Lego Movie 2 - The Second Part

The kids and I caught a sneak peak of The Lego Movie 2 - The Second Part over the weekend. The first Lego Movie was a GIANT hit in my house, this one had some BIG shoes to fill.

Lego 2 starts as the Duplo's land in Bricksburg and turn it into an apocalyptic wasteland. 5 years later, it looks like a scene from Mad Max ... except Emmet who is still drinking coffee with Planty and singing Everything Is Awesome.

At the heart of the movie is play, and how to play with Legos. Finn, the older brother and his sister Bianca have to share the basement Bricksburg at the end of the first movie. Bianca's Legos are brightly colored and covered in glitter and sparkles while Finn is literally in the apocolypse, mixing characters from every Lego set ever.

Emmet, Wyldstyle, Batman and the rest of the gang are tyring to prevent "Ourmomageddon" which will end with them in the bin of storage. It was a treat to see Maya Rudolph as the mom. Which means, in this universe, Will Ferrel is married to Maya Rudolph. My kids laughed all the way home on that one.

If you thought Everything Is Awesome stuck in your brain like peanut butter, just wait until you hear Catchy Song (This Song’s Gonna Get Stuck Inside Your Head). I have been singing it NON STOP since I heard it.

Lego Movie 2 is in theaters February 8. Grab your popcorn, round up the kids and don't miss it!

106

Smallfoot is BIG fun!

The kids and I had the chance to catch Smallfoot in theaters. My Benny has always been a fan of yetis and this movie is right up his ally.

Migo (voiced by Channing Tatum) is a yeti who lives on a mountain top in a secret yeti village with some unbelievable history and traditions. With voices from Common, Zendaya, James Corden, LeBron James and Danny DeVito I knew we were in for a treat!

I thoroughly enjoyed this movie, as did both of my kids. I was also pleasantly surprised by the underlying message, the truth matters. We had quite a discussion about it on the way home. As a parent, I love when movies can tee me up for a teachable moment. The idea of exploring, and pushing beyond what you are told is SO relevant today.

You'll really enjoy the music as well. The opening scene with the yeti village is well done. James Corden is SO fun! If you're looking for a great family film, this one is a can't miss!

4

Sweetness, Family and Fun with Paddington 2

We were invited to a sneak peak of Paddington 2. I love reading the Paddington books to my kids and we were very excited to see our favorite little bear on the big screen. It. Was. MAGICAL. If you love London, you MUST see this movie. Paddington finds a one of a kind pop up book that is the perfect gift for his Aunt Lucy. It's expensive so he works to earn the money to buy this special book. Everything is going his way until he shares the book with the film's villain, Phoenix Buchanan. (Wonderfully played by Hugh Grant) It only takes a moment for Phoenix Buchanan to steal the pop up book and frame poor little Paddington for the crime. While the kids were sad to see our favorite bear go to prison, it doesn't take long for Paddington to transform the prison into a magical place filled with marmalade sandwiches and life long friends.

What I love about the direction of Paul King is the innocence and wonder from the book that comes through in the film. It has a sweetness that made the kids and I happy to enjoy the movie together. There were big belly laughs and exciting action scenes all the while knowing Paddington's family and friends were close at hand to help him out when he most needed them.

Take the family to see Paddington 2. It's as sweet as a marmalade sandwich!

6

Daddy's Home 2: Review

The kids and I were able to see Will Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg's sequal to Daddy's Home, Daddy's Home 2. Brad (Ferrell) and Dusty (Wahlberg) are successfully co parenting two kids Brad's wife shares with Dusty, along with a daughter Dusty's current wife shares with John Cena.

They decide a good old fashioned family Christmas is in order. All the kids, all the parents in one house. This seems like a great idea until Dusty's father Kurt (Mel Gibson) crashes the party. Brad's father Don (Jon Lithgow) comes for the holiday as well. Kurt decides the house isn't enough Christmas for him and immediately phones up a snow cabin hours away and the whole family is off to the mountains.

What I enjoyed about this movie was the back and forth between Will Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg. These two guys are really funny and it's apparent that they actually like each other IRL. The film is silly, slapstick and fun. There is a scene where Brad looses a battle with a snowblower and Christmas lights that was hilarious. Will Ferrell is great at physical comedy.

The barometer I use to measure a holiday film is the look on my kid's faces. I looked over at both my son and my daughter many times during the movie and they were laughing out loud. It's been a long year. My family is SO ready for the holidays and this movie was a treat for us to enjoy. Laughing together is the best way I know to start the holiday season don't you think?

