This was Made for Me: Harry Potter Tag

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Hello, dear readers,

If you've been reading my blog for any amount of time, you'll know I love a good tag. This one seems to be made for me, so I just can't resist. Without further ado, here is the "Harry Potter Tag":

Favorite book: Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows is probably my absolute favorite, with the Half-Blood Prince coming in a close second.

• Favorite movie: I want to say Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1, simply because I loved it the instant it started playing. The scenery was so close to what I had imagined while reading the book, and the story was kept nearly identical to the novel's plot. There were a couple of movies that I had to warm up to after my first viewing. This was not because they were bad movies, but because of the material that was cut and/or added to the films. I also immediately fell in love with The Prisoner of Azkaban upon seeing it for the first time. I don't know why so many people disliked it. 

• Least favorite book: This is the worst question ever. I can't say the first book, because it established the whole magical world, though it was the least complex storyline. I would probably have to say The Chamber of Secrets, because its plot was pretty much directly parallel to the first novel, and the other books just added so much more to the story. I'm using the term "least favorite" loosely, you understand. I genuinely loved them all. The Order of the Phoenix was, and still is, the hardest to get through, simply because Harry is angry the entire time.

• Parts of the books/movies that made you cry: The resurrection stone scene in the final film. Need I say more? Also, the scene with Fred and George, in which they ask each other if they're ok. Let's just say that's the last time the twins ever spoke. I don't remember ever actually crying whilst reading the books. I think I was just hyperventilating the entire time I read the last book, as I literally didn't move for a day and a half out of excitement. I just couldn't stop reading.

• If you could hook up with any HP character who would it be? Really? I suppose this question is inevitable. Based on character alone, not actors...I'm sorry I can't come up with an answer. Hooking up with a fictional character? I really can't think of anyone.

• Favorite character: SO MANY! Of the professors, favorites include Lupin, McGonagall, and Snape. Snape is included because he's one of the most complicated characters in the series. Mrs. Weasley and Sirius Black are my favorites of the adults who aren't professors. Fred, George, Neville, and Luna are my favorites of the students outside the main trio. This is me restricting my answer.

• What would your Patronus be? Maybe a dolphin or an owl.

• If you could have the Resurrection Stone, Invisibility Cloak or the Elder Wand which one would you choose? Invisibility Cloak

• What House would you be in? Pottermore put me in Ravenclaw, and I have to agree.

• IF you could meet any member of the cast who would it be? That's hard. Maybe Matthew Lewis.

• Have you played any of the video games? Yes. 

• IF you were on the Quiddich team which position would you play? I would play spectator. I don't do sports. If I had to, I'd be a Seeker. I'd just have to fly around looking for something and not worry about anything else.

• Were you happy with the ending? Despite the fact that half of the characters were killed off, yes. I was very happy.

• How much does Harry Potter mean to you? It kind of consumed half my life, not in a "Harry Potter made me who I am today" sort of way. I just happened to start reading the series and watching the movies at age 9, and it all came to a close when I was 19. Now I'm 20, so I consider that a significant portion of my life. I don't think I'll ever be this excited about any other series again, hyped up or not.

That's the tag! I managed to keep a few answers short. You should do this tag, or at least think about the answers, if you're a huge Harry Potter fan.

I hope your weekend went well!

xEsther

Dug Up from the Drafts: "There's More to Me than Makeup" Tag

Totally random and unrelated photo. View from my bedroom window, taken in January. The window has a screen, 

hence the blurriness. I played with editing, but eventually decided on the original. I hate making posts without pictures!

Hello, dear readers,

I know this is another tag, and an old one at that, but I actually have a fairly decent reason for it. This is the second of the drafts that I promised to post. At last, my "Posts" box will be empty of anything but published blogs. I'm not changing the font on this one, because I rewrote the answers to suit my current situation. 


1. Do you go to school? If yes...what is your favourite subject/ what is your major?
Yes, I go to school. My major is Communications, with a minor in Spanish. Within Communications, I love film classes. However, I'm not going into the film industry; I just find those courses extremely interesting and fun. 

2. Do you work? If yes...what is your job?
I don't work at the moment, but I am looking for a summer job. I hope to find one, but, if not, I may end up taking a class instead. I do have an unpaid blogging internship online for CHAOS Magazine, and I'm applying for a copy editor internship at another website. It's also unpaid, and I'll tell you what it is if I get the position.


