Movie Review: Knowing

It's not that the movie wasn't great, "Nothing to write home about", "I've seen better", or "It's a one-timer". In fact, had it been any of the above I probably wouldn't be wasting precious megabytes writing about it. The movie was in fact a fantastic suckfest. A giant poo on the glorious peaks of Summit Entertainment. A triumphant belly flop into the pool of mediocrity.

Am I being too harsh? I don't think so. The movie is uniquely ridiculous. There is no redeeming element.

The plot is absurd and stupid. Summary: Nicolas Cage - and his weird pervert hair - is a lonely and troubled widower raising a very cute child who the writer felt needed a hearing aid, even though he hears well without it and it's not instrumental in any way to the story. He's a good father, but drinks like he's trying to prove something. Oh, he's also a professor at MIT. His son's elementary school digs up a time capsule from 50 years earlier and one of the sealed envelopes contains a series of numbers which he later discovers are dates to major disasters in the world in the last 50 years, as well as the number of people killed in them, written by one of the kids in the class (50 yrs ago). So far, so good.

There are creepy albino stalkers who look like they fell out of the Matrix and who don't speak but just stare at the children and whisper in a really creepy way. The movie actually calls them the "whisper people". There's eerie music, visions, scurrying about frantically, major catastrophes, etc. The movie has a forced spooky element for a while.

Then, out of nowhere the story takes a seriously wrong turn and develops into new age vomit. It's like it was written by either 1 person with multiple personalities, or several people with 1 personality each. It's loco. There is an end-of-the-world warning, no way to save mankind, unnecessary death of a mother, kids abandoning parents to go on a space ship with the creepy whisper and stare people who turn out to be beings of energy from another planet with energy wings...so they're alien energy angels? The whole scene is messed up. They take rabbits with them, and I imagine - although it's not mentioned - samples of species from the planet. Then the kids take off in a Fortress of Solitude looking space ship with the energy fairies and the world burns up in a solar flare along with Nicolas Cage and everyone else.

Later it shows the 2 kids on the planet they were deposited in by the Fortress of Solitude alien energy angel fairies running towards what looks like the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil - eh? Question: isn't it dangerous to have 2 kids all alone on a bogus planet that looks like coral reefs in pastel colors along with a bunch of sample species? Come lunch time it won't look like some old washed up hippie's tripped out idea of heaven anymore, will it?

I'm thinking that before I set aside good dish washing and floor scrubbing time to watch anything written by Ryne Douglas Pearson (yep, I researched the writer so I could be advised for next time and to warn all of you - you're welcome), I'm going to make sure there are no urgent diapers that need to be changed, or garbage to be taken out, roads to asphalt in 40°C heat - and I suggest you do the same. While we're at it, let's throw in the director as well, Alex Proyas. What was he thinking?

This brings me to the most important question of all: How does one go about getting a massive flop like Knowing made into a movie, convince a director, studio, and top actors to sign on, and most of all, investors to put in money? $50 million, to be exact. Either this is a case like "The Producers" where they needed a flop for tax purposes, or someone sold their soul to the Satan (you know what I think). This is not the work of intelligent or enlightened minds. This is the work of really weird people who drink "special" tea and eat "special" mushrooms, followed by "special" acid trips -- or just your regular garden variety crazies.

Bottom line: DON'T.

North & South - a must-see

I just recently watched North and South - a BBC miniseries based on the novel by Elizabeth Gaskell. It is amazing. I was expecting to like it, but I love, love, love it!

It's the story of a young woman from the quiet and picturesque South who goes with her family to live in the industrious North. There she meets interesting characters and is faced with a reality she had no idea existed when she befriends a humble working class family who work in the cotton mills of the town she now lives in, Milton. She makes snap judgments about an important business man (and love of my life!), owner of one of the largest mills there, as she constantly sees him in unflattering and out-of-context situations. She is a bit harsh and unforgiving - and a bit stuck up - at first (such a whore). At the same time, her actions are often misinterpreted as she has no idea of what is socially acceptable there and seems to make many mistakes of her own in her interactions with the humble residents of Milton.