3

Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 2 - Go see it!

My kids and I are HUGE Marvel fans. HUGE. I've seen them all, and GOTG might just be my favorite franchise they have. The fact that GOTG Volume 2 was opening on my birthday, well we were ALL IN!

When a movie starts with tiny Baby Groot (who my kids LOVE) dancing to Mr Blue Sky while the rest of the gang battles a Jabba The Hutt tentacle monster. You know you are in for a great ride.

Here's the thing, I grew up a farm kid in the Midwest listening to ALL the music in the show. It really is it's own character. I may or may not have been singing along the entire way. #TotallyWas

I don't want to spoil anything so I'm just going to throw some names out and you can take from it what you wish. Kurt Russell (Best head of hair in Hollywood-Hands. Down.), David Hasslehoff (I did not see that coming=Hilarious), Sylvester Stalone (Casting perfection).

Just go see it. So much fun! Curious, what's your favorite Marvel Franchise? #ThorCloseSecond

1

Dr. Strange ... SWOON

I love me some Benedict Cumberbatch. Like ... LOVE. I finally got the chance to take the kiddos to see Dr. Strange.

Being a HUGE Marvel fan, the bar was set high. Rest assured, this movie did NOT disappoint! BC plays Dr Stephen Strange ... arrogant, condescending neurosurgeon who treats everyone like they are beneath him. Even while he was being unlikable ... I still liked him ;)

After a horrific car accident leaves his hands with 19 pins in them, he sets out to find "The Ancient One" in Kamar-Taj to help his body heal and resume his life as a surgeon.

Special effects are the star of the show for sure (See Cloak of Levitation above) it felt like Inception and Marvel collided for this screen spectacle. The kids loved it, I loved it. I highly recommend checking it out.

Do stay for the end. There's a GIANT peek at what's to come ... and I CAN'T WAIT!

0

Maleficent...LOVED it!

Yes...the horns look better on Angelina...but not by much.

I took both the kiddos to see Maleficent on Saturday. I did NOT expect to LOVE this movie as much as I did! Not only did I love it, Maggie TOTALLY loved it. She wants to be Maleficent for Halloween. Yes, I can make that happen;)

I loved that  they showed you why Maleficent was so angry. (She had good reason.)

I really did not expect to actually root for her. She was crossed, she got mad and she lashed out. All perfectly understandable actions given what happened. She also realized she made a mistake, and worked to fix it.

It's nice to see her go through something and come out on the other side. Bottom line, it's about redemption.

I've seen a lot of negative reviews...mostly saying "Meh". I don't understand "Meh" on this movie. It's anything but. The computer graphics, the costumes, the sets...Ah-May-Zing.

My kiddos are 7 and 8. Not too scary and both boy and girl loved it. Have you seen Maleficent?

2

The Hunger Games

Let me start by saying...I have not read the books. I would like to read the books...it's something that would be nice to do with all that spare time I have laying around. (Note to self...find spare time lying around.)

I know exactly what drew me to The Hunger Games...the absurdity of the fashion. I had to see what this was about...and boy did I get WAY more than I bargained for. It really surprised me, since this movie has been billed as the next Twilight. Yes, I saw the last two Twilight's...and I liken them to a REALLY bad Lifetime movie. I actually burst out laughing in the second one. Just. Ridiculous.

I would say if Twilight ever grew up (not happening) it would want to be The Hunger Games. There is so  much going on. I was blown away by the set designers, and the costume designers. The contrast between the 12 Districts (think Coal Miner's Daughter) and Panem (think Kirsten Dunst as Marie Antoinette) was mind boggling. I literally could not take my eyes off it.

The whole divide of the haves vs the have nots, and the willingness of the have nots to be controlled by the haves is frighteningly sad. While the plot of children battling in a fight to the death on air as entertainment is horrifying, the director handles the violence very well. It is tragic and sad, but not graphic. I suspect that was to keep it's PG 13 rating, which was fine with me, because I really didn't need any more in that arena.

I was riveted by the role of media and TV manipulation to not report the truth, but rather to tell the most marketable story. The role of the stylist as the driving factor for like ability and survival in the games fascinated me. Lenny Kravitz kicked a$$ as Cinna. His best line was the purpose of your dress is to be "unforgettable"...and all of the costumes certainly are. I'm telling you...go for the costumes...they are the star of the show.

