Movie Homework

While Stephanie Meyer's Twilight series has been on my TBR pile for a while, I was forced to start it when S&SG gave me The Ultimatum. If I wanted to go with on our weekly movie theater jaunt, I had to go see Twilight this weekend.

This of course forced me to read the book (Hello. I gotta know what I'm comparing the movie to!).

Bella moves to the small town of Forks to live with her dad, so her mom can travel with her minor league ballplayer step-dad. Bella hates the small town, the greenness of the Olympic Peninsula, and misses sunny Phoenix. However, she is intrigued by the insanely perfect and standoffish Cullins Kids, in particular her Bio Lab partner Edward. There seems to be something off about them...like they're vampires.

It is VERY well written. To the point where the books weakness can be easily overlooked.

For instance:

*Bella thinks alot, but she is slow on the follow through. She is saved an awful lot by other people, albeit, they are mostly vampires with superior strength and reflexes. Maybe I just grew up in the Buffy generation, so I thing that Bella should have some ass-kicking moves too.

*Without having a real in depth conversation, she "in love" with her man. That's all good and sweet, and as a devoted romance fan that's great. But she's 17 and in high school. Have we not yet learned from Romeo & Juliet that at that age, it's much safer for everyone involved to be deeply in like. Love is deadly.

However, I love the characters (with the exceptions noted above) and the plot and writing are fab. I'm definitely stealing New Moon from my sisters over Thanksgiving break.

Freebies!

I love getting stuff for free. And today, because I'm so fabulous I managed to get a FREE download of "Days Go By" Live from the new Keith Urban concert DVD. It was just sitting in my inbox as a little bit of love from Ticket Master. I knew there was a reason I put up with there goofy extra charges. Along with the download, I also got 15% off any purchases at the Keith Store, so I renewed my club membership. Smart girl, Huh.

Also in other news, I finally watched the entire concert portion of the Love, Pain, and the Whole Crazy World Tour Live. I have yet to watch the other features such as the makings of the tour, outtakes, and the rerecording of "shirt". I will soon, have no fear!

My other freebie of the day was a free ebook download of Harlequin's new Historical Undone ebooks. I haven't read it yet, but it's called The Viking's Forbidden Love-Slave by Michelle Willingham.

Cheesy Title - Check
Bare Chested Hottie Cover Art - Check
Cliched Names (Aisling and Tharand) -Check

Doesn't it sound like a terrific read! It has everything that makes Harlequin Romances so fun to read. I can't wait!

Quantum Of Solace

I will admit that I was late in coming to the sexy shaken not stirred world that encompasses our favorite secret agent, Bond, James, Bond.

However, I knew once Daniel Craig (Layer Cake, 'nuff said) jumped on board that I was going to be a fan. So of course, S&SG and I had to do Quantum of Solace opening weekend.

Sunday's trip to the movie theater went much better than last time (no clumsy me spilling cheese all over people's coats!). Plus I got to see Daniel Craig (Have I mentioned yet that I LOVE his acting. Thought not.)

Anyhow, Quantum picks up where Casino Royal leaves off. Bond is trying to avenge Vespa's death, or at least make sense of her betrayal. However, the mystery organization has picked up where it left off also, and Bond becomes enveloped in the machinations of a company called Green Planet, while the British Government and M are afraid that he's gone rogue.

I found the movie to be a bit choppy, which after the smooth flow of Casino, threw me, but as S&SG pointed out, it sets the right tone for this adventure and story line. It was a great follow up.

***Also. I dig Strawberry Fields. I wish I had a wickedly awesome Bond Girl name like that!

Just How Great Are Your Geography Skills?

I don't know how true this is to being a pilot considering they have things like maps, instruments, a set course, and air traffic controllers directing them, but it is quite fun and addicting. Perhaps even more so if you actuall think you know a thing or two about Geography. Give it a shot. I dare ya.

Keith's New "Love, Pain, and the Whole Crazy World Tour LIVE" DVD

It came out Tuesday (and I've had it since tuesday night,) but I've yet to actually watch it. I've just been super busy doing things like helping with the Veteran's day service at church, working, filling out teaching apps for long term sub jobs (THREE of them! Let's keep those fingers crossed!), and cleaning my bathroom.

Tomorrow I've got teachery plans, which I'm stoked about, and then on Sunday me and S&SG are going to see the new Bond. Woot!

Role Models

There's nothing like having a crappy day that tells you "Hey, I need to hang out with my friends." So S&SG and I decided to have a grand night out on the town. Then, after getting all cute and sassy, we decided we were too tired to paint the town any color at all, let alone red. Instead we decided to check out the 'ol friday night stand by. The movies.

Everything worth seeing is waiting for the holiday season, the new Bond, Twilight, Australia, ect. So we decided to give Paul Rudd (Clueless, Knocked Up) and Sean William Scott (American Pie, ect.) the benifit of the doubt. It was a good choice.

In Role Models, Danny and Wheeler are two sales men stumping energy drinks to public school children. Danny is in a rut, decided to pop the question to his girl, who promptly dumps him. He then goes mental for a moment. To keep from going to jail, the guys have to do community services mentoring a "dorky" kid (McLovin' from Superbad) and a potty mouthed precocious 10 year old. Needless to say, Hijinks ensue.

I LOVED it. I mean yeah, some things pushed the evelope a bit (boobie jokes are for 8 year olds!!!) but it was cute, funny, and just what two dressed up but too tired to go anywhere girls needed.

Plus, Sean William Scott is a homestate boy, so we gotta give him props.