Top Ten Movies I'e Never Seen

Confession: I'm one of those people who constantly gets caught in conversations with others about movies I've never seen.  For some reason, there are all these "classic" (or at least modernly classic) movies that I somehow missed out on.  Here's a list of the top ten movies I'm constantly reminded that I've never seen.  These are in no particular order. 

Side note: I'm mostly writing this post so that I'll have a reference for movies I need to watch.

Braveheart

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Gladiator

Top Gun

I've seen this one in bits and pieces but not all at once in one sitting.

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The Patriot

The Goonies

It's a Wonderful Life

I know, I know. I feel like as a girl, I should have seen this at some point in my life. But I haven't. So there. 

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Pulp Fiction

The Matrix

Even though I've never seen this, I have to say that I also have absolutely no interest in ever seeing it. Yes, I am judging this book by its cover.

Fight Club

Jaws 

I did go on the "Jaws" ride at Universal Studios once. Does that count?

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Notice that there aren't really any romantic comedies on this list- it seems I have seen most of those. So typical.

What about you? Are there movies you've never seen that you get constantly ragged on about? 

Weekend Recap

So, I spent the majority of my weekend in bed trying to get some rest so I can quickly recover from this cold.  Big thanks to those who left me comments on your best cold remedies!!

I am happy to report that I'm feeling a lot better, although not totally 100% yet.  I had to cancel my fun Friday night plans because I just wasn't feeling well and I didn't want to get my friend sick. But, I was able to go to a birthday party/ bar-b-que for a friend Saturday. It was so fun. Nice and low-key- my kind of birthday party.  My friend's roommates did a big cook out where they bought the "meat" and the guests brought sides.  I brought this potato salad recipe from Ina Garten. It was REALLY good. I highly recommend it.  It's made with olive oil, lemon juice, white wine and some other ingredients, plus fresh herbs. It tastes really fresh, not like the typical gloppy mayonnaise potato salads (although those can be good, too).  I didn't take any pictures, so here's a picture from the food network site. (By the way, I didn't put in the red onion and it wasn't missed.)

I spent the majority of the day today resting and reading for a class. I'm reading this book:

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The writing is not the best, but I guess it is typical for a non-fiction biography-style book on leadership style.  It is great, though, for anecdotes based on Eleanor's life, rather than being heavily intertwined with stories about FDR as well.  I'd recommend the book to any ER fans out there! 

Lastly, are you a fan of Brothers & Sisters? 

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After lagging for a while, it is getting GOOD again, in my opinion, anyway. It is like all the Walkers are back to their old ways. 

Have a great week! 

T.V. Watch

I'm probably into television shows a little too much lately. I try to control myself but it's hard.

Have you seen Bethenny Ever After yet? The first episode premiered on Bravo last week and it was so cute. That baby is adorable! 

 Okay, for you fellow Big Love fans out there (ahem... Laura) what do you think of this season?! I think there are only 3 episodes left and I do NOT know for the life of me how they are going to resolve all of these issues.  Part of me keeps waiting for Barb to fly off the handle and do something wild. However they end it, I hope they don't pull another Sopranos move on us.

The Real Housewives of Orange County are back! I'm not so enthusiastic about this season, but I think that the Beverly Hills ladies kind of ruined everything for me.  RHOBH was so good that I just don't think any other season will live up. Have you been watching the Miami housewives? I've been avoiding them because they look pretty boring to begin with and I refuse to allow myself to be sucked into another dramatic show! I am loyal to Bravo enough as it is.

And lastly, Sister Wives is back too. Their show premieres March 13. This season follows the family as they deal with the fall-out from their exposure (to the world) and to the police in the first season.  It should be another interesting season.  I guess the real question is will this family ever be on t.v. long enough for me to learn even one of the kids' names? Haha.

What shows are you watching these days? Are there any you are purposefully avoiding, like me? 

I'd Like to Thank the Academy

I would like to thank the Academy for providing me with a few too many hours of entertainment last night.  Between what I saw on television both during the show and beforehand and the many opinions being voiced on twitter, I thoroughly enjoyed myself. 