3. Do you read? If yes...name a few of your favourite books and/or magazines.
Yes.  Some of my favorite books are the Harry Potter series [in English and Spanish]; Good Omens, by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett; American Gods and Anansi Boys, by Neil Gaiman;  The Princess Bride, by William Goldman; The Other Boleyn Girl by Philippa Gregory; Bookends by Jane Green; The Looking Glass Wars trilogy, by Frank Beddor....Honestly the list could go on and on and on.
As for magazines, my favorite is probably Marie Claire. 


4. Can you cook?
I can't properly answer that, because it's not that I can't cook; I just don't cook. I'd like to learn, but I lack motivation.


5. Do you have any siblings?
Yes. I have a sister, aged 24, and a brother, 27.


6. Do you speak any other languages?
If I were to be immersed in a Spanish-speaking environment, I think I would be able to quickly improve my spoken Spanish. I am fairly fluent as far as reading, writing, and understanding, but I could use more practice speaking. I've studied for a little over eight years, so I should hope I would pick it up! 


7. If you could holiday anywhere in the world, where would you go and why?
I'd love to travel all over Europe and the UK, just to experience the culture and the sights [The shopping wouldn't hurt either!]. Specifically, I'd like to visit Spain or another Spanish-speaking country for the reasons mentioned above. 


8. What is your idea of the perfect date?
I don't have anything specific in mind. Honestly, I think the most important thing is that it goes well!


9. What is your dream career?
I'm not 100 percent sure, but I would like to explore the world of publishing/publications. I'm also fascinated by the idea of translating books for a career.


10. Are you athletic...do you play sports/work out..or are you a couch bunny?
I'm athletic in the sense that I love working out and keeping fit. I absolutely do not play sports. My hand-eye coordination doesn't exist, and I don't have the patience for team sports.


11. What are your three favourite things (that have nothing to do with makeup/beauty)?
I'm going to skip friends and family, because they're people, not things. As far as tangible "things," I would say film, books, and music. How much more generic can I get here? More intangible things would be singing, traveling, and working out. 


12. What is the BEST thing about you? 
I love the fact that I'm easily amused by pretty much everything, which makes other people laugh as well. That probably isn't the BEST thing about me, but it's one of my personal favorite qualities.


Ahhhh, the sound of complete silence from the "Drafts" area of my profile. How I adore it. I'm not entirely sure when I initially wrote this, but it was probably before or during last fall. Like I said, the answers are up-to-date, having rewritten them yesterday. I didn't think it would be necessary to show you the old one because things have changed, and it no longer contained inaccurate information.


Have you done this tag? I think it's fun to read about the lives, loves, and dreams of other fashion/beauty/lifestyle bloggers. We all have a certain amount of "girliness" in common, but it's nice to see what else is going on with everyone. Maybe we have more in common than we thought [or even less]! 


In any case, enjoy your day, whatever you happen to be doing!


xEsther

Well, Look Who's Back! (and Lately I've Been Loving...)

Well, hello, dear readers,


I have been gone for nearly a month, and I really miss blogging! I could give you several legitimate excuses, but I've pulled disappearing acts so often that I don't feel it's necessary. One thing that I have been doing in the meantime is writing for CHAOS Magazine. I've mentioned this in the past, and I'm just bringing it up because it has changed websites. CHAOS moved from Blogger to Wordpress, so all of my posts are on there, if you're interested in reading. Like I've mentioned before, I totally understand if you don't have the patience to look for my posts specifically, because you can't just click on my name and read the posts. If you go to the Beauty category under Skincare or Makeup, you can scroll through and find most of my mini articles. 


Enough shameless self-promotion and CHAOS promotion. I owe you all a blog post, so I am bringing you another edition of "Lately I've Been Loving...":

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• Pottermore. Who else was thrilled when this site finally opened to everyone? I've gone through all the levels in the first book, which is the only book available, but I haven't read all the content yet. I was so eager to be sorted, that I ended up leaving quite a bit of reading for myself. I got into Ravenclaw, by the way, as did my brother. Have any of you joined? If so, what house are you in?

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•  LEGO® Harry Potter™Years 5-7. Yes, I am a Harry Potter nerd and extremely proud of it. There's no doubt about it. It's so fun wandering around "Harry's Wondrous World," and, yes, that is a reference to one of the two themes composed by John Williams. Exploring the castle and going through all the challenges that Harry Potter faced is just too much fun. It's based on the movies, not the books. I've played Years 1-4 with my brother when it came out, and I've also done LEGO® Pirates of the Caribbean™, also an enjoyable experience.

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• Marie Claire magazine.  I am aware that I have far too many magazine subscriptions [three that I pay for; Marie Claire was a present from my sister; and I get two more for free through some magazine website- that's not to mention the fact that I read my mom's magazines and borrow from my friend!] . However, I do like that this one is not only full of fashion and beauty, as per usual, but contains news stories and relevant content. It makes it more interesting and less shallow than, say, Allure, to which I also subscribe.

