Footloose

Let’s talk feet. Or foot… loose, that is. I don’t recall watching the 1984 film, but I was excited to see the one that came out in 2011.

Ren McCormack, played by Kenny Wormald, moves to a small town that had banned dancing and music due to the death of a preacher’s son after a party. Ren falls in love with the preacher’s daughter, Ariel, played by Julianne Hough, and they, along with other classmates, are determined to have a prom with music and dancing.

After referring to bible verses to show how people back then danced to celebrate to rejoice and worship, Ren was still unable to convince the council to change the rules.

Well, in the end they find a way and have their prom. And the party begins.

Why is Footloose cool?

Good dancing is always a plus in a movie. I mean, if it’s going to be a movie about dancing. The dancing in this movie was fun and exciting. And dancing is a stress reliever for one of the main characters, Ren.

The music is upbeat and fun.

And there’s the shoes, oh the shoes… and shocks. I really enjoyed the fancy foot work when you only see people’s feet while they dance with funky socks and shoes. I’m no crazy about the bare feet but all in all, not bad.

Here are a few fun shoes, definitely worthy of the film. J

Oz

When I heard that Oz: The Great and Powerful was coming out, the first thing I thought about was that 1939 film The Wizard of Oz. This new film is not based on the other though. It’s base on novels by American author, Lyman Frank Baum. I confess, I have not read these novels. Actually, I didn’t know they existed until recently.

Anyways, The movie was good. The end. Joking! About “the end” part, not bout the movie being good. When deciding what to watch, I had plenty to choose from, but in the end I couldn’t resist the great and powerful.

One of the things I like about the movie is the scenery: the plants and flowers and hills and strange little flying creatures. And it’s all in 3D. I't's nice to appreciate the little things in life. So, below I've inserted a clip of some of those little things:

It’s nice to kind of see how Oz got to be where he is. It’s kind of hard not to look at it as sort of a prequel to The Wizard of Oz. So, Oscar Diggs, aka Oz is a magician in a traveling circus. And he gets sucked up into a tornado and lands in the magical Land of Oz. Everyone thinks he is the wizard who has come to defeat the wicked witch and rule the land. But he is a fake and has no true magical powers. But he does know tricks. And with that and the help of the good people, he finds a way to defeat the two wicked sisters.

Ok, so that is a sad excuse for a summary. But we all know something about Oz, so if you are at all interested, go see it. Or wait a while and rent it. It’s worth a watch. Now, I like action in a movie. It’s no secret. There are no awesome fight scenes here. No. But that is okay. It’s funny and so cute. Yes, cute. I think most will enjoy if they know what to expect.

So check out the trailer and decide for yourself. Enjoy J ---Ann

Worth Watching

You know those movies you watch only at a discount price, or on cable TV? Sure you do. Warm Bodies and Jack the Giant Slayer are two recent movies I’ve watch that sort of fit into those categories. From the trailer, I felt like I’d like to see them; give me something to watch and take advantage of my discount. And they weren’t bad.

R

Warm Bodies, starring Nicholas Hoult, is one of those fun movies to watch. A zombie’s heart starts to beat because of his love for a girl. So, “R” (because he can’t remember his name) and Julie (Teresa Palmer) eventually fall in love. And eventually, he is back to a human being. It has its funny moments that will keep you laughing here and there throughout the movie. It’s cute.

Jack and Princess Isabelle

Jack the Giant Slayer, also starring Nicholas Hoult, is another fun movie to watch. I wasn't anticipating it, but I managed to catch it on dollar movie night. It has its funny moments and is a bit of a love story. So, you have the poor boy and the princess who has one thing in common: an adventurous nature. After coming across some magic beans, Jack drops one in water and the bean stalk grows and up goes the princess with it. Jack and the king’s knights go after the princess, but it is Jack who ends up saving her. Then the really fun part begins. The action is what I enjoyed the most, and the fact that there were giants. By the time it got to the battle against the giants and the people of the Kingdom of Cloister, it was over before I knew it. It was as if they ran out of time and had to come up with an ending too soon. I could definitely see a longer fight scene. I was getting into it and then…the end.