The characters are beautifully cast, the story is wonderfully compelling, a must-see for anyone who loves romance, drama, amazing production and acting. The male character played by Richard Armitage - be still my heart - is so charming and powerful. He's a "brooding" type of hero and will melt even the most cold-hearted spinster (you know who you are). If you get a chance look it up and give it a go. It's so worth it!

Some of my favorite moments are when Mr. Thornton says to Margaret as she's leaving: "Turn back. Turn back and look at me". And then there's another moment where he says: "Are you coming home with me?" - OMG - mi corazón.

Here's the trailer:

Reviews of the Latest Additions

MAC's new Cremesheen Glass glosses are awesome! When I first saw them I wanted the really light one (Boy Bait, or something like that). By the time I made it to the MAC counter it was sold out. I bought my second choice, Deelight. It's a good thing I did too because it is a joy to wear. It's a very light pinky plum that is warm enough to make you look happy, but cool enough to make you look en vogue. I love it. The consistency is very different from MAC's super gloss, lipglass. It's less sticky but looks fresh for a long time. It has a sponge tip applicator, which is not my fave, but other than that I have no complaints. For cool picks and swatches of all the colors go here.

Rimmel Sexy Curves Mascara is great. When I first put it on I thought it was good, but not as great as Lash Blast when it comes to under $10 mascaras. I was wrong. It's just as good and depending on the mood, better. I love the wand, very cool and easy to use without making a mess. The formula is long lasting although not waterproof. The packaging is cool and the price is spectacular! Basically, it's a winner.

I borrowed a Revlon nail polish from my friend that's a color I would never use, burgundy with shimmer. I have a strict no red nails with shimmer policy but the color intrigued me. When I put it on one nail as a test I was speachless. It is a very good match to MAC O lipstick, one of my all time favorites - ever. Burgundy with subtle gold shimmer. Needless to say that's the color I've been using since last Wednesday. I'm getting compliments too, it's crazy. The color, in case you're wondering, is Autumn Berry. A beautiful, classy color I urge you all to try. Take a look at these pics so you can get an idea of what I'm talking about.

Clear Anti-Dandruff Shampoo

Something you should know about me, I love shampoo. I know it's either obvious or silly to say that, but it's true. I love the smell of freshly lathered hair and I'm crazy about the suds. Washing my hair is my happy place. I'm not even joking about that. When I'm stressed or pissed I usually lock myself in the bathroom and take a soul cleansing shower that renews my spirit.

I had been noticing that I was developing a bit of dandruff - and there is nothing less attractive than dandruff. Well, maybe there are things that are less attractive, but not many, and not by far. Since I dye my hair every month and my hair without dying is naturally a bit dry, finding the right treatment is tricky. They don't make anti-dandruff shampoo that is color safe or geared especially for women with special hair needs -- until now. Well, not now now, but, you know. After this particular shampoo had been out for some time I went ahead and bought some (with the matching conditioner) and my life will never be the same.

The whole experience is totally blog worthy. The scent, lather and suds amount, how it instantly softens my hair, the conditioner is amazing, and more importantly, once my hair dries it feels like fairies came down and personally brushed my strands with fairy dust, sparkles, magic, butterfly kisses and feather wishes. Soft, luscious curls are a thing for me now. No more frizzies and flat weird non-curls and non-straightness where my hair is neither here nor there. My hair is so here! A nice little side effect of using this anti-dandruff shampoo is that, surprisingly, I have no more dandruff. Sweet!

An Affair to Remember

Last night I happened to catch a movie I had seen before, a while back, that is totally worth blogging about, An Affair to Remember. I'm sure you know it stars Cary Grant and Deborah Kerr. It's that famous movie they talk about in Sleepless in Seatle where they decide to meet at the top of the Empire State Building if they really care about each other and that if they both show up they'll get married. However, on the way to meet him she gets hit by a car and ends up in a wheelchair. The movie is very beautiful and it never gets boring. There are however, some unnecessary scenes where she teaches some children to sing that I thought were weird and didn't match the story at all. But, the kids are cute, so whatever.


