The Back Up Plan

I went this afternoon and saw "The Back Up Plan" starring Jennifer Lopez and Alex O'Loughlin. Yes, I knew I was taking a chance, it starring "J.Lo" and all. Heck I took a really big chance (anyone remember Gigli and Monster-in-Law?!!), but the trailers looked hilarious and I am a huge fan of newcomer Alex O'Loughlin. Let's face it, he is really good to look at. The man is devastatingly HOT, and I think he is a really diverse actor as well. He displayed that portraying both a vampire you love in the tv series Moonlight, and as one of the killers you didn't see coming, in "White Out". So, I knew even if the movie was awful, I sure would have a fun time just watching Alex on the big screen.However, I was pleasantly surprised. It was a really cute movie, one I would go back and see again, for sure. The premise of this movie is that Zoe, played by Lopez, has given up on finding Mr.Right and her biological clock has been ticking for so long, she decides to be inseminated. Immediately after the procedure, she meets Stan, played by O'Loughlin. The sparks are instantaneous. Zoe fights it, but when they continue to run into each other, and when Stan pursues her, she wants to give them a shot. Insemination never takes on the first try so she isn't too worried until after their first, and perfect date, when she finds out she is indeed pregnant. What do you do when you are pregnant, but you think you just met "the one"? And can a man you just started dating, be okay with the fact that you are pregnant? That is what is explored in this romantic comedy brought to us by CBS Films, a new film company.

This film works for me. Except I think what works for this film, is not what they intended to work. Jennifer Lopez has all the slap-stick comedy in the film. She is the one who throws up, falls into the "birthing pool", dumpster dives for a body pillow, etc. While you empathized with her plights, her Lucille Ball-like antics, were not what made me laugh out loud. Yes, I am disagreeing with the professional film critics. Oooooh.

It was the dead pan expressions and reactions from Alex O'Loughlin that made this film funny and more plausible. I mean, really, in real life is a man going to stand by your side and help you raise a kid that is not his, after a couple of dates? I do not think so! So that is kind of outlandish, but Alex's portrayal, his reactions, make it seem more grounded. His face when he realizes that this type of ultra-sound, so early in the pregnancy, requires "different placement" and with such a huge and scary looking instrument, is hysterical. The haunted look in is eyes and his voicing of "I shouldn't have seen that", after Zoe and Stan witness the so NOT "miracle" of a home water birth was priceless. Those dimples can flash at me, anytime!

I also loved the supporting players. Zoe's Single Mothers group is full of crazy characters, including the Mother nursing her 3 year old in front of every one! Gross. Melissa McCarthy is hilarious as the leader of the group. And Tom Bosley has a small role as Zoe's grandmother's fiance...of 23 years, but it is so great to see Mr. Cunningham!! Another scene stealer is Nuts the dog. The tiny dog in the doggy walker/wheelchair was so funny! Played excellently by Nip, Tuck and Nubbins.

This is actually one Jennifer Lopez movie, I will say to go see. I found it to be a really nice romantic comedy with a unique twist. And I liked the acting, gosh darn it, so move over pro film critics, you have never known what a good movie is!

Saints Not For Everyone

Boondock Saints I mean. What did you think I was going to say, us Latter Day Saints? Silly gooses, I am a proud card carrying member! Okay I don't have a card that is true but I never take off my CTR ring, and I mean never.

Does anyone else ever find themselves in the shower or car or someplace and in your mind you talk out a really great post? Of course not...I am odd, I know it. But I have these "conversations/posts" happen and then when I go to write them, they NEVER turn out as they did in my head!! How annoying, don't you agree? It was so good in my head but then I try to capture that whimsy or snarkiness or whatever and it just does NOT happen!Grrr!

Anyway, as all I did today was errands and buy a movie I have been waiting to go direct to dvd forever (Posession, no I have not seen it so I might have wasted 15 bucks) and watch Criminal Minds and return stuff to stores, so...

I decided to talk about Boondock Saints and its' sequel. No I am not going to recommend this movie or it's sequel outright. This so-far two part movie series is very difficult to even explain. Not just what it is about, but why I LIKE it.

It IS strange that I like both the original and it's sequel because it is chock full of disgusting references to the male anatomy and full fledged profanity and the like. And I HATE that. Some of you know that about me, I hate crudity, especially words. My "BAD" words are crap and bloody. So I do consider myself pretty tame in language.

Anyway Boondock Saints and it's sequel are just full of it, so when I saw the original I expected I would hate it by the end and it would never be watched by me again. But as full of vulgarities as it was, I could see beyond that to the story being told. And the actual story, minus vulgar talk and images, I just found myself mesmerized by. I found these Irish Catholic fraternal twins who share a dream that the Lord wants them to clean up Boston, riveting. I mean, they were only killing bad men. Majorly evil men, mob people who killed and did all sorts of awful things. Maybe you think, man Wendy, you have a vicious streak in you, or Wendy what is going on with your sense of right and wrong? Well, maybe I do have a vengeful streak or maybe since I DO (and yes I DO know) know that it is just a movie, I can go YEAH KILL THEM and know I am okay in the head. LOL. I loved that they left a penny on each eye for the ferryman on the River Styxx. I love the prayer they recite before they do the special execution where they shoot from the back of the head and the bullet go through the eyes. Yeah these 2 movies are also pretty bloody. But I was just like, wowed by the story and I still have no idea why I am drawn to it.

I mean you have Willem Dafoe being just the weirdest FBI agent ever, who decides "The Saints" are actually doing good so he not only keeps their identities a secret, he helps them by the end of the movie. He even dresses in drag, and there is just something...odd, about how comfortable Willem seems in this role. It is like, um Mr. Dafoe, is there something you want to share with your fans? And three Boston cops end up helping them and keeping the secret too. Half of Boston loves them and sides with them, it is crazy! Yet for some reason I find it fascinating. Every time I see it on sale, I am THIS close to buying it. Heck, I know when I go on vacation in May, if I see the two for sale, especially together somewhere, I will most likely feel COMPELLED to buy them.

I thought the original was just a fluke, but when it got out on dvd yesterday, I rented The Boondock Saints 2: All Saints Day. And the vulgarity was just as bad, if not worse than the original. But Connor and Murphy were just as...well, cool. These are crime thrillers, yet they have this humorous/wacky feel to them sometimes. Even as they are going around shooting up 27 men, I find the twins and their father (Billy Connelly) and their co-conspirators, funny. I have no idea what it is!! I was almost immediately hooked in again.