Here are my favorites from the night.

Seriously, Michelle Williams' make up is flawless.

Anne had some great looks during the show, and I love that her red carpet look was so "red carpet" and that her looks during the show were so incredible on stage.

I love this look on Celine. How is it possible that she recently had twins?!

I thought Gwyneth looked so beautiful last night! The only thing that threw me off is that her earrings matched her brooch exactly, which was a little much for me.  The dress would have been just as beautiful without the brooch.   

Hailee Steinfield looks adorable.  I saw an interview with her and she was just so mature and humble. 

Sandra Bullock looked so great.  This was a great dress for a presenter and I thought her hair and makeup were flawless.

I absolutely love this Elie Saab on Mila Kunis.  This was absolutely my number two favorite look of the night.  The color and the fabric are so delicate and look fantastic on her! She has made some great choices this season.

 And finally, my favorite of the night.

 When I saw this Givenchy dress on Cate Blanchett, it made me so happy.  This dress is so unusual and unexpected.  This is a look that I feel only someone like Cate could pull off. And her hair and makeup suit the dress perfectly. I just don't think we will see a dress like this again for a long time.  It belongs in a museum for people to see up close.

As for the show itself, I thought there were surprisingly no surprises with who won, but it was still a great production anyway.  I especially enjoyed the end of the show with the children and the winners.  It was so sweet how the kids's t-shirts had their singing parts like "alto" and "soprano" on them.  
I didn't love Anne Hathaway as a host, but I think James Franco may have been the reason for her demise.  Did you watch the show and the red carpet arrivals? What did you think?

Photos in this post via people.com and huffpost.com.

Weekend Recap

How has your weekend been? Eliza woke me up way too early for a Sunday this morning, but instead of going back to sleep I decided to get up and try to be productive. 

This post is just a random recap of a lot of different thoughts, so bear with me.

I recently joined Netflix using their free trial offer.  The first month is free with this offer and I think I will probably keep it for at least a month more. To have dvd's sent to your home, it is only $10, so the price really isn't that bad if you take advantage of sending the dvd's back promptly and really using the service.  I've been able to see a few movies already that have been on my list for a while.

1. The Kids Are All Right.

I thought this movie was really good, but I'm not really sure why it was categorized as a comedy.  I didn't think it was all that funny even though it was good.  I would recommend it, but be prepared for more of a "family drama" type thing.

2. Toy Story 3

I have to be honest and say that I was a little disappointed by Toy Story 3.  It was really good but not as stellar as I was expecting.  I think that it was just overly hyped and left me expecting more.

3. The Social Network

Okay, for you West Wing lovers out there, Aaron Sorkin, the creator and a main writer for The West Wing, also wrote the screenplay for The Social Network. So this movie really reminded me a lot of West Wing. It was a lot of talking. A lot. The script was funny and witty and smart, but after a while I was just tired of listening to it.  Maybe it's because I wasn't that interested in the subject to begin with. I mean it was good, but I really cannot see why it beat out The King's Speech for Best Dramatic Picture at the Golden Globes and I certainly do not think it is Oscar Best Picture material.  Just my two cents.

4. The Duchess

I watched this one on Netflix instant (which is really cool, by the way).  If you are into movies like Elizabeth, The Other Boleyn Girl, Marie Antoinette, or The Young Victoria, you will probably like The Duchess.  I feel like all these movies are sort of the same after a while, but the costumes and sets are so amazing that I don't really care if I've seen the same plot 3 times.

I also ended up getting to see a friend from high school who was in town this weekend.  That was really fun.  I met up with her and another high school friend who now lives in D.C.  It has been fun to reconnect with people now that we live in the same place.  My friend who lives here now, Caitlin, and I planned to go see No Strings Attached last night.  Because of our dinner timing, we ended up going to see Just Go With It instead.  