As I was sitting there watching the movie I kept remembering that scene in Sleepless in Seatle where Tom Hank's wife and Meg Ryan (or is it Rosie O'Donnel) are retelling the end scene and crying their eyes out saying, "Her little feet...". That was funny. But the last scene of the movie is not. It's like whole world comes to a halt and is suspended in time for that moment when he finally pieces everything together and figures out that she was the one in the wheelchair who had taken the painting he had made of her. I'll tell you what, if you don't cry, at least shed one glistening tear, then you are a cold hearted bitch and you don't deserve the awesomeness of this movie. (You know who you are)


Deborah Kerr is stunning, so I gathered some images I feel do her justice and posted them here. As I was reading the list of movies she's made on IMDB, I couldn't help but feel that I'm a stupid head who hasn't seen anything. I mean, my list is meager. Here are the movies I've seen with her:

An Affair to Remember
Bonjour Tristesse
The King and I (Dancing after dinner!)
Quo Vadis (too narrow on the hips)
King Solomon's Mines
From Here to Eternity (the famous one with her and Burt Lancaster are kissing on the sand and the wave washes up on them. Montgomery Clift is in that movie as well)
Casino Royale (the old one with David Niven)

Movie Review: He's Just Not That Into You

A couple of weeks ago Tati and I went to see He's Just Not That Into You. I loved it. The theater was packed with chicas and we were all going "Awww" at the same times, cringing at others, and laughing - of course - laughing a lot. The main character was Gigi, played by Ginnifer Goodwin, a total riot. She was down to earth, not overly embarrassing, cute, endearing and relatable - plus she always wore the coolest purple nail polish. There was an all-star cast (everyone in the movie has a serious name in the big H), but her and Justin Long are the ones that stand out. Did anyone else think that Drew Barrymore's character was super lame and expendible? I've already forgotten why she was there and what she represented.


If you haven't seen the movie and you love romantic comedies, drop everything and go running to see it now. If you have, then this next part is for you. The movie got me thinking about a lot of things silly girls do and I realized that many of my friends have fallen for the same traps that are so adorably portrayed in the movie.

Here's what I mean: I have one friend who has been living with a guy for years and is still waiting for him to propose and agree to have children with her; I have another friend who sits around and interprets every single, annoying, mind-numbingly boring thing her boyfriend does (or boyfriend hopeful); and I have another friend who was all in doubt about getting it on with a married man because he gave her the whole, "My wife and I are not connecting anymore....blah, blah and yada, yada". All bullshit of course, but for some reason las chicas always eat that stuff up.... urgh - mini vomit.

I remember sitting on my varanda with my friend listening to the most boring recap ever and trying to interpret the "signals" this person was sending my friend. It was so funny to see it in the movie later because everything we thought was a clear cut signal wasn't. In the end we had no clue whatsoever as to what was really going on in this ridiculous dude's mind, just like in the movie. Such a monumental waste of time.


I have sat for hours upon hours listening to my friends woes (hours I will never get back!) and the funny thing is that although everyone is an individual and we are all our own person, the problems are really quite eerily similar around the world. Why is that? I love that for the first time ever someone else is telling my friends to cut it the hell out and snap out of it. I'm always the one that has to lay out the "heavy truths". Well, that's not the case any longer. Now they have the same message straight from the horse's mouth - Hollywood. You know you're seriously in sinc when Warner and you are on the same page and giving the same advice. Wow! Yeah. Well, you heard it here first.

I'm sure every woman in the world can identify with at least one of the characters in the film, at least once in their life (except for me, of course. The character I most identify with is the Oracle in Matrix - truth, baby, truth.), which is why the movie was so very popular.

Anyhow, I urge all you silly little ninny girls to watch it before coming to me with some relationship Armageddon. It'll make the whole thing a whole lot easier and I believe that once people stop trying to analyze, interpret and force things to happen, they will be loads happier and infinitely funner to be around.

TTFN!

American Idol: This Is What I Think...

