The Soundtrack of My Life

This post was inspired by Lee over at From My Side Of The Moon (excellent blog! Please go check it out!)

She gave her readers an assignment that the music lover in me just could not wait to do!

These are the rules: Grab a pen and paper and write down #’s 1 through 18. Open your iTunes to “Music” so your entire library is displayed. Click the Shuffle button. Click Play. Now WITHOUT SKIPPING ANY SONGS, write down the first 18 that play.

This is how mine turned out:

Song #1: Opening Credits: "Obsession" - Sky Ferreira
From the TVD soundtrack. Could not be more appropriate.

Song #2: Waking Up: "A White Demon Love Song" - The Killers
I swear not all of these songs are vampire related.

Song #3: 1st Day of School: "No Parade" - Jordin Sparks
Nope. No parade for me. Though I'm told another girl got one. Bitch.

Song #4: Falling In Love: "Heaven's a Lie" - Lacuna Coil
Best lyric: "Set me free, your heaven's a lie." First love? This about sums it up.

Song #5: Fight Song: "God's Gonna Cut You Down" - Johnny Cash
This is from me to him right? Good. Perfect.

Song #6: Breaking Up: "The Cabin" - Nathan Barr
This is from the "True Blood" Score. Don't remember when in the show it plays. Sounds haunting enough.

Song #7: Prom: "Everything in it's Right Place" - Radiohead
The lyrics say one thing. The melody says another. That's about right.

Song #8: Life: "Weak" - SWV
Awesome jam. Great on road trips with other girls. That's about all the sense it makes.

Song #9: Mental Breakdown: "Mindless" - Songs From the Cool World
No idea who the actual artist is. LOVE early 90s techno. And the title is perfect!

Song #10: Driving: "Unnatural Selection" - Muse
This song doesn't make any sense here but I do love jamming to Muse in the car.

Song #11: Flashback: "You Got Me All Wrong" - Dios Malos
This song is REALLY depressing. From the dark times of The O.C. when Ryan is back in Chino. I hope when I flashback it's not THAT bad!

Song #12: Getting Back Together: "One Love" - Bob Marley
Awwww!!!!!!!

Song #13: Wedding: "Your Song" - Ewen McGregor from Moulin Rouge
Ok this is just really CREEPY! Only because it actually was my wedding song in September. Yikes!

Song #14: Birth of Child: "Crash Landing" - David Newmann
This is from the "Serenity" Score. Does not sound promising.

Song #15: Final Battle: "Wolf Like Me" - TV On The Radio
Does this mean I get killed by a werewolf?

Song #16: Death Scene: "Ready To Go" - Republica
Not sure this is what the song writers had in mind but I like going down on my terms. Sure.

Song #17: Funeral Scene: "Until I Fall Away" - Gin Blossoms
Oh man. This song is gonna make my sister cry really hard at my funeral. Someone get her tissues please.

Song #18: End credits: "Me & The Devil Blues" - Cowboy Junkies
It's a cover but it's amazing. "You may bury my body, ooh, down by the highway side, So my old evil spirit can catch a Greyhound bus and ride." Yes please.


Give it a try friends and let me know how it goes!! I promise, it is a LOT of fun!

Buffy Reboot? I've got a boot for you......

"Now that's everything, huh? No weapons... No friends...No hope. Take all that away... and what's left?"

"Me."

In the days since I first heard the news about a big screen Buffy remake sans creator Joss Whedon I have been mentally stopping by all of the stages of grief:

Denial: This has to be a joke right? No one in their right mind would take this on.

Anger: Who honestly thinks this is a good idea? What a giant bunch of morons.

Bargaining: I'll write letters beg the studio. Beg Joss. I'll do anything!

Depression: Self explanatory. Please pass the tissues.

Oh yes. And bitter. I have also been very bitter. I don't think I'll ever get to the acceptance part and now that I've read on EW.com that Kristy Swanson (a.k.a. the first big screen Buffy) is totally ok with the project I am right back to the anger stage.

Of course she is ok with a Buffy reboot!! She was never a part of what made Buffy so great in the first place. I'm not gonna lie. I own her version on DVD. I was a big fan in Jr. High when all of my friends I and couldn't wait for opportunities to say "That one doesn't have a mirror at home," and to tell people to "Get out of my facial." This was of course YEARS before I knew any better and before myself and the rest of the world got to see what Buffy was really all about. When Joss Whedon got to put his true creation out into the world for the benefit of all who witnessed it. Joss' Buffy was not just a few fun quotes. It changed my life.

