Academy Awards 2011

I'm one of those people that loves awardshows like this, even though I'm not glamorous at all. And I always like to predict, like I did on my blog after the nominees were announced. Like every year the show has its highlights and its downsides. Here are mine:

{Highlights}

- The opening, where Anne Hathaway and James Franco enter Alec Baldwin's dream and travel through this years nominees. Very funny, especially the dance of the brown duck and the speech Anne gives. I also liked Morgan Freeman's appearance and how Baldwin said 'you got inceptioned'. And their dialogue was also fun, with the lesbian joke and how Franco got nominated and Anne didn't.
- Franco's grandma saying she just saw Marky Mark.
- Christian Bale winning for "The Fighter". I knew he was going to get it, but still. His speech was truly genuine and touching, especially at the end when he tried to thank his wife. Bale finally got recognition for his work.
- Natalie Portman winning for "Black Swan". Also not a surprise but she deserved it.
- Anne's song, about Hugh Jackman who stood her up when she wanted to do another duet with him. Hilarious. And I did like James Franco in drag, when he told us he got a text from Charlie Sheen. For most people that wasn't funny.
- Kirk Douglas presenting, he's still alive!!
- Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law presenting. They are a magnificent duo and so funny. They know how to make people laugh.
- "Inception" winning some awards, that most people will probably forget about, but they did get awards!!
- "Toy Story 3" winning for Best animated feature. You can't ignore Disney.
- Billy Crystal, funny as ever. He kinda stole the show here.
- Sandra Bullock presenting. She just lights up a room.
- Anne Hathaway and James Franco. Although Anne looked a little bit more natural and comedic than James (I don't mind watching him for a couple of hours, no matter what he does. Come on, that smile!), they were a fun duo and they did a good job presenting the Oscars.

{Downsides}

- James Franco not winning for "127 Hours". Well Colin Firth sure knows how to pick his roles. A King with a speaking ability, that's what the academy likes. And lets face it, men under 40 hardly ever get academy awards for their roles.
- "Inception" not winning best picture. I think this movie was to complicated for the academy, because they're probably all like 90.
- "The King's Speech" winning so many awards. It's sure a good movie, but not THAT good.
- The auto-tune montage. Wasn't funny at all and did not make sense.

Best of... Scarlett Johansson

She's an actress that gets critized a lot. Can she act or is she just another pretty face. I think she can definitely act AND she's beautiful. I created a list of her best movies.

"The Horse Whisperer"
This is an excellent family drama, and I think one of Scarlett's first big roles. It's a moving story and it has a great cast.

"Ghostworld"
If you're tired of standard teen-movies, this is the movie you're looking for. It's a mature and intelligent film with a good sense of humor. It captures the journey from childhood to adulthood with a lot of cynicism.

"Lost in Translation"
One of my all-time favorite movies. I love it so much because of its simplicity and its honesty. And the chemistry between Scarlett Johansson and Bill Murray is surprisingly strong.

"A Lovesong for Bobby Long"
I didn't really expect much, but I was surprised how good this movie was. Scarlett's great, Travolta's performance is even better. He's not one of my favorites but he actually stole my heart here.

"Girl with a Pearl Earring"
Not as good as the book, but very enjoyable. I thought the movie did a fantastic job of recreating 17th century Netherlands. This film is visualy stunning.

"Match Point"
It's an elegant movie and we can basically thank Scarlett for that. She does a great job portraying the tragic beauty Nola Rice. It's not just another movie about adultry, it's so much more.

"The Island"
Kinda of a weird film, about clones. If they're lucky the can go the "The Island" but that's just a lie. I actually really liked this film and it was quite enjoyable.

"Scoop"
Another Woody Allen film with Scarlett in it. I liked it from the first time I saw it and I love its humor. And Scarlett, who finally dares to be less sexy and even a little bit nerdy.

"The Prestige"
Her second best film. This is fantastic. Especially the twist in the end. And she goes well together with both Hugh Jackman and Christian Bale.

"The Other Boleyn Girl"
The books is much better, because the movie skipped a lot of good and important parts. but still a great film.