Stanley Tucci, Jennifer Lawrence, Woody Harrelson and Wes Bentley were riveting on screen. Completely stunned, by Elizabeth Bank's performance as Effie Trinket, is an understatement. Had I not known it was here...I never would have guessed.

It's a really smart movie which draws from TV, fashion, media, and the divide between the 1% and the rest of us, and pushes that to the extreme. While it's two and half hours long, it was over in a blink, and left me on the edge of my seat waiting for the next one.

2

More proof...

...that you can't take me anywhere;P

I saw this today. I'd like to say I was dragged...but it ain't so. (Back me up on this Sissy...I was a willing participant in this nonsense.)

I have from the beginning not been a reader of the books, and I am convinced that it has about as much talent and thought as your average Lifetime movie. Honestly, if I was at home, watching on Lifetime, I'd be like...meh.

I'm sure I'm revealing spoilers here, so if you are into this mambo jambo...look away...click away...don't be mad at me when I tell you what happens next...'cause I'm gonna...

First off, the whole first half of the movie was all wedding, and if I may say so, Bella is the mopiest bride EVER, on the planet:( Mope, mope, mope...then beautiful dress. I'm not kidding, her dress was STUNNING. Then we do more moping...

One of my favorite ridiculous parts is the Jacob, Bella, Edward argument about them having sex while Bella is human. "It will kill her!" OK...none of this ever stopped the True Blood vampires from gettin' it on. I'm just sayin'...

Then more moping on the honeymoon. Sex, destroyed furniture...more moping...BAM...Bella's pregnant...and more moping. These are the unhappiest people on earth!

So...they all argue, and the wolf pack gets all whipped up and want to kill Bella, and the baby...wa, wah, waaaahhhh.

There's this one girl, in the wolf pack, who I kinda thought..."Why doesn't Jacob go for her?" She's all "Imprint on someone...or her." Now excuse me while I go Google "imprint"...

OK...it has to do with love at first sight...whatever, even that is mopey.

Anyway, the wolves are at the door, Bella dies in childbirth, Edward is all biting her to turn her, and Jacob goes into the room where the baby is....and he imprints on the baby, which means the wolves can't touch her.

At this point...I burst into uncontrollable laughter:O We are talking, had to bury my head in my coat out of control laughter. It's like I hit my nonsense limit, and my body couldn't take it anymore.

I know I'm not the target demographic for Twilight...and all of that being said...I'm totally in for the next one:P

4

Cars 2...meh

OK...I'm gonna lead with...My Little Man LOVED this movie. He's 4, and I think he's the one who's supposed to love it.

A couple minutes before the movie started...after torturing us with SIX movie previews and a 20 minute Toy Story short...the lights went dim, and Cars 2 was FINALLY going to start. I looked over at The Little Man, and he was rocking back and forth in his seat chanting..."can't wait, can't wait, can't wait..."

This was one excited little boy!

Here's the thing...I've been spoiled by you Pixar. I'm used to these animated movies having something for the grown up as well as the kiddo. (Think Wall E, and Up) This one...not so much:/ A little too much potty humor for my taste, although if you're a four year old boy...it doesn't get much funnier than that.

I did however enjoy Michael Caine's character British Agent Finn McMissile. Fwiw, I could have done with a lot more of him...and a lot less Mater. I think that was the biggest problem with this movie...WAY too  much Mater:/

Don't get me wrong...My Little Man LOVED it...and I've no doubt it kicked some major bootay at the box office...I'm just giving you the head's up...if you're not a 4 year old boy...there's not a lot to love.

2

Super Gr8

OK, you don't have to be here long to figure out that I was a complete LOST junkie. I miss it so much, that co creator JJ Abrams could have filmed himself making breakfast in the morning, and I would have tuned in to watch. Seriously...like. every. day.

That said...Super 8 looked like a rocking good time, and I was all over it! If you took Cloverfield, mashed it up with E.T. and stuck 'em both between a slice of Stand by Me, and a slice of Gremlins...you'd have the perfect Super 8 sandwich. Which sounds pretty yummy to me:P

You basically have to be able to relate to your inner geeky 10 year old to really dive into this movie...which I am fully capable of doing;) I remember the days of running around on my bike, in a middle of nowhere Midwestern town, with absolutely no parental supervision, and my star wars figures in a backpack...plotting about making our own movies. I. Was. That. Kid...and no, I didn't date much;P

I will fully admit, I was expecting a way different movie...more horror/scare...but I was delighted with what I got...and if I say anything else, I'll give it all away...so just go see it if you get the chance. It's well worth the price of admission;)

3

Release the Kraken!