The twins and their equally deadly assassin father Noah, went back to Ireland after they finished their cleansing of Bean-town 8 years ago. In fact, all three recited the special prayer and shot the biggest bad guy together in front of a court room of witnesses. They have been sheep farmers for the last 8 years. But then someone not only murders a priest in Boston who they loved. They murder them to make it look like the work of "The Saints". So the boys go home, and get a new "Saint" who wants to help with their mission, on the way. Clifton Collins, Jr is hilarious as weepy, but an amazing killer, Romeo. They go to seek vengeance for the priest and to kill anyone associated with his death. Which is basically the mafia of Boston 8 years later. So they have a lot of clean up to do again. And Willem Dafoe had said he wouldn't return, so they made it so his character trained a NEW "guardian angel" FBI agent when he died. The first FEMALE really in either movie. Eunice Bloom played by Julie Benz, who does rock the role I must say. She is in charge of the case and helps keep these boys from being discovered. Unfortunately the problem is even bigger than they thought and goes back to their fathers beginning so he returns to help his sons and confront the really bad guy behind it ALL. Eunice is discovered when she infiltrates the FBI computer for info the Saints need in their final quest, so she is on the run. And by the end of the movie, after they finish their justice, which I can't help but be all "YEAH!!", they ARE arrested. Badly wounded, but alive. Which makes you wonder, when it is like 2 brothers up against 40 bad guys, how is it they get away alive? Are they on a mission from God? Because they share another vision/dream in the sequel when they doubt themselves. And shared dreams, exactly alike, where you are even startled awake simultaneously, do NOT really happen. Not much at least. So it ends with a newly hair dyed Eunice being helped by one of the priests the boys know. She is being sent somewhere where she will be safe and who do we run INTO AFTER ALL?!!! Willem Dafoe as Agent Smecker, who is NOT dead, a shock to his protege!! He basically tells her they have not only half of the state of Mass. on their side, but the Catholic Church too! And their first order of business? Get the boys OUT of Hoag prison, which is apparently a very tough prison. And that is where it ends. And I was like Nooooo! I need to see them freed NOW!

Some of you may be thinking, Oh Wendy you are going to Hell because you have even admitted to viewing these majorly R-rated movies, let alone liking them. Well I say, poop on you! I told you, I have no idea why these two movies grab me so! They have way too much swearing, though I am a child of this time period, so I am kinda desensitized, especially since I DO watch R movies. I admit it. Bite me. I am sticking my tongue at you right now. Anyway, I admit I am mystified as to why I can wade through such gross garbage and like everything ELSE about the movie. The concept is that it? I have no idea. The acting maybe? No clue, though I do love Sean Patrick Flannery and Norman Reedus (hotties). There is just something about Boondock Saints that has me intrigued enough to wade through the garbage to the gem underneath.

Anyway, no I am not reccomending the movies. If I did, half of you would have apopleptic shock and never read me again. And any of you thinking this makes me a "bad" Mormon, well first off, screw that. Just because I enjoy R movies, does not make me a bad anything. Just like being a Molly Mormon or pious and holier-than-thou, does not make you a "good" Mormon, or a better one. I love being Mormon, I love my religion and No, I do not think the Lord will look poorly on me for having seen these movies. I think he is way more understanding than us mere mortals will ever understand, and I also think he has a sense of humor and can understand that some PG-13 movies should be the ones considered bad, and some R movies should be seen by MORE people. So do not judge me for watching R movies. I am a deviant, what can I say? A rebel Mormon. But do I think the Lord loves YOU more because you stick with G and PG? Not at all. I think HE made me, so he knows what I find humorous, what I find captivating, etc. He knows that while I find the supernatural and such so interesting, I am NOT about to convert to Wiccan. He knows even when I wade through other movies full of garbage, that if there is nothing BUT garbage, I will never see that movie again and will share that thought with others. Because he KNOWS ME.

I just wanted to talk about these movies and why I find it confusing, even to myself, why I find them so interesting. And that led me to anyone judging me for what I watch. And I won't allow you to judge me for what I watch. I don't PICK a movie because it might be rated R, I pick movies that intrigue me, seem interesting to ME. And I don't believe that makes me any less a devout Mormon, than the next person. Whose with me?!

Topics...I am sucking at Titles I KNOW

Okay a few un-movie related topics...hm. Did I tell you I have to bring my brand new glasses back? My Dad said not to drive home wearing them, not the best way to get used to them. And honestly I didn't notice in the store because it is hard to remember what glasses feel like when you get a stronger prescription. So I get home and I put them on to show my Mom and get used to them, and I noticed how blurry it seemed. Mom and Sam were concerned, but also know maybe it was the way until you get used to them. But as I sat in front of the blurry TV, I started trying to remember. And I began to think, when you get new glasses things feel overly clear, so much that your eyes are like teary because your eyes aren't used to the stronger feeling. I swear I think that it how it is supposed to be, NOT blurry. And then I looked down at the vcr, I noticed I saw the time blurry...and twice. One time above the other. I had freaking double vision too!! So I have to go back on Friday to have them check the prescription and see if the lenses are not aligned properly. If they are fine, I then have to make a NEW appointment and have my eyes test AGAIN. OY VEY!

I can't even remember WHAT I have mentioned so if this is a repeat, sorry! Sunday is baby Zoey's baby blessing, so we are going to Weezie and Zak's ward. My Dad was asked to be part of the blessing circle which made me like AWWWW! I love it! Hopefully I will get to hold the Zoester and baby Gretchy, Zoey's cousin, too!! Gretchy is such a happy, jolly baby. She lifts my mood, it is incredible! She just smiles and giggles so much and that just lifts my heart so much! Love that little girl!

Went bad OCD last night. I took a project on that I thought would be fun and make my love of organizing happy. But by the time I was done with #'s and the letter A, it was not fun anymore, and I just wanted it to be finished so I worked on it from around 11pm to after 7am. Yeah I was miserable. I don't understand why my OCD is being so bad right now, or what is causing it. No idea if is related to my current BAD depression or my Bipolar. It is just yuck. Simple word for how it is feeling. Yucky.

Okay now, I know what you will be thinking. Wendy is going to talk about movies AGAIN?! But seriously folks, if you live in the Northeast you know we have been on Winter Storm Warning all week, until Friday. So we are getting snow, then rain, then ice, etc. So there isn't all that much to talk about. Or do. And you know I am movie obsessed and so, you shouldn't be all that surprised.

I watched 2 movies last night that I had never seen before. The Box and Everybody's Fine. I watched The Box first. Stars Cameron Diaz and James Marsden. Wow. Well...it was definitely...interesting. But that is all I can say that is positive about it. It leaves you totally confused. It raised so many questions and then never answered them, which is really a stupid thing to do. Why make people need to know what is going on, but never tell them. It isn't a cool concept, it leaves you kind of pissed that you wasted 2 hours, thinking you would get answers and you just don't. And the ending is miserable! And seriously, if the husband didn't press it, why is he the one who is really punished. Because Cameron isn't gonna be punished...well you know what I mean if you saw it. It is James that will pay until he is dead. They could have done so much with it too, you have all these interesting concepts, but they don't follow through. There IS no follow through! So this is not a movie I would recommend even seeing one time.

