J: What are the top three things you are looking forward to in 2012?
Jennifer:
1. Downton Abbey - Season 2 starts January 8 and runs for 7 glorious weeks!
2. Game of Thrones - I managed to snag a cable promotional deal that includes HBO so I'll be able to catch up with season 1 on demand and watch season 2 in the spring too. Also I read the first book this year and I bought the next three to read on my new Kindle Touch!
3. The Hunger Games - It better be good! Not so happy about the casting of Peeta but who knows, I could be surprised.
Mira:
1. Switched at Birth: A surprise hit for all of us on this blog, it comes back early January! (It leads into Jane by Design, which I plan on checking out, too.)
2. The Hobbit: Of course, there's always that chance that it could get delayed from its December opening date and end up premiering in 2013... Hopefully not!
3. The Superbowl, cuz the Ravens will be playing in it! Short of that, I'd have to say the real number one for my list is also The Hunger Games but I'm trying not to get myself over-hyped about it!
Showing posts with label thursday top three. Show all posts
Showing posts with label thursday top three. Show all posts
Thursday, December 29, 2011
Thursday, December 22, 2011
Thursday Top Threes: things i missed out on
M: Since Jenn has already started posting some 2011 in review posts, here's a top three question related -- what are 3 things you missed out on in 2011 that you hope to try out in the future?
Mira:
1. 50/50: I really wanted to see this movie and even almost went to see it by myself while traveling overseas, but did not get around to. Even if it was a cancer movie attempting humor... 2011 New Years Resolution Fail #1.
2. Game of Thrones: Mainly the books, but somewhat the TV show as well. I hear that it's supposed to be a complete series of 7, though, so I have figured I'll wait for the entire series to be published first before starting.
3. The Help: The movie came out this year with one of my favorite actresses of the year -- Emma Stone -- but I do want to read the book first. I heard both were great and I did really want to see the movie and had intended to, but as always did not get around to it. 2011 New Years Resolution Fail #2.
Jennifer: I ditto all of Mira's picks, but here are some other ones too.
1. Homeland: It kind of annoys me how many good shows are on premium cable these days. I love both Damian Lewis and Claire Danes so I really wanted to watch this but I'll have to wait for DVD I guess.
2. Drive: I don't even know what this is about but it got really good reviews and um, Ryan Gosling? Sold.
3. Breaking Bad: It's been on for a few years already but the critical acclaim is just as good, if not better, than it's ever been. If I ever re-activate my Netflix account it'll be to catch up.
Runner ups: Louie, Awkward (an MTV scripted series??)
Mira:
1. 50/50: I really wanted to see this movie and even almost went to see it by myself while traveling overseas, but did not get around to. Even if it was a cancer movie attempting humor... 2011 New Years Resolution Fail #1.
2. Game of Thrones: Mainly the books, but somewhat the TV show as well. I hear that it's supposed to be a complete series of 7, though, so I have figured I'll wait for the entire series to be published first before starting.
3. The Help: The movie came out this year with one of my favorite actresses of the year -- Emma Stone -- but I do want to read the book first. I heard both were great and I did really want to see the movie and had intended to, but as always did not get around to it. 2011 New Years Resolution Fail #2.
Jennifer: I ditto all of Mira's picks, but here are some other ones too.
1. Homeland: It kind of annoys me how many good shows are on premium cable these days. I love both Damian Lewis and Claire Danes so I really wanted to watch this but I'll have to wait for DVD I guess.
2. Drive: I don't even know what this is about but it got really good reviews and um, Ryan Gosling? Sold.
3. Breaking Bad: It's been on for a few years already but the critical acclaim is just as good, if not better, than it's ever been. If I ever re-activate my Netflix account it'll be to catch up.
Runner ups: Louie, Awkward (an MTV scripted series??)
Thursday, December 15, 2011
Thursday Top Threes: Live music!
J: Name your top three live music performances that you've seen!
Jennifer:
1. Arcade Fire at Cornell University. I've mentioned this concert many times already. They were still an up-and-coming band at the time so they played this random "multipurpose" room in a crappy old dining hall/community center that's since been bulldozed. The stage was too small for them and all their instruments but they were AMAZING nonetheless. I was right off to the side and could practically touch Régine and Richard Reed Parry. So good!!
2. Modest Mouse at Central Park Summerstage. My original review!
3. Ted Leo + Pharmacists at Cornell (same place as the Arcade Fire show). There was this awesome club at Cornell called the Fanclub Collective that managed to get all these indie acts to play for really cheap. I wish I had known about them earlier and gone to more of their concerts! Ted Leo puts on such a great show. My friend and I even got a photo with him afterward!
Mira:
1. Green Day at Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia, MD -- My original review.
2. Keane at State Theater in Michigan -- I enjoyed this concert so much that I blogged about it, went to see them again at Merriweather with The Killers, and blogged about that as well!
3. Madonna at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, NV -- Got complimentary tickets at the casino cuz my aunt used to gamble that much. This concert was probably the most expensive concert I have ever attended in terms of ticket face-value (I think it was $375/ticket), and given the amount of production that goes into her concerts, it's not a big surprise. I'm not a huge Madonna fan but I've gotta admit that she put on a fabulous show. Almost enough to make me consider going to a Lady Gaga concert. Haha. Almost.
Jennifer:
1. Arcade Fire at Cornell University. I've mentioned this concert many times already. They were still an up-and-coming band at the time so they played this random "multipurpose" room in a crappy old dining hall/community center that's since been bulldozed. The stage was too small for them and all their instruments but they were AMAZING nonetheless. I was right off to the side and could practically touch Régine and Richard Reed Parry. So good!!
2. Modest Mouse at Central Park Summerstage. My original review!
3. Ted Leo + Pharmacists at Cornell (same place as the Arcade Fire show). There was this awesome club at Cornell called the Fanclub Collective that managed to get all these indie acts to play for really cheap. I wish I had known about them earlier and gone to more of their concerts! Ted Leo puts on such a great show. My friend and I even got a photo with him afterward!
Mira:
1. Green Day at Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia, MD -- My original review.
2. Keane at State Theater in Michigan -- I enjoyed this concert so much that I blogged about it, went to see them again at Merriweather with The Killers, and blogged about that as well!
3. Madonna at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, NV -- Got complimentary tickets at the casino cuz my aunt used to gamble that much. This concert was probably the most expensive concert I have ever attended in terms of ticket face-value (I think it was $375/ticket), and given the amount of production that goes into her concerts, it's not a big surprise. I'm not a huge Madonna fan but I've gotta admit that she put on a fabulous show. Almost enough to make me consider going to a Lady Gaga concert. Haha. Almost.
Thursday, December 08, 2011
Thursday Top Threes: on stage
M: Jenn and I went to the theater today, which inspired me with this week's question! What are your top three (non-Broadway-musical) stage productions that you've seen?
