Sherri's (Never A Dull Moment) World

"X-Men First Class"

I finally talked Bill into going to see the latest "X-Men" movie Friday night:

I have always been an X-Men fan, especially since it has to do with both genetic mutations and the superhero complex.

First Class is an origin story of sorts, showing how Charles Xavier (a.k.a. "Professor X") and Erik Lensherr (a.k.a. "Magneto") came to be friends and then enemies.

This prequel integrated a fabulous cast of mutants, working for both good and evil purposes. Our favorite was Raven (a.k.a. "Mystique") who was adorable as a girl and then so vulnerable in her relationships with both Charles and Erik:

This movie spent a lot of time developing the characters and providing explanations for a lot of the future X-Men movie storylines. It was intelligent,  thrilling and deep in emotion, all at the same time! It was helpful to understand Hank McCoy (a.k.a. "Beast") and his role with the CIA:

 
The story takes place mostly in the early 1960's, where there is great tension between Russia and the United States regarding the Cuban missile crisis.

Kevin Bacon plays the energy-glutton, Sebastian Shaw, who is determined to start WWIII.  Shaw's megalomaniacal plan, hidden submarine lair and insidious charm - not to mention snazzy dress sense - would make him a perfect James Bond villain:

He surrounds himself with a slew of mutants with amazing powers, including the telepathic Emma Frost:

 

In my opinion, watching this movie is like reading a well-written and beautifully rendered comic and seeing all the threads from previous instalments falling into place.

 Oh, and watch out for two surprise cameos that are just the thing for those who are missing the earlier films - you will LOVE them!

What do I rate "X-Men First Class"? I give it a solid 9 on the Rodgers movie rating scale. I was THOROUGHLY entertained!

 

"The Hangover, Part 2" - movie review

ANTICIPATION. This is what I felt for the last six months as I patiently waited for this movie to arrive...

Why? "The Hangover" was one of my favorite movies from 2009! It is in my Sherri's Top Ten list of comedy films. I told Bill that it was on our list of activities for Memorial Weekend... No ifs/ands/buts about it:

So we made a pact to see it on Saturday. With Kris & Darin. And Nick & Mollie (that is another exciting story all together....). We bought our tickets, got settled into our movie theater seats and I was prepared to be thoroughly ENTERTAINED...

So the "Wolfpack" is back... as promised. Due to someone's wedding plans, Phil and the others flew to Bangkok.

Yes. Alan is as irritating/quirky/needy/obnoxious/ridiculous/immature as ever...

Though Doug was there.... he was absent from most of the scandalous acts. (My lips are sealed.)

Poor Stu. He was directly involved with most of the scandalous acts. And sporting a new facial tattoo.

Without giving away ANY of the storyline (you REALLY have to see it for yourself!)-- Bill gives it a 7 on the Rodgers movie rating scale and I give it a..... 7.5. (insert sigh) Why? It WAS funny, but a much grittier kind of funny. Maybe because it takes place in Bangkok (which definitely lends a different feel to the movie compared to Las Vegas)..... Maybe because they worked a little harder at some of the scandalous gags.... But the predicaments were once again, shocking AND funny. The "Wolfpack" seems to be cursed, without pointing fingers or naming names (heh heh heh).

And I was REALLY hoping to see (live) chickens again. That crazy monkey creeped me out.

But it was great fun to watch it with friends (aren't Nick & Mollie cute?).... and follow it with lunch at the local Olive Garden Restaurant:

Hours like this... PRICELESS. :)

"Bridesmaids"-- What A HOOT!

I am WAAAAAAAAY BEHIND on blogging...

I have so many potential blog stories trapped in my head that it actually hurts just thinking about them.

So I thought I would start with some movie reviews. I was having a tough week a couple of weeks ago and Bill felt sorry for me. So he took me to the movies. And it was my turn to pick. So I picked this one:

Yes, it does look like a typical "chick movie". But wait! It was soooooo much more! Things did not look so good when we arrived at the Saturday matinee and the theater was packed. Oh, that usually is a positive sign for viewers... but it was not working in my favor that we ended up sitting in the second to the FRONT row (= Bill HATES being that close to the screen). Even though we were both sitting back with strained necks, I found myself laughing ALOT!! And when I looked over at Bill (who should have been very grumpy due to the strained neck)-- he was laughing too!

I have to tell you, every scene with this particular bridesmaid in it was HILARIOUS:

Without giving the storyline away, my favorite part involved "someone" stealing more than her share of these adorable yellow lab puppies and having her hands full of "puppy energy"...

I know I am going a little crazy raising one puppy of my own-- the thought of six Lab puppies sent me into hysterics! Therefore.....

Bill gives "Bridesmaids" a 7 on the Rodgers movie rating scale and I give it an 8! It was definitely a movie to add to your list of "must see"s for the early summer!

 

"Priest"

May continues to be another crazy month for us... (and I could really use some sleep!)

I asked Bill if he would consider taking me to a movie this weekend so I could have a little escape.

Today I chose this:

 
Why "Priest"? The trailers looked exciting with a dash of science fiction, good vs. evil, and of course... vampires.  (I'm all over that!)

