In My Mailbox (53)

What a week! Eight cards for me. Really awesome. The first two cards came from China. From Shiken and Wenzhou.

Sent on: june 8th 2012
Received on: june 25th 2012
Distance: 9,157 km (5,690 miles)
Travel time: 17 days

Sent on: june 14th 2012
Received on: june 25th 2012
Distance: 9,159 km (5,691 miles)
Travel time: 11 days

From Brest, Belarus I received this card. Some kind of memorial monument.

Sent on: june 21st 2012
Received on: june 25th 2012
Distance: 1,225 km (761 miles)
Travel time: 4 days

I got this road card from Tokorozawa, Japan.

Sent on: june 19th 2012
Received on: june 26th 2012
Distance: 9,351 km (5,810 miles)
Travel time: 7 days

This card especially excited me, because it came from Jerusalem, Israël. My first card from this country. And it's also very pretty.

Sent on: june 17th 2012
Received on: june 26 20012
Distance: 3,219 km (2,000 miles)
Travel time: 9 days

My favorite of the week came from Vilnius, Lithuania. A classic movie star card. LOVING IT!

Sent on: june 21st 2012
Received on: june 26th 2012
Distance: 1,347 km (837 miles)
Travel time: 5 days

From Sacremento, California I got this map. Didn't have it yet, so super awesome!

Sent on: jun 15th 2012
Received on: june 26th 2012
Distance: 8,824 km (5,483 miles)
Travel time: 11 days

I got this fairytale card from Stuttgart, Germany. I really like it.

Sent on: june 21st 2012
Received on: june 27th 2012
Distance: 357 km (222 miles)
Travel time: 6 days

Thanks Cindy, Rian, Olga, Masanobu, Marina, Rasa, Keri and Stephanie

50 Books Challenge 2012 Update - June

I read five books, the goal I was going for this month. And again this was a very good month. I read some fantastic adventurous books.

# 23. The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien - 5/ 5
# 24. The Lightning Thief (Percy Jackson and the Olympians # 1) by Rick Riordan - 4,5/ 5
# 25. Around the world in 80 Days by Jules Verne - 3/ 5
# 26. The Mysterious Benedict Society (The Mysterious Benedict Society # 1) by Trent Stewart - 4,5/ 5
# 27. The Reptile Room (A Series of Unfortunate Events # 2) by Lemony Snicket - 5/ 5

Average: 4,4

Favorite of the Month: Th Hobbit

Now the theme for july:

Because I don't have that many time to read in the beginning of the month, I decided to go with something light.

50 Book Challenge 2012 - # 27: The Reptile Room by Lemony Snicket (A Series of Unfortunate Events #2")

Title: The Reptile Room (A Series of Unfortunate Events # 2)
Author: Lemony Snicket
Story: After narrowly escaping the menacing clutches of the dastardly Count Olaf, the three Baudelaire orphans are taken in by a kindly herpetologist with whom they live happily for an all-too-brief time.
Start: june 28th 2012
End: june 30th 2012
Comment: Fans of Lemony Snicket will not be disappointed with the second book in "The Series of Unfortunate Events". Again we follow Violet, Klaus, and Sunny. In this volume they visit Uncle Monty and they're finally for once since their parents died having a good time. When Uncle Monty tells the children that they will be going on an expedition to study snakes they get even more riled up. But Uncle Monty's assistant mysteriously disappears so he hires a replacement. And off course this is Count Olaf. Uncle Monty is finally an adult who the children like and he likes them just as much. But happiness is not in the Baudelaire's dictionairy, they have bad luck all the time. Snicket has his own way of telling a story. He doesn't patronize his readers, although it's written for kids. Children know more than you think. The author continues using the technique of defining words that do not need be defined in his attempt to ridicule some children books. He even lets Klaus express the frustration some readers may feel when Mr. Poe is explaining to him what ridicule means and Klaus snaps back "I know what 'ridicule' means". As for the characters, it's hard to dislike the Baudelaires and uncle Monty. Violet is still my favorite. Snicket treats his characters the same as his readers. The children in this book are very bright. And again Count Olaf is so.... bad. He is a good bad guy, if you know what I mean. He's well written and very well described. "The Reptile Room" has the same format as the first book and is just as excellent. I enjoyed the second book equally as much and I will definitely continue to read the rest of this series.
Rating: 5/ 5

Top 5 Thursday: Male Movie Characters

I did a list like this with my favorite female movie characters, so now it’s all about the guys.

