I recently went on a Firefly binge and this one was a doozy. It was one of those situations where I re-watched the entire series and movie with my brother and then a few days later I was reflecting upon how good a particular episode is and then ended up watching the whole series and movie again. That happens, right? Just to me? Okay, moving on. In the midst of this relapse, I watched that week’s episode of Castle and a big part of me was thrown. Even though, I have seen all of Castle and watch it every week, I was so immersed in Captain Reynolds and the crew of Serenity that it was hard for me to separate the two characters.
This slide into fanaticism got me thinking of a blog post I had written a couple years ago about my preference of Edward Norton characters, and I thought Nathan Fillion deserved the same attention. For this match-up, I give you the best-selling author, restless bachelor, and devoted father with a streak of danger, Richard Castle; the broody rebel who is hiding his soft side, Captain Malcolm Reynolds; and our wildcard option for those of you who prefer brawn over brains, Captain Hammer.
I am going to rule out Captain Hammer right away. I just don’t know that I am willing to “do the weird stuff” with him, even if the "hammer" is his... never mind. This leaves me with Castle and Mal. The romantic in me wants to pick Mal. I would become a part of his crew and wear him down until he realized that I was the person he wanted to explore the ‘verse with and we would sail away on Serenity all the way to the outer limits, out of the Alliance’s watchful eye. Sigh. However, in reality, I know my choice would be Castle. He’s handsome, funny, debonair, family-oriented, and, let’s not forget or act like I’m above it, loaded. I would still get the satisfaction of making him a reformed bachelor without as much drama as I would get from Mal.
What is your choice, reader who is as familiar with these Nathan Fillion characters as I am?
Note: Also, in case the description of my decline into lunacy isn’t enough, I am going to use this post as an opportunity to stress the importance of watching Firefly. Even though it is a heartbreaking bandwagon to jump on, it is so worth it. I don’t know what it is about that show, but it creates fanatical fans. Exhibit A: Me. My heart breaks every time I watch the last episode or movie. Exhibit B: Troy and Abed from Community. They have a pact to make each other’s deaths look like a suicide over the unjust cancellation of the Joss Whedon vehicle. Yeah, it produces that kind of devotion. (The whole series and follow-up movie are available on Netflix Instant Streaming)
As some shows, much to my chagrin, are now entering their mid-season hiatus, it is safe to say that we are well into the TV season. The crop of new shows is being pruned of the bad (goodbye, Playboy Club and Charlie’s Angels) and we’re reaping in the good. While some shows’ fates have yet to be determined, it’s fairly clear who is going to get to stay around. With that in mind, I thought I would give some recommendations on what I think are the top 5 new shows of the season.
5. Hart of Dixie (CW) – Okay, bear with me here. If you go into this show knowing that it is schlock and suspend your disbelief to allow for the possibility that we live in a world where Rachel Bilson could be a cardiothoracic surgeon, then I think you, too, could enjoy this show. It’s nothing groundbreaking, sure. But if after two episodes, you DON’T want to live in Bluebell, Alabama with Wade Kinsella, well, then hells bells, I don’t know what to think. Best episode so far: “In Havoc and In Heat”
4. Once Upon a Time (ABC) – With the first couple episodes of this one, I didn’t see how they were going to make an interesting show out of stories we have all heard/seen a million times, but this latest episode restored my faith. If they continue giving our beloved storybook characters a different back story than the ones we are familiar with, I’m all in. Best episode so far: “Snow Falls”
3. Up All Night (NBC) – Before this show premiered, I was crossing my fingers so hard for it to be good. I mean, Will Arnett, Christina Applegate, and Maya Rudolph? It needed to be good. I was so pleased when it was. Best episode so far: “Working Late and Working It” (for Jorma’s presence alone)
2. New Girl (Fox) – Considering that I am in love with her band, obsessed with her website, and already a fan of another TV show starring a Deschanel, it was pretty much a given that I was going to love Zooey’s new show. Yes, she’s a little over the top in her dorkiness, but us girls love to see our lesser qualities amplified in the media to make ourselves feel better about them. Since the premiere of Jess on New Girl, I’ve been wearing my dork badge with a little more pride. Best episode so far: “Wedding” (“He’s so soft like a towel” and Slo-Mo Chicken Dance, y’all!)