Jack standing up to one of the lead, Fallon

Both movies are worth a watch. I enjoyed. J --Ann

The Hunger Games Trilogy

There are a few spoilers in this blog for those who have not read all three books.

Let’s talk Hunger Games. The plot is creative; disturbing but creative. I, of course, have read all books of the trilogy: The Hunger Games, Catching Fire and Mockingjay. When I watched the first movie in the theater with a bunch of college students, they seemed to enjoy it a great deal. The movie wasn't all that. When you have all the details of a book, it’s hard not to notice how much is being left out of the movie. The first movie didn't really allow the viewers to see the relationships build between the characters. A movie is like a printed newspaper, limited. And a book is like the internet. You have all the room you need for your story. The question is, does reading the book first, ruins the movie for you? I haven't decided yet.

Katniss running in the arena during one of the Hunger Games

Okay, so you have Panem, the nation in North America after an apocalyptic event. In this nation, you have the wealthy and powerful Capital and the twelve poor districts. Once a year, the Capital holds and televises the Hunger Games. One boy and one girl between the ages 12 and 18, from each district, are chosen to participate in the game. They travel to the Capital with a coach/mentor. They prepare to fight to the death in an outdoor arena that is controlled by the Capital until one person is remaining.

Children killing for a chance to save their own life

Okay, so this is where I arch my eyebrow. Children are being forced to fight and kill in a “game” for their life. And it is guaranteed only one will survive. That is so not cool. And President Snow loves every moment. That is pretty twisted. And to make matters worse, the people in the districts are forced to watch the games. It is broadcast on every television.

Anyways, these games started as a punishment after a past rebellion against the Capital. At that time, District 13 was destroyed, leaving only 12 districts.

President Snow

In the books and movie, you have the districts fighting to survive, the love triangle involving Katniss Everdeen, Peeta Mellark, and Gale Hawthorne, and a secret plan to bring down President Coriolanus Snow. There’s plenty of action and suspense to keep you entertained, especially in the very last game. (Spoiler Alert!!) I think the biggest shock was when Primrose Everdeen died. She was the reason Katniss risked her life by volunteered for the game. She was taking the place of her little sister. 

I don't recommend the books or movies for children. And I don't recommend the books or movies for anyone who feel they will be affected in a negative way and/or become upset by them.  While watching the first movie, I was looking around the theater thinking, why are people cheering and laughing while a child is getting his neck broke or cut? There are scenes where children are killing other children, and that can be disturbing. If I had to pick something I don't like about the trilogy, it would be that.   --Ann

Tangled

The Disney movie Tangled has an awesome soundtrack. The movie itself is hilarious. Music, to me, plays such an important part in a movie. The right music helps get the viewer in the right mood, along with the characters.

I really enjoy computer-animated films. And Tangled is no exception. Even the bad guy has me singing along. What it is is a fantasy-comedy. There’s love and romance among action and comedy. A frightened girl (Rapunzel) stepping out into the world for the first time to live her dream, a young man (Flynn Rider) learning to appreciate who he really is after a life of hiding from himself behind the mask of a fake identity, and a horse who thinks he’s a dog. Oh yeah, that’s right, Maximus, the palace horse. Even he transforms throughout the movie. It’s inspiring.

Max challenging Flynn

Funniest Character: Maximus, the very brave and smart palace horse who acts like a dog and fights like a mighty warrior

Rapunzel having second thoughts about leaving her tower

Bravest Character: Rapunzel who takes a chance going out into the world, even though she is frightened of everything around her

Meanest Character: Gothel, the old woman who keeps Rapunzel captive and locked away from the world, just to take advantage of the magical hair she possesses

Gothel holding Rapunzel's hair

Most Annoying Character: The Stabbington brothers who just won't go away and almost ruin everything

Pascal

Cutest Character: Pascal the chameleon, who is Rapunzel's loyal friend

I'd like to hear about the animated movies you enjoy. --Ann

Make Me Laugh

Planes, Trains and Automobiles; Oh boy! Where, oh where, do I begin?  It’s the funniest movie ever! Ok, maybe one of the funniest.