Jennifer:
1. New York City Ballet's The Nutcracker. Mira and I saw this together as kids! There's a reason this is such a holiday classic! I never did ballet but I was obsessed with this photo book A Very Young Dancer as a kid which was followed a young ballerina who had a part in the Nutcracker.
2. Cirque du Soleil. I've only seen two traveling shows (Ovo and Quidam) but the displays of human strength and flexibility and balance and skill is just incredible. I really want to see the permanent shows in Vegas -- I hear they're even better!
3. Mira and I just went to see a performance of Pride & Prejudice at the Round House Theatre here in Maryland tonight and it was so fun! There was this really cool rotating set piece that changed the scenes and so many of the actors were really spot on. They played up the humorous bits but kept all of the great quotes from the book.
Mira:
1. Cirque du Soleil's O, in Vegas, is hands down the most incredible stage production I have ever seen. If I hadn't been there watching it with my own eyes, I would never believe it possible to perform such stunts on stage! The stage, which revolved, changed levels, went from solid ground to full water pool -- craziness! Not even the drowsy music tempted me to sleep (I have fallen asleep during other stage productions... Cirque du Soleil Ka and Phantom of the Opera to name two), the acts were so amazing.
2. Jenn and I went to see Giselle at the Kennedy Center two years ago. I wasn't expecting all that much other than it being a ballet and one of the more famous ones. But what really impressed me was how through the movements and music I was able to follow and be immersed in a different kind of storytelling. In many ways, I found it easier to watch than some musicals where I needed to pay attention to lyrics to follow the storyline. It was beautiful, simple, and elegant; and makes me excited to go watch more ballet!
3. (Jenn, this will amuse you...) Stuy Sing! This was an annual production at Jenn's high school, Stuyvesant, where the different classes (senior, junior, sophomore/freshman) wrote, created, directed, acted, produced a play and competed with each other to win. I went to at least two years of it while I was in high school (not at Stuy). I remember the first year I went, when we were sophomores (I think), and the Junior class (I think) at the time won. It was a really cute performance of two islands that were gender separated and brought in cleverly rewritten lyrics to songs such as Twisted Sister's "We're Not Going to Take It." I thought it was a fun competition and I really enjoyed it; enough so that almost 13(ish?) years later I still remember it!
On a side note, stage productions I would love the opportunity to see: an opera, in particular Carmen; Shakespeare, in particular The Twelfth Night or Much Ado About Nothing.
Jennifer:
1. New York City Ballet's The Nutcracker. Mira and I saw this together as kids! There's a reason this is such a holiday classic! I never did ballet but I was obsessed with this photo book A Very Young Dancer as a kid which was followed a young ballerina who had a part in the Nutcracker.
2. Cirque du Soleil. I've only seen two traveling shows (Ovo and Quidam) but the displays of human strength and flexibility and balance and skill is just incredible. I really want to see the permanent shows in Vegas -- I hear they're even better!
3. Mira and I just went to see a performance of Pride & Prejudice at the Round House Theatre here in Maryland tonight and it was so fun! There was this really cool rotating set piece that changed the scenes and so many of the actors were really spot on. They played up the humorous bits but kept all of the great quotes from the book.
Mira:
1. Cirque du Soleil's O, in Vegas, is hands down the most incredible stage production I have ever seen. If I hadn't been there watching it with my own eyes, I would never believe it possible to perform such stunts on stage! The stage, which revolved, changed levels, went from solid ground to full water pool -- craziness! Not even the drowsy music tempted me to sleep (I have fallen asleep during other stage productions... Cirque du Soleil Ka and Phantom of the Opera to name two), the acts were so amazing.
2. Jenn and I went to see Giselle at the Kennedy Center two years ago. I wasn't expecting all that much other than it being a ballet and one of the more famous ones. But what really impressed me was how through the movements and music I was able to follow and be immersed in a different kind of storytelling. In many ways, I found it easier to watch than some musicals where I needed to pay attention to lyrics to follow the storyline. It was beautiful, simple, and elegant; and makes me excited to go watch more ballet!
3. (Jenn, this will amuse you...) Stuy Sing! This was an annual production at Jenn's high school, Stuyvesant, where the different classes (senior, junior, sophomore/freshman) wrote, created, directed, acted, produced a play and competed with each other to win. I went to at least two years of it while I was in high school (not at Stuy). I remember the first year I went, when we were sophomores (I think), and the Junior class (I think) at the time won. It was a really cute performance of two islands that were gender separated and brought in cleverly rewritten lyrics to songs such as Twisted Sister's "We're Not Going to Take It." I thought it was a fun competition and I really enjoyed it; enough so that almost 13(ish?) years later I still remember it!
On a side note, stage productions I would love the opportunity to see: an opera, in particular Carmen; Shakespeare, in particular The Twelfth Night or Much Ado About Nothing.
Thursday, December 01, 2011
Thursday Top Threes: Getting in the spirit
J: What are your top three songs that get you in the holiday spirit?
Jennifer:
1. Silver Bells - New York City is the best during Christmastime! I don't really have a favorite version so here's a new one from She & Him.
2. Christmas Time is Here - Actually the whole Charlie Brown Christmas album is pretty great.
3. The Waitresses - Christmas Wrapping - Bah humbug!
Mira: Funny, I was walking around Baltimore singing "Silver Bells" today. :D
1. I like classics, such as "The First Noel."
2. But a more modern one that I like includes "Sleigh Ride."
3. And, cuz I love Pachelbel's Canon, "Christmas Canon" by Trans-Siberian Orchestra.
Jennifer:
1. Silver Bells - New York City is the best during Christmastime! I don't really have a favorite version so here's a new one from She & Him.
2. Christmas Time is Here - Actually the whole Charlie Brown Christmas album is pretty great.
3. The Waitresses - Christmas Wrapping - Bah humbug!
Mira: Funny, I was walking around Baltimore singing "Silver Bells" today. :D
1. I like classics, such as "The First Noel."
2. But a more modern one that I like includes "Sleigh Ride."
3. And, cuz I love Pachelbel's Canon, "Christmas Canon" by Trans-Siberian Orchestra.
Friday, November 25, 2011
Thursday Top Threes: Addicted
M: Every once in a while I come across a tv show/book/song that I quickly get ridiculously addicted to. Name your top three!
Mira:
1. Korean Dramas: When I come across a fun one with likable characters, there's no stopping me on my rampage to finish the series. Most recently I watched one called You're Beautiful (available on Hulu) -- started on Sunday, 13 November, finished on Thursday, 17 November. 16 episodes, each over one hour.
2. Hunger Games: I waited until the final book of the series, Mockingjay, was released before starting the full series. Purchased all 3 while traveling in Italy, started it at the Roma airport on the way back home. Got through 2.67 of the 3 books by the time I landed in Baltimore. It was ridiculous; no wait, the books were simply ridiculously good. I think it's time to reread them. :)
3. Alias, seasons 1 and 2: This show got really bad the longer it dragged out, but it started SO strong. I started watching the show well after the 2nd season had already started and I think I went through the first season of episodes so quickly to catch up. In fact, the only way I could stop my spree of watching 4+ episodes in one sitting was by stopping in the middle of the episodes; if I watched to the end of an epeisode, I would automatically start the next episode because of the cliffhangers at the end of each episode!
