David Cook - This Loud Morning

CD Review

Something funny happened while I was listening to David Cook’s new CD, This Loud Morning. The first listen I found myself disappointed and none of the songs really stood out. However, when I went to give it a second go round, I found myself excited as each song started. The whole album seemed to have really stuck in my head without me realizing it.

David Cook has a very sexy voice and I think I want his songs to showcase that sexy quality, but he tends towards a more rocker edge. His sound is very middle of the road so it works for me since I don’t listen to a lot of heavy rock. We Believe, Fade Into Me and Take Me As I am are all solid songs and the first single The Last Goodbye is definitely one you’ll be humming. It looks like Mr. Cook won’t be fading into post American Idol obscurity just yet.

Rise of the Planet of the Apes

This has been the best summer for movies in years. It’s a shame they can’t stretch these out over a few summers instead of cramming them all in now. Yesterday, my husband had to work from home so my immediate thought was, “What’s the earliest time we can see Rise of the Planet of the Apes once I get home from work?” There was a 6:20pm showing that seemed like it would work.

I have to take a moment here to mention how spoiled I’ve been lately. I live in a cluster of small towns in the San Francisco East Bay. I currently live in one of the older, larger towns, because of this we had the first multiplex theater (but I wasn’t living here yet). Over the years some of the neighboring towns have built up and become quite fancy. My downtown now seems shabby in comparison to their sleek, modern stores and state of the art movie houses. And you know what? I love it!

My theater in no ghost town, but it doesn’t offer the “see and be seen” aspect of some of the newer ones. Due to this fact, there’s never a line and I can literally leave my house 15 to 10 minutes before showtime. Friday, we left around 6pm (20 minutes early) to see Rise of the Planet of Apes, because it was opening night, yet all three of us got good seats. Plus, because we are no longer one the hipper areas, we get incentives to patronize the downtown area. We get free parking that is easy to find and our theater lowered ticket prices to $8.50! Since I boycott overpriced movie food, it’s actually affordable for me to go the movies. I spent the week convincing my teenage son to join us. At his age, he pretty much protests anything I say will be cool. I told him he didn’t want to miss this one. He caved and went along.

Talk about an effective trailer. I saw it months ago and I just knew this film was going to awesome and you know what, it was? It’s the first film this summer I would happily go see in the theater again, right now! The best review I can give is simply to say you should stop reading this and run out to see it right now.

There were many pleasant surprises in this film and I don’t want to give anything away. It a great film that unfolds in its own way and should be viewed as such. The first half is gut-wrenching as you watch the relationship between scientist Will Rodman (James Franco) his subject, a chimp named Ceasar and Will’s father he is in the final stages of Alzheimers.

I cried a lot during the beginning part of this film and my husband informed me I’m no longer allowed to see movies that feature monkeys because I always break down in this way. It’s these strong emotions however, that serve the viewer well in the second half. The CGI in this movie goes to a whole new level. There are no real apes in the film at all, which opens a whole new arena for future films that could be made if you did not need to use trained animals. Of course, the computer alone is not what makes this film better than any other CGI film. The genius of Andy Serkis as Ceasar makes me believe that this performance could garner an Oscar nomination. If you don’t believe Cesar you don’t buy into this entire movie. It completely rests on Serkis’ shoulders and he delivers big time!

It was so much fun to see the apes wreck havoc on San Francisco. This movie holds nothing back on the ape rampage and it is the ultimate summer movie fun. The only complaint I had was the lovely Freda Pinto as a compassionate veterinarian was a completely wasted and undeveloped character. It was unnecessary to give Will a love interest simply to have a love interest. Other than that, the summer movies seem to keep one upping each other. I’m not sure any will top this one. Don’t be Afraid of the Dark? Maybe. Probably not.

Beavis and Butthead Are Back!

Get More: Beavis and Butt-Head, MTV Shows

This clip was recently unveiled at Comic-Con. MTV is bringing the boys back!

Look, I know I’m a grown woman, but dang if that Beavis & Butthead don’t still know how to me crack up. As happy as I am to see some new Cornholio, please watch to the end of this clip when they start riffing on Jersey Shore. They played just the audio on my local radio station and I was laughing so hard in my car, I almost had to pull over. I can’t wait till these guys are back on MTV.