"He's Just Not That Into You"
I like movies with multiple storylines. I actually disliked Scarlett here, but I still liked the film very much. Gigi and Beth's storylines are my favorites and I'm actually planning on finally reading the book soon.

I haven't seen "Vicky Cristina Barcelona" and I heard so many good things about it. So I'm definitely going to see it when I have the chance. I also didn't see "The Nanny Diaries" and "Iron Man 2" and I hated "The Spirit".

50 Books Challenge - # 10: Marley & Me by John Grogan

Title: Marley & Me
Author: John Grogan
Story: John and Jenny were just beginning their life together. They were young and in love, with a perfect little house and not a care in the world. Then they brought home Marley, a wriggly yellow furball of a puppy. Life would never be the same.
Marley quickly grew into a barreling, ninety-seven-pound streamroller of a Labrador retriever. He crashed through screen doors, gouged through drywall, and stole women's undergarments. Obedience school did no good - Marley was expelled.
And yet his heart was pure. Just as Marley joyfully refused any limits on his behavior, his love and loyalty were boundless, too. A dog like no other, Marley remained steadfast, a model of devotion, even when his family was at its wit's end. Unconditional love, they would learn, comes in many forms.
Start: february 19th 2011
End: february 25th 2011
Comment: Because I love the movie so much, I owed it to myself to read the book. I liked it even more. It's about an average American couple who buy a dog who turns out to be the dog from hell. It doesn't really sound exciting, but because it's so recognizable it's so appealing for me to read. I could really tell that Grogan was a columnist, due to his writing style, and this fits the story perfectly. It was easy to read and I just had to keep reading. And this is not just a book about dogowners, because we follow John and Jenny in the thirteen years they have Marley and we see them get married, get jobs, have kids, move away. Marley is the only constant factor in their life and he helps them to adulthood and makes the Grogan's realize to be happy with the little things in life. I think only dogowners can truly appreciate this book and understand that dogs give you unconditional love and they are always there. People who don't have a dog or never even had one, will never understand the things we do for them. I will treasure this book and I would definitely reread it someday.
Rating: 5/ 5

Pic Spam: Jensen Ackles

We all know that I love Jensen Ackles. This guy is awesome and I can't believe I haven't dedicated a pic spam to him yet. When I started it, I came to the conclusion that it's not very easy. This guy looks good in EVERY picture! Well, here's my selection:

Reasons Why I Love Sons of Anarchy

OK, so "Sons of Anarchy" is not your typical girly-show. It's about a motorgang, lots of badasses and violence. But that doesn't mean I can't like it, because I do. It's my latest addiction and I'm always looking forward to the next episode like I did with "Lost" and I still do with "CSI". Here are some reasons why I love this show so much.

# 1. No one's perfect. I think we love the characters more for their flaws than their perfectness. For example Gemma. We love the fact that she takes care of her boys, but we love her even more when she kicks some ass. Or Jax, the loving father, who kills like it's a daily chore. All the character have imperfections, even sweet doctor Tara who didn't think twice when shooting that ATF creep. Even Tig, the craziest guy out there, gets some sort of sympathy.

# 2. The guys! It's nice to watch sweet, caring, clumbsy boys in "Glee", but I prefer a tough guy. Charlie Hunnam is enough eye candy for me to tune in. But we also have Theo Rossi, who playes Juice, far out the hottest guy on the show. But Ryan Hurst and Kenny Johnson aren't all that bad either. No sissy's here. All real menly men.

# 3. Katey Sagal. Isn't she just perfect in her role as Gemma. This is the role of a lifetime. A well deserved Golden Globe she won.

# 4. Even though they do a lot of bad stuff (fighting, killing, selling guns, cheating, you name it), you still root for the SONS. They have a backstory and you sympathize (almost) everyone single one of them.

# 5. The music. Starting with the fantastic theme song by "Curtis Stigers & the Forest Rangers". How cool is that? Together with "Supernatural" probably the show with the best music in it.

If you've never watched the show before, you better start now. You're missing out on a lot, because it's an awesome show. Really worth watching.