1. Revenge (ABC)- Yes, Revenge is my favorite new show. Before you start with the judgemental looks, have you seen this show? It’s nuts burgers! But get past all the pandering to our basic need as a society to see rich people dress pretty and ruin their lives or, at the very least, each other’s lives, and you have a show that actually has a lot to say about morality and, what do you know it, revenge. I also give it major props for having what is possibly the most morally ambiguous lead character on TV. As Emily Thorne seeks revenge for her father’s life, she consistently resides in the grey area. The most empathetic characters on the show are the two guys that she is stringing along as part of her ruse. It’s so good, you guys! Trust me. Best episode so far: “Pilot” (Because you really need to start there.)
So there you have it. What are you liking this season? Anything I missed? I am (sadly) always open to new shows.
Like Crazy opened yesterday and as it is a smaller movie, I felt like I needed to tell some of you about it, because as you are about to read, I really liked it.
The film begins with an American boy, Jacob (Anton Yelchin), and a British girl, Anna (Felicity Jones, who I have watched and re-watched several times in the most recent adaptation of Northanger Abbey), falling in love. Anybody who has ever seen a movie knows that if we start with people falling in love, they are bound to run into some bumps in the road. Like Crazy is no different. Anna overstays her student visa to remain with Jacob in Los Angeles after they graduate, but is eventually found out and forced to return to London. Now they must learn how to handle being constantly drawn to each other while being thousands of miles apart, and as the film progresses that distance becomes more than just physical.
In interviews, director Drake Doremus has said that much of the dialogue in the film is improvised. The actors were simply given an outline of what needed to happen in the given scene. The result of this was me cringing throughout a good chunk of the movie because everything feels agonizingly real. Recently, I wrote a post on wanting to live in a Nora Ephron movie because I was amazed at how she was able to make her characters seem so naturally eloquent and witty. As I was watching the new film Like Crazy last night, I came to the realization that as much as I want to be in a Nora Ephron movie, it is the world of Like Crazy in which we actually live. And I am intending that as praise. When Anna and Jacob argue, it is a real argument of sputtering and not knowing how to state your case. When they go on their first date, it is awkward but sweet. This is no Hollywood romance, but a real, honest-to-goodness romance, with all the red-faced crying that usually comes with it.
Felicity Jones is getting a lot of praise for her performance in this film, but I will extend my praise to Yelchin, as well. As both characters go through this hurricane of emotions, you can see every single one written all over their faces as clear as day.
With all that said, I suppose this long-winded review could be summed up like this: Like Crazy is one of the most honest movies I have ever seen and I think you should see it, too.
If Nora Ephron wrote my life, the human race would only include people who are smart and speak in the most eloquent and well executed of sentences. Even the most menial of conversations would be witty and urbane. Best of all, we would find ways to relate the plots of films and books to all of life’s problems. When I would try to argue a point, I would know exactly what to say and how to say it. Every barb would be cutting and to the point. Accompanying every stroll through the park or lunchtime in the flower market would be a tune by Ella Fitzgerald or Louis Armstrong. You know, something classy and sophisticated. Like what you would hear in a Starbucks or bookstore.
Every season would be romantic.
But the best part of all would be falling in love. Falling in love in my new Nora Ephron world would be the best falling in love ever. Love conquers distance, awkward hook-ups, and dreadful first impressions. Men aspire to be Cary Grant. Yeah, the straight ones, too! When they cite reasons for why they fell in love with you, they list things like the crinkle on your forehead or how you peel apples. They usually cite these reasons in a sweet, comical, and perfectly executed speech given when you are least expecting it.
In Sleepless in Seattle, Meg Ryan’s character gets accused of wanting to be in love in a movie. But who wouldn’t? As long as it is written by Nora Ephron.
(Can you tell I had a day in watching When Harry Met Sally…, Sleepless in Seattle, and You’ve Got Mail?)
Don't watch the video below unless you have already seen When Harry Met Sally... And if you haven't, I suggest watching it pronto.
In my, ehem, research for my post about the BBC period dramas, I stumbled across this little gem.
My first reaction is, “What is wrong with these Australian women?” I am totally on board with Darcy being their number one fantasy, but even if you know nothing about Pride and Prejudice, wouldn’t you stop and talk to this guy simply out of morbid curiousity? My favorite part has to be when he resorts to getting wet.