5. Andy Dufresne (“The Shawshank Redemption”)
Andy is such a quiet man that nobody notices his brilliance. What a genius this man is.

4. Forrest Gump (“Forrest Gump”)
He comes of as stupid and many people call him that, but Forrest Gump accomplished more in his life than most of us. And the way Forrest sees the world is so much easier and less complicated.

3. Rob Gordon (“High Fidelity”)
He can be a douche sometimes, but there are so many things about Rob Gordon you can't possibly hate.

2. John McClane (“Die Hard”)
Talking about a real man. He swears, drink, smokes. You just gotta love John McClane.

1. Indiana Jones (“Raiders of the Lost Ark”)
I like an adventurous man and he actually makes history class interesting. I would love to travel around the world with Indiana Jones.

They almost made the top 5: Bob Harris (“Lost in Translation”), Tom Hannon (“(500) Days of Summer”), Ed Bloom (“Big Fish”), Gil Pender (“Midnight in Paris”), Adam Lerner (“50/50”), Driver (“Driver”)

50 Books Challenge 2012 - # 26: The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trent Stewart (The Mysterious Benedict Society # 1)

Title: The Mysterious Benedict Society (The Mysterious Benedict Society # 1)
Author: Trent Stewart
Story: Dozens of children respond to this peculiar ad in the newspaper and are then put through a series of mind-bending tests, which readers take along with them. Only four children—two boys and two girls—succeed. Their challenge: to go on a secret mission that only the most intelligent and inventive children could complete. To accomplish it they will have to go undercover at the Learning Institute for the Very Enlightened, where the only rule is that there are no rules. But what they'll find in the hidden underground tunnels of the school is more than your average school supplies. So, if you're gifted, creative, or happen to know Morse Code, they could probably use your help.
Start: june 19th 2012
End: june 27th 2012
Comment: Have you ever found yourself feeling alone? Out of place? Too smart to be cool? If so, maybe you have what it takes to be a member of the Mysterious Benedict Society. Reynie Muldoon is all of these things and more. When he answers an ad promising a special opportunity, little did Reynie realize that he would save the world - a task only children could accomplish! With him, three other kids were recruted. Sticky Washington, Kate Wetherall and Constance Contraire. All four children are completely different and each have their own skills. Reynie is exceptionally talented at problem solving. Sticky has a photographic memory and a talent for speed-reading. Kate is resourceful and athletic. Constance is extremely intelligent, precocious and stubborn. I liked Constance the most, because of her sarcasm an maybe because the others didn't like her in the beginning at all. Somehow I just couldn't dislike Constance. When kids are lead characters in stories they often become cliché and very predictable. Stewart managed to create four loveable child characters and he gave them depth and dimension. The only thing I missed later in the book were the riddles the kids had to solve. That was very present in the beginning, but faded. The rest of the book was so much fun to read and very fast paced. I'm definitely going to continue this series.
Rating: 4,5/ 5

Movie Moments: "Toy Story 2"

I already shared my favorite moments from "Toy Story" with you, so now it's time for the second installment.

Moment # 1: Rex plays a videogame
We see Buzz in action. When he faces his enemy Zurg, we see that it’s Rex playing a Buzz Lightyear videogame. He says he is never going to beat Zurg because his arms are to short.

Moment # 2: “How do you spell F.B.I.?”
While Hamm is reviewing what happened to Woody, the toys are trying to figure out how to get him back. All of a sudden Rex comes running and asks them: “How do you spell F.B.I?”

Moment # 3: Woody meets Bullseye, Jessie and Stinky Pete
Woody was stolen and when he’s trying to escape he meets horse Bullseye, cowgirl Jessie and Stinky Pete. They all know Woody, but he doesn’t understand how. They show him. Woody used to be the star of a TV-show and had a lot of merchandize.

Moment # 4: Camouflage
Buzz and some of the other toys are on their way to save Woody. They have to be careful so no one sees them. Buzz goes first and Rex follows him. He’s covered in leafs, but loses them when he starts walking. Mr. Potato Head, Hamm and Slinky are next and Hamm trips. Coins role out and he says that they can’t look until he’s got the cork back in.

