Rough Night: Best/Worst Bachelorette Weekend Ever!

The night I saw this movie was the BEST!  I live about 2 minutes away from Studio C, an amazing theater in Okemos, MI, and have been dying to ride my new bike with a basket to the movies. Wednesday's movie was on a sunny night with no rain, so I knew this was my night.  Not only was the bike ride perfect, but I ended up seeing a movie that made me laugh out loud a lot.

Jessica is running for office and a work-a-holic, but has an amazingly supportive fiancé and is about to embark on a weekend of fun with her BFFs from college for her bachelorette party.  Alice, who has always proclaimed herself to be the closest person to Jessica, has planned an epic party and has no idea it is about to get more real than she imagined.  The gals go to a beautiful paradise with blue water and white sandy beaches while making sure they dance the night away.  Once back at their amazing pad, they get this idea that it would be fun to hire a stripper.  This is when things get a little crazy, as if they hadn't already.  The stripper does his thing and Alice gets a little too excited only to end up accidentally killing the guy.  Now their night is about protecting their butts and making sure nobody goes to jail.  Meanwhile, Jessica leaves a horrible voicemail to her fiancé that gets cut off, which gives him a very wrong idea of what her night is like.  He ends up driving across the country to save his future marriage.  Will he still want to marry her when he finds out she was an accessory to murder?

This movie didn't get the best ratings.  IMDB gave it 5.5/10 and Rotten Tomatoes was really no better at 50%.  I thought it was hilarious and would give it a 7.5/10!!  Each girl in this movie had their own backstory and brought more comedy.  It also had some awesome stars such as Jillian Bell (she was in the 2nd Jump Street movie) and Kate McKinnon (SNL!).  As much as I loved the femininity of the girls portion of the film, my favorite component had to be the side story occurring with her fiancé.  He and his friends had the most hilarious bachelor party (we are talking wine and cheese tasting) and when he thinks his finance is cheating on him, he follows the advise of his friends and drives across the country in a diaper and drinks a ton of Monster drinks, just to make sure he gets to her in time.  His story makes this movie, along with the ridiculous comedy from some amazing ladies.

The Mummy: Egypt Meets the Walking Dead

I gotta be honest, this was definitely a movie I saw to chow down on some popcorn and appease the hubby. I did enjoy the original Mummy movies and am not a big Tom Cruise fan, so with those factors lumped together, I was not too eager to see this.  Nothing against Tom, the dude has done a TON, but I think I'm just kind of over him.  Maybe if he did another Jerry McGuire or something, it would change my tune.  I digress. The Mummy reboot was't as bad as I thought, but still not the greatest.

Nick Morton isn't the best person in the world.  He isn't even decent.  The guy takes what he wants and does't seem to care who it affects.  This causes him more harm that he could ever imagine when he accidentally awakes an evil princess who was mummified thousands of years ago.  She is back with a vengeance and is searching for a human body to store the God of Death.  Since Nick was the smart one to awake her, she seems to think he is her soulmate and the perfect candidate.  It's up to Nick to find a way to break this curse and hopefully save the world from utter destruction.

The beginning of this film was actually really good.  It was interesting and grabbed my attention.  Then it gets weird when I start wondering if I am watching The Mummy or The Walking Dead.  I was literally waiting for Rick and Carl to turn up.  You take that and then add the fact that Nick (Mr. Cruise) evolves into a God, and it's time to check out early.  My husband even asked me if we could leave when we had 20 minutes left.  IMDB seems to agree with 5.9/10 stars and Rotten Tomatoes gave it 16%.  I would give it a solid 3/10.  Save your money and just Netflix or go see Wonder Woman again.

Picture Perfect by Jodi Picoult: Things Are Rarely as Perfect as They Seem

I went through a Jodi Picoult binge a few years ago after reading My Sister's Keeper.  The girl can write.  Usually, her tales involve lots of drama and a court case, but this story was missing the latter.  For this reason, I kept picking it up to read, and then placing it back on the shelf. I just didn't know if it would pull me in like her others have.  So finally when I was in the used book section of Schuler's, I caved in and forced myself to read it. Best decision ever.