Jennifer:
1. Downton Abbey: So so good. Series 2 has already aired in the UK but isn't coming to the States until January and I CANNOT WAIT!!! On first glance it seems like your standard British costume drama but it's just so...juicy. Love it!
2. Skins (original British version): I started off not really being sure what to think of it, but I ended up just devouring episode after episode. Even when the characters were incredibly frustrating and the storylines were repetitive and stupid, there was still just something about this show that kept me hooked.
3. Harry Potter: Obvious choice but the first three books had already been out by the time I got into it and I sped through them in like a week. The last book was the only one I've ever gone to buy the day it came out.
[Mira: Sorry again for the delayed publishing -- my fault yet again. I had started drafting the post early but then of course with the Thanksgiving festivities I completely forgot to FINISH the post on Thursday. Must do better. Only a few weeks left of Thursday Top Threes!]
Mira:
1. Korean Dramas: When I come across a fun one with likable characters, there's no stopping me on my rampage to finish the series. Most recently I watched one called You're Beautiful (available on Hulu) -- started on Sunday, 13 November, finished on Thursday, 17 November. 16 episodes, each over one hour.
2. Hunger Games: I waited until the final book of the series, Mockingjay, was released before starting the full series. Purchased all 3 while traveling in Italy, started it at the Roma airport on the way back home. Got through 2.67 of the 3 books by the time I landed in Baltimore. It was ridiculous; no wait, the books were simply ridiculously good. I think it's time to reread them. :)
3. Alias, seasons 1 and 2: This show got really bad the longer it dragged out, but it started SO strong. I started watching the show well after the 2nd season had already started and I think I went through the first season of episodes so quickly to catch up. In fact, the only way I could stop my spree of watching 4+ episodes in one sitting was by stopping in the middle of the episodes; if I watched to the end of an epeisode, I would automatically start the next episode because of the cliffhangers at the end of each episode!
Jennifer:
1. Downton Abbey: So so good. Series 2 has already aired in the UK but isn't coming to the States until January and I CANNOT WAIT!!! On first glance it seems like your standard British costume drama but it's just so...juicy. Love it!
2. Skins (original British version): I started off not really being sure what to think of it, but I ended up just devouring episode after episode. Even when the characters were incredibly frustrating and the storylines were repetitive and stupid, there was still just something about this show that kept me hooked.
3. Harry Potter: Obvious choice but the first three books had already been out by the time I got into it and I sped through them in like a week. The last book was the only one I've ever gone to buy the day it came out.
[Mira: Sorry again for the delayed publishing -- my fault yet again. I had started drafting the post early but then of course with the Thanksgiving festivities I completely forgot to FINISH the post on Thursday. Must do better. Only a few weeks left of Thursday Top Threes!]
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
Thursday Top Threes: Blogging
J: It's been a busy fall and our blog output has been pretty low. What are the top three things that you've been wanting to blog about but haven't gotten to? For our readers, what do you wish we had covered?
Jennifer:
1. The Magicians and The Magician King by Lev Grossman. Influenced by the Chronicles of Narnia and Harry Potter, but for adults. It's darker and grittier but still a lot of fun.
2. When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead. This jumped pretty high on my list of all-time favorite children's books. (Actually I listened to it on audiobook!) It's part mystery, part science fiction and key elements include Manhattan, a game show, and A Wrinkle in Time. No wonder I loved it!
3. The Sing-off. I'm obsessed with Pentatonix. I can't get over that there's only 5 people in the group. Their bass and percussion are insanely good. They better win!!
Mira:
1. A few TV shows that hooked me last season: The Good Wife and Hawaii Five-O. They're both shows on my must watch as soon as possible list (vs. sits on my DVR for weeks list; or gets watched simply to make room for more recordings list).
2. The X-Factor: I'm a few weeks behind on this show right now, but I have a few favorites that truly impress me each week that I watch it -- in particular, Drew!
3. Catch up movies: Actually most catch up movies for me are movies I got to watch on plane rides. I don't get to the movie theater all that often, so when I have super duper long international flights with the individual media centers available, I end up watching movies the ENTIRE flight. Most recently, I referenced a few I watched in a previous post: Midnight in Paris, Something Borrowed, and Bridesmaids. I had meant to blog about them and then never got around to it.
Sorry for the day late Thursday Talk post -- I (Mira) obviously need a weekly reminder. Oops!!!
Jennifer:
1. The Magicians and The Magician King by Lev Grossman. Influenced by the Chronicles of Narnia and Harry Potter, but for adults. It's darker and grittier but still a lot of fun.
2. When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead. This jumped pretty high on my list of all-time favorite children's books. (Actually I listened to it on audiobook!) It's part mystery, part science fiction and key elements include Manhattan, a game show, and A Wrinkle in Time. No wonder I loved it!
3. The Sing-off. I'm obsessed with Pentatonix. I can't get over that there's only 5 people in the group. Their bass and percussion are insanely good. They better win!!
Mira:
1. A few TV shows that hooked me last season: The Good Wife and Hawaii Five-O. They're both shows on my must watch as soon as possible list (vs. sits on my DVR for weeks list; or gets watched simply to make room for more recordings list).
2. The X-Factor: I'm a few weeks behind on this show right now, but I have a few favorites that truly impress me each week that I watch it -- in particular, Drew!
3. Catch up movies: Actually most catch up movies for me are movies I got to watch on plane rides. I don't get to the movie theater all that often, so when I have super duper long international flights with the individual media centers available, I end up watching movies the ENTIRE flight. Most recently, I referenced a few I watched in a previous post: Midnight in Paris, Something Borrowed, and Bridesmaids. I had meant to blog about them and then never got around to it.
Sorry for the day late Thursday Talk post -- I (Mira) obviously need a weekly reminder. Oops!!!
Thursday, November 10, 2011
Thursday Top Threes: Hobbies
M: Top three most interesting hobbies from books, movies, or TV.
Jennifer:
1. Building rockets from October Sky. Engineering FTW! (Actually, even though I'm an engineer I've never had many engineering-related hobbies. But I love this movie!)
2. Fashion design from Gossip Girl. Hated Jenny (so glad she's off the show) and I wasn't into her designs or personal style on the show but fashion design is a pretty cool hobby. I really want to learn how to use a sewing machine!
3. Roller derby from Whip It! Actually I don't understand roller derby and I don't think I'd want to do it, but the movie makes it look really fun.
Mira: Ooh, I love Jenn's number 3 answer!
1. Kono on Hawaii Five-0: Surfing, which isn't surprising for a show in Hawaii... I guess Blue Crush could be cited here, too, but I know I could never do it but it seems like such an interesting culture and outlet.