Moment # 5: Traffic cones
Buzz, Hamm, Slinky, Rex and Mr. Potato Head have to cross a street. They get under some orange traffic cones. When they reach the other side Mr. Potato Head says it went well, not knowing that they left behind a huge traffic disaster.

Moment # 6: Fixing up Woody
Al called someone to fix Woody. He cleans him up, repairs his arm and paints over Andy’s name. He looks like new and Woody is thrilled.

Moment # 7: Buzz fights Buzz
Buzz is looking around in Al’s toy store and sees hundreds of Buzz Lightyear dolls. One of them attacks Buzz and they start to fight.

Moment # 8: Barbie
Hamm, Rex, Slinky and Mr. Potato Head are in a car and drive through the Barbie aisle. Their jaws drop and Mr. Potato Head keeps telling himself that he’s a married spud.

Moment # 9: “Ride like the wind!”
Woody and Jessie are playing around. He gets on Bullseye and yells “Ride like the wind Bullseye!” But instead of riding off, he falls.

Moment # 10: “I am your father”
Fake Buzz is fighting Zurg. Buzz tells him he killed his father and Zurg tells him he is his father. Rex defeats Zurg and is very excited that he finally did.

Moment # 11: Welcome home Andy
Andy returns from cowboy camp. All his toys, including Jessie and Bullseye, are waiting for him and welcoming him home.

Moment # 12: Daddy
Because Mr. Potato Head saved the three little aliens, they keep telling him they are enternaly grateful. Mrs. Potato Head is very proud and thinks the aliens are so cute she wants to adopt them. The aliens immediately call him daddy.

Favorite Moment: Moment # 2: “How do you spell F.B.I.?”

Best of... Denzel Washington

I can't believe I never made a best of list for Denzel Washington. Maybe I knew that this list was going to be long, because you know when Denzel is involved that the movie is probably awesome. So here are my favorite Denzel Washington movies.

Cry Freedom
The film based on the nonfiction book by the same name tells the story of Stephen Biko, a black South African political activist who understood the inherent dangers in being an activist but lived by the creed that a man has to do what a man has to do. He is befriended in respect and admiration by a white American journalist, Donald Woods. Their two stories are equally important because of the consequences of their actions. Denzel Washinton performs the role of Biko as if he was Biko, I was that convinced.

Glory
A true story of the Civil War that is both touching and inspirational. It depicts the story of the first black unit from the North to be trained and actually go into battle. Great performances by Denzel Washington, Morgan Freeman and Matthew Broderick.

Ricochet
This is a very solid action thriller. Great acting by Denzel Washington, as the hero, and John Lithgow as the despicable villain.

Malcolm X
The story of the mans religious beliefs and strong heart was inspiring and a story that showed you can really achieve anything if you set your mind to it. I'd be lying if I did not say this is excellent.

Philadelphia
Two of the finest actors team up and give away a brilliant show. Hanks even won an Academy Award for his performance. It's a sad film and it's gripping and compelling.

Crimson Tide
"Crimson Tide" is a high tension thriller and probably the best submarine movie ever made.
Fallen
This movie was a bit overlooked, but it's all kinds of awesome. I liked the atmosphere in the film and the suspence and it has a good plot.

The Bone Collector
Denzel proves something here. Without hardly moving a muscle, Washington still grabs us with his acting. And he has good chemistry with Angelina Jolie. Exciting film, strong thriller.

Remember the Titans
I recently watched this with my class on the school I work. They found it as inspirational as I did. And all thanks to Washington's character Coach Boone, who unites black and white football players as one.

Training Day
The movie is very good, but Denzel Washington's performance is even better. This man can do anything!

John Q
John Q is a man who does a desperate thing when he finds out his kid is going to die if he doesn't do anything. But this man is my hero anyway. He does everything in order to save his son and that's a great father.

Man on Fire
The plot seems simple and unoriginal. This is so much more. It's a realistic story, with strong characters and top class acting. Washington and Fanning are wonderfull (together and apart). The story is suprising and mind-blowing.

American Gangster
It's a long movie, but that doesn't bother me at all. Washington and Crowe play their parts well.