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• Clinique Perfectly Real Makeup in shade 01. This is my very first foundation! I actually prefer using my fingers to apply it, though a foundation brush works nicely as well. It's nice and light, with sheer but adequate coverage. A funny backstory: The lovely lady at the Bloomingdales's counter suggested Acne Solutions foundation, but the lightest shade was too dark! This one is a much better match, and I only use it where I need it. I may do a review of it if I feel this isn't a good enough description.

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• Revlon lipsticks. I believe these were present in my last "Lately I've Been Loving..." post. I've rediscovered my love for Super Lustrous lipstick in Gentlemen Prefer Pink, a very light, blue based pink. It's a bit of a cross between a Barbie pink and a bubblegum shade. I use it most when I'm wearing pastel or grey tops, because I can look washed out otherwise. I also still love Super Lustrous lipstick in Demure, a warmer version of my lip color. The two lipsticks together make a really perfect neutral pink, everyday sort of color. I also love the same type of lipstick in Love That Pink, a bright reddish pink. It's quite a bold hue, and it almost shows up more red than pink on me. I like that I can tone it down by applying it with my finger and amp it up by using it straight from the tube.

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• Reading. It's recently been a bit sporadic, but I do enjoy reading for pleasure and often don't have time for it. At the moment I'm concentrating on Harry Potter y el misterio del príncipe, which I've been taking out of the library since last November or December. The problem isn't that I'm a slow reader; it's that I don't crack open the book often enough. I'm also reading Straight Talking, by none other than Jane Green. It's a great book for the most part, but I got annoyed when the main character did something stupid. I know it's going to end the way I expected, but I just had to put it down when I got to that part. I'm not going to spoil it.

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• Yoga. I tried it for the first time last week, and I've only done it three times total. Obviously, I'm the furthest from an expert as you can be, apart from someone who's never tried it. I love it because it's challenging and relaxing at the same time. You get to focus on breathing [which is a great ab workout! Who knew?] while holding poses that challenge your muscles. It's great! I almost feel as if it's a better workout for building muscle than Pilates. I still love them both.

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• Walking. I walk to and from school most days, and it's a wonderful way to get a workout in a practical manner. No basements involved. I managed to somehow injure my hip a couple of weeks ago, rendering me unable to do most exercises since it affected the rest of my leg as well. Walking has been the only form of exercise that I've been able to do until just about now.

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• Paul Mitchell Super Skinny Smoothing Serum. Yes, I still have the generic version. I wanted to finish this one up first, but it's the exact same product. It works wonders on my hair when I can tell it's drying into a horrible mess, or it already has dried into a frizzy mass. It's basically a lifesaver. 

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• Eric Hutchinson's new album, "Moving Up Living Down." I haven't bought it yet, but I've heard most of the songs. He writes brilliant lyrics, and his style is a mix of several genres of music, including jazz, folk rock, and pop. Just search his name on YouTube and fall in love. I'm going to his concert with my friend and fellow super fan on Monday. I'm so excited!

I realize these are mostly non-beauty favorites, but I think that's often the case. As always, I appreciate family and friends. I didn't include them in the list, because they're a constant "favorite," and I would have to continue to add them to all of these types of posts.

Let me know what you've been up to lately and what you've been loving.

It's nearly Friday, so I think it's all right for me to say, "Happy Friday!"

xEsther 

Let's Do...A Movie Review: The Hunger Games

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Hello, dear readers,

I understand that the The Hunger Games series of novels, by Suzanne Collins, has a huge following. I decided to rebel against society and see the movie without reading the books first. It was rather nice, actually, not having to worry about the movie being different from the books, seeing as I hadn't read them. Granted, I allowed the book to be spoiled for me before going out to the theater.

The premise, as most of you already know, is that there are 12 districts that each have to send a male and female tribute to participate in the Hunger Games. This is an event that happens once a year, and is the result of an agreement between the districts and the Capitol after the districts rebelled years before. The tributes are supposed to kill each other, and only one will be victorious. The games are broadcast on TV for the districts to watch. Katniss Everdeen is the main character, and she volunteers as tribute instead of her little sister, who is initially picked. I hope I'm getting this right; please correct me if I'm muddling the details. I just don't have the desire to look up more information, and this is what I understood from the film. I'm sure everyone else probably knows better than I do about what happens in the books.