50 Books Challenge - # 9: Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro

Title: Never Let Me Go
Author: Kazuo Ishiguro
Story: As a child, Kathy — now thirty-one years old — lived at Hailsham, a private school in the scenic English countryside where the children were sheltered from the outside world, brought up to believe that they were special and that their well-being was crucial not only for themselves but for the society they would eventually enter. Kathy had long ago put this idyllic past behind her, but when two of her Hailsham friends come back into her life, she stops resisting the pull of memory.
And so, as her friendship with Ruth is rekindled, and as the feelings that long ago fueled her adolescent crush on Tommy begin to deepen into love, Kathy recalls their years at Hailsham. She describes happy scenes of boys and girls growing up together, unperturbed--even comforted--by their isolation. But she describes other scenes as well: of discord and misunderstanding that hint at a dark secret behind Hailsham's nurturing facade. With the dawning clarity of hindsight, the three friends are compelled to face the truth about their childhood—and about their lives now.
Start: february 11th 2011
End: february 18th 2011
Comment: I was so excited to read the book, because it sounded interesting and original. I was in fact a little bit disappointed. It was very slow and it took me a while to get into it. Some parts were even kinda dull. I did like how Ishiguro described his characters and how he focussed on them and I liked the concept of the novel. I think this book could use some more emotions, dialogues and climactic happenings. The book wasn't all that surprising either and the author kept repeating himself several times. Don't get me wrong, I didn't hate it, because it was quite interesting. I just wasn't as enthusiastic about it as everyone else is. I can understand why people love it so much, but it just wasn't my type of book. Maybe if I give it another try in a couple of years.
Rating: 2,5/ 5

Best of... Brad Pitt

Brad Pitt has always been one of the most attractive men on this planet. Now, being in his fourties, he still is. But not only his looks are interesting. His résumé has a lot of good movies on it. Here are my favorites.

"Thelma & Louise"
This was one of those films where he was just 'eye-candy'. His role wasn't all that special, but he's still in it so I can add it to my list. This movie is great because of the strong, independent women.

"A River Runs Through It"
It's a pretty slow movie, but that doesn't bother me. I always loved the story and the film is beautifully narrated by Robert Redford. I couldn't not stop comparing Brad to the young Redford.

"True Romance"
Tarantino is the writer and Tony Scott directed it. That alone makes sense why this movie is so good. The plot is fresh, original and mesmerizing and the film has action, drama, romance, good acting and a great cast.

"Interview with the Vampire"
Brad is kind of a wimpy vampire, not drinking human blood, but even as a vampire he looks good. Tom Cruise is actually the one with the best role but this movie is just great. I was never one of those women that thought vampires were sexy, but in this movie they kinda are.

"Seven"
This is Brad's best movie. I remember seeing it for the first time, thinking this was a very original plot. A man who killed people according to the seven deadly sins. It gave us some creepy images but that just fitted the atmosphere in of the film. Together with Morgan Freeman, Gwyneth Paltrow and Kevin Spacey, he formed a wonderfull cast. And "Seven" has a brilliant ending: "What's in the box?"

"Twelve Monkeys"
A very weird role for Brad, who plays Jeffrey Goines a man in a mental institution. I always thought it was a unique story and a very strong ending as well.

"Sleepers"
I don't know why, but this movie always interested me. Four kids have to pay for pulling a prank gone wrong. In juvenile they go through hell, because one of the guards brutaly abuses them. It's just a very good story and strong performances by every actor in the film.

"Fight Club"
Just awesome. I put it on Edward Norton's list as well. Tyler Durden, Pitt's character, was actually named best movie character of all time by empireonline.com. This movie is just brilliant, like I already stated.

"Snatch"
I think this is one of those movies you either love or hate. It has some odd and profane characters, with sometimes weird accents that are hard to understand. I liked the style of the film, the dark humor and the way it was filmed with the strange camera angles.

"Babel"
I can't begin to describe how much I love this film. Such a beautiful way of telling a story. Or actually stories, that all come together eventually. Brad is great with Cate Blanchett, such honest and touching scenes they have together.

"Burn After Reading"
Brad is one of those actors that doesn't mind being different. As one of the prettiest men in Hollywood, he's hardly ever pretty in his films. In this movie he plays a strange gay guy, that got the most laughs. I like the Coen-Brothers, and I love their sense of humor.