I'm going to go ahead and post what I think about the current Idol contestants. At this stage in the game everyone has favorites and ones we can't stand. With last weeks disappointing send off (the pixie got kicked off) I thought I would start off by letting you all know that she was my favorite girl. The fact that she was kicked off so early on in the serious part of the competition is just so uncool and goes to show that America may not know what they're doing as far as choosing their Idol goes. We have to bear in mind that Jordan Sparks holds that title. Whatever.

The Jordan Sparks year was such a friggin' snoozefest it makes you wonder where all the guys that are in this year were. They all came out together this year, and in my humble opinion this is the best group of top 12 contestants we've had. Ever. I feel like this is a serious competition and the one that wins is the best of the best.

Here's what I think about each of the contestants:

Allison Iraheta. She sings really well, but I'm not sure she's ready to the American Idol. She's 16 yrs. old and that makes what she's able to do all the more amazing. Even though she sings really, really well, until now, she still hasn't won my heart, and I think that's part of being an Idol.

Scott MacIntire. He sings the inspirational, "chicken soup for the soul" type songs every week. He plays the piano well and sings well too. He just isn't as good as the others and I think one of the reasons he's still there is because he's getting the sympathy vote because he's blind. I think he's earned his place in the top 10, but I don't think he deserves to be there more than the pixie did (still can't believe she was kicked off), or anyone else for that matter. But he will be there for a long time to come, because like I said, he's got the sympathy vote.
Michael Sarver. He's not amazing. He's amazingly likeable and he comes from the serious working class, which makes him a perfect candidate for Idol. He's cute, and he's cuddly. I like him a lot even though he's considerably weaker than the others. He should've been the one to leave last week, not the pixie.
Megan Joy. I can't stand her. I think she's getting votes because she's beautiful. She really is a looker, but that's not enough for me. She sings silly songs and it almost feels like she's mocking the competition. She forces her voice (her style of singing), and does the most ridiculous little dance/twist thingy imaginable. As far as I'm concerned she can get the boot, already. I don't want her there anymore because she is significantly inferior to everyone else. Everyone, including Michael and Scott.
Matt Giraud. He blew me away in Hollywood week, then he took a break from being great, and now he's totally back again. He's awesome!!! He looks exactly like Michael Buble and has a Justin Timberlake thing going on, and that's just icing on the cake, baby! I predict he will be in the top 3. I'm famous for not predicting correctly (I predicted Daughtry was going to win or at least be runner up, and look what happened there). But I stand by my prediction for this year, and from what I hear, I'm not alone.
Lil Rounds. She bores me. She sings like a black, church choir angel, but she bores me. There's nothing new, different, distinctive, or particularly attractive about her. She's very good, adds a lot to the competition, and is a good person for the others to compete against because of her amazing talent, but she won't win. And she shouldn't.
Kris Allen. Why is his name spelled like a girl? Anyway, he's cute. He's amazingly pootoochi. But he's not the American Idol. He sings well, looks good and deserves to be top 10, but he won't win. He's got the girls voting for him though, so I expect he'll be there for a while until common sense finally kicks in.
Danny Gokey. Our resident Robert Downey Jr. - or at least he looks just like him. He's my other prediction for top 3. His voice is amazing!!! It's like the voice of many waters. I love him and am thrilled he decided to join Idol this year.
Anoop Desai. He's fun but unpredictable. Last week he was great, but the week before that he blew. I don't believe he'll win, don't see how given who he's up against, but he's good and he deserves to be where he is (especially after last week's performance). Anyway, I think he's got the Slumdog Millionaire vote - if you know what I mean.
Adam Lambert. The Queen. He works the guyliner, guy nail polish and emo hair. He's amazing!!! I love, love, love him. In my book, he can do no wrong. Unlike some people I know, I loved his performance last week. That whole Egyptian rendition of a very boring song by Johnny Cash (Ring of Fire) was genius! He's in my top 3 as well. Even if he doesn't make it to #1 he will be very, very big. Trust me. He's that good.

Books: Voyager (Outlander Series)

I first read Outlander a year ago. Angie went to the British church here in our city where they sell second hand books for $1 and brought me back a book she thought might interest me. She had no idea at the time exactly how much it would interest me.