Nothing before or since has so perfectly illustrated the heartbreak of first love, the anguish of loss, the beauty of true friendship, or the courage needed to put up a fight even when all hope is gone. Each and every episode was smart, fun, heart crushing and chilling. Don't even get me started on the empowerment of women stuff. This man's writing made me feel like I could do anything! The fact that anyone would even try or, worse, not put his level of effort toward achieving this at all, leaves me feeling sick. Why fix what isn't broken? Oh right. To milk the still lactating cash cow that is the Vampire craze.

My biggest fear is that this new generation of vampire lovers will flock to the theater in droves, looking for their new Edward Cullen and never know the magic of what Buffy the Vampire Slayer is really all about.

To some small relief, I'm not the only one unhappy about this. Stars of the show have used Twitter to speak out against this horrible, born in a barn, milking machine Warner Bros. is preparing to unleash on the world. A few examples:

Eliza Dushku a.k.a. Faith Lehane - "Joss made the 'Buffster' & w/out him... I just don't trust the girl. Or the world."

Juliet Landau a.k.a. Drusilla - "Buffy movie reboot without Joss. So uncool. :( "

Julie Benz a.k.a. Darla - "never have truer words been tweeted!!!! RT @jennyandteets I will only say this once. Without Joss, there is no Buffy!"

I cannot follow Joss' always classy footsteps on this one. (see his letter here) I hope my friends and followers are with me and will not be in line for tickets opening weekend. As a matter of fact, I hope the studio receives so much backlash and ill will that the piece of crap never sees the light of day. News reports say there's still no script. One can only hope it stays that way.

Of course Joss Whedon himself said it best (when does he not?) "I don’t love the idea of my creation in other hands."

Neither do we Joss. Neither do we.

Harry Potter & the Deathly Hallows: Part 1

As I start this, it is3:23am. I am completely wired from the 40oz Diet Coke I had at the theater and the movie's score has been purchased and loaded onto my iPod. Here we go.

SPOILER ALERT: If you haven’t seen the movie yet: Cave Inimicum!!! (Defensive spell to keep enemies away. Thank you Harry Potter Lexicon).

From the moment I heard the first chimes of the theme my inner fangirl began to squeeeeee like crazy. I was instantly ridiculously excited.

The movie opens with our three heroes readying themselves for the unknown challenges ahead of them. At home, Ron waits. Before leaving, Hermione heartbreakingly eliminates all traces of herself from her house and from her parents' memories. Harry has packed his things and the Dursleys have left the building. He opens the door to the cupboard under the stairs one last time and I am reminded of how far we've come since he last resided there. Except that as small as he was then, he is still just a kid. They all are. The very thought of that weighed very heavily on me throughout the rest of the film.

For the sake of keeping this review from becoming as long as the book itself, my most essential notes:

• The beaten and grotesquely positioned woman hanging suspended in the air above the table full of Death Eaters at Malfoy Manor made me squirm. When Nagini pops up to snack on her after she's been Avada Kedavra'd I was so startled I spilled Skittles all over the floor.
• At the Dursley's, they do enough only slightly awkward exposition to make up for some of what had been left out of the previous two films (Bill & Fleur, Remus & Tonks). If I had my way each movie would have followed each book to a T and spared no detail. Though, if that were the case we'd probably all still be sitting in the theater watching Order of the Phoenix.
• The banter and exchange of barbs throughout the making of the many Harrys was perfection. I nearly died laughing at Daniel Radcliffe in a white lacey bra.
• The death of Hedwig. *sob* I feel a bit robbed that my reaction to her loss was more heartbroken than Harry's seemed to be.
• Harry and Ginny. Sigh. When she asked him to zip up her dress and thanked him with a kiss I wanted to do my little girl clap SO bad! These two just have not had enough time together to satisfy me. And the looks on all of their faces when they were interrupted: priceless!
• The girl with the headphones in the cafe where they are found by the Snatchers made me wonder how much I miss when I am lost in iPod land. Kidding aside, it was sad watching Hermione remember the last time she had used the Obliviate charm.
• Grimmauld Place is scary! Between the Dumbledore ghost charm, Kreacher and the overall shabbiness, I was officially wigged out the whole time they were there. Hermione’s, "We're alone," declaration upon arrival only made it that much more foreboding.
• The actors playing the body-napped Ministry of Magic employees were phenomenal. I was both amused and terrified watching their portrayal of the kids under the effects of the polyjuice potion.
• Just the sound of the cat plates mewing in Umbridge's office made my skin crawl. I really hate that woman.
• I had completely forgotten about Ron being "splinched" when the trio apparated out of the Ministry and the entire sequence had me in a bit of a panic. Bless Hermione’s rock star heart though, she begins to cast the spells to protect them all even with Ron's blood still on her hands.
• Their journey from place to place, always alone, always to desolate locations, was just as bleak and wearing on screen as it was on the page. The feelings of isolation and frustration, due to the locket and to their situation, were beautifully portrayed.
• I loved Harry's attempt to cheer a grief-stricken Hermione with a dance (and I loved that song. Anyone know what it is? Anyone? Bueller?) I also love that it only worked for a minute or two. Her feelings of love and longing for Ron were as exquisite as they were painful.
• Harry in the cemetery looking over the grave of his parents was seriously heart crushing. As was the tearful exchange of "Merry Christmas" greetings between him and Hermione. Not gonna lie, there were quite a few tears.
• I'm aware that this is not a horror movie but the whole time they were in the icky house with Nagini wearing the Bathilda suit it really felt like one. I was biting my nails, peaking between my fingers and I swear to Albus I came this close to screaming several times. Truly terrifying!
• Side note: the in-theater whistles as Harry stripped river side were a real treat. Way to set the mood kids.
• Harry and Hermione's mega make out scene was a tad disturbing. But also really HOT! Which I also find to be disturbing.
• Ron's efforts to make his way back into Hermione’s good graces were darling! And hilarious! And I think may have caused me to develop a major crush on Rupert Grint.
• Not like this is a huge newsflash but Bellatrix Lestrange is a super evil mega-bitch. The screams she solicited from Hermione (whoa Emma!) were excruciating to listen to. I wanted to sob and scream and cover my ears.
• After being away for so much of the last 4 films, and knowing what would happen in this one, I felt extremely grateful and triumphant to see Doby get his moment to shine, his last heroic stand. They did his character real justice with the rescue and his final words. That said it felt a bit awkward to have Harry state that he would dig his grave without magic. Couldn't they have just left it at showing him do it?
• Damn that grave robbing Voldemort right to hell! I had been wondering where they would cut it and how this one would end and I could not have been more impressed. I think fans of the books, fans of the movies and fans  of both (like me) will have to agree.

Now, is it July yet?

A Few Vampire Diaries Questions to Ponder

Confession #1: I watch and re-watch a LOT of Vampire Diaries. I am actually quite glad that my DVDs, DVR and lap top media player do not have a counter. Could be very embarrassing.

Confession #2: Every time I watch I write things down. (Note to self: find a pencil. Writing with an upside down ball point pen while lying in bed is impossible).

For those of you familiar with my “Stefan’s Diaries” review, this may be a tiny bit of an overlap. For those of you new to my question extravaganza WELCOME! I just cannot resist bringing up a few things I feel may have been long forgotten, only because each week our beloved show raises so many new questions I feel the old ones get tossed aside.

I have spent the last few weeks compiling my notes and since it’s hiatus time, when better to shed some light? Here goes:

1. Who let Katherine out of the tomb? In 1x14 Pearl tells Damon that it was a church guard who let her out because of his obsession with her. But in 2x4 Katherine tells Stefan it was George Lockwood who facilitated the whole thing in exchange for the moonstone. Did George give the guard extra incentive? The entire exchange made it seem like it was a secret between 2, not 3.

2. As for Katherine’s feelings for Damon: She was quite clear in 2x1 when she told him that Stefan would always be her guy. But I must admit this girl’s “game” is not what it should be for someone who’s been playing it for 500 years. She is all about the snarky one liners (wonder how Damon learned that) but when it comes right down to the facts, she must care about the guy. She did have a magical daylight ring made for him. And in 2x4 she does try her best to warn him about getting involved with werewolves. (Though this sentiment could have been made only to preserve Mason, her tone did not indicate such. I do not believe this is the first or the last time she will underestimate Damon‘s will).

3. So much of the Mystic Falls story revolves around the “Founding” families. More than once, the Salvatore family is included in this town’s unique history. Mr. Salvatore himself was both a purveyor and a victim of the vampire hysteria of 1864. His own grave was the hiding place for Emily Bennett’s famous grimoire that has since become the Go To Guide for all things AWESOME! Taking all of this into account, why is it that when speaking of the Founder’s Ball, Stefan tells Elena in 1x4 that “the Salvatores don’t get invited anymore?” Wasn’t Zach still on the council? Providing them with vervain? Wouldn’t asking them to leave him out ring a suspicious bell? As for Zach: Where on Earth did he come from?