2. Cliff from Bring It On: Song writing. There are probably a ton of characters I can attribute that to, but I enjoyed his goofy lyrics and dorky commitment to it. And it was what made his character special. :)
3. Clare from Time Traveler's Wife: Paper making, which is more her career than a hobby, but something that sounds fascinating in general for anyone to do. How does one even get into doing that?
Jennifer:
1. Building rockets from October Sky. Engineering FTW! (Actually, even though I'm an engineer I've never had many engineering-related hobbies. But I love this movie!)
2. Fashion design from Gossip Girl. Hated Jenny (so glad she's off the show) and I wasn't into her designs or personal style on the show but fashion design is a pretty cool hobby. I really want to learn how to use a sewing machine!
3. Roller derby from Whip It! Actually I don't understand roller derby and I don't think I'd want to do it, but the movie makes it look really fun.
Mira: Ooh, I love Jenn's number 3 answer!
1. Kono on Hawaii Five-0: Surfing, which isn't surprising for a show in Hawaii... I guess Blue Crush could be cited here, too, but I know I could never do it but it seems like such an interesting culture and outlet.
2. Cliff from Bring It On: Song writing. There are probably a ton of characters I can attribute that to, but I enjoyed his goofy lyrics and dorky commitment to it. And it was what made his character special. :)
3. Clare from Time Traveler's Wife: Paper making, which is more her career than a hobby, but something that sounds fascinating in general for anyone to do. How does one even get into doing that?
Thursday, November 03, 2011
Thursday Top Threes: Misfits
J: Top three characters that just don't belong on the TV show they're on.
Jennifer
1. Ann Perkins on Parks and Recreation. I really love Rashida Jones and think she's actually really funny but the show just doesn't really know what to do with her: one of the few flaws in an otherwise fantastic show that's really firing on all cylinders this season.
2. Matt on The Vampire Diaries. I guess they've tried to get him more into things this season with the ghost storyline and whatnot but poor guy just isn't that interesting. I'm still secretly a Matt/Caroline shipper though...Tyler is freaking me out.
3. Drew on Parenthood. It's not so much that he doesn't belong as that the show often forgets that he exists.
Bonus: Jai on Covert Affairs. Sometimes the character doesn't even really seem like he wants to be there.
Mira:
1. Zooey Deschanel on New Girl. She has a little too much personality given the extreme lack of personality of the rest of the characters. I think she needs to be on a different show, that's better.
2. Puck on Glee. I'm not quite sure why they dropped Trouty Mouth this season and kept Puck on with the lamest storylines ever.
3. April on Gilmore Girls. The show would have been better had she never been in it. :)
Jennifer
1. Ann Perkins on Parks and Recreation. I really love Rashida Jones and think she's actually really funny but the show just doesn't really know what to do with her: one of the few flaws in an otherwise fantastic show that's really firing on all cylinders this season.
2. Matt on The Vampire Diaries. I guess they've tried to get him more into things this season with the ghost storyline and whatnot but poor guy just isn't that interesting. I'm still secretly a Matt/Caroline shipper though...Tyler is freaking me out.
3. Drew on Parenthood. It's not so much that he doesn't belong as that the show often forgets that he exists.
Bonus: Jai on Covert Affairs. Sometimes the character doesn't even really seem like he wants to be there.
Mira:
1. Zooey Deschanel on New Girl. She has a little too much personality given the extreme lack of personality of the rest of the characters. I think she needs to be on a different show, that's better.
2. Puck on Glee. I'm not quite sure why they dropped Trouty Mouth this season and kept Puck on with the lamest storylines ever.
3. April on Gilmore Girls. The show would have been better had she never been in it. :)
Thursday, October 27, 2011
Thursday Top Threes: Crossover couples
M: Which characters on different shows/movies/books would you love to see together? (Thanks to Burkie for the question!!)
Jennifer: The possibilities are kind of overwhelming so I'm sticking to TV.
1. Rory Gilmore (Gilmore Girls) and Dan Humphrey (Gossip Girl).
2. Ted (How I Met Your Mother) and Megan (Privileged) - This is kind of a cheat because Joanna Garcia actually was on HIMYM as a love interest for Ted in one episode but honestly, it seems like there aren't a lot of TV actresses of appropriate age left that haven't been love interests for Ted...
3. Laurie (Cougar Town) and Ben (Parks and Recreation).
Mira: Since Jenn stuck to TV, I did, too! I focused on shows that I felt needed ships or the character could have done better...
1. Jared (Pretender), genius and capable of taking on any job without being noticed, and Sydney Bristow (Alias), super spy. Their kids would kick total ass.
2. Tristan (Gilmore Girls), sarcastic but vulnerable pretty boy, and Veronica Mars (Veronica Mars), sarcastic but vulnerable teenaged detective. He says jerk things to protect an insecure interior; she calls it as she sees it. Tristan may be a bit like Logan on VM except prettier and less douche-y.
3. Jess (The New Girl), Zooey Deschanel playing super dorky but gorgeous, and Ted (How I Met Your Mother), normal but dorky guy who takes a really long time telling his kids about how he met their mother. I think this could be a possibility!!
Jennifer: The possibilities are kind of overwhelming so I'm sticking to TV.
1. Rory Gilmore (Gilmore Girls) and Dan Humphrey (Gossip Girl).
2. Ted (How I Met Your Mother) and Megan (Privileged) - This is kind of a cheat because Joanna Garcia actually was on HIMYM as a love interest for Ted in one episode but honestly, it seems like there aren't a lot of TV actresses of appropriate age left that haven't been love interests for Ted...
3. Laurie (Cougar Town) and Ben (Parks and Recreation).
Mira: Since Jenn stuck to TV, I did, too! I focused on shows that I felt needed ships or the character could have done better...
1. Jared (Pretender), genius and capable of taking on any job without being noticed, and Sydney Bristow (Alias), super spy. Their kids would kick total ass.
2. Tristan (Gilmore Girls), sarcastic but vulnerable pretty boy, and Veronica Mars (Veronica Mars), sarcastic but vulnerable teenaged detective. He says jerk things to protect an insecure interior; she calls it as she sees it. Tristan may be a bit like Logan on VM except prettier and less douche-y.
3. Jess (The New Girl), Zooey Deschanel playing super dorky but gorgeous, and Ted (How I Met Your Mother), normal but dorky guy who takes a really long time telling his kids about how he met their mother. I think this could be a possibility!!
Thursday, October 20, 2011
Thursday Top Threes: Currently listening to...
J: Keeping it simple this week. What are your current top three favorite songs?
Jennifer: I've been on an electronic music kick lately!
1. M83 - We Own the Sky. M83 just came out with a new album but this song is from their last one. Love the video too!
2. Crystal Castles feat. Robert Smith - Not in Love. I think I've been listening to this song once a day for the last month...
3. Lykke Li - Tonight. I will fully admit that I first heard this song on So You Think You Can Dance...
Mira: Unlike Jenn, I'm pretty much all pop. :)
1. Coldplay - Every Teardrop Is a Waterfall. I hated them for "Clocks" but "Viva la Vida" turned me around and I love this song in the same exact way..
