Movie of the week: Wonder Woman

Ever since I was a little girl, I have loved Wonder Woman. This multiplied in college, when I found out that every day when I got home from campus at 4:30 or 5:00, the SciFi channel would replay the old Lynda Carter series, and I would make my roommates watch (and then sometimes we would watch Quantum Leap reruns after).

It could have been her Greek mythology background because as a kid I also had a fascination with the Greek myths. Or the fact that she was an Amazon, and I was (and am) very Girl Power (Go Ajnuat, leader of the feminazis!--random, high school joke, sorry, I am not actually a feminazi). Whatever it was, I loved her. Don't you just want to spin and change your whole wardrobe? The lasso of truth that makes all of its wearers confess their secrets, wristbands that block bullets, and an invisible jet--who wouldn't want to be Wonder Woman?



This week a new Wonder Woman movie came out, but you probably didn't hear about it. Probably because it is animated... and it came out straight-to-DVD. But that shouldn't stop you from enjoying it because it is charming! Recently, I got my hands on the book based on the screenplay (thanks, Melinda!) and really enjoyed it. It is witty and amusing, and definitely more for teens and superhero fans, not little kids (the book was better, but when aren't they?).

It doesn't hurt that the leads are voiced by Keri Russell (of Felicity and Waitress fame) and Nathan Fillion (Firefly and Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog), two people I truly adore (I do not stalk Nathan, I swear... Call me!), or that Rosario Dawson, Alfred Molina, Virginia Madsen, and others assist. But don't take my word for it, have an Amazon night, fight for right, "and the old red, white, and blue. . ."

Wonder Woman Official Trailer


A quick history of Wonder Woman (the comic):



P.S. It is even fun to watch with guys. However, afterwards, you may want to let them win at cards.

P.P.S. I have liked Nathan since his Two Guys & a Girl phase (though not as far back as his Soap days), and I have loved him as Captain Tightpants and Captain Hammer. His new show has me tickled, but I've only seen the pilot.

Movie of the week: The Taming of the Shrew (BBC version)

As a terrifying woman myself (I believe the term is usually "intimidating"--at least that is what my Mother told me as I headed out to Provo, UT for my first year of college--Love you, Mom!), I have always had a soft place in my heart for Shakespeare's Taming of the Shrew. Be it the Elizabeth Taylor version or the Cole Porter musical version, I love that Katherine is a spitfire, albeit one who is "tamed" by the right man--a man just as screwed up as she is in all the right ways for her. This is probably the reason I also love Much Ado About Nothing, and why I am always pining for a Benedick to my Beatrice.

In 2005, the BBC did a miniseries that updated four Shakespearean plays to today while keeping a little of the dialogue ("I come to wiv-ed wealthily in Padua"). Thanks to Netflix, this is now available to watch online or on DVD, though you still cannot purchase it in the US. I have now seen 3 out of four of the episodes, and my by far favorite is their version of The Taming of the Shrew. Starring Rufus Sewell (who is known more for his villains, though see him in Cold Comfort Farm and you know better) and Shirley Henderson (Yep, Moaning Myrtle); it is a delight. Their physical comedy alone is a pleasure.

If you have a chance to see it, do. It is a bizarre treat. I've embedded a little clip of when the two meet for the first time, enjoy (go to the point around 4:15 if you want the exact moment--Oh, and yes, that is Twiggy as Kate's mom).

Recent Music Obsessions

I can't get you out of my head. . .

• Melt my heart to stone (also Chasing Pavements - but she isn't all ballads)

• American Boy

• The Wailin' Jennys (the old lineup vs. the new)
  
• The entire soundtrack from Once (a lovely, sad, yet uplifting film).

• Smile (though I don't suggest you actually do the things in the video. . . )

• Sitting on the Shelf (I kind of adore She & Him, but this is definitely an odd video.)

They have been running through my head now forever. . . Yep, a bunch are from the British Isles--what? I'm an anglophile!

A foodie blog

I have resisted starting a food blog, mostly because there is very little I feel I could add to the discussion out there now. Sometimes I adore foodie blogs, and other times I feel that the writers of said blogs are pretentious and snotty. Against my better judgement, I just threw myself in the ring.

I recently was assigned to run the Dining In & Dining Out Group for our enrichment. In order to facilitate that and add a twist, I started a blog for all in the group. Hopefully, soon, there will be more than just me writing about everything food and sisters related. There better be.

Go check it out: http://d3delectables.blogspot.com/

Movie of the Week: Hope you enjoyed the Oscars

So, best intentions and everything, I totally missed the movie of the week. Really, though, I was too busy enjoying the Jubilee to get to anything last week (yeah, Ruth!). So, here for your entertainment, my favorite oscar moment from a few years ago (I can't find the screenwriting one from this year, as it was my favorite--Tina Fey is a godess!).

Enjoy: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o5JAPkvnyso

A recap of this year: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X_xyCGGZkcs



Stay tuned later for this week's movie...

Happy Birthday Ruth!!!

See how many leading men you can identify (without reading the actual notes on the side--click "Play All" and maximize the screen)--1 point for movie or TV show title, 1 point for actor name, and 1 for character name (There are about 86ish points available). . . We didn't watch every moment of them, but they are pretty Ruth-centric. Click on "Happy Birthday, Ruth!" to take the quiz. . .

Movie Of the Week: On A Clear Day You Can See Forever

So, I've decided to do a movie of the week (We'll see if I can keep up that kind of blogging frequency; but I am kind of keeping up on my daily journal writing goal, so it could happen). The movies will probably will have no particular order but end up on the list due to the mood I am in that week, someone saying a line in passing which triggers that movie in my head, or my getting a song in my head relating to or from the movie.

This week: On a Clear Day You Can See Forever

Hypnosis, reincarnation, telepathy, relationship woes, crazy-fast gardening, trysting lovers, Academic Freedom, smoking-cessation help, 19th Century England, con-artist orphans, witchcraft trials, and so much more--wrapped up in a musical. Starring Barbra Streisand (with a cameo by an extremely young Jack Nicholson), it is a visual delight mixed with a kooky story, and the music is crazy addicting. Someday I will be doing a one-woman show of songs from this (admittedly silly) guilty-pleasure movie. . . among others.

The song that has haunted me all week though is "What did I have I don't have now." The inside of my car has had multiple performances. But almost all of the songs are really fun to sing/listen to:

• "Hurry, It's Lovely Up Here," seen below, makes you want to dance amongst flowers on a gorgeous spring day.
  
• "Love With All The Trimmings" is a sultry song that kind of makes you crave really good food topped off with a satisfying kiss.


• "Go To Sleep" debates various types of love. Do you go for the one who may not be that into you but who makes your heart flutter, or do you go for the one who likes you a lot but you're not really sure about?


• "He Isn't You" croons true love to a man you cannot have, not because he doesn't love you, but because you live in two different time periods. . . (Ridiculous, but oh-so-fun to sing).


• "What Did I Have That I Don't Have?" frantically runs through the qualities that attracted him in the first place, wondering where they went and how you can get them back.


• "Come Back To Me!" is a guy begging a girl to come back any way possible, my favorite line, "under drugs, under glass..." or "wrapped in mink or Saran, any way that you can--Come Back To Me!" Awesome.

If you have a moment, enjoy the extremely random opening scene to this bizarre yet lovable movie...