There as so many funny parts to this movie, I don’t know where to start. Well, maybe from the beginning. This movie starts out funny. Coming off of a business trip, Neal Page (played by Steve Martin) only wants to get home to his wife and kids in time for Thanksgiving (two days away). So, he’s trying to catch the 6 o’clock flight to Chicago. His colleague told him “You’ll never make the six.”, but Neil is a determined man. So, he’s racing a stranger to get the only available cab in the busy streets of New York. He loses out in the end after tripping over some random trunk someone left off the sidewalk. After spotting another cab, he offers $10 to an attorney in exchange for his place in the cab; after the good-natured man raises the price to $75 and walks off with Neal’s money, the cab is then stolen away by Del Griffith (played by John Candy). Oh, and that trunk he tripped over, causing him to miss the first cab, it was Del’s. Well, if you don’t already know, you could guess by now that he didn’t make the six. But only because the flight was delayed.

In this movie, it’s one thing after another, after another, after another. I mean, talk about having a bad day, or two. Anyway, if you’ve seen the movie, you know the story. If not, it’s worth the 92 minutes of side-piercing laughter. Well, at least that’s how it was for me. :-)

Here’s a taste of what this movie has to offer:

• Neal is frustrated and is arguing with Del after having to share a single-bed hotel room with him:

Del: “Well, who let you stay in the room? I even let you pay for it so you wouldn’t feel like an intruder, which you certainly are.”

Neal: “Oh, I’m an intruder?”

Del: “Yes. You’re an intruder. I was having a perfectly nice trip until you walked into my life.”

Neal: I walked into your life? Who was that who talked my ear off on the plane? Who was that? I’m curious.”

Del: “Well, who told you to book a room? I did, out of the goodness of my dumb ol’ heart. Boy! You’re an ungrateful jerk, Neal. Well, go ahead, sleep in the lobby. See if I care. I hope you wake up so stiff, you can’t even move.”

Neal: “You’re no saint. You got a free cab, a free room and someone who’ll listen to your boring stories. I mean, didn’t you notice on the plane when you started talking, eventually I started reading the vomit bag? Didn’t that give you some sort of clue like, ‘Hey, maybe this guy’s not enjoying it’? You know, everything is not an anecdote. You have to discriminate. You choose things that are funny or mildly amusing or interesting. You're a miracle—your stories have none of that. They're not even amusing accidentally!

‘Honey, I'd like you to meet Del Griffith, he's got some amusing anecdotes for ya. Oh, and here's a gun so you can blow your brains out! You'll thank me for it.’

I could tolerate any insurance seminar. For days I could sit there and listen to them go on and on with a big smile on my face. They'd say, ‘How can you stand it?’ I'd say, ‘Cause I've been with Del Griffith. I can take anything."

You know what they'd say? They'd say, ‘I know what you mean. The shower curtain ring guy. Whoa!’

It's like going on a date with a Chatty Cathy doll. I expect you to have a little string on your chest that I pull out and have to snap back. Except I wouldn't pull it out and snap it back — you would. ‘Aah, aah, aah, aah!’

And by the way, when you're telling these little stories? Here's a good idea — have a point. It makes it so much more interesting, for the listener!”

• After a long night, Neal and Del fall asleep. They wake up holding each other. Oh yeah, and Del is kissing on Neal’s ear.

Neal: “Del?”

Del: (eyes closed) “Hmm?

Neal: “Why did you kiss my ear?”

Del: (eyes now open) “Why are you holding my hand?”

Neal: “Where’s your other hand?”

Del: “Between two pillows.”

Neal: “Those aren’t pillows!”

• After the ear-kissing, hand-holding, pillow incident, Neal splashes his face with cold water at the hotel bathroom sink, just to realize that the water in the sink has Del’s dirty socks in it. He’d been soaking them overnight. Disgusted, Neal reaches for a towel. He dries his face and looks into the mirror. In pure HORROR, he holds up the towel. It’s a pair of Del’s whitey-tighties!

Man! It doesn’t get any better than that. And that’s just the beginning of the movie. Yep! The tip of the iceberg.

So, go ahead and tell me what makes you laugh. What are some of your favorite scenes and quotes from funny movies?

Del driving in the wrong direction on the highway at night. 
And this is how Del is starting to look through Neal's eyes. 

                                                 

                      Neal, and his new friend finally makes it home in the end.

