Movies

Every step brings you closer to the edge

Posted on February 4, 2014 by momentswithmisty

Fruitvale Station. FVS

Does this sound familiar to anyone? No? It didn’t me either. To be honest when I rented the movie, all I knew about it was that it had Michael B. Jordan in it, and that it had won a bunch of awards at Sundance (not that I cared much about that, I was only interested in MBJ). That’s it. I literally had zero idea what the plot was, I didn’t know that Octavia Spencer was in it, or whether it was even in english. That is how little I knew about it.

And now, I can’t stop thinking about it.

This movie revealed two hard truths to me this weekend:

#1.) I am scarily unobservant.

#2.) Humanity is not as honorable as I like to think.

For those of you out of the loop, like I was, the movie is based on the true story of Oscar Grant. Grant was shot and killed by a BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit) officer on the platform in Fruitvale station in the early morning hours of January 1, 2009. He was 22-years-old, and had a four-year-old daughter. Grant was shot in front of dozens of BART passengers, many of which recorded the incident with their camera phones.

In the movie we see that Oscar Grant is flawed. He cheated on his serious, long-term girlfriend and the mother of his daughter. We see that he is into drugs. We see that he has done jail time. And we see that he has violent tendencies. But we also see that he is tender, charismatic, and trying to do better. He is painted as a young adult trying to figure out his troubled life.

In full disclosure, the movie is obviously biased. I’m not saying that the point of the movie is wrong or right, but they obviously had an agenda. Which is fine. It’s a dramatization, not a documentary, it’s allowed to interpret things however it wants.

After watching the movie (and crying like a little girl) I was curious to see the real parts of this story. So I did some research.  I watched all the direct evidence videos, and read all the court documents, and read lots of other articles on the subject matter, and my personal opinion is that Oscar Grant was executed.

And here’s why…

I think that it’s kind of ridiculous to think that said officer intended to taser Grant, but actually shot him. Aren’t guns generally a lot heavier than tasers? And, do they not have a safety feature that you would have to intentionally turn off to use? Also, I would assume that if you are an officer, you are trained to have your gun and your taser on separate sides of your utility belt? And to know which side is which? If we have officers out there who can make a mix-up of this magnitude, we are all in trouble.

Also, Grant was unarmed, and already restrained. And from eyewitness accounts seemed to be fairly cooperative, unless taunted into being otherwise.

And to pull the racism card, Grant was an African-American male, and they are generally treated unfairly (I would assume this is even more true in the Oakland area). It is a recurring theme if you look into police brutality; you will see African-American males being beating, singled out, and treated unfairly. Racism still exists, and I think it would be foolish to not let that play a part in this tragedy. Even if the officer wasn’t racist, I still think it was a racist act (does that make sense). Let me put it this way, if this was a group of Caucasian kids on a subway in Maryland do you think anyone would have ended up fatally shot?

I think the officer in question should have been punished to the full extent of the law. If the situation was reversed and the officer was African-American, and had fatally shot a Caucasian kid, do you think he would have received the same punishment? My guess is no. He would have most likely been severely punished, and not be made to serve just 11 months for involuntary manslaughter. If this was an isolated incident, my instincts might be to be a bit more lenient. But police brutality occurs on a weekly (if not daily) basis (do the research, the proof is there). And often goes unpunished. They are brutal because they can be. Because there are no repercussions. Where is the justice in that?

Now, back to how I learned how incredibly unobservant I am. This incident was presented and discussed in several media outlets. And I hadn’t heard a single thing about it. It was on the national news, on Youtube, and in magazines. Where was I? It just happened in 2009. I was old enough that I should have some recollection of it. But I can’t pull a single memory of it. And I am ashamed of that. What kind of Midwest bubble do I live in?

And people, though I want to believe they are inherently good, seem to prove just the opposite. I’m not even referring to the people involved in the incident (even though I obviously think there is some not goodness going on in them). I’m looking strictly at the people writing and commenting on this tragedy. People are hateful on both sides of the fence. Whether they believe that Oscar Grant brought this on himself, or whether they believe it was cold-blooded murder, they tend to get hateful about it. No matter which side you choose to take, the best way to win people over to your side is not to get ugly about it. In fact, when someone gets ugly in an attempt to prove their point, it often times backfires on them and it just solidifies the other persons view point. As I’ve said before, you can’t fight hate with hate.

But, don’t take my word on any of this. Watch the movie. Do some research and then make your own judgment.