"The Curious Case of Benjamin Button"
Strange story, but it entertained me. The lenght of the film bothered me a little, but Brad gets younger and younger everytime, so that didn't bother me at all. It's a very thought through story and I enjoyed it so much.

"Inglourious Basterds"
Just great! We all know that Christoph Waltz and Melanie Laurent were the ones that stole our hearts here, but who didn't love the scene in the theater where Brad tries to pretend to be a Italian man. A brilliant film, made by Tarantino.

I never liked the Ocean's movies, so that's why they're not on my list. And I never saw "The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford". I'm looking forward to seeing "The Tree of Life", which will come out this year, I think in May. He's also starring in a film called Cogan's Trade with Javier Bardem and Mark Ruffalo, a heist movie.

Radiant Rachel

Time for a new wallpaper. Since I saw "Morning Glory" this week, which I absolutely loved, I really wanted to make a Rachel McAdams wallpaper. She was so great in that movie, as were Harisson Ford, Diane Keaton and Jeff Goldblum. But Rachel was the star. So I started looking for some photos and I created this wallpaper, featuring the lovely Rachel McAdams.



If you like it, you can use it on your own desktop if you want.

Favorite Lifehouse Songs

I've been a fan of Lifehouse since "Hanging By a Moment " came out. That was in 2001. Now, 10 years later, they have made five great albums and 60-somewhat songs. In The Netherlands there were only a couple of songs that came out and "Hanging By a Moments" and "Halfway Gone" were the only real hits they had here. Sad, sad, sad... because this country has missed out on a lot of great songs. Lifehouse could've been a big band here. But I've been a fan for all those years, even though my country isn't, and I decided to make a top 20 list of my favorite Lifehouse songs. Here it is:

# 20. Sick Cycle Carousel
# 19. Quasimodo
# 18. Halfway Gone
# 17. The Beginning
# 16. Hanging By a Moment
# 15. First Time
# 14. From Where You Are
# 13. Breathing
# 12. All In
# 11. Undone
# 10. Sky is Falling
# 9. Storm
# 8. Trying
# 7. Take Me Away
# 6. Out of Breath
# 5. You and Me
# 4. Spin
# 3. Everything
# 2. Broken
# 1. Blind

It was actually very hard to make this list and I had to cut some great songs for my top 20. But these are my favorites. I think many people will find my number one kinda strange, but ever since I heard this song for the first time I fell in love with it. When I saw them live, they didn't play it, but that's a reason for me to see them again. If you're a Lifehouse fan, let me know what your favorites are.

Pic Spam: Gwyneth Paltrow

There's only one reason why I'm dedicading this pic spam to Gwyneth Paltrow. I loved her guest role in "Glee". She's coming back to the show and I'n looking forward to it. Here are some of here best pictures.

50 Books Challenge - # 8: The Jane Austen Book Club by Karen Joy Fowler

Title: The Jane Austen Book Club
Author: Karen Joy Fowler
Story: In California's central valley, five women and one man join to discuss Jane Austen's novels. Over the six months they get together, marriages are tested, affairs begin, unsuitable arrangements become suitable, and love happens.
Start: february 7th 2011
End: february 10th 2011
Comment: As a Jane Austen fan I just had to read this. Six people form a bookclub and all of the characters have a different point of view. What I really loved about this novel is that we got to know every single one of the book club members. Fowler discribed them very well and even used flashbacks. It gives you more inside info and that way you can understand the characters better. Why they are the way they are. My favorite character was Grigg, a guy I would definitely fall for if I met him in real life. And Jocelyn, because I recognized bits of myself in her and she had the most interesting backstory. There actually wasn't a character that I disliked although I think I would never be friends with Bernadette. A fun detail in the book is that in the end each character has questions you can discuss with your own book club. "The Jane Austen Book Club" is a light, quick and fun read. But unfortunately I think this book will only be truly adored by Jane Austen fans. If you have never read Austen or don't like her novels, you probably wouldn't like it as much as I did.
Rating: 4/ 5

20 Best Songs of the 00's

I always listn to 3FM, a Dutch radio channel with great music. This week it's zero's rewuest week. All the hits from 2000 to 2009. As a listener you could also make your own playlist and vote for your favorite songs. It sounds pretty easy but there's a catch. You could only choose 20 songs from a list and the songs had to be released in The Netherlands between 2000 and 2009. There were a lot of songs that eventually didn't make the cut but. I did manage to make one so here's my playlist for the '00's.


