Dumbo

To say I'm Disney obsessed would be an understatement. A few weeks ago I attended a special screening of Dumbo, directed by Tim Burton at the Disney Studios in Burbank. I had never seen the 60 minute original in its entirety, but I thought, I love Tim Burton and I love elephants, what the heck, I might as well. The movie was adorable. Tim Burton creates these amazingly "odd" characters, who don't entirely fit in, but "fit" all at the same time.

After the screening I was able sit and listen to the cast and crew at a press conference at the Beverly Hills Hilton.    

First off, Danny Elfman of Oingo Boingo!!! That's it, it's not a complete sentence, and I don't really care. He's worked with the master (should I call Tim Burton that? It sounds like I'm starting some strange cult, but I really don't care. The cult of Tim Burton) 17 times.  Danny Elfman was cool. I love his scores. It's not really a Tim Burton film without a Danny Elfman score. The Nightmare Before Christmas is one of my favorite Tim Burton film's of all time. I always love when Disney transforms the Haunted Mansion into The Nightmare Before Christmas.... (Take that Disney World!!)

Tim Burton was amazing to listen to. So were Michael Keaton and Danny DeVito. I could sit and listen to those three all day long. I really didn't want this press conference to end. It was one of the highlights of my career.  Tim Burton was a little all over the place, but everything he said made sense. Tim Burton is truly a creative genius.

One of the most wonderful things that came out of the film is what Danny DeVito says at the end of the movie, that animals shouldn't be locked in cages. I agree wholeheartedly. Dumbo, with his big blue eyes and big floppy ears, can really melt your heart.

Anyway, this movie was a beautiful film about family and protecting those you love. Everyone should take their kids to see this movie.  I may even go see it again.

I even got a Funko Pop Dumbo to add to my Pop collection!!!  These were given out with our Dumbo "Swag Bags"!

Where Have I Been?

Where have I been? Has anyone noticed I've been gone? Does anyone care? Probably not. I been here and there and everywhere. Sort of. My last post was in July 2018 and here it is March the following year. Last year at this time I was listing my three positive things of the day. Now, I don't have time for me. I don't "wish" that I had more time to do the things I love. I mean we all wish for more time to ourselves. There's that Facebook challenge where you post your first photo from your page and a current photo. Ten years ago I was without a job and miserable. I could cloak my fear of the future, but tiny knots would form at the pit of my stomach. What I'm trying to get at and am rambling about, is that in a way I'm happy I don't have a bunch of extra time. I know that sounds completely weird. What I'm trying to say is,  I'm happy to have a job and unfortunately my blog has taken a backseat to what pays me. If I had more time, that would mean I wasn't working and I wouldn't want that again. The free time I do have is spent either at the movies or at Disneyland. Oh Disneyland, we spent so many years apart, I'm so happy to be back. It's like a homecoming!

So that's pretty much where I've been.

I do have some things coming up.

Stay tuned for my top 10 movies July-Dec 2018 and my top 10 movies of 2018. Hey, I needed time to watch them.

I'll also be posting a blog about my trip to Disneyland all by myself, I'm a big girl now!

When Life Gives You Lemons

When life gives you lemons, what if you don't want to make the lemonade? Everyone has problems, sometimes they spring up out of no where, or in my case, drip from the ceiling out of no where. My problem didn't actually drip out of no where, it began in 2009. Instead of replacing the leaking air conditioning unit that was poorly installed during the 1995 construction of our home (my husband bought it in 2002), we decided to bandage it up, a quick-fix. You know what band-aides do eventually? They fall off. After numerous band-aide replacements, we had to bite the bullet and replace our air conditioning unit. 

Of course we shopped around. After having multiple people come in to look at it,  some  never returned our follow-up calls, even a "family friend" (I use this phrase lightly).  We finally found a company who decided to take on the challenge. 

I better enjoy this new air conditioner, because this is my vacation for next year.  

What did I learn about this entire experience? Well, as so many of you know I love makeup, movies, travel, books, shoes, clothes, electronics and handbags, but even with occasional "shopping spree" I am quite the "little saver". I'm not stressing about this home renovation project. I just want to get it done!

I also learned not to rely on the "cheap" band-aide fixes because those will just lead to a bigger, more expensive problem in the future.  

My husband, the funny guy that he is, told me that I couldn't buy anymore books. This made me chuckle. I told him, "You needn't worry, I buy used." 