I have to say, the acting was impressive; it goes without saying that Jennifer Lawrence (Katniss Everdeen) is a very talented actress. I love Stanley Tucci (the Hunger Games show's host), and the rest of the cast was great as well. I think everyone involved in the movie did a great job of capturing all the emotions coursing through the characters as they waited to see who would be called as tribute, and then as the tributes had to hide in the woods and search for the others. There was a fair amount of humor in the beginning, and then it all got sucked away by the games.

There was a very clear sense that this was a horribly sadistic game of survival, and the amount of violence disgusted me, so it definitely did a wonderful job of evoking the right emotions. The only thing I couldn't take seriously was the romance, mostly because there wasn't much development of it. As I understand it, in the novel Katniss treats the romance with Peeta (Josh Hutcherson) as just a ploy to get sponsors, whereas in the movie it's actually a mutual affection. Also, who would be thinking about relationships when she was fighting to the death and praying she wouldn't be murdered in her sleep?

The film editing and camera angles were brilliant as well, adding even more depth to the sense of urgency and terror in the game. There were a lot of extreme close-ups of the characters and parallel editing in order to allow the audience to feel what the characters were feeling.

Overall, this was a very good film. The cinematography and acting were fantastic, and the violence, though utterly repulsive and upsetting, gave a very clear idea of the horror of these games. The costumes and set design were very visually appealing as well, especially the fire dress and the wacky outfits from the Capitol. The weakness in the movie was the forced romance of Katniss and Peeta, which caused one of my friends and I to erupt into (silent) fits of laughter. [Side note: I got really sick of hearing, "May the odds be ever in your favor." I get that it's an ironic line; stop repeating it!]

According to the other friend with whom I saw The Hunger Games, this film stayed extremely loyal to the plot of the book. If you loved the books, I'm guessing you'll like this movie. If you can't stand violence, don't watch this. I don't plan to read the books because I don't want to have to conjure up my own images of children murdering each other, not to mention I can't understand why Collins would write a book like this. However, I did enjoy the film, and I will see the rest of the series in theaters if they're being made into movies. I think they are.

I have to say, though, I will never love a young adult series as much as Harry Potter. Just had to put that out there.

Apologies for excess rambling and lack of expertise on the series.

Have you read the books and/or seen this movie? I'd love to know your thoughts!

Happy Hunger Games.


xEsther

Let's Do...A Book Review: The Beach House

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Same title, different covers!

Hello, dear readers,

I'm proud to say that yesterday I finished my first book of 2012! This one is, as you may know from the title, The Beach House, by Jane Green. She happens to be my favorite author of adult chick lit, and one of my favorite writers in general. I've also read Promises to Keep, Swapping Lives, The Other Woman, Babyville, and Bookends. Needless to say, I'm a fan. Some of these titles have different names in the UK, but, lucky for us, The Beach House is The Beach House wherever you go to read it.

Here's what the website has to say:

Known in Nantucket as the crazy woman who lives in the rambling house atop the bluff, Nan doesn’t care what people think. At sixty-five-years old, her husband died twenty years ago, her beauty has faded, and her family has flown. If her neighbors are away, why shouldn’t she skinny dip in their swimming pools and help herself to their flowers? But when she discovers the money she thought would last forever is dwindling and she could lose her beloved house, Nan knows she has to make drastic changes.


The above summary really describes the premise of the book, and not the rich intertwining of stories within. Besides Nan, the main characters include married, but troubled couple Daniel and Bee; divorced mom Daff and her daughter; Nan's son Michael; Daff's ex-husband Richard and his girlfriend Carrie. For reference, most of the characters are in their upper-30s to 40s.


If you're familiar with the movie Love Actually, or even Valentine's Day, you can more easily understand the style in which this book is written. It bounces seamlessly among the characters and their separate lives, gradually sewing them all together into one storyline. Most of the characters decide to take a break from their lives, or try to repair their lives, by visiting Nantucket. That's where they meet Nan, and things get very interesting.


Before they reach Nantucket, a good half of the book goes into their character development. The author is third-person omniscient, so each section jumps into what the character is doing and thinking, eventually delving into each of their pasts. There's no rush to get to know the characters, even as the reader is introduced to them in the middle of their lives, because for some reason Green paces the story in a reassuring manner; it's easy to see that you'll find out everything you need to know by the end.


I can't say that this is a completely unpredictable book, but everything unwinds in a way that doesn't cause eye-rolling. Nothing is ever too cliché, and there are certainly some surprises as the characters meet in unexpected ways. 


The novel is bittersweet; not every ending is completely happy, but it's still deeply satisfying. I find The Beach House extremely moving and touching, and I highly recommend it if you like more intelligent chick lit with a lot of reality to it.