4. Did Katherine only find out about Elena and her Doppelganger status because of her stalkerish obsession with Stefan? Had Stefan never come back to Mystic Falls, how long would it have taken her to find the spell ingredient she was looking for? If she kept an eye out on her own genetic line why did she wait so long to trigger a Lockwood werewolf and start the whole process of acquiring the rest of the ingredients? Surely it would have been a whole lot easier to do without the Salvatore brothers around to protect what they love.

5. In episode 1x19, Uncle John seems surprised to find that Jeremy has been brushing up on Mystic Falls' history via an old Gilbert journal. He then alludes to the fact that there are many others. How is it that this one of many was left unsupervised? The one that detailed the height of the hysteria and hinted at the location of the grimoire. Is this out of convenience or out of purpose? And, if the original John Gilbert left out the details of Papa Salvatore’s sons’ vampire sympathies, as he was instructed to do, how did Uncle John know to send Isobel to Damon? Is he lying about having direct contact with Katherine? Was sending Isobel to Damon Katherine’s idea? If so, why? And as a vampire hater, why would Uncle John do anything Katherine told him to do?

6. Speaking of Isobel - did Katherine look her up, hoping she would be the Doppelganger she was waiting for? If/when she found that not to be the case, why help her out? Why have the daylight necklace made for her? Does Uncle John know something (as Stefan & Elena believed) that would help Katherine? Is Isobel Katherine’s only link to this pertinent information? If this is the case, why did Katherine try and kill Uncle John? Does she have the information she needs and now must dispose of the source so that no one else may obtain it?

7. Bonnie reveals to Elena in 1x21 that the grimoire holds the details of the Gilbert Device which was spelled by Emily. Katherine was obviously aware of the device, as she was the one who sent Isobel to get it. Was this only because the tomb vampires had escaped their eternal hell? Did all of the tomb vamps return to Mystic Falls for the attempted take down of the Founding families or are there still a few out there? Had the device resulted in the deaths of the Salvatore brothers, would Katherine have been upset? Or was the purpose to rid the world of everyone who knew she had faked her death? When the brothers did not parish in the Gilbert basement why not attempt to take them down herself? And why chastise Mason for trying to take them out? Would she have been mad had he succeeded?

8. What exactly happened to Emily Bennett? Was she playing both sides throughout the events of 1864 or was Katherine aware of/insistent upon all she did to help the Founders entrap the vamps? Somehow her grimoire ended up in Giuseppe Salvatore’s coffin who died at the hands of Stefan‘s bloodlust just hours after the fire in the church. Did she die shortly thereafter? Did those she help with taking down the town’s vampires kill her and take her book by force? Where were the children Damon swore to protect?

9. What is up with that damn crystal? Did Katherine know it could be used to release the vampires from their tomb? If so, was this a concern she was willing to brush off for the time being so that she could escape Klaus and all his bitches? (see Gilbert device above). I’m assuming Damon hid it in the Lockwood mansion during Katherine’s final vervain infused tryst with Stefan. He obviously didn’t know then what its power was or he would not have been so willing to die thinking Katherine had gone down in flames. Yet present day Katherine seems upset that Damon knew she wasn’t dead. Was that something she hadn’t wanted Emily to share with him?

Confession #3: I don’t only take notes on the serious stuff:
1. Did Noah dispatch of the regular Pizza deliver guy in 1x12 or did he actually apply for a job?
2. Will Carol Lockwood ever have another party in her home after the Masquerade? Dead girls in one room and a ton of broken furniture and holey walls in another would point me toward no.
3. Anyone else notice the Mayor’s name change? In 1x4 Carol calls him Charles. In every instance after he is referred to as Richard. Also, love that Dick is a nickname for Richard and everyone thinks that the Mayor is a Dick.

Paul Wesley E! News People Magazine Bit

So I know everyone was DYING to see Paul on E! News last night and I did my best to help out. Sorry the quality is SO awful! Bad Paul is better than no Paul right? Hope you enjoy either way!

Link to You Tube video of Paul & Ian on E! News:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lM8XC1icdLM

Pics taken from the broadcast:

TVD Question of the Week #2

Happy TVD day friends!

Today's question is an oldie but a goodie coming from Bad Moon Rising. And I know it's not nice to speak ill of the dead but I just have to know.......... How did Mason get so damn dirty? Did his wolfy self find something dead to roll around in? One of Stefan's discarded bunnies perhaps? All I know is that I have seen homeless street dogs cleaner than Mason is after only one night romping through the woods. Any guesses?