(Totally trivial side note: I think this is the most shocking Oscar shut out of the year. All the leads deserve some Oscar love. I think it might have even been robbed a Best Picture nom.)

Categories: Entertainment, Movies, Pop Culture | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

A long time ago, we used to be friends

Posted on January 1, 2014 by momentswithmisty

Where was Veronica Mars when I was in high school?

Okay, clearly the show existed but, why didn’t I know about it then?

I AM Veronica Mars. I would be hard-pressed to find a television character more like me. She’s incredibly witty and clever, a little bit snarky…and did I already mention that she is PRIVATE INVESTIGATOR CAPABLE OF FINDING OUT ANYTHING SHE WANTS TO KNOW ABOUT ANYTHING! Um, hello. That’s me.

I need this. I need this moment to talk about it and hope that someone is actually listening to me (because you and I both know that half the time when I’m babbling to my friends they are not really listening/don’t really understand my pain/joy). After binge-watching the whole series, I NEED THIS!

I think the first season was probably one of the best thought-out and planned seasons of television ever written. For real. Who could have predicted all of that. Not me, and I am good at predicting things. Like Veronica Mars good at predicting things (see what I did there?). Every time I thought I had it figured out, something else would happen. Same goes for season two. I thought I had it solved, and then…boom! New clue, new perpetrator. It was fantastic. On top the fantastic story lines, it also had some pretty clever dialogue. Like Gilmore Girls clever, and I appreciate that.

Then along comes season three.

So much word vomit is about to take place.

Like seriously. What?

Season three had a multitude of issues. Don’t get me wrong, I loved every minute of it, but c’mon people. I’ve seen the fact that they had to transition from high school to college as one reason for the many flaws, but let’s not blame that. Smallville dealt with it just fine. I think the main viewing problem that season three had was that is had too many story lines. They should have kept to their already working structure of one major mystery throughout the whole season, with minor mysteries sprinkled in. This one just never felt like it had an over-arching storyline, and I didn’t like that. There were too many mediocre story arcs. I felt like none of them had the same detail as the previous seasons, and therefore didn’t have the satisfying resolution I’d grown accustom to with Veronica Mars. Stick to the murder of Dean O’Dell. Or the campus rapist. But don’t do both. That’s where they messed up.

But issue that bothers me the most is…what kind of show ends like that? It’s cruel. So unbearably cruel. I understand that a next season is not always guaranteed, so why don’t producers and writers? Unless you have a contract stating that you will, in fact, return in the fall, I feel like each season should have a nice little bow on it. For the viewers sake. Like, could we please not leave every single loose end not tied up? At least close a couple story lines. For my sake.

The election cliff-hanger (did Keith Mars go to jail? Did he win sheriff?). The Weevil cliff-hanger (like, I like him, but is he a good guy? What was he doing with the program box?). The Dick Casablancas transformation cliff-hanger (did he ever become a real human-being? He was showing remorse and emotion…he was on the right track). The “sex tape” cliff-hanger (we get to see this “resolved” in only one episode…is that a joke?) Wallace went to Africa (for real…to help the Invisible Children?). The Castle cliff-hanger (Jake Kane and all the others were surely meant to be a part of season four. Would Duncan have come back? Would the Castle have had some connection to Lilly’s murder?). The internship at the FBI (you know Veronica would have uncovered some pretty big Area 51 style secrets).

Most importantly the Logan and Veronica vs. Piz and Veronica cliff hanger.

WHY CAN’T LOGAN AND VERONICA BE TOGETHER! Seriously. Logan is so helplessly in love with Veronica. That playboy is crazy devoted to her. Why can’t she just appreciate that for what it is? Why does she feel the need to want him to be someone else. So what if he has bad-boyish tendencies? Logan is a reformed bad boy. He has anger issues, and he has promiscuity issues, but not with Veronica. Everything that Logan does is for Veronica, and she just never appreciates it. And it ticks me off. Like, makes me unreasonably mad.

Also, while we’re on the subject of Veronica’s love interests…Piz? Don’t get me wrong, I think Piz is a great guy. He’s a sweetheart, and he’s kind, and he’s adorable, but he is not Logan. And Veronica would get bored of him. The passion of Logan is just not present with Piz. And I don’t appreciate the writers tossing him in to the mix. Piz is sweet, but he does not love Veronica like Logan does. You know it, I know it, Parker knows it, Veronica and Logan know it, Piz knows it. For Heaven’s sake even, even dumb Dick Casablancas knows it. And If there had been a season four, you and I both know that Logan and Veronica would have ended up together once again. I mean, did you see the way she looked at him in the food court after he beat the crap out of that guy? Pure adoration. 