Everybody is Fine stars Robert Dinero, Drew Barrymore, Kate Beckinsdale and Sam Rockwell. Dinero is their Dad and he is expecting all 4 of his kids home for a visit. They each leave messages cancelling, one sister cancels for another brother. So Dinero decides to go visit them all, even though he is sick, some condition and his doctor tells him not to. But he goes anyway, and you see him pack 4 letters, one for each of his kids. So he goes to see David first, the one he is hardest on, but he never shows up so he leaves David's letter under his door and moves on to one of his daughters. You hear conversations between 3 of the siblings regarding their other sibling David. How they can't tell Dad anything until they know more, etc. So they are keeping secrets from their Dad. Apparently it was always their Mom they told stuff to and she only told the Dad what he wanted to hear, so now that she is gone, they tell him "everyone is fine". But man, okay they are searching for David and what trouble he has gotten into, but they all treat the Dad like crap and lie to him and tell them they have to go out of town so he can't stay. I know it is because they are trying to find David, because as you go further in, they think David is in jail in Mexico and then maybe it is because he got caught with drugs, but to make the Dad feel so unwelcome, and the Dad overhears some of these lies so he knows his kids are lying to him. Finally after visiting and getting the same treatment from all his other kids, the Dad flies home and on the plane has a heart attack. While he is either in his heart attack or while he is sleeping he has a dream and he confronts his children as their child selves and reveals secrets they were keeping them that I didn't even realize. And then he learns what they have to tell him about David. I found this movie pretty much depressing, but also kind of well done at the same time. The VERY end, like the last 4 minutes I liked, so it was an okay movie to see maybe one time, but it WAS sad. Not something I would say go and BUY, because I can't see watching it over and over like a great action or comedy or romance. But a rental isn't out of the question.

Shutter Island

Today I saw Shutter Island and I have to say, it is not what I expected AT ALL! I was a bit worried, I would be bored. One magazine said it dragged in the middle and as I am not a Leo fan or a Martin Scorcese fan, I went in thinking it could go either way. As in I hate it or I love it. I was thinking I would probably be the oddball out on this one and not really like it. Everyone loved District 9, and I hated it, it was just too depressing and the comparisons between it and real life were also just too true and too depressing. So most people think I am an oddball for loathing that movie.

I have to say though, that Shutter Island was nothing like I thought it would be. It was engrossing, I have to tell you I was not bored for a second. People went into this movie thinking it would be about different things. I was surprised by that. I was sure the people were evil and wanted to take a sane man and keep him there. That is what I got from the trailers. My friend Sister H and my Mom thought there were going to be ghosts and stuff involved, that was what they felt was hinted in the commercials. And while all of us had pieces of it sort of right, we were all wrong too. And that is kid of what makes it such an interesting movie.

You never seem to know what is real and what is not. This movie keeps you guessing, and just when you think you have it all figured out, something else even slightly changes and you change your mind all over again and think you know what is going on again. Only you don't. Unless you read the novel I suppose, but I am glad I didn't because I was totally not expecting the ending, which is always a nice thing, to be totally surprised. And while I may not love the ending, I also got it, as in understood why it had to happen like that...after having to be assured of something first. I wasn't quite sure of something at the end, I was confused...I thought this, but I then thought this other thing and after discussing it with my Mom and Sister H I was like okay then it was that. Hehe, confusing you, aren't I?!! LOL. But after looking it up, they deliberately mislead you, in both the movie and the book. You are supposed to go, oh this is what is happening...or wait, is it? Hmm, I think it was deliberate. And I do. Those of you who have seen it, I totally think Laedis was faking.

So I knew leaving the theater that is was a very interesting movie, but was unsure how I felt about it. But I think I will keep it as I was fascinated by it. I want to see it again, this time with the knowledge I now have. Kind of like after seeing Sixth Sense, you had to watch it again to go, OHHHH I see why I thought Bruce was alive, etc. Now that you are part of the secret, you want to go back over it again and see how you were "fooled" or whatever you want to call it. It was definitely a good movie. I need to see it again to see how I missed things, to see if there were hints I just didn't realize they were giving the audience, etc.

I would definitely recommend this movie. I was never bored, I just became more engrossed and curious as to where I was being led. This movie keeps you guessing and I like to think I can see things coming, but even when I thought, maybe...., I was still nowhere near to having it figured out exactly as it is. I applaud you Martin S, I like a film of yours. And Leo and Mark were fantastic. And Dennis Lehane whose novel it seems must be closely based on it, awesome job dude! When I start reading again, I just might have to check out other works you may have done! Bravo!

Flashback Movies 6

More trailers for you to chew on as you ponder, am I really this old? KIDDING! These are to flash you back to some of the unique movies you may have also enjoyed years ago. Or to make you WANT to go rent these movies!

Overboard (Goldie and Kurt together, really fun and cruel at the same time)

License to Drive (the Corey's team up again!)


Mannequin (Yes I loved this, we rented it so many times on tape they should have given it to us!)


Masters of the Universe (Shoosh okay. We liked this. Has the Dulph as He-Man and also stars a young Courtney Cox-Arquette)


Silver Bullet (VERY young Corey Haim movie, based on Stephen King's novel. Really fun)


Sneakers (great movie, I HIGHLY recommend it!! Robert Redford, Sidney Poitier, River Phoenix, Dan Akroyd and David Strathairn rock this movie!!)

All That HYPE

All that HYPE for Wolfman had me so excited to see it. But I gotta tell you, I was not impressed. It was very bloody, okay, I am used to that, hello horror lover. And Benicio actually SOUNDED normal. He was sporting an American accent, but he sounded normal, he usually has this breathy, wispy, thing going on, so brava to your voice Benicio. And there ARE good parts in the movie. Man, the scene where he turns inside the sanitarium...I wanted more people DEAD. They deserved it, sitting there in judgement of him, all smirky and haughty, thinking they were so much better than him. I AM blood thirsty I tell you, I wanted the majority of them DEAD.

*Major spoilers ahead*

And I was a little confused. The gypsy said love could save him. I swear she DID! Was that a lie? Or was Emily Blunt being the one to kill him supposed to be love savng him? My Mom, Katie and I thought it would have been SO much better, if the ending had been different. We thought if Emily shot him, loving him even as the beast, then that could separate the man from the beast and the man could live and the beast would die. SO much better than what really happens. And okay Tony Hopkins was EVIL. My Mom was like that was obvious from the trailers, but not to me. And not to the extent he is. Murdering his first son on purpose and for the reasons he does so. Turning his other son and then letting him loose on the first full moon, so the murders will ALL be blamed on his son and not HIM. And then stickinh him back in an asylum where torture was their way of helping people!! And Emily Blunt, I thought her part was supposed to be so much MORE than what it was. She kept leaving and then returning. And for someone who just had her fiance mauled to death, she wasn't that sad looking. I'm just saying.

*Spoilers Ending*

I would also have been happy if the whole theory that if you kill the one who "made" you, then the curse would leave you, had been true. It wasn't though. So I was like, okay there were moments parts of the movie that were good. But I was left dissatisfied. And I looked up the original movie, not really alike at ALL, so why not give it a better ending??

Don't you all agree this movie was REALLY built up, making it seem like it was going to be AMAZING?! And I was was like, what a fizzle. Blah. May not even rent it from Redbox...that is $1.06 people!!

There are no GUY movies

Why is it that guys think they have an ownership almost, on action and thriller movies? Because I have to say, I love them way more than a lot of guys, I go see them in the theater and I then BUY them on dvd, so this being a "guys movie" thing is so over for me. Movies I like? Are Wendy's movies, 'kay?

I had to share this new trailer with you all, as it looks bloody awesome! Repo Men with Jude Law and Forrest Whittaker.

