Tag Archives: movies

ootp thoughts

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Aahhh, 3-day weekend for me. YAY! I took Friday the 13th (!) off from work as my “summer Friday.” We get to choose 5 Fridays to take off from Memorial Day through Labor Day. It’s a nice little perk to have a breather once in awhile. :) I didn’t do much… went over to a crafts store to pick up some new rubber stamps (I’ve become obsessed recently — I don’t know why) and then went home and watched 8 straight episodes of The OC season 3. I love the show but wow, s3 was pretty awful. I need to get the s4 DVDs so I can watch that the next time a summer Friday rolls around.

I also started re-reading the Harry Potter series. Finally! I quickly finished Sorceror’s Stone so now I’m on Chamber of Secrets. I don’t think I’ll get through them all this week so after book 2, I might jump straight to Half-Blood Prince. Ack, I can’t believe Deathly Hallows is almost here. I don’t want the series to end. *tear*

So today I went to see Order of the Phoenix again with some friends. I liked the movie the first time around but I liked it A LOT better the second. Some spoilery thoughts (in list form like Sarah because it’s easiest)…

Things I Didn’t Care For
1. Sirius’s death. I just… it’s not how I pictured it. I thought the curse was instant.
2. Details that were different from the previous movies. For example, both the Dementors and Sirius communicating through the fire were executed differently in Movie 3. I like consistency. :/
3. Cho selling out the DA. I know it’s easier for the storyline not to introduce another character and it makes it clear that a romantic relationship between her and Harry didn’t work out. But I have a soft spot for Cho.
4. Not enough Occlumency!
5. I missed Quidditch and Ron and Hermione being prefects.

Things I Loved
1. Dumbledore’s Army. SQUEE. Exactly how I imagined.
2. The casting of Professor Umbridge, Luna Lovegood, and Bellatrix Lestrange was spot on. They were all pretty darn perfect.
3. Daniel Radcliffe. He really just keeps getting better and better. ILUFFHIMSO.
4. The kids in the Department of Mysteries holding out their wands ready for battle. It seriously gave me chills.
5. The Dumbledore/Voldemort fight was SO AWESOME.
If anyone else has written a blog about the movie, let me know in the comments! I love to read everyone’s thoughts. But for now, I’ve got to get back to my reading… :D

transformers

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It’s Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix week! I’m pretty sure Rob and I are going to catch the midnight showing on Tuesday/Wednesday night. Woohoo!

Tonight was the HP OotP premiere in LA and I have to share this photo of the trio.

Look at Rupert’s shirt! He is so AWESOME. LOL. And wow, Emma is gorgeous. I hate her. Just kidding. Sort of.

I saw Transformers this weekend and LOVED it. Weird, right? I’ve been looking forward to seeing it (Josh Duhamel, baby!) but I thought it would be cheesy and over the top (I mean, come on, it’s a Michael Bay movie). Well, it was both of those things but it was also hugely entertaining. I completely enjoyed myself (and even found myself laughing *out loud*) throughout the entire movie (yes, even during the cheesy “more than meets the eye” lines). Shia LaBeouf was a huge reason why the movie was so fun. I’ve liked him in other movies before but now I’m definitely a fan. He totally carried the movie and gave it a heart. Plus, his delivery of all the one-liners is so spot on. ILUFFHIM. Megan Fox, on the other hand, apparently took classes from the Jessica Alba school of bad acting. She *is* pretty hot, though. And Bumblebee is officially my favorite Transformer. Anyway, go see it!

ratatouille

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I can’t believe it’s July. Craziness.

Haven’t been doing much of anything but I did see Ratatouille on Saturday morning. YAY. Awesome, awesome movie. I never thought that a *rat* could be CUTE. But somehow Pixar pulled it off. Everyone needs to go see it.

Harry Potter and the OotP in 1 week! Whee! I’ve watched the midnight showing for each of the other 4 movies so I contemplating doing that again… but OotP’s being released on a Wednesday. Why?! That’s totally going to screw up my work week. At least when I caught the midnight showing the previous times, there was only 1 more work day left until the weekend, when I could “catch up” on sleep. Grrr. I also haven’t started the HP re-read that I wanted to do before Deathly Hallows. Oh well. I’m kind of resigned to the fact that it won’t happen. Maybe I can at least read Books 5 and 6…

Anyway, thanks to all of you for your comments and emails regarding my previous wedding rant. I am such a drama queen. LOL. I was in a really bad mood when I was typing it up. :/ Sorry about that. Hopefully my next update will be more positive. :D

tv wrap-up 2

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I haven’t really been in the blogging mood lately. Work has been grueling (nothing new there), wedding planning has invaded my life (I’ll have to blog about some frustrations another time), and Diesel has completely messed with my sleeping schedule (he has decided to be our personal alarm clock every morning). UGH.