A Stolen Life - Jaycee Dugard

Book Review


I recently read the new memoir by Jaycee Dugard. Her story is amazing.

Jaycee Dugard was eleven years old when she was kidnapped while walking to the school bus stop in Lake Tahoe, California. For eighteen years she would endure a life that no one should ever have to go through, let alone a child. She was a victim of horrible sexual and emotional abuse from her captor, Phillip Garrido. His wife, Nancy Garrido, aided in the abduction of this innocent child and spent years helping him satisfy his sick desire for young girls.

It’s amazing that Jaycee was held captive for eighteen years by this monster. Her story is difficult to read and it will make you angry. You will be angry that someone this sick exists. You will be angry that law enforcement had opportunities to discover her and they didn’t. You will be angry that she never tried to escape and that Nancy, Phillip’s wife, never tried to free her, especially when Garrido was in prison for months. There are many reasons this book will make you angry and that’s okay. What you can’t do while reading this book is judge Jaycee Dugard.

You are not allowed to second guess any decisions she made or emotions she has felt unless you too were held captive for eighteen years and made a sex slave to a pervert. It’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking there were times when she could have escaped or tried to contact someone, but that is not fair to this amazing woman.

As I read this, I tried to recall my eleven year self. I tried to be honest with what I knew and how easy it would be to manipulate someone so young. This woman had no contact with other human being other than these sickos, for years. It’s impossible to know what you would do to survive this type of situation.

Dugard did survive and she raised two daughters that Garrido fathered. Since she was found in 2009, she has been reunited with her mother and younger sister. Dugard not only goes through the painful years in her book, but also gives you a glimpse into her life now. To know that now she is still not truly “free” because she is dogged by the media is quite troubling. I hope as the fascination of her experience wears off she can live in peace.

As far as a book goes, Dugard talks in a very frank and simple style. She’s also careful to keep her experiences in the same way they appeared to her as an innocent young girl. At the end of each chapter she shares a reflection of how she now views the situation. This is not a long book, yet I was compelled to read it quickly. It’s hard to stay in Dugard’s world for long, it’s amazing she was able to.

Her story has an even deeper connection for me because Antioch, California where she was held captive for 18 years, is only a few towns over from where I live. I felt if she was brave enough to tell her story I owed her my time to read it. I’m so impressed with her as a human being and because of her laws will be changed and we can only hope this will never happen to another child.

I wish peace and love to be in her life and after learning a bit about her, I’m confident that she’ll know how to make this happen for her and her family. In the end, this is a story about hope and never giving up. It’s a tough read, but I hope you will read it. I’ve also included her sit down interview with Diane Sawyer.

Captain America - Movie Review

If everyone has been telling you that Captain American is a much better film than you would expect, hold on while I jump on that bandwagon.

I loved the first Iron Man film and the rebooted Hulk with Ed Norton. I’m down with The Avengers movie next summer, but I didn’t feel pressured to see ALL of the movies. Thor looked a bit far-fetched to me, but then I heard some good things. By the time I finally decided to give it a try, I missed it. I’ll have to catch it on DVD, but since I have a dinosaur of a TV, something will be lost.

I also wasn’t quite sure about Captain American. The suit looks a bit cheesy and Chris Evans already played Human Torch in The Fantastic Four. I had a lot of other summer movies on my list…then I saw the trailer.

I have a general knowledge of super heroes, meaning that I have at least heard of them. As far as origins go, I’m a bit weak. I did not know that Captain America takes place during World War II and that he was created to fight Nazis. This already had my interest. Then when I found out he was a scrawny little guy who becomes a fine fighting machine, I was sold. I’m a tiny woman and I always like seeing the little guy kick some ass!

If you wonder why Chris Evans was cast as another superhero, you’ll understand early into this film. This guy is not simply a gob of muscles. He’s very likeable and quite funny. He manages to make character Steve Rogers, sensitive, tough and heroic. You want to see this guy whip the Nazi’s, save his friends and hopefully, get the girl.

There was also a deeper story than I initially thought. It’s not as simple as they pump this guy up and then let him loose. Every bit of the story is well earned and if you’re looking for a super creepy villain that gives you goosebumps, this is your film. True, Stephen Colbert accurately referred to him as a sunburnt James Carville, Red Skull is one menacing dude!

