Movie Delight Monday

Happy Monday, y'all!  Hope your weeks start out in fantabulous fashion. 

Since we're well into October, I feel that it's necessary for my Movie Delight Mondays to consist of thriller/horror films.  First, let me inform y'all that I'm the biggest chicken that ever lived.  Seriously, I can't watch scary movies.  I love them, but they freak me out to such an extent that it's hardly worth putting myself through it.  Let me be clear:  I will watch horror movies this month because it's necessary.  However, due to my watching said films, I'll be checking closets, behind shower curtains and the backseat of my car for weeks after this month is over with.

That being said, today I'm covering one of my all-time favorites in the horror movie genre.  I think I can better handle this trilogy because it's sort of.... almost.... kinda like a spoof.  It started out with the intention of  being the horror film that made fun of horror films, but turned into a series of films with a cult following - and a fourth installment in the works.  That's right, I'm talking about

The Scream Trilogy

The first film starts out with the awesome Drew Barrymore sporting an awful platinum-blonde wig, in the stereotypical girl-alone-at-night situation.  Creepy guys calls, starts a conversation, then proceeds to scare the bejeezus out of generic pretty girl.  Just when you think she'll be saved - nope, dead girl hanging from tree. 

The opening scene is more of a mood-setter than anything.  You're aware the film is going to be full of horror movie no-nos, but also a bit scary. 

After this, we're introduced to our main character, Sidney (played by the somewhat-annoying but still lovable Neve Campbell).  Poor Sidney's mother was murdered one year ago, supposedly by Cotton Weary.  Suddenly two students are murdered, bringing attention back on Sidney's mother. Dad has to go out of town (of course), so she's going to be home alone - GASP! - for a few days.  Not to worry, though, because her creepy boyfriend Billy (Skeet Ulrich) had an affection for crawling into her bedroom window at night and pressuring her to have sex.

Sidney is surrounded by Billy and her friends, slutty Tatum (Rose McGowan), her boyfriend Stu (Matthew Lillard, who I LOVE in this film) and film fanatic Randy (Jamie Kennedy).  Randy is the one who's always making references to films, explaining the "rules" to both the characters and the viewers of the film.  Also on hand are Tatum's older brother Dewey (David Arquette), the inept deputy who wants to be a hero, and reporter Gale Weathers (Courteney Cox-Arquette) who's just trying to get to Sidney for a story.

The killer begins stalking Sidney via phone, and suddenly she's under attack by a crazed killer donning a Halloween costume/ghost mask. More people start to die (obviously), most of which have broken a rule of the horror genre.  The film reaches a climax at a house party, full of underage kids drinking and watching Halloween while Randy explains the rules in detail. 

 Eventually the killer is revealed and everyone is shocked by who it is.  Battle royale between killer and Sidney ensues, and the film ends with creepy alternative music playing as police cars arrive on the scene of the mass murders.   

Scream 2 starts out by catching us up with the survivors from the first film.  Sidney and Randy are in college, and slowly moving on with their lives.  Sidney has gotten over her boyfriend issues and is dating a hunky frat boy, Derek (Jerry O'Connell).                      

                            

Cotton Weary, who had been originally charged with Sidney's mother's murder, is out of prison now, and wants to cash in on his personal suffering. Gale has written a story about the Woodsboro murders, which has been turned into a film.  The film promotes a craze, and Dewey joins Sidney at school for fear that she'll need protection.  He's right, because suddenly it seems like a copycat killer is on the loose, and he's after Sidney.  

I like the second installment because it makes use of the college setting to massacre ditzy blonde sorority girls and address the issue of Greek partying in excess.  (If you party, you die.)  Some interesting characters meet unfortunate ends in this film, but it's still a good one.

Scream 3 takes place in California.  Yet another installment of the "Stab" movies is being made, and a series of murders bring up Sidney's mother.  Sidney, who's been in hiding since the nightmare of college, decides to got to Hollywood to find out more about her mother.  Of course, as soon as she hits the movie lot, the killer is after her.  Gale and Dewey join Sidney, and Cotton Weary also shows up in the film, if only for a short time.