Movies are my Salvation

So I am still under strict orders to NOT do...well anything again tonight. I am allowed to blog, play games online, read my email and also watch tv and movies. Otherwise I have to go wake my Mom to make her stop me, which I don't want to do, so I am praying nothing...yeah how sad is that...I am praying that nothing pops into my head. I would like to be thoughtless, though that sounds bad, but it is not the same way thoughtless is usually used. I just want to be free of any thoughts, they are what gets my OCD started. I also can't think of doing a craft even as a friend suggested because I would get OCD about that! Have to finish or what not. Because I am 9 months behind...at least...on my scrapbooking, which I want to be caught up on, but I am not even going to think about that right now...it is good I haven't ordered the 188 photos I need from the last 5 months or I would probably be doing that. Thank goodness I didn't. Whoo.

Anyway, I went and saw Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakuel last night, and I don't care what anyone says, I found it so cute!! It made me laugh too, which was very much needed. I also saw half of the dvd Beyond a Reasonable Doubt, before I fell asleep. It has Michael Douglas and Jesse Metcalfe and Amber Tamblyn. Metcalfe, a reporter thinks DA Michael Douglas is tampering with physical evidence on murder cases. Using one cop to switch or replace evidence that has the defendants DNA on it, and that is how he has won 17 trials in a row after a really disastrous period. Tamblyn works for the DA but it dating Metcalfe and doesn't know what story he is working on. Metcalfe decides the only way to prove it is to set himself up for a recent murder. He finds out what the weapon type was and his friend tapes him buying one holding a newspaper with the day's date on it, so people will see he bought it AFTER the murder. He does this with the shoe type that was found, buys a pair on ebay, records getting it with a current newspaper, etc. He even buys a small dog and gets it to bite him where the cops suspect the murderer was bitten by a small dog and documents it. So he gets himself arrested pretending to be drunk, and one of the detectives sees the bite and the rare shoes and they bust into his apartment and find a switchblade and stuff they think is evidence. Then the bad cop takes over the investigation, and with NO real physical evidence linking Metcalfe to the crime (as he IS innocent), he still knows DNA is going to make him look guilty, either his own or the victims. He is arrested and that is when I fell asleep. So I need to see how it plays out, if Tamblyn believes her BF or her boss she trusts, and if Metcalfe can pull off the biggest story of the century. I don't even know these answers: Will the videos be found and erased by the bad cop? Will Metcalfe get OUT of prison? Will he get his story? Or will Douglas win and become governor by framing people, including this innocent reporter? I am dying to find out!!

I am first watching this dvd I rented today which is due back tomorrow. It has Eva Mendes and Jay Hernandez and Katie Cassidy and David Krumholtz. Ooh and Jeffrey Dean Morgan!! ♥ It is like a reality show, but Eva Mendes wants to make it FRESH!! It is called Live. And she decides to make a show where it pushes the envelope. The show is Russian Roulette, with contestants competing for 5 million dollars on-air, complete with loaded guns!! How this would ever get on the AIR, I don't know because it is not set in some dark future, like Gamer or Death Race, but it sounded very intriguing, and the cast is stellar, so here is to hoping for the best. Then I am so watching the rest of my other movie tonight...hopefully I don't fall asleep again. But I wouldn't be that upset, I am still SO tired. SO freaking tired, it is unbelievable. I had trouble sleeping though, but my mother told me that the kind of stress I had put myself in, doesn't just go away, it can last days, so that may be screwing up my sleeping. Man, that sucks.

I am trying to keep things relatively light...how am I doing? Okay?

I am so looking forward to seeing Leap Year, it is out this Friday!! It looks so cute! I love Amy Adams in this type of role! Also I am SO looking forward to these 2 romantic comedies, I had to include the trailers so you could see why! Alex O'Loughlin in one and Gerard Butler in the other! Now that is reason enough right there!!

The Back Up Plan: Okay this is with J.Lo and she can ruin a movie, but this has my second love (after Jensen Ackles) Alex O'Loughlin in it people!! He IS hot. Like his picture is with the definition of hotness! It isn't shown in this movie but in real life?? He has a Scottish accent!! Drool worthy!! Watch it!!

And...The Bounty Hunter. Jennifer Aniston and Gerard ♥ Butler, who is so hot also!!Watch NOW! You will LAUGH!

Best & Worst Movies of 2009

First, I started a DeviantArt page...not sure if I will keep up with it at this point, it seems confusing and I like SIMPLE. But for now, here it is: http://wendyrie.deviantart.com/

Okay now back to the post. Sadly I did see someone else has a post about the best movies of 2009, but they only list a few and you KNOW, I have so much more of an opinion than a few movies. So I decided to go with it anyways, best and worst. In NO particular order. This just lets you know some of the gems you may have missed, and now, sadly, have to wait until they are all on DVD to see. And it lets you know the ones you should be HAPPY if you missed these travesties!!

Best Movies of 2009

1. Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen ( it's Shia and Bumblee...need I say more?)
   
2. Avatar ( it was AMAZING!)
   
3. Star Trek ( the coolest movie ever!)
   
4. 2012 ( a MUST SEE)
   
5. Trick 'R Treat ( scariest movie I have experienced in YEARS)
   
6. Taken ( Liam can kick...butt!)
   
7. Up ( It was magical and Disney, 'nuff said)
   
8. Race to Witch Mountain (such an amazing remake!)
   
9. Fanboys (funniest surprise I found all year)
   
10. The Proposal (Sandra and Ryan rock with their chemistry)
    
11. Inkheart ( I love Brendan Frasier and this movie was pure magic and adventure!)
    
12. The Blind Side (such an amazing story based in reality, beautifully portrayed)
    
13. Cirque du Freak: The Vampire's Assistant (coolest movie about "freaks"!!)
    
14. Zombieland (this movie was hilarious and I am dying to buy it!)
    
15. Fame (music and dancing were fabulous, a treat for your senses)
    
16. The Stepfather ( What a great thriller, Penn Badgley was good!)
    
17. Bride Wars (Anne and Kate...at war...hilarious and then sweet!)
    
18. Duplicity ( Such a fun struggle between Clive and Julia)
    
19. Law Abiding Citizen (What? I like revenge apparently!)
    
20. Julie & Julia (Meryl Streep was amazing and it made me hungry)
    
21. Orphan ( This was spooktacular and had a killer twist)
    
22. My Life in Ruins ( Another Nia Vardalos HIT!)
    
23. New in Town ( Life in Minnesota...what a funny movie!)
    

Those were THE best of the best. There were lots of other good ones, but these are at the top of the list.

Worst Movies of 2009

1. Watchmen ( if you saw it...well it sucked!)
   
2. The Killing Room ( so depressing...I already knew humans could suck)
   
3. The Grudge 3 ( If you saw the first 2, you get it)
   
4. Surveillance ( it was just bad. I am ashamed Bill and Julia for you.)
   
5. The Accidental Husband ( Seemed so promising, but wound up just missing the mark)
   
6. Street Fighter: Legend of Chun Li (It was just so lame people)
   
7. Shorts ( Ditto)
   
8. My Bloody Valentine 3D (Not even my beautiful Jensen could save this piece of crap)
   
9. Next Day Air ( Foul and left a feeling of wasted time)
   
10. Jennifer's Body ( I found it to be just too nasty to like)
    
11. I Hate Valentine's Day ( This Nia Vardalos missed the mark)
    
12. Halloween II ( You'd be better off with the cheesy 80's version)
    
13. Friday the 13th ( Ditto)
    
14. Funny People ( Adam Sandler's dying, & he doesn't change for the better...it was sad)
    
15. District 9 (Beautifully made on that low budget, but it is too depressing)
    
16. Drag Me to Hell ( Makes no sense or ends stupid...gets listed here)
    
17. Bruno ( It is this GUY! I didn't see it, I know it)
    
18. Carriers ( Was depressing and made no sense and ended bad)
    
19. Angels & Demons(such a disappointment. This was supposed to be better than the first!)
    
20. Underworld: Rise of the Lycans ( I loved the love story, but it made no real sense)
    
21. Dragonball Evolution ( BAD movie and it was very lame!)
    

And there were, naturally, other horrible movies in 2009, but these were at the op of the list too! Yuck!