Who saw Clash of the Titans this weekend...show of hands?

I did...and thanks to Sissy's lack of attention to detail...I saw it in 3-D. AWESOME!!!

This movie (which was your basic fine Holiday fun, action flick) has completely changed the way Husband and I communicate. You'd be shocked how many different ways you can work "release the Kraken" into daily conversation...

-The kiddos wake up in the morning and want us to let them out...Husband gets up and says "Time to release the Krakens!"

-Kitty wants to go on the patio..."Honey, can you release the Kraken?"

-Husband makes me angry, I give him a dirty look, he doesn't notice..."I'm giving you my release the Kraken look."

-Husband heads upstairs to do his business..."I'm going to release the Kraken." (Ummm...tmi, btw)

-Husband gets upset with me, and is wrong...He says "This is my release the Kraken look." To which I say "Bring it on...I've got Medusa's head in a bag buddy!"

Who knew "release the Kraken" was so versatile? I challenge you to work it into a conversation today;)

10

High Price for Holmes

Since it's a slow work week for Husband, we decided to have a babysitter come over so we could sneak out and see an afternoon movie. (Would you believe the last movie Husband and I saw in the theater was Night at the Museum...the first one. What was that...three years ago?)

We have a nice young man who is 24 and was once an exchange student who lived with us. He's very nice, very responsible, and the kiddos love him.

The last thing I said to him was "If the kiddos want to nap in my bed, that's fine, just plunk them in my bed and let them."

I met Husband downtown, and we saw Sherlock Holmes. Has anyone seen it? I thought it was really good (kinda like Sherlock Holmes meets CSI Miami....fine Holiday fun) I fully think that Robert Downey Jr. must have one heck of a horseshoe up his a**, 'cause here's a guy who has been down (way down) many times, and land's not one, but two franchises (Holmes, which was left ripe for a sequel, and Iron Man, the sequel comes out in May...and looks AWESOME!)

Blah, blah, blah...we really enjoyed the movie, then hopped a bus home. The kiddos were awake and bouncing off the walls. Our sitter said "They made a bit of a mess of your room." Which did not surprise me...I often liken watching two toddlers to having wild raccoons in your house.

I went upstairs to assess the damages, and found cough drop wrappers all over the floor. Like an idiot, I left a whole bag of cough drops on my bedside table. The Little Man had eaten about ten of them.

Initially, I didn't think much about this other than...poor Little Man is going to have an upset tummy...I mean, we used to chain eat those cherry Smith Brother's throat lozenges like addicts when we were kiddos. Soon, it was bedtime and he was one cranky customer. I could smell the menthol on his breath whenever he opened his mouth...and he just cried and cried:(

Miss Peach was asleep, Husband had gone out...I'm alone and I called the emergency room.

I was transferred many times, and finally got a doctor. After telling her my tale of woe...she barked "I don't know...just bring him in....but don't bring him here, bring him to another emergency room." (really, "I don't know" what kind of an answer is that from a doctor?)

Wow...that really didn't leave me feeling reassured at all. What do I do now? Do I wake up Miss Peach, carry them into the cold night to sit in and ER? I really didn't want to...but The Little Man was inconsolable.

I called emergency room "B" and a lovely nurse answered the phone. Talk about the voice of reason. She said "I think you should call poison control before you bring him in...the number is 800-222-1222"

Isn't that brilliant? Why after four years of being a mother did I not have that number on the fridge? I felt like a complete idiot:P

I called poison control, told my tale of woe yet another time, and the gentleman on the line said, without hesitation, "there is not enough medicine in them to do any harm, and the amount he ate will just leave him with an upset tummy. He'll have a cranky night, and he'll be fine in the morning."

Well, he had a cranky night, and he was fine in the morning. I guess he knew what he was talking about.

I consider myself a good mother. I have gates up all over the house to keep kiddos out of the kitchen, the dining room, I have child locks on cabinets...and yet, sh*t happens. I felt like I had made such a rookie mistake in leaving the cough drops out (D'oh!). I have no moral of the story...other than to say, no matter how much you plan for, wild raccoons will get into everything...and put poison control's number on the fridge.