I hope you enjoyed this book review. I know it's pretty darn short for one of my reviews, but I can't imagine describing more of it without giving away the entire plot sequence.


I guess you'll just have to read it for yourself to discover the wonderful stories within.


xEsther

Let's Do...A Book Review: The Boleyn Inheritance

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Hello, dear readers,

It's been a while since my last book review, so I think I'll continue the tradition of Phillipa Gregory reviews, this time on The Boleyn Inheritance. If you didn't get a chance to read them, here are my reviews for The Other Boleyn Girl and The Constant Princess, also by Gregory. [Side note: the links on my previous posts to the Phillipa Gregory website no longer work, as she seems to have updated the site. Her website is now here]

The Boleyn Inheritance centers around two wives of King Henry VII, Anne of Cleves and Katherine Howard, as well as one of the most famous ladies at the Tudor court, Jane Boleyn.

Here is the official description from Gregory's new website:

The Boleyn Inheritance

From the bestselling author of ‘The Other Boleyn Girl’ comes a wonderfully atmospheric evocation of the court of Henry VIII, and the one woman who destroyed two of his queens. The year is 1539 and the court of Henry VIII is increasingly fearful at the moods of the ageing sick king. With only a baby in the cradle for an heir, Henry has to take another wife and the dangerous prize of the crown of England is won by Anne of Cleves.

She has her own good reasons for agreeing to marry a man old enough to be her father, in a country where to her both language and habits are foreign.

Although fascinated by the glamour of her new surroundings, she senses a trap closing around her. Katherine is confident that she can follow in the steps of her cousin Anne Boleyn to dazzle her way to the throne but her kinswoman Jane Boleyn, haunted by the past, knows that Anne’s path led to Tower Green and to an adulterer’s death.

The story of these three young women, trying to make their own way through the most volatile court in Europe at a time of religious upheaval and political uncertainty, is Philippa Gregory’s most compelling novel yet.

This novel is disturbing in many ways, and rightly so. Anne of Cleves is a young woman who speaks only German and is chosen by the king and his advisors to be the newest queen of England, following the death of Jane Seymour. The king dislikes her instantly, and the Duke of Norfolk conspires to push Katherine Howard, his 14-year-old niece, at Henry in the hopes that the Boleyn family will once again have one of its girls on the throne. Katherine is beautiful and charming, but despises the old, sickly, king, and doesn't understand the danger she is in until it is too late.

Jane Boleyn is the sick and twisted lady of the Tudor court whose testimony put Anne Boleyn and her brother George, Jane's husband, to death. She expertly schemes with the Duke of Norfolk to help Anne of Cleves, and just as easily pushes Katherine towards the king when the opportunity arises. It's made quite clear from the narration that she is not in her right mind.

The best thing about this novel, for me, is that Gregory writes it in first person, alternating among Anne, Jane, and Katherine. Their personalities are really strongly developed as the novel advances, and their differences emerge with great clarity. Gregory masters the art of getting into the heads of historical figures about whom we know very little. Katherine Howard and Anne of Cleves were, in fact, the wives of Henry VIII about whom historians have the least information. 

The novel is around 500 pages, and it took me perhaps four or five days to get through it. Considering I'm not the fastest reader, that's lightning speed for me. It reads very quickly and the descriptions of court are very vivid. Most poignant, as I said before, is the way we can see the thoughts turn in the minds of the characters and wonder the same things they're wondering. Even if you're a history buff and know all about what happened, you will probably still feel the suspense and tension experienced by the characters as they're lives are played out for them by those in higher positions.

The only problem I have with this novel, and I may have mentioned this in my other reviews, is that Gregory has a really annoying habit of inserting the title of her novel several times throughout. We get it. Anne of Cleves says that her fate is her "Boleyn inheritance." In case you forget the title 20 pages later, Jane Boleyn is here to remind you that current events must be her "Boleyn inheritance." Oh, and Katherine Howard? She mentions that she has a "Boleyn inheritance," too. It's fine once or twice, clever even, but since I've seen this pattern in each of the three Gregory novels I've read, and the titles are repeated around eight to ten times per novel, it's way too much.

Besides that one irritating authorial habit, I have to say that I enjoyed this book just as much as The Other Boleyn Girl. It was a much quicker read than The Constant Princess, which is probably to be expected, keeping in mind the time it took for Katherine of Aragon to oficially become princess.

This is probably marketed as a young adult book, but I think any historical fiction aficionado will love it. I'll definitely be picking up more of Gregory's novels in the future.