Beth Hart - Leave the Light On
Bruce Springsteen - Working on a Dream
Coldplay - The Scientist
Dave Matthews Band - Space Between (it was rereleased in The Netherlands in the 00's)
Foo Fighters - All My Life
Foo Fighters - Best of You
Greenday - Boulevard of Broken Dreams
Jack Johnson - Upside Down
Jack Johnson - Sitting, Waiting, Wishing
John Mayer - Daughters
Killers - When You Were Young
Killers - Human
Killers - Mr. Brightside
Lifehouse - Hanging by a Moment
Lifehouse - Halfway Gone
Live - Run to the Water
Pearl Jam - Just Breathe
Pearl Jam - Unthought Know
Pearl Jam - Amongst the Waves
Snow Patrol - Chasing Cars

I would add some more songs from Lifehouse to the list, but those were the only two that came out in The Netherlands and "All In" came out in 2010. Some songs didn't make it to my final cut: Death by The White Lies, I Got a Feeling by The Black Eyed Peas, This is the Life by Amy McDonald, Walk on & City of Blinding Lights by U2 and some others.

Best of... Jennifer Aniston

Jennifer Aniston isn't one of my top 15 favorite actresses and she's not one of the best around either, but I always enjoy her movies and I like her very much. I liked her in Friends and I actually had the Rachel look for a while. And Jen made some fine films. Here are my favorite Jennifer Aniston movies.

"She's the One"
I think this was the first bigger role she played in a movie. I always thought the plot was well written and I found it very enjoyable. And for a rom-com it had a lot of depth and with that "She's the One" actually broke some rom-com rules.

"Picture Perfect"
How fun was this one? I remember renting it with a bunch of friends, while we were having a sleepover. Jennifer is so endeering in this film and don't you just love Jay Mohr here? It was a movie with a lot of heart, I liked it.

"The Object of My Affection"
Paul Rudd and Jennifer Aniston had great chemistry in this movie. Jennifer is just Jennifer here, the way we love her the most. And Paul wasn't the stereotypical gay man as they are always portrayed in films. This movie is just too charming to resist.

"Office Space"
I think this movie has a big fanbase. When I first saw it, I didn't really understand that. After watching it for a second time, I got it. Great workplace satire (it was already a succes before "The Office") and it's just an unique comedic experience. Even for non-Aniston fans it's considered a requirement.

"Bruce Almighty"
While Jim Carrey steals the show here, Jennifer delivers a solid performance as his girlfriend Grace. I really lauched out loud with this movie.

"Derailed"
Not a typical Aniston movie, maybe that's why I liked it so much. A strong and surprisingly good story. Nice twist at the end.

"Marley & Me"
Probably my favorite. She forms a perfect couple with Owen Wilson and I enjoyed every single minute of this film. It's wonderfull to see how a destructive dog gets a married couple closer together. It's so honest, heartwarming and touching. "Marley & Me" is also one of those movies that make me cry.

"He's Just Not That Into You"
I know most people criticized it, but I really liked it. I love movies with multiple storylines and Beth's story, played by Jennifer, is one of my favorites.

There are still some movies I haven't seen yet: "Just Go With It", "Love Happens" and "The Switch".