27

New Moon

No, I am not a fan. No, I have not read any of the books. Why do I go? I suppose you can chalk it up to curiosity. It's like the third grossing movie ever...so I must go see what everyone is talking about. True to the predecessor, this one felt like a Lifetime movie of the week;/

Here are my givens:

-I get it...Edward Cullen is hot.
-I get it...Jacob/The Wolf Pack have rock star abs!
-In high school, 18 is old.
-Everyone was cast for their looks and not their acting ability.
-It rains a lot in Forks.
-Bella's Dad has no clue.

Now then...I hear a lot about "Team Edward" vs "Team Jacob"...let's break that down a bit...I know she's gonna end up with Edward (who doesn't) That said, if I was Bella, who would I choose? I hate to tell you this, but as a girl who's cold all. the. time...Jacob had me at "180 degrees right here" (wolves blood runs hot). I think I'd go for a warm live dude with rocking abs, over a cold dead guy with a really skinny body, any day of the week. (Sorry)

Seriously, what do the vampires have going for them? Hmmm...well, they wear fabulous shoes. (Was I the only one who noticed this?) I'll go ya one further, those vampires dress pretty darn well. I was digging on the head Vulture guy. His pants tapered really nice, with his Euro Johnny shoes (I am kind of a sucker for that look). Give that V'ture guy a hair cut, and tell him to stop breathing into his hands all the time, and you might have something there...

Cons on Jacob...I wasn't really feeling The Wolf Pack. They were cool as long as they stayed really big wolves, but when they turned into dudes, they were ridiculous. The whole, no shirt cut off shorts thing was way to Hulk for my taste. If you over think that...where the heck do their pants go? I gotta say, the whole theater cracked up when Bella runs her bike into the rock, starts bleeding, so Jacob whips off his shirt to dab the blood away..."Hello abs..."

It was like eating cotton candy...good for a while, then you get sick of it:P Perhaps there were just too many long emotional pauses for my taste? Perhaps cloud of dust Edward was just this side of too corny? Perhaps the whole idea of a dude who is 104 years old finding his soul-mate in an 18 year old girl, is more creepy than romantic? Pick one...it's all there.

That said...I walked away thinking two things...."I can't wait to see how the Twilight Bunnies will handle New Moon", and "Damned if I won't go see then next one...I'm such a sucker..."

18

2012

So, I went to see 2012 this weekend.

Here's a little known fact about me...I love me some destruction of monuments in movie form. The Day After Tomorrow, I won't even tell you how many times I've seen this movie (no really, I'm not going to tell you...no, so don't ask) I don't know what that says about me...but like, the first time I saw the trailer for 2012...I was SO in.

First, I'm gonna come out right here and now and admit it to you...John Cusack, doesn't really do it for me:/ Having said that...I'll give him Say Anything, I'll even give him High Fidelity (who wouldn't go after him in these movies?) Heck, I'll be a super sport and give him Must Love Dogs...other than that...meh, he's just not my type. So, while I rooted for him...I was WAY more into Dennis Quaid in The Day After Tom. What can I say...John Cusack, I'm just not that into you;/

You get the vibe that I really wanted to love this movie, right? I can only give it a C (I can't even give it a C+) It's like Roland Emmerich went to some Hollywood disaster movie garage sale, and smashed it all together to make this disaster movie mush. For a while I was watching The Day After Tom., then I was watching some Independence Day...about the time we should be wrapping it up, I found myself elbow deep in The Poseidon Adventure. (For the love of God, this movie was 2 hours and 40 min. long!)

Some of the highlights...I loved me some Woody Harrelson (I swear, I had a tennis coach who was just like his character...yes, that is scary!) What else...on yeah, if you're a dog, and you're in one of these end-o-the world flicks...it's a pretty safe bet you're gonna make it;) If you're the guy dating the chick of the hero...you are so toast:( Would it have killed them to let Sasha and his little Russian hussy live? Couldn't he have just hustled out of the plane when it stopped for moment? Nope...OK.

Can we just once and for all agree that you can NOT out run an explosion? Can we? No...OK. What about agreeing that you can NOT out drive the earth as it crumbles beneath your car? No...OK. Oh, I know...you can NOT fly a plane if you run out of runway because the earth is disintegrating? No...OK. I got it...let's agree that no matter how fast you run or drive, there is NO outrunning a hundred foot wave crashing towards you? NO...sheesh!

I literally left this movie with a headache. Three of the four people I saw it with wanted to go knock on Ebert's door and punch him in the face (No, we didn't really want to punch him in the face...just metaphorically, you know, 'cause he gave it 3 1/2 stars. Really Ebert? 3 1/2 stars?!?)