Click below and have fun! :-) 

The cab

The hotel

You're going the wrong way!

Marvel's The Avengers: Best movie of 2012

I won't claim to know all there is to know about comics and the Marvel universe. Well, actually I won’t claim to know anything. But I didn’t have to, to enjoy and appreciate Marvel’s The Avengers. This was the best movie of 2012. I give it five out of five stars. It’s got action, action, and more action. And it’s funny. You won’t find yourself falling asleep on this movie. I had a blast; superheroes brought together to fight for the survival of Earth. It’s amazing and fun.

The Box Office results for 2012 Worldwide Grosses show The Avengers as number one, grossing over a billion dollars. Check this out: The Avengers Worldwide Gross / 2012 Worldwide Grosses

And it comes in at number three under "All Time Domestic Gross"; just under Titanic, number two; and Avatar, number one.

This movie was definitely the most anticipated of the year. Well, at least it was for me and a lot of other people.

Before watching the movie, I familiarized myself with the other movies. I had already seen and liked The Hulk and the Iron Man movies. When Captain America came out in theaters, I already knew I’d enjoy it. But Thor, I knew absolutely nothing about. I was convinced to go see it, and I must say, I was pleasantly surprised. Before watching it, I just couldn’t imagine what could be so awesome about a hammer. Well, I found out. Another movie added to my Really Awesome Movies list.

Each fighting character brings something amazing and powerful to the table:

·  Thor (played by Chris Hemsworth) is a mighty warrior, with Mjolnir, an extremely powerful legendary hammer, to help him defeat enemies.

·   Iron Man, aka Tony Stark (played by Robert Downey Jr.), powered up in his armor brings speed, flight, and strength. Oh yeah, he’s also an electronic genius and a billionaire.

·   The Hulk, aka Bruce Banner (played by Mark Ruffalo), is pure strength. Never underestimate The Hulk’s smash.

·  Captain America, aka Steve Rogers (played by Chris Evans), is the fearless and heroic super soldier. He has speed, strength, and courage (Well, they all have courage. Why not, when you have super powers?)

·   Hawkeye, aka Clint Barton (played by Jeremy Renner); and Black Widow, aka Natasha Romanoff (played by Scarlett Johansson), are Strategic Hazard Intervention Espionage and Logistics Directorate (S.H.I.E.L.D.) agents. Hawkeye, armed with the recurve bow, is the greatest marksman on Earth. And Black Widow is skilled in martial arts, has widow stings and cluster bombs, and she is one of the world’s greatest spies and skilled assassin.

It’s hard to pick a favorite character from this movie. I enjoyed them all. But I could watch The Hulk all day. And Loki, he is so hilarious. Here are a few examples: 

·   Loki catches Hawkeye’s arrow in his hand. Then it blows up.

·   Loki: “Enough! You are, all of you, beneath me. I am a god you dull creature. And I will not be bullied by…”

*The Hulk grabs him and starts slamming him left, right, and sideways.

Here are some of the funniest scenes and quotes from the movie:

·   Loki gets whipped by The Hulk.

·   The Hulk punches Thor away.

·  Thor: “Have a care how you speak! Loki is beyond reason, but he is of Asgard. And he is my brother.”

Black Widow: “He killed 80 people in two days.”

Thore: “He’s adopted.”

·   The Hulk yells to wake up Iron Man.

·   Thor: (laughing) “You people are so petty. And tiny”

Overall, it’s an awesome movie. Check out the website: http://marvel.com/avengers_movie/   

I’d like to know what you think of this movie. Do you have a favorite character or actor? What was the best scene in your opinion?  –Ann J  

Childhood Favorites

What is one of your favorite childhood movies? My all-time favorite is The Lion King. Oh! There’s nothing like it. It has the best intro every. Take a look, and listen to this: The Lion King intro

I actually like every song on the soundtrack. OK, so, I’m sure most have heard of or seen this movie at least once. So I won’t get into what it’s all about, but I will share some of my favorite scenes.

