That's the spirit, Thing. Lend a hand. Let's go! Puglsey is the oldest Addam’s child. He isn’t as big of a character as the others, mostly bouncing off (meaning in scenes following) his sister. Wednesday: Pugsley, sit in the [electric] chair. Pugsley: Why? Wednesday: So we can play a game. Pugsley: What game? Wednesday: It's called, "Is There a God?" Pugsley: Ok. Wednesday: *switches a lever* It has to warm up. Pugsley: Why? Wednesday: So it can kill you. Pugsley: I knew that. Morticia: *walks in* Children, what are you doing? Wednesday: I'm going to electrocute him. Morticia: But we're late for the charity auction. Wednesday: But, Mother... Morticia: I said no. Pugsley: Pleeaaaase? Morticia: Oh, all right. Wednesday is the youngest of the family. Very matter-of-fact, unexpressive in the most terrifying (but hilarious) way. She is easily my favorite character. She has a strong sense of self and is not afraid of anything or anyone. [when asked about her Halloween costume] This is my costume. I'm a homicidal maniac- they look just like everyone else. [her and Pugsley are selling lemonade on the side of the road] Girl Scout: Is this made from real lemons? Wednesday: Yes. Girl Scout: I only like all-natural foods and beverages, organically grown, with no preservatives. Are you sure they're real lemons? Pugsley: Yes. Girl Scout: Well, I'll tell you what. I'll buy a cup if you buy a box of my delicious Girl Scout cookies. Do we have a deal? Wednesday: Are they made from real Girl Scouts? Nobody gets out of the Bermuda Triangle, not even for a vacation. Everyone knows that. Honorable mentions: Uncle Fester - lives with the rest of them. Funny and goes to their torture, I mean “play,” room to relax. He can generate electricity, eg. light a light-bulb by sticking it in his mouth. Lurch - the family’s Frankenstein-monster-like butler who plays the piano rather nicely and comes at the (deafeningly) sounds of a gong that shakes the house. Thing - the hand that travels between boxes in the house and has quite the attitude . Yes, just the hand. Grandmama - obviously a witch.
If you know me, you may know that I like organizing… and color coding and lists and boxes and binders and, god my heart is racing. So, given that, and my slight obsession with order, I should love Marie Kondo’s show and her method. I like it. It’s making lots of people declutter and organize their houses, which is awesome and long past needed. First of all, I hate reality TV, even on my favorite topic. Marie Kondo in “Tidying Up With Marie Kondo,” (available on Netflix), goes to people’s homes and helps them declutter their homes. It’s like the fancy edition of “Hoarders.” I watched the first few episodes and they’re fun, but repetitive and mostly focused on the different couples relationship troubles.
I want more organizing! And, personally, while the whole “pick up one object at a time and think about it,” thing sounds nice, I think it is actually a whole bunch of bologna. If I actually did that? I would never get rid of anything! Mostly because it would take too long. So, if I had to rate it: 7.5/10 for fun. 5/10 for useable information. 9/10 for cuteness. 4/10 overall. I recommend watching at least some clips if you’d like so you can be in on the trend. And the important part to take away from it all is to clean your stuff! Explicit; would rate R for sexual content. TW for homophobia. A graphic novel where, essentially, two stories are being told, simultaneously. Clementine comes to a house, in the first scene, to collect her ex-girlfriend’s old journals. Emma, the girl, recently passed (reason unknown) and wanted Clementine to read them. And read them she does. They cover the entire story of their relationship, and give insight into her thoughts at the time. The past told in narrative and the present that Clementine lives in, blend together in that way that time can do.
TW: abuse, child abuse, homophobia This book is tearing me apart. As soon as I “picked it up” (I read it as an ebook) I was hooked. I didn’t want to stop, but I kept having to because I felt like I was going to have a heart attack. It’s that intense. Somehow the wording feels simple, just readable, in a way, but the story is not. The weight of the book sat on my throat the entire time, barely letting me breathe. It’s amazing. Summary: (Here goes, this might suck, but I’m trying so hard to avoid spoilers.) Evan keeps his head down. He keeps his worlds separate. His family and house stay far away from school and his friends. 1. His family looks perfectly normal to the outside world. They are a quiet Greek family who go to church every Sunday. His mom hates him and isn’t quiet about it, only ever seeing him as a disappointment. His dad is always at work, and isn’t much help at home anyway. Dark secrets lie behind those doors. 2. School is okay, until things with his best friend change. That turns into something beautiful, but the hate they get is not. 3. He draws to keep himself sane. This is the best book I have read in a while. I picked it out randomly and was blown away. Angelo Surmelis writes from a place of truth in his own life, which makes it all the more devastating. He tells a painfully raw story that taught me a lot. Please read this if you can. I’m out of words. PS. You will cry. I seriously love this show so much. It might be my favorite, after Grey’s, of course. I can’t emphasize how much I think this type of show is needed. It’s a sitcom that happens in the (fictional) NYC police precinct 99, but also so much more. I was surprised with the seriousness that came up throughout the seasons and how they handled it. It shows nuances of corruption, racism, sexism, and homophobia within the workplace and on the streets. As always, I love to watch for the characters, and they are amazing. The character arcs are a work of art. Nine characters, two latinas, 3 women with very different personalities and presentations and two black men in respected positions of power. I can’t explain it. I felt represented and it was a light setting. #diversity #crushing stereotypes Jake Peralta (Andy Samberg*) drinks too much coffee, cute, uses humor as a shield, always underestimated, leather jackets, immature, never gives up, loves his friends, loyal Jake’s mom: You have been protecting me since you were a kid. Sometimes I think you got so good at it, you decided to become a cop and protect everyone. Jake: Oh, that’s a cool thought but I became a cop because of Die Hard. #Jewish Amy Santiago (Melissa Fumero) sharp, always seem put together, wants to seem tough, organized, teacher’s pet, secretly smokes, competitive, so many binders, loyal “But the real hero here is the binder”. #female #Cuban Rosa Diaz (Stephanie Beatriz*) mysterious, scary calm, plain scary, wears all black, where did those knives come from, will surprise you, observant, strong, loyal “What kind of woman doesn’t have an axe?” #female #latina #independent #lgbt Charles Boyle (Joe Lo Truglio*) actually a bunny, food critic, falls in love too easily, protective, clueless, wants to be included, indecisive, loyal “That’s why I’ve never tried to develop and edge! Can’t lose what you don’t have- no surprises!” #feminine guy Terry Jeffords (Terry Crews*) father to everyone, does pull-ups in his sleep, caring, yogurt, talks in third person for some reason, person everyone goes to, motivational, loyal Jake: It’s like taking candy from a baby. Terry: What are you doing giving candy to a baby? Don’t give candy to a baby! They can’t brush their little teeth! #black #nurturing #physically intimidating, but a sweetheart Scully (Joel McKinnon Miller) how does he still have a job? eats only junk food, loyal “If we’re away from our desks for too long, they’ll update our computers and we’ll lose minesweeper.” #loving friendship with another man Hitchcock (Dirk Blocker) somehow still alive, silly, loyal “You had me at no paperwork.”#loving friendship with another man Gina Linetti (Chelsea Peretti*) dramatic, secretly kind, quick-witted, knows all the gossip, funny, wicked burns, dancer, trendy, loyal “Hi. Gina Linetti. The human form of the 100 emoji.” #female #owns her bossiness Captain Ray Holt (Andre Braugher) - no small talk, impossible to read, smiles sometimes, hard to impress, determined, more secrets, lived through hell, loyal “Do you want to hear the funniest thing ever? I also split an infinitive, and she didn’t notice.” #black #openly gay
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