Cassie assumed Alex Rivers was going to be an entitled actor when she was offered a job to help with his set in Tanzania since it was based on an anthropologist, which is what Cassie was in the real world.  This proved to be true, but during the their time together, Cassie also saw the side of Alex he never showed anyone.  The two quickly found out how much they completed one another and needed one another so it wasn't at all shocking when they quickly married and began their life together.  It was a dream world for Cassie.  Multiple houses, cleaning ladies, chauffeurs, hired hands to do the grocery shopping, and so much more that made Cassie feel as if she was living someone else's life.  The one tangible thing she had was Alex.  The two were inseparable and as long as she had him, she would always be safe......or so she thought.  One night, Cassie got home late from a delayed flight and soon discovered that Alex, although 95% of the time was amazing, also had a dark side.  The slap across the face was something she never, ever expected, but soon that grew to being kicked in the ribs, blood dripping down her face, and bruises she would continually need to hide from the rest of the world.  Each time Alex lost his temper, Cassie has tried her best not to set him off.  She knew if she could just get it right, it would't happen again.  He loved her, he needed her, and she knew he couldn't live without her.  It was his past that made him this way and she could fix it.  Then the unthinkable occurred and she got pregnant.  This was supposed to be an exciting time for them.  She knew Alex did't want kids, but thought that was his insecurities as his own father had failed him.  She couldn't wait to tell him, but before she could, he cracked again and this time it was really bad.  She knew once it was over, so was her dream with their unborn baby.  After that, life seemed to calm down, and Cassie thought that just maybe the beatings were done.  She found her answer soon after when she got pregnant again and he lost his temper.  Cassie knew then that she had to leave.  She loved Alex and always would, but she had to save this baby.  She made a plan and fled, but that was interrupted as she got in an accident and lost her memory.  One police officer with his own backstory, Will, found her and helped her find out who she was and who she was married to.  Something didn't feel right to Will when he returned Cassie to her husband and couldn't shake it.  Something was very wrong, but he didn't know what or what he could do about it.  Meanwhile, Cassie returned home and slowly started remembering what happened and why she left in the first place. The problem was, would she be able to leave again?

As you can see, this book has all kinds of twists.  What I liked about it most was the readers ability to see the major dilemma Cassie was going through.  She loved Alex and would't have left had she not gotten pregnant.  This poor girl really thought she was helping Alex by absorbing all his pain when he hit her.  To her, he needed her and she needed him.  No matter how much it hurt, she would endure, but when the baby came, this all changed.  It was empowering to see her evolve and become independent and gain the strength needed to do what was right.  I also loved that I really did't know how it would end until it was finished.  So no, there was no major court case, but Jodi Picoult didn't need that in this novel.  I highly recommend it if you are in the mood for empowerment, suspense, and inspiration.

Wonder Woman: Now That's a Gal I Want in My Corner

This movie has gotten a ton of hype for being one of the first with a female as the leading hero.  Many wondered how it would compare to its testosterone filled counterparts.  I think the box office can speak to that given it killed records on its first weekend.  To put it in perspective, I saw this on a Saturday evening at 6pm which can usually count on being halfway filled on a big movie night, but not with this movie.  Every seat was filled because that theater was packed.  Most importantly to me, was the murmurs after. People were raving about how good it was and I have to say I definitely agree.

Diana was raised a princess of the Amazons, but felt a desire for more than just being a princess.  This was because she was so much more than that and as she got older, she saw she was destined for greater things.  When a mysterious gentlemen showed up on her island, her true destiny came into view as she left the only world she knew to defeat the evil of the world and bring peace.  Diane had faith in humanity and knew they were capable of good, but was constantly challenged as she discovered WWII in all its cruelty.  Convinced people could change, Diana didn't stop until the true culprit of all of this could be stopped. Would her strength be enough though and would she find out the real truth of how she came to be?

This movie just killed it when it comes to female heroes.  I loved her strength but more importantly her compassion.  She was strong, brave, and also loved humanity and would do anything for it because of that.  Not that male heroes don't have some of these qualities, but I think thats what makes a female hero more compelling is that they seem to demonstrate it in a different, better way. (No offense guys.)  Rotten Tomatoes gave it 93% and IMDB gave it 8.3 out of 10.  I would give it a solid 9.5/10.  It truly was an awesome movie that kept me engaged, had amazing action scenes, and such raw emotions.  A perfect kick-off to summer kind of movie.

Everything, Everything: Girl Next Door Falls for Boy Next Door

I remember being in high school and seeing Save the Last Dance with my girlfriends.  I was so gitty to be seeing a "girly" movie with my besties and wondered if I would ever outgrow such movies.  It is 18 years later, and I am happy to report that is not the case and far from it.  So of course when seeing the preview for a movie where an 18 year old, who has been confined to her home her whole life due to an illness, falls for the boy next door who shows her a world she's never seen, I was all about it.

Maddy has been sick since she was a baby, and with that has been confined to her house the entire time.  Her sickness is rare but limits her ability to fight infection and therefore implies that the outside world could very well kill her. This makes things tough when she falls for Olly, the boy next door.  Olly is the cynic to Maddy's positivity and falls for her instantly knowing she makes him better. The two have quite the challenge to their relationship as Maddy's overprotective mother doesn't want Maddy to get involved with Olly since their relationship can only go so far.  With the help of Maddy's nurse, Olly is able to sneak over and spend time with her.  This is still a limiting situation as he isn't able to stand too close to her.  As time continues, the two break more and more boundaries because love makes you do crazy things.  All hell breaks loose when Maddy leaves her house to see if Olly is ok after a rather scary encounter with his father.  Maddy's mom catches her going outside to him and puts together the pieces.  She forbids Maddy from seeing him again and takes all forms of communication she has with him away.  Maddy does what any teenage girl would do and runs away with Olly.  Her desire to be with him and see the world causes her to be brave and take Olly to a once in a lifetime trip to Hawaii.  Maddy is exposed to so much more than she ever imagined with cliff jumping, swimming, and yes.....falling in love.  This all comes crashing down when Maddy collapses and is taken to the hospital.  Will this trip have been her last?  Find out and see this heartfelt movie that reminds us of the simpleness of young love.