Ah, summertime. When the living is easy, the sun is shining, and movies in the theaters are better. Of course, for me, there are still those summer days when I prefer to cool off by being magically whisked away to jolly old England. Granted, I will watch a BBCperioddrama anytime of year, but just work with me here.
Over my countless years of experience and numerous viewings of these miniseries or TV movies, I have noticed something. If I am ever having a bad day or I’m feeling low, I’ll just pop one of these in or go to YouTube and just watch a particular scene, skipping over Lydia and Wickham in Pride & Prejudice or all the people dying in North & South. I know that those among you who I count as my faithful readers also have an affinity for these shows, so I decided to countdown my top ten favorite moments in a BBC period drama.
Just a few things before we start: 1) I had to restrict myself to the shows that originally aired on TV, so if you are wondering where Becoming Jane is or why I pick certain versions of a scene over the perhaps better version that is on film, now you know. 2) No comments from the peanut gallery on how I am only representing four authors with this list. I know what I like. I won’t apologize for that. 3) A lot of my choices for scenes are highly spoilery, but I give my full endorsement to all of the options referenced in this list, so just find the whole thing and watch it.
Honorable mention: Lost in Austen (2008) “Lake scene” – While I have to respect this series as an Austen-phile, I never particularly warmed to it. I blame it on the Darcy, who never seemed to embody the role for me. That being said, I loved the meta-ness of this scene. If you haven’t seen the series, all you need to know is that a modern girl gets placed in the middle of Pride & Prejudice. Best line: “Will you do something for me?”
10. Persuasion (2007) “Run-in at the Shop” – This version would almost be perfect if it hadn’t so royally screwed up the ending (KISS HIM ALREADY!) with the exception of that tacked on last scene. Persuasion is my favorite of Austen’s novels and the ending is, of course, my favorite part, so you can imagine that this was quite the blow. What this version has working for it, though, besides the scrum-diddly-umptuous Rupert Penry-Jones, is that it nails the awkward longing from Anne and Wentworth. This is nowhere better exemplified than this shop scene. Best line: “A man cannot recover from such a passion. With such a woman. He ought not. He does not.” And if it can count for a line, Rupert’s smile. 9. Cranford (2007) “Lace” – Yes, it’s my only choice that does not have explicit romantic connotations. While there is romance in Cranford, I had to include this scene on my list. Correct me if I am wrong, but this is the only period drama that gets away with a fart joke. Juvenile though it may be, it’s still dang funny. Best line: “We are in the throes of an exceptional emergency.” 8. Emma (2009) “Proposal” – In my opinion, Johnny Lee Miller is no Paul Rudd. Nor a Jeremy Northam for that matter. However, this has always been my second favorite Austen proposal scene (see number 5 for my favorite). I love that the crazy mix-ups almost spoil the whole thing, but then… he tells her. Way to man up, Knightley! Also, this version of Emma gets bonus points for the inclusion of possibly my favorite Austen line ever. Best line: “If I loved you less, I might be able to talk about it more.” 7. Jane Eyre (2006) “Proposal” – Oh, poor Jane Eyre, to think that if you had been in a Jane Austen novel, this scene would mark the end of your story and we could get to assume that you married Mr. Rochester in that little church without any worries about his loco wife. Alas, this is Bronte and sister does not mess around. What I really like about this scene is that if it was given modern language, Jane would be saying, “Screw you! You don’t know me!” (Note: If you are a fan of close-talking and loud kissing, you might prefer this scene.) Best line: “If God had given me some beauty and wealth, I would make it as hard for you to leave me as it is now for me to leave you.” 6. North & South (2004) “Train Station” – I once did a scene analysis of this for a Literature and Film class where I had to transcribe the scene and describe each shot. Best. Paper. Ever. Words cannot express how much I love this series, but especially this ending, so instead I will give you a topic of discussion: This scene is made much more effective by Richard Armitage not wearing the cravat. Discuss. Best line: “You’re coming home with me?” Anytime, day or night. 