Stefan Points Out Why He's Hot!

My earlier pic-spam of Stefan's pointing was such a hit that I decided to use it to create my first ever vid/slideshow. Great big thanks to Julie (@JLMadridFederer on Twitter) for the inspiration and song choice and to Ceci (@ceci_lu on Twitter) for the helpful instruction. Hope my fellow Team Stefan friends enjoy!

Pointing out the Best of Stefan Salvatore

Ok. I know I am not the only one crazy about and totally obsessed with Stefan Salvatore's new love of pointing. So this is for you my friends. A gallery of Stefan's finer points:

TVD Question OF The Week #1

Happy TVD day everyone!!

Today's question is..... Is Jenna ever NOT drinking? Or preparing to drink? (Alaric opening a bottle while nursing  her self inflicted knife wounds). We all know she is not the best at keeping track of her underage charges and is clueless at best when it comes to the goings on in her own home. Perhaps this is why.

Stefan's Diaries: My thoughts on how the fans could have done it better

SPOILER ALERT!!!!!: If you have not yet read Stefan’s Diaries but plan to, bookmark this page and come back when you’re done to read and comment. If you, like me, have already finished or don’t plan on reading it at all, continue on!:

Completely devoured the new Vampire Diaries book last night. This latest called “Stefan’s Diaries,Vol. 1 Origins” is not a continuation of the original series but based entirely on the CW show (which was based on the original series). Don’t get dizzy. It makes complete sense. What’s funny about it (to me) is that no actual author is listed. It simply states “Based on the novels by L.J. Smith and the TV series developed by Kevin Williamson & Julie Plec.” Huh. Who knows. Either way, I thoroughly enjoyed it and didn’t put it down once except to tweet how much I was loving it. That said, I do think my fellow, serious TVD watchers and I could have done a few things better. Here’s why:

1. Several times throughout the book, Honoria Fell is mentioned by name. Except that she’s called Honoria FELLS. Each instance of this made me growl under my breath. Even fans who haven’t read the original book series would notice this mistake due to the handful of Fell characters already named on the show.
2. In Stefan’s Diaries we finally learn the origins of Pearl and Anna and are able to confirm that they are in fact real mother and daughter. They came from Charleston, South Carolina and were human as of the end of the Revolutionary War (1783) when a tuberculosis epidemic hit and Katherine saved them from certain death. However, in episode 1x16 of the show Pearl tells Damon that she’s got 400 years on him. You do the math. Does quite add up does it?
3. Founders Ball: several inconsistencies here but first is the order of events. Chapter 22 of the book goes into detail about all events surrounding the party starting with Stefan & Katherine skipping out without a dance and never seeing Damon and ending with their entire night spent together once arriving home. Yet in episodes 1x4, 1x6 and 2x4, it is made apparent that Damon was at the ball and watched Stefan & Katherine dance. Also made clear in episodes 1x6 and 2x4 is Damon spending time with Katherine once arriving home. My other question about this event is whether the ball in 1864 was the first one its kind as the show says it is or was already an annual event as the book states.
4. How exactly does this compulsion thing work? On page 202 of the book, before Stefan dies or begins any part of his transformation he begins to recall feeling “woozy” each time Katherine had stared into his eyes to ask something of him and he immediately believes all his feelings for her were her idea and hers alone. This doesn’t really gel with what has been explained so far on the show including episode 2x2 where Caroline doesn’t get her compelled memories back until after she’s fully turned.
5. There were a few other small differences between page & screen. Things like Katherine’s clothing and exact wording of conversations. The problem for me is that I can see and hear in my head these bits from the show as I read and when they don’t match up it feels like watching a badly dubbed foreign film. Also rubbing me wrong is the book’s complete dismissal of the few tomb vamps that the Salvatore brothers recognize in present day Mystic Falls: Henry, Frederick, Harper & Beth-Anne.