2nd Christmas day!

On Saturday, our "second day of Christmas", we wanted to go to the movies and have dinner out. So we went and saw SHERLOCK HOLMES!! Okay, so it was good, I give it a 7 out of 10. But they took a lot of the best parts for the trailer. So the best scenes WERE the trailer. I mean, I was entertained the whole time, not bored for a second, yet it wasn't as amazing as I had hoped. But I LOVE the chemistry between Downey Jr and Law, so I will be owning this movie for sure, like I said it was still good! What made me very happy, was it was SO made for a sequel. Holmes has NOT caught the bad guy Moriarty, who we never see the face of, and so he reopens the case just as the movie ends. SO a ...!! They HAVE to make at least ONE sequel now, just to have Holmes confront his enemy (THE enemy apparently from the books) and hopefully win McAdams permanently! I have done a little digging and at least 2 sites are saying that before it got out on Christmas, a sequel is already in the works, with maybe Brad Pitt playing Moriarty!! Wahoo!

Then we picked up Sandy and went to eat at Bertucci's! I wanted to try their bruschetta very much, so I agreed to get pizza if I could try it. I LOVE bruschetta when Jahoodie or Weezie make it, it tastes so yummy and fresh and just amazing! So I was hoping this would be great too. I have tried Olive Garden's and found it disgusting! So it arrived and it looked right! It was 5 pieces of the crisp warm bread with bruschetta on it. So I bit in, chewed and kind of "ehhhhhckkkkkkaaahhh". It was like, hot, as in spicy. I ate a whole piece and my Mom had one and so did my dad. Dad thought we were nuts, but Mom agreed. Then we dissected one to figure out if it was the tomatoes or the bread. Yeah, SO the tomatoes! Which weren't even good, so not fresh or tasty. Mom thinks they stewed the tomatoes in garlic for DAYS and served it, YUCK! It was awful!! So there is no where left to try for fresh yummy tasting bruschetta!!

I only had one piece of my Margherita pizza, which was excellent, but that dang bruschetta filled me, plus that one roll. So I had to have the rest boxed up. Dad had minestrone and caesar salad, and Mom and Sam split the Balsamic chicken. Katie was not there, she got together with friends from high school and then performed at Cafe Leb and then went to a diner with her friend Leeza and her son Adam who is a military "man". Sorry, when you have heard about someone since they were like 9, it is hard to think he is a MAN now. Anyway, so we ate and had good conversation with each other.

And then my Dad made me very happy. He stopped by Fashion Bug for me! When I recieved that soft huge cardigan sweater, I fell in LOVE! And I wore it ALL day. So I looked up Fashion Bug that night and saw it had one other color in the "Dip Dye Cardigan", grey to black! And it was on sale online! But I figured it might be on sale there too, IF they had it still. So Sam went in with me, pouring and all, as she had found it and showed it to my Mom in the first place, and found me the "cousin" one!! And it was the same sale, but no S+H charges!! Or taxes!! I had a twenty in my wallet and got a penny back! LOL! I was ecstatic! Two house sweaters that are so snuggly it is crazy! :)

When we got home, my Dad went to watch TV upstairs, but Mom, Sam and I watched an episode of Criminal Minds. Only 3 episodes left from last season. My Mom's new nightgown shrunk in the arms so it is not as comfy as she likes. I called down to Fashion Bug to ask if they had it in the next size up, as they had when I initially bought it but they only had miss sized left. And even online they were out. So Sam found a site though and found similar ones and we ordered her two. One for now, and one for her birthday which is in February. Not that she knows that! LOL! A head start is nice! Then I took a shower.

Then I got OCD! I realized while I always add movies I buy or get to MY list, I have failed to add what my parents and Kate (Sam has her own list) have gotten over the last year or so to the FAMILY movie list. So I went through ALL the movies tonight. I also did a little reorganizing and took ones I have seen so often or are okay but bot GREAT, and moved those to the closet bookcase and took some I haven't seen in awhile and are great out. Cleaned up a bit too. But we so need another bookcase for the closet. I have a few piles in there, because there wasn't enough room! And I got more for Christmas!!

Then I decided I wanted to type up my Christmasy post AND today's post, all tonight, and it has taken quite awhile!! So I will probably still not get to see Star Trek because it is already 3:41 am!! Oy!! Bloody OCD!

But Saturday was GREAT! And I was so much more relaxed because Christmas WAS over. So it was a really good day and I had so much fun!

The New Moon Party

So yes indeed I did go to the New Moon Party. I woke up in agony, but had already decided I would take my pills for the pain and deal with it. I was not going to miss this chance to actually be at something, to do something normal people do. Go to a fun party. But most of all, I felt like this might be the one chance Hannah and I had, to connect in the same room, and hopefully solidy a real friendship. I had been looking forward to this for so long, sure I was nervous too, but so was Hannah! We both were excited/nervous about the party, but wanted it to be our chance to see if we could be the friends we were online, in real person. So I decided when I woke up, and sucked down a percocet, I was doing this.

There was the matter of getting there. I didn't want to drive. At all. But could I actually ask Katie if she'd mind dropping me off at 7pm and maybe not get called up until after 6 in the morning to be picked up? I was very unsure, but I went ahead at my Mom's urging and asked and she said YES!! I was so relieved, being IN the car would make me nervous enough, so not having to worry about driving relieved me of some stress. I was getting really excited and scared as it was about time to leave. I packed my percocet and energy drinks in case I got sleepy at the movie, then I stopped and sucked half a bottle down. I wanted to not seem drugged. So we left. Hannah and I were texted as we got close, about how nervous we were. Hannah is like my brain twin, as we have called it. We have similar things in common all over the place, we just have so much in common it is cool. So Kate pulled away and Hannah opened the door. I was there at 7, the party didn't start until 8-8:30pm. Hannah said it was okay for me to come early, I thought I might do better getting there before all the other people, and it would give us a chance to break the ice, you know?

So she showed me the decorations which were freaking amazing!! There was the Volturri room and the den was Bella's Birthday room. In the Birthday room, Hannah's cousin Amber had made a fake replica of the cake from the movie but covered in real fondant. And there were quotes framed and stuff all over. And oodles of candles. The Volturri room was the coolest and had the most awesome foods! Before I go on let me tell you about the decorations and the desserts, I have pics to go along. Here is Bella's birthday cake:

Oh and I musn't forget the Pin The Tail on The Jacob!!! Which Hannah and I didn't get to play! Booo!!

Noe let's get to the Volturri room!! First here are a bunch of the decorations that were just incredible!!

Vampire bites which were little red licorices, and there was even gift bags!! We got pins and trading cards and candies, it was just awesome!!