I guess I’m just going to have to wait until  March 14 to see the movie when it premieres ( it had better be showing someone in my region, or there will definitely be a road trip in my future. Dallas. Chicago. Wherever I must go, I will go). I’m already apprehensive of the movie. I mean, Veronica and  Piz are together? For 10 years? How? Veronica is a lawyer? Once again, how? But whatever. I don’t even care. I will just be pleased to see all of my favorite character back on my screen (including beloved Deputy Leo aka Schmidt!)

Also, I may or may not have heard (rumors, of course) that there is already a sequel in the works.

Que fangirl squealing!

Categories: Entertainment, Movies, Pop Culture | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Holding out for a hero

Posted on May 18, 2012 by momentswithmisty

I recently saw The Avengers (judging from it’s box office numbers, I’m not the only one), and I loved it. Not enough to go see it again (or at least not until it goes to the $3 theater), but I appreciated it’s epic-ness. It was non-stop. And I love movies like that. I love movies where you never know what point you’re at in the story because it’s just constant action. Constantly engaging. There’s no real beginning, middle, or end. I think it did a great job of bringing together all the different superheroes. I loved the whole cast and their dynamics together. (I think they’ve finally found a winner in Mark Ruffalo. No more changing Hulks.) Watching The Avengers makes me wonder just when DC Comics will be putting together a Justice League movie. I think they’ve got a ways to go seeing as I’ve only ever seen (that I remember) two Justice League characters in movies (Batman and Superman).

There is just something special about heroes, at least in my opinion. They’re a dying breed. Why is that so many guys basically worship these fictional characters, but yet none of them want to act like them? Why are there so many Situations and Pauly Ds in the world, but few Clark Kents or Steve Rogers’? I think it’s because it is hard to be a hero. It takes courage, and integrity, and selflessness. Sometimes doing the right thing does not make you cool, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t do it anyway. You don’t have to have out of this world powers to be a hero, you just have to have an out of this world heart.

“A hero is an ordinary individual who finds the strength to persevere and endure in spite of overwhelming obstacles.” – Christopher Reeve

Hats off to all those men out there who are heroes; the men who sacrifice so much to serve our country, who keep our streets safe, who rush into burning buildings, and those who adore the women in their life and who spend time with their children.  (Not saying that women are any better at being heroes, or that that is not something we should also strive for, that’s just not what this post is about.)

And now, to the real point of the blog: my top 5 favorite superheroes. Typically girls don’t have these lists because typically they don’t care. I, however, am no typical girl, and therefore do have a top 5 superheroes list (really I love most superheroes, I’m pretty sure I own ever superhero movie there is, but I do have my favorites).

1.    Superman (Clark Kent)

Superman will always be my favorite superhero, for obvious reasons. I mean, he’s freaking Superman. You don’t get much more heroic than that. He can do it all. He’s the man of steel. Faster than a speeding bullet. Supersonic hearing. Heat and x-ray vision. And he can fly. He’s the ultimate superhero.

I am sure that my love for him also comes from my love of the TV show Smallville. I faithfully watched that show all 10 seasons (and now I faithfully re-watch that show on dvd). I just love Clark Kent. He’s funny, smart, and kind. Clark always does what’s best. He’s a true gentleman, but at the same time he kind of has a bit of an ornery streak. And Tom Welling was seriously the best Clark Kent/Superman. I mean, he even had Christopher Reeve’s approval. I am a little frustrated with Warner Bros for not casting Tom Welling as Superman for the new Man of Steel movie after the Smallville finale. It would have worked so perfectly. (However, I did hear that Tom Welling turned down the role, so I guess I can’t lay WB with all the blame. I also heard that there may be a Smallville movie in the works, which would be ideal for me. Then I’d get to keep all my beloved characters.) I just really love Clark Kent/Superman.

2.    Captain America (Steve Rogers)

Captain America is my second favorite superhero simply because of his heart. He starts out as this little guy who gets beat up all the time, but in the end becomes a beacon of righteousness to everyone. He gets beat up, but he still stands up for what he believes in. Captain America/Steve Rogers never loses his moral center. He never thinks of himself and always does the right thing. He’s compassionate and just an all-around good guy. He is brave and chivalrous. And I love that. I’m sure it definitely doesn’t hurt that the very handsome Chris Evans plays him, either. Chris Evans must just have a superhero spirit about him. First he was in the Fantastic Four, now he’s a Captain America. It suits him.

