Movie Night: Mamma Mia!
Friday night was our monthly girl’s movie night. Since it’s Karen’s birthday this month, we went out to a movie instead of staying in. We ended up seeing Mamma Mia!. I have to say, I had a blast with this movie. All the nitpicking about the choreography, when the movie is set, and performances were rather beside the point. You don’t even have to be a big fan of ABBA to enjoy this movie. Although, by the end of it all three of us were ready to start a sing-a-long movie night with this movie.
Amanda Seyfried was adorable as Sophie, Meryl Streep was gold as Donna, and Pierce Brosnan was just yummy. There were other people in it that were great, but these are the only ones that stuck out in my mind.
The only issue I had with Streep’s performance was her wackadoo dance moves during her performance of Mamma Mia!. Other than that, I loved the choreography. Sometimes it’s just enough that the dance match the song.
There is a very disturbing moment when Sophie’s three dads appear in 1970’s sequined jumpsuits at the credits I feel I need to warn you about.
This is definitely a movie for lovers of musicals, ABBA, fun and funny romantic movies, and anyone who likes to sing along.
Speed Racer Film was cool!
Alright I’ll admit that when the first reviews were trickling in for Speed Racer, I joined that band wagon of those who did not see this movie in the theaters. However, last night our Netflix movies arrived and among them was Speed Racer. We threw that on right after dinner and were pretty much set for the evening. I welled up when Rex Racer, Speed’s older brother, “dies” in the explosion, I laughed and cheered, and turned several times to my husband to say “That’s cool!”
According to Rotten Tomatoes, the general consensus as to why this movie failed, is due to the “headache-inducing special effects” and lack of cohesive plot. I’m not sure about most people, but the special effects looked incredible on my plasma 50″ TV. The look of the film was jarring at first. The moment young Speed steps outside of school, I was assaulted by the Crayola colored set. The sky was a blue that I have never seen in nature, the grass was an intense green, all around primary colors dominated the landscape. After the initial jolt, however, I felt a smile creep over my face. This felt like a cartoon come to life.
I used to watch the show as a kid, I remember how intense Speed was when he spoke, the mystery of Racer X, the comic relief that was Chim Chim and Spritle, Sparky and Pops, I loved it. This movie captured the Speed Racer cartoon I remember excellently. Emile Hirsch captured Speed’s brooding intensity, Pauli Pitt was perfect as the intrepid Spritle, and John Goodman, well the man’s a great actor and he played Pops Racer perfectly. Susan Sarandon is a pro, she could play anything. I don’t remember Mom Racer at all from the cartoon, so I have no basis for comparison. However, on the strength of her performance alone, she was great.
Matthew Fox and Christina Ricci were great as Racer X and Trixie. The moment when we learn Racer X’s true identity, the look on his face speaks volumes. I loved him in Lost and hope that he continues to get roles in Hollywood. Trixie never really made much of an impact on me when I watched the show as a child. The way she was written for the movie made just as little impact on me now. I thought she was cute and the perfect foil for Speed’s more rash personality.
The special effects were just awesome. I never felt like I was watching a CG creation. Everything felt like it could actually exist in the world of the Racer family. Obviously, I know that most of the film was shot on green screen, but while watching the movie I never felt pulled out of the moment to admire the CG effects.
The movie’s cinematography was amazing. The colors so intense, the stunts incredible, the courses spectacular it all blew you away. I never felt overwhelmed, though. Maybe on a big screen it could become too much, but I’ll never know now. Frankly, I regret missing out on the thrill ride it would have been to watch this movie on the Big Screen.
I had no problem following the plot and at no point did I feel the plot lacked cohesion. I’ve seen movies where I felt the film was nothing more than a string of scenes melded together by a trigger happy movie editor, Hope Floats comes to mind. Speed Racer was not that kind of movie. The plot was reminiscent of episodes from the show. The story was perfect for an adaptation to the big screen.
One of my husband’s and my pet peeves with critics and fan boys is when they pan a movie for the things that made the original source material so great. With movie critics it’s just annoying that they rip a movie apart without knowing anything of the original work. With fan boys, it’s frustrating that knowing the original work, they want something closer to a later incarnation of the work. Just two examples, Daredevil and Ghost Rider.
I loved this movie and so should you. Rent it, borrow it, download, On Demand it, or buy it just see it.
Devil in a Blue Dress (WIP)
I’ve been working on my first knit fabric dress. I am having a little problem with the fabric getting caught or stuck in my sewing machine but nothing too terribly bad. The only problem seems to be if I make a mistake, ripping out seams can be very tricky, so I have to make sure I get it right the first time or risk tearing holes in my fabric! So far, the pleats have not caused me too much trouble for which I am grateful. I am still having trouble find tricot by the yard for the lining as called out on the pattern envelope. I may go with knit lining instead. I just don’t know how much I would need in 45″ lengths when the envelope calls out for 1/2 yard of 72″ wide tricot, sigh. I will try for a yard and hope for the best.