Parker Posey plays Jennifer, who will be playing Gale Weathers in Stab 3, and thus begins following Gale around in an effort to learn more about her for acting purposes.  After realizing cast members of the film are being killed in order they are supposed to die in the script, it's decided that Jennifer is the next victim.  Together Sidney, Gale, Dewey and Detective Kincaid (played by the totally hot Patrick Dempsey) set out to find out who the killer is before another murder takes place, and help Sidney solve the mystery of her mother as well.  

Yet again, it's a constant ball of confusion over whodunit, because just when you think you know who the killer is, that person is murdered. 

I don't want to spoil it for anyone who hasn't seen the films yet, so I won't say who the killers are in any of the films, or what the mystery of Sidney's mother turned out to be.   I will say, though, that if you've never taken the time to watch these films, DO IT NOW.  They're all great!

Also, on a totally awesome side note, a fourth installment of the Scream series just wrapped filming last month, with original stars Neve Campbell, David Arquette and Courteney Cox-Arquette returning.  Joining them are some younger stars such as Emma Roberts and Hayden Panetierre.  Both Kevin Williamson and Wes Craven have supposedly signed on for a three-part series, since originally the Scream movies were intended to be only a trilogy.   I'm so excited about this film, and can't wait to see it (release date is set for April 2011)!

Totally Rad Like, For Sure 90s Week: Day Two- The Movies

Since today is typically Movie Delight Monday, for Day Two of my

I'll be covering the best movies of the 90s.   

Since it would be IMPOSSIBLE to list all of the great movies that came out of the 90s (because there's a bunch of 'em), and because I could never narrow down my absolute favorite film of each genre, I've decided to give you the best-selling movie from each genre during the 90s.  I know for most of us older folks, when we think of the 90s we're actually thinking EARLY 90s, but by rule I had to include movies all the way up to 1999.  This is according to box office sales and has nothing to do with my opinion.

Best Action Film: 

Independence Day

This is one of my personal favorite movies from the 90s, mostly because I love Jeff Goldblum and partly because I enjoy Will Smith, Randy Quaid and Bill Pullman. 

Best Adventure Film:

Jurassic Park

Again, Goldblum is fabulous (the 90s were a good decade for him), and who didn't love seeing dinosaurs for REAL?  Best quote from this film:

"God creates dinosaurs. God destroys dinosaurs. God creates man. Man destroys God. Man creates dinosaurs."........ "Dinosaurs eat man. Woman inherits the earth."

Best Animated Film:

The Lion King

I remember the first time I saw this film, and I was blown away by the sheer greatness of not only the characters, but the music also.  Still one of my favorite Disney movies, and one of my daughters' favorites, too.

Best Comedy Film:

Mrs. Doubtfire

One of my favorite movies, Robin Williams is genius in this film.  The scene with the gay brother and his boyfriend making the costume is the best scene in the movie.

Best Historical Drama:

Titanic

Yeah, it was a good movie.  No, it wasn't worthy of the ridiculous hooplah that came along with it.  And no, it definitely did not need to be three exhausting hours long.  (This was back when I thought Leo was a hottie though, so I have seen it entirely too many times.)

Best Romantic Drama:

Forrest Gump

One of Tom Hanks' most acclaimed roles, and one of my favorites of his (next to Big, The Money Pit and A League of Their Own).  Another really long movie, but this one you don't get tired of halfway through. 

Best Family Movie (not an actual genre, I know):

Home Alone

This movie is great.  I watch it every year from Thanksgiving to Christmas (along with Christmas Vacation and How The Grinch Stole Christmas).  My oldest daughter just discovered this one, and loves it already. 

Best Horror Movie:

Scream

I. Love. This. Movie.  I love all three of the movies, and can't wait for the fourth one to come out.  I think this was a beyond-brilliant idea, and it forever changed the way horror movies were made (and spoofed).  Also, Matthew Lillard was great in this film.   

Best Sci-Fi Movie:

Men In Black

This one surprised me.  Yeah, it's mildly entertaining on a holiday when there's nothing else to do and you're flipping through the channels looking for something anything to watch.  Other than that, I'm not really a huge fan.  Yes, I like Will Smith, yes I like Tommy Lee Jones and yes they have some humorous banter in the film.  Still, the movie was mediocre.  Plus, that ridiculous song gets stuck in your head and won't go away for HOURS.