The Book of Eli
It's a post-apocalyptic tale, where a lone man fights his way through America and protects a sacred book. The ending is pretty surprising. I really enjoyed this film.

I knew this list would be long and I could be a lot longer. But I really had to make a selection of favorites. None of his movies are bad...

Movie Tip # 52: Snow White and the Huntsman

Director: Rupert Sanders

Starring: Kristen Stewart, Chris Hemsworth, Charlize Theron, Sam Claflin, Sam Spruell, Bob Hoskins, Ian McShane, Ray Winstone, Nick Frost, Duir, Brian Gleeson, Toby Jones, Johnny Harris

Description: Snow White (Kristen Stewart), imprisoned daughter of the late king, escapes just as the Magic Mirror declares her the source of the Evil Queen's immortality. The Queen (Charlize Theron) sends her men, led by a local huntsman (Chris Hemsworth) to bring her back. But upon her capture, the huntsman finds he's being played and turns against the Queens men, saving Snow White in the process. Meanwhile, Snow's childhood friend, William (Sam Claflin), learns that she is alive and sets off to save her.

Review: I'm a sucker for fairytales. Ever since its trailer was released I wanted to see this film. The well known story of Snow White, but not quite the way it was told when we were kids. "Snow White and the Huntsman" is darker, action packed, more violent, not overwhelmed by romance and full of beautiful visual effects. As for the casting, Kristen Stewart got a lot of negative response. I have to say that I was never a fan either, but she had proven that she could act in "Into the Wild". Stewart is stuck to her "Twilight" character, which is sad, because she can definitely act and I really appreciate her more due to this film. Chris Hemsworth is not only very pleasant to watch, he is very charismatic and he was my favorite character in the film. I did like him together with Stewart and probably a lot of people won't agree with me on that. Charlize Theron, one of my personal favorites, had the best role. Casting her for the role of the evil queens was just perfect. Theron was terrifyingly convincing as a villain. Sam Claflins character William was too one-dimensional and there is really no time to get to know or like him. I did love the dwarfs, they were funny and the world they lived in was beautiful. "Snow White and the Huntsman" is a great movie and met my expectations. I heard that this is going to be a series, so I can't wait to see more of it.

Movie Trailer Sunday (43)

This weeks trailers are about kidnappers in Istanbul, a married couple divorcing but watning to stay friends, an aristocrat having an affair, funny monsters and a charismatic intellectual known as "The Master".

Taken 2
Description: Bryan Mills (Liam Neeson) is a retired CIA agent with a particular set of skills who stopped at nothing to save his daughter Kim (Maggie Grace) from Albanian kidnappers. When the father of one of the kidnappers swears revenge and takes Bryan and his wife hostage during their family vacation in Istanbul, Bryan enlists Kim to help them escape, and uses the same advanced level of special forces tactics to get his family to safety and systematically take out the kidnappers one by one.
Director: Oliver Megaton
Starring: Liam Neeson, Maggie Grace, Famke Janssen
Trailer: Trailer "Taken 2"
Comment: The first one was super exciting, so I'm kinda looking forward to the second installment.

Celeste & Jesse Forever
Description: Celeste (Rashida Jones) and Jesse (Andy Samberg) are two people who met in high school, married young and are growing apart. Now thirty, they decide to get divorced and attempt to stay best friends while pursuing other relationships. This plan is not as simple as they had imagined. Celeste - imperious, successful and driven - is convinced that divorcing the boyish Jesse is the right thing to do. Jesse passively accepts this transition into friendship, even though he still is in love with her. As the reality of their separation sets in, Celeste slowly and painfully realizes she has been cavalier about their relationship. But her timing with Jesse is less than fortuitous. While navigating the turbulent changes in their lives and in their hearts, these two learn that in order to truly love someone, you may have to let them go. The film is a humorous and honest examination of a broken heart and the long, hard road it takes to heal it.
Director: Lee Toland Krieger
Starring: Andy Samberg, Rashida Jones, Chris Messina, Ari Graynor, Will McCormack, Emma Roberts, Elijah Wood
Trailer: Trailer "Celeste & Jesse Forever"
Comment: This looks so good, really my kind of film.