Even with a great a hero and villain, you still need the supporting characters to be interesting and well-rounded. Here too, this movie delivers. Stanley Tucci as Dr. Erskine, doesn’t disappoint as a German scientist who refuses to help Hitler’s army, Hayley Atwell as Peggy Carter, is a tough British female officer, who just may be falling for our hero and Sebastin Stan is simply delicious as Steve Rogers devoted friend and fellow solider Bucky. Captain American had a few too many muscles for me. My eyes were on Stan whenever he was on the screen. Funny, when I looked him up later, I discovered I’d seen every film he’s been in! The only one I can remember noticing him in was Hot Tub Time Machine, because he stood out as the only good looking guy in the film.

The special effects were amazing and truly offered every type of action chase scene you could want, except for maybe outer space! Speeding trains, car chases and airplane sequences were gorgeously filmed and kept me on the edge of my seat. I even inadvertently cheered out loud a couple of times.

This definitely got me more revved up than ever for The Avengers movie next summer. I was a bit shocked at how many people left the theater as soon as the credits started to roll. I can’t be the only nerd who knows they show a clip of the next installment at the end of each film. One couple stayed for 90% of the credits and then walked out! Maybe they all saw it at Comic-Con? Anyway, don’t worry, there’s a juicy bit for you if you stay till the end.

Now I liked Green Lantern, but Captain American truly did surpass it in every way. The storyline, the acting and the special effects, were all high class. Plus, as far-fetched as super hero movies can be this one never took itself too seriously. First Harry Potter, than this, I’m on a summer roll!

Song of the Week - Skyscraper/Demi Lovato

There are so many teen singers right now and kids starring in shows on The Disney Channel and Teen Nick, that’s it’s next to impossible to keep track of them all. Now that my kids are older they do not watch these shows so it’s even harder to know who half of these fresh-faced teens are. Demi Lovato we all know though because she famously stepped away from the teen bubble and sought treatment from bulimia and other speculated issues. Apparently, her rock bottom doesn’t even come close to what we’re use to seeing these days in Hollywood. Now she’s back with a song that’s growing on me a little more every time I hear it. I think it’s because she now has what these other teenyboppers lack, wisdom and personal pain to draw on. You can hear it in her voice. You go Demi!

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part Two

It was a long journey with young Harry Potter. I’ve been there since the beginning and just as Harry and his classmates have grown and changed, my life is also different.

When the first film came out my kids were 8 and 5. Now, I’m the mother of an adult who was working and couldn’t go with me and a teenager who had no interest in attending the final film with his parents. The first film was a family event with my brother-in-law and close family friend in attendance. We kept that intact through the first few films. Slowly, things changed. Our busy lives found us struggling to make sure we saw the films on the big screen. My oldest stopped reading the books as school work became more difficult, but she’s remained a fan. My son doesn’t seem to care what happens to Potter and the gang, what are you going to do?

So it was my husband, me and my brother-in-law, no kids, to sit down and find out how it all ends. Lately, I’ve wanted to stay away from the 3-D gimmick, but since this was the last one, we all decided to go for it. I’m glad we did because the 3-D quality was top-notch.

I had a lot of problems with The Deathly Hallows Part One. Just because you title something Part One doesn’t mean you can get away with it not being a stand alone movie. The entire film was all build up without any payoff. If they wanted to do it that way then they needed to release the films much closer together.

However, the long wait was over and where part one was meandering, part two was a roller-coaster ride. Harry, Hermione and Ron are ready to do battle against the evil Voldermort and they will not back down.

What has always set the Harry Potter films apart is the fully fleshed out storylines. Nothing ever seems to be the easiest way to tie up a story. The characters are complex and while there were no knock me out of my seat surprises, the final installment did take me places I didn’t expect.

I’m sure I’m the last person on the planet to have seen this, but I’m still not going to give anyway any plot points. I will say that I think you will be satisfied with the conclusion. I have not read the books, I’m saving them for my retirement years. I’m sure the book readers did not feel all their desires were met, but how could you possibly cover all that materiel?

It will be interesting to see where Radcliffe, Watson and Grint go from here. I know Radcliffe is making quite a name for himself on Broadway. I like that he’s okay with being attached to Harry Potter and seems to appreciate the opportunities it has provide him. He’s also a pretty funny guy. Check out this great interview from The Daily Show.

