"Leave the gun. Take the cannoli."

I know I'll probably get yelled at a lot, but I am going to say this anyway, I don't really understand what the big deal is about The Godfather.

The first Godfather movie was well done...excellent acting and interesting story...but long. The second movie also had excellent acting and it was interesting to see the two stories side by side but was ridiculously too long and I ended up watching it in several sittings. Also, sometimes it was hard to follow what was going on. It must be a boy thing because I just totally don't understand why people are OBSESSED with these movies. Am I missing something? I mean, they were good, but I was definitely not blown away by them at all.

I prefer Al Pacino in Scent of a Woman or Angels in America.

I still have to watch the third one, but have heard it is not as good as the first two.

In between the Godfathers, I also watched The Soloist and Taken.

The Soloist had Robert Downey Jr. and Jamie Foxx and was good. I don't remember this getting very good reviews when it came out, so my expectations were pretty low, however, I really enjoyed it. I thought it was a touching story and both actors gave awesome performances. I have not seen very many of Jamie Foxx's movies but I love Robert Downey Jr. My favorite Downey movie is Heart & Soul but I also loved him in Ally McBeal, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang and Iron Man. I am super excited about Sherlock Holmes and Iron Man 2.

Taken was pretty cool, action-wise, but did not excite me very much. Liam Neeson was totally bad-ass and I think the movie would have been worse without him, I just think the plot needed a little bit more...I really know what...just more of something. Maybe it was a movie better seen in theaters, but I just could not really get into it. I am looking forward more to seeing Neeson as Hannibal in The A-Team next June.

In the world of television, my DVR is definitely getting a work-out this year. I am loving new shows Accidentally on Purpose, Glee and The Vampire Diaries. NCIS: LA has been pretty good but not quite as good as the original. Last weeks Grey's Anatomy was probably the best one in a long time and Dollhouse has just been getting better and better as the season goes on.

Unemployment is helping me get through my Netflix queue and stay up-to-date on my TV shows. If only I had time to look for a job! Joking. I am capable of multi-tasking :o)

I have gotten my queue down to 215 and after watching the final Godfather movie I will move on to Monty Python and the Holy Grail.

I will also be watching my Philadelphia Phillies in the WORLD SERIES!!! Keeping my fingers crossed for a repeat championship :o)

xoxo
c

"None of you understand. I'm not locked up in here with you. You're locked up in here with me."

Sorry for the long absence....lots going on....

My last two movies were unexciting.

Coraline was entertaining, but didn't wow me. The only thing that I realized from watching it was that Dakota Fanning doesn't irritate me nearly as much as she used to. She used to be the only child actor in every movie and pretty much drove me nuts. However, she's been gone for a while and seems to have grown up quite a bit. I'm actually excited to see her in New Moon next month.

Watchmen was interesting but I felt like it jumped around too much. There was the story about the Comedian being killed and the rest of the Watchmen trying to find his killer. Then there was the backstory for all of the characters. It felt like they were trying to have a movie for all the people who read the graphic novels but also not confuse the people who hadn't read them. Needless to say, I wasn't a huge fan. The cinematography was pretty cool, but other than that, you're not missing much if you have not yet seen it.

I have been watching A LOT of television, which is the reason for my accidental hiatus. But now that I don't have a job, I should have plenty of time for catching up on all my shows and still get in a few movies.

On deck for this weekend is the Godfather trilogy. Since the Phillies' playoff games are not on until late Saturday and Sunday night, I should get through all three during the next few days and still get my laundry finished as well :o)

Until then...

LET'S GO PHILLIES!!!
xoxo
c

Jack MacReady: It’s obvious the bastard’s got lyme disease!

Bill Pardy: What?!
Jack: Lyme disease. You touch some deer feces, and then you...eat a sandwich without washin' your hands, you got your lyme disease!
Bill: And that makes you look like a squid?!
-------------------------------------------

I don't like scary movies. I don't like things jumping out at me and I don't like blood and guts.

I can handle movies about supernatural occurences (ie. The Ring, The Exorcist) because after the movie is over I am brought back to reality and am not concerned with being abducted by aliens or possessed by the devil. However, I won't normally go to the theater to see these kinds of movies, unless one of my friends makes me.

I do NOT like movies where people are getting killed by other people (ie. Scream, What Lies Beneath). Watching those movies makes me think about the fact that people are murdered everyday, sometimes in their own home. My biggest fear is having someone break into my house and attack and/or kill me.

When I was younger and home alone at night I would not turn out the light of the room I was leaving until the light was on in the room I was entering. My bathroom was attached the my bedroom, but also had a door into the hallway. I would leave the hall light on, turn my bedroom light on, walk through my room into my bathroom (my shower curtain was always left open) and make sure the other bathroom door was closed before going back through my room, turning out the hall light and closing my bedroom door. I always sleep with the bedroom door closed because I figure, at least that way, if someone comes into my room, I'll hear them open the door. I'm not that bad now that I'm older, but it still freaks me out thinking that someone could be in my house and me not know it.

The only time I usually watch scary movies is if an actor/actress that I REALLY like is in it (Pulse with Kristen Bell) and/or if it's more comedic than scary (Slither with Nathan Fillion).