2. Bad Meets Evil featuring Bruno Mars and Eminem - Lighters. I like songs with lotsa different elements to them.
3. Foster the People - Pumped Up Kicks. Something very... chill about this song.
Jennifer: I've been on an electronic music kick lately!
1. M83 - We Own the Sky. M83 just came out with a new album but this song is from their last one. Love the video too!
2. Crystal Castles feat. Robert Smith - Not in Love. I think I've been listening to this song once a day for the last month...
3. Lykke Li - Tonight. I will fully admit that I first heard this song on So You Think You Can Dance...
Mira: Unlike Jenn, I'm pretty much all pop. :)
1. Coldplay - Every Teardrop Is a Waterfall. I hated them for "Clocks" but "Viva la Vida" turned me around and I love this song in the same exact way..
2. Bad Meets Evil featuring Bruno Mars and Eminem - Lighters. I like songs with lotsa different elements to them.
3. Foster the People - Pumped Up Kicks. Something very... chill about this song.
Thursday, October 13, 2011
Thursday Top Threes: Cars!
B: i'm filling in for mira again, so i decided to play my Man Card. what are your favorite cars from film?
burkie:
1. The Batmobile. the movie versions were interesting, but this will always be the batmobile for me.
2. The Mirthmobile. okay, maybe not man card worthy, but certainly memorable.
3. The red ferrari in Ferris Bueller's Day Off. Not so much the car itself, but how it was used in the movie.
i can think of about a hundred honorable mentions; it was tough to narrow this down to three, and i'm not even a car guy!
Jennifer: Yikes, I really do not pay attention to cars...
1. The DeLorean from Back to the Future. Obvs.
2. The yellow VW bus from Little Miss Sunshine.
3. Sebastian's Jaguar from Cruel Intentions. Um, I remember Reese Witherspoon driving away in it at the end of the movie.
burkie:
1. The Batmobile. the movie versions were interesting, but this will always be the batmobile for me.
2. The Mirthmobile. okay, maybe not man card worthy, but certainly memorable.
3. The red ferrari in Ferris Bueller's Day Off. Not so much the car itself, but how it was used in the movie.
i can think of about a hundred honorable mentions; it was tough to narrow this down to three, and i'm not even a car guy!
Jennifer: Yikes, I really do not pay attention to cars...
1. The DeLorean from Back to the Future. Obvs.
2. The yellow VW bus from Little Miss Sunshine.
3. Sebastian's Jaguar from Cruel Intentions. Um, I remember Reese Witherspoon driving away in it at the end of the movie.
Thursday, October 06, 2011
Thursday Top Threes: Brought back to life
J: The Internet has been buzzing yet again about the possibility of an Arrested Development movie. I'm doubtful about whether this will actually happen but it leads to my question for this week: what are your top three defunct TV shows that you would love to come back in a feature film?
Jennifer: (I guess I am just answering my own question this week...)
1. The Nine Lives of Chloe King. Mira and I were pretty into this show and were really bummed when it was cancelled. I feel like this story would have been really fun as an ABCFamily original movie but unfortunately that's never going to happen because the series failed.
2. Pushing Daisies - Did this show get a real ending? I think that the setting and visual style of this show would translate really well to a movie.
3. Lone Star - One of the most promising pilots last year that crashed and burned FAST. People were questioning its long-term viability as a series, probably because the premise was really just better suited for a movie.
Jennifer: (I guess I am just answering my own question this week...)
1. The Nine Lives of Chloe King. Mira and I were pretty into this show and were really bummed when it was cancelled. I feel like this story would have been really fun as an ABCFamily original movie but unfortunately that's never going to happen because the series failed.
2. Pushing Daisies - Did this show get a real ending? I think that the setting and visual style of this show would translate really well to a movie.
3. Lone Star - One of the most promising pilots last year that crashed and burned FAST. People were questioning its long-term viability as a series, probably because the premise was really just better suited for a movie.
Thursday, September 29, 2011
Thursday Top Threes: Conspiracy Theory
burkie (filling in for mira this week): conspiracy stories are big business in books, movies, and TV (not to mention journalism). what are your top three?
burkie:
1. The Manchurian Candidate - the original film starring frank sinatra, laurence harvey, and angela lansbury. thrilling stuff. caught some of the remake with denzel washington on TV once, but it didn't come close.
2. L.A. Confidential - conspiracy plus noir, so you know i like it. a great cast (russell crowe, guy pierce, and kevin spacey) and superbly directed. one of my all-time favorite films.
3. The Da Vinci Code - the novel by dan brown. although i enjoyed Angels & Demons more from a story perspective, the sheer scope & magnitude of the conspiracy in The Da Vinci Code is fascinating.
honorable mention: The Chancellor Manuscript by Robert Ludlum. not his best-known novel, but i love the conspiracy that he weaves around the death of j. edgar hoover.
Jennifer:
1. The X-files- Um, I watched all 9 seasons (plus 2 feature films) of this show and I can't really explain the conspiracy or how things ended up. But I did really like Cigarette Smoking Man and Krycek and the Lone Gunmen and all that stuff throughout the course of the series.
2. North by Northwest - Perhaps because conspiracy stories are usually twisty and confusing but I don't remember many details about any of my top three. I need to rewatch this...
3. The 39 Steps - I actually only watched the recent BBC version of this with Rupert Penry-Jones which supposedly paled in comparison to the Hitchcock version but I really liked the story. I'll definitely have to watch the Hitchcock film sometime.
burkie:
1. The Manchurian Candidate - the original film starring frank sinatra, laurence harvey, and angela lansbury. thrilling stuff. caught some of the remake with denzel washington on TV once, but it didn't come close.
2. L.A. Confidential - conspiracy plus noir, so you know i like it. a great cast (russell crowe, guy pierce, and kevin spacey) and superbly directed. one of my all-time favorite films.
3. The Da Vinci Code - the novel by dan brown. although i enjoyed Angels & Demons more from a story perspective, the sheer scope & magnitude of the conspiracy in The Da Vinci Code is fascinating.
honorable mention: The Chancellor Manuscript by Robert Ludlum. not his best-known novel, but i love the conspiracy that he weaves around the death of j. edgar hoover.
Jennifer:
1. The X-files- Um, I watched all 9 seasons (plus 2 feature films) of this show and I can't really explain the conspiracy or how things ended up. But I did really like Cigarette Smoking Man and Krycek and the Lone Gunmen and all that stuff throughout the course of the series.
2. North by Northwest - Perhaps because conspiracy stories are usually twisty and confusing but I don't remember many details about any of my top three. I need to rewatch this...
3. The 39 Steps - I actually only watched the recent BBC version of this with Rupert Penry-Jones which supposedly paled in comparison to the Hitchcock version but I really liked the story. I'll definitely have to watch the Hitchcock film sometime.
Thursday, September 22, 2011
Thursday Top Threes: Food!
