Saturday, July 27, 2013

50/50 Challenge: Update - X-Men Themed

I'm only a few away from hitting my movie mark for the 50/50 Challenge and the last three added were all X-Men movies. After visiting Comic Con last weekend and catching a glimpse of Hugh Jackman and stopping by The Wolverine interactive tent, I was doubly excited to see "The Wolverine." 

Zoom in close - that, my friends, is Hugh Jackman
In preparation, I watched "X-Men Origins: Wolverine" and the original "X-Men" in their entireties. I had caught several parts of each movie before but never watched from beginning to end. I enjoyed all three, but the most recent version of Wolverine is the one I liked best. Hugh Jackman is so fantastic and really embodies his role and part in the X-Men series.

The next installment will be out next year, so until then, X-Men marathon anyone?

Movie #45: X-Men
Movie #46: X-Men Origins: Wolverine
Movie #47: The Wolverine

Sunday, July 21, 2013

50/50 Challenge: Weekly Update

quiet spaces for all of your thoughts and the thoughts of those greater than yourself.Three movies from last week to add to the list: a weird one from Woody Allen (aren't they all weird?); a meh one from Kristen Wiig; and a truly awful one from Ryan Reynolds. Needless to say, I wasn't that impressed by the movies last week. 

You can always read my latest movie reviews here: http://www.examiner.com/movie-in-san-diego/courtney-hartmann and I encourage you to do so! Subscribe even!

I did finish a book though in two days because it was that darn good - The Fault in Our Stars. The book has been getting a lot of hype especially since it's already been optioned for a movie and Shailene Woodley (from The Descendants and Divergent) is set to star. I am hoping that Christopher Walken will also make an appearance as one of the main characters as well. 

I am positive that by mid-August I will have met the movie requirement for this challenge. As for the book part, I have 34 left to read in approximately 21 weeks which averages out to over a book and a half a week. Not impossible if I've done my math right. If I meet this challenge successfully, I should treat myself to a prize. What should it be?

Movie #42 - Blue Jasmine
Movie #43 - Girl Most Likely
Movie #44 - R.I.P.D.

Book #16 - The Fault in Our Stars


Sunday, July 14, 2013

Sunday Serenity: To Sea



You cannot escape the mundane of life
if you don't ever plan to put your feet in the water
squish sand between your toes
breathe in salt air

You cannot expect life to change
while sitting in dramatic places
that have no air
to move the positive in
and the negative out

You cannot begin to see life clearly
if it is muddled by self-doubt
murky water
broken starfish and seashell chips

It is the water that will give you answers
if you listen long enough
if you clear your mind
if you allow all that is to happen to you
be brought to shore
and all that is meant to leave you
be taken out to sea


Tuesday, July 9, 2013

The Power of Prayer

Next time I should ask for a million dollars
Last week I wanted to get my haircut, but haircuts are freaking expensive and I wasn't getting paid for several days. I actually went back and forth as to whether to schedule a hair appointment or wait until payday. My hair is long and thick and normally something I love, but not when temperatures are hot and sunny and slightly humid. My hair then turns into a dry, straw-like hot mess.

I actually prayed on it. I mean I feel kind of shallow, ok, a LOT shallow for praying for something as materialistic as money for a haircut, but you know what? It worked.

I needed $70 for my haircut (told you it was expensive!) and it was just not the kind of extra money I could spend. I went to bed thinking about it, praying about it, trying to budget around it and I kid you not in the morning I had an alert that $70 was being transferred to my checking account!

Of course, this deposit was not from God; it was from a friend of mine who owed me money from several months ago. BUT, I find it highly coincidental that the exact amount I was stewing about came into my account within hours after asking for it.

My whole point is this: Haircuts need to be cheaper. I need not to be so vain. And God really does answer prayers. You just have to ask.


Monday, July 8, 2013

50/50 Challenge: Inching Closer

I'm in the home stretch as far as movies go. I saw "The Heat" with Sandra Bullock and Melissa McCarthy which sounds like an insta-success, but sadly, I was semi-disappointed. I love them both, but felt the movie overall was a bit bland. There was a lot of cursing and action, but it was good girl Sandy with bad girl Melissa and those characters are starting to feel a bit boring.

I also saved a bunch of documentaries on Netflix. I watched "That Guy...Who Was in That Thing" which kind of sounds like what it is. It's a documentary about actors you may vaguely recognize but can't pinpoint what you've seen them in. They discuss their struggles as actors and how they got to where they are. All I know is that I did recognize one of the actors because he's in one of my favorite movies - "Hitch" - at least that's where I think I recognize him from. 

Meryl Streep is the BOSS


I also finally read another book. I read the follow-up to The Devil Wears Prada. Revenge Wears Prada was similar with a lot of famous name and place dropping. Honestly, a good beach read but the story kind of fell off and became dull for me which is how I felt about the first book. In this book, Andy is married, getting ready to have a baby and has joined with her former arch nemesis Emily to create a successful wedding magazine. This is one case where the movie was better than the book and if they call in the same cast for this sequel, then I will most definitely watch. Mostly for the clothes. And glimpses of New York. And Meryl Streep.

Movie #40: The Heat
Movie #41: That Guy...Who Was in That Thing

Book #15: Revenge Wears Prada - Lauren Weisberger

Sunday, July 7, 2013

50/50 Challenge: Steve Carell x Two

I love movies. There are several "classics" that I haven't seen but that doesn't mean I love movies any less. I think it means that when I was kid my mom was very big on us going out to play rather than letting us watch movies inside or taking us to the theater. As a matter of fact, I barely ever remember having my parents take me to the movies. But now I see at least two or three a week.

I almost to my goal of 50 for the movie part of this challenge which can give me more time to read books, but to be honest, I want to keep track of my movies to see how many new movies I actually will see this year.

For those of who haven't seen "Despicable Me 2" it's a good one both for kids and adults. It's entertaining and fun and silly much like the first one, which was a smidge better. It's one of two movies Steve Carell is starring in this summer.
I also saw "The Way, Way Back" recently and it was fantastic - definitely recommend! I love summer, coming-of-age movies. They make you be reminiscent about your own summer growing up and you can relate to how tough and great it was all at the same time. Steve Carell plays a different kind of character for this role, not very likable, but I still think he's amazing. But it's Sam Rockwell who I fell in love with -- there's something about a slacker that means well, no?

I can venture a guess that by August I will have hit 50 movies. There are so many I haven't seen, so many I want to see and then of course, there's Netflix.

What's your favorite summer movie?

Movie #38: Despicable Me 2
Movie #39: The Way, Way Back