Below are some progress pictures. I do love the color I chose.
Let sleeping dragons lie (Upcoming Project)
I received my dragon fabric on Friday, and I love it! It is really soft and so much better quality than the polka dot fabric I used last time around. I am going to make another dress with the same pattern as the brown polka dot dress. I am super excited to work on it. I am only afraid that, since summer is pretty much over, I won’t be able to wear it until next summer. I think I might be able to wear it with tights and a long sleeve shirt underneath (kind of like a jumper). Here’s hoping I lose enough weight between now and the time I get around to making/finishing the new dress.
The dress was quite flattering, although I could use some help figuring out how to make the sleeves holes a little less tight! I don’t know where I need to add. Perhaps lengthen the straps? Any clues you can provide will be much appreciated.
I forgot my camera, so this picture from Hancock Fabrics will have to suffice.
I remembered my camera so here’s the dragon fabric I received:
Homenaje a Jose Jose (Traduccion)
Leí ahorita una traduccion de lo que you habia escrito anoche sobre el homenaje a Jose Jose de Latin Grammy. Que horrible! Les pido disculpas, no se como anadir tildes ni enes. Espero que todavia me puedo ser entendida. Aqui sera un intento a traducir lo que yo escribi anoche.
Cuando yo era nina encontre una cinta que mi mama habia grabado de canciones que le gustaba cuanda ella estaba en la escuela secundaria. Lo escucha varias veces, me habia enamorado. Jose Jose era uno de los artistas en esta cinta. Anoche vi el homenaje a Jose Jose de Latin Grammy. Me senti translada a esos momentos en que yo escuchaba esta musica con mi mama y mi abuela, o cuando a solas en mi cuarto, tocaba la cinta y cantaba junto con esos artistas.
Para los vídeos de YouTube tendrás que hacer click aquí.
Me enamore una vez mas. Baile, cante, me sentia cerca de llorar. El momento mas doloroso para fue el momento que Jose Jose empeso el poema de un maestro de musica. Ese poema, en corto, se trataba del cantante que podria sufrir cualquier cosa menos la perdida de su voz. Ya al perder su voz no habia sentido seguir viviendo. Es doloroso por que se escucha claramente que Jose Jose ya no puede cantar. Su voz ha cido destruida por el abuso de no se que. Pero, aun, con su voz destruida, empeso a cantar. La gente llenos de cantantes empezaron a cantar con el, ya que era obvio que no podia solo.
Tribute to Jose Jose
When I was a little girl I found a mix tape my mom had done when she was a teenager. On it were several songs from artists that were popular then. I listened to it several times, I was in love. Among the artists featured on this tape was Jose Jose. Tonight I watched a tribute concert hosted by the Latin Grammy. I was instantly transported back to moments spent with my mom and my grandmother listening to these songs on the radio, to moments alone in my room as I listened to that mix tape.
Below is the only video I found after turning the program off of Aventura performing “Lagrimas.”
I fell in love all over again. I got up and danced. I laughed and I welled up. The saddest most poignant part of the whole program came when Jose Jose took the stage and recited a poem from an old music coach.
The gist of the poem since something is usually lost in translation anyway, is that if God is ever angered by a singer’s actions, He can throw just about anything at him as long as He leaves the singer his voice. Without that, the singer cannot live. This recital issued from a celebrated singer whose every word was raspy painful struggle. He sang one of his hits and the audience joined to help him. There was no way he could carry the song alone. Below is a YouTube link to the speech and subsequent song. If you do not understand the Spanish, you can at least appreciate the struggle it was for him to speak at all, let alone sing like he once did.
Thirteenth Tale movie
I’ve gotten a few hits from people looking for information on the movie based on the novel The Thirteenth Tale. I know nothing about it to be honest. I am only now learning about it. This is all the info I have gathered from a very limited search:
This link: http://www.themovieinsider.com/m4215/thirteenth-tale/
and from IMDB, that it may be released in 2009.
That’s it, I’m afraid. I will try and update this post if I learn anything further.
Shawna Bell (continued)
I had abandoned this story for a while and for that I apologize. Even after all this time, I’m still getting hits for that story. I don’t know if they are by accident or design, but for those that have been reading it, I bring you another part of the story. I think the chapters will be a little short for this one, once I’ve added chapter breaks that is. I’m not sure how best to accomplish this, but I want to give the sense of scene changes without actually spelling it out. Almost like a film, where it begins with one perspective, a television program, that dissolves into a memory of the event, and then switches to different characters’ points of view. I know that right now it’s just confusing, but I am trying to improve. I just don’t know how. After reading a little more, if anyone has any suggestions, I’d love to hear them.
“Shawna’s talents were readily apparent to the members of the First Baptist Church,” the voice announces over home footage of a young, seven year old Shawna singing in front of the church choir.
Mrs. Bell’s eyes glistened with unshed tears.