5. Sense & Sensibility (2008) “He’s Not Married!” – Ms. Austen certainly had a thing for the romantic entanglements, huh? Let’s get something straight. Nothing tops the moment when Emma Thompson’s Elinor breaks into tears, but there is something to be said for this new version, as well. First of all, I am not the biggest Hugh Grant fan, so I fell much harder for Mr. Dan Stevens’ Edward. Also, this version plays the awkwardness pretty well. Best line: “So now you can marry Elinor.” 4. Northanger Abbey (2007) “Kiss” – Northanger Abbey was my first Austen novel and after I had been let down by the atrocious 1986 version, you can imagine how utterly pleased I was by this latest interpretation. Felicity Jones and JJ Feild are perfection and their kiss at the end is so adorkably perfect that I feel I can go out on a limb and say it is my favorite Austen kiss ever. Haters to the left. Best line: “But you can see their house from the window.” 3. Little Dorrit (2008) “John’s Speech” – Everything about this scene is heartbreaking. The look on Arthur’s face when he realizes what a fool he has been, John’s befuddlement at Arthur’s blindness, John offering his hand at the end, everything. John Chivery certainly gets the award for being the most heartbreaking character in a BBC period drama and you naysayers can talk to me in the comments. Best line: “All the time I was breaking my heart over her, she was breaking hers over you.” 2. North & South (2004) “Look back at me” – Some of you may be surprised that I am ranking this scene over the train station scene, but you shouldn’t be. This scene has equally as much passion but it is all crammed into four little words. (Topic #2: Richard Armitage has the sexiest voice in the world. Discuss.) Best line: Um, duh. 1. Pride & Prejudice (1995) “Pemberley” – Okay, I am going to cheat here and deem any and all scenes taking place at Pemberley as the best scene from a period drama. I have seen this scene hundreds (Yes, literally hundreds) of times, yet I still get twitterpated when Darcy comes around that tree or when he gets that little smile on his face when they longingly gazing at each other over the piano. While I have no qualms with the whole wet Darcy thing, I mainly love this scene because he is trying so hard to impress her and she is so confused that it all results in this perfect little awkward situation, which you may have noticed that I am a fan of. Best line: “And your parents are in good health and all your sisters?”
So there you have it. What do you think? Agree? Disagree? Is there one that you haven’t seen that you now realize you need to watch? Let me know!
It is time that I go on record and say that I love Katy Perry. I am totally on board with her geeky-cool-retro schtick and anyone who puts out a video like her latest for “Last Friday Night”, which I have linked below, is A-OK in my book. You have Kenny G, Corey Feldman, Debbie Gibson, Kevin McHale, Darren Criss, and Hanson (who look so much hotter in the 2000s, by the way) in one video. Even the inclusion of Rebecca Black kind of rocks my socks because I respect that Katy is giving the girl a chance to shred her “national joke” image and I felt like she (very nearly) delivered.
Mainly, I love the video because it feels like every teen movie or TGIF TV show plot from the 90s. My parents found out that I went to that party?! Wah-wah. I was waiting for Danny Tanner to walk in at the end, cue the sentimental music, and have a heart-to-heart with Katy’s alter-ego Kathy Beth Terry about the dangers of teenage partying. Also, I am pretty sure that my childhood Malibu Barbie wore the same outfit that the sexified Kathy Beth wore to the party. What can I say? Barbie had to look smokin’ when she drove around my bedroom in her pink Jeep with the top down.
Watch the video and let me know what you think? Were you also getting a Step by Step vibe? Does this make you like Katy Perry more? Less? The same amount?
Favorite details: the guy with the drawn on tuxedo, bobbled hair-ties, Artie walks (!), “Why is there some lost boy in your bed?”, and the font of the credits.
Those of you who know me, know that if I am any two things, those things would have to be a cinephile and a hopeless romantic. So when those two things collide? Watch out. AND THEN, when that lethal combination is overlain with a soundtrack of Florence + The Machine’s “Dog Days Are Over”? Game over.
Such is the case with the video that I have attached below. Watch it, then report back for my commentary.
First of all, there is no way that any woman ever in the history of womanhood could turn down a man that would make this video. Am I right? It’s practically science. We are hard-wired to be suckers for this kind of stuff. Or is that just me?
Second, this is just good filmmaking. I know that he had help, but whoever is responsible for the concept, editing, and direction, gets some serious kudos.
