Despicable Me 2

Just so we're clear, I didn't like Despicable Me 1 the first time I saw it. In fact I fell asleep before the end. It is extremely rare for me to fall asleep during a movie.

I just didn't get why this movie was funny to my family or anyone else the first time I watched it. I think I finally caught on like the third viewing.

Not so with Despicable Me 2.

This movie is funny!

I can sum it up in 2 words: Lipstick Tazer!

It lives up to being a worthy sequel. Feel free to take your kids, young ones included and as a parent will recognize when your minion is acting yellow or purple. You'll see. Trust me.

Catch it on the big screen for full or half price or wait for the small screen, but catch it.

Watch worthy: Yes.

Own it worthy: Yes.

What did you think? Are you're kids yellow or purple? For mine it depends on the hour!

The Missing Manuscript of Jane Austen

Did that catch your attention? 

It sure caught mine when I saw my mother-in-law reading it!

You are all pretty aware by now that I love Jane's work, so when I saw this one by Syrie James (cool name right?) it instantly shot to the top of my 'I must read this' list. (I was a good girl though and finished Oliver Twist first.)

I devoured this book in mere days. It was captivating, well written, loveable characters, set in merry old England. The gushing could go on and on.

In this book there are two stories happening: the modern day one of discovery of the manuscript and the story told in the manuscript itself. Which means Ms. James had to write in two completely different styles and convince us that one was Jane Austen's! Dear me. Any writer can tell you that writing one story style is enough to make us want to tear our hair out and to do two?! And do it well? We sometimes end up in a temporary asylum for the writerly insane. (Yes, I just made that word up.)

Honestly, I couldn't find a weak spot in this book. I give it 5 stars. This is the first book I've read by Ms. James and I became an instant fan.

Now, go grab a copy and enjoy a nice few days in this awesome world of James/Austen and then you can grab The Lost Memoirs of Jane Austen that she penned too.

What Austen knock off book have you read an loved?

http://www.amazon.com/The-Missing-Manuscript-Jane-Austen/dp/0425253368

The minute I saw the letter, I knew it was hers. There was no mistaking it: the salutation, the tiny, precise handwriting, the date, the content itself, all confirmed its ancient status and authorship…

Samantha McDonough cannot believe her eyes--or her luck. Tucked in an uncut page of a two-hundred-year old poetry book is a letter she believes was written by Jane Austen, mentioning with regret a manuscript that "went missing at Greenbriar in Devonshire." Could there really be an undiscovered Jane Austen novel waiting to be found? Could anyone resist the temptation to go looking for it?

Making her way to the beautiful, centuries-old Greenbriar estate, Samantha finds it no easy task to sell its owner, the handsome yet uncompromising Anthony Whitaker, on her wild idea of searching for a lost Austen work--until she mentions its possible million dollar value.

After discovering the unattributed manuscript, Samantha and Anthony are immediately absorbed in the story of Rebecca Stanhope, daughter of a small town rector, who is about to encounter some bittersweet truths about life and love. As they continue to read the newly discovered tale from the past, a new one unfolds in the present--a story that just might change both of their lives forever.

Man of Steel

My husband saw this first, and when I asked him for his review/reaction I got one word:

SERIOUS.

He was right.

This film is seriously intense, seriously well acted, seriously crafted, seriously well written, seriously awesome special effects...I think you get where I'm going with this.

I admit, I haven't seen the original Superman series films since I was my kids ages, so I spent some of the film wondering how close it was to those and if it would fly with the Superman aficionados. That last group can tell me how it measures up.  Also, I didn't see the remake that came out in the past 5-10 years. It just didn't look up to par.

This film is up to par in my book.

My two fave things: the crafting of the storyline (giving us all the intense special effects and fight scenes we expect) and interweaving them with snippets of Superman's background to really drive the story forward.

Plus it just has a stellar cast!

If you were on the fence about going to see this one like I was, I say, See It!

For you old school fans, look for the Lex Corp sign on the gas tanker.

And, you don't have to stay until the end of the credits to see if there's a sneak peek or tag scene at the end. I waited. There's nothing.

But I think if it does well in the box office we'll see a sequel and I would welcome it.

What did you think of Man of Steel?

Happy 4th of July!

Hope you have a wonderful and safe 4th of July!

Remember to take a moment to send up a prayer of gratitude for the freedoms we enjoy and those who laid down their lives that we might have them.

Enjoy the fireworks!

Independence Day

Right, so every 4th of July I get the hankering to watch this old school film.

What's not love? We've got Will Smith, Harry Connick Jr., Vivaca Fox, Jeff Goldblum and Bill Pullman all trying to reunite with loved ones while trying to save the world from an alien invasion.

Doesn't that just scream America?

Okay, so maybe if I was more of a historical girl, I'd force my family sit down and watch the movie musical 1776, which would be more in keeping with the spirit of the day. But I think they'd take a cue from our forefathers and stage a revolution where I'd go down like the British.

Now I've got to go hunt down a DVD version since my VCR one went the way of the Dodo.

What movie do you like to watch to celebrate the 4th of July?

How I Became A Teenage Survivalist

How I Became a Teenage Survivalist by Julie L. Casey

This book asks the question: What happens when the sun fries all things electrical on Earth and people must retreat to living as their ancestors?

To find out the answers, read Julie's book, already available on Amazon for Kindle. The paper back version debuted June 24th (for all you bibliophiles who like an old school copy1)

Here's the link to her amazing website that gives you the blurb, trailer, character pictures, the info on the probability on this actually happening and why she was inspired to write the book. I'd put it all up here if her website wasn't already do darn cool!

Here's the link:

http://www.teenagesurvivalist.com/index.html

Do you think you and your family could survive if the sun fried the planet?

Snow White & the Huntsman

First of all, I didn't have high expectations for this film. That helped.

Also, in my opinion, there are definitely two schools of people when it comes to Kristen Stewart: 'tolerate her' and 'I'll pass on her films'. Sorry to all you major fans I just offended

In this one she is tolerable and even gives us glimpse of some of her better acting from Zathura. For me, she actually worked out well as Snow White.

Charlize Theron turns in another flawless performance giving us all the best we've come to expect from her caliber of actress. And her costumes rock! They are so awesome!

Chris Hemsworth is excellent as the Hunter, although I noticed he looks a bit smaller in this one than Thor. Perhaps it's the lack of shoulder padding that goes with the cape. Hmmm.

All in all, my husband thought once was enough. But I thought it was worth watching more than once and possibly even owning, though not at full price. You can decide for yourself.

It is PG-13. Violence for the most part.

Which of the Snow White movies is your favorite? (And yes, the Disney one counts. :))