J: Stole this topic from my favorite podcast Pop Culture Happy Hour -- what are your top three favorite movies about food or featuring food?
Mira: Stopping by cuz I can. And I LOVE this question!
1. No Reservations: Loved this, and made me wanna eat everything they were making.
2. Simply Irresistable: A silly movie, but so likable.
3. Chicken Run: It's probably extremely horrible that I put this on the list... but... I remember still watching this in the movie theater and the movie making me really crave chicken pot pie. Why is this so terrible, you ask? Well, it's a movie about chickens trying to run away from people who had created this machine where you stuck the chicken in and out popped a chicken pot pie.
Honorable mention: Waitress for the pies, if only I liked pie more.
Need to watch: Ratatouille, Julie & Julia, Chocolat, Tortilla Soup.
I think I know at least one, if not two, of Burkie's answers. :)
Jennifer: My answers are pretty standard...
1. Big Night: I can still picture that crazy timpano. Love Stanley Tucci!
2. Eat Drink Man Woman: Mmmm Chinese food.
3. Julie & Julia: The Julie parts of the movie kind of grated but all the scenes with Meryl Streep as Julia Child eating were hilarious and made me really really hungry. And Stanley Tucci again!
Honorable mention: The movie isn't about food, but I love the scenes in Sabrina at the culinary school in Paris =)
Mira: Stopping by cuz I can. And I LOVE this question!
1. No Reservations: Loved this, and made me wanna eat everything they were making.
2. Simply Irresistable: A silly movie, but so likable.
3. Chicken Run: It's probably extremely horrible that I put this on the list... but... I remember still watching this in the movie theater and the movie making me really crave chicken pot pie. Why is this so terrible, you ask? Well, it's a movie about chickens trying to run away from people who had created this machine where you stuck the chicken in and out popped a chicken pot pie.
Honorable mention: Waitress for the pies, if only I liked pie more.
Need to watch: Ratatouille, Julie & Julia, Chocolat, Tortilla Soup.
I think I know at least one, if not two, of Burkie's answers. :)
Jennifer: My answers are pretty standard...
1. Big Night: I can still picture that crazy timpano. Love Stanley Tucci!
2. Eat Drink Man Woman: Mmmm Chinese food.
3. Julie & Julia: The Julie parts of the movie kind of grated but all the scenes with Meryl Streep as Julia Child eating were hilarious and made me really really hungry. And Stanley Tucci again!
Honorable mention: The movie isn't about food, but I love the scenes in Sabrina at the culinary school in Paris =)
Thursday, September 15, 2011
Thursday Top Threes: Local Color
B: which three TV shows do the best job of featuring their setting, to the point that the show wouldn't work if it were set anywhere else, and you'd feel like you already knew the place if you were to visit there based on the show?
Burkie:
1. Friday Night Lights: so texas, so perfect. dillon, texas doesn't really exist, but it's as real as any texas town i've ever lived in, and so are the characters.
2. Memphis Beat: no suprise here, i suppose. this show captures the best of memphis (and, thankfully, leaves out the worst) and highlights what a truly unique city it is, including the music.
3. Gilmore Girls: while Stars Hollow, CT isn't a real town, it certainly came to life for fans of this show and, for me, was as much a star of the show as lorelei or rory or luke. i'd like to think that there are quirky new england towns like this with their goofy town hall meetings and colorful characters. the show certainly would not have worked had it been set in new mexico.
Jennifer:
1. Gossip Girl: Definitely not the New York City world that I grew up in so I can't speak to whether there are people who actually live like Blair and Serena but I love that the show actually films in the city. I can't stand the fake NYC of studio lot shows.
2. Wonderfalls: So many shows are set in California or big cities so I liked that this show was centered around the somewhat random but real location of Niagara Falls, NY. Again, not sure about accuracy but they seemed to feature some local mythology and such about the falls.
3. Roswell: Obvious choice but having a show about aliens in Roswell, New Mexico was definitely fitting.
Burkie:
1. Friday Night Lights: so texas, so perfect. dillon, texas doesn't really exist, but it's as real as any texas town i've ever lived in, and so are the characters.
2. Memphis Beat: no suprise here, i suppose. this show captures the best of memphis (and, thankfully, leaves out the worst) and highlights what a truly unique city it is, including the music.
3. Gilmore Girls: while Stars Hollow, CT isn't a real town, it certainly came to life for fans of this show and, for me, was as much a star of the show as lorelei or rory or luke. i'd like to think that there are quirky new england towns like this with their goofy town hall meetings and colorful characters. the show certainly would not have worked had it been set in new mexico.
Jennifer:
1. Gossip Girl: Definitely not the New York City world that I grew up in so I can't speak to whether there are people who actually live like Blair and Serena but I love that the show actually films in the city. I can't stand the fake NYC of studio lot shows.
2. Wonderfalls: So many shows are set in California or big cities so I liked that this show was centered around the somewhat random but real location of Niagara Falls, NY. Again, not sure about accuracy but they seemed to feature some local mythology and such about the falls.
3. Roswell: Obvious choice but having a show about aliens in Roswell, New Mexico was definitely fitting.
Thursday, September 08, 2011
Thursday Top Threes: Pilots
J: The fall TV season is almost here! What are your top three favorite pilot/series premiere episodes of all time?
Mira:
1. Pushing Daisies: I can still imagine scenes from this pilot, and it's been a couple years since I've watched it. Ned describing bringing his mom back to life, only to accidentally kill her again; running around in a meadow of daisies with his dog (Digby?) and then his dog gets hit by a vehicle and he brings the dog back to life; describing Chuck's crazy mermaid aunts... It was so vibrant and represents the show's quirkiness so perfectly in 40 minutes.
2. Glee: This episode also well represents what made Glee so exciting and fun and great in the beginning! From highlighting all the characters through their audition songs to introducing snarky Sue, gullible Finn, enthusiastic Mr. Schuester... And of course, "Don't Stop Believing." Perfection. :)
3. Alias: This is the only pilot episode of a show that hooked me so much I ended up watching 8 straight episodes in a row. Actually no, Veronica Mars may have hooked me in a similar way. (I watched the entire first season over the span of one weekend.) But I'll still give Alias an edge. I mean the red wig, the Chinese speaking, the excitement of a story told forward and backward -- it was a great pilot!
Jennifer:
1. Friday Night Lights: I hadn't seen the movie, I didn't know anything about Texas, I had no interest in football, but this pilot, especially the second half, just shot me straight through the heart. Love love LOVE.
2. Lost: I ended up having plenty of problems with this show, but one thing I'll give J.J. Abrams is that he definitely knows how to start off a show (perhaps that's why he's had more success in movies lately). There was a lot to set up -- a huge cast of characters, the flashback construct, the mystery/possibly sci-fi style and atmosphere -- and it was hugely successful with all of it. It's been rare that a pilot excited me as much as this one.
