This one is my favorite!

Maurice Sendak’s classic book comes to the big screen in an adventure tale for every generation. “Where the Wild Things Are” follows the adventure of Max [...]]]>

This one is my favorite!

Aren’t these the most glorious of creatures.

Maurice Sendak’s classic book comes to the big screen in an adventure tale for every generation. “Where the Wild Things Are” follows the adventure of Max (Max Records), a mischievous young boy who is sent to his room after rebelling against his mother (Catherine Keener). Max’s imagination is free to roam, and it soon transports him to a thriving forest bordering a vast sea. Delighted, he sets sail for the land of the Wild Things, where mischief reigns and Max rules. In bringing this imaginative fantasy to life, Jonze leads a team of filmmakers incorporating the most dynamic elements of voice performance, live-action puppetry and computer animation. [D-Man2010]

Max, a rambunctious and sensitive boy feels misunderstood at home and escapes to where the Wild Things are. He lands on an island where he meets mysterious and strange creatures whose emotions are as wild and unpredictable as their actions. The Wild Things desperately long for a leader to guide them, just as Max longs for a kingdom to rule. When Max is crowned king, he promises to create a place where everyone will be happy. Max soon finds, though, that ruling his kingdom is not so easy and his relationships there prove to be more complicated than he originally thought. [D-Man2010]

Visionary director Spike Jonze brings Maurice Sendak’s beloved children’s book to the big screen with the help of hipster icon Dave Eggers, who teamed with Jonze to pen the adapted screenplay. A mixture of real actors, computer animation, and live puppeteering, Where the Wild Things Are follows the adventures of a young boy named Max (Max Records) as he enters the world of the Wild Things, a race of strange and enormous creatures who gradually turn the young boy into their king. [D-Man2010]

“Where the Wild Things Are” follows the adventures of Max, a head-strong young boy who leaves home after having a fight with his mother — only to find himself in a mysterious forest bordering a vast sea. Misunderstood and rebellious, Max sets sail to the land of the Wild Things, where mischief reigns. [D-Man2010]

Then grocery shopping (which I hate doing), then home to order dog food for Bramwell and send some emails to friends, then post to my blog.

Pretty boring [...]]]> Average weekend.   A good friend got married last night.  Today we went to see the movie Bride Wars with Kate Hudson and Anne Hathaway.  It was good.

Then grocery shopping (which I hate doing), then home to order dog food for Bramwell and send some emails to friends, then post to my blog.

Pretty boring stuff.  Now my female dog, Charlotte is looking at me like…”mommy why are you just sitting at your desk instead of playing with us?”  So I reply “okay sweetie here I come”.  

Have a good week everyone. 

My Green Bay Packers win again.  They beat the Detroit Lions.  Here is a little blurb from their website.

The Packers started out Sunday strutting their stuff. They ended it showing what they were made of. After watching a 21-point lead disappear in the second half in Detroit, the Packers responded [...]]]>  

My Green Bay Packers win again.  They beat the Detroit Lions.  Here is a little blurb from their website.

The Packers started out Sunday strutting their stuff. They ended it showing what they were made of. After watching a 21-point lead disappear in the second half in Detroit, the Packers responded with a big play on offense to regain the lead and then three interceptions that produced scores down the stretch to ultimately pull away from the Lions 48-25 at Ford Field.

We had a busy weekend, so I never turned the computer on at all.  It was nice.  I get a little addicted to the computer.  Between work and blogging, it seems I have the keyboard attached to my fingertips.

It was in the 90′s both Saturday and Sunday.  Where is the fall?  Saturday was spent running errands; We took two pairs of shoes to be repaired, then we stopped at the knitting store to ask a few questions about the shrug I am knitting.  Then we had lunch at a coffee shop.  We split a turkey sandwich.  It is a nice change eating meat again after 10 years.  Then we went home and played with the puppies the rest of the afternoon.

In the evening I decided to go to a movie…The Women.  The movie website is really cool (I am aging myself with that adjective)…it is worth a look.  It was a good movie.  Fairly typical chick flick.  But I like the actresses who starred in the movie, so it was fun for me.  Yes, I went by myself.  I used to do that all the time when I was single. 

