Happy Easter!

HAPPY EASTER!

Every Easter I love watching the wonderful musical Easter Parade. 

(Since I originally posted this back in 2012 the video I had shared has been removed here is another great scene)

When ever holidays come around it is funny what you remember, things I remember from Easter...

1. I am not sure if we watched it on Easter or not but I remember watching the movie Easter Parade at my Nana and Grandpa's house and now every Easter I want to watch it.

2. Easter dresses- I remember every year having to wear white tights and patent leather shoes, at least until I was in my teens and the first year I did not wear those items I felt so grown up.

Some Examples of my Easter Dresses:

My sister, Granddad and I

My dad and I. 

3. Bunnies -I remember every year my mom got us a stuffed bunny for Easter, one of them was rose colored and I named her Felicity. We put all our bunnies on top of our fireplace mantel and we called it bunnies on parade.

4. Easter Brunch- When we were at my mom's house we always went out for a special brunch, they were probably the nicest meals we ate growing up.

5. New York City- when I was in 6th grade my mom took my sister and I to New York City and we stayed in the Plaza Hotel.Sad to say I don't remember much about that trip. I went to the Disney store near time square and I begged my mom that instead of my Easter bunny to buy a vintage looking Eeyore. I know it might be silly but it is still the stuff animal I sleep with.

6. Easter egg hunts- I remember when my Grandma would put bible verses in little eggs... when you are kid you look forward to the candy so I always felt chipped getting Easter eggs with verses. Now I am glad that she tried to keep Easter still close to God, when so many people make it about the Easter bunny. Also I remember my younger cousin, who is at least seven years younger than me, enjoyed Easter egg hunts much longer than we did but I felt bad she didn't have some one to play with so I pretended to be excited about Easter egg hunts even when I was fourteen.

7. Peeps- I know a lot of people find peeps disgusting. But I love them. One year in college I put on Facebook about how I didn't get any Peeps that year and she sent me boxes of Peeps. But I am a traditionalist I only eat Peeps at Easter time.

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Hope you have a wonderful Easter!

The Finale

Summer Movies-- A little behind

Now that school is over I got some time to watch movies, and do a little catch up on normal life. My budget isn't very big so most of my movie watching comes from checking out DVDs from the library, even if I have to be a long waiting list... patience is a virtue right?

The first film I saw was Austenland, it came out late August, but I couldn't find it in theaters near me. I thought I was going to like it, a friend even mentioned that it was a movie made about me. It is about a girl, Jane, who is OBSESSED with Jane Austen. She spends all her savings to go to an Austen style retreat in order to act out a Jane Austen novel. But discovers she doesn't want this fake style of love but instead she wants real love. However she will discover which man truly has her heart's interest.

What I liked- The premise of the story is great and personally I would love to go off to an Austen style resort. I also really like JJ Fields, who has played Henry Tilney in Northanger Abbey, and he plays the snooty resident Mr. Darcy well. And though he is the resident Mr. Darcy, you can tell he has a bit of a soft spot...in the end he turns out to be a history professor.

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What I didn't like- the sexual innuendos, if this was a real Jane Austen experience it wouldn't happen because they didn't happen in Austen's time. Also in one scene Jane, Keri Russell, is talking about how couples didn't even touch before they were married and then in the next scene is making out with a guy. I thought that was a little hypocritical, since she wanted the Austen experience.  

Overall- Glad I watched it once since I was intrigued by this movie, but I don't feel the need to watch it again. My heart will always will remain with Jane Austen, but I don't like when people try to remake her work. Also if I want to watch JJ Fields as a Austen hero I will watch him in Northanger Abbey.

Here is JJ Field in Northanger Abbey

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The other film I watched was Pitch Perfect, and I really liked it. When it came out and when all my friends were talking about it, I was hesitant to see it, I don't know why... I love acapella music.

Its a story about Beca, Anna Kendrick, reluctantly going to college when her real dream is to move to LA and become a professional DJ. Through an agreement with her dad she joins the Barden Bellas and actually ends up liking it. Through out the film the club is controlled by a tight fisted girl, who is so focused on winning that she can't actually get past her own view point. However, at the end the girls work together to make a good acapella performance. It is PG-13 so there are some sexual references but nothing I thought over the top.