How do you we feel about this, ladies? I feel like I am ready to declare it the best proposal that I have seen posted on the internet, possibly even the best proposal that I have seen. Period. I know, it’s a strong statement, but that is how much I love this. Agree? Disagree? And be honest, did the tears come?
In order to fully express my feelings about last night’s television, let’s first learn a little bit about grammar. For today’s lesson, we will be learning about interjections. Now, interjections show excitement or emotion and they’re generally set apart from a sentence by an exclamation point or by a comma when the feeling’s not as strong. However, there were no commas to be seen when I was watching the Bones and Parks and Recreation season finales. Interjections like Hurray! Hallelujah! Finally! Awww! And then ones like Noooo! Why?!?!?! Agh! (I know that not all of those are technically interjections, but just roll with it).
First let’s talk about the show that inspired all the happy elations from me: Bones. As much as I loved seeing Booth and Brennan go into their old undercover aliases of Buck and Wanda, as much as I teared up when Angela and Hodgins were waiting to see if their baby was blind, and as much as I was amused by all the humor in this episode, it really all boiled down to the last minute. SPOILER! BRENNAN IS PREGNANT! And with freaking Booth’s baby! This was the first Bones finale ever where I left completely satisfied and excited for next season. Why? Because even if it is not completely smooth sailing next season, they’re obviously going to try and make this work for the baby and because they are in deep smit with each other. I would also like to note, that my mother and I totally called that they had sex in the last episode and that the “Change in the Game” was going to be that she is pregnant. Pony up, all you naysayers!
Now, let’s move onto the show that had me whimpering and shouting expletives at the television, Parks and Recreation. Don’t get me wrong, this was still my favorite hour of TV this week, or should I say my favorite 55 minutes of TV because the it was the last five minutes that broke my heart.
First, I’ll talk about the good. (Obviously, not all the good, because there is simply too much to cover). It would seem that the Knope ladies have a thing for political savvy nerds who get adorably flustered in their presence. The look on Ben’s face after Marlene Knope made a pass at him was priceless, but then I also have a thing for political savvy nerds who get adorably flustered. Also, being a Ben and Leslie fan, I loved all their sneaking around and their politically charged make-out sessions. There was a lot of good stuff that wasn’t Ben and Leslie related (Ron’s singed mustache, Andy’s “5000 Candles in the Wind”, Ron trapped in the Swedish desk, Tom and Andy’s fourth floor adventures, Cube butt, Jean-Ralphio, and the promise of Tammy 1!), but in the interest of time, we’ll move on.
I always knew that public office was in our plucky heroine’s future, but I certainly don’t want it to come at the of this adorkable couple’s happiness! We just got them together! What I am hoping will happen is that Chris will act on his suddenly rekindled admiration of Ann Perkins and have to change the office-dating policy thus making it possible for Ben and Leslie to date scandal free. Problem solved! But nothing is ever that simple in TV Land, is it? All I can say is that the look of uncertainty on the faces of Ben Wyatt and Leslie Knope will haunt me all summer.
Ok, friends and family, I need you to talk me down from this. Tell me everything is going to be okay. Also, how did you feel about our Thursday night programming? Did anybody else watch The Office and get as bored as I did? Are you excited about a Booth and Bones baby? Did you also feel that the real mourning in “Li’l Sebastian” was not over the famed mini-horse, but over our two nerds’ upcoming rocky road to blissful happiness? Leave your comments below!
And here are my favorite quotes from last night's two part season finale:
Leslie: "The best part of any relationship is the beginning. No problems, no fights, just white wine, cuddling, and crazy amounts of... History Channel documentaries."
Andy: "When life gives you lemons, make lemonade. I read that once on a can of lemonade, but I like to think that it applies to life."
Tom: "I did recently sell my Chronicles of Riddick DVD on eBay for $10. Use the profits to buy the blu-ray."
Leslie: "Absotootley I am! Very sorry that I just used that word."
Leslie: "Somebody made somebody a mix and I definitely heard your feedback from last time so I only put five Sarah McClachlan on this one."