The first time I had popcorn since my diet.  I ordered a medium and only ate half.  I brought the other half home to my husband.  My puppies missed me terribly.  It is unusual for me to be out of the house on a weekend evening without my husband.  So my dogs weren’t sure what was up.

Sunday, I went to a favorite bead store of mine and then on to the knitting store to knit for awhile after church.  My husband had some work to do, so I dropped him off and then picked him up again after I was through at the knitting store.  We then went to a neighbor’s 90th birthday party.  Very sweet.  Her daughter had someone make a 10-minute movie, with still photos of her life. 

Well, that about wraps it up.  Have a great week everyone! 

I was recently reading a few blogs that mentioned the new book coming out Breaking Dawn by Stephenie Meyer.  She is the author of the four book ‘Twilight’ saga.  I decided to buy the first book in the series in paperback this weekend and started reading.  I [...]]]>

I was recently reading a few blogs that mentioned the new book coming out Breaking Dawn by Stephenie Meyer.  She is the author of the four book ‘Twilight’ saga.  I decided to buy the first book in the series in paperback this weekend and started reading.  I wanted to see what all the hoopla was about.  I am half way through the book. 

This morning, while I was supposed to be working on a new design for my companies website, I came across this review of the series of books asking the question…”Is this really good reading for teen girls?”

I thought all you Twilight fans would like to read what these two authors had to say…

By Martha Brockenbrough with Lorie Ann Grover
MSN Cinemama

If 2007 was the year of the boy wizard — with the final “Harry Potter” book and a movie coming out in the same month — 2008 is the year of the vampire.

More specifically, a vampire named Edward, who literally sparkles as the romantic hero of a four-book series that has become the obsession of teen girls (and many of their mothers) nationwide.

Welcome to the “Twilight” zone.

In case you still haven’t heard of the series by Stephenie Meyer, you’re about to. On Aug. 2, the fourth installment, “Breaking Dawn,” hits bookstores. The series tells the story of Bella, a teenage girl living in Forks, Wash., who falls in love with one of the town’s resident vampires. Bella would trade her soul to be undead happily ever after; Edward forcefully resists such a thing.

Across the country, 4,000 stores will open at midnight, just so those sweaty, trembling fans can lose a night’s sleep finding out whether the vampire finally bites the girl after 1,000-plus pages of extremely chaste necking.

And then, when the movie opens Dec. 12, the whole thing can start over again.

There’s no question that the “Twilight” series, which has dominated best-seller lists, is a pop culture phenomenon. Ask a teen girl if she prefers Edward or Jacob, a teen werewolf, and you are likely to get an essay in response.

The question is: Are these books a worthy obsession for our teen girls? And should you let your own daughter read them and see the movie?

Lorie Ann Grover Gives the Case for ‘Twilight’

I call him the hottest guy in modern literature. The hottest! He’s why I read the entire “Twilight” series straight through twice. He’s why my fellow author friend Justina Chen Headley and I dissected “Twilight” together, each and every page.

 

And he’s why my husband picked up the work and read it himself. He had to know who his wife and daughters were raving about! The hottest guy in modern lit is Edward Cullen, and he sparkles.

So what truly is Edward’s appeal? Why are girls and women worldwide, and Bella, swooning? Because he is our sensitive superhero. First, consider his perfect physical form. Did you hear me say perfect? Basically Michelangelo’s David come to life. Add to that physique smoldering eyes and superpowers.

Now, looks aside, consider how appealing it is that Edward is driven to wit’s end by the scent of Bella. In a society consumed with smelling good, Edward finds Bella without the aid of any scent but her own.

Note how completely enamored Edward is of Bella. He actually watches her sleep. As an infatuated parent watches over an infant, Edward watches Bella. He sees her weaknesses and finds her humanity endearing. He asks endless questions to know her. What are her likes and dislikes, her past and future hopes? He listens to every single word.

It is easy to see that Edward embodies complete safety. Often he holds Bella and rocks her as a father would. And yet, his kisses stop her breath and heart, and he never pressures her for sex. She pursues him. Edward has raised the standard for all boyfriends.