I know it made a TON of money, and got some good reviews...but in this disaster movie fan's opinion...it's a pass. Wait 'til next week, and go see New Moon;)

23

Paranormal Activity

I am so exhausted right now, I actually have a headache from sleep deprivation. Why not go to bed Warden? Good question...

I saw a movie last night (midnight show) that does to sleep, what Jaws did to swimming. Not only did it scare the BEJEEZES out of me...but I got NO sleep last night:(

The movie, Paranormal Activity. I'm linking to the trailer, it is too gosh darn scary to embed on my blog. I'm serious...Sissy and I watched the trailer and jumped about a mile in the air. I can't believe we summoned up the nerve to actually go see it:O (If you count Sissy sitting in the theater the entire time with her eyes closed as "seeing the movie".)

I'll tell you about the movie in a minute...first, I gotta tell you how it was made (that is what I really respect about it). One guy (Oren Peli) wrote and directed it. There are only four characters. After shooting for seven days (in his own house), he edited the piece on his home computer. Total cost $15,000. Finished product...the SCARIEST movie I have ever seen (hands down, no exaggeration). I wonder what this does to the big movie houses who spend millions of dollars on big names and CGI...hmmmmmm?

Even if I told you the entire movie, I wouldn't be ruining it for you...you really have to see it to believe it. In a nutshell, a young couple living together (Katie and Micah) start noticing a presence in the house. Micah buys a video camera and tapes the bedroom as they sleep...and it all goes awry from there.

I can't explain to you the feeling in my stomach as I watched. It's like a knot of impending doom. Every evening, the camera is turned on (You experience everything as the camera, I kept watching through my jacket sleeve thinking "don't point us that direction...please, don't point us that direction!) The movie becomes an exercise in getting through the night. First night...not so bad. Second night...whew, glad that's over...and it just. keeps. escalating.

At some point Micah makes the colossal mistake of bringing a Ouija board into the house (WTF were you thinking!) and let's just say that did not work for them. The audience is forced to face the thing that goes bump in the night, right along with the characters...and does it go bump in the night:O

I'm not proud. I'll admit to you that I slept with all the lights on in the house last night. I got home and woke Husband up to tell him how awesomely scary the show was. He said "come snuggle up to me, I'll keep the demons away". Which is exactly what Micah said to Katie! Way to not help Husband:P

Wish me luck sleeping tonight...yes, all the lights are on:P

26

Can You Tweet Now?

Why did I agree to go see Pandorum? I know I've had this crush on Dennis Quaid for like...ever. Is he still even hot...or is he just old? I don't know anymore:P Sissy calls him my boyfriend...thanks for that Sissy. (I wanted to go see The Invention of Lying...although I can't quite pin down my feelings for Ricky Gervais *I think it's a crush...don't tell Sissy*)

Not far into the movie, I reach in my pocket and check my emails on my new cell phone. I realize I should be more interested in the dude on the screen waking up from hyper-sleep to an empty spaceship...and yet, here I am checking emails...



OMG...I totally forgot to tell you about my new cell phone! Yeah...my Motorola Krazor (that I have had for 3 years) up and died on me:( I decided "gosh darn it...I'm gonna get me some Twitter on my cell phone!"

You'd think that would not be a hard call...right? Yeah it's easy, unless your Verizon store is smack dab in the heart of The Twilight Zone! (which apparently mine is)

First time I go in...I cheerfully say "I want me some Twitter on my cell phone:)" Well, they set me up with a Verizon phone. It's cute, has a little keyboard...I'm happy, 'til I get home and realize I can't see my little blog on it:( If I'm gonna go this whole web on the phone route, I am gonna need to be able to see my blog...ya know?

Second time I go in...(same day) "I'm gonna need a phone that will show my web page." No problem, she switches me out for another Verizon phone, and tells me "All I need to do is load a Twitter app. to the phone." OK...off I go. Problem is (I find this out after about an hour on the Verizon help line....) you can't load apps. onto this phone:P Thanks for nothing lady:(

Third time I go in...(next day) "I got a problem...you can't load apps on this phone." The Verizon guy (who is not the jolly guy on the commercials, you know, the one who totally has your back and cares what you think...he's not there) I get a crabby guy who shows me Twitter on my phone and sends me away like I'm the idiot (which I am not). Well, I get home to tweet...wait for it....I can send out tweets, but I can't respond to tweets. How lame is that?!?