A Year to be Thankful Day "I Don't Know Because I Stopped After a Month": Three Things That Make Me Happy

In a time where I feel it's hard to be thankful, I have to remember that others have it worse off than I do.  It's been a while since I posted (see the title above) this list because I, well, I just got too busy, I'd forget to post or I became too lazy. Here goes.....

1. For the first time in 11 years I have a Disneyland Pass. My hubby of 10 years surprised me with this for our anniversary in June. 

2. As much as I get annoyed with him, I am married to a good man. I realized that my first visit back to Disneyland. He does his best to try and make me happy. 

3. My air conditioning went out and I have to get it repaired. It's going to be expensive, but I feel I can get through it. It's making me a stronger person to know that I can figure it out. No one wants to spend the money, but we'll be ok.

P.S. I'm trying to complain less. How can anyone be upset when they get to come home to this sweet boy! Next post will have pictures of the other dog, Mia (Mama Mia).

Picture 1 of various stages of sleep. 

Before people get their pantie in a bunch, I'm not laying on him. 

I should model 

Don't get me out of bed please

Picture 2 of various stages of sleep.  

Picture 3 of various stages of sleep. What can I say, I sleep a lot.

Sammy intently watches TV with us. He's waiting for a dog!!

Top 10 Movies: January-June 2018 Edition

I'm keeping this short! For the past few years, it has become tradition of mine to list my "Top 10" of January-June and then July-December.  Without further ado here goes my first Top-Ten-Films list for 2018.

10. Solo: A Star Wars Story: PG-13 Action/Sci-Fi: I was going back-and-forth with deciding to add this movie on my list. I really liked it a lot and think that it got a bum rap being released so soon after The Last Jedi  The Last Jedi Review a movie I really didn't like at all. Is Disney ruining the franchise? Maybe a lot, so yes. 

9. Blockers: R Comedy: This movie was highly inappropriate and super funny.  This is like a senseless beach read.  A movie that makes it so you don't have to think, you just have to laugh and those laughs I got, were from John Cena. 

8. Game Night: R Action/Crime/Comedy: I love Jason Batemen. This was a very funny movie. Creepy Gary was, well creepy. 

7. Annihilation: R Sci-Fi/Horror: Padme and Poe in the same movie, it's like a Star Wars reunion. The horror isn't as bad as you would think. I'm not a fan of gore (gratuitous gore) but this was manageable. This was a creepy movie with an ending that is left up in the air.    

6. Adrift: PG-13 Action: Oh this movie broke my heart. I thought this was going to be a boring journey about being lost at sea. There was a "surprise ending" with clues leading you from the start.  

5. A Quiet Place: PG-13 Drama/Horror/Sci-Fi: This movie was so good. I honestly don't know how they were able to stay so quiet. I wouldn't make it, I know that for certain. 

4. The Incredibles 2: PG Family: I saw the original for the first time about a week before I saw this one. This is a case where the sequel (for me) was better than the original. It was a situation where my husband and I were out and decided to see a movie, but we had seen all of the other movies in the theater. Because I didn't like the original at all, I was hesitant in seeing this one. It was released 14 years after the first one. That's a long time to wait for a sequel. Unlike the first one, this held my interest. 

3. Avengers: Infinity War: PG-13 Action: I already posted a review about this one. Thor is my favorite and I usually don't prefer blonds. Avengers: Infinity War Review

2. Black Panther: PG-13 Action: I already posted a review about this movie.  Black Panther Review I'm hearing that it maybe even has the potential to be an "Oscar Award Winning" film? 

1. Three Identical Strangers: PG-13 Documentary: AMAZING. This is the story of triplets who were separated at birth, and adopted out to three different families. They became a media sensation in the early 80's and even had a small role in Desperately Seeking Susan. I recommend this movie to everyone. Believe it or not this documentary came with some shocking twists and turns. 

Here is a list of all films that I saw during this period. The ones in bold are those that I liked, but they just didn't make my Top-Ten-List. These are in no particular order and do not include those movies listed above.  There were so many more movie that I wanted to see, but didn't because of limited release. 