Into that perfect mix, pour danger, that alluring trademark of any great hero, just enough for tension to vibrate. We worry with Bella over her safety as Edward’s lips glide down her neck. We fret as his eyes darken and he lusts for her blood. Finally we cheer as he denies himself because of his passion for her.

So, is Bella worthy of such a love? Is she a good role model for our teen girls? Absolutely! In the midst of her weaknesses she is a strong young woman. Her focus isn’t consumed with her external appearance. She’s both comfortable with herself and humble. She’s a great student and anticipating college following high school.

From the start, Bella sacrifices for others’ happiness. She’s loving and generous toward family and friends. Frequently she faces her fears bravely, and she usually solves the crisis through her own plotting and action. She is a heroine for our daughters, in the midst of her flaws.

In the end, who will Bella choose? Which superhero, Edward or Jacob the werewolf? My oldest daughter says Edward is the perfect lover, but Jacob is the perfect mate for life.

On Aug. 2, dawn will break with Edward in my hands, and I’ll discover Bella’s choice. I anticipate bliss either way. I completely trust Stephenie Meyer, the author, to take care of my characters. And then my daughters can have their turn reading “Breaking Dawn.” And then, my husband will have his.

Martha Brockenbrough Explains Why ‘Twilight’ Sucks

My 13-year-old cousin warned me: “The amounts of pain that can be inflicted on those who insult Edward are better left unspoken.”

I’m going to brave that pain and say it anyway: Edward is a complete prig.

It’s not just that he sneaks into Bella’s room to watch her sleep — that’s more stalker than prissy, anyway. It’s also not just that he drives a Volvo, the car of choice for priggish drivers who obsess about side airbag safety.

Nor is it that his skin sparkles like gems in the sunlight. However gag-worthy this might be, he can’t help it if he has pores that Madonna, Nicole Kidman and other alabaster celebrities would envy.

For me, the last straw really is that he is more obsessed about wedding planning than any groom should be. That makes him a terrible role model for teen girls, who will grow up to face real-life mates who don’t know the difference between cummerbunds and canapés, and who will also make rude faces when asked for an opinion on either.

Seriously, though, there’s a dark side to priggishness, and that’s condescension. Bella and Edward aren’t equals. Edward knows it — he’s stronger, his senses are sharper and he’s nearly immortal. He constantly has to protect Bella. He even leaves her temporarily to do just that. Bella, meanwhile, settles for a lesser college so she can be with her boyfriend. Augh!

So what does that tell our teen girls to crave? A relationship with someone they worship, rather than someone they can work with through the various challenges of life?

However much I enjoyed the books — and I read every one, twice — that’s my fundamental concern with them as a parent. Bella constantly needs rescuing and protection. Her vulnerability fuels her desirability, for it’s not just a vampire who wants her. A werewolf does, too.

This is where it’s worth making a comparison to “Harry Potter.” Harry solved his own problems. When he needed rescuing, his friends — who had complementary talents and courage-quotients — came to his aid.

Bella doesn’t really have friends, at least not among her peers. She hangs out with werewolves and vampires, any one of whom could eat (or drink) her for lunch.

She’s as far from being a kick-ass heroine as she can get. She’s clumsy and weak. Yes, she has her attractions. She’s a devoted daughter who never complains about all the cooking she has to do for her hapless dad.

But girls would be much better off following in Hermione’s footsteps. Now there was a girl who could cast a spell, throw a punch, and catch the eye of an international Quidditch star (only to lose interest because he wasn’t intellectual enough).

I’m not arguing that every book needs to be the equivalent of a plate of nourishing, raw spinach. I like a cream puff as much as the next person, and possibly even more. We just need to make sure our daughters aren’t thinking cream puffs are the best life has to offer. They’re the stars of their own life story, and waiting for a handsome guy to bite their necks sounds to me like a tragedy in the making.

—

Martha Brockenbrough is Cinemama for the Parents’ Movie Guide on MSN. She is also the author of “It Could Happen to You: Diary of a Pregnancy and Beyond” and the founder of SPOGG, the Society for the Promotion of Good Grammar. She writes a fun-with-kids column for Cranium.com, as well as an educational humor column for Encarta. Check out her Web site.Lorie Ann Grover is co-founder of readergirlz and author of “Hold Me Tight,” “On Pointe” and “Loose Threads,” novels for young adult readers.