50 Books Challenge - # 7: Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen

Title: Water for Elephants
Author: Sara Gruen
Story: Though he may not speak of them, the memories still dwell inside Jacob Jankowski's ninety-something-year-old mind. Memories of himself as a young man, tossed by fate onto a rickety train that was home to the Benzini Brothers Most Spectacular Show on Earth. Memories of a world filled with freaks and clowns, with wonder and pain and anger and passion; a world with its own narrow, irrational rules, its own way of life, and its own way of death. The world of the circus: to Jacob it was both salvation and a living hell." Marlena, the star of the equestrian act, was there because she fell in love with the wrong man, a handsome circus boss with a wide mean streak. And Rosie the elephant was there because she was the great gray hope, the new act that was going to be the salvation of the circus; the only problem was, Rosie didn't have an act - in fact, she couldn't even follow instructions. The bond that grew among this unlikely trio was one of love and trust, and ultimately, it was their only hope for survival.
Start: february 1st 2011
End: february 6th 2011
Comment: I had a hard time putting it down. I fell in love with Jacob, as a young man in the 1930's and as a crotchety old man. I could understand him, his relationship with Rosie and Marlena and the way he was around August. Especially his bond with Rosie was endeering, touching and truly honest. I also loved the atmosphere in the books. This period of time is very interesting to read about and the wonderous world of circuses is just magical. It was the first time I actually read a book about the circus life. I never heard of Sara Gruen before reading this book, but she's a very talented and promising writer. I think I will read more of her work in the future. I had high expectations for this book and I'm glad the novel got to live up to them. I can definitely recommened this book to everyone. And there's a movie version on the way...
Rating: 5/ 5

5 Reasons why I love Modern Family

There are so many TV shows on right now, but how many of them are truly original? Not a lot. "Modern Family" is one of them and I'm a huge fan of the series. Here are five reasons why I love the show so much.

The characters
I don’t know where to start. All the characters are so unique but also very life-like. I think everyone can identify with one of the characters, because they are portrayed so real. Or you recognize elements from your own family life. I think Cameron is my favorite because he’s just so hilarious. Remember that scene from season 1, where he’s dressed as a clown and he has that giant clock in his pocket. I almost peed my pants. And Phil, trying too hard to be the cool dad. I think most people find him annoying, but I find him very funny. (WTF, that means Why that face…). And when he tries to lie, he just can’t do it. I like Claire, maybe because I recognize bits of her in me. I want to be in control sometimes. Gloria is fantastic, her spice and temperament. And Manny, such a sweet kid, who’s affraid of butterflies. Aaww. The karakters in the show are people you actually care about.

The writing
Very clever and fresh. The storylines are traditional, but the writers know how to re-use them in an original way, so it stays interesting and it never bores you. And the actors now their way around those themes. It's always a little bit different from how other shows do it and that's why this show is so unique.

The actors
They are all perfectly cast. Even the kids. Just perfect! I don't think it needs any explanation.

Family life
A lot of comedies have standard families with maybe one or two oddballs. But this family is everything BUT standard. That’s what I love, they dare to be different. This show has heart, the family has heart and they won mine over.

Mockumentary style
I like it in “The Office” but it also works for “Modern Family”. I like it when the characters talk to the camera. It’s so honest and real. You get to know the characters more and you have the feeling that you're a part of their life.

Confirmed: Rachel McAdams will be in Sherlock Holmes 2

It wasn't sure if Rachel McAdams would come back for the movie "Sherlock Holmes 2". They started filming in october 2010 so you'd think they would be a little bit more sure about their cast. Well now they do. I just read that Rachel will star in the sequel. YEAH!! Rachel will again appear as Irene Adler, the only woman that ever outsmarted Sherlock. She will only have a cameo, so she won't have a big role. But still, she's part of the project and that already excites me. She had such good chemistry with Robert Downey Jr. and I thought they made a great on screen duo. Or actually team, we can't forget about Jude Law. And here's a photo to prove that I'm not kidding. Together with director Guy Ritchie, on the set in France. The movie will come out in December 2011, so we have to wait a while. But I hope it'll be worth waiting for. Well, Robert Downey Jr. and Rachel McAdams are always worth waiting for ;) .

Movie Tip #46 - Scoop

Director: Woody Allen

Starring: Scarlett Johansson, Woody Allen, Hugh Jackman, Romola Garai, Ian McShane

Description: In the funeral of the famous British journalist Joe Strombel (Ian McShane), his colleagues and friends recall how obstinate he was while seeking for a scoop. Meanwhile the deceased Joe discloses the identity of the tarot card serial killer of London. He cheats the Reaper and appears to the American student of journalism Sondra Pransky (Scarlett Johansson), who is on the stage in the middle of a magic show of the magician Sidney Waterman (Woody Allen) in London, and tells her that the murderer is the aristocrat Peter Lyman (Hugh Jackman). Sondra drags Sid in her investigation, seeking for evidences that Peter is the killer. However, she falls in love with him and questions if Joe Strombel is right in his scoop.