During our post-movie analysis, we give this movie a "7". I thought the special effects were very enjoyable. Bill thought the storyline was weak and held nothing original. I don't want to give anything away, so instead I will say this movie was a blend of futuristic "Mad Max At Thunderdome", a Clint Eastwood spaghetti-western,  a little "Sin City" darkness, and a dash of "Tron".

And the 2-D version was great (no need for the silly 3-D glasses). I would like to see it again (because I think I dozed off during one of the motorcycle scenes) (darn those late night puppy potty breaks!).

This was a great warm-up for the summer blockbuster movie season! :)

"I Am"

We had plans with friends on Monday night for dinner and a movie.

We have been special friends with Rob & Kara for over a year and one of our fun traditions is to take turns choosing a new local restaurant for each time we have dinner together. It was my turn to choose the location, so I went out on a limb and chose "The Thai House" in downtown Mt. Vernon.

The salad course was delightful! We snacked on soy beans (what do you call them?)...edamame. Then, our main courses arrived.  We each ordered something different:  Bill ordered BBQ beef. Rob ordered rainbow trout. Kara ordered an avacado noodle dish. And I ordered this flavorful halibut dish called "Call Me Ginger":

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It was FANTASTIC! Afterwards, we had plans to attend the local Lincoln Theater for a screening of this documentary:

The director of this film is Tom Shadyac who appeared recently on "OPRAH"" to discuss how a bicycling accident led him to question how he lived his life.

There were many interesting points to ponder.... How money/success does not equate happiness. How American culture promotes consumerism. How we are not meant to be at war; instead, the human race deals better with peace. How stressful lives lead to poor health. How human compassion can promote ingenuity and generous solutions to both simple and complex problems.

I laughed a little. I cried a little. I walked away from this documentary wondering what I could do better with my life and how I could give (back to nature, to others) more. This film promotes connectivity at all levels-- human to human, human to other living things, human to our environment and planet Earth. I highly recommend it. The content not only sparks interesting conversations, but may lead you to take a new direction with your life.

"The Adjustment Bureau" - a review

Yes! We went to see this movie today:

 

This movie is about a young, aspiring politician (Matt Damon) who meets an intriguing woman (Emily Blunt) who just might change his future. However, members of the "Adjustment Bureau" step in to sabotage their budding relationship as they are destined for different outcomes...

It reminded us of an episode of the 1980s version of this TV show:

 
 We LOVED a particular episode called " A Matter of Time" (it is amazing that you can research these things on Wikipedia). Within this episode, an middle-class couple discovers a glitch in time in which everything around them stays still. They catch something moving ahead of them... it is a team of workers wearing blue coveralls, blue hats and blue masks that must move every physical object in between single seconds of time in order to create their FUTURE.

 
However, the blue people sometimes make mistakes. Like not moving your car keys forward, which means you they are not where you last saw them ---until their supervisor finds that mistake and makes them put them in the correct place again.

 
This is why you CANNOT find your car keys, but after looking at 10 other places, you find them again (where you looked the first time)! The characters on the "Twilight Zone" episode eventually made their way back to their family in real time...

Since then, Bill & I have blamed EVERY misplaced item and time-wasting effort on those "!@#!*&#@@ BLUE PEOPLE"! It has boosted our self-esteem (it's not MY fault I can't find that income tax document) and is one of our secrets for a happy marriage (we are not fighting over who had the remote control last and where did it go-- instead, those "blue people" took it!). It works for us.

So, back to "The Adjustment Bureau":

 
The plot was both simple and intelligent. The men of The Adjustment Bureau (TAB), wearing suits and fedora hats, are assigned to watch over different individuals through the course of their lifetimes in order to guarantee that they do not stray from their destiny. They track an individual with their record books, they must not be seen, and only intervene by creating mini-events (like causing a person to spill his coffee on his shirt, which might make him return home to change his clothes, which will make him miss the bus, which will prevent an interaction or conversation with another person which might might give him a new idea/inspiration/motivation to try something new). In essence, we think we live our lives with free will, but only if we follow our master plan.

This idea kind of ties into our "blue people" theory, only it has evolved. For example, every time you have a dropped cell call-- it is because of TAB!  Every time you get distracted and blow an appointment/are late for work/write down wrong information-- it is due to TAB! Now add the concept of falling in love. It screws everything up for TAB and that is why we really liked this movie. It was a love story after all. And we are suckers for true love.

We give "The Adjustment Bureau" a double Rodgers thumbs up.

"The Green Hornet"-- oh no!

After Nick & Natasha left, I was a little pouty.

So I talked Bill into going to the movies today to lift our spirits.

We went to see this:

 
Against Bill's wishes, I paid extra to see it in 3-D:

 
I had great hopes for this movie.

I knew it was an update on an older TV series:

 

What did we think?? I was TOTALLY DISAPPOINTED. We both give it a "thumbs down". We give it a mere 5 on the Rodgers movie rating scale. The 3-D special effects did not merit the glasses (though I kept them as souvenirs). I think I actually nodded off during the middle of the movie (that is rare for me). Seth Rogan's acting and his character were immature. Cameron Diaz was just awful. The actor that carried the movie was Jay Chou.... who was AWESOME as "Kato".

