The Fault in Our Stars: I dare you to see this and not "ugly" cry.

This was by far one of my favorite books on the buzzfeed.com's list of books to read before they hit the big screen.  John Green has a writing style that just clicks with my personality.  For me, the big thing was, who they would get to play Hazel Grace and Augustus Waters.  To be completely honest, I was concerned that Shailene Woodley (Divergent girl) and Ansel Elgort (Divergent girl's brother) wouldn't be able to master the true connection and love the characters had, let alone the intensity of love and loss.  But I am here to tell you, they proved me wrong, dead wrong.

Hazel has had cancer since her early teens and is very realistic about the whole thing.  She knows she will die and is content watching reality TV and making her parents happy by doing whatever they suggest.  Such as a Cancer support group.  This whole idea seems cheesey to her and she puts up a fight, but in the end does what she always does, concedes for her parents.

Her first meeting is just about as bad as she imagined.  They meet at a church basement and the leader of the group sings Jesus songs that do not make Hazel, who doesn't know if this whole life after death thing is believable, want to stay.  Her second meeting, however, changes her whole world.  This is where she meets him.

Hazel and Augustus literally run into each other on their first greeting and it's evident an attraction is there.  Augustus can't keep his eyes off of her throughout the meeting and it doesn't go unnoticed.  Hazel finds out though the meeting that Augustus had Cancer and is now Cancer free from the removal of most of his leg.  Following the meeting, Augustus is persistent and wins when Hazel agrees to come over to watch a movie.  As much as Hazel doesn't want to admit it and can't understand why, Augustus is very much into her.  He even agrees to read her favorite book in turn that she reads one of his.  The next day, Hazel realizes Augustus has not texted and she feels dismayed.  Trying not to, but without much success, she plays the whole wait by the phone routine until finally he texted her a series of texts expressing his shock at how the book ended.  She is reassured Augustus is going nowhere and so begins a romance that can be compared to sleep as she says, "it starts slow at first and then falls fast."

Augustus wakes Hazel up from her dreary, depressing, and cynical outlook on life with Cancer.  She begins to live again from picnics, strolls, and a trip to Amsterdam to meet the author of her favorite book to find out what happened.  This trip is a major turning point for this couple as it contains the first I love you, first night together, and Augustus admitting his Cancer has returned......

After they come back to reality, the tables are turned as Hazel looks after Augustus in some extremely low and trying times.  Augustus' passion for living a life of heroism and meaning something to so many turns him sour as he realizes his mark will not be as big as he'd had hoped.  There are still moments when he is back to the guy she first met.  Alive, passionate, and hopeful.  Unfortunately that last good day would be the last good day and days later Augustus Waters would leave this world, but not Hazel's.

I left out a lot of what happened in the movie because I want you to see it and feel every part.  It is going to be rough and you WILL cry, and I mean cry a lot.  But there are so many messages to take away from this couple's small infinity.  They love each other undoubtedly in the purest way.  Death is at both of their doorsteps but it doesn't stop them from living, from feeling.  Lastly, it reminds you to live each day as if it were your last.  I now that sounds cliché but you truly never know what could happen and should appreciate each day as another day to live, love, and be loved.  An inspirational story that will make an impact, even if it is an "ugly" cry.

Malificient is Magnificent

So Sleeping Beauty was one of my favorite movies as a child.  I mean seriously,  true love's kiss to break a spell?  Count me in on that romantic notion!  However, apparently true love's kiss got a bit misunderstood,  as did many parts to this tale. 

As a young fairy, Malificient was the protector of her enchanted and once beautiful land.  One day, a curious boy crosses over and so begins a friendship that will change her life forever.   You see, as they grow older and more fond of one another, Stefan kisses her and to her gives her a true love's kiss.  Unfortunately,  this is not the case because he ends up breaking her heart twice.  The first time he does this is when he becomes more involved in his land and the way of his kingdom with his attempt to go from poverty to royalty.  The second time is when that desire brings him back to Malificient,  only to steal her wings in his attempt to convince the king he has killed her so that he may be the king's successor.   This naturally devastates Malificient, so when his daughter is born,  she puts a curse on her.  This curse makes it so that on her 16th birthday, she will strike her finger on a spindle and fall into a sleep so deep that only true love's kiss can break it. This causes the king to go into great desperation,  so he sends his  infant to live with the fairies deep in the woods for protection.