That wraps up the review, so I hope it helped you decide whether to read this book, or you at least didn't fall asleep reading this.

Let me know what books you're loving at the moment, or even what you think of this one!

Hope your weekend is going well!

xEsther

Pop Culture Favorites of 2011 (a.k.a. "The Master List of Mini Reviews")

Hello, dear readers,

Just recently I promised a post on my non-beauty-related favorites of 2011, seeing as it's coming up to the end of the year. I bet you're shellshocked that I'm posting this so soon after I told you about it! I'll try to limit my descriptions to a sentence or two, but if you've been reading my blog for any amount of time, you'll be shaking your head and rolling your eyes at me right now. So, if you can spare some time, sit back, grab a nice cup of tea, and start browsing!

[For the record, I've made the titles and headings pretty obvious, in case you don't want to read the descriptions. This is also very picture heavy to break up the content.]

Enjoy!

Favorite Films [aka the majority of the films I saw in theaters this year]:

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1. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2

         Two words: Alan. Rickman. His performance as Snape was as compelling as it was heartbreaking. I am ashamed to see I initially hated the film, simply because it was nothing like the book. The first of the Deathly Hallows movies was just like the book and equally slow-paced. Once I realized this part wouldn't be nearly as effective as a motion picture if it moved as slowly as the book, I fell in love. I saw this twice in theaters, and twice more on a big screen in my former university's auditorium before the film hit stores.

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    2. Midnight in Paris

         First of all, I saw this four times. In theaters. After not wanting to see it at all. I'm not going to go into detail, for once, because you can read my review . For those of you uninterested in reading my ramblings, I can sum up by saying that the cast was incredible; the direction brilliant; the plot whimsical, charming, and [dare I say it?] innovative.      

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    3. My Week with Marilyn

       As soon as I read the reviews of this film, I knew it would be great. It didn't disappoint. The cast was spectacular in this film as well, really a great ensemble, including the brilliant Michelle Williams, and hilariously overdramatic Kenneth Branagh, as well as an unknown to me, Eddie Redmayne, who plays the main character. For those of you who don't know what it's about, this is based on the diary of a young man named Colin who gets to work on the set of The Prince and the Showgirl with Marilyn Monroe and Laurence Olivier. He chronicles the work there, as well as the week he spends with Marilyn while her husband Arthur Miller is away. 

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    4. The Help

       With wonderful performances by Viola Davis, Octavia Spencer, Jessica Chastain, and the recently unstoppable Emma Stone, this movie was poignant, touching, and deep. It takes place during the 1960s and centers around a wealthy college girl [Stone] who wants to write a novel from the point of view of the help, otherwise known as the African American maids in white households. Contrary to advertisements for the film, the book doesn't center on Stone's character, and that is as it should be.

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    5. The Descendants

       I had a feeling I'd like this movie before I saw it as well. I only happened upon it in a magazine and an online trailer a few weeks ago, and it seemed to be getting a lot of buzz, particularly for the performances of George Clooney and Shailene Woodley. It's about Matt [Clooney] learning to cope with being a parent to his two daughters while his wife is in a coma, as well as spreading the news that she won't make it to those who knew her. He also has to reconcile with the news that the wife he loved, even throughout their imperfect marriage, cheated on him. Running alongside this plot is the subplot that deals with Matt's family owning a great deal of land in Hawaii and his attempts to decide whether to sell it. The only complaint I have about this movie is that the older daughter's [Woodley's] friend Sid really didn't need to be in the film. I'll leave it at that.

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    6. Hugo

       A brilliantly directed film about a boy named Hugo [Asa Butterfield] who lives in the clock tower at a train station after his father [Jude Law, shown in flashbacks] passes away. He wants to fix the automaton that he and his father were working on, and, with the help of a new friend [Chloe Grace Moretz], discovers a connection between his father and the great filmmaker and pioneer of special effects, George Méliès [Ben Kingsley]. The use of 3D served to enhance the film and not dizzy the audience. A bonus for me was that the film showed clips from the earliest films ever made, by George Méliès and filmmakers, many of which I had seen and studied in my film class earlier this year.

     

Favorite TV Shows:

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1. New Girl

        Can you say "hilarious"? Zooey Deschanel's in this comedy about a quirky and awkward girl named Jess who moves into an apartment with three guys. Throw in Jess's model best friend and hilarity ensues. I don't think I can adequately describe this show and give it due credit. I'll just say it's my absolute favorite show and I honestly cannot stop laughing when I watch it. I'm surprised and thrilled that it got so popular.