As a favor to you, here is the movie at it's best ... the trailer:

 

"True Grit"-- 2010 Style

December is always stressful for me. Bill worries about me as I have more stress-related headaches, as I come home unhappy from work, as I am soooo tired from trying to juggle all of the last-minute details pertaining to the holidays.

He doubles my vitamins.

He makes me go to bed early.

He calls to see how my day is going.

He tucks chocolate surprises in my purse.

And he takes me to the movies. Because he knows I LOVE going to movies and seeing them unfold on the big screen.

So we went to see "True Grit" last week. It was an escape for me. But this time, Bill was REALLY, REALLY excited to go... because he has been waiting for MONTHS for this movie to debut.

 

 Why? It is one of Bill's all-time FAVORITE movies. He grew up watching the original 1969 version of "True Grit", starring John Wayne.

 
He has watched it so many times that he has the dialogue memorized. And we have this one on DVD:

 

We heard rumor that there would be a 2010 remake of this classic film, starring Jeff Bridges:

 

Bill LOVED the trailers, like this one:

 

What did we think?  Bill is the expert on this one.  BILL LOVED IT! I glanced at him several times in the darkness of the movie theater... and he was grinning from ear to ear. He gives it a Rodgers "9.5" (out of 10).

Bill's favorite lines:

"That's mighty bold talk for a one-eyed fat man..." (Lucky Ned)

"Fill your hands, you son-of-a-bith!" (Rooster Cogburn)

And my favorite line from the 2010 movie:

"I thought you were gonna say the sun was in your eyes... That is to say, your eye" (Texas Ranger LeBuf)

What a kick!

"The Fighter" - Movie Review

Me & Marky Mark Wahlberg go waaaaaaaay back.

 
I met him while he was part of this cool '80s band:

I LOVED to dance to this song:

 

The band broke up. And then he started to appear in movies. This was one of my favorites in the '90s:

 
He kept appearing and disappearing. We watched him in "The Italian Job", "Four Brothers", "Three Kings", "The Happening" and "Planet of the Apes". He had a terrific role in this movie:

 
In "The Departed", his character played out the most satisfying ending to a movie EVER.

He reappeared in "We Own The Night" and "Shooter":

 
Then, to make sure that I did not forget about him-- he showed up in "Date Night" and "The Other Guys". 

Now he is the talk of the town in Hollywood. Bill watched his interview on "60 Minutes" and I watched his latest interview on "Ellen":

 
He is promoting his new movie, "The Fighter":

Which I talked Bill into seeing today:

 
What did we think about it??? WE LOVED IT. The acting was SUPERB. The storyline was engaging. This is not "Rocky"-- it is based on the true story of another boxer and his brother. And we were totally satisfied and WOWED by Mark Wahlberg's performance. I give it a  hard-to-get 9.5 on the Rodgers movie rating scale. Right now it is my SECOND favorite movie of 2010, behind "Inception" (which I just bumped up to a total 10). Why? Because even though I hate boxing, I would pay to see it all over again. The Golden Globes have nominated Mark for "Best Actor", his movie for "Best Picture", and his cast for many "Best Supporting Actor/Actress" categories. They deserve it.

You ROCK, Mark Wahlberg!!!

"RED" - Movie Review

I convinced Bill to take me to the movies on Sunday. Since he was reluctant to go, I picked a movie that I thought he would enjoy.... we went to see "RED":

 
This movie was smart! It was action-packed! It had GREAT one-liners! And I caught Bill and I chuckling a few times (in between car chases, grenade launchers, and assassination attempts). It was almost joyful to see Bruce Willis, Morgan Freeman, John Malkovich and the ice-cold Helen Mirren play "Retired (and) Extremely Dangerous" (=RED) ex-CIA agents counter the CIA operations to take them out of the game.  Richard Dreyfus made a guest appearance as an egotistical millionaire.  And Mary-Louise Parker was just delightful.

 
I give this movie as solid "8" out of 10 on the Rodgers movie-rating scale. It was pure entertainment.

I told Bill that when we get older, he can be a "RED" (a.k.a. retired & extremely dangerous) person and I would like to be a "REI". No, not like "REI" in Pacific Northwest outdoor recreation sales! I want to be "Retired & Extremely INTELLIGENT". It could happen...

AND we saw another awesome trailer for "The Green Hornet", coming in January 14, 2011:

I CAN"T WAIT!

"Life As We Know It"- A Review

On Saturday, I kidnapped Angela to take her to a movie. We went to see:

 
We are both Katherine Heigl fans (from her role on "Grey's Anatomy") and we both love babies!

 
The movie played out just like the trailers hinted; two good-looking single people are named as godparents for the baby of mutual friends. An unfortunate accident leaves the baby without parents and they are both brought together to provide for the baby girl ... unless they can come up with a better plan. Of course they hated each other in the beginning and ... fell in love at the end. {Sorry if I blew the movie for you!} Although the movie plot was quite predictable it was fun to see how a baby can turn someone's live upside-down.