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What I liked- There is a love story, though I wouldn't say it takes center stage to the plot. Jesse, Skylar Astin, is cute and he pursues Beca even when she is kind of mean to him---but he still stands up for himself when needed. There is singing, which is awesome because life should be more musical. They reference The Breakfast Club, which works in the plot. And the girls work out their difficulties (with no cat fighting) and learn to appreciate their differences.  

Clip: "Just the way you are" 

What I didn't like- The head girl, Aubrey, has two incidents where she vomits and they just make really over the top, unnecessary and gross. Also in the movie Jesse is really focused on the endings and without giving any spoilers away I thought the ending fell flat (after such a good performance). 

The Bella's final performance

Over all- Cute movie, I can see it going on my list of movies to watch when I feel blue, because musicals always cheer me up and it is nice to have modern day musicals.

Some frivolous-ness

HAPPY MAY! 

I am celebrating being done with this semester, with some frivolous YouTube time... 

Song: A Thousand Years

By: Christina Perri

Made by: Silver Vintage Videos

I don't know all the films and TV shows but the ones I recommend ...

Pride and Prejudice (1995)

Little Dorrit

Downton Abbey

Kate and Leopold

Ever After

North and South

Becoming Jane

The Paradise

The Sound of Music

Emma

Mansfield Park

Sense and Sensibility

Lark Rise to Candleford

Wives and Daughters

Motivating Song

Song: Astonishing 

From: Little Women the Musical

Performed By: Sutton Foster

When I first heard about the musical Little Women I kind of took as a joke but now I want to see it so much. Here in Boston we have an awesome radio station 88.9 WERS (through Emerson College) that on Saturdays has a show called "The Best of Broadway and Beyond." It was here I heard this song and now it is one of my favorite motivational songs. 

I hope you like it...

"Astonishing"

Who is he? 
Who is he with his marry me? 
With his ring and his marry me, 
the nerve, the gull. 

This is not, 
Not what was meant to be. 
How could he ruin it all 
With those two words? 

I thought I knew him 
Thought that he knew me 
When did it change? 
What did I miss? 

A kiss, 
When I thought all along, 
That we were meant to find frontiers, 
How could I be so wrong? 

And I need, 
How I need my sisters here 
If I can't share my dreams 
What were they for? 

I thought our promise 
That we would never change and never part. 
I thought together, 
We'd amaze the world. 
How can I live my dreams or even start when everything has come apart. 

I thought home was all I'd ever want 
My attic all I'd ever need. 
Now nothing feels the way it was before 
And I don't know how to proceed. 
I only know I'm meant for something more 
I've got to know if I can be 
Astonishing 

There's a life 
That I am meant to lead 
A life like nothing I have known 
I can feel it 
And it's far from here 
I've got to find it on my own 

Even now I feel it's heat upon my skin. 
A life of passion that pulls me from within, 
A life that I am making to begin. 
There must be somewhere I can be 
Astonishing 
Astonishing 

I'll find my way 
I'll find it far away 
I'll find it in unexpected and unknown 
I'll find my life in my own way 
Today 

Here I go 
And there's no turning back 
My great adventure has begun 
I may be small 
But I've got giant plans 
To shine as greatly as the sun 

I will blaze until I find my time and place 
I will be fearless, 
Surrendering modesty and grace 
I will not disapear without a trace 
I'll shout and start a riot 
Be anything but quiet 
Christopher Columbus 
I'll be Astonishing 
Astonishing 
Astonishing 

At Last

Lyrics found here

For those of you not in the Boston area but want to hear "The Best Of Broadway" you can listen online at 

WERS.org Saturdays 10-2 (EST). It is a nice way to start the weekend. 

A tune for Tuesday

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I don't remember when I first listened to The Civil Wars but since then I have been in love with them. Their voices beautifully blend together making some great music. Most of there music makes me want to curl up with a good cup of coffee and let the world melt away. When I was trying to find music for this post I came across this song on YouTube that I had never heard before. Their music is so simple but yet not and like most of their songs this song captured me. Hope you enjoy.