3. Roswell: A less obvious choice, perhaps, but don't forget that this show was created and written by Jason Katims who went on to run FNL and Parenthood. All the characters are introduced so well, the use of music is amazing (especially love the first scene in the Crashdown of Max saving Liz with Sarah McLachlan's "Fear" building in the background), and there's a nice balance of romance, humor, action, and suspense. Ah, the old days of the WB...
Mira:
1. Pushing Daisies: I can still imagine scenes from this pilot, and it's been a couple years since I've watched it. Ned describing bringing his mom back to life, only to accidentally kill her again; running around in a meadow of daisies with his dog (Digby?) and then his dog gets hit by a vehicle and he brings the dog back to life; describing Chuck's crazy mermaid aunts... It was so vibrant and represents the show's quirkiness so perfectly in 40 minutes.
2. Glee: This episode also well represents what made Glee so exciting and fun and great in the beginning! From highlighting all the characters through their audition songs to introducing snarky Sue, gullible Finn, enthusiastic Mr. Schuester... And of course, "Don't Stop Believing." Perfection. :)
3. Alias: This is the only pilot episode of a show that hooked me so much I ended up watching 8 straight episodes in a row. Actually no, Veronica Mars may have hooked me in a similar way. (I watched the entire first season over the span of one weekend.) But I'll still give Alias an edge. I mean the red wig, the Chinese speaking, the excitement of a story told forward and backward -- it was a great pilot!
Jennifer:
1. Friday Night Lights: I hadn't seen the movie, I didn't know anything about Texas, I had no interest in football, but this pilot, especially the second half, just shot me straight through the heart. Love love LOVE.
2. Lost: I ended up having plenty of problems with this show, but one thing I'll give J.J. Abrams is that he definitely knows how to start off a show (perhaps that's why he's had more success in movies lately). There was a lot to set up -- a huge cast of characters, the flashback construct, the mystery/possibly sci-fi style and atmosphere -- and it was hugely successful with all of it. It's been rare that a pilot excited me as much as this one.
3. Roswell: A less obvious choice, perhaps, but don't forget that this show was created and written by Jason Katims who went on to run FNL and Parenthood. All the characters are introduced so well, the use of music is amazing (especially love the first scene in the Crashdown of Max saving Liz with Sarah McLachlan's "Fear" building in the background), and there's a nice balance of romance, humor, action, and suspense. Ah, the old days of the WB...
Thursday, September 01, 2011
Thursday Top Threes: overrated
M: What are the top three movies/tv shows/books that everyone seems to love but... you just don't get it?
Jennifer:
1. NCIS. According to the Nielsen ratings, this is the most watched scripted show on TV (second is of course, NCIS: Los Angeles.) Admittedly I've never actually watched an entire episode but given I'm not at all into procedurals, I suspect it wouldn't hold my attention.
2. Grey's Anatomy. I watched the pilot, hated Meredith instantly, and that was that.
3. Atonement by Ian McEwan. I don't know what it was, but I just could not get through this book. It's been so critically acclaimed and won prizes and awards so I tried it twice: once when it first came out and again before they came out with the movie version but I couldn't get into it. I did watch and like the movie though so maybe it something about the writing style?
Mira:
1. The Hangover: I really don't understand why this movie was such a hit and considered to be SUCH a funny or how it lead to a sequel (if not more) so soon after. If you've ever seen Dude, Where's My Car?, it's pretty much exactly the same movie.
2. Seinfeld: I feel a little bad including this, but really I've never understood the "genius" of this show. Maybe cuz I'm such a major shipper and there isn't much to root for by way of relationship, maybe it's because I found all the characters annoying or unlikeable or both, but I never got it and still don't. And I wanted to, cuz I love New York.
3. The Twilight series. I read all the books before the super-craze and enjoyed most of them well enough. I only recently watched the 2nd and 3rd movie. They were entertaining enough. But not even being super critical of either the books or movies, I don't get why it's incited such fan devotion. Don't get it at all.
Honorable mention: (Sorry, this makes 4 but this is not a book/movie/tv show!) Nascar racing. The Grand Prix is in Baltimore this weekend and I've never paid any attention to Nascar or any of that car racing stuff but realize it's cars driving in circles for like 100 laps or something. Really? How does that draw interest?!
Jennifer:
1. NCIS. According to the Nielsen ratings, this is the most watched scripted show on TV (second is of course, NCIS: Los Angeles.) Admittedly I've never actually watched an entire episode but given I'm not at all into procedurals, I suspect it wouldn't hold my attention.
2. Grey's Anatomy. I watched the pilot, hated Meredith instantly, and that was that.
3. Atonement by Ian McEwan. I don't know what it was, but I just could not get through this book. It's been so critically acclaimed and won prizes and awards so I tried it twice: once when it first came out and again before they came out with the movie version but I couldn't get into it. I did watch and like the movie though so maybe it something about the writing style?
Mira:
1. The Hangover: I really don't understand why this movie was such a hit and considered to be SUCH a funny or how it lead to a sequel (if not more) so soon after. If you've ever seen Dude, Where's My Car?, it's pretty much exactly the same movie.
2. Seinfeld: I feel a little bad including this, but really I've never understood the "genius" of this show. Maybe cuz I'm such a major shipper and there isn't much to root for by way of relationship, maybe it's because I found all the characters annoying or unlikeable or both, but I never got it and still don't. And I wanted to, cuz I love New York.
3. The Twilight series. I read all the books before the super-craze and enjoyed most of them well enough. I only recently watched the 2nd and 3rd movie. They were entertaining enough. But not even being super critical of either the books or movies, I don't get why it's incited such fan devotion. Don't get it at all.
Honorable mention: (Sorry, this makes 4 but this is not a book/movie/tv show!) Nascar racing. The Grand Prix is in Baltimore this weekend and I've never paid any attention to Nascar or any of that car racing stuff but realize it's cars driving in circles for like 100 laps or something. Really? How does that draw interest?!
Thursday, August 25, 2011
Thursday Top Threes: Apocalypse
J: Top three apocalyptic or post-apocalyptic movies, TV shows, novels, etc!
Mira: I might be interpreting this loosely, but...
1. The Hunger Games trilogy -- I feel like the world portrayed in this trilogy represents a post-apocalyptic-type world. Such a fantastic read; it had been a long time since I'd been so excited about something I read!
2. I'd be remiss not to include Buffy the Vampire Slayer on this list. It was one of the earlier shows Jenn and I really bonded over and c'mon, Buffy saved the world from apocalypse quite a few times!
3. Wall-E -- I usually am panning this movie, mostly because I fell asleep during the first 45 minutes when the only "dialogue" was robot sounds and Wall-E saying "Eva" and Eva saying "Wall-E." But really, it was quite an incredible movie that was definitely very thought-provoking. The innate lazy and self-obsessed nature of humans was quite depressing to watch, but it was so incredibly on the mark on what could happen to our world if we continue with our lives of pure indulgence and waste.