Sooooo...I spend about another hour on the phone with the happy Verizon help line. I actually left my body and watched myself on the phone with the Verizon help guy saying "I can tweet, but I can't respond to tweets, and that is just unacceptable." (chalk that up to things you never thought you'd say:P) He then says "Oh no...you're a tweeter. I can't imagine what horrible tweets you have been sending out about us." Oddly enough...I had never even considered tweeting about my Verizon issues. (Hmmmmm...perhaps I need to take some dealing with big business via Twitter classes from Dooce?)

Let's just jump to the fifth time (yes...fifth time!) I go into the store...I actually hand the guy the bag and say "I currently don't have a contract with you, right? Can I just take my phone number, cancel my service, and go across the street to AT&T and get an Iphone." I really didn't want to do this. All I wanted was for them to sell me the cute, pink Blackberry Curve in the ad. For some odd reason, every time I had the phone in my hand, they would. not. sell. it. to. me. Only after I threatened to leave, did they sell me that phone. I really don't get it? They finally sold me the pink Blackberry Curve, and I LOVE it:)

In case your wondering...ever since I got Twitter on my phone...I have had nothing to Tweet about...figures:P



Oh...Pandorum...meh. Everybody knows that if you wake up from hyper-sleep to an empty ship, it's a pretty safe bet that there's some creepy alien mutation eating humans on the ship. Follow the dude who saves you from the human eating mutation...chances are, he's been around the block a few times and can get you where you need to go. Oh, and if you encounter a human eating alien mutation child...don't hesitate to whack it, just cause it's little. If you don't take it out...it's gonna eat you just like the big ones do...dummy! Better yet...just go back to hyper-sleep...zzzzzzzzzzzzz.

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Watchmen

I don't think of myself as a comic book person. I am just a huge fan of illustrating. I love Frank Miller, I love Jack Kirby, I love comic book style of just about any any kind. So, yes, I saw and loved Sin City...yes, I saw and loved 300...you know I saw and loved Dark Knight!

You gotta know I have been waiting (not so patiently) for Watchmen. Would you believe I could not find one other person to go see this movie with me? Pllllltttttt! No one! Yes ladies and gentlemen, I went to see Watchmen all by myself. I loved it!

Now then, just because I loved it, doesn't mean every one will. This movie is dark, it's violent, it's twisted, and it's long (2 hours, 43 min.) The set design was amazing. The costumes were spot on. The CG was seamless. These are all things I love in a movie.

I have no vested interest in the book. I have no idea how well the movie followed the book? I did however wonder why, with such a huge legacy that the book has...why were there no names in the movie? I loves me *sigh* Denny from Grey's Anatomy. He plays a total jerk (The Comic) and I still loved him *sigh*. Other than that, I got nothin'. Who are these people? Oh wait...Billy Crudup (Almost Famous) plays Dr. Manhattan. I kid you not, dude is naked, bald and blue through most of the movie. Yes folks we are talking full frontal blue nudity (quite frankly, I could have done without it)

Without a doubt, the guy who stole the show was Jackie Earl Haley. Do you remember this guy? Anyone? I know you know him...Remember the bad kid from the first Bad News Bears? That's the guy. He can't be any bigger than me, and he plays a total psychopath, bad *ss, superhero Rorschack. He. Kicks. *ss! I would say the movie is worth it, just to see this performance...AWESOME!

Bottom line, the movie isn't for everyone. You definately have to have a taste for the comic genre. As I was leaving, the couple ahead of me was having an arguement about it. He loved it, she hated it. Not only did she hate it, but she was p*ssed off at him for dragging her to see it. Be warned, not everyone will love this movie...but I did:)

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After the movie...I went home, and whipped up a few more illustrations and added them to the stock site...Yes, you could say I was in a super hero mind set:P

How has the search for other contributors been going, you ask? Oh, I made a bit of an a** of myself! A fellow blogger pal has a husband who is in CG. He suggested I go check out Deviant Art. I did. Holy awesome artists on that site Batman!

Come back tom. and I'll tell you what a dummy I am:P I feel like this post is getting long an rambling. Let's just say, I'm not shelling out $5,000 a week to advertise:P

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He's Just Not That Into You

Alright, you know how I work it. I saw the movie...I'm diving in, I'll type in white if I think I'm spoiling anything...highlight if you want to know...

Here's the thing. Did I enjoy the movie? Yes. Was it good? No. Does that make any sense at all? All the chicks had really cute outfits. All the dudes were cute and clever. All the sets were modern and cool. What's not to enjoy with nachos?