3.    Green Arrow (Oliver Queen)

Now I know my love for this guy comes from Smallville. I’ve never even seen a comic with him in it (not that I’ve seen many comics at all), or a movie (I did hear that The CW has created a Green Arrow TV show though. No doubt trying to fill the Smallville void. Only, they didn’t cast the same Green Arrow, which is confusing, and disappointing to me). The only experience I have with him is Smallville. And that was enough for me. Green Arrow (on Smallville) is Superman’s (ehh— the Red-Blue Blur’s) right hand man, but he doesn’t quite have the same heart that Superman has. He has a bit of an attitude, which I kind of love about him (plus Oliver is very charming). I love that he’s not the perfect superhero. At his core he is a good guy, but sometimes his attitude gets the best of him and he doesn’t do the right thing. Sometimes he makes bad decisions, but he learns from them.  (Once again, I am sure that it doesn’t hurt that Justin Hartley, the guy portrays Oliver Queen, happens to be very good-looking.)

4.    Green Lantern (Hal Jordan)

Why does it seem like there are so many ‘green’ superheroes? Is there some kind of significance with the color green that I am just not geeky enough to understand? Anyways, Green Lantern is pretty cool. And for once, I’m not basing my love of him off the movie, which was kind of lame (except for the fact that Ryan Reynolds play Hal Jordan, that’s not lame at all). I’m basing my love of him off his powers. How cool is it that he can create anything with his mind? I think next to being Superman, this is the coolest power.

5.    Iron Man (Tony Stark)

I really just love Tony Stark. Or should I say, I love the Tony Stark that Robert Downey Jr. portrays. He is hilarious! He is sarcastic and arrogant and mean, and I am just greatly amused by him. He’s so quick-witted and snarky. And I love it. I don’t really have an opinion on Iron Man, I mean I suppose he’s okay, I really just love Tony Stark’s obnoxiousness, so that’s why he gets a place on this list.

Who are your favorite superheroes and why?

Categories: Entertainment, Movies, Pop Culture | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

“Here’s some advice. Stay alive.” -Haymitch Abernathy

Posted on March 4, 2012 by momentswithmisty

One of the greatest things about living in L.A. is that now the objects of my affection are sometimes within reach. They pop up at malls, and beaches, just to say hi to those of us that adore them. And that was the case yesterday.

In case you don’t actually know me at all, let me inform you now that I am obsessed with The Hunger Games (see previous blog post, my facebook or twitter). And yesterday the cast began their mall tour (a mall tour is where select members of the cast show up at some big malls to sign a few autographs and have a short Q&A session) here in Los Angeles and the Westfield Century City Mall. And you had better believe I was there (um, Josh Hutcherson was there, of course there was no way I was letting him get out of there without seeing me)!

The day began bright and early. Okay, that’s not true, it did begin early, but because it was only 5am, it wasn’t so bright. The sun hadn’t even come out yet. Any time I have to get up before the sun I want to throw up. But, I endured the awfulness because Josh Hutcherson was going to be within my reach (yeah, that’s dedication right there). Please keep in mind that the Q&A session didn’t even start until 6 PM. So, anyways, got up at 5am, and got ready for what had the potential to be an awesome day, and then headed to pick up George.

So, George and I are driving to Beverly Hills, and just kind of talking about how the day is going to go, when we notice that something is different. And strange. There is no traffic. None at all. I have never experienced anything like this since I got here. All five lanes were basically empty. I took the no traffic as a good sign for the day. Then we got to the mall…

The event doesn’t even start until 6pm and there are already like 275 people in line. Whaaaaat? The rules of the event state that no one is permitted to line up until 8am, and yet, here is this line at 6:45 am. Clearly that has backfired. I feel like the mall underestimated the will of crazy girls. So, now I’m a little bit frustrated. The parking garage doesn’t open until 7am, so George and I go to The Coffee Bean down the road so we can formulate what our next step will be. We can either: go home and admit defeat; go get in line to be one of the 1000 people let in to the Q&A; or go back and take our chances and try to be one of the 100 people who get to meet the cast.