Anyway, I want to keep my TV wrap-up going so here goes…

Tuesday shows! Beware spoilers…

Gilmore Girls
I have to admit that I was a little upset with the show when Rory and Logan broke up in the penultimate episode. I know Logan wasn’t the best boyfriend but I really grew to love his character. So I was bummed even though I know it was probably the right decision for both of them. :( As for the finale, I thought it was pretty darn perfect. YES, I cried. It felt a *bit* rushed but I still thought it was such a beautiful ending for this show to have Lorelai and Rory at Luke’s Diner — exactly the way the show started. And I absolutely loved seeing all the Stars Hollow townspeople gathered together at Rory’s party. Though the show’s about the girls, it was nice to have a chance to say “Bye” to them as well.

Veronica Mars
The finale left me feeling really… incomplete. Maybe even a little depressed. I mean, the last shot of her walking in the rain after voting for her dad was pretty brutal. I adore this show (even though I may complain and gripe about it once in awhile) and I’m actually really sad to see it go. :( Veronica may have been a bit out-of-character this season (at least to me) but I still loved her and I’m going to miss her spunkiness. With that said, I enjoyed the finale (even though it didn’t really pack the same punch as the season 1 finale) and I’m glad everyone had their part, particularly Weevil and Wallace. :D

In other non-TV news, I saw the movie Knocked Up today. HILARIOUS… except for the last few moments of the movie. That just made me nauseous. (If you’ve seen the movie, you know EXACTLY what I’m talking about). Highly recommended.

Hmmm… I told myself I was going to re-read all my Harry Potter books before the last one is released. But I haven’t started yet. Oops.

summer movies

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Haven’t been doing much except HATING WORK. Argh. Clients are especially needy and my boss is all strung out and getting on my nerves. :( SUCKS.

AND my company just won the California Lottery as a client so guess what?! That means I can NO LONGER win the lottery. Sure I can play, but I won’t be seeing any money should I happen to win. GREAT. How am I going to finance my wedding now?! GUH. (Sorry for all the CAPS. I can’t help it).

Speaking of the wedding, Rob and I are going to be in Southern CA visiting our dads this weekend for Father’s Day so we’ve picked 6 venues to visit. I’m crossing my fingers that one of them will work!

Anyway, it’s the movie blockbuster season and so far, I’ve checked out 2 of the billion sequels that are coming out this summer…

Pirates 3
Meh. There were too many things going on and it was waaayyy too long. Plus, the multiple Jacks were totally weird. :/ I did find myself feeling so sad about the fate of Will and Elizabeth, though. That is ROUGH.

Ocean’s 13
Well, OF COURSE, I loved this movie. :D George, Brad, Matt… awesome! It was so much better than Ocean’s 12. Thank goodness. I mean, it’s not an original movie and it was pretty darn predictable, but WHATEVER. That’s cool with me. I still highly recommend it for a rockin’ good time.

Next up… I totally want to see Ratatouille!

spidey 3

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OMG. It has been freaking HOT here these past few days. *fans self* I hope the weather stays nice for the next few days cause Rob and I are taking a quick trip down to Monterey/Carmel for the weekend. It’s a belated little getaway for our anniversary. :D

Anyway, I saw Spider-Man 3 on Saturday morning. 10am showing! HEE. My friends and I are dorks. We didn’t want to deal with the crowds so we thought a morning showing would be best. I don’t want to give away any spoilers so I’ll just say that I was a tad disappointed. There were too many storylines going and not enough follow through. But I was entertained and I guess that’s all I can ask for in a movie. Pirates 3 is next!

The Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix trailer played before Spidey 3 and… WOW. It looked absolutely amazing on the big screen. I am *so* excited for HP5. :D Which reminds me… I need to start my re-read of the books soon!