What kept me awake hours after reading were the millions of questions swimming in my head. Questions frustratingly still unanswered and questions newly formed. Do I dare hope future book and show installments holds the answers?:

1. What exactly happened to Emily Bennett? Was she playing both sides throughout the events of 1864 or was Katherine aware of/insistent upon all she did to help the Founders entrap the vamps? Somehow her grimoire ended up in Giuseppe Salvatore’s coffin who, according to the book, was buried a week after the death of his sons and the fire at the church. Did she die shortly thereafter? Did those she help with taking down the town’s vampires kill her and take her book by force? Where were the children Damon swore to protect?
2. What is up with that damn crystal? Did Katherine know it could be used to release the vampires from their tomb? If so, was this a concern she was willing to brush off for the time being so that she could escape what ever force was hot on her trail? I’m assuming Damon hid it in the Lockwood mansion during Katherine’s final vervain infused tryst with Stefan. He obviously didn’t know then what its power was or he would not have been so willing to die thinking Katherine had gone down in flames. Yet present day Katherine seems upset that Damon knew she wasn’t dead. Was that something she hadn’t wanted Emily to share with him?
3. Due to the confusion surrounding the magic of compulsion (see #4 above) it is still impossible to know for sure if Stefan’s love for Katherine was ever real. I think each and every reader (and watcher of the show, as this is a recently visited question there too) is left to make the decision for themselves. Do we really want the answer or is this one better left in the grey?

And while I’ve gone on and on about what was done wrong with this book, there were enough things done right to make me jump up and down with impatience and excitement, waiting for the next installment. It brought joy to my cribbage loving heart to read that it was a game played by Stefan with his father and Katherine. And, as a tried and true member of Team Stefan I could not help but smile throughout as his voice was so true to character it felt like Paul Wesley himself was reading the book aloud to me.

So friends. What did you think? Do you agree or disagree? Do you have the answers to my questions? Do you have new questions of your own? Please go crazy in the comments. I can’t wait to read your thoughts

Comic-Con - TVG Edition

Wanna sneak peek at the special edition TVG? You ask - I deliver!

Eclipse in EW

As requested! Scans of the Eclipse interview from Entertainment Weekly! Just click for full size.

Eclipse - Take 2

Just saw Eclipse again and I must admit that I liked it much better the 2nd time. Just as I knew I would. Actually, I may even go as far as to say I loved it. Not the way I love Gone With the Wind or Breakfast at Tiffany's. Come on now. I always tend to be a bit anxious and judgy the first time I see one of these in the theater. But, there are definitely some new morsels I picked out to write home about:

• Edward's black "hungry" eyes make me melt. Come on over babe. I have plenty of the red stuff.
• I love Seth. Wish we would have gotten more of him. Adorable pup!
• The soundtrack music was much easier to pick out this time around. So glad. Really amazing tunes.
• I don't think I realized before how incredibly funny the Edward/Jacob rivalry stuff was. Not just in the tent but in every scene they shared. Edward's "Doesn't he own a shirt?" was priceless!!
• Edward and Bella were sweeter and sweeter each time they were together. Loved them in her bed: "You'll always be my Bella. Just less fragile." *swoon!*
• Charlie and Bella's "sex talk" had me nearly rolling on the nasty theater floor. Absolutely hilarious.
• Actually Charlie had me cracking up every time he came on screen. Billy Burke is genius.
• The practice fighting was awesome. Alice is a little bad ass. The Unkle song "With You in My Head" was a perfect match. Much fun!

One last note: My engagement ring is SO much prettier than Bella's. Just sayin.

Eclipse - My Take

If I had to choose one word to sum up Eclipse it would have to be the most benign of adjectives: nice. The movie was very nice. It wasn't heart crushing like New Moon or as heart soaring as the Muse single from the Eclipse soundtrack indicated it might be. But it was very nice.

I think this is probably the toughest of the 4 books to put onto film. The majority of its 629 pages were thoughts and feelings all very easy to read but not very easy to watch. Considering what the filmmakers had to work with I felt they did a pretty decent job. And the actor's work continues to get better with each film. Bella was far less annoying. Edward was far less tortured. Jacob was not nearly as big of an ass. That's almost part of the problem with it though. There are parts throughout the book where I wanted to wring every one of their necks! In the movie, Edward's insane over protectiveness with regards to Jacob was an issue for about 30 seconds. Bella's obnoxious indecision was almost non-existent and Jacob's manipulation of difficult situations simply did not happen. While this made the character's more likeable, I felt that it took some of the more intense emotions away from the story. Like I said. It was nice.

Two out of the three scenes I was looking forward to the most were done really well. Edward and Bella's night alone in the Cullen house was both sexy and sweet with a marriage proposal I dare any girl not to accept. All perfectly accompanied by the soundtrack song "My Love," by Sia. The conversation between Jacob and Edward in the tent the night before battle was also a highlight. I really enjoyed their banter and their bonding both in the book and the wonderful translation to screen. The third scene I wanted to see done really well left me wanting. Bella' punching Jacob after the unwanted kiss was total crap compared to how it was written. There was no fire in Jacob's taking of it and no venom in Bella's offence of it. What should have been a moment filled with angst and even humor was severely tame and not at all funny.