Best Thriller:

The Sixth Sense

This one was one of those where at the end you went, "WHAT?!" and then the next time you watch it you catch all of the obvious hints that Bruce Willis is dead.  Haley Joel Osment is a super-talented actor and this movie showed it.  Not one of my favorite films, but still a pretty good storyline. 

I've decided to include an honorary genre: Best Film that started new fashion trends, slang and became a generation movie.  There's really only one movie that fits the bill, and I'm sure you know which film I'm talking about:

CLUELESS

 You can't think of the 90s without this movie coming to mind.  I LOVE it. 

What are your faves?

Be sure to check in tomorrow for Day Three of Totally Rad Like, For Sure 90s Week:  The Music!

Movie Delight Monday

Well folks, today is my last day of summer.  I work tomorrow, and then I will officially be a college sophomore come Wednesday.  I will not freak out I will not freak out I will not freak out.

In celebration of my delayed return to school,  I've decided to cover a film that focuses on the grandness of childhood and why sometimes it's easier to stay a kid and refuse the whole grownup thing.  

I know most of you will not have seen this one.  I won't even be surprised if you've never heard of it, either.  99% of my friends who have seen it only watched because I bugged them about it until they caved.  Now it's one of their favorites, of course. 

Released in 1991, one of the best stupid comedies ever made (in my opinion):

 It stars one of my favorite late 80s/early 90s actresses, Phoebe Cates.  Guys remember her mostly for the pool/bathroom scene in Fast Times at Ridgemont High.  I also loved her in Shag (another of my all-time favorite films). 

Also starring as Fred is British comedian Rick Mayall, who I have never seen in any other film or television show.  Ever. However, after checking out his bio on IMDB I've learned that he's done quite a bit of work in the UK.

The story begins with a little girl in her bed at night, with mother reading a story about a princess.   After a moment the girl asks her mother how she knows they lived happily ever after.  Her mother responds, "Because she was a good little girl.  If she had been naughty, the prince would have run away."  The little girl replies, "What a pile of sh#@." 

Fast-forward to present day, and Lizzie is all grown up.  She has the perfect husband (played by Tim Matheson), a great job, the perfect life.  Suddenly it all falls apart, and she goes home to stay with her mother (Marsha Mason, who really scared me as a kid.  Think Joan Crawford in Mommie Dearest).  Lizzie's emotional state causes her childhood imaginary friend, Fred, to reappear.  

 Flashbacks show us various shenanigans young Lizzie (played by the adorable Ashley Peldon) got into with Fred, such as playing "burglars" and robbing her own house, making mud pies on the dining room table and cutting her hair.

Fred caused so much trouble for Lizzie that her mother got rid of him by taping shut the jack-in-the-box that Fred lives in.  The disagreement about Fred between her parents was also the last straw on their failed marriage, prompting Lizzie's dad to leave them. 

As Lizzie tries to get her life back, Fred interferes and causes problems at every turn.  People start to think Lizzie's crazy because she can see Fred and have conversations with him, but obviously no one else can see him.

Enter childhood friend Mickey Bunce (played by Ron Eldard), who seems amused by Lizzie's bizarre behavior.  They start to get closer - much to the dismay of a jealous Fred - and Lizzie's world just gets even more dysfunctional. 

Fred's antics lead to a houseboat disaster, a mall assault and a boardroom freak-out by Lizzie's best friend Janie (Carrie Fisher). Eventually Lizzie starts to get her old life back, only to realize it might not be what she really wants. 

This film is basically just a fun glimpse at what life with an imaginary friend would be like.  I never had imaginary friends (probably because I had siblings and about a dozen cousins) so I think if I had one, I'd want it to be someone like Fred!

Fantabulous Friday

First, let me say that today is in and of itself FANTABULOUS for two specific reasons:

1.  I was featured on blogging pal Nicole's blog It's All Random today.  Yay! Thanks, Nicole.

2.  On another blog I follow, Girl About Business, I won a giveaway contest, and will soon be the happy owner of a new book!

So go check out my friends and give them some love, because, well, they're fantabulous!