Leslie:"That's disgusting and wrong. I don't even get... Why would... I've never had sex with anyone anywhere. It's none of your... You have... Have the nerve, the audacity. Ben is my boss, technically. And he is terrible face-wise and how... How do I know, frankly, that you're not sleeping with him? Maybe you are. Maybe you're trying to throw me off. Hmm. Check and mate. This is an outrage! Who do I call?!"
I must tell you that I had every intention of writing about the decline of Glee in my post-Tuesday post for this week. In my opinion, this season has been very lackluster and has spent too much time focusing on certain storylines. While I can respect the show for making a statement on bullying and gay rights, I don’t need this shoved down my throat week after week and I certainly don’t need it to be taking precedence over every other storyline. Am I alone in this?
Beginning of Spoilerly mentions
However, after last night’s episode, I was unable to sit down and write the Glee bashing I had intended. In last night’s episode we got some good relationship drama, some awesome vocal performances (I’m looking at you Mercedes and Rachel), and I cried more than thrice throughout the episode.
Let’s take a look at the board, shall we!
1) I cried when Sue, Frankenteen, and Porcelain were cleaning out Jean’s room 2) I bawled during Sue’s eulogy, the “Pure Imagination” number, and the accompanying video (I am counting this as one since it was just one long and good cry) 3) I cried when Sue pulled it in for a hug after she told Becky that she was going to be the Cheer captain 4) Finally, I got teary-eyed during Rachel’s song. I’m sorry, but girl had all sorts of emotional power behind that vocal. Also, I loved that she got all Barbara-faced.
While I am not ready to say I want to see a de-snarkified Sue Sylvester it was nice to see her relent for the kids who had arranged such a sweet and touching funeral service for her sister.
Also, being a Finchel and Wemma fan, I was grateful for their progress in this episode, even if neither ended on a particularly good note. Finn, don’t you know that when Rachel sings those treacley love ballads that it’s all for you? Will, she’s crying! Run after her! And just what do we think Quinn is going to get up to in New York, hmm?
I guess all this means that “Funeral” was a win for me and that I’ll have to keep watching Glee. Just when I think I am free, it pulls me back in. Curse you, television!
I have read mixed reviews online of the episode, so what did all of you think? Do you share my feelings about Glee this season, or have you been completely on board? Are we excited for New York next week?
In honor of the bittersweet week that is the week of season finale week, I am going to (try and) post something everyday talking about the insanity that happened the night before. For today, I am going to talk about Castle and boy did it ever deliver on the insanity. I am going to issue a huge SPOILER ALERT if you are following the show, but if you aren’t just know this: For three seasons, Castle and Beckett have been doing the classic “will they/won’t they” game (which I am a total sucker for) and last night as Beckett lay dying from a gunshot wound, Castle held her in his arms and told her not to leave because he loves her. Game changer! They wouldn’t kill off Beckett, right? And if she stays alive this is a huge elephant in the room for them to try and ignore, as they have done with other tender moments in the past. END OF SPOILER ALERT!
This climatic ending got me thinking about my feelings regarding the classic ploy of the cliffhanger used by those crafty show runners to drive me crazy for three months. If the mission is to leave me so utterly flummoxed that I am rendered speechless when I call my mom for our post-TV roundup, than mission accomplished, job well done.
However, seeing as how I can’t remember a finale that hasn’t ended with a finale, I can’t help but wonder if I would be equally, if not more, satisfied with some resolution. Isn’t that the foundation of story telling? You build and build and build until you reach that precipice and bring the audience back down by tying up all those loose ends. Imagine, if you will, that you are a child hearing Cinderella for the first and your mother ends the story with her running from the ball and losing her slipper? What? What about the prince? Will they ever see each other? What about her shoe? Hey, stay cool daddy-o, we still have 10 pages left. Your mother wouldn’t have shut the book and made you wait three months to find out that they lived happily ever after.
Now, I am fully aware that television is a business and that they need viewers to come back, but if I am left happy, I’ll come back anyway. You can count me in.
I’ll leave it open to you guys now. What was your worst cliffhanger? Do you need a cliffhanger to feel satisfied with your finales? Did you watch Castle? If so, what did you think about the ending?