Anna Karenina
Description: Set in late-19th-century Russia high-society, the aristocrat Anna Karenina (Keira Knightley) enters into a life-changing affair with the affluent Count Vronsky (Aaron Johnson).
Director: Joe Wright
Starring: Keira Knightley, Jude Law, Kelly Macdonald, Aaron Johnson, Matthew Macfadyen
Trailer: Trailer "Anna Karenina"
Comment: Keira Knightley and director Joe Wright already made two fantastic films together, so I think this will succeed as well.

Monster's University
Description: Mike Wazowski (Billy Crystal) and James P. Sullivan (John Goodman) are an inseparable pair, but that wasn't always the case. From the moment these two mismatched monsters met they couldn't stand each other. "Monsters University" unlocks the door to how Mike and Sulley overcame their differences and became the best of friends.
Director: Dan Scanlon
Starring: Billy Crystal, John Goodman, Steve Buscemi, Dave Foley, Julia Sweeney, Joel Murray, Peter Sohn
Trailer: Teaser Trailer "Monsters University"
Comment: I know it's only a cople of teaser trailers, but this made me so excited about the movie. You know I love the first one!! When the full trailer comes out, I will probably share it too.

The Master
Description: A charismatic intellectual (Philip Seymour Hoffman) launches a faith-based organization and taps a young drifter (Joaquin Phoenix) as his right-hand man. But as the faith begins to gain a fervent following, the onetime vagabond finds himself questioning the belief system he has embraced, and his mentor.
Director: Paul Thomas Anderson
Starring: Joaquin Phoenix, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Amy Adams
Trailer: Trailer "The Master"
Comment: I think the fabulous cast says enough, but I also think this movie isn't for just anyone.

In My Mailbox (52)

I received seven postcards this week, which is a lot. And all from different countries, which is kind of unique. The first card came from Nürnberg, Germany. A "Lord of the Rings Card". I recently read "The Hobbit" so receiving this card is like perfect timing. I really like it.

Sent on: june 13th 2012
Received on: june 18th 2012
Distance: 409 km (254 miles)
Travel time: 5 days

Then I got this card from Milton, UK. It appears to be graffiti by a well known artist in the UK. It's a very special card.

Sent on: june 14th 2012
Received on: june 20th 2012
Distance: 625 km (388 miles)
Travel time: 6 days

From Minsk, Belarus I got this cute dog card. I love dogs, every dog, so i was really glad to find this one in my mailbox.

Sent on: june 13th 2012
Received on: june 20th 2012
Distance: 1,486 km (923 miles)
Travel time: 7 days

From Vehkalanti, Finland I got this multiview card. I like all the individual pictures, but not together. it's a bit crowded.

Sent on: june 13th 2012
Received on: june 21st 2012
Distance: 1,680 km (1,044 miles)
Travel time: 8 days

I got this lighthouse card from Guilford, Connecticut, USA. Postcards with lighthouses are on my wishlist, so this was very welcome. Kelley, the woman who send me the card, contacted me before she send it to make sure I didn't have a Connecticut card yet. Nice!

Sent on: june 16th 2012
Received on: june 22nd 2012
Distance: 5,868 km (3,646 miles)
Travel time: 6 days

I got this card from Pingdong City, Taiwan. I never saw anything like this before. It looks so strange, though cool.

Sent on: june 8th 2012
Received on: june 22nd 2012
Distance: 9,633 km (5,986 miles)
Travel time: 14 days

The last card this week came from Melbourne, Australia. I like all the earthy colors in this card. Keith, the sender, wrote a very nice quote on the back.

Sent on: june 2nd 2012
Received on: june 23rd 2012
Distance: 16,472 km (10,235 miles)
Travel time: 21 days

Thanks Glubberer (no way I could find this guys real name), Jennifer, Vera, Liisa, Kelley, Alice and Keith for the postcards!

Top 5 Thursday: Cute Movie Characters

I love to analyze movie characters, but sometimes you don’t have to look that close to know that a character is simply adorable. I made a list of characters that have a high cute factor.

5. Dobby (“Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets”)
Although Dobby is a little strange and a bit too obedient, Dobby deserves a place in this list. He’s a very loyal house elf and had a crucial role at the end of the Harry Potter series.

4. Sid (“Ice Age”)
Most people say Scrat is the cute one in the film, but I go nuts for Sid. His lisps makes him even more likeable and his silliness is to die for. I love Sid, he’s fantastic.