Jennifer:
1. Y: the Last Man. I'm not a huge comic reader but I was a big fan of this series. It's about Yorick, a young man who finds himself as literally the last man on Earth after a plague of some kind wipes out every other male (human and animal).
2. Children of Men. More dystopic than post-apocalyptic I guess but a genetic defect causing all women on Earth to become infertile is kind of like a slow apocalypse? Best known for a couple of amazing single-shot action sequences but the story and writing are really moving. And having Clive Owen in it doesn't hurt!
3. The Road. Both the novel by Cormac McCarthy and the film. Very spare and haunting, with no explanation for what happened to destroy civilization. Could have been a candidate for most depressing movie last week but it ends on a somewhat hopeful note.
Mira: I might be interpreting this loosely, but...
1. The Hunger Games trilogy -- I feel like the world portrayed in this trilogy represents a post-apocalyptic-type world. Such a fantastic read; it had been a long time since I'd been so excited about something I read!
2. I'd be remiss not to include Buffy the Vampire Slayer on this list. It was one of the earlier shows Jenn and I really bonded over and c'mon, Buffy saved the world from apocalypse quite a few times!
3. Wall-E -- I usually am panning this movie, mostly because I fell asleep during the first 45 minutes when the only "dialogue" was robot sounds and Wall-E saying "Eva" and Eva saying "Wall-E." But really, it was quite an incredible movie that was definitely very thought-provoking. The innate lazy and self-obsessed nature of humans was quite depressing to watch, but it was so incredibly on the mark on what could happen to our world if we continue with our lives of pure indulgence and waste.
Jennifer:
1. Y: the Last Man. I'm not a huge comic reader but I was a big fan of this series. It's about Yorick, a young man who finds himself as literally the last man on Earth after a plague of some kind wipes out every other male (human and animal).
2. Children of Men. More dystopic than post-apocalyptic I guess but a genetic defect causing all women on Earth to become infertile is kind of like a slow apocalypse? Best known for a couple of amazing single-shot action sequences but the story and writing are really moving. And having Clive Owen in it doesn't hurt!
3. The Road. Both the novel by Cormac McCarthy and the film. Very spare and haunting, with no explanation for what happened to destroy civilization. Could have been a candidate for most depressing movie last week but it ends on a somewhat hopeful note.
Friday, August 19, 2011
Thursday Top Threes: Too Old!
M: Top 3 TV shows/movies/books you know you're too old to enjoy but cannot help but LOVE anyway.
Jennifer:
1. iCarly. I've mentioned this before and yeah, I'm still a fan of this show. The characters are now in high school but it's still very much a tween show with really cheesy, dumb humor and physical comedy and increasingly ridiculous characters but I somehow find it all really really funny.
2. The Alice series, by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor. I read plenty of young adult books (especially this year thanks to the fabulous blog Forever Young Adult) and generally don't feel like I'm too old for them. But this series? I really should be over it. I actually started reading it when it was still age-appropriate but the main character, Alice, is aging so slowly (the books come out yearly but each only covers a few months of her life) that I'm now 10 years older than her. And the last couple of books have just not been very good...probably a result of the author trying to write contemporary teenagers when she's pushing 80. There are only two more planned books in the series though, so I want to know where these characters end up.
3. Degrassi the Next Generation. Similar to the above, I watch plenty of teen shows, but this one makes me feel really really old because the actors are actually playing their ages and look so young. I'm a season or two behind now (they started doing this thing where they air a new episode every frickin' weekday) and I'm unsure of whether I have the time or energy to catch up but every once in awhile I feel the urge to check wikipedia and see what's happening!
Mira:
1. ABC Family, The Disney Channel: I know this is not a specific book/movie/tv show, but my go to channel for TV are these two channels where I get to watch silly, but really entertaining TV such as Witches of Waverly Place, original movies, and whatever else is on. Makes me wish I were a kid actor and could be having as much fun. If Lizzie Maguire were still on, I'd be watching it.
2. Sarah Dessen's books. These books are like the current kid/tween/teen generation's Cynthia Voigt or something. Stories mostly, or perhaps only, about girls who are on the outskirts of mainstream who try to discover who they are through odd relationships with other people... Really there is very little value added to anyone who is way past that point in their lives and yet I can't help but go and reserve more books written by her at the library as soon as I finish reading one.
3. None of my answers are specific book/movies/tv shows, so why start now? But anyway, I find myself embarrassingly obsessed with celebrity gossip about the teen heartthrobs -- the Jonas brothers, Bieber and Selena Gomez, Demi Levato, Miley Cyrus, Taylor Swift, Zac Efron, Vanessa Hudgens... It's sad, I know. But it comes in very handy at trivia... Oh, along with this embarrassing obsession, I also find myself interested in any tv show/movie/song they're involved in.
Jennifer:
1. iCarly. I've mentioned this before and yeah, I'm still a fan of this show. The characters are now in high school but it's still very much a tween show with really cheesy, dumb humor and physical comedy and increasingly ridiculous characters but I somehow find it all really really funny.
2. The Alice series, by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor. I read plenty of young adult books (especially this year thanks to the fabulous blog Forever Young Adult) and generally don't feel like I'm too old for them. But this series? I really should be over it. I actually started reading it when it was still age-appropriate but the main character, Alice, is aging so slowly (the books come out yearly but each only covers a few months of her life) that I'm now 10 years older than her. And the last couple of books have just not been very good...probably a result of the author trying to write contemporary teenagers when she's pushing 80. There are only two more planned books in the series though, so I want to know where these characters end up.
3. Degrassi the Next Generation. Similar to the above, I watch plenty of teen shows, but this one makes me feel really really old because the actors are actually playing their ages and look so young. I'm a season or two behind now (they started doing this thing where they air a new episode every frickin' weekday) and I'm unsure of whether I have the time or energy to catch up but every once in awhile I feel the urge to check wikipedia and see what's happening!
Mira:
1. ABC Family, The Disney Channel: I know this is not a specific book/movie/tv show, but my go to channel for TV are these two channels where I get to watch silly, but really entertaining TV such as Witches of Waverly Place, original movies, and whatever else is on. Makes me wish I were a kid actor and could be having as much fun. If Lizzie Maguire were still on, I'd be watching it.
2. Sarah Dessen's books. These books are like the current kid/tween/teen generation's Cynthia Voigt or something. Stories mostly, or perhaps only, about girls who are on the outskirts of mainstream who try to discover who they are through odd relationships with other people... Really there is very little value added to anyone who is way past that point in their lives and yet I can't help but go and reserve more books written by her at the library as soon as I finish reading one.
3. None of my answers are specific book/movies/tv shows, so why start now? But anyway, I find myself embarrassingly obsessed with celebrity gossip about the teen heartthrobs -- the Jonas brothers, Bieber and Selena Gomez, Demi Levato, Miley Cyrus, Taylor Swift, Zac Efron, Vanessa Hudgens... It's sad, I know. But it comes in very handy at trivia... Oh, along with this embarrassing obsession, I also find myself interested in any tv show/movie/song they're involved in.
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