Song: I've got this friend

by: The Civil Wars

Lyrics found at lyricsty.com

I've got this friend
I don't think you know him
He's not much for words
He's hidden his heart away

Oh I've got this friend
A loveless romantic
All that he really wants
Is someone to want him back

Ohh, if the right one came
If the right one came along
Ohh, If the right one came, along

I've got this friend
I don't think you know her
She sings a simple song
It sounds a lot like his
[ Lyrics from: http://wwwlyricsty.com/the-civil-wars-ive-got-this-friend-lyrics.html ]
Oh I've got this friend
Holding onto her heart
Like it's a little secret
Like it's all she's got to give

Ohh, if the right one came
If the right one came along
Ohh, if the right one came, along

It'd be such a shame
(If they never meet)
She sounds lovely
(He sounds right out of a dream)
If only
(If only)
If only

Ohh
Ohh, if the right one came
If the right one came along
Ohh, (I've got this friend) if the right one came
If the right one came along
Ohh, (I've got this friend)
If the right one came, along

Happy Graduation

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For all my friend's who are graduating here are some songs to celebrate your accomplishment.

The 2000 classic Vitamin C song  Graduation (friend's forever)

Now pour a drink and dance around you have worked hard. 

Kool and the Gang- Celebrate 

Black Eye Peas- I got a feeling

Have fun celebrating!

Can't wait till I can join your graduated ranks.

Gilmore Goodness

Song: Raise your glass

As you get ready for this weekend I hope you enjoy watching 

this little montage of the great seasons of Gilmore Girls. 

Have a great weekend. 

Whistling* on Wednesday

Song: I want you Back

Preformed by: The Civil Wars

Originally done by: The Jackson 5

 This song just came up randomly on my Spotify account and  I loved it so I wanted to share it with you. Hope you like it!

I love The Civil Wars, they make me want me to cuddle up, sip on a cup of coffee and let the troubles of the world melt away.

*- I actually can't whistle but it was the only W word I could think of that was musical.

Music of my life

For awhile I have wanted to write a post about my love of music. But I haven't really thought of the words to say. I like music but I am not a music expert. I can not play a note of music because I never learned how to read music and I can't sing but that doesn't stop me from singing in my shower or at church. I also can't tell the difference between a melody and harmony. But I still love music all kind of music too... I listen to country music to even some hip hop music. I like slow mellow music most of the time but sometimes I just want to cut lose and dance. I also like some oldies like Abba, Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons, and The Beatles mixed into my collection. I will admit sometimes I still like listening to Spice Girls.

You probably didn't need a picture to remind you who they were.

I have a friend who laughs at me every time we go out and I know the words to every song that comes on. I don't mind I actually like that she thinks I know every song because when I was younger, I admired my cousin who I thought knew every song. When I was 8 and she was 16 (I think that was our age difference) I wanted to be just like her. She was (and I bet she still is) the kind of person you said a word or phrase and she could think of song with it in it.

My cousin and I... the only one I could find of us together... I am the baby

Also my house was very musical my mom and I would like to dance around the house, and I remember a few mornings when she was driving me too school she would be whistling. And my mom raised me on the musical classics like The Sound Music and Mary Poppins. So even at young age my house was musical and I think that has had a major influence on me. 

I often think if I write a screen play I would also lay out the music that should be used in the scene. I always think of the movie Elizabethtown  it came out in 2005 and while I remember not liking the story I loved the soundtrack.  But I would want my movie to be remembered for both a great story and great plot. Right now I am getting a good mix of songs to add to my soundtrack.

I would want a large mix of all the kinds of music I love from country, to oldies, some dance music, and if possible a song from a musical. Here are just a few...

She & Him- In the Sun

Taylor Swift-Ours

The Civil Wars- Poison & Wine

JJ Heller- Where I Land

But because I love oldies as well I would have to include something from the past

Abba- Take a chance on me
(Fun to watch an old school music video). 

The Muppets, the movie

I have been busy finishing things for the end of the semester but I wanted to write a post about the movie The Muppets. If you are in the middle of finals or just having a bad day take time to go see this movie. Now I am not a life long muppets fan, though I do enjoy the Muppet's Christmas Carol, but I have heard great things about this movie. It was just the cheesiness I needed to help my brain out during the final crunch of this semester.

I personally think it is worth seeing just for the cameos people from Neil Patrick Harris, Jim Krasinski, Whoopi Goldberg, and Jack Black (just to name a few). But it is also great for some laughs... the saddest thing about this movie is that Neil Patrick Harris doesn't sing. The best part was seeing Jim Parsons, Sheldon from the Big Bang Theory, who actually did sing.  And of course Kermit does his classic song "The Rainbow Connection."