These were Type A, B and O Twizzlers for the movies!! So cool! I never got one of those, boo. LOL. Now to show some of the COOL foods. When people later got there, there were stuff like pizza rolls, olives, marinated fresh mozzerella, mozzerella sticks, tomato "jam" and bread, etc, all Italian food for the Italian Volturri! So cool and imaginative!! But this stuff was the coolest!

Here is the Type A, B and O sodas. And glasses lines with blood. Each glass had a name from the movie, so you could keep track of your drink/glass.

Here is a closer pic of the "blood".

Here is a better look at the glasses. They used corn syrup so it was like cherry lollipops dried on the cups lips. It was so good, we wanted to just stand there and suck on empty glasses. Look here is Molly, Hannah's sister, doing just that!LOL!

M & M's of the Volturri colors...me being OCD I had to have one of each color at a time...lol.

Check out the "blood" chocolate fountain. They used a mound of red dye and Ghirardelli chocolate (yuuumm) to acheive this:

And a closer look at the chocolate. Guess what they had to dip in it? Cream puffs!!! Mmm. We did not get enough time at the house, I am serious.

These are the vampire cupcakes, aren't they cute?!! The blood gel is oozing out, LOL!

And these freaking amazing creations that Hannah made are the werewolf cupcakes!! She used marshmallows to fill the snouts and the mouth is a fruit roll up.

Here is a closer look, these things were the coolest thing I have ever seen!

And these delicious cookies that look like blood too, were SO yummy! I only got one, but I want the recipe, they were scrumptious!

Okay now that you see the ambience and awesome foods that were all around me, I continue with the story! So after she showed me all the decorations and food, Hannah wanted to hear all about the accident so we went into Bella's room to talk. It was going really easy. She totally got my freaking out and everything, and "Aunt" Debbie came in.

Okay a quick rundown so you get how people are related and how I met Hannah. I have talked about Sister H or Jahoodie, before, our BFF family and like real family. Well Jahoodie has a brother (don't know him) and 3 sisters. Beth (she is Mom to Amber, Jesse and Julie), Naomi (she is Hannah's Mom and Molly and Max's) and Debbie. So I have know Hannah like HER whole life, I am like 10 years older. But between my young at heart thing and her old soul, we kind of meet up at the perfect place, lol. So my new friend is Jahoodie's niece. We just started talking one day and had so much in common. Then we lost touch and reconnected at Jahoodie's birthday party and she invited me to the party! Yay! So "Aunt" Debbie, is Hannah's real Aunt...okay, we got it?

So Debbie is a bit...odd. She had problems and has been on a LOT of meds over the years, so she isn't always there, or hasn't been in the past. She seemed coherent at the party. She was there early too. So when she walked in and sat down, I had to limit what I said to Hannah. There were things I could tell Hannah about the accident, that I am not okay telling anyone else. So that kind of limited that. Then Amber arrived, she had been upstairs, and Naomi, Hannah's mom were all there and we were all talking. Then Hannah went outside with Amber to light her Volturri bags that had candles inside. People were supposed to be arriving soon. I knew Weezie and her hubby Zak were invited but I had no idea who else was coming. I ended up alone...with Debbie. I got pure Debbie on me, asking me about the surgery AGAIN, telling me she had lost 40 pounds recently just by not spending all day in bed anymore, etc. As soon as Amber re-entered the room I took off. I told Naomi, you left me alone with Debbie!, which made her laugh.

Hannah and I were doing good though, talking about stuff. We tried out the "blood shots" as Nay made them. They were like a strawberry daquiri kind of thing. So good, I wanted a big glass of just that! Nay was like I warn you, we may all be peeing red by the end of the night! I didn't care, it was all so fun. Then Beth arrived, follwed by Jahoodie!! Yay! Weezie and Zak, and later a bunch of Amber's friends. I stayed with Hannah in the Bella room, we hung out with Jahoodie, Weezie and Zak. Weezie wasn't staying for the movie! Sad! But she is very pregnant and couldn't stay awake that long. So we chatted with them and then the quiz started. Hannah helped me with one of the questions (shhhh don't tell!) but it didn't matter, these were SO hard, I only git 7 out of 13!! One of Amber's friends won the New Moon calendar. Then it was the quotes which were from all FOUR books! We had to put either from what book or who said it. I went with who and only got THREE out of 10 right!! Sad!! There was a tie so they used Pin the Tail on the Jacob to break it. Two of Amber's friends won the book companion and the soundtrack. That sucked!

Hannah and I would be talking movies or TV and Zak kept interrupting to talk manga with her!! Grrr Zak!! Yeah you hear me, grrrr! I don't know manga!! Weezie left and then we all left to get there at 10pm. Ugh 2 hours early. We had to leave all that awesome food, barely eaten (!!!!) behind! I was so sad!! I was like I hadn't eaten that or that, etc. SO sad! I drove with Hannah, Zak, Nay and Jahoodie to the theater. They were doing things a little differently at this theater. It didn't matter what your ticket said or when you had bought it, they were letting people in NOW, and filling up one theater at a time! Which is so unfair, Nay picked these tickets up weeks ago and we got crappy seats anyway. They wanted to stuff one theater full before opening the next theater up. Unfair. But we had connections!! MOLLY!! Molly works at the theater, so she did her thang for awhile and we went from theater 5 where we would have to look straight UP to watch the movie, to theater 6 where we got decent seats. I didn't get why Molly seemed pissed off though and there was NO saving seats, the cop said if you had to pee, too bad for you!! But Molly knows him and now knowing everyone calls him Fudg, I am not scared of him. Molly was unhappy because she wanted us put in theater 7, which she got. Theater 7 was empty except for a few girls that were the daughter and friends of another employee!! Molly was my hero that night, she rocked!!

Well the theater ended up filling all the way up anyway. Molly doesn't know HOW it happened, that theater was supposed to be extra and empty basically, except for lucky people IN with employees. But our seats were PRIME, so we were happy. And yes I even peed! I was sitting next to Hannah and ....yeah you guessed it, DEBBIE!! I had fun talking with Hannah and Amber. Things got a little quiet at one point, we got shy. Then like 5 minutes before the movie was supposed to start we got chatty!! Oy! But the movie theater was having trouble so it didn't start until 12:25am so we got to be chatty. The pain was back in a bad way so I took a percocet. But then I got really drowsy and had to gulp down like 2 bottles of 5 hour energy before I felt awake. The movie started and Debbie kept making gross comments to me, gross because they came from her! "He can bite me anytime", and "mmm those pecs!"...made me want to GAG. *shudders* I did NOT like the movie. Yup, THERE, I said it. The second book is NOT my fave at all, I only love the part where Alice shows up to the end, so the last 1/4 of the book. They took that part and decimated it. No plane ride, no tunnels and tunnels to the Volturri, no huge encounter WITH them, no Bells clinging to Edward because she thought this was the last time she'd hold him, no vote the way it was in the book, NO Bella realizing Edward DID love her as much as she loved him, NONE of that. They took 5 minutes and changed it completely and PUT IT IN 5 MINUTES!! So the CG is amazing and they did great, but I did NOT like it, I prefered Twilight. I really am looking forward to Eclipse because Edward is in all of that, and it is out in June!!