3. Boo (“Monsters Inc.”)
Boo is such a sweet and cute girl. She makes Sully and Mike realize that children aren’t anything to be afraid of.

2. E.T.
This cute alien breaks my heart every time. E.T. is super adorable and unforgettable. When he leaves and says goodbye to Elliot, I can’t help but cry.

1. Gizmo (“Gremlins”)
Gizmo really stands out. How cute is he!!!! He looks sweet with those big eyes and ears, his singing is just to melt for and when he starts to talk. Everything Gizmo does is cute, he’s just über cute!

They almost made the top 5: Tiny Tim (“A Muppet’s Christmas Carol”), Timon (“The Lion King”), Rex (“Toy Story”), Aliëns (“Toy Story”), Ewok (“Star Wars”), Frank (“The Rescuers Down Under”), Yoda (“Star Wars”), Cole Sear (“The Sixth Sense”), Scrat (“Ice Age”)

50 Books Challenge 2012 - # 25: Around the World in 80 Days by Jules verne

Title: Around the World in 80 Days
Author: Jules Verne
Story: Shocking his stodgy colleagues at the exclusive Reform Club, enigmatic Englishman Phileas Fogg wagers his fortune, undertaking an extraordinary and daring enterprise to circumnavigate the globe in eighty days. With his French valet Passepartout in tow, Verne's hero traverses the far reaches of the earth, all the while tracked by the intrepid Detective Fix, a bounty hunter certain he is on the trail of a notorious bank robber.
Start: june 16th 2012
End: june 18th 2012
Comment: When I picked up this book I thought, it doesn't get more adventuorous than this. A guy who decides to travel around the world in 80 days and not everything goes according to plan. Englishman Phileas Fogg is the one who comes up with the idea. He is very likeable, maybe because he's a bit strange, and off course you want him to succeed. This book wouldn't be adventurous at all if everything went the way it should be. It's a great concept and I did read it very quickly, but that's mainly because the book wasn't that big. Overall it's a pretty slow read, because there isn't much action going on at all. Towards the end there is, it gets more exciting and by the time the book reaches his climax you realize you're almost finished. Fogg was a nice character, but his French sidekick Passepartout was even more likeable. I liked him for his loyalty. No matter what happened, he stood by Fogg. "Around the World in 80 Days" surely was adventurous, but not as adventurous as I hoped it would be. I think 19th century adventure is too tame for today's readers.
Rating: 3 / 5

The Many Faces of... Amy Adams

I rewatched "The Muppets" this weekend and I really adore Amy Adams. I made a list of her best movies very recently and this time I'm dedicading this item to her as well. Here are Amy Adams' many different looks.

Face # 1: Catch Me If You Can
Role: Brenda Strong
Comment: Very cute with the braces.
Rating: 2/ 5

Face # 2: The Wedding Date
Role: Amy
Comment: I'm not used to her being blonde.
Rating: 3,5/ 5

Face # 3: Junebug
Role: Ashley
Comment: Glowing, just glowing
Rating: 5/ 5

Face # 4: Enchanted
Role: Gisele
Comment: Like a real princess. Perfect for the role
Rating: 5/ 5

Face # 5: Sunshine Cleaning
Role: Rose Lorkowski
Comment: The word sunshine really speaks for itself.
Rating: 4/ 5

Face # 6: Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day
Role: Delysia
Comment: Classy.
Rating: 3,5/ 5

Face # 7: Doubt
Role: Sister James
Comment: Hallelujah?
Rating: 2/ 5

Face # 8: Night at the Museum: Battle of The Smithsonian
Role: Amelia Earhart
Comment: I like the hairdo. Nice!
Rating: 4/ 5

Face # 9: Leap Year
Role: Anna Brady
Comment: Just the way we like Amy.
Rating: 5/ 5

Face# 10: The Fighter
Role: Charlene Fleming
Comment: This is not the usual Amy Adams, vey daring and a bit trashy...
Rating: 3/ 5

Face # 11: The Muppets
Role: Mary
Comment: Just perfect!
Rating: 5/ 5

Face # 12: On the Road
Role: Jane
Comment: What happened to her? I have to see this film to find out!
Rating: 2/ 5