In keeping with the theme of this blog and also because much of my relationship with my mother is based on our similar affinity for all things movies and TV things anyway, I decided to write a post about my favorite pop culture related activities to do with my mom. After all, this is the woman who had me quoting movies and TV almost from the moment I could talk (and we have the home videos to prove it), so it should come as no surprise that she played a huge role in making me the walking imdb that I am today. In fact, most of my memories with my mom also include a movie or a TV show, which some might see as sad and pathetic. To a certain degree, it is, but if you know my mom and I at all, it shouldn’t come as a surprise.
With that in mind, I give you my top ten favorite things to do with my mom. I decided to take out the caveat that they be pop-culture related, as these are pretty much just my favorite things to do with my mom.
10. Lazy Saturday Mornings (that sometimes last all day) – Yeah, it usually starts out with us just watching last night’s The Soup, but it usually evolves into us re-watching other episodes from the week or watching some movie that is on TBS that we have seen a hundred times and own. 9. Educating Each Other – When I entered this realm, I was naïve and had no understanding of what passed as good entertainment, but like every good mother should, Mom took me under her wing and showed me the light. Yes, she got me a lot of crap (I’m looking at you 3 Ninjas), but that’s expected with kids movies. And what other four-year-old was watching SaturdayNightLiveGoesCommercial, Mystery Science Theatre 3000, or what I later discovered was an edited copy of Grease (the real lyrics of “Greased Lightening” came as a huge shock to me later in life)? Not any that I knew. Now, I think both my mom and I can agree that I have taken the reigns in educating her in what qualifies as good entertainment, much to her annoyance, I’m sure. 8. Award Shows – I remember the first Academy Awards that I actually sat down and watched with my mom. The year was 1995 and I hadn’t seen a single movie that won. I remember this because I was grossly disappointed when Babe didn’t win Best Picture. But at that tender age of 7, I got caught up in the pomp and circumstance of it all and we have watched every year since. Even when we ended up in a hotel room in Seattle one year, we still found a way to have our own little Oscars party complete with IBCs icing in the bathroom sink. 7. TV Show Marathons – Bones, Vampire Diaries, Veronica Mars, and others that are escaping me. What do these shows have in common besides being awesome? Well, my mom and I have watched them in their entirety in far too short a span of time. Like when we stayed up until 4 o’clock in the morning after watching 11 hours of Bones with our dear friend Hailey when on a three day binge of watching the first four seasons. Yeah, we’re awesome. 6. Discussion of the hotness of male celebrities – My friends often make the comment that I will only watch a TV show if I have a crush on one of the male characters (I have no idea where they got this crazy idea), but I probably get this from the woman who used to play computer Hearts with Denzel, Antonio, and Mel. This was before Mel went off the rails, though. She would probably change it to Mark, David, and Matt now, or something like that. (Ryan, Hugh, and George were my other considerations). How’d I do, Mom? 5. Comic Con – Granted we have only gone one year (and tickets for this year!), but it was pure awesomeness and the perfect excursion for us. Four days of sitting in a packed room listening to celebrities and showrunners talk about their TV shows while being surrounded by our fellow nerds. Not to mention all the free swag and the swooning that took place during this moment. 4. British Women Getting Married Movies – This is the title that my brother has given to our BBC period pieces/ any Jane Austen adaptation. When I was home sick one day from school, my mom introduced me to the 1995 adaptation of Pride and Prejudice and I can literally say it changed my life. Since then, Masterpiece Theatre fare has sort of become our thing and we have expanded to include Dickens, Gaskell, and other fare where… well, British women get married. 3. Entertainment games that no one ever wants to play with us – To this day, my mom is the only worthy adversary I have found to battle me in Scene It and no road trip is complete without some variation of a movie-themed game. Our iPhones have now only made it more possible for us to bone up on our useless entertainment trivia. 2. Our Special Movie Theatre Routine – No one understands the proper way to do movie theatres like my mom, perhaps because she is the one who trained me in the art. It is essential that you show up to the theatre 20 minutes before the movie starts, earlier if it is the movie’s opening weekend. This guarantees you enough time to go to the bathroom, get concessions, check out the new movie posters lining the hallways, and get the perfect seats (the ones right behind that bar so you can put your feet up). But most important of all, you never, EVER miss trailers. This is just blasphemy in the Lloyd household. 1. Post-Thursday night TV phone/text conversations – Thank goodness for TV or my mom and I would have nothing to talk about. If we talk no other day of the week, you can pretty much count on the fact that we will call each other on Friday afternoon to talk about all the insanity that took place during our Thursday night lineup.