I haven’t quite given up hope. I have on my lucky dress (hey, I had to look good for Josh), and I woke up too early to give in to defeat this easily. So we hang out at The Coffee Bean until like 6:55am, then we head back to the parking garage. Naturally, there is a line of cars. And people are not being polite, or even doing legal things. Apparently the thought of getting to meet the cast of The Hunger Games is enough to turn people crazy. So, it takes us like 10 minutes to park. When we get out of the my car, we wander up the steps and end up right outside of the Microsoft Store (this is the place where you’re suppose to line up to be one of the 100 people who get to meet the cast). There is a barricade, some security and a group of about 15 people already waiting there.

There is one particularly loud girl there. She’s complaining about how their official rules say that you can’t line up before 8am and how it’s not fair that she can’t get a wristband for the meet and greet. She’s complaining about the 275 people who have lined up on the bridge, and how they shouldn’t be rewarded for breaking the rules (come to find she’s been there since 11pm the night before, talk about breaking the rules). The staff of the mall is in crisis mode. They clearly didn’t anticipate all of this chaos. So, they spring into action. George and I wait there for like five minutes, all the while the loud girl has begun to cry and spread her sob story. Her dad just had surgery and she left him for this, she had to drive soooo far, blah blah blah…until finally a member of the event staff comes back.

She explains to us that because the line on the bridge wasn’t official that they are going to spread out the meet and greet passes to the multiple lines. She instructs us to get in line. George and I scramble into the line and wait. They begin handing out passes…and guess who gets the last two?

George and I. We get passes numbers 99 and 100! How freaking ridiculously is that?! We were so close to not getting to meet them! But, we are ushered to the Microsoft Store to wait in line with the other 98 lucky people. While we’re waiting in line, it starts to dawn on me just how lucky we are. I’m listening to these people who are talking about how they’ve been here since 2am, or since the night before. And how they had to fight for their place in line and all the drama that they seem to have experienced. Um, we just walked up like 10 minutes ago? We decide not to tell anyone that. We don’t want to get on the bad side of these people.

The crying girl from before got in, and she’s a little inappropriate. She’s a potty mouth, which is definitely not okay seeing as there are younger kids around, and she’s saying some vulgar things about Josh. Dude, he is just 19-years-old. I am not under the impression that he is completely innocent, but I’m pretty sure the things you’re saying would make him blush, and not in a good way. She is just totally offensive. But, apparently we have all formed this bond now. So I guess we’re friends? As offensive as I find her, I’d rather have her on my side than the other way around.

While we’re waiting in line we start to read some of the posts on Westfield’s facebook page. People are mad. I was a little concerned that there was going to be a riot. While reading the comments, I am beginning to feel really fortunate that I got a wristband…and avoided the chaos from the infamous bridge.

Once we have traded our cards for wristbands we are free to go do whatever until 2:30pm, when we have to be back at the Microsoft Store to get back in line to actually meet the cast. When we leave, George and I wander down to the area where the Q&A is taking place. It basically a big pin that people are forced to sit in. Once you get inside it, only a few people are allowed to leave at one time. So you’re basically trapped. You have to have a lanyard pass thing to leave, and I guess those are in short supply. Orrrrr, if you’re lucky, you have a really cool wristband and can come and go as you please.

I begin to feel a little bit superior with my wristband. I’m a VIP. I can basically do whatever I want, and I’m getting to meet the cast, can you blame me? I also feel a little bit like a target. People with lanyards do not like the people with wristbands. So, I try to avoid them as much as possible. And I try to hide my wristband whenever possible. It also seems that those 100 people with the wristbands have formed this strange alliance. It’s like we’re all friends now. Apparently surviving mass pandemonium will bond anybody. People I don’t know wave and say hi to me, just because I have a wristband.

So, as the day goes by I’m internally panicking while trying to decide what I’m going to say to Josh Hutcherson. What do you say to someone you’re pretty sure you’re going to marry? But seriously…what do I say? I have all these scenarios in my head of how things could go down. They’re not all totally ridiculous, some of them could actually occur (they won’t, but they could). I mean, surely they notice people who they meet, don’t they? I’m sure most of it goes by in a blur, but they have to notice some people. He’s a young guy; he is hardwired to notice girls. How do make him remember me? So this is what’s bouncing around in my head all day (not that any of my planning matters, Miriam ruins everything).

There is a lot of waiting, but finally we are inside the Microsoft Store, and there he is (yeah, Jennifer and Liam are there too), just sitting there being his usual adorable and charming self. And that’s when Misty makes her exit, and is replaced by Miriam.