From the first moment I started reading I was instantly transported into a fantastic world of time travel, Scottish history, love and adventure. I couldn't put the book down. I couldn't stop reading. The author, Diana Gabaldon, creates the most amazing characters, the most interesting story lines, and above all a most intelligent read. She writes beautifully - which is so important otherwise it gets a bit distracting - and unfolds the story in a way that the reader almost feels like he's inside the pages of the book. When the characters get upset, the reader gets upset too. When there is injustice or malice done to one of the characters, you feel very strongly about it and share in the pain along with them.

And so it was that I fell in love. To my joy I found out that this is a 6 part series and that I would be able to "time travel" along with Claire (the main character) and participate of hers and Jamie's (the other main character) life for 5 more books. That's when my beloved sister sent me the second book, Dragonfly in Amber. The book was everything I'd hoped for. When I finished it I didn't know what to do. There was no up, no down, nothing. That's when Our Lady of Perpetual Kindness (aka Angie) gifted me with the third book, Voyager, for Christmas. I was almost afraid to read it for fear that it would't be as good as the others. I was insane. It's amazing.

I just finished it and I don't know which of the three that I've read so far are better. This last one is a crazy, wonderful journey and I loved every single minute of it. Not only did it not disappoint, it amazed me.


I'm told the 4th book is a wash, so I'm going to skip it and go straight on to the 5th. If you can get your hands on these books, I highly recommend it. Bear in mind that the first one has a shocking scene towards the end of the book (about 150-200 of the last pages of the book). It's not for the faint-hearted and there is question as to whether it was necessary to include it in the book at all. You've been warned.

The image I included is what I think Jamie Fraser looks like. If I were casting him it would be Halle Berry's baby daddy, Gabriel Aubry. I didn't come up with this on my own, by the way, this was the author's idea (see photoshopped image here). I'm still looking for my Claire. I'll let you know when I find her. People are throwing out names like Rachel Weiz and Kate Beckinsale, but I'm not feeling it. I think she might be a bit more Keri Russell.

Movies: Slumdog Millionaire

I'll be the first to admit that I usually shy away from foreign films. As a general rule I don't seek out any film made by independent studios, languages that are not English, actors who I don't recognize or whose names I can't pronounce. Nor do I run to see films with a lot of suffering, punishment and lessons on unselfish love. My main brand of movie is the more commercial kind with explosions, Jason Statham, death races and the occasional revenge scenario. I also thrive on the "pre-fab" equivalent, the romantic comedy, which the studios pop out every couple of months because they're guaranteed money makers.


After the opening paragraph you're probaly thinking I'm really shallow. You're wrong. I just don't like to learn my lessons through movies. When I sit down to watch a movie I don't want to see a story about misery and despair, I have enough of that in my own backyard. I want to see a story about something I don't have, or something intelligent and witty. I want to laugh, not cry. That being said, I'm not completely close minded and am actually quite eclectic. I love many movies and consider even the ones I don't like an experience. (By the way, No Country for Old Men and New World were very bad experiences - keep away).


All this talk to get to what I really wanted to say - are you ready? Slumdog Millionaire is a very, very good movie. This is a movie with all the elements that would normally put me off, but somehow the story manages to take you on a journey that is not depressing - it's hopeful. I left the movie theatre feeling light and happy. This is a movie that takes componenets of a tragic life and miraculously turns it around into a tale of love, friendship, strength and more than anything hope.


Everything about the movie is good. I have no complaints. I believe I have to credit the producers, directors and screenwriters. They fell in love with the story and felt so strongly about the project that they braved all odds to get it done. They had no big studio backing them, no big funding, they basically had nothing. But their positive outlook on life, their energy and their spirit came through. This is what turned what would normally be a depressing tale of woe into a glorious, uplifting tale of sunshine and light.


This is what all movies in this genre should be like. I hope the Brazilian cinema industry takes a page from their book and stop making movies that make us all suicidal. No one wants to watch a movie that will leave them with a feeling of ick, we want hearts and flowers. And it doesn't have to be a commercial, shallow, pre-fab movie that will make us feel good, it can be a movie with lessons, poverty, trauma and difficulty, so long as it's done in the spirit of goodwill toward men.