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart	Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c
Daniel Radcliffe
www.thedailyshow.com
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Check another review of Harry Potter over at Top 10 Films.

Can You Believe I Haven't Seen - Schindler's List

This was originally supposed to be a monthly feature and where I definitely have a long list on my bulletin board of movies for this feature, my schedule lately has made this harder than I thought it would be. There are so many new movies to see and I’m currently reading four books simultaneously, that I’m beginning to understand how so many films passed me by.

For July, I watched Steven Spielberg’s 1993 Best Picture, Schindler’s List. I have always wanted to see this movie. It came out at a time when I was a new mother and going to the movies was not on my “to do” list. All the years later, I honestly have never felt up to watching it. You know going in that it’s going to be horribly depressing. I’ve actually felt a little guilty to be honest. It’s an important film that everyone should see. I finally righted the wrong and watched it Saturday night with my husband, who was also viewing it for the first time.

It was different than I expected. Although I knew the film chronicled the life of Oskar Schindler (played by Liam Neeson) during World War II, I did not know that the film basically only focused on this story.

Schindler was a shrewd business man who found a unique way to profit from the war; he employed Jewish refugees in his factory. He was not portrayed in a favorable light at first. He distanced himself from the violence and unfair treatment of the Jewish people, so much so, that he even befriended German Officer Amon Goeth (Ralph Fiennes), a horrible, evil Nazi that revels in torture and power. However, over time Oskar cannot continue to turn a blind eye to the atrocities being done to the Jewish people, especially his accountant and hard working factory employees. He begins to regard them as his friends. He sees their hard work ethic and devotion to each other and to him. As the war rages on, Schindler’s factory fails to make money for him and instead, transforms into a safe haven. Then, when even this idea is no longer adequate, Schindler begins a personal quest to save as many Jewish prisoners as he can.

It’s a fascinating study of the transformation of one human being and a reminder to all of us of the horrors that took place during World War II. I’m a person who cries at the drop of a hat, but while watching this, I was so transfixed and horrified that I was simply frozen. It was hard enough to watch what was going on screen, then to spend a moment ruminating on what was not being shown, was overwhelming.

I never realized that Ralph Fiennes was in this film. I really like Fiennes and it was difficult for me to see him play this character. He did a fantastic job. As did Liam Neeson. For the most part he ended up making the type of films I don’t really watch. I think the last film I saw him in was Nell and that sucked! It was nice to be reminded of what a wonderful actor he is. He made his emotions so believable and as Oskar Schindler morphed into a hero, Neeson never went over the top or made him seem less than a real person doing an extraordinary thing.

So I finally watched this and I’m glad I did. I’m going to try to keep this up with a movie per month. For August, I think I’m going to have to do a complete 180 though. This was very heavy material. Maybe next month, The Big Lebowski?

If you'd like to catch up on other posts in this series click on these!
The Godfather
The Shawshank Redemption
Saw

It's My 3 Year Blog-A-Versary!

Today is my Blogaversary!

Well it’s been three years since I started spouting my opinions and reviews here on the couch. It’s hard to believe it’s been that long. I’ve learned so much and talked to so many great people in the blog world.

Blogs are always growing and changing. I’ve tried things that didn’t work and I’m always ready to launch a million new ideas.

I’ve only begun to scratch the surface of getting my blog out there. This may still be a tiny blog, but it’s always a work in progress.

I hope you will continue to read, follow and interact with me. If you are here, I am here. Have a seat and hand over the popcorn!

In celebration, I thought you might enjoy my very first review from this very day, three years ago.

Journey to the Center of the Earth

Song of the Week - April Come She Will/ Simon and Garfunkel

Last Thursday I watched a repeat episode of Parks and Recreation. It was the one where April and Andy get married. When April walked down the aisle, I heard this song playing and I knew it was Simon and Garfunkel, but I couldn't quite place the tune. It's not one of their more popular ones, still, it's lush and beautiful nonetheless. I know it can be hard to get pass Art Garfunkel's angelic voice, but can I point out Paul Simon's brillant guitar playing! It took me years to realize what a genius he is on the guitar. He can make it sound like a whole band is playing. Parks and Recreation is the the coolest show on right now and that they used this song only solidifies it!