The basic plot line is this: Jason Segel and his muppet brother Walter are trying to save the Muppet Studios from being turn down by the evil Chris Cooper, who FYI does a rap. So they get toghether the gang of muppets to put on a telathon to raise money to save the studios. I will not give a spoiler alert so you will just have to see the movie to see how it ends.

There is music, dancing, corny lines and great fun to enjoy by both adults and kids. I really want to see the bloopers of how many times they cracked up laughing. There moments when they are poking fun at themselves like when Amy Adams says "this will be a short movie" or when they say they will go see the muppets in a montage scene. Over all it was just the basic cheesiness I needed to help my brain. So go see it!

Footloose the Musical

Last night I went to go see Footloose the Musical at the North Shore Music Theater. The first thing I learned was a majority of the girls I went with (8 total) I was the only person (maybe my friend's mom had seen it) who had seen the original movie. Footloose is an 80's movie classic right up there with Dirty Dancing and going back further Grease. The second thing I learned was even though I love the classic, I should not try to compare the two against each other but to love them both separately.
But let me say there will there will never be another Kevin Bacon...though some have tried. If you don't know what I am talking about for awhile there was talk when the new Footloose (movie) came out Zac Efron would be playing Ren (Click Here). I will also say I love movies turned into musicals... I loved Legally Blonde the Musical. And I liked this musical as well...though it would be awesome to see it with all the production value of a Broadway Musical behind it. The North Shore is a round theater so it has unusual limits.... no drastic set changes, as well as smaller stage but I think how the stage company made the sets, rather it be the church, school, burger joint, or dance hall was great with some imagination. And we had great seats... in a round theater the seats aren't far away they are all close to the stage. But in a round theater you also get some moments where the actors are standing with there backs to you (its unavoidable) but for the most part my friend did a good job picking out the seats where we didn't have the actor's butts shaking in our face as they danced too much.

I found the first act thinking Ren is not that stupid in the movie... and I am not sure if it was the writing, actor, or director. In the film and musical Ren is just trying to adjust to living in a new town with the past of his father having just left him and his mother. But the whole town Beaumont is watching his every move and trying to trap him into trouble (while the girls sing "Some body's Eyes"). I just felt like the usual corniness of musical (that I love) was some taken too far to Ren being a little goofy... not the cool, street-wise man that Kevin Bacon played.
The second act was better for Ren, he got more to the heart and the pain that was Ren. But I would say I missed the whole trapeze dancing that Kevin Bacon (or his really good sump double did). I also missed the Tractor Chicken scene where Ren takes down the bad boy Chuck Cranston. But I loved being able to sing along to the 80's songs I know by heart. And I loved how some of the choreography from the film carried into the movie, like Ren teaching Willard to dance, or the girls with their hands in the hair whipping themselves around looking so flawlessly effortless (if I tried to do that I would like a girl having a seizure).

I think the characters of Rusty and Ariel were done nicely. Ariel was good at pretending to be the good girl for the first 5 minutes but then we get to see her bad girl side. We also learn quicker, than movie, that it was her brother that died and she is trying to get away from that memory and that pain. And Rusty love for Willard even though he is awkward and can't dance is so cute when she sings "Lets hear for the boy." Though I loved the awkward love story of Rusty and Willard it is hard to think of another playing Rusty besides Sarah Jessica Parker. Also Reverend Shaw Moore, was also embraced well with his sense of making sure everyone did what the Lord wanted, but still questioning was right and holding on to the pain of losing a son.

Over all I left the theater feeling happy... and that is the point of a musical to feel happy. But I will admit it was hard for me to take a movie I have seen a million times and not compare the musical against it. So maybe it was better for my group, who hadn't seen the movie to just see the musical, because they could love it for what it is and not compare it to the original. Though 3 of the girls had seen it in London and thought the big production value that musical had was worth it.
We shall see what happens when the new Footloose (not musical) get released come October... I wonder if any one from the original cast will make an appearance. The only person I recognize in the cast is Dennis Quaid playing Reverend Moore. If this is set in the 80's I will have to break out the leg warmers.