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I really was not expecting much from this movie, especially because I feel like with every comedy I've seen lately, all the jokes have already been revealed in the previews and the rest of the movie just sort of stinks.  That was not the case with this one.  This was one of those movies that made me really laugh and laugh.  The plot was extremely predictable, but it was so much funnier than I was expecting.  And Jennifer Anniston was really at her comedic best. 

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I have to say the kids in this movie were awesome.  They are fantastic actors! The little girl especially cracked me up.  I also think this is a good guy/ girl movie since Adam Sandler is pretty universally appealing and there is a lot of eye candy for the guys in this one.

Last random tidbit: I also made some amazing muffins yesterday.  Come back Tuesday for the recipe!

Out of focus yumminess.

Enjoy the rest of your weekend. The rest of my day will look something like this as I do some reading for my classes.

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Top Ten Favorite Movies

It's been a while since I did a top ten list.  Today, I thought I would share my top ten movies because I think it really tells you a lot about a person.

I will admit my taste in movies is not proud and not artsy.  It just is.  There are a lot more unseen movies on my "ones you are supposed to see" list than most people's, so maybe this list is tainted. But whatever. These are the movies I like. Some are super sappy. Some are inspirational.  Some make me feel like I'm walking on air for days. And others make me feel like I want to take up residence under the nearest boulder and not come out for a while.

Per the usual, don't pay much attention to the ranking.  I have such a hard time with ranking! 

10.  The Family Stone

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I just love this family. The Stones make me want to have five children.  For real.  And then I see families in public with five small children and I get ahold of myself.  But this movie makes me laugh and laugh and also cry. I always get to the very end, having convinced myself that I will not cry this time, and then by the end I am balling.  But in a good way.  It also makes me feel so Christmas-y.  I really love it..

9. When Harry Met Sally/ Sleepless in Seattle

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These two go together in my mind. I really like them both.  I especially love the soundtrack to Sleepless in Seattle. Have you ever heard it? It's great!  Thankfully, neither one makes me cry.  I love Billy Crystal's character in When Harry Met Sally.  And Rosie O'Donnell and Rita Wilson in Sleepless in Seattle seriously crack me up. 

8. Match Point

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I don't know exactly what it is I like so much about this movie, but I do.  It is a story of love gone really wrong. It is one of those Woody Allen movies that I actually really get and really like.

7. The Graduate

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Here's my story about The Graduate.  Last year, I wanted to buy it because I didn't own it. So I went to Target.  I couldn't find it anywhere, so I asked the (fifteen year old) guy in the film section if they had it.  His response: "The Graduate? Is that new?"

Umm... no. No it is not. 

6. Forrest Gump

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Who doesn't love this movie? I mean, I guess there are some people.  I don't think there has ever been a more genuine character in the history of movies than Forrest Gump. 

But this is another one of those where I always think it won't make me cry. But then it does. Every. Single. Time. 

5. The Hours

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I couldn't even pretend to think I wouldn't cry with this one.  This is hands-down one of the best movies I've ever seen.  It is also hands-down the most depressing movie I've ever seen.  But I still love it.  It has some sadly beautiful themes about life in it.  But it makes me feel sad for days after so I think I've only seen it like 3 times in my life.  I would describe it as a story about three women who are each trying desperately to make sense of life.  I highly recommend it if you've never seen it.

4. The Departed

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This movie is fantastic.  The first time you see it, it keeps you guessing and completely entranced. And Jack Nicholson's performance in it is stellar.  All the performances are great, actually. But this role was like tailor-made for Jack Nicholson and he does it so well. 

3. Grey Gardens 

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I'm referring to HBO's film version of this story.  The movie is based on a documentary from the 1970s.  The story follows a mother-daughter duo who were actually related to Jacqueline Bouvier.  She makes a brief appearance in the film, but the story is really about "Big Edie" and "Little Edie" Bouvier.  This is a heartbreaking story about a mother and a daughter and their co-dependent relationship with each other.  Something about it, and I cannot figure out what, gets to my sensitivities.  I really need to go ahead and buy this one. 