My favorite scenes:

• -Simba and Nala visit the shadowy place (elephant graveyard) and laughs in the face of danger.
• -Mufasa saves Simba and Nala from three hyenas.
• -Timon and Pumbaa find Simba in the desert and they sing “Hakuna Matata”. And then, as the song goes on, Simba transforms into an adult lion.
• -Simba’s reflection in the water turns into Mufasa.
• -Rafiki hits Simba on the head with a stick with the first swing of it. But with the second swing, he misses, because Simba learned from the first hit, and ducked.
• -Nala tries to eat Pumbaa. 
• -Simba pulls Nala into the water.
• -Simba’s decides to spare Scar’s life, but tell him to run away and never return. (But we all know Scar is evil, so he attacks Simba and gets thrown off of Pride Rock.)
• -Rain falls in the Pride Lands as Simba steps up as king.
• -The circle of life continues with the birth of Nala’s son.
• -All of the scenes where there is singing. 

I truly enjoyed this one as a child. And still do as an adult. In the movie, the scenery is so beautiful. And it’s about lions, the kings of the jungles (or should I say kings of the “plains”?). It’s about love, courage, and destiny. In the end, good overcomes evil, which is always nice.  

So, tell me, what’s one of your favorite childhood movies?

Twilight Series

How I Came to Know Twilight

The Twilight Series is pretty popular. And it has been for a while. But I didn’t know anything about it until around 2009. A friend asked if I’d seen the movie and I hadn’t so she suggested that I watch it. But, I didn’t. I didn’t really care to even watch the trailer. All of a sudden, I noticed a lot of talk about Twilight. And I noticed the books on the shelves at stores. Now, I love to read and I like to watch movie. But still, I refused. I don’t know why. Then one day, I picked up the book Twilight and opened it to the first page of chapter one. I always read the back of a book, then the first paragraph or first page of the first chapter. And from there I decide if I’m going to like the book. This has never failed me. So I read a bit and decided to buy the first book of the Twilight series.

My Obsession

Well, about two days later, when I had finished reading, I went to the nearest store (Publix) and purchased the other three books (New Moon, Eclipse, and Breaking Dawn). I couldn’t wait. I had to have them that night. I was obsessed. I could hardly put them down. I took my books to work to read during breaks and lunch; I only put them down when I absolutely had to. That’s why every two days I was moving on to the next book. I couldn’t stand for it to be over, so I had to slow my pace. It wasn’t easy.

Books v Movies

I watched the fist movie after I finished the first book. I’ll tell you how I felt about that in a sec. So, after I finished reading all of the books, I waited for each movie to come out and I watched them, in theater. If possible, watching a movie on the big screen at a movie theater, getting scared, excited, and laughing along with the rest of the crowd, is my preference.

Alright, so for me, Twilight (the movie) was not all that. I just felt that the acting wasn’t as good as it could have been. Some parts had me rolling my eyes. But as each movie came out, they got better. There was more action and that made me happy. Now, having read the books, I already knew what was going to happen but WOW there was so much more to the books. There is just not enough time to put everything in the movie. I understand that. In a book you have more time to build relationships between characters. And you can go into greater detail. So, I say if you enjoy reading, read the book before you watch the movie. And that goes for any movie. I read The Last Song by Nicholas Sparks before I watched the movie. I enjoyed them both very much. Overall, I enjoyed reading and watching the Twilight series.

Here is a link to Stephenie Meyer’s page if you’d like to take a peek around:  http://www.stepheniemeyer.com

Questions for youJ:

-So, I think I was team Edward when I first started reading. After the movies, I changed to team AliceJ. What team are you?

-As I said above, I enjoyed the movies, but the books were awesome. Then again, seeing the wolves onscreen were pretty awesome. I wanted one. And how about that surprise ending, fight scene, in Breaking Dawn Part II? They really fooled me with that one. Anyway, which do you favor; book or movie?

-Where do you prefer to watch your movies? I really like the movie theater, but curling up to a movie marathon on the sofa is nice also.

-Is there a book/movie combo you recommend?

Fun Facts:

• In one of the movies, Stephenie Meyer was at the diner on her laptop. But I think I saw her at Bella and Edward’s wedding also. Hmmm.

• Stephenie Meyer was inspired by a dream she had one night.