I Feel Pretty PG-13
Deadpool 2 R
Won't You Be my Neighbor PG-13
Book Club PG-13
Jurassic World Fallen Kingdom PG-13
Winchester PG-13
Fifty Shades Freed R
Pacific Rim Uprising PG-13
Pandas G (IMAX California Science Center)
Overboard PG-13
Life of the Party PG-13
Tag R
Ocean's 8: PG-13

Ant-Man and the Wasp, Paul Rudd and an Evening at Disney Studios

Recently I was asked to attend a special screening and press day for the upcoming Marvel sequel Ant-Man and the Wasp starring Paul Rudd, Evangeline Lilly, Michael Douglas, Laurence Fishburne, Michelle Pfeiffer, Michael Peña, Hannah John-Kamen and Randall Park. As with the original Ant-Man, Rudd was a part of the writing team. The movie was good, not great, but fun nonetheless. 

So much is given away in the commercials for this movie, there isn't much left for us in the actual film. Radio segments are saying that critics are amazed with the surprise ending. There really wasn't much of a "surprise" ending to speak of. Unfortunately I wasn't on the edge of my seat. In the Marvel timeline, this comes before the events in Avengers: Infinity War and is a sequel to Ant-Man and Captain America: Civil War. It would have helped me to re-watch Ant-Man since I've forgotten the events of that film. It has to be hard to be the film that follows Thor Ragnarok, Black Panther and Avengers: Infinity War. These three set the bar really high. 

There were some laughs in the film. Michael Pena has some of the best scenes. His montage is the best. At the press day in Pasadena, Evangeline Lilly stated that Luis's "montage" was her favorite thing to film. Randall Park plays the FBI agent, Jimmy Woo, who is in charge of making sure that Scott Lang finishes out his house arrest after helping Captain America.    

Hank Pym and his daughter Hope van Dyne are desperately trying to find Janet van Dyne in the quantum zone, where she has been trapped for the last 30 years.  Laurence Fishburne leaves the DC to join the MCU. Will he return as Perry White in the next Man of Steel movie? Will there be another Man of Steel?

The movie, at it's core about family and the love of a family. That's evident in Scott's relationship with his daughter Cassie and Hank's relationship with Hope. There is one line I wish they would have changed. It's when Scott and Cassie are talking and he mentions that Hope reminds him a lot of Cassie. I know the message they are trying to convey. I just wish they could have conveyed it a different way. 

My husband and I were able to watch Ant-Man and the Wasp at the Disney Studios in Burbank. I've been there before and I just love it! We were given drinks and finger foods before the screening and popcorn during. We watched the 3D version of the film and I wasn't a big fan. I don't particularly care for 3D films to begin with, I think they're a waste of money. There was nothing spectacular about watching it in 3D.  

Being on the studio grounds is a very magical experience. My dream was to always work at Disney Studios.  

A few days later I went to the press event at the Langham Hotel in Pasadena. I love the Langham. It's beautiful.  My husband took me there once when we were dating. They have a beautiful courtyard garden. While walking through this garden to get to the other side of the hotel, I bumped into Paul Rudd. This was an amazing experience!! I've loved him since before Clueless. Anyway, I digress. I walked back into the hotel from the courtyard and ran into a group of people. within this group was Paul Rudd. We made eye contact, he smiled and I said......nothing. It took a minute for my brain to register the fact that this was in-fact-PAUL-freaking-RUDD!! Before I had time to whip out my phone for a selfie, he was gone and I was already on security's radar. 

As with many of the press junkets I attend, some of the costumes are on hand. I really loved the Wasp costume. Evangeline Lilly is so much fun in this movie. Her fighting scenes are awesome! Paul Rudd and Evangeline Lilly have great chemistry. How can you not have chemistry with Paul Rudd. He's such a dream!!!  They have this action figure that is so lifelike, its scary. I've never seen anything like it before. I has "facial hair". 

My students know that I have an obsession with FunkoPop dolls. I have a "wall-of-pop" in my classroom. They give them to me as gifts. The Wasp, Hope and Scott are adorable!!

The few days that I spent in the MCU were terrific. Paul Rudd is still adorable. The movie was good, but not great.  I'd give the movie 3 out of 5 Pink Gerber Daisies. Most of the action scenes were already given to us in the commercials. I wasn't surprised by the ending. I actually have some hope for the future, and by future I mean 2019's Avengers 4. Let's face it, we know that in the MCU, no one is really ever truly gone. 

