A Blog Worth Reading

Hey guys.  I'm going to bail on the A-to-tha-Zizzle challenge, because - let's be honest - it was getting boring.  Also, I'm not one for challenges that last longer than a day or two.  My attention span is equal to that of a second grader.  So yes, I'm a quitter.  Proud of it. 

Anyhoo,  enough of that malarkey. 

I follow a few dozen blogs, about 10 or so of which I read on a daily basis.  Some are hilarious, some are nonsensical (like mine), some are about travel, family, jobs, music, movies or books, and then there are a few that touch on very real and important topics.  One such blog is Why Am I Not Surprised? by Changeseeker.

http://whyaminotsurprised.blogspot.com

This blog happens to be written by my sociology professor, and to say the woman is an eye opener is putting it mildly.  The very first day of class she told a room full of students about where she came from, who she is and why she became that way.  She has endured struggles in her life - two of which I don't know that I would be strong enough to endure were they to happen to me.  She overcame poverty, hardships, loss and discrimination to gain her education, her outlook on life and her absolutely wonderful opportunity to share with young students every day.   She is completely passionate about what she does, which nowadays is rare for a college professor.  On more than one occasion during a lecture she has provoked within me many strong emotions: shock, remorse, anger, shame and even a little bit of self-loathing once.  

Changeseeker is a supporter of many different causes, and her blog is reflective of that.  She's an excellent writer, and I highly suggest you go take a peek at her page and become a follower.  She may make you uncomfortable with truths you didn't want to know, but you'll be a better person because of her.  I know I am.

A-to-tha-Zizzle: J

Today I want to share with y'all not just a list of films that begin with the letter J.  Oh no, it goes much deeper than that.  J has brought us two of the most awesome, most fantabulous actors in the ENTIRE HISTORY OF FILM.  So that's who I'm talking about today.  You know 'em, you love 'em:

Johnny Depp and Jim Carrey

That's right.  The dudes who were cool before cool was cool.   (They're also on my Freebie List.  Just putting it out there in the universe....)

First up:  Mr. Depp

Rawr.

 

Johnny Depp has played an array of characters so convincingly that many wonder if he's not schizophrenic.  I say he's just THAT talented.   Costars have said that when he's filming a movie he becomes the character he's playing, and he stays in character both on set and off.  He eats, drinks, thinks and acts like that character until the film is complete.  I love that.
Just a few of his most awesome characters:

• Edward Scissorhands
• Ichabod Crane
• John Dillinger
• Sweeney Todd
• The Mad Hatter
• Willy Wonka
• Mort Rainey
• Sands
• George Jung
• Don Juan DeMarco
• Ed Wood
• Gilbert Grape
• Cry-Baby
• Captain Jack Sparrow

I don't care what the film is about, but if Mr. Depp is starring in it, I'm watching it.

The other most awesome dude ever:

Jim Carrey

From the first time I saw him, donning a leotard and makeup with his hair in pigtails on an episode of In Living Color, I knew this guy was special.   He can do drama, suspense and flat-out weird, but what Mr. Carrey does best is funny. 

Jim's list of fabulous roles:

• Ace Ventura
• The Riddler
• Truman Burbank
• Dick Harper
• Bruce Nolan
• The Grinch
• Fletcher Reed
• Stanley Ipkiss
• Lloyd Christmas
• Charlie Baileygates/Hank Evans
• The Cable Guy
• Walter Sparrow

Carrey does physical comedy like nobody's business, and I think my most favorite moments of his are the outtakes or random moments when he's just being himself.  He rocks my socks off.



Of course, I can't do J justice without giving an honorable mention to the most awesome J chick in the land:

Julia Roberts

I just love her!

Sorry to make this a short one, but I have an exam tomorrow (last one before finals - YAY!) so I've gotta hit the books.  Check ya later!

A-to-tha-Zizzle: HI

HI y'all!  When I decided to combine H and I, I thought it would be a breeze because there can't be THAT many films that start with the letters H and I that I absolutely love....I was wrong.  So, so wrong.  Just a few of the H films I love are:

Hairspray (original AND remake)

Young, large and sassy Tracy Turnblad just wants to dance on the Corny Collins show - oh and she's all for big hair and integration, too!

I love John Waters' version with Ricki Lake because it just rocks my socks off.  However, I also love Zac Efron and John Travolta, so the new version was pretty awesome too.  Both soundtracks are awesome!

Halloween

The scariest dude in the history of horror films, Michael Myers, walks around slowly tormenting and murding the young horny folks in town.  Poor Jamie Lee. 