So Hannah knows what I though and why and gets it, but she loved it, she is Team Jacob too, s she has seen it 4 times already!! Anyway, I had to pee so bad and only Hannah waited for me. Mean people!! So it was like 3 in the morning and we were going to a diner. Amber's friends didn't follow us to theater 7 so they were gone and Molly and her dad and her boyfriend left, so it was me, Hannah, Jahoodie, Nay, Zak, Beth, Debbie and Amber. Everyone mostly had breakfast except for me. We had a lot of fun. On the way over everyone got a kick out of Debbie grossing me out. We talked about the movie and other movies and Supernatural (Hannah and I are huge fans!), etc. We had so much fun! Hannah swore my pickle juice somehow ended up on her toast, she hates pickles, so it was funny when she ate sausage dipped in syrup, now that is the gross thing. Heehee! She collected the money from everyone and put it in proper numerical order...see we fit as friends! LOL!

We drove back to Nay's house and everyone was saying goodnight. I was sad I didn't want the night to end, I was having so much fun, regardless of the pain! I was thinking I got to call Kate then, when Nay was like bye Wendy, and I froze. It was pouring and I hadn't even called Katie yet! But Hannah was like, MOM! Wendy is coming in! Thank goodness for Hannah! Hannah, Amber and I decided we wanted to watch that night's Supernatural, so I figured I'd call Kat when we were done. I hadn't heard from her since the movie was an hour from starting. Hannah showed me her room first, wow she has every inch covered with something, her posters are like wallpaper!! And she has such awesome faeries and Harry Potter and Jack Skellington stuff. It was cool, and then I saw her organized Manga and when I told her a feeling of calm washed over me, she was like, EXACTLY! You get it! It really was calming to see something in such neat order. So we went back downstairs to watch the show.

We were about halfway through, and traumatized, they ruined 2 characters!!, I heard a buzzing Amber had mentioned. That was when I thought, OH NO! I had put my phone on vibrate when the movie started and never changed it!! I had missed a call and 2 texts from Kate! I called and told her to come, the show would be over by the time she got there! I was so sorry!! We watched the show and sat there shocked at how depressed we were from it. And it won't be back until the last week of January!! We were all mad!! Kate arrived and I asked for a wolf cupcake to take with me. It was pouring out really hard now so she gave me a baggie for it and we hugged goodbye. We were both going to Weezie's baby shower on that Saturday so we'd see each other again soon.

I chatted about the night to Katie all the way home. I hadn't wanted it to end, I was having so much fun! I was like high on life. When we pulled into the driveway I suddenly deflated like a balloon. I was exhausted and in terrible pain. It was like 6:30 am. LOL. Mom listened to a short sum up and told me to forget showering, she wanted me to take all my pills and pain pills and lay down. So I did and slept for 12 hours. I was so excited for Saturday. Weezie's shower and I could see my friend Hannah again!! I was like so happy that we got along so well, I really want a friend I can hang out with, Weezie is married and having a baby. And Hann and me have so much in common and I think we are good for eachother. So I would say the party was a resounding success. The poor uneaten food though!! *sob* Hannah and I say it should have started at like 5...maybe in June, you never know!

2012

Today I went and saw the movie "2012". I absolutely loved it. It was amazing. The effects were so realistic. They did an amazing job, it really looked like the Sistene Chapel was destroyed. A crack went straight between God and Adam's fingers almost touching. It was chilling!! You know one of the reasons I can tell you it was such a good movie? My nose went numb three times in the last hour of the movie. I know that may sound bizarre and I don't think it has ever happened before, but I wound up holding my breath without realizing it, and my face started to go numb each time! I was that into it, that entranced into the end of the human civilization!

What I liked about this movie, while it also disturbed me, was that they really showed BOTH sides of humanity. Both kinds of people. The people who want as many to survive and for people not to be hurt or trampled or left behind. And the people willing to kill a person if it means their own survival. You know like when people are trampled to death because the mob just walks OVER them. That disgusts me. I know people in those situations lose it, but I really hope I am right when I say I don't think I could be one of those people. Anyway, in this movie you get to see both sides of the coin that is us, humans. In our glory, and in our darkest hours. You get to see the love of a family. That relationship is key in this movie. One man determined to save his children and ex-wife from dying out like most of the world we know.

He is just a regular man though. Not like in many other disaster movies, where the main character, IS the scientist who discovers the earth core has stopped or is the government agent who believes the scientist. It is easy for them to find a way to save the day. But John Cusack is an out of work author. He drives a limo lately to get by. And after a chance encounter with a crazy conspiracy nut, played oh so well by Woody Harrelson, he starts to glean on to the fact that something isn't right here. So he goes for his family just as to crap hits the fan.

To go any further could ruin this awesome movie for you, but I just wanted to make sure you all want to go see this movie! It stressed me out it was that good! I was wringing my hands people! It had me on the edge of my seat. I LOVED that!!

SLOW Saturday

Didn't do much today. Saw my parents off, Sam drove them, so when she got back she immediately headed back to bed.

Sam took over for Mom, and she colored my hair for me. Katie is too sick to go, but Sandy and I are supposed to go to my Aunt Maureen's house for dinner on Sunday night. A cousin..or a half sibling, I can't remember which, to Auntie, is visiting from Australia. So we were all invited over, but my parents are now safely in Florida (the toads!), and Kat is sick, so it is just me and Sandy. Hopefully it will BE me and Sandy, because she says if she feels even a sore throat she won't go. Which will suck, because I don't want to go all by myself, but I will have to.

Anyway, I wanted my hair to be pretty for a family get together, and when we went to the Mid-West, that hotel pool bleached all the color out, so now it is Wahooey! Dark Auburn red! It was so drab before. And while that may fit my mood, I don't want it to be what people SEE me as. Plus I have Thanksgiving this month, and the New Moon party and viewing, so I want it to look nice. It will fade by then probably, but not as bad as it was when I woke up today.

Then it took forever, of course, to rinse it out and then we ordered Japanese and Sandy went and picked it up. I had chicken and veggie tempura, the only Asian food I like. Besides clear soup, which is either a fish broth or a mushroom based clear Japanese soup. SO yummy! Sandy had a Boston roll and a California roll, minus the avocado. And Katie had Chicken Udon. Max loved the Udon noodles and we took 2 15 second videos of him eating them. I have Sandy's camera right in front of me, but don't want to get in trouble by downloading them first. *rolls eyes* But it was so adorable!!

We watched the new Nia Vardalos movie, I Hate Valentine's Day. It was so cute! Nia plays Genevieve, a flower shop owner who has rules to dating. You only date somene 5 times. It keeps her from getting hurt and it has always SEEMED to be so romantic in the past. Perfect relationships. So when she meets John Corbett's Greg, she thinks it will be the same as usual, but she is starting to really like spending time with him. But can she give up her old ways? Especially when they were created by things that hurt her, so she closed herself off to love? Rent it from Blockbuster today and see! And there was of course, the normal cameo, by Nia's cute as a button husband!! You know, he played Javier on Felicity!! Such a cutie! Although he was so slimy in My Life in Ruins. He was the slimy hotel owner. Pay postage in "other" ways, remember? Yeah, that is her husband. LOL!

Dlual Citizen and DANG IT ALL!