 

We went to see Journey to the Center [...]]]> We had a good weekend. It was our 11th wedding anniversary on Saturday. Wow, 11 years. The last couple have been a little rough. Hopefully we are turning a corner. I am too tired to write much tonight, I will write more about the weekend tomorrow.

We went to see Journey to the Center of the Earth (3-D). I will write more about it tomorrow. I hope everyone had a good weekend.

Synopsis: There are heroes… there are superheroes… and then there’s Hancock (Will Smith). With great power comes great responsibility – everyone knows that – everyone, that is, but Hancock. Edgy, conflicted, sarcastic, and misunderstood, Hancock’s well-intentioned heroics might get the job done… There are heroes… there are superheroes… and then there’s [...]]]>

Synopsis: There are heroes… there are superheroes… and then there’s Hancock (Will Smith). With great power comes great responsibility – everyone knows that – everyone, that is, but Hancock. Edgy, conflicted, sarcastic, and misunderstood, Hancock’s well-intentioned heroics might get the job done… There are heroes… there are superheroes… and then there’s Hancock (Will Smith). With great power comes great responsibility – everyone knows that – everyone, that is, but Hancock. Edgy, conflicted, sarcastic, and misunderstood, Hancock’s well-intentioned heroics might get the job done and save countless lives, but always seem to leave jaw-dropping damage in their wake. The public has finally had enough – as grateful as they are to have their local hero, the good citizens of Los Angeles are wondering what they ever did to deserve this guy. Hancock isn’t the kind of man who cares what other people think – until the day that he saves the life of PR executive Ray Embrey (Jason Bateman), and the sardonic superhero begins to realize that he may have a vulnerable side after all. Facing that will be Hancock’s greatest challenge yet – and a task that may prove impossible as Ray’s wife, Mary (Charlize Theron), insists that he’s a lost cause. –© Sony Pictures

We went to see the movie Hancock on Saturday. The movie was good, great special effects and the action was good also. I didn’t like the way the film was shot most of the time. The shots were too close. Jason Bateman was in the movie along with Will Smith. We saw way too much of their faces and heads (very close up). What’s that about…Yikes. The story was pretty good, a few holes in it, but overall I liked it. I do think Will Smith is a good actor. I wanted to see the movie, my husband wasn’t too keen on it, but he went anyway. Very nice of him.

It’s funny, when I was single I used to go to movies by myself all the time. When I want to see a movie my husband doesn’t want to see, I say, “that’s okay, I’ll go by myself”. He responds “you are married now you shouldn’t have to do that anymore”. That’s sweet, but I really don’t mind. When I go to the movies I just sit and watch the screen, it’s not like there is a lot of interaction between movie-goers. I still go to a movie now and then by myself (just don’t tell my husband). Kidding…I usually tell him when I get home.

The rest of the weekend was taken up with cleaning and doing laundry. Grocery shopping was thrown in for good measure. We did cook-out on the 4th. That’s a must. Brats this year…yeah. My husband and I were vegetarians for 10 years. We went back to eating meat this year. It’s a long story and I will save it for another post.

Holidays are always a little tough for me. I miss being around family and close friends. I hope everyone had a good Independence Day holiday.

Back to the salt mines!

I was watching an old favorite movie of mine, which always makes me happy and also forces me to take stock of my life. Always good to do from time to time. We all get in such ruts, life tends to [...]]]> I have written about this before, but not on this site…so here goes.

I was watching an old favorite movie of mine, which always makes me happy and also forces me to take stock of my life. Always good to do from time to time. We all get in such ruts, life tends to do that to us.

The movie was Harvey. I have seen it many times and never get tired of its message. There is a line in the movie that Jimmy Stewart utters to another character that always amazes me.

My mother always said to me Elwood, she always called me Ellwood, most people in this world are oh so smart or oh so pleasant, I spent many years being smart…I recommend pleasant

Whenever I feel like I am losing my way in this world I try to remember this oh so smart quote.

I recommend pleasant too! You will be surprised by the responses you get.