This movie was exactly as I suspected.  It was geared for those in between ages 14-18, but definitely had its appeal.  My husband even saw it with me and didn't mind it.  I have to say, there is quite the plot twist that you may be able to figure out in the middle of the movie, but I won't give anything away here.  IMDB gave it a 6.3 and Rotten Tomatoes gave is a 47%.  I would definitely give it a 7/10.  You have to go into it seeing it for what is is which is a high school love story.

Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 2: Baby Groot Steals the Show

There is nothing better than seeing a movie with some of your closest friends, during the workweek, and on opening night.  I had the privilege of having a night like that on Thursday and what made it even better was that it was the kick-off to summer movies which means, it was a comic/action film.  To me, this was the best way to kick-off summer.  I know what you are thinking, I am an almost 32 year old, girly female, what could I possibly enjoy about such a movie?  You'll just have to read below.

Peter, aka Star-Lord, and his fellow defenders of the galaxy are in for it when two groups band together to destroy them.  The Guardians have other plans though as Peter finds out who his real father is and is introduced to a world he never knew existed.  Things aren't as they seem and the others begin to take notice, but it may be harder to make Peter see this as he is transfixed by daddy-dear.  Old enemies return, but we soon find out they may not actually be the enemies we thought.  Things get a little confusing and it's hard to figure out who to trust.  Ultimately, the fate of the universe will in be the hands of the Guardian's, and hopefully Peter is onboard with saving it.

When the movie first started, I was worried it was just going to be just a bunch of random action scenes.  It did kind of carry on a bit in this way for the first 10-15 minutes, but after that ended, the real story began and I loved it.  My favorite parts had to be anything involving Baby Groot.  If you were a Groot fan before, just picture a smaller version with a child-like mindset.  He was so stinking cute and just entertaining the entire time.  I also loved the secret hints throughout the movie that led to a major plot twist.  It definitely had a lot of action, but also sentiment and a ton of comedy.  Whether you are into Marvel or can appreciate action movies with comedic value, I definitely think you'll enjoy this one.  Rotten Tomatoes and IMDB would also agree as they gave it 82%, which I think it spot on.  Don't take it from me though, go get your summer started by seeing the first box-office hit!

The Circle: How Much Connection is Too Much?

When I saw a poster of this movie and saw it starred Tom Hanks and Emma Watson, I knew it was going to be nothing short of awesome.  Then I saw the trailer and found out it involved a girl who gets caught up in a company that is all about connectivity (Sounds familiar?) and was instantly stoked for a great film.

Mae is a temp customer service rep for a small company that pays little.  This all changes when her friend gets her an interview at a major company called The Circle which is known as the place to work.  Mae nails the interview and is thrown into a world she's never seen.  Yes, she has a cell phone and knows how to text, but this is a whole new level.  The Circle expects its employees to attend every get-to-gether, update their social media pages constantly, and basically connect/expose everything about themselves to the world.  Everyone who works there seems to love this and even though she resisted at first, Mae begins to drink the Kool-aid.  Things really fall into place for her when her company is able to help her father who is suffering from Multiple Sclerosis.  Things could't be better and Mae is rising to the top of a very successful company.  Her parents back home and childhood friend begin to pull away as Mae is now full involved in a world they want no part in.  She ends up having to make some choices and finds out that there is such thing as too much access which can be deadly.

This movie is like one giant conglomerate of Facebook, Apple, Google, and any other "techy" business you would like to throw in.  The obsession of sharing every aspect of life evolves so much that these people believe it to be every human right to have access to EVERYTHING whether it has to do with them or not.  It's engaging, suspenseful, emotional, and raw.  Tom Hanks plays the CEO of The Circle and Emma Watson plays our innocent Mae.  I saw it with my girlfriends and cannot wait to see it again with my husband.  Am I going to stop social media?  No, but it does make you want to be more conscious of how much is too much when it comes to sharing aspects of our life to the world.  Rotten Tomatoes gave it 18% and IMDB gave it 5.3/10.  I must be in a good mood or just super easy going today because I would definitely give it a 7/10.  I think if you are fascinated by the context, you will be very happy with the film.  Anyone with a social media account can appreciate the overall message, but you'll just have to see it for yourself.