Movies

I saw movies! In keeping with my tradition of seeing as many movies as I can while I take a break from work, here are the reviews. Yes, I know you have been on the edge of your seat waiting (and if you weren't please keep it to yourself, I like to think I have some importance in life).

First off, Precious. OMG do not see this movie if you don't want to be depressed for the rest of your life. On the other hand, if Mo'Nique doesn't get an Oscar for her performance then there is nothing right in the world.









Next, I saw Brothers. This movie wasn't really uplifting either. It's about the horrible things that happen when you fight in a war. It was good to see Natalie Portman. I have always liked her.








Moving on... 2012. Now that I'm writing about these movies it doesn't seem like I saw anything with a good message. Just wait. Anyway, I don't think the world will end in 2012 so I wasn't afraid to see this movie. I really wanted to see the special effects. They were awesome! Oh, and the world didn't end at the end of this movie for all of you who missed the movie. I don't think that spoiled it for you.








Next stop, Avatar. This movie was excellent! Really, really excellent. I went with Pretty Girl before Pretty Teacher came into town (which PT wasn't too happy about!). We both loved it. We didn't see the 3-D version. If you haven't seen it I recommend you see it in 3-D. Pretty Teacher went to see it last night and said the 3-D effects were incredible. I can't recommend the 3-D IMAX experience because I'm afraid it may make me sick to my stomach. If you have a strong stomach it may be the way to go.

I love a movie that points fingers at wrong-doers and this movie makes it's point on many levels. Not sure the conservative crowd will think the same.




After Avatar I saw A Christmas Story (see previous post).

Then, I watched 500 Days of Summer. Meh! Pretty Teacher liked it. I thought it was just ok.











Next up...All About Steve. Yeah, I know, it looked stupid and it was. I just thought I would give it a try. Sandra Bullock can never make two good movies in a row. I mostly watched it for Bradley Cooper. Nothin' wrong with him!










The Kingdom was the next movie. I was pretty sure that I had seen this movie before but I thought I never finished it. Well, I had finished it but it was fun to see the familiar sights in the movie. This movie wasn't uplifting but the good guys did prevail. Yay! I love when that happens.










The Pretty's and I drove up to Scottsdale to see A Single Man. It's not widely released yet. Well, I got the time wrong and didn't feel like waiting around so we drove back to our part of the valley and saw Did You Hear About the Morgans?


I had heard this movie wasn't very good but I love Sarah Jessica Parker and High Grant. I liked this movie. It was pretty good. Sam Elliot is in it also and he was always a favorite of mine in westerns. Hugh Grant is always funny. The Pretty's and I were trying to figure out if he's funny because of his accent. I say it's his sense of humor and wondered if he contributed any dialog.







Last, but not least...Invictus. When I first started watching this movie I was wondering who the Captain of the rugby team was. Then I realized it was Matt Damon. I really liked this movie. Since I didn't know much about this historic era I didn't know the outcome. I was glad it came out the way it did.

Well, that's it for now. I still have some time left before I head back to work. Maybe I can squeeze a couple more movies in before then. It didn't seem like this holiday movie season was as good as last year and I'm still wondering where the heck is Will Smith?

It's Official!

I know you will find this hard to believe but I have never seen the movie A Christmas Story. I know, I know, but you have to understand that I don't have cable. I have heard stories that it plays around the clock Christmas Eve or Christmas Day or something like that on cable. I'm not sure why one would want to watch it over and over again but I guess enough people do.

Tonight, Pretty Girl is getting together with the Home Owner and his family and she said they were going to watch it. Well, not to be out done, I said I would find it on the Internet and finally see it. And I did. And it was good. And it was funny. I thought that the whole BB Gun scene was anti-climatic. Once he got the gun, that he had been obsessing over for so long, and shot the one shot that was about it for the gun.

My favorite parts were when Ralphie beat up the bully, Randy eating like a pig and the wait-staff in the Chinese restaurant singing Christmas Carols.

So for all of you that have cable, don't watch A Christmas Story over and over and over... it'll put your eye out!

When Adults do Child-like Things

One day at Costco Pretty Girl asked if we could make a Gingerbread House. It was so sweet that she still wanted to do such things at her age. Of course I bought it. Then, a week or so ago, the Home Owner and Pretty Girl sat down to start the assembly. I, of course, looked on giving my opinions, which I'm sure only annoyed them.


















The tree turned out to be a little stubborn...


















We all tasted the broken pieces and they were surprisingly good!


















The kit came with everything you need, lots of candy...


















Pretty Girl used her steady hands and artistic talent to carefully apply the frosting...


















As you can see, adults have the same attention span as children and we all soon got bored with the project. This is as far as they got and we were all good with the unfinished result. It's all good!

Oh My God I Can't Stand it Another Minute!!

Ok, so I know we don't get a lot of rain but GD Arizona, is weather really (REALLY!) the top story of the news??? Tonight it was the top story for 10 freaking minutes. I can't stand it. I know for a fact that there are more important things to talk about than a little rain. There, okay, I said it. A little rain. The news stations have been talking up this storm for a week and I have to tell ya... I'm a little disappointed. I don't think it rained that much. We'll see if tonight's storm brings more that wind.

Some Holidays AND Cake in a Bowl

We did celebrate some holidays at my house, I just haven't posted about it. So here you go...

Pretty Girl and the Home Owner carved up some Pumpkins for Halloween.



































We had the usual Thanksgiving and I wanted to make the same cakes I did last year. One reason was the toffee cake came out perfectly last year so I wanted to have an old standby.



















The other reason was because my beautiful Chocolate Peppermint cake ended up in a bowl last year. All was going good until it started to break apart and slide off the plate. I thought I used the wrong cake pans, well, ok, I did use the wrong cake pans so I wanted to make it with the correct cake pans. Our favorite pastry chef lent me the proper pans and I baked the cake. It was a little iffy cutting the two layers in two but I accomplished that.

Here is the infamous bowl, on stand by, just in case.


















Here is the chocolate and white peppermint ganaches...



































And here is the marshmallow-like peppermint frosting. That's right my friends, there are three, count 'em, three frostings!!



















And then, all of a sudden, BAM!! All hell broke loose, I couldn't take pictures of it cuz my hands were busy, so here is the finished product...


















That's right, Cake in a bowl. DAMMIT! I'm not sure this cake can be made without it. At this point I don't care. This is what I did with the recipe...


















And here is Pretty Girl holding it while we drive to our Thanksgiving feast...


















Everyone loved it. They said they didn't want it any other way but in the bowl. So they all got there Thanksgiving wish. I will never attempt this concoction again. Next year...something new and different, I'm thinking a pumpkin chocolate dessert. We'll see.