Review: When I first read the plot of this film, I didn't really expect much. I'm not a Woody Allen fan and it seemed a little bit too standard. But this movie actually made me want to see more of Allen's work. I really enjoyed myself here. Scarlett was good, I liked her. I know a lot of people critisize her, but I always appreciated her work. She managed to lose her sexyness and be an avarage and spirited girl. The humour in "Scoop" was great and I loved Woody Allen in this film. He kinda made me nervous a little, but in a good way like Inspector Clouseau makes me nervous. And Hugh Jackman is charming as ever. "Scoop" has a nice light-hearted feel to it and is a very consistent. Johansson and Allen work great together. I think this movie was overlooked by many people and it's definitely worth watching, because you might like it.

Pic Spam: Robert Downey Jr.

I love this man. I don't know.... he is just so irresistible. I just want to watch everything he's in. Funny, charming, handsome and a brilliant actor. I loved him in "Kiss Kiss Bang Bang" and "Sherlock Holmes" and I can't wait to see him in the second Sherlock film. I simply love this guy! Here are some of my favorite pictures of him.

Morning Glory

I got home early today, on wednesday I always work half a day. The doorbeel rang and I got a package. I didn't know what it was. When I opened it I saw that I won a prize... again! I won two tickets for the movie "Morning Glory", A "MG" nail file set, a "MG" bag hook (didn't figure out how to use it yet) and a "MG" shopper. Cool huh. I really wanted to see the movie, mostly because of Rachel McAdams. I love her. It also has Harrison Ford, Diane Keaton and Patrick Wilson in it. Soon I will go and see! I'm probably going with my friends Irene and Evelien. I only got two tickets, so we will have to split the costs of the third ticket. That will be a cheap cinema visit!!!

50 Books Challenge 2011 Update - January

The first month of the year has past and I'm doing very well in my challenge. Yesterday I finished my 6th book. Here's an update of the first month of my book challenge:

# 1. The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold
# 2. Gone Baby Gone by Dennis Lehane
# 3. Digital Fortress by Dan Brown
# 4. A Long Way Down by Nick Hornby
# 5. The Other Boleyn Girl by Philippa Gregory
# 6. An Abundance of Katherines by John Green

Favorite of the Month: "The Other Boleyn Girl"

I don't know what I'm going to read next. I'm going to the library today. You will see what I'm reading very soon under "What I'm Reading" on the right.

50 Books Challenge - # 6: An Abundance of Katherines by John Green

Title: An Abundance of Katherines
Author: John Green
Story: When it comes to relationships, Colin Singleton's type is girls named Katherine. And when it comes to girls named Katherine, Colin is always getting dumped. Nineteen times, to be exact.
On a road trip miles from home, this anagram-happy, washed-up child prodigy has ten thousand dollars in his pocket, a bloodthirsty feral hog on his trail, and an overweight, Judge Judy-loving best friend riding shotgun — but no Katherines. Colin is on a mission to prove The Theorem of Underlying Katherine Predictability, which he hopes will predict the future of any relationship, avenge Dumpees everywhere, and finally win him the girl.
Start: january 28nd 2011
End: january 31st 2011
Comment: I was expecting a lot, because I heard a lot of good things about this book and its author John Green. Unfortunately I didn't feel the same way. I couldn't get into this book. I really wanted to like the book, but I just didn't. There wasn't a lot going on and I couldn't always keep my attention while reading this novel. The footnotes where fun in the beginning, but I stopped reading them after ten chapters. I did like Greens writing style, it's fresh and original and I also liked Colin's buddy Hassan. I did eventually finish it, but I was so disappointed. Maybe I should give Greens other novels a try and I will like them more. But this one just didn't do it for me.
Rating: 2/ 5