Miriam is painfully shy and awkward. She can’t talk to regular people, and she most certainly can’t talk to celebrities. Where Misty is a little bit charming herself, Miriam is just awkward; where Misty is witty, Miriam is awkward; and where Misty can speak in full sentences, Miriam can barely string together simple words. Unfortunately, this is the girl that replaces Misty during celebrity encounters.

For some dumb reason we weren’t allowed to take cameras in to meet them (they say it’s because of contractual issues, but I’m pretty sure the store just hates us), so there is no actual proof I met Liam, Jennifer or Josh, but I promise I did. When we got to the front of the line we were rushed through with our own personal security member.

Liam was up first at the table, so Miriam talked to him first:

“Hi, how are you?” Miriam says.

“I’m good, how about you?” says Liam (in his very attractive Australian accent).

“I’m good, too” says Miriam.

Liam was nice. He signed my store provided poster and we shook hands (he shakes hands like of like a girl though, especially to be so huge). And he is very handsome, the screen doesn’t even do him justice. Miley Cyrus is a very lucky girl.

Next was Jennifer:

“Hi, how are you?” Miriam asked.

“Hi, I’m good,” answers Jennifer as she signs my poster. Then she offers her hand out for a handshake. “We can shake hands, but they are kind of fussy about hugs,” she says with a laugh. (George had just asked to for a hug, and security said no).

Um, she is a babe. She’s currently my girl crush (her and Zooey Deschanel). She is absolutely beautiful, and so funny! I’m pretty sure we could be friends (she and Misty could be friends, not Miriam).

Finally, the moment has arrive, Josh is sitting right in front of me. I think I’m going to say something witty, something cute, something that’ll make him remember me (in a good way). Instead, this happens:

“Hi Josh, how are you?” sputters Miriam.

“Well, hi. I’m doing great. Thank you. And how are you?” Josh responds after he signs my poster. He looks up and maintains eye contact the whole time, which of course only manages to fluster Miriam even more.

“I’m fantastic,” Miriam manages to blurt out while her face turns what I’m sure is an awful shade of red. He holds his hand out to me and I shake his hand. He holds on a little longer than I’m anticipating and he says “that’s great. Thank you for coming.” And I am ushered away.

Josh is seriously the nicest guy ever. And he’s so adorable. He’s like miniature, but totally adorable. If only he could have met Misty and not Miriam, then he would have definitely asked for my number.

The whole thing only lasts about 60 seconds, if that. All that waiting for 60 seconds of interaction. But, it was totally worth it and I’d definitely do it all over again in a heartbeat. I (well, Miriam) got to meet Josh Hutcherson. How cool is that??

After that we were corralled inside the VIP section of the Q&A. We were like 4 feet from the stage. It was pretty cool. But what was not cool was having to stand like sardines with a bunch of crazy girls. One girl who was just on the other side of the VIP section was literally sobbing because she didn’t get to meet them. I may have morphed into awkward Miriam, but at least I wasn’t that girl. I actually felt bad for her. For the next hour the crowd begins to grow, and to get excited and to scream more. Until finally the moment all these people have been waiting for all day arrives.

Out walks Liam first. Then Josh. And finally, Jennifer. It pushes people to hysteria.

They wave, and wave, and smile. And finally the crowd settles down enough for them to talk. Questions are asked, but I’m only halfway paying attention. Number one because Josh Hutcherson is mere feet from me, and number two because I can basically tell you verbatim what their answers are going to be (I’m obsessed, I’ve watched a lot of interviews). They receive several marriage proposals, one of them coming from George (Jennifer did agree to marry him. I expect to be invited to this wedding). She had no choice but to notice him when he yelled because a.) he was one of like 3 guys there b.) we were right in front of her and c.) he was taller than everyone else. So her eyes fell on him a lot.

I (and Miriam) played on a different strategy to get Josh’s attention. I played the normal card. In a sea full of crazy, screaming girls, I was the isle of sanity. And it totally worked! He looked at me pretty regularly and we made eye contact a lot. And it’s not one of those crazy wishful thinking things, we really did. I think he might be in love with me (that might be a little bit of wishful thinking).

The Q&A lasted roughly 17 minutes, and then they were done. Throughout the night I found myself pinning their character’s traits on them, and they seemed to match up pretty close. Well, except for Jennifer. She was much funnier than I imagine Katniss to be, she was also a lot more outgoing. Liam was kind of quite, like Gale. He wasn’t cold, or rude, he was charming like the rest of them, just quite.  And then there was Josh, who is Peeta. He is charming, charismatic, funny and slightly self-depreciating. He truly is Peeta, which only solidifies my love for him.