My hat is off to everyone involved in the making of this masterpiece. To say that they deserved every Oscar they got would be an understatement. I hope you all run out and see it because it is an experience that is not to be missed. This is a feel-good, in the best possible way.

Jane Eyre

Have you ever read Jane Eyre? It was written by Charlotte Bronte and is one of my favorites. The thing about it is that it's a beautiful, beautiful love story. The kind that will never bore you and will have you coming back for more. There is a wonderfully woven plot that takes you on a journey through the lives of the characters, and more specifically Jane Eyre's.


The characters are all perfectly developed so that the reader can very easily dive into the story and feel like an active observer. I find that stories that do that are rare and special. The writer must have a special gift not only for story telling and imagination, but for being able to clearly capture what is seen in the minds eye on paper.

The sparks flying back and forth between the two main characters, and the mystery (ghostly screams, noises, apparitions and missing or appearing items) keep the reader fully entertained and engrossed in the story.


If you don't have time for the book, or have already read it, I would recommend the 2006 British miniseries. There was a movie made as well with William Hurt and Charlotte Gainsbourg, but it's not my favorite. The miniseries is far superior, passionate and ultimately more romantic.


The actors in the miniseries are Toby Stephens and Ruth Wilson (you'll remember him from James Bond: Die Another Day where he plays the villain, Sir Gustav Graves). Just right there there is a vast improvement due to better casting. I don't want to poo-poo the movie because I still think it's relevant, and if you can't find the miniseries I would recommend you see the movie. I have a particular problem with William Hurt which is probably the main reason why I couldn't really get behind the whole idea. I don't have any issues with Toby Stephens though, so, yeah.


The chemistry of the actors in the miniseries is electrifying and probably what made it so great. I urge you to go out and see if you can rent it. It's a popcorn and cozy Saturday afternoon activity that will make you feel warm and fuzzy inside. You can also find it all over Youtube, but it's better to rent it and watch it on the big screen. Here's a little morsel:

Book Review: 4 Blondes by Candace Bushnell

Disclaimer: I think that most of you know by now that I feel very strongly about things. In general, I'm not a "sit on the fence" type of person. Well, a couple of years ago I read a book that was so lame it horrified me. Looking back now, there is a slight possibility that my reaction was a bit exaggerated, but at the time I felt it was justified. I put the book down before I even finished it (although to my chagrin I read nearly all of it) and wrote a very angry review. I think you're all old enough to read it, although I have to warn you, it's not nice. Without further ado, here goes:

A Book Review on Candace Bushnell's 4 Blondes

by Flor

There are few things in life that can be considered as horrible as this book. Candace Bushnell is the anti-Christ of literature. If the publishing houses keep putting out this kind of excrement and passing it off as literature, I have no doubt the world will soon be illiterate. Not only is her book poorly and annoyingly written, it is vulgar, cheap and disgusting. Some of the things she writes are so awful that I'm thinking of getting hypnosis is a desperate effort to forget them.

All of the things that we strive never to mention, and always to ignore for propriety's sake, she casually mentions as if she's writing out a shopping list. Her characters are shallow and stupid, as I'm sure she is as well. I have no idea how she can look herself in the mirror after writing a book like this. I have no idea how her husband can stand to look at her after a book like this, or eat at the same table with her, and I definitely don't see how he can bring himself to have sex with her.

During the time I was reading the book, I kept telling myself that it had to get better, that it couldn't possibly be this bad, but it never did. I wanted to run with scissors. It was a much more enjoyable thought than having to read through that scum. I shall never buy another one of her books and I hope her "Sex and the City" fans take her out and tar and feather her.

Movie Review: Gilda

When I think of the ultimate "temptation woman", the woman all other women aspire to be (secretly and not so secretly), and the men both love and hate, I think of Rita Hayworth. She's the kind of woman who could drive a man to insanity, if not to an early grave. At least this is the character she plays in most of her films. She's the femme fatale, the seductress, the man eater. This character - which she perfected - coupled with her sincere and delightful smile make her the deadliest, most dangerous combination to date.