 

I didn't ask Angela what she would rate it (on the Rodgers movie rating scale)-- but I give it a solid "6". 

 I actually had a lot of FUN watching the previews before the movie!! For example, there is a really cute animated film coming out before the holidays called "Gnomeo & Juliet". Who could have guessed that there is a back-story for the garden gnomes people put in their yards???
  
And then we saw the preview for one of my favorite comedies with Ben Stiller... that's right, the second sequel to the original "Meet The Parents":

 
Natasha Rodgers swears that she has never seen a sequel as good as the original. BUT sometimes you just have to let go of any high expectations and let the movie fun unfold... like the classic Robert DeNiro line, "Remember, Jack, you are in my house and... I'll be WATCHING YOU." (insert two fingers waving from your eyeballs to him here). It looks like they are bringing back all of the same cast from the sequel "Meet the Fockers" (where everyone meets Jack's parents) except for Dustin Hoffman as Jack's happy-go-lucky dad. Now it is our turn to meet Jack's kids... otherwise known as "Little Fockers". It is funny just to say it outloud, don't you think?? hahaha

I am HOPING this next movie delivers some GREAT COMEDY right before Thanksgiving:

 
It is by the same director as "The Hangover" -- which tied with "Zombieland" as my TWO FAVORITE MOVIES of 2009! I have seen three trailers for it and I am already planning on dragging Bill to see it with me next month. It better be good...

You can bet that I'll be taking Angela to another chick movie...  :) She didn't even bat an eyelash when I stopped next to the movie poster on our way out and pulled out my camera:

 
After all, she is a Rodgers. Boooooooyaaaaaaah!

"The Town" review

Bill & I treated ourselves to a movie and Mexi today...

I got to pick the movie, so I chose "The Town" with Ben Affleck:

I saw the trailers for this movie all summer. And they intrigued me. This movie was about a group of Charlestown "townies" (near Boston) who are skilled bankrobbers. There is a developing relationship between Ben Affleck's character (who is one of the bank robbers) and a pretty bank manager who was taken hostage during one of their raids but never saw their faces. They have an FBI agent who is breathing down their necks as he puts the pieces of the puzzle together. 

Ben Affleck both directed and starred in this movie and he did an excellent job. The acting was well-done and the story unfolded at a captivating pace. I really couldn't tell where this movie was going-- and I love that. I give it a Rodges rating of "8".  I was entertained! 

"Scott Pilgrim vs. The World" - A Movie Review

Bill & I just returned from a mini-vacation on the peninsula. We had SUCH a great time! We tooks gobs of photos (which means a few blog stories are on their way). Let's just say that it involved many of my favorite things: a ride on a ferry, a rustic cabin with a waterfront view, walks on the beach, a trek through a wildlife game reserve, good food, good books, and even a trip to the movies!

So let me start with the easiest one to blog about... the movie! We drove into Port Angeles to find their local movie theater:

 

Bill let me choose.... So I picked this one:

We settled into our seats and waited for the movie to unfold:

I loved it! It was about a 22 year old nerd (played by Michael Cera) who plays his guitar in a band and has a crush on a girl he met at a party. Little does he know that in order to date her, he will have to fight her seven evil exes (as in ex-boyfriends). It was witty, it was artistic, and very unique. I loved the graphic design of several key movie scenes (like when he kisses her, there are graphic hearts exploding from the kiss). I loved the fight scenes that were depicted as arcade games, showing Scott Pilgrim's point totals and when & where he "leveled up". I loved little pop-up boxes that listed weird and funny facts about his friends. I loved the loud music in the battle of the bands and his crazy 17-year old Asian girlfriend (that he hadn't quite broken up with after he met the cool girl). This movie is QUIRKY, full of EYE CANDY, and lots of FUN!!!  On the Rodgers movie rating scale, I give it a solid "8.5" for pure cinematic originality.

If you take your son or daughter to see it, your "coolness factor" will go WAY UP. Trust me.
 
 

A Perfect Day {Part 2}

We also had plans to spend the evening together with our friends, Kris & Darin:

We met for dinner at one of Bill's favorite restaurants, Asian 1. It is this classy sushi bar with an open, airy floor plan and lovely lighting...

Then we headed to the local movie theater to see "The Other Guys":

Darin smuggled in some Reeses Peanut Butter Cups and Jr Mints (come on, doesn't everyone do this??) and we settled in to check out this summer comedy with Will Farrell and Mark Wahlberg...

 

Will Farrell is a cop who prefers doing crime scene reports and paperwork over hitting the streets. Eva Mendez plays his lovely, seductive wife (that Mark Wahlberg can't believe is married to his anal partner). And Mark Wahlberg is the opposite of Will Farrell-- he is loud, frustrated, wants to see some police action and would do anything to get out of the office.