Other highs and lows? The end battle was really fun to watch. The special effects and slow-motion scenes were awesome. I could have watched that for quite a bit longer. The New Borns were truly terrifying at times but it was really good to see the Cullens and the wolf pack kick some serious ass. Xavier Samuel as Riley evoked both fear and empathy. His character was given a life on screen I was not expecting.  On another note, I felt that the amazing soundtrack filled with some of my favorite bands was highly under-utilized, especially in comparison to New Moon. I really need to find my way into a job where I get to be the one who places these incredible songs. Also, some of the beginning sequencing felt out of order. Maybe I've just read the book too many times and too long ago. However, I don't feel like any of it needed to have been done out of the order in which it was written.  I just don't see the reasoning behind the changes. Great to see Nikki Reed and Jackson Rathbone finally get to flex their acting muscles. I loved getting to see both Rosalie's and Jasper's back stories portrayed so wonderfully.  I must say though, because I'm a fangirl to the bone, that Edward's frequent beautiful smiles and Jacob's gorgeous body were always welcome on screen - regardless of what else was going on.

Overall, another great experience. Excited to see it again! What did you think? Can't wait to read comments!!

Bloody Summer Contest

In honor of Bloody Summer I am holding a contest to find the best of the real blood lovers. If you want to win a copy of True Blood Season 2 on DVD you must do 2 things. 1st, In a quick email to myentertainmentocd311@gmail.com tell me who your very favorite TV vampire is (past or present) and why they are your fave. 2nd, Re-tweet the blog link (including @entertainocd in your tweet) or cc the above  email address in an email to a friend that includes the blog link.

All entries must be in before June 9th at 7:00PM EST. The winner will be announced by 12:00 noon EST on June 11th, 2010. 

PLEASE NOTE: This contest is not limited to the US but the DVDs won are US purchased so if your DVD player won't play them this is not the contest for you!!

Good luck to all of my fellow fang bangers and vampire lovers!!!

The Vampire Diaries 1x22 - Founders Day

Had to watch this week's episode late due to a prior engagement. However, my girls Ceci and Leah were angels and waited until 1:00am to watch it with me. Our Skype conversation went something like this:

OMG
WOW
So HAWT!!!
Wait. What?
OMG OMG OMG
F**k!!!!! Holy f**k!!!!
So so yummy
WHOA!!!
WTF???
OMG OMG OMG
Awwww!!!!
NOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!
Holy Crapola!!!

I think there were a few other lines but you get the gist. This finale was just WOW. I'm pretty sure I had to wipe drool from my chin watching Stefan get dressed in his period garb. I'm a sucker for Civil War era men. Rhett Butler anyone? And the way it was edited with Elena getting dressed was perfect.

Now we head to Parade Head Quarters and everyone is getting ready for the big event. Of course no one is in the right order (thank you Mrs. Lockwood). And Damon comes to show his town support. To Stefan: "It's Founder's Day! I'm here to eat cotton candy and steal your girl!" Gotta love Damon. Even when he's an ass. And of course he goes on to say: "Elena is not Katherine." Enter Elena looking exactly like Katherine. Uh-oh. Of course both Vamp Boy jaws drop to the floor.

Jeremy is also getting ready for his own float. Hello hotness!! Anna comes to reassure him and to tell him that she has to leave. But they can be together forever, she can turn him! Here is a vile of her blood!! She can teach him to turn the pain off! No doubts now. Except now Jer isn't so sure.

Back on the Parade route Stefan tells Elena about Evil Uncle John and how he's actually her dad!! (And I thought my dad was an ass). Elena of course wants to believe anything else. But, as Stefan points out, the evidence points to bad.

Matt and Caroline are getting ready for the float as well and are having their picture taken. Another of my favorite lines:
Caroline: Hide your cast; it's not era appropriate.
Matt: Seriously?
These two are too cute for words!! I love that the writers remembered that Isobel the bitch crushed poor Matt's arm just a week ago. And then Caroline to Tyler: "You made out with his mother and then you beat him to a pulp. You're gonna have to do a little bit better than sorry." She rocks.

Elena catches up with Jeremy and tries to make nice. Frankly my dear I think Jeremy is being an ass about the whole thing. He's ok with Anna befriending him to use him for info and food but he's not ok with Elena doing what she thought was right to protect him? Ok. Whatev.