You have heard of my love for Audrey, Marlene, Doris, Sophia, Eva, and the list goes on, but when it comes down to it, Rita Hayworth is it. She's the whole deal. She can easily play a fun romantic, or the very naughty, very troubled, love-sick she-devil like in Gilda.


Gilda - that's what this post is all about. I had the good fortune of being able to catch it on TCM the other night. It's just one of those movies that every serious movie buff should watch. The story is the following: a mysterious man named Johnny is down on his luck and ends up becoming the right hand man of the owner of a casino in Argentina. One day, quite out of the blue, the man brings back a wife. As fate would have it, Johnny and Gilda had known each other in a past life. You realize that there was once something between them but that it all went sour and that that's why he, an American, ended up in Argentina in the first place. She says things to him like, "I was true to one man once....and look what happened", subtle, but you get the picture.

Johnny and Gilda then get caught up in a silly game of cat and mouse. Johnny is torn by his feelings for her and loyalty to the man who saved him from the gutter, Gilda's husband. Because she is being ignored by him, she becomes very self destructive and this is not good, for anyone.


It all culminates with one fantastic scene where she sings "Put the Blame on Mame" and the earth stands still. She makes a terrific spectacle of herself and nearly ruins everything. You need to see the whole movie to understand the situation, why she does it, why he hates it - although there's no mystery regarding why everyone else loves it. I urge you to go out and rent this movie. It's got a bit of a Casablanca theme going, but without all the righteousness. Where Casablanca has moral integrity, this is naughty and wrong. It really isn't like Casablanca at all, actually, it just feels that way sometimes because of the setting, and because of the love triangle.

My dears, I leave you here with a clip of the only one who could do this song justice, Rita Hayworth. Enjoy!

Northanger Abbey

Northanger Abbey is Jane Austen's first novel and truth be told it's pretty clear that as time went on and she matured in her writing, so did her characters. The main character in this novel is Catherine. She is a very silly, very young little girl. She reads many novels and because of this she lets her imagination carry her away to her dream land.

Because she is so very young, she is not a very good judge of character, and because she is so naive about things, she misinterprets interactions, situations and people. Whenever there's a question mark about someone, or something she doesn't understand, she leaps to her own conclusions and ends up making some pretty embarrassing if not serious mistakes.

She is not an annoying character, by any means. She's cute and endearing, and because of this we forgive her. Her love interest, Mr. Tilney, is a very lovable character and although he indulges her naivete - he too, finds it endearing - he eventually steps up and puts her in her place. He's a real gentleman and although he doesn't have the strongest character around, he's right for her.


The book is more about Catherine than anything else. There are of course misunderstandings, attachments, betrayals, accusations, friendships and relationships in the novel, but more than anything it's a study of Catherine. Some say it was Austen's attempt at a "Gothic" novel, and I can see how that would be an apt description, although it's probably more accurate to say that Catherine was created to resemble a heroine from a Gothic romance novel.

In all, it's a fun book, with good people, written by a special woman. It's interesting to compare Catherine and Mr. Tilney with her characters later on. You'll see what I mean when you read the book. By the way, if you can stand it, go to Youtube and catch the TV movie. It's pretty accurate and well made.

Here's the trailer. I'm not sure it's the best quality, but it's the best I found.

Reading with the Kids

The kids and I have been doing quite a bit of reading during their summer break. We've been reading about some cool teenage and child mutants who were experimented on by some wacky scientists who injected them with avian DNA. They've got wings and a number of other unique abilities. We're having a blast with it as it's written in a way that's very current and attractive. There's a bit of an edge to the way they speak, "tongue in cheek" if you will, and that makes it pretty funny. The books I'm referring to are Maximum Ride by James Patterson. He usually writes thrillers and super books for grown ups but this is his first attempt at something for the little guys and it's great.