Finally it was time to leave. It was a long day, and unfortunately the drive home wasn’t as easy as the drive there had been, but that’s okay, I was still in a pleasant state. It was the longest day ever, but I would do it all again.

The odds were ever in my favor.

Categories: Entertainment, Movies, Pop Culture | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

May the odds be ever in your favor

Posted on February 22, 2012 by momentswithmisty

The Hunger Games. Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the last several months, those three words probably register somewhere in your brain. Maybe you haven’t read the books, and maybe you haven’t paid any attention to the movie trailers, and maybe you often times wonder who those three kids are that the media is always talking about…but even if you aren’t obsessed with The Hunger Games, I can almost guarantee that you know someone who is. Like me, for example.

I don’t even know where to begin. I should have written this post right after I finished the last book, back when I was all fired up about it. But, like always, procrastination won out.

 The Hunger Games is a book trilogy written by Suzanne Collins. There are three books in the series: The Hunger Games, Catching Fire and Mockingjay. They take place in a post-United States North America and are narrated by 16-year-old Katniss Everdeen. The series has been adapted for film, with the first movie in the franchise set to release March 23 of this year.

I was late to the party on this one. Usually I am ahead of the game when it comes to things that take over the world, but not this one. I always knew what the books were, and I had always planned on reading them, I just never got around to it. And by the time I did, it was too late. It had already blown up. And there is nothing I hate more than a bandwagon fan, so I postponed reading them so that people wouldn’t think that’s what I was. But, recently I caved. I’m honestly glad I waited this long. There is no way I could have handled the cliffhangers, so it’s good that I could read them all at once. Plus, I only have about a month to sit in agony and wait for the first movie to come out, as opposed to roughly two years.

I just finished all three books a few days ago, and I’m still trying to process it all. It was like information overload for me. I literally could not stop reading. I read them all in 2.5 days. That is less at one day per book. It was ridiculous. I completely forgot I lived in the real world. All I could ever think about was Panem, and what was going to happen to my beloved characters. And now I don’t know what to do with myself. It’s weird because I get so engrossed in the lives of the characters of any book that I read that once it’s over, I feel like I have lost someone close to me. They aren’t just characters to me, they are friends. I would literally just sit in my room and read for hours. How lame is it that I live in California, where there are so many exciting things I could be doing, and yet, all I want to do is read?

Anyway, once I started The Hunger Games, I could not stop. It took me a day to read it. Then I went crazy tying to find Catching Fire. I don’t condone this, but I read it online (please don’t do this, the only reason I did was because I had no other options at the time. And I intend on buying them once I have a real job that pays me in real money and not “I owe yous”). So I found Catching Fire and read in less time than it took me to read The Hunger Games. Literally, like 7 hours and I was done. I think it might be my favorite, but I’m not sure. It’s a toss up between the first two. It may be hard to pick my favorite, but’s definitely not hard to choose my least favorite. I had the hardest time reading Mockingjay. I just felt like it moved too slow. But, I probably just didn’t like it as much because it didn’t really feature Peeta as much (and most of the time when he was around, it wasn’t really him, and that did not make me happy), and he’s my favorite character. I just had to push through it though because I had to know what was going to happen. The only major complaints I have about the books is that in Catching Fire and Mockingjay, I feel like Suzanne Collins just kind of fuzzes over the action at the end. In both books she knocks Katniss out and we don’t get to see the major action that goes on. They just felt kind of rushed. Not that they weren’t good, just that they were rushed.

And now, because I’m not ready to let them go and move on quite yet, and I’m still fascinated by the story, I’m reading the books all over again, but slower. I raced through them the first time because I needed to know what was going to happen, but now I’m going to just kind of meander through them so that I can catch all the details I might have missed (I’ll let you know how that goes).

So let me just throw this one out there…why do guys like Peeta Mellark not actually exist? No boy I’ve ever met has been that all-around good. Not that I haven’t met some great guys, just none that are quite on par with Peeta. He’s kind, funny, thoughtful, charming and he loves unconditionally. He is essentially perfect. I think I may be in love with him. And yes, my brain realizes he is a fictional character, but that doesn’t seem to matter to my heart. I was always rooting for Peeta, because how could you not, who doesn’t want the good guy to win (not that Gale’s a bad guy, he’s just not as good as Peeta)? I was genuinely mad at Katniss during Catching Fire when she was complaining of not wanting to marry him (I was angry…and jealous). Thankfully Peeta comes away victorious, and I was overjoyed. Nice guys do finish first sometimes!