The fairies, well intended as they may be, do not fair so well raising a baby.  It is the great Malificient that takes care of Arora in her distant way.  Once Arora is old enough, she ventures off and attempts to enter the land that Malificient gaurded for so long.  Malificient lets her in to see how she will fair and is mesmerized.   Arora surprises her by knowing of her presence not just here, but her whole life.  She considers Malificient her fairy godmother.  As much as she doesn't want to admit it, Malificient knows she is right and is quite happy when she finds out Arora wishes to live with her forever.

Arora goes to tell the faries her plan and then they inform her of the curse Malificient has placed on her.  Malificient tries to explain things to Arora, but she is too hurt and runs to the castle.  It just so happens to be her 16th birthday on her return and the curse, no matter how many times Malificient tried to revoke it, reveals itself.   Arora is then under a deep sleep.  Fortunately,  Arora found her prince charming during her time in the enchanted land.  Malificient brings him to the castle seceretly, in hopes he will awaken the princess.   Sadly, the kiss does not work, and Malificient's worst fears of true love not existing come to life.  It is in this moment that Malificient says her goodbyes and professes her sorrows to Arora, giving her a final kiss on the forehead.  This was the true love's kiss Malificient never expected.  Here is Arora, eyes open with her forgiving smile,  calling her godmother once again. 

The king is set in his ways to do what he sought out to do many years ago and that is kill Malificient.   There are even times you wonder if he will get his way, until she is saved by the lovely girl she so much wanted to hate.

If you liked Wicked, you will love this.  Angelina plays a wonderful Malificient.  You feel her pain throughout the film as you can see what started this whole misunderstanding in the first place.  The pace was perfect, the effects enchanting,  and film gave a sense of nostalgia for seeing the original Sleeping Beauty.   I have heard and have to agree that the trailor is no indication of how awesome this film is.   So go see it for yourselves.

A Million Ways to Die in the West: If I laughed........you will too.

The fact that I am blogging this is crazy to me.  I remember seeing the preview in theaters and saying to my boyfriend that he would be seeing this with his guy friends.  It just seemed like stupid humor that would gross me out more than crack me up.  Then the weekend came, and I had seen everything else.  I also really wanted movie theater popcorn so I really had no choice.  I can admit when I'm wrong, and my fellow moviegoers,  I was dead wrong.   I seriously laughed my ass off.

Albert lives during the frontier days in the wild west and hates everything about it.   His beloved Louise was the only thing getting this lack luster sheep farmer through the days and she dumps him for the manly and fully mustached, Foy (NPH!!!!!).  After all, she needed somebody more rugged and cut out for this whole living on the western frontier thing.  Albert, the guy who backed out of a gun fight to save his life, just wasn't cutting it.  So now that Albert lost his will to live, he goes through this whole depression thing where he drinks himself silly and becomes slightly suicidal, that is, until the lovely and mysterious Anna enters his world.

Anna and her brother have moved into town to start a farm.  Her first meeting with Albert is interesting as he rescues her from a ridiculous bar fight over spilled beer.  After that their friendship grows closer as he accepts a dual with Foy in order to get back his Louise.  Anna knows her way with a gun and helps Albert to win her back.  Albert begins to enjoy the dysfunctional ways of the frontier as he and Anna make fun of it together.   Little does Albert know about who the real Anna is.

Anna's husband is the most evil villain in the west and when he finds out his lady, who was supposed to be in hiding, is getting friendly with another man, all hell will break loose and Albert will surely die.    When Albert finds out she is married he flees only to realize she was trying to escape a terrible marriage.  Anna gives Albert some advice that helps him defeat her husband in the end. Then, just as he realizes his feelings for Anna, he is pursued by Louise.  Which gal will he choose?

I seriously loved how much this movie made fun of the west back during the frontier days.  I am not into the whole cowboy,  country western thing, so seeing this was exactly what I needed.  The cast is perfect in this comical rendition of what I would picture it like back then.  For a good laugh, you won't regret it.

Blended: Drew and Adam are back together again!

I've never been on a blind date and have to say......thank goodness!!  I am sure they work out just fine for some people, but to me it seems like it can get pretty uncomfortable.  After all, you've never met this person, and unless you are seeing  a movie (genius!!) then you are forced into conversation with a complete stranger, face to face, with no way to get out!  

For Jim and Lauren, it goes exactly how I would imagine.  Lauren, who is obviously very type A (I mean she owns her own closet organization company.....yeah) appears to have nothing in common with Jim ( a Dick's Sporting Goods worker who drinks her beer while she uses the restroom).  This is definitely not going well for either one and matters get worse when Lauren, who assumes Jim is divorced too, tells him she doesn't blame his wife for leaving him.  he soon finds the reality of the situation is that she died of Cancer.  No worries though, this awkward date is cut short when Jim gets the fake emergency call and is off the hook.  