Aside from reading the Maximum Ride series with the babies, I'm also doing some one on one reading with them so they can practice reading in English out loud, and they are doing splendidly. They were a bit shy at first, but now they're having a blast. Thing 2, aka Miojoboy, is reading The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain and he's loving it. He cracks up at the old fashioned words and expressions used in the book like, lick and lam. You had to hear him laughing when Tom says to the cat, "Siddy, I'll lick you for that!"And he couldn't stop laughing when a little further down the page Tom said, "I bet you I'll lam Sid for that.." Now he's going around everywhere telling people he's gonna lick and lam them.

Samurai Jack is reading through a series of British books called Goosebumps. While it doesn't have much "nutritional" value, it is helping him with his reading out loud and I've noticed a significant improvement in the last couple of weeks.
They both run to the living room when I tell them it's time to read and don't want to stop even after we've been reading for an hour. This is a major change from what it used to be like. I was once so frustrated that I stopped trying to read with them altogether. They would always fidget and play and sneak toys in and I took it personally that they didn't want to be there reading with me. When I mentioned this to Angie's mom she suggested something truly revolutionary, enlightening, and to say the least novel: let them play while you read. I coudn't believe I'd never thought of this before.

You see, when we were kids, we weren't allowed to look at our hands or anywhere other than at our pages or the person who was reading. It was such a strict and hard-and-fast rule that I think subconsciously I was holding my kids to that same standard, not realizing that it was totally unnecessary. It never crossed my mind to just chillax and let them fidget and play while I read to them. You know what happened, eventually they stopped playing and started asking questions, participating and taking a real interest. Now I award points to the one who can guess what happens, who "it" is, where we left off, etc. Nothing actually happens with the points, no prizes or anything, but those points are still important to them (Heaven knows why). So, if you're reading this Julia, I thank you. Your suggestion was 36k platinum gold!

How to Choose a Good Trashy Romance Novel

As many of you know I'm an avid reader. I read many books on varied subjects, genres and authors. I read historical fiction, classics, poetry, thrillers, books about Law (novels of course, not textbooks), comedy, philosophical novels, and whatever else may interest me at the time. As a general rule I don't read self-help, business, textbooks, or any kind of non-entertaining reading. I hate true stories that concentrate on depressive tales of woe and lessons on unselfish love or war. In general, I like made-up stories that afford me a good number of hours to escape and adventures I can go on without leaving the comfort of my couch.

There is a special kind of novel that I find particularly entertaining and very, very funny: romantic novels. There are some that are more intelligent than others, but normally they're just fantastic fun because they're so out there. Completely loco. The most unrealistic ridiculous fantasy. When you need a good laugh, do what I do and read the back cover. OMG! There is nothing more hilarious than that. The covers, titles and the "synopsis" on the back are the best! The paintings of Fabio, Nathan Kamp, and any number of famous models, with their overly chiseled features and scary enormous muscles are to die for. The helpless damsels with their scantily clad frames, breast barely contained, flowing locks and sun-kissed skin kills me.

There are certain words I look for that can indicate the level of ridiculous the book will be. The more ridiculous, the better as far as I'm concerned. It's what I affectionately refer to as "pure gold". There's a certain vocabulary that is normally used by the writers who specialize in this genre. Do you remember that episode of Friends where Rachel tries to write a trashy novel and fails miserably? It's pretty funny. Anyway, I gathered some words together that I have good laughs at when I read the back covers. Gold, pure gold. I imagine this would be a very enlightening read and probably has a similar list.

yearn
hellion
feisty
tycoon
devilish
virile
notorious
clutches
free-spirited
dazzling
maiden
lure
intriguing
flare
mogul
intensity
soul-searing
hot-tempered
captivated
dashing
luscious
woo
wondrous
aroused
forbidden
pleasures
delicious
savor
bitter-sweetness
caresses
devoured
auburn-haired
temptress
tresses
sultry
raven-haired
surly
brooding
ravishing

Please, please check out this post, and this one too. I don't think I've ever laughed this hard in my life. Absolute, 36k gold!

By the way, the pic up there at the top is our dear Gerry Buttler. Is that a riot or what?