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     2. Hart of Dixie

         After an anticlimactic first episode, this show, starring Rachel Bilson as Zoe Hart, slowly grew on me. It's about Zoe's attempts to fit into Bluebell, Alabama, after being told she couldn't do her medical residency in New York. Her task is to grow more of a heart when dealing with patients, and when she finds out she's inherited half of a medical practice in Bluebell, she tries to do just that. Of course there are impossible love triangles everywhere, and Zoe doesn't get a warm welcome. She's still trying to fit in, and the show grows more lovable with each passing episode.

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    3.  Castle

       Oh, what fun a show this is! Nathan Fillion stars as author Richard Castle, who shadows Detective Kate Beckett [Stana Katic] on the job and helps her solve crimes. I think this year is the fourth season, and, though I've only seen the third season beforehand, it's getting unbelievably good. Seamus Dever and Jon Huertas costar as Detective Ryan and Detective Espinoza, providing just as many laughs as Fillion. This season, they actually have substantial roles. I really recommend this show to everyone, because even though I hate murder mysteries, I still love this show. Whether you like mysteries or not, I bet you'll like the show.


Favorite Songs/Albums:

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1. Forever if Ever by Jon Mclaughlin

         I was thrilled to hear that Jon Mclaughlin came out with a new album earlier this year, and even more thrilled when I fell in love with all but maybe one or two of the songs. Standouts include "Summer is Over," "What I Want," "Without You Now," and "A Little Too Hard (& A Little Too Fast)." Mclaughlin's voice is a good mix of soothing and soulful, even if he occasionally tries too hard to be raspy. Most of the songs deal with love, a subject not unheard of, but they're written in new ways with smart lyrics. The only really bad lyrics take place in the song "My Girl Tonight," a song that's pretty to listen to but not so brilliant. Also, the guy plays keys, tambo, guitar, and possibly another instrument, as well as writing all the songs and performing. Even if you hate him, you have to admit he has talent. This is starting to sound like a review now, so I'll stop.

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     2.  "Rolling in the Deep" and "Someone Like You" by Adele

         Despite the fact that the first of the two was overplayed until I literally couldn't take the sound of it, it was one of my favorites of the year. Adele is just so talented. Enough said.

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     3.  "In Your Arms" by Kina Grannis

         Incredibly cute song with an accompanying video made of stop motion with 288, 000 jelly beans. Look it up on YouTube. Grannis was discovered in some sort of competition but ultimately became popular through her YouTube channel. 

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     4. "Gonna Get Over You" by Sara Bareilles [not a new song, but a new video was made for it]

         I love the amount of spunk that Bareilles continues to show in her songwriting, and the music video made for this catchy song is just so much fun.

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     5. "Skyscraper" by Demi Lovato

         This song was written about the struggles Lovato went through over the past year, and all I can say is that I can relate.

Favorite Books:

I didn't actually read nearly as many books as I would have liked this year, but here they are:

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1. Harry Potter y la orden del fenix by J.K. Rowling, translated by Gemma Rovira Ortega

          You've got me; this is by no means a new book. However, I finally finished the fifth book in Spanish this year. You can read about my excitement here.

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     2. The Other Boleyn Girl by Philippa Gregory

  

         I heard of this book years ago when it was made into a movie, but I never remembered to pick it up at the library until this year. Written from the perspective of Mary Boleyn, it makes for a compelling read about one of King Henry VIII's most famous wives. I wrote a review of it here.

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    3. The Boleyn Inheritance by Philippa Gregory

        After reading the aforementioned Boleyn book, I decided to pick up another novel by the same author, on the same subject. I plan to review this, so I won't elaborate too much, but essentially it's about two more of his wives, Anne of Cleves and Katherine Howard, and the lady who advised them, Jane Boleyn. It rotates among the three of them as they all tell their parts of the story in first person.


Favorite Websites:

1. Beautypedia

         I've gone into great detail about this site before, right here, in fact. I reference it quite a bit for scientifically based product reviews.

     2.  Real Beauty

        I've mentioned this before, in this post, and I still enjoy reading about products and beauty tips.

     3.  Tumblr

        I talked about this in my last post, explaining that I've begun to appreciate the ease of posting pictures I enjoy without having to brainstorm ideas. It's highly entertaining, so have a peek at the link above, if you like.

     4. My Blog

        I don't feel the need to link to this, because, if you're reading this page, you're already on it. It's been loads of fun posting on here since I started it at the very end of last year.

Alas, we've come to an end. If you actually read this whole post, I am so proud of you and give you a hearty pat on the back and shake of the hand.

Those were my favorites of pop culture from 2011, and I imagine I shall continue to enjoy them!