 

It was funny. Darin loved the car chases because they had muscle cars (Chevys & a Camaro), Kris loved the one-liners that Michael Keaton kept dropping that were TLC songs.  Bill liked this one sequence that showed what Will & Mark's characters did on an after-hours bender (followed by hangovers the next morning). And I think my favorite part was the flashbacks Will Farrell had remembering his college days as a pimp (a.k.a. his "dark" period). I give it a Rodgers rating of "6"--because they showed most of the funny parts of this movie in the movie trailers. (I think Bill will rate it higher.)

As I was getting ready for bed, I spotted this object on my pillow. [insert squeal of joy here]  It was a ring that I had oohed and aahed over at the street fair earlier in the day... with a little note tucked inside that read:

"Sometimes love does mean getting what you really want.... Me"

(Sigh) He really loves me and I love him right back. What a perfect day. :)

 

Babies

I started reading "Eat Pray Love" last night by Elizabeth Gilbert. I noticed this book about a year ago but was not drawn to it enough to buy it. Now that it is coming out as a movie with Julia Roberts, I thought maybe I would reconsider the book before I invest in a movie ticket. You know the cliche' that "the book is always better than the movie"? I happen to believe it is true.

So, this is a biography of a woman in her 40s (check! I am in my 40s) who likes to travel (check! I like to travel) and is trying to find herself (check! I think I have been trying to find myself for the last couple of decades).  In the first chapter of the book, Elizabeth (the author) is explaining what led to her "search for everything across Italy, India and Indonesia". She hints of a breakdown in her marriage and how she had the self-realization that she did not want to have a baby or be a mother (which may or may not have contributed to the end of the marriage). I put the book down for a moment to consider her statement. I IMMEDIATELY felt the opposite. I could not imagine myself NOT wanting to have a baby or to be a mother. Regardless of the fact that I married my high school boyfriend and had three babies before I was 25--if I had the chance to reconsider my life and/or the timing of events, I would do it the same ALL OVER AGAIN. I would want babies and I would want to be a mother. It is innate for me to love and care for something. [And I LOVE my 'somethings'.]

Today, I think I was subliminally continuing this thread throughout my day. Though I am very happy that my own kids are grown up and out of the house... I am in love with another baby. His name is Elijah and he is my son's baby: (P.S. I stole this picture from Angela)

 
  
This spring, an independent movie called "Babies" was showing at select movie theaters. I missed it here but I am patiently waiting for it to come out on DVD. It compares the early lives of four babies on different continents: (Tell me who can resist  the faces of babies??)

 

And I recently stumbled across the blog of a new mother who is on maternity leave from her career. She is not only in love with her new baby, but she wonders what her baby girl is dreaming about while she naps. She (the mother) creates these wonderful scenes with fabric and props around her sleeping baby, photographs them, and then posts them on her blog as  Mila's Daydreams . I adore her imagination and her photography! These images will be priceless in their future... (Of course, I wish I had thought of doing this with my babies!)

What exactly do I love about babies? Well, for starters-- how babies smell right after a bath. A baby's face while it is sleeping. The toothless grin of a baby. The wiggliness of a baby when you are trying to change a diaper. A baby laughing. A baby playing with toys. A baby that holds its hands out to you when you reach for it. A baby's hands holding onto your fingers when it learns how to walk on its tippy-toes. A baby holding a teddy bear. The way a baby rests its head on your shoulder when it is sleeping. A baby sucking its thumb. All of those things are priceless moments when it is YOUR BABY.

(sigh!) I [heart] babies.

Because He Makes Me Smile (Part 2)

We had a very busy week.

We decided to goof off today.

We started with a movie (which is one of my favorite ways to goof off)-- today it was Bill's choice:

 

I didn't mind.... really. Angelina Jolie is a great actress and we like her in different movies for different reasons. (My favorite is "Mr. and Mrs. Smith" with Brad Pitt.) So we got comfortable in our theater seats and got ready to watch "Salt", a spy thriller:

As the movie trailers were playing, Bill reached into his pocket and pulled out movie snacks. He has been known to sneak in chocolate bars or M & Ms for me -- just because. So he nudged me and told me to reach out my hand. In the darkness, he whispered that I should try it. I tilted my hand, opened my mouth and found that I was experiencing a blast from the past..... Pop Rocks! I choked down my giggles and then we took turns pouring Pop Rocks into our mouth and seeing who could "pop" the loudest (thank goodness it was a matinee and there was hardly anyone there!).  What can I say? He is unpredictable like that.

After the movie (I give it a "5"... it had all of the usual elements of a thriller, but her character should have died about 29 times), we went out to lunch. He teased me about having to feed me before I turned into the Sherri Monster (our joke).   I watched Bill play craps at the casino (remember, it was HIS day) and WOO HOO! he won some more $$$ for our vacation fund.  And then we went grocery shopping. As we neared the checkout, I impulsively added a 6-pack of Mike's Hard Lemonades to the cart. Bill said, "We better get those chilled so you can get toasted..." And I started to laugh, because he is so witty.

The bottom line is that no matter what we do or where we are.... he always makes me smile.

Just because.

