A New Year...

...and I guess it is finally time for a new post.

I just spent the past *hour* on itunes looking for songs.

Seriously - I can't get enough music. And I just got the new Squirrel Nut Zippers album for Christmas (Bedlam Ballroom). It is very good - little salsa style in there. Lots of fun to dance to in the kitchen while cooking.

I am also finding...that I like Amy Winehouse. Seriously - girl has a voice. I just might have to buy one of her songs.

And, I am also liking another version of "The First Cut is the Deepest". I have the Cat Stevens, but this other one I found is more interesting. I do not like the Sheryl Crow version.

And I finished watching Tess of the D'ubervilles. GO TO PBS NOW AND VIEW IT!!!

So good...I mean totally watered down, but REALLY good.

It did, however, make me scream not so polite things at the screen. One example would be when I yelled "HIT HIM AGAIN!". El hubbster told me to take a chill pill. And also when the hubbster asked for a description of Alec D'uberville (because he wondered in half way through and got into it and wanted to know more)
and I explained

***warning - my explanation is quite explicit. The faint of heart should look for the next set of ****'s *****

that he was a man who deserved "to be headbutted and then have his balls cut off."

I was told that my description was quite crass. Good thing I didn't mention how he should then be decapitated and his head shoved on a spike with the detached genitalia shoved in his corpsey mouth.

:| What?

Fine - I am being crass. Please forgive me. (though I refuse to edit this post - Alec D'uberville at least got his comeuppance).


********end explicit**************

And I saw "Doubt" and "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button".

:|

I had snow days - what else was I supposed to do!

Doubt was alright - I liked the cast a lot. Meryl Streep should be in every movie - she is AMAZING. And Amy Adams is made of awesome. So is Phillip Seymour Hoffman. I like how they let the movie be just like the play - it has a wonderful ending and it is true to the title.

The CC of BB was made of lame. First of all - I did NOT go to see the movie because of BP. No...see this post for why.

I went to see it because I love Cate Blanchet. Is she not gorgeous? And she can ACT! She made the film.

Otherwise it was just like Forrest Gump if FG was born old.

And I saw Quantum of Solace. It was alright - a bit of loose ties to be tied. Bond is...em. Well, Daniel Craig and Ralph Finnes are my only blond-blue-eyed crushes. *blushes*

Other wise QoS was lame. Daniel Craig was not at ALL.

So, I am also amused by the amount of fan fiction writing I have done - which is none! I need to work on getting it out of my system because I just have all these stories playing around in my head.

Which brings up something I have read - the LAST book in the Princess Diaries Series.

:(

I know - the LAST ONE!

I really like Princess Mia. I don't think I like her decisions in this book, but I really like her. And I am glad that it ended well. The lack of detail in one scene made me want to write PD fan fic! But I refuse since it would be like Ransom of My Heart, the romantic novel Princess Mia "writes".

Yes I read it.

:|

I read it and am affirmed the romance novels are NOT my favorite.

One thing about the last book I adored is how Princess Mia made out in a horse drawn carriage -- that was super cute (I am trying not to give away spoilers in case peeps reading this want to read it).

Oh, I saw Kill Bill (1 and 2). I like Quentin Tarantino - I do. But I don't like the violence...and the misogyny that is trying to disguise itself as feminism. I am disturbed that most females in his move are psycho, physically violent, and extraordinarily beautiful. It just isn't real life.

And as I try to separate the film from the violence, I find what is at the heart of movies I love.

I love interesting characters. I love REALLY quirky characters.

I like unusual plot lines where it is almost predictable what will happen, but then it takes a twist that leads to a more satisfactory ending.

I like stories that are true to the human experience. And I love little details that become vital at the end ('cause I pay attention to little details, but speak in generalities -- basically if I had to give a detailed account it would be TOO detailed).

So, Tarantino appeals to me in the plot. The characters - meh. But his plots are AMAZING!

Wow - this has been a random post - lots of reviews. I would love to hear others opinions in the comments!