And because my old roommate Jimmy just got engaged and he keeps asking me to upload music, here’s a mish-mash of recs for y’all –

Right click, save as…
username: cookie
password: monster


Snow Patrol – You Could Be Happy (LOVE this song!)
Snow Patrol – Signal Fire (from the Spidey 3 soundtrack)
Mat Kearney – Girl America
Rogue Wave – Eyes
Timbaland – Oh Timbaland
Timbaland – Apologize

Off to watch 24!

book meme

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I MUST see Paris Je T’Aime. It looks like such a beautiful movie. May 4!

A book meme I stole from Nicola…

Paperback, hardback or trade paperback?
Paperback. Either mass market or trade paperbacks. I don’t reread my books often enough to justify the cost of hardbacks. The exception is Harry Potter, of course.
Amazon or brick and mortar?
A mix of both. Amazon definitely has better deals but sometimes I need instant gratification, you know?
Barnes & Noble or Borders
Borders. Cause it’s right next door to my apartment. And it also has a much better (and free!) rewards program than B&N.
Bookmark or dog-ear?
Bookmark, usually. But I *have* been known to dog-ear sometimes.
Favorite place to read?
In bed underneath my incredibly comfy goose-down comforter.
Alphabetize by author or alphabetize by title or random?
Random. But I do try to group by author.
Keep, throw away, or sell?
It depends on the book. I keep about half and I sell/donate the other half.
Keep dust jacket or toss it?
Keep!
Read with dust jacket or remove it?
Remove. That thing is nothing but a pain while reading.
Short story or novel?
Novel. I’ve never really cared for short stories. I don’t really know why. *shrugs*
Harry Potter or Lemony Snicket?
I haven’t read the Lemony Snicket series but even if I had, I’m positive the answer would still be Harry Potter!
Stop reading when tired or at chapter breaks?
At chapter breaks. I feel like I need to reach a good ending point before I can put the book down.
“It was a dark and stormy night” or “Once upon a time”?
The former.
Buy or borrow?
I do fair amount of both. I’m really lucky cause I have good friends who have massive book collections and are very generous with them. :D
New or used?
Either. I’m not too finicky about used books… they just can’t be smelly or falling apart.
Buying choice: book reviews, recommendations, or browse?
Recommendations and book reviews. I pretty much rely on them for almost everything I read. I don’t have a knack for going into a bookstore and picking out books on my own.
Tidy ending or cliffhanger?
Tidy ending. I can’t help it. I like happy endings.
Morning reading, afternoon reading, or nighttime reading?
Nighttime reading. It’s my favorite thing to do before falling asleep.
Stand-alone or series?
Both. I love series but hate when they end.
Favorite series?
Harry Potter. :D
Favorite children’s book?
The Berenstein Bears series.
Favorite YA book?
The Sweet Valley High series.
Favorite books read last year?
I honestly can’t remember what I read last year, really… all the Nelson DeMille books were great and I also really enjoyed A Great and Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray.
Favorite books of all time?
Anne of Green Gables series.
Least favorite book you finished last year?
Could not stand The Time-Traveler’s Wife by Audrey Niffenegger. UGH.
What are you reading right now?
Dance Upon the Air by Nora Roberts. (Many thanks to Alie and Sarah for the rec! I’m loving it!)
What are you reading next?
Something Blue by Emily Giffin. Found it on the bargain table at Border for $5. I couldn’t resist cheap chick-lit!
Favorite book to recommend to an eleven-year-old?
Erm, Little Women? To be honest, I think I’m so far removed from 11-year olds that I wouldn’t know what is and isn’t appropriate for their age.
Favorite book to reread?
The Harry Potter series… I love these books more and more each time I read them.
Do you ever smell books?
It sounds weird but yes.

Off to read! :)

star wars, JT + movie meme

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Totally random tonight…

I’m so buying the Star Wars postage stamps when they’re released in May. I even voted for the stamp that should get its own sheet here. I’m a DORK. :D

Justin Timberlake just announced a second leg to his North American Tour. I wonder if I can convince someone to go with me again, hehe. The dates close to me are –

September
01 – Las Vegas, NV – Mandalay Bay
10 – Sacramento, CA – ARCO Arena
12 – San Jose, CA – HP Pavilion
16 – Los Angeles, CA – Staples Center

Carmen/Robyn, if we do girls weekend in Sept, we should totally go the weekend of the JT concert! Never mind, I just looked it up, that’s Labor Day weekend and plane tickets will be INSANE. :P

And because I’m bored, a movie meme stolen from Alie.