Wow, if you are anyone but my mom and you have made it this far, I am impressed and you must really like myself, my mom, or both of us.
Mom, I love you and I hope you have the bestest Mother’s Day!
I hate to say this because everyone is going to start treating me like the boy who cried wolf, but I found another “funniest show on television” and this week’s episode was so epic that I felt I needed to publicly announce my obsession with it. I know I have already forced some of you to sit down and watch or have left messages and sent emails until you did start watching, but there are bound to be some of you that I have missed. That is why you need to take me seriously when I say this: drop whatever you are doing and go watch Parks & Recreation. You have to believe me when I tell you that you won’t regret it.
The show follows the employees of the Parks & Recreation department of Pawnee, Indiana, which is for the most part led by the intrepid Leslie Knope (Amy Poehler). While Poehler alone should be enough to sell you, everyone on the show is hilarious. Everyone from Ron Swanson, the government employee who doesn’t believe in government, to Jerry Gergich, the office “schlamiel” and “schlimazel”, is brilliant. In fact, the ensemble here is very similar to my other love, Arrested Development, in that it is nigh impossible to pick a favorite character.
Parks & Recreation is like a fine wine that just seems to be getting better with age (in fact, Entertainment Weekly recently declared it “TV’s Smartest Comedy”). I didn’t know if it was possible but the third season, which the show is currently in, has been even better than the second, especially with the additions of Rob Lowe and my new gentleman lover, Adam Scott. That being said, season one is a bit of a slow start so I usually recommend starting with season two because it will more effectively and quickly give you an idea of the fun that is to be had with this show. And you are all in luck because the first two seasons are available for instant streaming on Netflix!
For my closing argument, I am going to let the show speak for itself and leave you with these delectable delights.
April: I passed up a gay Halloween party to be here. Do you know how much fun gay Halloween parties are? Last year I saw three Jonas Brothers make out with three Robert Pattinsons. It was amazing.
Ron: I've been developing the Swanson Pyramid of Greatness for years. It's a perfectly calibrated recipe for maximum personal achievement. Categories include Capitalism: God's way of determining who is smart and who is poor. Crying: acceptable at funerals and the Grand Canyon. Rage. Poise. Property rights. Fish: for sport only, not for meat. Fish meat is practically a vegetable.
Tom: On a scale from one to Chris Brown, how pissed off is he?
Leslie: One time when I was in high school, a guy's mom called me and broke up with me for him. There was another time where I was on a date, and I tripped and broke my kneecap, and the guy said he wasn't "feeling it," so he left and I waited for an ambulance. One time I was dating this guy for a while, and then he got down on one knee and he begged me never to call him again. One guy broke up with me while we were in the shower together. Skywriting isn't always positive. Another time a guy invited me to a beautiful picnic with wine and flowers, and then when I tried to sit down, he said, "Don't eat anything. Rebecca's coming." And then he broke up with me. Ann Who's Rebecca? Leslie: Exactly.
UPDATE: I changed the link to the video to the animator's blog, so you should be able to see the video now.
While surfing the web today I came across this video. It is from animator Heidi Jo Gilbert who created animated storyboards for the song "Defying Gravity" from the musical Wicked and appeals to Wicked creator Stephen Schwartz to allow her to make his creation into an animated movie. Gilbert also assures viewers of her video that while she has worked for Disney, she created these on her own time. However, there is no denying that this is Elphaba and Galinda Disney-fied with their watery doe-eyes and tiny waists. At first, I couldn't wrap my head around an animated Wicked. I suppose it makes sense. The story does lend itself to the whimsy of animation and a musical being made into an animated film would be new, but it still irked me at first consideration. That being said, when Elphaba belts out to find her in the "western sky" I still got teary eyed and by the end of the video I was behind the idea. Whether this derives from my long-held desire to be able to pop in a Wicked DVD or whether I really think it is the way they should be brought to the big screen, I cannot tell you. So watch the video and tell me what you think! Do want little girls to be playing with Elphaba Barbies? Also keep in mind that if they did this, Idina Menzel and Kristen Chenoweth wouldn't be "too old" to play the voices of these college freshmen...