Han Solo, With Some Spoilers

A few weeks ago I was invited to watch Solo and then attend the Han Solo press conference in Pasadena. Let me start off by saying how much I hated The Last Jedi. Fans of the original Star Wars franchise were, made to feel ashamed and stupid for not "understanding" the film. The way they handled the Luke Skywalker character was shameful. (And) Disney is still using Rian Johnson to create even more Star Wars films, WHY??? 

Fast forward to May 25th. I'd heard all the rumors, watched all the videos, read all the stories. Solo: A Star Wars Story, was going to be terrible. You know what, it actually wasn't. Maybe it was the fact that I went into the theater with much lower expectations, but I really liked this movie. To make one thing clear, I'm not saying I loved this film, or that I liked it because I went to the press junket. I actually also went to the press junket for The Last Jedi and I panned that movie in a review. I loved the way the cast interacted with each other. It felt like they actually got along. I thought everyone had amazing chemistry and the story line was good. There were some new characters and I was interested in learning about them. 

Alden Ehrenreich is actually a lot of fun as Han Solo. He may not look like Harrison Ford, but he's cute, and he has this adorable twinkle in his eye and adorable smirk on his face. I also loved Donald Glover, as Lando Calrissian. The two of them together is amazing. Unfortunately, the next time we see them together is in Empire Strikes Back, so a sequel with the two would be out of the question. Chewie is amazing. All of the actors in this film are good. I really liked what the writers and Ron Howard did with Solo. We even get to see some of the events mentioned in A New Hope through Return of the Jedi. For that reason alone, I was pleased with the film. They didn't forget about the fans.

Qi'ra, Solo's love interest, is mysterious and now I want to know more about her, thank you Disney and Lucas Films. Could we please get another movie with Qi'ra? Is this what they are opening the door to? Solo learns from his "master" smuggler (remember there is always "one master and one apprentice"), Tobias Beckett, (played by Woody Harrelson) to, “Assume everyone will betray you, and you’ll never be disappointed.” Words he's lived by ever since. 

Now, the big event at the end of the movie, the big unexpected WOW, the return of Darth Maul. I knew he didn't die, we all knew that. Rebels and The Clone Wars already establishes this fact. We also know that Obi-Wan eventually kills Darth Maul. Here's my hope. Obviously an Obi-Wan film has been rumored for a long time. Everyone LOVED Darth Maul in The Phantom Menace. Let Obi-Wan and Darth Maul's story line continue in the new films. Could this be their plan anyway? 

Obviously my mind is running with all of the possibilities. Looking at the Rotten Tomatoes Scores of both films, there is a huge disconnect between critics and fans. Right now Solo has a 71% Fresh rating with critics and 57% with fans, whereas, The Last Jedi has a 96% with critics and 46% with fans. Did the critics inflate their ratings with The Last Jedi, just to stay on the "right" side of Disney? Is their slight disapproval of Solo a way to appease the audience? I really think Solo deserves a much higher score from both critics and fans. 

No Disney, we are not trying the sabotage the franchise. We just want to be heard. I think Ron Howard did a fantastic job with telling the Han Solo story. There was some nostalgia to this film, that I didn't feel with The Last Jedi.  There are no light sabers in this one, but I'm ok with that. There were a couple of scenes I thought didn't work, like Qi'ra and Han's reunion, but at least no one is floating in outer space like Mary Poppins. 

Things I don't want moving forward with this franchise 1. a Boba Fett movie. I never knew why there was so much interest in him anyway. 2. Stop putting out a new Star Wars film every six months. I think Disney and Lucas Films should have waited a bit before releasing Solo. Many still haven't gotten over the disappointment they felt with The Last Jedi. 

Something I want moving forward, an Obi-Wan film starring Ewan McGregor.

Ok, so I did also attend the press conference and I saw some pretty awesome things. I'm obsessed with Funko Pop! figures. As a matter of fact, I have a wall of Pop at my work. My students love them. As with most movie releases, there were so many new figures released with this film. 

Look at all these Pop! figures, I just bought a Chewie last night

The highlight of the press conference for me was sitting on the Millennium Falcon with Chewie as my co-pilot. 

I got to see many amazing costumes from the film as well. 

Overall, I really liked this movie. Were the story and acting perfect, no but it held my interests from start to finish. In essence, it was a cowboy movie in space, starring a much beloved scoundrel. I would give Solo: A Star Wars Story 4 out of 5 Pink Gerber Daisies.