Reel Love: Let Me In

So I have really fallen behind in posting my movie reviews here ... as in, I haven't posted any since the first one, Titanic. I'm going to start making this up by posting a review of the recently released vampire film, Let Me In. Enjoy.

LET ME IN (2010)

Let Me In depicts what modern life as a vampire would actually be like - or as close as we can guess. It's a complicated and tragic existence. But like any life, it isn't so bad when you're not alone.

Owen (played by Kodi Smit-McPhee) is a painfully shy boy just trying to survive middle school. He is bullied on a regular basis at school, and consistently ignored at home. When a similarly outcast girl his age, Abby (played by Chloe Moretz) moves into the apartment next door, the two misfits slowly form a friendship. A friendship that is complicated by the fact that Abby is not just a girl... Abby is a vampire.

Read the rest of the review here.

Reel Love: Titanic

In the weekend edition of Reel Love, I review a popular movie I have never seen. First up: “Titanic.”

TITANIC (1997)

When the credits rolled, all I could think was OH MY, that just happened.

(Well, that, and “I have to use the bathroom, because that movie was so long I had to stop halfway and put in ‘Cassette 2.’”)

Now, in my opinion, there are primarily two types of movies that will cause that reaction.

There are those that are just so well-crafted, so ingenious, or so astoundingly original that you just have to sit in awe for minutes after the final frames to soak it all in.

And then there are those that try so hard, invoke so many emotions, are filled with such adrenaline, and are just so gosh-darn earnest that you can’t help being moved.

Read the rest online at www.spectatornews.com.

What I do when I'm not writing for you

When I'm not writing for school, or for fun, or for my blog (hah), I'm writing for The Spectator.

The Spectator is UW-Eau Claire's student newspaper; this semester, I am the Currents editor. That means I am the editor of the "anything goes" section. From art to health to money to technology to entertainment, it might show up in Currents. It's hectic, but it's fun. A lot of fun. So far.

As part of my section, I am running a film column called "Reel Love." Every week (hopefully), I'll  be reviewing either a new release or the film playing on campus that weekend. Unfortunately, you probably won't have seen most of those movies I'll be reviewing--and movie reviews are much more fun when you've actually seen the movie the critics are talking about.

Therefore, I have proposed a sort of personal movie challenge. I have selected (with help from browsing the halls at Family Video, as well as input from friends) 15 popular movies that somehow I have never seen. I will watch, and then review, one of these movies every weekend (again, hopefully).

Here is the current lineup (for the "I can't believe I've never seen" editions of Reel Love):

• Titanic (review comes out later today)
• A Stallone movie (Rocky or Rambo)
• Pulp Fiction
• Wayne's World (?)
• Jaws
• Rush Hour
• Forrest Gump
• Terminator
• Saving Private Ryan
• Nightmare before Christmas 
• Blues Brothers
• Dances with Wolves
• Die Hard
• It's a Wonderful Life

These movies were selected not necessarily because they are SO GOOD I just have to see them. If that were the case, my list would be a bit different. No, these are the movies that everyone is most surprised to hear I haven't seen. These are the movies often mentioned in popular culture, but I never get the joke.

So anyway, if you'd like to follow along from home, you're welcome to. If not, then don't. I'll never know. =) And as always, if you disagree with my take, please comment! I love comments. I would encourage you to leave comments, however, on The Spectator site, where the reviews will be posted.

Okay, enough self-promotion for one day.

let the wild rumpus start

If I were to ever have a kid, he would wear this Halloween costume. And he'd love it.

From Coolest Homemade Costumes

From Hey I'm Jaclyn

From Modern Wife

I saved the best for last. This photo is from a fairy-tale themed wedding. He was the ringbearer; the flower girls were dressed like Little Red Riding Hood.

From Helmutwalker Photography

summer concert: something corporate

Something Corporate at the Cabooze, Minneapolis

Summer has finally started to feel like summer. Unfortunately, it is already August. Not the best timing, but I'll take what I can get.

Last night Zach and I went to Minneapolis to watch a shared favorite band perform: Something Corporate.

The concert was held at the Cabooze, which apparently holds both indoor and outdoor concerts. I thought the whole outdoor setup was awesome; it was the first time I didn't leave a concert with a massive headache, fearing for the future of my hearing abilities.

From Summer 2010

Pre-concert beer for the Birthday boy

From Summer 2010

Hey, we actually have a picture together...

From Summer 2010

Here's some footage of "Konstantine" someone else took at the same concert:

Friday Five

So, I'm copying Amanda's blog this Friday and joining in on the five question Friday. Don't hate me. I'm just trying to be cool.

1. Did you have a favorite blanket or toy as a kid? If so, do you still have it?

Yes, technically I did have a blanket. However, I never developed incredibly strong feelings toward it. It was just something I felt I was supposed to have in my possession as a child, you know, according to popular culture. I apparently was concerned about being a hip toddler. 


What I did form strong attachments to, much to the despair of my parents, were stuffed animals. Multiple stuffed animals. So many that my parents put shelves in my room to house the stuffed animals so they didn't overcrowd my bed. And yes, I must admit, a select few are still in my bed. I thought I was prepared to part with them (for storage) when I moved out, but then I watched Toy Story 3 and that just left me an emotional wreck and now I have no clue what I'm going to do!

2. Do you dream in color?

Oh do I. I dream often and I dream vividly. Usually, I dream so deeply that I find a way to convince myself that the alarm sounds I'm hearing are simply some element of the dream. This is how I manage to be late to school and church most days. Sometimes I dream about conversations, and days later, I can't remember if those talks were real or not. I've had to ask people whether or not we have actually had certain conversations. But it's worth it. I love to dream. 

3. How tall are you? Do you wish you were shorter or taller?

I am five feet and five inches. It's a good height for more things. Unfortunately, it is not a good height for giving my boyfriend a hug. Seriously, if I was an inch or two shorter or taller, things would be perfect. But as it is, I'm pretty cool with my height.

4. If you could have anyone's (celeb or other) voice as the guide on your GPS, who would it be?

Ooh, ooh, I know this one. It would probably be Stephen Fry. Lately I've been listening to The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy book-on-cd, narrated by Stephen Fry, and since then, when I talk through things in my head, his voice is usually the voice I hear. Hmmm, I see people running away, maybe I should stop talking about the voices in my head? Done.

Runner ups include James Earl Jones (who wouldn't want Darth Vader commanding your vehicle?), Alan Rickman (only if he also added a very dry and sarcastic commentary), and Liz Lemon. Yes, I know that last one is fictional, but I know she wouldn't condemn me for my frequent fast-food stops on road trips. 

5. Do you return your shopping cart to the corral or leave it wherever in the parking lot?

Unless it's raining and 3 am in the Walmart parking lot, I always return the shopping cart to the corral. I worked at a grocery store for about four years--I know how fun it is to chase down stray carts.

up and away

I'm sorry, but I couldn't resist sharing this link. I happened across this Pixar themed engagement photo shoot. The couple's favorite movie is "Up."

View the photos here:
http://www.weddingchicks.com/wedding-chicks/engagement-sessions/37401/disney-pixars-up-engagement-shoot/

good morning, tuesday

I hope Amanda is reading this blog, because I'm pretty sure she'll love this video I found. I know we both have a lot of love for both of these people (or at least for the girl). Have a happy Tuesdsay.