For today's post, I decided to get all melancholy on y'all and talk about the past.  Our subject for today:

THE 90s

Yep, I'm going to give y'all the best (and worst) fads of the early 90s. 

THE MUSIC

We had MC Hammer telling us we couldn't touch this, Vanilla Ice bragging about how gangster he was, New Kids on the Block serenading us, the Spice Girls telling us what we want, what we really really want, and Hanson Mmmbopping us to death. 

As much as we all try to deny it, the music we danced around to was - for the most part - terrible.  But at the time, we loved it!

THE MOVIES

Buffy was a badass, Clueless started the "whatever" craze, Forrest Gump told us about his momma, Jurassic Park made us afraid of dinosaurs and Austin Powers made us want to ask, "Shall we shag now or shag later?" I don't care what anyone says, films from the 90s were some of the best there are.  Yeah, baby!

THE TELEVISION

I could go on for days about all of the shows I watched in the 90s that I still love to this day.  There was Saved by the Bell, Blossom, Boy Meets World, Family Matters, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, Alex Mac, Hey Dude, Clarissa Explains it All, All That, Salute Your Shorts, TRL, Singled Out, My So-Called Life, Daria, Real World, just to name a few.  Loved 'em all!

Now for some of the biggest - and most annoying/awful fads there were:

POGS

When I was in fourth grade these things took over our school.  I'm not kidding, it was Pog-a-palooza at every lunch break, recess break, before and after school and sometimes during class.  Eventually our school banned them completely.


SPANDEX PANTS WITH NEON SOCKS
SCRUNCHED DOWN AND HIGH TOP SHOES

Seriously, I don't know who thought this looked good, but everyone was wearing it.  Kids, moms, teenagers, everybody.  We also wore oversized t-shirts and tied the ends in a knot or used one of those little circle things.  Thought we were so cool.                                                       

TROLL DOLLS

                                                                                 

My older sister had about fifty of these evil little dolls.  I hated them.  They creeped me out. 

SCRUNCHIES

Between me and my sister, we had about two hundred of these things.  Every color you could think of, polka dots, stripes, plaid, logos, some with characters on them, tye-dyed... 

I don't know where they all disappeared to.  I imagine Mom donated them to Goodwill.  So maybe someone, somewhere is still stylin' the scrunchy.

SURGE    

                                                                                                  

This drink hit our area seemingly overnight and it was what everyone was drinking.  Tasted like Mountain Dew with twice as much sugar and carbonation, but we drank it anyway.  So glad it fizzed out quickly.

That's all I've got for today.  Partly because my brain is tired, and partly because I got tired of googling pictures of this stuff!

Makes you want to dig through your attic and find your old clothes for a flashback fashion show, doesn't it?  And while you're at it, pull out the old pogs and have a tournament.

No?

Me neither.

Movie Delight Monday

Yes sirree, it's that time again.  Monday.  Ugh.

Starting a new week, lugging along, just waiting for Wednesday - because we all know once you reach Hump Day the rest is easy peasy. 

In accordance to the previous declaration of a heretofore mentioned appointment of assigned days of blogging (you can be impressed, it's okay), today has been deemed

MOVIE DELIGHT MONDAY.

Just makes you feel all tingly inside, doesn't it?

So, today I present to you one of my favorite 90s movies:

Goldie Hawn, Meryl Streep and Bruce Willis star in this delightfully dark comedy about frenemies and the man they both loved. 

Helen Sharp is a smart, plain-Jane woman, who brings dorky fiance' Dr. Ernest Menville to meet her best friend Madeline Ashton, a blonde singer/actress.  Madeline woos Ernest away from Helen, and Helen turns into a fat,  icing-eating slob with dozens of cats.  Obsessed with revenge, Helen makes some changes...

Years later Madeline and Ernest, stuck in a loveless relationship, are reunited with the new-and-improved Helen. An affair, murder plots and hilarity ensue.

Bruce Willis is wonderfully dense as Dr. Menville, and Streep and Hawn are entertaining to say the least.  This film had great special effects for early 90s production, and director Robert Zemeckis did an excellent job.   

NOTE TO PARENTS:  There are boobies shown in this film, and adult humor throughout.