You wouldn't think Lauren and Jim would ever have to see one another again, but my friend that is not the case.  You see, Lauren's gal pale and co-worker decides to end it with the owner of Dick's Sporting Goods and therefore leaves their romantic vacation to Africa up for grabs.  Lauren begs her friend to let her go and take her two boys, while at the same time, Jim calls to ask his boss if he can go with his 3 girls. Neither have any ideas what the other is doing.

Once arriving in Africa, Lauren and Jim are unpleasantly surprised to see both were thinking along the same lines in this scenario.  The irony of their situation magnifies when they discover their is a blended family theme here at the resort in Africa.  They do try their best to separate their not so family vacation, but fate fights them every step of the way.

Jim wins Lauren over by being the man in her boys' lives.  Their dad has better things to do than pay attention to his offspring back home, so when Jim teaches her youngest to play baseball and her other to calm down his anger through boxing, it tears down her protective wall.  Lauren wins Jim over in a big way.  Jim's daughters are lacking a female influence in their lives.  For example, the girls dresses in khakis with tucked in Polos, get their hair cut by the barber, and are constantly getting mistaken for boys.  Luckily Lauren enters their lives and transforms them into the beautiful young ladies that they are.  Even more than this, Lauren adapts to their life in meaningful ways that you will just have to see to find out.  I can't take away the endearment of these scenes by giving you all the juicy details.  It seems like the ending is pretty predictable, but Jim starts realizing he isn't ready to move on. 

I have to be honest, Adam was hilarious when he was younger and the days of Billy Madison and Happy Gilmore will always be my favorite for him, but this was a great film with an excellent message.  Blended families are very common and I think it did a great job showing what is entailed when bringing two families together.  Drew and Adam will definitely win your hearts.

X-Men Days of Future Past: Wolverine Must Go to Charles' Past to Save the Future

I always feel the need to make a disclaimer before posting anything related to comics.  I just can't have you comic guys and gals after me if I don't capture the essence of the movie correctly.  So once again, please know that I am a simple movie goer giving my thoughts.  With that said, this was seriously my favorite X-Men movie alongside First Class.

Times are dim for Charles and his fellow mutants.  The time of the Sentinels is upon us and death is eminent.  The only way mutants can be saved is for Wolverine to go back in time to where it all began.  You see, the Sentinels were created because man feared mutants due to several events, so all Wolverine needs to do is prevent a few things from happening, and boom, all is well in the mutant world........yeah, not as easy as it sounds.

Wolverine's task is tricky, Charles' younger self is wise, but hard to convince.  Young Professor X is beside himself as he is grappling with his mutation.  He sees and feels everything other mutants experience and it is all too painful.  But his powers are needed in order to prevent the implementation of the Sentinels.  Wolverine must also help Charles and Erik (later known as Magneto) work together which doesn't come easy.

It is a brutal struggle to make sure Erik and Charles work together and Raven doesn't make this easy.  Raven and Erik view mutant life different than Charles' peaceful approach.  It's hard for them to forgive the mistreatment they receive and if it were up to them, they would be the dominant species.  To make matters worse, Wolverine's well-being is on the line, his body in the future endures some extreme scenarios that make you question if he is going to make it.

In the end, Magneto surprises all and potentially causes a darker future than what already existed.  I'll leave you with that so you can see for yourself what happens.

This film was awesome.  I honestly think my favorite version of Professor X and Magneto is when they are younger. The experiences they go through give their future characters so much depth.  As much as I love Professor X, Magneto's passion and for who he is as well as the dark past he holds make his actions understandable.  The complicated Raven who only ever wanted to be loved and accepted in addition to Magneto and Charles make for one epic tale.

Million Dollar Arm: Based on a True Story

JB is a sports agent with one mission in mind…….success.  He thinks he has it when working with an NFL champ, but this all crumbles when said champ opts for another agency.  This leaves JB with no other options, that is, until his wheels start spinning another option reveals itself through an unlikely source.  

After watching a Cricket match on TV, JB seems to think Cricket players must be good at baseball.  His idea is not shared with his fellow agents or sponsor, but with a lot of convincing and his drive they all know and admire, JB is given the opportunity to prove himself.  So JB ventures off to India and holds a Million Dollar Arm contest in which contestants compete for 1st and 2nd place at the fastest pitches.  With astounding results, JB finds two young men who are about to have their entire world altered as they leave their small villages of India for LA.  JB promises to take care of them, but doesn't realize just how much of a commitment that really is.

