Tuesday, June 23, 2009

Dedication



Found this song today and wanted to dedicate it to my husband.

Thursday, June 11, 2009

GOOP

Gwyneth Paltrow was a guest recently on The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien. During their conversation, her website was brought up, www.goop.com and I was instantly curious. Along with being one of my favorite actresses, she is also very inspiring as a person and woman. So, I went to her website to see what it was all about. It's comprised of her life - what she eats, where she goes, what she wears...etc. An expanded blog, if you will. A very motivational, thought provoking way to share her favorite experiences, places, food and thoughts. I signed up for the newsletter and just downloaded some healthy recipes to try this weekend. Check it out. www.goop.com by Gwyneth Paltrow.


Lovely remake of "Sweet Child O' Mine" by Taken by Trees

Thursday, June 4, 2009

Our Boy Tucker

A picture worth sharing. :)

Wednesday, June 3, 2009

Landslide


Last week, I was listening to some songs and came across Smashing Pumpkins version of the song "Landslide" originally written by Stevie Nicks of Fleetwood Mac. I'd always heard this song on local radio stations and noticed it was sort of an upbeat song. I never really listened to the words. So, for the first time, I really listened taking in each word along with each beat. My cheeks were soon stained with salty trails of tears. For me, it was a song about loss; and whenever I hear a song about losing someone, I put myself in that situation. The outcome - quiet hysteria. This person could have lived their lives to the absolute fullest and then lost it all - it may have been like being reborn again but instead of starting fresh, you're left with decades of memories filled with the life you once embraced. I think it's about defeat. It's a moment of utter loneliness. But the fact that the song is sang in an upbeat manner is a conundrum to me. What do you think?


Monday, June 1, 2009

Official New Moon Trailer - Review***


With so many other eager fans around the world, I watched from my bed as the presenter of the MTV Movie Awards, Andy Samberg, announced the exclusive trailer from New Moon. I jumped up out from under my blankets, probably startling my husband, and flicked the remote, turning the volume up past 30 with anticipation of the new footage. It started with footage from Twilight and I immediately thought it wasn't real. A few seconds of old Twilight film, and then it was home video of Andy dressed up as a traditional vampire shying away from garlic with fake fangs beating Michael J. Fox's character in Teen Wolf to a game of one on one basketball. It was funny. My husband even laughed. Great joke. I fell back onto my pillow awaiting the commercials to end when Andy finally introduced Rob, Kristen and Taylor to introduce the exclusive clip from New Moon.

It started off with a wide aerial shot of the Forks shoreline rivaling - and winning - any scenic shot director Catherine Hardwicke had captured in Twilight. Bella's old orange truck pulls up in front of Charlies house where Bella and Edward are face to face. With a determined eyebrow gesture, Bella asks Edward for a kiss for her birthday - He reaches for her neck and leans in to deliver. This scene appears to be after her birthday party at the Cullens, but is the opening footage.

Following the birthday kiss is the infamous birthday party at the Cullen mansion. Bella is greeted by her new soon-to-be family with a beautiful cake, presents and hugs. Edward looks proud of his sister Alice for pulling it all together & remembering such a detail as human food. Rosalie looks frustrated with the whole ordeal. Emmett appears to be comforting. Carlisle and Esme look happy to share the moment with Edward and act as if Bella were just another daughter. Jasper is seen carefully keeping his distance as he is still the newest vegetarian to the family.

Then it happens.

As Bella slides her finger under the wrapping paper to open the gift Alice passed to her, she slices her finger with a paper cut - a rather large paper cut with enough blood to drizzle a few drops on the expensive carpet. From across the room, Jasper runs towards Bella. Edward probably hears his thoughts and pushes Bella - forcefully - toward the table against the wall behind her in an effort to protect her. Then as Jasper reaches Edward, Edward shoves his hands against Jasper's chest and Jasper slings backwards 10 feet off of the ground and falls on a piano, shattering it. The footage doesn't show what happens next with Jasper, but one could assume that he's out of the room when Edward looks slowly over his shoulder at his beloved Bella, shattered, bleeding on the floor. She looks at Edward with a face full of emotions - mad, confused and apologetic all at the same time. Edward looks completely shattered.

The next scene - Bella and Edward are together - in what looks like the same Forrest Bella confirmed Edward to be a vampire. "This is the last time you'll ever see me." He could have said, "It will be as if I never existed," and stuck with the book, but the other line makes the same point. Rob Pattinson delivers a believable portrayal of a torn, love-struck vampire, saying goodbye to his soul mate. Bella collapses to the mossy Forrest ground breathing heavily curled in the fetus position.

Enter: Laurent. The blood thirsty, no longer friendly, vampire who coincidentally crosses Bella's path in the Forrest. Who will save Bella? Does she even want to be saved? She looks as if she's given up at this point. Is life even worth living without her beloved Edward? Will she be rescued? Enter: Jacob Black. With his ripped shirtless torso & short black spiky hair. The following part of the trailer seems to be many scenes sliced into one, but this is how the editors made it appear: Bella is under attack by Laurent fairly close to Jacobs little red house in La Push. Jacobs sees this happening. He leaps off of his front porch, over the creek. Laurent is about to plunge at Bella's neck when he becomes distracted. So distracted that Bella turns away from him and runs in the opposite direction towards Jacob. While sprinting, she yells "Jake RUN!" Then you see Jake and Bella running at each other - Jake's fists curled - as if she were going to collide against his chest to stop him from coming further, Jake jumps over Bella transforming into a large, realistic-looking, russet wolf. You can see ripped pieces of clothing fall from the air while Bella is in the background watching the outcome. The wolf bears its teeth and growls ferociously. The whole time you can hear a defiant heart beat pounding away. I'm looking forward to seeing Stewart portray Bella's reaction to her friend's new found heritage.

Overall, this trailer was a hit in my book. I know what happens, but the trailer somehow leaves lots of unanswered questions. I'm interested to see how it all unfolds in Chris Weitz's eyes on November 20. I am also looking forward to seeing another trailer on August 20.