Let me know what some of your favorites were!

Have a lovely weekend.

xEsther

The Incredible Vanishing Blogger

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Hello, dear readers,


It's been just about forever in the blogging world since I've last spoken to you. It's only fair to let you know that there has been, and will continue to be, a lot going on in my life that has been preventing me from blogging. Hence, my frequent absences have nothing to do with a lack of interest in writing!


In the meantime, I'm enjoying seeing some very good movies and getting the scoop on the Screen Actors Guild nominations, the winners of which tend to predict the outcome of the Oscars. It's funny because over the past year, my friends have started to call me a "major cinephile," which is true, but I think it's because I never actually talked about how much I get into movies and the Oscars until recently.


As a child, I always read the movie reviews as soon as I opened the newspaper, and I always looked forward to the special movie sections. I loved watching old movies at home almost every week with my family, and eagerly awaited the Oscar nominations at the end of every year. Watching the Oscars on TV always was, and still is for the most part, a family event. I guess I just never talked about it that much!


Coming up, I will have my favorites of pop culture from 2011. I know I often tell you all about the posts I plan to write, and I publish them on here months after I mention the ideas; in fact, I bet you're probably still waiting for some of them. This one, however, is planned out; the names of everything I want to share are typed up in a neat little list. All I have to do is actually write about them. This will include favorite movies, TV shows, books, music, and websites.


In November, I also caved in and created a Tumblr, thinking it would last perhaps a week. I'm still posting. If you're interested in seeing photos, posters, and stills from movies I like, as well as makeup photos, cute sayings, and whimsical pictures, feel free to browse. It's called Dizzy Daydreams. It's easier for me to look for pictures and post them than it is to come up with ideas and write posts at the moment, so that's one way you can see what I've been up to.


In any case, I hope you're all enjoying preparing for the holidays.


Happy December!


xEsther

Late Night Lit: One Down!

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Hello, dear readers,

If you read my last Late Night Lit post, you will know that I had seven books to finish, each of which I've picked up and started only to put down and start something new. I'm a very sporadic reader when it comes to actually finishing books, though I have no problem starting new ones. So, the news?

I finally finished the first off my list: Harry Potter y la orden del fenix. Honestly, I thought I would finish Spring Collection first, because I tend to zoom through chick lit faster than anything else. I don't feel the need to do a review on this particular book, because I assume that 99 percent of humanity has read the Harry Potter series. If you're part of the one percent who hasn't, get to it!

The particular copy I was reading is from my local library and I had been reading it for the past two years, give or take a few months. This book has been in three different states, to visit my sister and to stay with me at college while I constantly renewed online. Don't ask why the system didn't figure it out. The only time I ever had to return it, before subsequently checking it out again, was when I renewed it a day late and owed a fine. This is also the only copy my library owns. They should give it to me as a gift, since clearly no one is reading it but me.

Reader that I am, however, finishing this book means starting another.

Harry Potter y el misterio del príncipe, here I come!

xEsther

Late Night Lit: Books I'm Currently Reading

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For the record, I would never treat a book like this!

Hello, dear readers,

It's nearly 3 a.m., and I clearly should be sleeping. Then again, who does that? It's a much better idea to write a late night blog post, in this case, "Late Night Lit." As I've mentioned in previous posts, I have the attention span of a two year old when it comes to actually finishing one book at a time. Two words: I can't.

Reading one book at a time just doesn't work for me. I thought it might be fun to share a random post, since I'm not sleeping, letting you know what books I'm reading. This includes books I just started, books I've read on and off for a couple years, and books I have with me but haven't picked up in three years. Yes, I did just say three years.

If I ever finish one of the books, I'll write a "Let's Do...A Book Review" post for it. My previous reviews can be read The Constant Princess, The Other Boleyn Girl, Twenties Girl, and Water for Elephants. 


Here is a list of books I'm currently working on:

Harry Potter y la Orden del Fenix, by J.K. Rowling; translated by Gemma Rovira Ortega
Spring Collection, by Judith Krantz
The Graveyard Book, by Neil Gaiman
The Naming, by Alison Croggon
The Diet Survivor's Handbook, by Judith Matz and Ellen Frankel
Nation, by Terry Pratchett
The Color of Magic, by Terry Pratchett
The Cat's Pajamas: A Fabulous Fictionary of Familiar Phrases, by Ted Tuleja


It's official: I have a problem. That makes seven books, spanning from trashy chick lit to fantasy; self help to humorous reference book; children's book to fiction to foreign language.

Any guesses as to which one I'll finish first? I have a pretty good idea.

Happy reading!