Harbinger of Impending Doom: The Dual Citizen

A dual citizen is a special breed of character found only in a horror flick. He or she is someone (usually an elderly man) who exists somewhere between the Terrorverse and the real world. Dual citizens always function in the same way: give the audience some neatly bundled back-story and force the protagonist to make a choice - either heed the warning and turn back, or ignore it and forge ahead. Inevitably, our her

o always chooses option number two (otherwise we wouldn't have much of a movie). But if your goal is survival, you'd be well advised to get the hell out of Dodge when some old codger tells you to, narrative structure be damned.Here are three of the most common dual citizens to be on the lookout for:

* The gas station attendant who lives just down the road from the evil town and tells you not to go there, even though he seems relatively unaff

ected by the evil. (Why hasn't he moved away or called the cops in all these years?)

* The local barfly who tells you a story beginning with "It was a night just like tonight...".

* The homeless guy who grabs your arm after you toss a nickel in his cup, stared into your eyes and says something like, "If you're trapped in the house of hell, follow the right path to freedom". Of course, this advice eventually saves your life at the end of the movie, when you're confronted with two doors while escaping the serial killer's basement.

Hero

One door on the left, one on the...right?

(puts it together)

Right path! "Follow the right path to freedom!" God, what clever screen-writing!

Still, you'd be better off identifying him as a dual citizen and not entering the house of hell in the first place!

Okay back to writing from me, I am such a moron. I got everything all set to do my blood work today, but when I woke up to trudge upstairs to bed I felt hungry and had a bloody granola bar, which made the fasting null and void! Freaking idiot!! Agghh! I wanted it over with. I am so not okay with needles, like on the verge of passing out a lot of the time. AND I want the results back as soon as earthly possible! So I am very angry with myself for blanking in that moment!

I went to see The Stepfather tonight. No one was willing to go with me, no matter how I begged, so finally, even though I don't love it, I was like I am going by myself then. I have missed too many movies I wanted to see in theaters and I NEEDED this. I needed to be distracted from all this stress I am feeling. Too close to tears all the time. So I got ready and went outside and am leaving when Katie calls me from inside the house. I was upset no one would go with me when I asked so I was like I am fine goodbye. THEN I closed the garage door and she heard that so she called back and insisted on going. Which okay yeah, made me a bit happy. And guess what? It was NOT scary, she actually liked it. She said the scariest looking parts were IN the trailer, so it reminded her of thrillers she was okay with. Like Disturbia. ♥ So I really enjoyed it. That Walsh guy was really good as the evil soon to be stepfather, and Penn Badgley was great! I like him! So if you liked Disturbia, I think you will like The Stepfather. It was a thrill!

H Fun!!

Sorry Kate, your B-Day post gets postponed again. This happened today and is fresh in my mind. Today we went to Sister H/Jahoodie's 62nd birthday party. It was a cake and ice cream party. One Sister H didn't learn about until this morning, lol! Anyway we showed up first and gave her our present, 4 lobsters. Sister H, well the entire H family, is obsessed with lobsters! There is the biggest claw hanging on their kitchen wall from a 9 POUND lobster they ate over 2 days! Holy crap! We told her she can eat 3 lobsters and give her husband ONE, if she wanted to. Heehee!

The F's showed up next, then the S's, and then 2 of Jahoodie's sisters with their kids and Jahoodie's Mom. And Weezie and her hubby Zak showed up too. It was a fun evening! Sister H hated being sung to, apparently it can get her teary or mad, but she seemed happy. I ate some birthday cake, way too chocolatey for me though, and sugary, HEY, I am a Diabetic okay so I get to say that! :) I really liked Weezie's homemade angel food cake though, and with strawberries, it was so good. Sadly Zoey chose NOT to be kicking again! So I DID feel Weezie's belly, my first pregnant belly...kinda felt like a hard water ballon...but I have still never felt a moving belly!! Zoey!! Come out and play with Auntie Wendy!! She wants to feel you kick!

Then I went into the other room and had a GREAT time talking movies and TV with Weezie, Zak and Weezie's cousins and/or Aunts, Naomi, Beth, Jesse and Hannah. Hannah is the only other person I know as obsessed with movies AND tv as I am. So we were talking everything from Supernatural to Twilight to Golden Compass to Eragon to Zombieland, etc. I LOVED it!! Zak is a film snob in a way though, sad to learn. Really Weezie he is! See, Hannah and I, can see a book and its' movie as two separate entities. Eragon is nothing like the books, Hannah has read them, but she liked the movie. She can see it as it's own thing. I can too. Just because a movie is BASED on a book, does not mean it is going to be an Adaptation people!! There IS a difference. Some movies, like Pride & Prejudice, SAY they are adaptations, so it is basically word for word as long as it is possible for the movie. Most movies are just based on books, so they DO have the liberty of taking creative license. SURE, it does not always work out for the best. Like Blood for Chocolate in book form sounds like a GREAT story, Sam outlined in detail the whole book for me. The movie chose to be nothing at ALL like the book and the story line was BAD and the movie sucked. The Golden Compass is apparently very different from the book, but I LOVED this movie, it was pure magic! I was sad when Hannah's family was ready to go. It was like, STAY! Let's talk more movies and TV!! LOL! I left around the same time and as I got close to home, Katie called me and asked if I wanted to see Whip It with her and Sam, which made me very happy! So once I got past construction and got home, we left. We stopped by McD's for me, because I hadn't eaten anything but cake in hours and then we went to the theater. Where they had decided to take the 10:05pm showing of our movie away!! I am sorry I TRUST Yahoo, they said there was a showing at that time, theaters do this crap all the time! So we bought tickets to see Couple's Retreat and sat and talked for the next half hour. We were really shocked with this one teenager. It is in the 30's tonight and she had her thin jacket opened to her bellybutton and underneath was a tank top, but that was not what had us staring in shock, horror and laughter. She has a massive busom and she had most of it hanging out. It was doing the butt boob thing, and each step she took, major jiggling!! WHO lets their daughte out dressed like a call girl?!! The cleavage was like down to her belly button!! And bubbling over the tak top and she had this huge pendant that bounced from one chest to the other as she walked, which had us hiding our heads in our jackets, laughing! IT WAS SUCH A SIGHT!! LOL!

I liked this movie. It was PG-13 thankfully, so there wan't much to be uncomfortable with. It was just a funny movie. One couple is in serious trouble of divorcing so to get the group discount they convince their 3 friend couples to go with them. Telling them they can skip the couples therapy and water ski and relax, which sounds great to the rest of them. Problem is, the couple's thing they signed up for, is mostly therapy and if they won't participate, they ALL have to leave. And this one couple is depending on them. So the therapy starts making trouble in marriages that seemed healthy already!! And their techniques to get couples to communicate are hilarious!! The cast is stellar with Jon Favreau, Vince Vaughn, Kristen Bell, Justin Bateman, etc. It is kind of like a dream vacation turns into hell on a gorgeous island for these 4 couples. And they ALL need to decide if they are happy with their marriage or if it is time to move one. This movie was so fun, we had the theater to ourselves and just LAUGHED our butts off!

And I had yet to excerxise due to all of this so I had to do it at 1:30 am, and didn't get a shower until after 2:30. And it is SO cold! It is now 30 degrees, officially freezing!! I am so cold, my hands are frigid! I need to go warm up!!