“Momma, I want to sing at church today,” a seven year old Shawna announced in yellow Sunday dress.
“Do you, now? Well, we shall ask your father,” a younger Mrs. Bell replied.
Mrs. Bell was not about to ask her husband. She knew he turn her down out of turn. She consulted with the choir director who quickly agreed. Mr. Johnson was a great believer in the power music has to bring one closer to the Lord.
At church a short time later, as the choir raised their voices to heaven, little Shawna stepped forward in her lemon yellow Sunday dress, white patent leather shoes, and frilly yellow socks and opened her mouth to join in. She knew all the words to all the hymns they played that morning. Her voice reached in the rafters and bounced back into the congregation.
Lonely Werewolf Girl
I read a review/introduction for Lonely Werewolf Girl by Martin Millar on Neil Gaiman’s blog a few weeks ago. I was intrigued after reading an excerpt and promised myself I’d keep an eye out. Well just before we left for Florida, I saw it on a table at Barnes & Noble. I read the back and again was intrigued. I made a mental note to pick it up in Florida, since taxes are alot cheaper there than here in Seattle. I nagged my mom (I did not have a rental car, my husband had it) until she took me to Borders where I had a coupon. Anyway, I bought it and promptly forgot about it. I was there to visit family and knowing myself, decided it best if I left the reading for the plane.
Well, since I couldn’t use my iPod for the first 15 minutes or so on the flight, I decided to break out Werewolf Girl and that was pretty much it for me. I didn’t put the book down again until we were landing at SeaTac four – five hours later.
I enjoyed these characters even though I didn’t actually like any of them. Every single last one was so completely self-absorbed, there was very little to actually like. You just wanted them to win against the brute older brother Sarapen because he was more hateful than the rest, but not by much. Kalix is so overwhelmingly anxious-depressive that I who suffer from the same ailment from time to time could not relate. I have never cut myself to relieve anxiety or intentionally avoided food because I hated eating. Basically, Kalix is at the extreme end of the disorder. Her sister Thrix is cold and is only interested in her fashion design house. Dominil, a Council Member, is cold almost arctic with her white hair and bored expression. Her two older brothers, Sarapen and Markus just want her dead and out of the way. Her mother finds her an annoyance as well as a source of regret. Malveria and Agrivex, fire elementals, were most amusing and kept the book from imploding under it’s own cold, violent and depressive weight.
In between it all is a civil war bubbling between supporters of Sarapen and Markus, a Hunters Guild bent on the destruction of all werewolves, a Croatian hunter with a magical knife that confuses and instantly kills any werewolf it manages to pierce, a conniving fire elemental princess, two college kids who befriend Kalix, and a pair of werewolf twin sisters trying to re-launch their music career.
I can’t say that I liked the writing style much. It was too simple, almost elementary. I love reading YA most of the time. It is when the author writes in that almost condescendingly simple style, that I cannot abide YA. These books should be pushed to the middle reader/chapter books section of the bookstore not in YA, but I’m sure that’s just me. The text was also riddled with typos and misspellings. It appeared I was reading an advanced copy instead of the final draft! There were so many places where I had to re-read certain lines just to find what word was missing or was extra! One or two I can ignore, some just escape the eyes of best editors, but this was insane! There were so many instances where “off” was spelled “of”, I wanted to scream by the end of the book.
I would recommend waiting until it is released in mass market or for a second edition before picking this one up if typos, etc bother you. I enjoyed the many elements in the story, but at times felt it was getting a little long-ish (I have nothing against long books, but filler is terrible!). The characters are unlikable but fascinating. I would give this a three out of five and would recommend it lovers of YA urban fantasy.
New Dress Project
Following the success with my niece’s Supergirl dress, and the semi-success of the brown pink polka dot dress, I was quite enthused to start a new project. I bought a couple of patterns on sale at Hancock Fabrics. One I already had but in the incorrect size. It will be Supergirl Dress, size 6 for Heather. The other is this one here below:
I plan on making view A (in fuchsia). I bought blue knit fabric today along with the matching thread. I even cut out the entire pattern. Everything but the fusible interfacing and the tricot lining. I have no idea where I will be getting that. I asked at Joann Fabrics today, and was pointed to swimsuit lining material. I don’t know how important to the construction of the dress the tricot is, so I will try to do without for now. I have interfacing, so I will be cutting that shortly.
This is my first time working with stretch knit. It is very slippery making the cutting of the fabric wholly annoying. Thankfully, it is now done. I am rather proud of myself. I am a big procrastinator, but this time I wasn’t going to let myself off so easily. I was determined to finish with the cutting at least. I hope to have it finished by next week. Here’s hoping! Like I said, procrastination is how I roll. The last dress took me months from the moment I bought the fabric. I’m looking forward to this one. I just need a good fabric pencil to mark off the pleats and all the other little circles, lines and triangles.
I hope to have some pictures soon.