I love him for that. :)

  

 

The Beauty of "Inception"

As mentioned earlier, I was REALLY looking forward to this summer movie:

So Bill & I went to a Saturday matinee...

This movie was smart. It was captivating. It had unexpected twists. The acting was superb and the characters were very, very interesting...

We have been talking about it all day, trying to fit together bits & pieces of the storyline. Though the special effects were pretty amazing, we were both WOWED by a particular sequence in a hotel without gravity. We put it on the same intelligence level as "The Usual Suspects".

Even the title is clever... in the course of this movie, "inception" is the planting of an idea in a person's head. According to Webster, "inception" means a beginning. Then there is "deception", which is the act of making a person believe what is false. And "perception", which is the act of understanding. Another deviation of the word is "interception", which is the act of seizing/catching/stopping a person/message/ thing from reaching another. All of these derivatives of "Inception" are very provocative concepts.

So I will cut right to the chase... I give it a rock solid "9". I was VERY entertained and VERY satisfied. I highly recommend it... but take your brain with you. You will need it to grasp what is unfolding in front of you.... :) It was TOTAL brain candy!

 

 

"The Sorcerer's Apprentice"-- A Review

Yesterday was my "Friday" from teaching. That's right, I am teaching Biology 100 again at Skagit Valley College during summer quarter.

The good news is: I have most of my material prepared this time around.

The bad news is: I have to squeeze it into 8 weeks, instead of 10.

Bill knew I was working hard (at both of my jobs) so he treated me to a fake Friday night date. We met some friends for dinner at Red Robin [1..2..3..YUM!] and then we went to see Disney's "The Sorcerer's Apprentice":

Maybe I was just tired.  Maybe I am too picky. Bill gives this movie a "7". However, I was disappointed. I might give it a "5"... which pretty much tells me that I could take it or leave it.  The special effects were very good, but the dialogue was pretty corny. Even for a Disney movie. There was magic involved... but it was not magical. (sigh!)

However, it is always fun to get together with Mark and Glenda. Thanks to them, we had a fun "fake Friday" night anyway... :)

Five Things

Here are 5 things on my mind right now:

1) Nick played this song for me in N. Carolina, "Nothin' On You" by B.o.B., featuring Bruno Mars. I not only LOVE the song, the video is just as sweet.

 

2) Movie trailers for "Inception" are showing and I can hardly wait to see it!

3) Summer usually means reruns of our favorite shows on television. However, Wipeout! is back on and that means new obstacle courses, quirky contestants, and more fun with the big red balls ...

4) This  ["BP Spills Coffee"] is the funniest thing I have seen on YouTube lately. You should watch it!

5) When Bill & I travel, there is a good chance I will have time to read fiction. I read two books during our trip to N.C. and this is the one I finished first:

I give it a solid "B".

What is on YOUR mind???
 

Vampires On The Brain

I have always had a "thing" for vampires. This was my favorite vampire movie of the '80s:

 

During Summer 2008, I read all four "Twilight" books by Stephenie Meyer:

Then HBO debuted its series, "True Blood". I asked Bill to watch it with me-- it had potential.

We were both hooked! We watched every single episode of Season 1 until the finale revealed who was killing all of the innocent folks at Bon Temp, Louisiana. (Surprise! It was a human, not those new vampires in town...)  We told Jeremiah & Angela about it and they watched it. Natasha watched it. I think we even had Nick tuned into "True Blood" while he was serving his year in Iraq.

Last year we decided to cancel our HBO to save a few $$. Oh no! No more "True Blood"! We comforted ourselves with the thought that we could wait for Season 2 to come out on DVD.

This spring it was time to renegotiate our cable package and I was able to add HBO again, at no extra cost. After serious channel surfing, HBO began to air last year's "True Blood" episodes in anticipation of their upcoming Season 3.  Oh boy! Season 2!!

Long story short... Bill & I are on a mini-vampire marathon with "True Blood". We are 2/3 into Season 2 and we are captivated! The last three nights in a row, we have watched an episode before bedtime. Now we are both having vampire dreams. We just tell ourselves we will be "cured" once we are all caught up and can get on with our lives again. But, seriously. The trailers for "True Blood" Season 3 are killing me:

And...

And...

 

The tagline for these Season 3 teasers is... "Waiting Sucks". We are so glad we are almost ready for it!
 
 
  

"Robin Hood" , 2010

Bill & I treated ourselves to a movie yesterday. We went to see the new version of "Robin Hood":

I should confess that I have a "thing" with Russell Crowe. We go WAY BACK......

 

We met at Universal Studios during Spring Break '01. I couldn't resist his handsome face... or his impressive physique.  We had a brief "fling" and then we both agreed to return to our regular lives.

Of course, Bill found out about it. He said I had to choose between them. After giving it serious thought (in between rides and attractions) I decided to stay with Bill. Ultimately, Bill is the BETTER MAN. He is strong, he is tender, he is funny and 3-dimensional! He not only listens to me, but he actually talks to me too! He keeps me warm at night, while Russell just laid there (I expected more from him). Bill completes me; whereas Russell seemed to be distracted by his career.