Harry Potter (entire series)

Harry Potter lives with his awful aunt, uncle and cousin until one day he learns he is a wizard, and then it's off to the magical Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, where he meets a plethora of fabulous characters and faces crazy situations for the next six years. The novels were delightful and the films did not disappoint.  They all absolutely live up to the hype.

The Hand that Rocks the Cradle

Claire has just delivered a newborn baby after having pressed sexual harrassment charges against her OBGYN, who committed suicide after Claire's accusation encouraged dozens of other pregnant women to come forward as well.  Claire runs her own greenhouse and has another child, so she and her husband decide to hire a nanny.  Enter sweet, gentle Peyton.  Unfortunately for Claire and her family, Peyton didn't tell them that she's the widow of Claire's deceased doctor, and she's out for revenge...

The first thriller I ever saw in the theater.  My mom covered my eyes during the opening scenes.  Rebecca DeMornay plays crazy convincingly well. 

Heavyweights

LOVE this film about a bunch of overweight misfits all sent to a fat camp for the summer.  Very few people know Ben Stiller is in this one as the obsessive weight loss guru. 

The lovable Camp Hope is a place for young, overweight boys to spend a summer learning how to eat healthy and be active.  When Gerry arrives, however, he and his co-campers soon learn that the camp has been sold to psychotic fitness guy Tony Perkins, who wants to use the kids to make a weight loss video and start his empire.


 

History of the World, Part I

Ah, Mel Brooks, how do I love thee?  This is a comical review of the beginning of time onward through history.  Very entertaining, just don't use it as a resource for your history papers.

Hocus Pocus

One of my favorite Halloween films.  Bette Midler, Kathy Najimy and Sarah Jessica Parker as three witches trying to steal the souls of all the children in Salem before sunrise.  Fun!

Honey, I Shrunk the Kids

I used to wish my dad was an inventor so he could shrink me and my sister down to miniature size so we could go on an adventure like the Kowalskis.
 

Hook


Dustin Hoffman as Hook, Robin Williams as Peter Pan.  Peter Panning's kids are kidnapped by the awful Captain Hook, so he has to go to Neverland (with the help of Tink, played by Julia Roberts) and re-befriend the Lost Boys in order to get them back. 

 Awesomeness.  RU-FI-OOOOHHHHHHH!

The Hot Chick

Rob Schneider and Rachel McAdams trade places in this hilarious film.  Anna Faris is also stupidly charming, as she is in every movie.  Love it!

House Bunny




Anna Faris strikes again.  Clueless Shelly gets kicked out of the Playboy mansion when she turns 27, so she takes on the role of house mother for a flailing sorority of misfits.  She gives them makeovers and teaches them how to be hot.  Colin Hanks is adorable and lovable in this film, as is Emma Stone!


 And, of course, the lovely letter I:

Independence Day


Will Smith and Jeff Goldblum kick some serious alien booty in this film.  Adding to the awesome cast are Randy Quaid and Bill Pullman.

Now that's what I call a close encounter! 








In & Out



Beloved small town teacher (Kevin Kline) is happily engaged until a former student-turned-megastar thanks him at an awards show and "outs" him.  Shocked, he starts to wonder if he is, in fact, gay.  Another awesome cast, with Matt Dillon, Joan Cusack and Tom Selleck.








Interview with the Vampire

Brad Pitt plays melancholy vampire Louis hoping to share his tale with a dimwitted journalist (Christian Slater).  He tells of the vampire Lestat (Tom Cruise) turning him, and then later how they "saved" the young Claudia (Kirsten Dunst), only to have Lestat become a nightmare.  Antonio Banderas also has an appearance as a sexy, moody vampire Louis encounters in Paris.

Happy Day after Gaga!

I was supposed to continue April's A-to-tha-Zizzle Challenge yesterday with the letter H, but I was so busy getting ready for Lady Gaga's Monster Ball Tour that I completely forgot.  So, tomorrow I'll be posting on the letters H and I, which I will refer to as the HI post (yeah, that's funny isn't it? I promise I didn't plan that!)

My sister, cousin and I decided to dress up for the concert since we figured when else is it acceptable to dress ridiculous (besides Halloween and Mardi Gras, that is), and this is what we looked like:

We also added fake eyelashes on the way, so just imagine us with hot pink, lime green and rainbow-colored eyelashes in addition to the other stuff.  We were HOT. 

When we got to the arena people started asking us to take pictures with them.  We met all kinds of Gaga freaks and took dozens of pictures with them.  Our tickets were in the nosebleeds because we bought them a few weeks after they had gone on sale, but while we were walking around on the main floor a security guard let us in on the first level.  We were PSYCHED!  We went from awful seats to excellent seats. 

She put on a great show!  We had a blast. 

However, due to the excitement over Gaga I neglected my studies all weekend.  Time to study!