Always A Bridesmaid

There's something about weddings that warms the heart. No, you don't have to be the one getting married to start having your Grinch sized heart expand. I'm not even saying that I have my perfect day planned out, but I sure know that I would love it to have a magical feeling. Just think about that fairytale you've had playing in your head since you were young and you will understand that wedding warmth.

$250 a head. Hot dog buns. Chipper chicken. If these things bring a smile to your face (Joker time) then you have seen and loved Father of the Bride. This movie and its sequel were watched almost every week for the better part of my childhood. Anytime my parents asked me what I wanted to watch I would pick these two films. They blend humor and warm-fuzzies like no other. To top it off, Steve Martin mixed with Chevy Chase, via Christmas Vacation, is my father. Relating to or recognizing others in characters is something that makes movies and television even more enjoyable. If you can put yourself in their place then you become more engaged. This engagement is what keeps Hollywood alive.

Too soon, but then again forever my childhood in these 4 faces.

Thinking about the other wedding centric movies the following come to mind: Four Weddings and a Funeral, 27 Dresses, Bride Wars, Something Borrowed, The Five Year Engagement, Wedding Crashers, The Hangover and Bridesmaids. I feel like I either quote or think of a moment from all of these films at least once a day. Recently having been in a wedding myself, I heard one of the groomsmen talking about being in 24 weddings. They do exist! I can't imagine knowing that many people close enough, but I guess if in the end I wound up meeting James Marsden and singing "Bennie and the Jets" then sign me up! 

These movies generally look towards the wedding day as the culmination of antics that the protagonists have jumped through. In the end you know what will happen, boy and girl fall in love. The journey however is what keeps audiences coming back. Look at How I Met Your Mother. This show spent nine years trying to get Ted Mosby "The One". Everyone wants to find that person, but this show proved how in the end some things are not meant to be or even just about one person. Yes, yes I know he found his other half. She was delightful. If they would have sent their ninth season showing their relationship over the years I would have loved the ending. Instead, SPOILER ALERT, they gave us an entire season devoted to the wedding of Barney and Robin, only for it to last about 6 minutes on screen or 3 years in show time. The audience was very split on their feelings towards this ending. Some loved it. Others felt like they were cheated out of the past nine years. I felt like if they had not spent a whole year one a wedding that was not Ted's then I would have been satisfied and not like I was slapped in the face by Marshall. 

Right in the feels

I understand there's a life lesson in there. You spend so much time dreaming and planning your wedding day which you think is the most important day of your life but in the end if it is not right or meant to be; there is little you can do to change that. However, the show proceeded to have Ted's own daughter call him out on the fact that this whole story was not told to them for the benefit of learning how their parents met and fell in love before their mother passed, but how they should be okay with him being with Aunt Robin. But um (take a shot)… how is that fair? 

"It's about what's FAIR!" - Harvey Dent, The Dark Knight

"All's fair in love and war." I get it now. In the end Ted had two "ones". Tracy McConnell, mother of his two children and rightful owner of the yellow umbrella, and Robin Scherbatsky, the Canadian pop-star, newscaster and owner of the blue french horn that is Ted Mosby's heart. It may take a long time to find your person and even accept them as the person you need. However in the end the journey is greater than the destination.

I'm looking forward to the journeys that Hollywood will take me on in the future. As well as where my own will end up. I know that my wedding will never live up to Hollywood, but that's okay because it will be mine, my own.

Coming Home

Boy has it been a long time! There comes a time when you realize that you are missing something in your life and boy it is writing about the entertainment world! Lately I have been reflecting on my life and what makes me happy and this is a true passion. Movies and TV have made me happy, nay complete, my entire life and at this point I feel like it is time to dedicate myself to taking the time to talk about what I want to talk about, even if it is only for me. So here goes the random……

I have been binging on not only television shows but the great AMC Movie Talk on YouTube. If you want to hear a bunch of movie lovers talk about movies go to this page and dive in. You will not be disappointed, especially if you love this superhero revolution that we are in currently. This is what I would love to do! My whole life I have always wanted to do that and boy watching these videos has reignited that passion. 

Speaking of passion, that is the word I would use to describe my feelings on superhero movies. How good have they been this year!? Captain America: The Winter Soldier has to be one of my favorite Marvel Studios releases if not movies all time. Chris Evans made me fall for Cap long ago, but he was in full flight in this movie. There were very few things wrong with this film and that is so exciting. Which is another word to describe Guardians of the Galaxy. I AM GROOT. I mean come on, a tree and a raccoon stole the hearts of every human being that saw this movie. The whole cast was perfect; from Chris Pratt as our fearless and footloose leader to Dave Bautista's perfect delivery. I cannot speak more highly of either of these films. Finally, we have X-Men: Days of Future Past and The Amazing Spiderman 2. I loved the former and really enjoyed the later. Bringing all of my mutants together was the perfect choice and all I must say is bring on Apocalypse. Spiderman had silly moments with weak villains, not in acting because Dane DeHaan was brilliant, but Giamatti just give me a break. The shinning part of this film was the chemistry between Stone and Garfield. They are perfection. 

Perfection thy name is the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge. This has been an amazing fundraiser for a tragic disease that deserves attention. I have spent an inordinate amount of time watching my favorite celebrities and my friends take the challenge over the past couple of weeks. Everyone is trying to outdo the last and I'm loving every moment of it! Chris Pratt was in the lead until Chris Evans blew it out of the water by wearing a suit. That very day I was doing my own challenge and was thinking of ways that could make the challenge unique and thought if someone wore a suit that would be aces. I was not wrong. Benedict Cumberbatch followed this up with a suit and probably the best challenge out there. Of course Sherlock would beat everyone. Elementary my dear Watson…has won 3 Emmys! 

Awards shows always seem to make me want to dive into the entertainment world again and this years Emmys is no exception. Seth Meyers did a good job and was very funny. My dear Breaking Bad went out on top. I remember back when Aaron Paul won his first Emmy when not too many people watched the show and it felt like a personal victory. This time it was for the non-Tyrion fans. I myself love them both and would not have been upset either way, but in my heart of Stark hearts, I wanted Jesse to ride off into the sunset again. 

Someone who has a rising star is Sam Smith. His voice is like velvet in my ears. I have not stopped listening to his record since I bought it. Well except when I am blasting the Awesome Mix Volume 1. Ooga-chaka ooga-chaka! 

Well, ladies and gentlemen (as said like the Joker, you should all read and say it like that without me telling you what to do!) I am going to wrap this homecoming up. I promise that this is not the last you have heard from me for the next 2 years. I have thoughts and plans and ideas that must be shared with my interweb amigos. For now peace out home skillets.