Now that I am over him, I still enjoy his work. He often plays strong, leading male characters that capture your attention. I loved him most in "Gladiator", but I also liked him in "L.A. Confidential", "Master & Commander", "A Beautiful Mind", "3:10 to Yuma" and "American Gangster". As for his current role as Robin in "Robin Hood"--once again, he had great screen presence.

Bill watched a documentary last week on The History Channel which covered the making of this movie. This story focuses on the "back story" of Robin Longstride, how he met his friends and how he became associated with Nottingham.  Bill loved the director's attention to historical detail-- in the dwellings, the weaponry, the social conflicts between nobility & the lower classes, as well as between England & France. 

Bill gave the movie a solid "8" on our rating scale, while I gave it a "7". Why? Though I enjoyed the story, I was secretly expecting more. While the conflicts were well-done, I had a few eyeball-rolls over Robin's relationship with Maid Marion. Oh well... Russell Crowe hasn't lost his touch. His movie should hold it's own until the next summer (potential) blockbuster is released.

Disney's "Oceans" - A Movie Review

I had a most excellent day yesterday. I had the day off, so I treated myself to a movie matinee.

What did I see? Any guesses?? .... Disney's "Oceans"! I couldn't believe it--- I had the entire theater all to myself at 10:00 a.m.. So I sat in the middle seat of the middle row (heaven!). I had a box of Dots and a VitaWater (so my snacks cancelled each other out). And then the movie began...

I think I grinned from ear to ear the entire movie. I had goosebumps on my arms. I sometimes sat on the edge of my seat. I think I held my breath a few times IN COMPLETE AWE. It was PURE JOY to watch. It made my inner marine biologist SO HAPPY. I saw animals and interactions that I know and LOVE.I saw a few organisms that I had never seen before. I heard mermaids singing in my head. I felt the RUSH of oceanic waves. I remembered the calm I used to feel while diving in kelp forests. I could almost smell the salt. This documentary was SIMPLY AMAZING.

 
What will I rate it? Hmmmm..... This is the perfect analogy in my world. Remember Ralphie Parker in the movie, "A Christmas Story"?

 

Well, Ralphie is dreaming of getting a Red Ryder BB gun for Christmas. Coincidentally, his elementary school teacher instructs the whole class to write a "theme" paper on the subject, "What I Want For Christmas". 

 
Ralphie, of course, writes about the glory associated with owning a Red Ryder BB gun. And in his head, he fantasizes that his teacher is reading his theme paper. Do you remember THAT moment? Do you remember what grade his teacher gave his paper??

THAT is what I give Disney's "Oceans"....

I give it an A... +   +   +    +   +   +   +    +    +   +!!!

"Alice in Wonderland"-- For Grown-ups or For Kids??

During Mom's Weekend at WSU, we went to see the movie, "Alice in Wonderland":

This is director, Tim Burton's version of the classic fairy tale. When I think of Tim Burton-- I think of "Edward Scissorhands", "Beetlejuice", and the last "Charlie & The Chocolate Factory".  His movies are loaded with eccentric characters, visual elements, and dark storylines. This updated "Alice in Wonderland" fit those traits EXACTLY.

 

Tim Burton is close to Johnny Depp (a.k.a. The Mad Hatter) and they do a lot of movies together (ex. "Edward Scissorhands", "Charlie & The Chocolate Factory", "Ed Wood", "Sleepy Hollow", "Sweeney Todd"). Tim also likes to work with Helen Bonham Carter (a.k.a. The Queen of Hearts) who lands a lot of leading roles in his movies too (ex. "Planet of the Apes", "The Corpse Bride", "Big Fish", "Sweeney Todd"). 

This movie is not based on the original version of young Alice falling down the rabbit hole. Rather more adapted from the sequel, "Through the Looking Glass". In the movie, an older Alice is about to be proposed to (in marriage) at a lavish English garden reception. She runs away, chases a rabbit, and THEN falls down a rabbit hole. This movie is eye-candy for adults with many visual effects (ex. the Cheshire Cat) and beautiful details (Alice's wardrobe changes are divine). I am not sure kids would understand all of the nuances between the warring queens or the changing politics of Wonderland. However, for adults-- the dialogue is very, very witty and I personally loved all of the exaggerations of both main and background characters.

We liked it! I give it a 7.5 on the Rodgers movie rating scale. Though I know the classic tale well, I was very entertained.  As for Tim Burton-- BRAVO! for your ability to transform any story into a captivating cinematic experience.  [ P.S.  My personal favorite Tim Burton movie is "Big Fish".]

10 Things I Love Right Now...

It is time for a new Sherri's Top Ten List!  Are you ready?

1) It may be spring but there is still a chill in the air. I have been warming up in the morning with a Starbucks Vanilla Chai Latte (I hate coffee) (extra hot so it will last for awhile) and a molasses cookie. YUM!

 

2) Did you know that we are only a week away from Disney's new movie, "Oceans"???? I can hardly wait!

