Film Fridays: Pitch Perfect

This movie is hilarious! Or should I say Rebel Wilson is hilarious? She truly made the movie. If you've seen the trailer or the movie, Rebel Wilson is "Fat Amy". But besides being funny, the music itself is actually really good. Normally I would be against a female a cappella group for the exact reason the give in the movie, female a cappella groups don't have the deep bases to round out their sound. But I really enjoyed all of the mashups. They do a really good job in the arrangements of songs and create greatly layered songs.

For those of you who haven't seen the preview, the preview is really what sparked my interest.

Rebel Wilson is the star because her lines are SO funny.  For example, "Sometimes I feel like I could do crystal meth but then I think, hmm, better not."  And her lines are so memorable that you will be quoting them long after the movie.  Yes her lines are funny, but it's the delivery.  She is so serious.  The great thing is she's like that in real life.  Watch any interview with her.  This one from Ellen is really funny:

 

But back to the movie. Yes the story line is a little cheesy and predictable at times. But I really liked the movie mostly based on the music and funny lines. The humor kind of reminded me of a less crude Bridesmaids mixed with She's the Man. Both of which I really enjoyed.  I would definitely recommend this movie. I wouldn't say that it was a necessary movie to see in theaters, but I think that it's a good movie to see sometime.


My Rating: 86%
Rotten Tomatoes: 77%
Entertainment Weekly: B-
Roger Ebert: ★★

TV Thursdays: Dexter

This show is so good. To me, the entire concept is just really different. For those of you unfamiliar with the show, Dexter is a blood splatter analyst at the Miami Metro Homicide. His secret? He is also a serial killer. But he's a different killer because he only kills other serial killers. Unlike in other shows and movies you actually cheer for and support Dexter, the serial killer.

I enjoy that each season feels like a miniseries. Yes the story continues between each season, but each season is also clearly defined by a core killer. And these killers have clever monikers such as The Ice Truck Killer, The Bay Harbor Butcher, and The Trinity Killer. Since Dexter hunts other killers, obviously he is chasing down a new killer each season.

The writers do a great job of building suspense that keeps you interested. In the series there are definitely some twists that happen that you would never suspect. I don't want to give anything away because I love this series and would hate to spoil anything. And with me not giving anything away, it's a subtle hint that I'm telling you that you need to watch it.  Anyway, back to the twists. If you've watched the series you know the BIG twist that I'm talking about.  Such good writing. Speaking of good writing... I also love this show because each season builds and the season finale is always super suspenseful and amazing.

Now on to this season. They are now on the 7th season. I can't believe it's been that long. If you are worried about having to watch a lot, it's worth it and you will go through the seasons so quickly. It's addicting.  But the current season is really good. Some serious stuff is going down and it is SO intense. It's been two episodes and it's already crazy.

As a warning this is an HBO show. This means extra long episodes (around 55 minutes), nudity, and language. The first aspect I don't mind.  The story is so interesting that having longer episodes is actually enjoyable. The nudity is definitely unnecessary but not too overwhelming. As for the language, most of it comes from Dexter's sister Deb.

Overall this show is amazing. Yes it's about a killer. So if you are not okay with mild gore/ disturbing images, don't watch this show. But to everyone else I highly recommend watching. My favorite season is season 4.

Web Wednesdays: Single Ladies Devastation

I found this gem a long time ago and yet it still makes me smile. I love how quickly the kids faces change once Single Ladies comes on. Then when the dad tells his son he's not a single lady it is so funny, but so sad. The little boy just wanted to be a single lady and his father crushed his dreams. I love the look the oldest sister gives the dad. It's the Dad...what were you thinking. You ruin everything look. Simply, this video makes me smile and I hope you either enjoy seeing it again or it is a new video to add to your collection.

Testimony Tuesdays: 1 movie 100 days in a row

It was the year 1999 and I had my hands on a taped from TV version of the movie Brink. You know, that Disney Channel Original Movie! Well, I was obsessed. I thought that this movie was one of the best films ever. I'm not sure if it was just because I thought that they were really cool high schoolers or maybe it was just because that was my phase where I was into extreme sports.

Whatever the reason for my obsession, it all started when I finally decided to tape the movie from TV. But I didn't simply tape it. I watched it while it was taping and stopped taping during the commercials. This VCR recording art allowed me to have an essentially seamless recording of the movie. After having the recording I watched the recording the next day after getting back from school. This was day one of my streak.

The next day I decided to watch the movie again. Day after day it became a routine. I would get back from school, get a snack, throw on the movie, and work on math homework during the movie. With each successive private showing I learned more and more of the lines.  It got to the point where I could quote virtually the entire movie. What started as two consecutive days of watching turned into a month of watching the movie every single day. That month streak became a 107 day streak before I knew it. After 107 days I decided that was it. I can't remember why I thought that was the day to stop, but I stopped.

If there was a world record for most consecutive days of watching that movie, I think I would hold the record. Sometimes I think to myself, oh you were young and kids do that. Then I realize that most kids who watch a movie that much are usually 3 or 4, not 9. But whatever, it is a memory I have. As if I didn't learn, soon after I watched Jumanji about a month in a row every day. I know that my movie watching habits were strange. Since then you should be happy to know that I have never attempted this ridiculous feat. Still, I enjoy having this interesting fact stored in my history.

Music Mondays: Ed Sheeran's "+"

Ed Sheeran - + (Deluxe Version)

This album is phenomenal. If you haven't heard of Ed Sheeran, he is an artist from the UK who has recently started becoming popular in the US. To me, Ed Sheeran is like a British Jason Mraz. There are sweet melodies and quick rap breaks. But the rap breaks are not those unnecessary, completely unrelated rap breaks. Everything flows nicely together in an amazing final product. As you sit and listen, his melodies are so real and heartfelt that they almost take you away for a little while.

To give you an idea of his style, here is a sample:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UAWcs5H-qgQ&feature=related

The cd would fall under the acoustic/ singer-songwriter genre. Some of the songs are a little more upbeat, but my favorites are his slower pieces. His songs are not muddled with overproduced layers and harmonies. If you are looking for simple melodies to soothe you, this cd is a must have. This is one of the few cd's that I enjoy all of the songs and find something new every time I listen to it. And if you are debating, the deluxe version is definitely worth it.

Some of my favorite lyrics include:

"The worst things in life come free to us" - A Team

"Do you ever wonder if the stars shine out for you?" - Autumn Leaves

"And I don't give waves of missing you anymore. They're more like tsunami tides in my eyes." - UNI

"But if I kiss you will your mouth read this truth? Darling how I'll miss you." - Little Bird

I would really encourage you to check this album out. It is so good and a nice collection of songs to have for driving, relaxing, or working. And as a goodbye for today I will leave you with another one of his songs.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6n_CU3yt31o