My problem...I think the movie completely went against everything the book stands for. The book is about women finally wising up and not taking the bullsh*t that men shovel out. We've all had it chucked our way. I've had guys say "you're too good for me", or "I don't deserve you", or "I'm just not ready for this now", or "I wish I was the right guy for you"...you know? At the time, I kinda bought it. The reality is, those guys weren't that into me. Now that I'm married, all this is lost on me. My point is, single girls, unite against stupid men! Don't get sucked into the crap. Have the confidence in your own self worth to move on when a guy is being a d*ck. That is what the book was preaching.

The problem with the movie is...it completely sells out that theory. Case in point...the Jen An./Ben Affleck couple. They are a couple that lives together for EIGHT years. She is waiting for him to propose. He's not proposing because he doesn't want to marry you. Long story short, she waits it out...they break up...he comes back proposing. There is my problem. That is the happy Hollywood ending...which sells the book down the river.

Another case in point...the single chicky who is navigating/stalking her way through all the guys who aren't calling her back. She finally meets bartender guy who tells it like it is. "These guys don't call you because they are not that into you." Then she decides he is the one and throws herself at him. Guess what "he's not that into her". She walks. In the real world, he wouldn't come back begging months later. In the Hollywood world, he does:P

That's the thing, the point of the book is not to keep throwing yourself at guys who don't treat you the way you deserve to be treated. Maybe I'm just too literal. I knew the second I saw my Husband that he was it. So I'm supposed to buy that bartender/player man didn't know that Chicky poo was the one because he's been a player too long? Yeah...not.

These are just a couple examples. They should have just dropped the book and called it Cute Hollywood Couple Movie. Then I wouldn't have had any problem...There you go;)

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Bears, Women, and Childbirth

I gotta just start off with "The Bears suck:P" Bah...as if anyone thought they were going to win today...

Aside from some pretty crappy weather, we had quite a nice little Christmas here at the Warden household:) I took a little break from blogging (I noticed many of you did the same). Good for us, right? It's nice not to spend all of our time with our nose in the computer;)

Last night, Husband and I watched The Women on Video on Demand. Did you all see this movie? I meant to see it in the theater, and just never got around to it...It was an OK...total chick flick. There is certainly the obvious..."what the heck has Meg Ryan done to her face?!?" Then there is the..."holy can Jada Pinkett Smith get any hotter!" (Husband disagreed with me on this) Let's not forget the "Candice Bergen rocks in all movies!"

All in all, I kind of enjoyed it. It's your basic, Meg Ryan's character is not really a person until she starts carving out a piece of her life for herself. Her husband starts having an affair with Eva Mendes. Her daughter is finding a better mother in her best friend Anette Benning than with her. Let's not forget that she gets fired by her father:( So she wallows around being pathetic for a while...

Then she peels herself off the floor, goes out and gets a good haircut, begs rich Mom to invest in her business idea, and designs her own label of fabu. clothes. Yeah...if only life were that easy. That said, I do believe a good haircut and a cute pair of boots can get you quite a long way;)
The thing is...I agree with the brood strokes of this plot. Yes, women (wives, mothers, friends) deserve to carve out something that is theirs. Something that makes us feel like we have worth beyond all of the folks we take care of (not taking away from the enormity of that task).

It is kind of shocking to me how much better I feel about myself since I started my blogging adventure. Learning Illustrator, and chugging along with my blog designing has given me an identity beyond being a wife and mother. Right now it is small, but I can't help but feel it's leading somewhere bigger. So...Yay!

I was all wrapped up in this, and loving the last scene of Meg Ryan at her fashion show (which was fabulous) and then Deborah Messings character went into labor...ewww! Can I just say, I hate the way Hollywood portrays child birth? 'Cause I do!

Good Lord! If I was Deborah M's Husband, I think I would have to leave her after that scene:P I don't remember any screaming in the delivery room when I had my two babies? I went in...had the epidural...took a nap...woke up. With Miss Peach, I pushed three times (took 15 min) and that was it. With The Little Man, I pushed once (maybe took 8 min). I wasn't screaming at my Husband "you did this to me!" There was no awful primal grunting, sweating, redfaced horror. Did I just have it easy? That childbirth scene left me in shock. Had I seen it pre children, I would have been scared to death ! Ah well, I suppose it's Hollywoods job to make life a bit more interesting...I guess my experience wouldn't have made much of a movie;)

So...everyone back from their breaks? Great Holidays all around? Lay it on me! Oh...did I mention the Bears suck?!?

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