I’ve read so many interviews with everyone involved in the movie (because now I’m obsessed) and every single one of them says that Josh Hutcherson does not just play Peeta, he is Peeta. They say that he is that character, which of course makes me love Josh Hutcherson. I don’t know the guy, but because I know Peeta, I feel like I do. And now he’s been added to my list of potential suitors. My love for Peeta has superimposed itself on to Josh Hutcherson. I don’t even care that he’s only 19-years-old; if his personality really is that similar to Peeta’s then he’s no typically 19-year-old boy. Plus, I’m a sucker for southern charm (Josh is from Kentucky). Yes, I think I’m in love with him. So Josh Hutcherson, if you’re reading this: call me, maybe?

Also, throughout all my research, I discovered that The Hunger Games filmed in North Carolina last summer, which in and of itself isn’t really that big a deal to me. What makes it a big deal is that I WAS THERE. I was right there in Ashville, North Carolina and the surrounding area last summer. While they were filming. I probably drove right past their headquarters and didn’t even know it (or care)! I could have run into any of them and not have noticed. If I last summer was this summer, I’d be all over that set. But now they will have to find a new location because the forests of NC won’t work for the new arena, maybe they’ll film right here in California, in which case, I will take notice.

But, there is a ray of hope. They just announced that the cast and crew will be doing a mall tour. And guess what, it kicks off in LA. And guess who will be there? This girl. It’s so new and exciting for me to get to go these events because nobody ever came to the Midwest. Even if I have to hideaway in Sears, or sleep in the parking lot, I will be inside that mall.

What is is with me and allowing fictional characters/stories/place to run my life? Needless to say, I am now counting down the days (there’s 29, just fyi) until March 23. The world will be watching (…and so will I).

Categories: Entertainment, Movies, Pop Culture | Tags: , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Joe Jonas = Sell out

Posted on October 10, 2011 by momentswithmisty

Joe Jonas’s first solo album, Fastlife, releases tomorrow and you would think I’d be over-joyed about this, right? Wrong. I’m even debating on not buying the album at all. No, the world is not ending, nobody panic. Just hear me out…

It has a parental advisory.

But seriously, who does he think he is? Collaborating on a song with Lil’ Wayne? He has no business doing that; their audiences are not similar at all. Like, seriously. Not. At. All. I don’t want any of my nieces listening to Lil’ Wayne’s vulgarity.  It’s inappropriate and they don’t need him to darken their world and expose their minds all his, for lack of a better word, crap. And I think parents need to seriously consider this advisory before they allow their children to listen to the album. And he should have thought it through as well. I can almost promise you that over half of his album sales will come from children under the age of 18. I know that he’s 22 and he’s growing up, and he has a right to say and do what he wants, but it seems a little ungrateful to me. Without these kids, there would be no Joe Jonas solo album, and now he’s gone and alienated them. Even if he wants to fight it or deny it, he is a role model; and he is someone that children idolize. He needs to be more careful about his word and actions.

Even if you exclude his younger fans, his target audience is (generally) not a group of people who would listen to Lil’ Wayne, and they’re not a group of people who listens to things that require a parental advisory. I know that I sure don’t listen to Lil’ Wayne, and I don’t appreciate music that is offensive. There are ways to make good music without having to be outrageous (trust me, Hanson’s been doing it for years).

The thing that upsets me the most about this whole album debacle is that he is a self-professed Christian (his father is an ordained Assemblies of God Minister, no less)! What a huge disappointment to Christians everywhere who thought they finally had someone mainstream to showcase their values and prove that we aren’t all highly religious sticks in the mud (a BIG misconception). This album (what I’ve heard of it) doesn’t promote wholesome values. In fact, it almost glorifies the opposite of those values. It makes him look like a hypocrite, which, though it shouldn’t, will reflect on Christians as a whole.

I have two words for Joe Jonas: sell. out.

I’ve pretty much lost all respect for this boy whom I used to love. Maybe this seems a little bit harsh, but I am just really disappointed in someone who I thought was good influence.

Feel free to listen to the whole album here: Joe Jonas Official Youtube Channel.

Categories: Movies, Music, Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , | 1 Comment

Create a free website or blog at WordPress.com.