So, against my better judgement, I watched the movie Midnight Meat Train the other night. I don't say "against my better judgement" because it was a bad movie (although it was a little weird) but because it gave me nightmares that night which screwed up my sleep schedule for the rest of the week. Anyways, it stars Bradley Cooper (hence the bad judgement), Leslie Bibb and Vinnie Jones. Cooper plays a photographer who, while wandering the city one night, takes a picture of a girl and then discovers the next day she has been abducted. He becomes obsessed with figuring out what happened to her and eventually starts to believe she's been murdered by a butcher (Jones). That might not sound that weird, until you find out what's actually happening to these people. I won't tell you, in case you actually ever watch the movie, but it's definitely a bizarre ending.

I also watched the premiere's of Glee and Vampire Diaries this week.

Glee was not as awesome as the preview episode in the spring. I felt like it jumped around too much and tried to introduce too many plot lines, but it was still good. I will give it some time to improve before I stop watching.

I thought Vampire Diaries was actually pretty good. I'm a sucker for cute vampires, so it's not a huge suprise that I like this show. Again, I will give it a few more weeks before I make my final decision :o)

On a completely un-tv/movie related note, I was rockin' out at the Rascal Flatts concert tonight, so I will try to watch Coraline sometime this weekend and get back to you.

Next on my list is the Godfather trilogy. I have never watched any of these movies. I know, I know, it's a disgrace, but I'm working on it!

I hope everyone had a Happy Friday!
xoxo
c

"Darling, I don't know how to tell you this, but there's a Chinese family living in our bathroom."

I haven't been in the mood yet to watch Coraline.

The other night I went to the Bryn Mawr Film Institute to see (500) Days of Summer with Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Zooey Deschanel. A quirky romantic comedy that starts with an author's note:

"The following is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to persons living or dead is purely coincidental.

Especially you Jenny Beckman.

Bitch."

I thought it was super cute and everyone should definitely see it. Towards the end it started to drag just a little bit but then it pulled together to finish and was ultimately a very sweet movie.

The main topic was a little different than your typical romantic comedy, which I liked. It wasn't: boy meets girl, they fall in love, something happens to derail their romance but they eventually end up together. It was more like (spoiler alert): boy meets girl, girl doesn't believe in love but boys fall in love anyways, girl ends things and boy is devastated, girl starts dating someone else, sees what boys was talking about but just didn't feel with him and eventually gets married, boy is even more devastated but moves on and meets someone new.

I liked it because like most other romantic comedies it was not completely predictable. There was even a fun dance number, which is a plus in my book :o)

I also cheated on Netflix and rented 17 Again last night OnDemand. I have it in my queue, but it is apparently very popular because, despite it being on the top of my list since it was released, I have not received it.

It was definitely not an Oscar-worthy movie, but it was definitely funny. As my friend Jeanne says, "I think it's illegal for me to think Zac Efron is charming and cute" .... Hunter Parrish too :o)

I would go into a more detailed review, but I really can't out-do Elizabeth Banks.

So I will simply say this...

I had some fundamental issues with some parts of it - like why Leslie Mann spent so much time alone with Zac Efron, regardless of the fact that he "looked just like her ex-husband," no mother should be alone that much with her high school-aged son's best friend, it's just weird. - and the ending left things with his kids unresolved, but overall, I thought it was a very entertaining movie.

Thank you for continuing with me on this journey through my Netflix queue and, as always, please feel free to comment below. I would LOVE to hear your thoughts...about my thoughts :o)

I hope everyone had a FABulous Labor Day Weekend!
xoxo
c

Movies in Queue: 223

"When you're wearing pantyhose on your head, never wear control top."

As the fall season approaches, I thought I would share my fall TV schedule with everyone. I forewarn you, if you have not figured it out on your own, that I watch a lot of television. I usually try out a few new shows but do not necessary follow them all season. I also sometimes stop watching old shows that have jumped the shark.

My Returning Shows:

Greek

One Tree Hill

Gossip Girl

Castle

How I Met Your Mother

NCIS

Grey's Anatomy

Dollhouse

Brothers & Sisters

Ugly Betty

New Shows:

Glee

NCIS: LA

Cougar Town

Community

Accidentally on Purpose

Eastwick

Vampire Diaries

V

I am super excited for Greek, Castle, HIMYM, NCIS and Dollhouse to begin again. Grey's, B&S and Ugly Betty I just kind of watch out of habit now. They were not all that fabulous last season and I am hoping they can get back on track this season.

I am a little nervous about One Tree Hill returning without Hilarie Burton and Chad Michael Murray and the addition of several new characters, but I will at least start the season watching. I am also interested to see how Gossip Girl addresses the issue of their characters starting college. I always find it a little illogical that an entire group of friends would all end up at college in the same city, or even all at the same college, but sometimes the writers can make it work. It did not go well on Dawson's Creek, but worked out on Veronica Mars, so we'll just have to wait and see.

I am not particularly excited about Eastwick, Vampire Diaries or V and they may be the casualties of my over-scheduling, but I will give them a shot.

Anyways, there is it. Greek starts tonight (ah woo hoo!) and then it's about two more weeks until everything else starts up.

xoxo
c