As you can imagine, the excitement of Rinku and Dinesh's arrival poses for lots of publicity and MLB team scouts.  JB has a year to get the boys ready for the big leagues.  This is no easy fete as the boys are good at throwing, but lack any baseball knowledge.  JB also is distracted by a possible change of mind in his NFL prospect.  This lack of attention does not help the confidence of the boys which negatively influences their developing skills.  JB's plan is on a downward spiral and he slowly becomes aware of it once he is able to look past his biggest problem, himself.

With the help of the lovely lady next door, Brenda, played by Lake Bell, JB finds a way to connect to the boys and their culture.  Things seem to be looking up for them all (even Brenda and JB find a kinship that did not previously exist) until the boys do not do well for the scouts.  Whether it is the pressure or the lack of baseball skills is unknown, but they and JB feel like failures.  This along with living in foreign land and extremely different cultural norms causes heartache for the boys and homesickness.  

Just when all hope seems lost.  JB has lunch with the right person at the right time thanks to his unconventional colleague.  Will the boys be able to handle the pressure a second time?

This movie had the perfect amount of heart.  You cared for the boys and just wanted them to succeed.  JB, played by Jon Hamm, had excellent character development.  He starts as a self-involved sports agent and ends the film as a man with an alternative family situation.  A definite must see.

Neighbors: A Man, His Wife, Their Infant, and........a Fraternity

Now that I am less than a year away from 30, I have the joy of getting to see my friends get married and have children.  The constant Facebook pictures and texts of baby updates is adorable and it gets me excited for that next chapter of my life.  I have also seen the other side of parenting, especially for new parents.  It isn't a side that makes me change my mind about children, but it is a reality all parents go through. Once that baby enters your world, your world is altered.  Sleep is a privilege and an art to find a balance. Additionally, your hangout sessions with friends can change as well.  Although, I must say that I am a parent-less friend who gets it and doesn't shy away from my friends and their adorable babies.  For  Mac and Kelly Radner and their adorable little one, life is pretty sweet.  They feel like they beat the whole system of parenting when it comes to finding the perfect house in the perfect neighborhood, finding ways to make love among all the "babiness" around them, and trying to hang out with friends.  They couldn't be more mistaken.  Especially with their new neighbors.

When we are first introduced to Mac and Kelly, it's quite endearing as they try to have sex with their daughter's walker turned in the other direction, and their first realization occurs that this parenting thing may be trickier than previously thought.  Then a friend begs them to go out and they think this is totally possible.  They'll just bring the baby!  After lots of back and forth loading of baby items, the couple finds themselves on the floor sleeping with the realization......they never made it past the porch.

They still have the joy of being home owners in a well to do neighborhood, that is, until the new fraternity moves in.  They want to play it cool and feel like they can still connect with the boys so they walk over and kindly tell them to watch the noise level.  Contrary to their fears, the conversation goes over really well.  Or so they think.  In the early hours of the morning they wake up to the bump bump bumping of techno tunes and laughter.  They decide to go over again and reclaim their peace.  Teddy, the leader of the frat gives his apologies and makes quick decision to befriend this young couple.  After all, if they are on his side, his partying will continue....right?  Teddy then invites them in for a blast from their past.  Beer pong, dancing, and bad decisions give the couple a night they really needed.  In fact, life seems to be pretty good.  Their fraternity neighbors adore them, they feel young again, and are on top of the world.  This is a false reality they soon discover when it's the next night and their daughter is woken up by more partying.  After several phone calls and no answer, they are forced to do what they promised they wouldn't.....call the police.

Teddy is beside himself, he trusted them and now they broke that.  So what does he do?  Seeks his revenge.  And now we have a long battle between a fraternity and young couple.  Neither realizes what they are getting themselves into as the consequences seem to grow in magnitude and in comedy for us viewers.  But all things must come to an end and soon good conquers evil when the parents develop a master plan to get rid of this dynamic group of meat heads with colorful, popped collars.

Besides obvious humor, I loved how easy it was to relate to the characters.  Mac and Kelly were going through what I am sure a lot of new parents go through when it comes to moving to that new stage of life where sleep is rare and going out is non-existent.  Even Teddy could be understood.  He had spent 4 years trying to make the most epic experiences in his frat that he forgot to focus a little attention on what occurs beyond college.  You do feel for the kid at times. 

This movie is hilarious and if you can get past Zack Effron's terrible acting and see the movie for the summer comedy that it is.  You will enjoy.  The Abercrombie standoff in the end is my personal favorite part.