Bonus:

Here are a few movies I recommend, staring the main characters of the Twilight series:

• Taylor Lautner in Abduction

http://movies.yahoo.com/movie/abduction-2011/

• Kristen Stewart in Snow White and the Huntsman

http://www.snowwhiteandthehuntsman.com/

• Robert Pattinson in Remember Me (There’s a twist at the end. There’s no way I could have seen it coming)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GB4yzLyVjlk

• Robert Pattinson in Water for Elephants

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LFduwtnEdts

-It is said that Tai, the elephant who plays Rosie in the movie, was actually abused. Not during the filming of this movie, but five years before the movie was made. Here is a link for those of you who want to know more about Tai: http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/water-elephants-elephant-was-abused-186634

And here’s a link for those of you who want to know how you can help rescued elephants:  http://www.elephants.com

Most, if not all, of these movies can be found at Redbox or on Netflix. Enjoy. -Ann J

Les Miserables

Les Miserables (a movie of the musical)

Russell Crowe as JAVERT

Amanda Seyfried as COSETTE

Eddie Redmayne as  MARIUS

Aaron Tveit as ENJORLAS

Samantha Barks as EPONINE

Helena Bonham Carter as MADAME THÉNARDIER

Sacha Baron Cohen as THÉNARDIER

Follow this link to learn more about the cast and crew:

http://www.lesmiserablesfilm.com/cast.html

As I sat there in the dark, watching the end gather nearer, lumps form in my throat. I couldn't escape this moment if I wanted to. My eyes blinking, only to force back tears. It is time. And I can hear it. Singing in the distance…

Do you hear the people sing?
Lost in the valley of the night
It is the music of a people who are climbing to the light
For the wretched of the earth
There is a flame that never dies
Even the darkest nights will end and the sun will rise

They will live again in freedom in the garden of the Lord
They will walk behind the ploughshare
They will put away the sword
The chain will be broken and all men will have their reward!

Will you join in our crusade?
Who will be strong and stand with me?
Somewhere beyond the barricade is there a world you long to see?
Do you hear the people sing?
Say, do you hear the distant drums?
It is the future that they bring when tomorrow comes! 
REPEAT

Aaaaah, aaaaah, aaaah, 
Tomorrow comes!

So, yeah, that was my end-of-the-movie experience. Les Miserables is such a powerful, emotion packed movie.  I totally recommend this movie to those who haven’t seen it. It’s full of action, hope, love, religion, sacrifice, and redemption. It says dare to dream of a new day. Dare to fight for a new tomorrow. Dare to love. Dare to dream. I enjoyed every moment. One of the most dramatic parts for me was… the whole movie. It left me emotionally drained. It’s nice to have a movie which touches and moves you. Hugh Jackman is so likable in this movie. And Anne Hathaway’s version of “I Dreamed a Dream” is so fierce.

I really don't have anything negative to say about this movie. It was a new experience for me. I don't usually watch musicals or movies about musicals. My eyes were glued to the screen from beginning to end. I think because the singing was so great and full of emotion. If someone was in pain, I felt it through their singing. Good stuff.

FUN FACTS:

• The actors and actresses were singing live during the filming of this movie.
• Jumping on a trampoline was Anne Hathaway’s warm up routine.

What touched me about the character?

Hugh Jackman as JEAN VALJEAN

A man, who has learned to hate the world, struggles with his identity. Leaving his past behind, he has been given an unexpected chance to turn it around. Once he finds meaning and something to truly live for, he stops at nothing to protect it. And no matter how hard he tries, he can not escape his past.

He realizes the daughter he loved had never been his to keep.

Anne Hathaway as FANTINE

Her dreams died long ago with her pride. This woman sells her body, hair, even her teeth, for she has an only child who she loves more than life itself.

Russell Crowe as JAVERT

This is an unrelenting police officer, stopping at nothing to hunt down an ex con who breaks parole. He eventually experience mercy from the man he hunts. And that, in a way, changed something inside of him.

Eddie Redmayne as  MARIUS

He begs for forgiveness; because he survived and his friends died, fighting for change.

Samantha Barks as EPONINE

She realizes that the man she has secretly loved had never been hers to love.

---Hope you've enjoyed. How did you feel about the movie? Is the movie better than, as good as, or not as good as the musical? Tell me what you think :-)  -Ann