3) Natasha made a music CD for me to listen to on my way home last weekend. I think this British pop/punk singer is pretty fabulous. Her name is Lily Allen and I have been humming one of her tunes all week... Her lyrics are clever and sassy and her accent is adorable.

4) This song was also on Natasha's music mix and I recognized it immediately:

"Be OK" by Ingrid Michaelson. After surviving a week like this, I know that I will also "Be OK"!

5) My sweet chicken, Chickita, is back on the egg-train! 

She took two months off from egg-laying duty due to molting. Why?? Birds often "molt", or replace feathers, once a year and when that is happening-- it is too energy-expensive to lay eggs and regrow feathers at the same time. Chickita's eggs are unique-- she is the only chicken in my group that lays lovely, lovely green eggs.

We LOVE Chickita's green eggs!

6) OMG! The TV show, "Glee" is back! Hooray!!! Their new episode aired this week without missing a beat from where they left off with this musical-high-school-drama:

 

The cheerleader coach, Sue Sylvester, is still as mean as ever as she is back to take down her nemesis, the Glee Club.  I am already looking forward to next week as they are doing a Madonna-theme!

7) I can't help but smile every time I see this commercial for Amazon Kindle.  The stop-motion animation is fabulous down to the minute details...

 

8) I had a craving for Swedish (gummy) fish yesterday. I stopped at the store, bought a bag, and even incorporated them into my Biology 100 exam today!

At the beginning of the hour, I passed out the exams and then had each student take a gummy fish from my bag. I used it as a "prop" for Question #5 that read, "Examine the object Sherri has given you. If this were REAL, which kingdom would it belong in?"  I haven't graded exams yet, but I seriously hope every student got this particular question RIGHT. ha! [Answer: Kingdom Animalia]

9) Another one of my favorite TV shows is about to climax. Project Runway (Season 7) is now down to their final three fashion designers to compete during Fashion Week in Bryant Park. I was rooting for different designers along the way... My new favorite is Seth Aaron Henderson from Vancouver, WA. He is slightly eccentric in personality, dresses like a preppy punk rocker, loves vinyl and lots of zippers. Would I wear his clothes? No, not me. BUT... he is very, very creative and innovative in all of his endeavors. His clothing is meticulously made. He is a family man and loves his wife & kids. I like that he is willing to take risks. 

Underneath his spiky, black-dyed hair, tattoos and black fingernail polish-- he is very grounded. He is confident without back-stabbing his fellow fashion designers. Good luck, Seth Aaron!

9) I am soooooo relieved. I am finished lecturing on chemical compounds:

[This is NH3; also known as ammonia.] On Monday, I can begin a new set of lectures on CELLS:

10) College exams don't have to be all work and no play. I had a chemistry professor many years ago that always put a cartoon on the last page of his exams. Though I struggled with that course (my "ah-haaaa!" moment for Chemistry happened a year or two later), he always made me feel better on the last page. When I became a professor-- I adopted his practice. Here is a classic "The Far Side" cartoon by Gary Larson that usually shows up once in my exam pages:

 

Happy Friday!

"Clash of the Titans" 2010

All week long, Bill made different suggestions of things we could do for my upcoming birthday. I opted for keeping it simple, so instead of going out of town-- we stayed in town. On the short list of birthday activities was this:

We went to the movies today to see the new "Clash of the Titans".  I didn't choose it for the 3-D option; instead, we chose the regular 2-D. I didn't choose it because it is the newest (potential) blockbuster -- I chose it because it has signficance to Bill & I. 

Here is the back story:

Many, many moons ago, we were newlyweds and Bill was a soldier in the U.S. Army. He was training for an entire summer in Georgia and I flew to meet him for a final ceremony. We were young and poor and at that time, kidless. So we bought bus tickets to make our way back home to the Pacific Northwest. This roadtrip took several days. Along the way, our bus stopped in Chicago and we had several hours before the next bus departed. So we left the terminal to explore the city-- on foot. We were in downtown Chicago -- who knows whether it was the "good part of town" or not. On that morning, we came across an old theater and it was showing the 80's version of "Clash of the Titans" at 10:30 a.m. We have always been movie fans, so .... why not? Once inside the theater (which was nearly empty), it blew our minds! It was huge, with balconies and side seating boxes. There were rich velvet curtains everywhere and worn velvet seats. It was elegant and fabulous... a former theatrical treasure. So we sat somewhere in this huge theater and watched this:

We have always teased each other about our Chicago movie experience... and how it seemed like the perfect thing to do on that weekday morning.

With that in mind, we went to see the new 2010 release for comparison:

Today, we whispered over some of the parts. We snickered at times. We rolled a few eyeballs. I was more critical of this movie than Bill was-- I gave it a 6 on the Rodgers movie rating scale. It was loaded with special effects, eerie monsters and mythical creatures. BUT it lacked substance. I found myself thinking, "Seriously?!" too many times to count. I guess we are getting sophisticated in our "middle age" and can see beyond the computer-generated "WOW" factors. I will also say that I liked the corny Kraken from the 80's version better:

Ha!

Don't let me stop you from going to the movies! Just pick a different one to spend your $$$ on.