2. Almost Famous 

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Is there anyone who has seen this movie and not fallen in love with Penny Lane? I love her character and I want to be her character.  This is one of the most quotable movies I've ever seen.  It is incredibly funny and something about it is just incredibly true.  And whenever I have a down in the dumps kind of day, I always dream of escaping to Morocco.  

"When we go to Morocco, I think we should have completely different names and be completely different people."

1. Steel Magnolias 

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I love this movie for so many reasons.  Watching it just makes me miss and love Louisiana more than ever.  It reminds me so much of the women in my family and the women I grew up around.  And to say it is quotable is putting it mildly.  The quotes are completely hilarious and priceless.   This movie just has an attitude all its own.  And the cast is fabulous. 


So, did any of your movies make my list?  If not, what are some of your favorites? 

Current Preoccupations

Things tend to spiral out of control when one spends too much time on one's computer... online window shopping.

Glittering Arc Barrette from Anthropologie, $18

I love this barrette from anthro. I'm very tempted to buy it for a Mardi Gras Ball I'm going to soon.

Cheers Necklace from Kate Spade, $75

This necklace from Kate Spade is darling. There. I said it.

Citrine & Amethyst Earrings by Bounkit, $365

The picture you will find if you click the link is a little different.  These earrings are not even remotely near my budget, but I really love them.  They are nice to look at, at least.

And speaking of online shopping browsing, I sometimes browse while watching these ladies:

What do yall think about the season?  Adrienne is definitely high on my list of all-time favorite housewives in terms of being an actual human being I would want to adopt me know in real life.  In terms of being entertaining, I really liked Kyle all season, but recently I'm not so sure.  I do love Lisa, though. She tells it like it is, but with a sense of humor.  And she's not afraid to find humor in herself, too. 

In a preview clip I saw of tonight's show, Andy Cohen tells Taylor point-blank that she was responsible for starting the Kim-Kyle limo showdown.  I'm looking forward to hearing her response to that claim. I tried to give her a fair chance at first, but I have to admit that she is not my favorite- she always starts things and then acts oh-so-innocent & tries to be "above" it all.  It will be interesting to see what excuse she comes up with this time.

Fellow devotees- don't forget to tune in to part two of the Reunion tonight (Tuesday) on Bravo!  And if you aren't a devotee, please don't judge me. Okay... you can judge me a little- but it won't change my adoration for these ladies. 

Sarah Palin's Alaska

Have you seen the previews yet for "Sarah Palin's Alaska"? 

It is a new show premiering on TLC November 14.  If you haven't seen the trailer yet, go here

 to watch it.  I do not intend to get political on this blog, and I do not bring this show up because of its relation, if there is one, to politics.  Regardless of my personal opinions of the characters, I think this show will be a trip to watch and I'm looking forward to the series. Entertaining, indeed. 

Fall Television is Back!

Most television shows have been back on the air this season for at least a week, so I thought I would share with you what I have been enjoying so far this season.

Weeds has been one of my favorite shows for a long time, and so far, this season has not disappointed.  It is funny and bizarre and has all the charm that it had at the very beginning of the series again.  

I love Brothers & Sisters, but this season hasn't really pulled me in yet.  First of all, I have a love/hate relationship with television shows with Rob Lowe, because I always love his character so much (hello... Sam Seaborne anyone?!) but his character always leaves a show after a few seasons because he is one of those actors that doesn't want to stay too long at the party... or something.  Anyway, I always hate to see him go.

I also watch Desperate Housewives on ABC and so far I feel the same way about this season of the Housewives too.  So far, it is just nothing special.  If it doesn't pick up pretty soon, that will probably be the end of watching the series for me.

I've been really fascinated by Sister Wives on TLC this season too.  If you haven't been able to catch an episode yet, you need to.  I just can't even really describe the thoughts that go through my mind when I watch it.  If nothing else, the show is entertaining, and for a long-time watcher of Big Love like me, it is so interesting to see this real-life family and how they interact with one another.  

So what about you? What shows have you loved so far this season?