1. Name a movie that you have seen more than 10 times:
Anne of Green Gables/Avonlea, Oceans’s Eleven, and A Few Good Men
2. Name a movie that you’ve seen multiple times in the theater:
Titanic. I think I might have come close to double digits with this movie. *blush*
3. Name an actor that would make you more inclined to see a movie:
Brad Pitt and Matt Damon
4. Name an actor that would make you less likely to see a movie:
Jack Black or Rob Schneider
5. Name a movie that you can and do quote from:
Bring It On. “You’re a cheer-tator, Torrance, and a pain in my ass!”
6. Name a movie musical that you know all of the lyrics to all of the songs:
Rent! Well, I don’t know ALL the lyrics… but most.
7. Name a movie that you have been known to sing along with:
Grease — hee!
8. Name a movie that you would recommend everyone see:
The Lord of the Rings series
9. Name a movie that you own:
I own TONS. See my DVD list.
10. Name an actor that launched his/her entertainment career in another medium, but who has surprised you with his/her acting chops:
Mandy Moore. She’s adorable.
11. Have you ever seen a movie in a drive-in? If so, what?
I think so but I don’t really remember. Maybe when I was younger with my parents. Couldn’t tell you the movie, though.
12. Name a movie that you keep meaning to see but just haven’t yet gotten around to it:
Amelie and Marie Antoinette. I have the DVDs from Netflix but I’ve been lazy…
13. Ever walked out of a movie?
I’ve definitely wanted to but haven’t. The last movie I felt that way about was probably The Last Kiss. UGH.
14. Name a movie that made you cry:
I’m sure there are tons (I cry easily) but the one that stands out is Stepmom. Don’t make fun.
15. Popcorn?
OF COURSE. With a Cherry Coke.
16. How often do you go to the movies (as opposed to renting them or watching them at home)?
Not so much, really. Maybe once a month or so. But when Memorial Day rolls around and the summer blockbusters are released, Rob and I go as many times as it takes to see everything.
17. What’s the last movie you saw in the theatre?
Zodiac
18. What’s your favourite/preferred genre of movie?
Chick flicks! Then dramas.
19. What’s the first movie you remember seeing in the theatre?
Sleeping Beauty. Probably the reason why it’s my favorite Disney movie.
20. What movie do you wish you had never seen?
Any horror movie. They give me the CREEPS.
21. What is the weirdest movie you enjoyed?
Erm, maybe the Kevin Smith movies? Like Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back or Dogma.
22. What is the scariest movie you’ve seen?
Have to agree with Alie here… The Ring. *shudders*
23. What is the funniest movie you’ve seen?
Wedding Crashers and 40-Year Old Virgin come to mind. Also, pretty much any Will Ferrell, Vince Vaughn, or Owen Wilson movies.

:)

robin thicke

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I recently discovered Robin Thicke and OMG. I AM IN LOVE. His voice is completely swoon-worthy. Really. Mmmm. (It also doesn’t hurt that he’s absolutely gorgeous :D ). I uploaded 3 of my favorite songs for you guys here –

Right click, save as…
username: cookie
password: monster

Robin Thicke – Lost Without U
Robin Thicke – Wanna Love U Girl
Robin Thicke – Lonely World

Saw Zodiac last night. I think it was the first movie I saw in the theatre this year. It was a *little* slow but I ended up really, really liking it. Even though it GAVE ME CHILLS. It’s not a “horror” movie but the whole real-life aspect totally played with my head. Just knowing the Zodiac killings took place in the Bay Area… EEEEKKKK. Anyway, I didn’t realize that the cast included so many “names” — Mark Ruffalo, Anthony Edwards, Dermot Mulroney, Chloe Sevigny, Clea Duvall, Brian Cox, Donal Logue, Tom Verica… Rob and I kept turning to each other when we recognized someone, lol. I was particularly impressed by the performances of Robert Downey, Jr. and Jake Gyllenhaal, though. They were amazing. I’m glad I got the chance to see them at their best. All in all, a good movie, though it’s one I probably wouldn’t watch again (it’ll definitely stay with me, I think).