PARADE TIME!!!
I thought it was hilarious and adorable that Ty pretended to shoot Jer on the float and Jer took it with a smile on his face. Are these 2 friends now? And how amazing did my two favorite couples look on their float? Enter Damon with his smirk and wave and I can't help it but I laughed so hard. That was brilliant and hysterical. Especially when gauged by Stefan & Elena's reaction. But now Damon is catching up to Bonnie. Uh-oh. Or not. He's thankful. And sincere. WOW. Not that I'm counting jaw drops but I think I'm somewhere around 5 and we're not even 10 minutes in.

Meanwhile - back at the Gilbert building - Evil Uncle (dad) John is plotting out his plan to rid Mystic Falls of its Vampire problem. A onetime device (you know - the one that Bonnie said she fixed but really didn't)will use a high pitch frequency for 5 minutes that should put them all down long enough for Vervain injections and a nice quiet fire. Oh but wait! There's more! Those tomb vamps that Team Dalaric did not take down are planning a revenge party at the EXACT SAME TIME. Not good.

Back to the Celebration: Elena runs into Damon and reminds him that they are just friends and that he would do well to remember that. For some strange reason I don't think Damon loves this. Elena also tries again with Jeremy who continues to be an ungrateful bratty ass hole. Anyone else love Damon calling him out on that? However, I can't also help but love Stefan stepping in to try to help as well. Their argument after was both enlightening and very hot. (Sorry I get carried away sometimes).

I always knew I loved Sherriff Forbes. Not sure why. But I always have. She is so not with the plan to use the town as bait. And while I think it's a bit late for that, Evil Uncle (dad) John hitting her made me so mad I could have spit bullets. WTF?

It's action time. Anna fills Damon in on the tomb vamp plan: all the founding families go down. Anyone else totally in love with Damon first going to Alaric for help and finding Alaric totally willing? That was AWESOME!!! Damon's next stop? A giggling Elena hand in hand with Stefan. "In 15 words or less" Stefan is to get Elena OUT right away. When Stefan starts to question, Damon, always the comedy, reminds him that the 15 word limit has been reached. But where is Jeremy?

Mayor Lockwood knows (thanks to Evil Uncle (dad) John) that something is going down. He insists that his son Tyler take Matt and Caroline and get the hell outta Dodge.

Now all the shiz hits the fan. Bonnie realizes that more than her Best Friend's Love is out blood sucking. Damon confronts Evil Uncle (dad) John only to become victim #1 just after realizing that the damn Device is very much in working order. While on the hunt for Jeremy, Stefan falls to the ground. Jeremy can't figure out what's wrong with Anna who has sought him out to protect him. And what the hell is wrong with Tyler? No time to find out before he crashes his car with Matt and Caroline inside. A vamp killer is running right at Stefan before Alaric intercepts and helps him and Elena into a safe place. Alaric states and Elena confirms: All of the vamps are going down. The Device works. Anna is ripped from Jeremy's arms and dragged to a basement filled with the others. Including Damon. And in case it isn't enough to burn her alive, Evil Uncle John drives a stake through Anna's heart. If you can't hear the sound of my heart crushing you are deaf). Damon's in the fiery basement because he's a vampire. What the hell is Mayor Lockwood doing down there?

At the site of Tyler's accident, as the EMT tries to revive him, his eye goes totally YIKES! before he finally comes around. And then Caroline goes down. Wait!!! What's up with Tyler's eye???

Elena and Stefan go looking for Damon only to find Evil Uncle (dad) John. As Stefan tries to go after his brother Evil Uncle (dad) John makes a threat - one step further and he'll alert the town that they missed a Vamp. Obviously Elena tells her Uncle (dad) that she knows he's her dad but that he's a dick and regardless of his threats she goes to help the man that she loves save his brother.

Finally Bonnie decides that she shouldn't be a total bitch and uses Elena's love and anger (I'm guessing) to keep Stefan safe while he rescues his brother from the flames. Is it totally weak that I love the fact that after all of the time and hate and misery between them, Stefan is still willing to risk is own life to save his brother? Of course Damon did the same for Stefan in Let the Right One In. This dynamic - for me anyway - is one of the most complex I have ever seen. I can't wait to see how it works out going forward. Despite their comments to the contrary, there is love between them. What does trouble me is that even with Elena's assurances that she loves him and only him, Stefan seems worried. She needs to pick up her dress, check on her brother and then they will be together again. Sure.

Damon the Hero shows up to help Jeremy. Anna is dead. He can take away that suffering. He's done it once before. What he actually does is tell Jer what an awesome thing it is to be a Vamp with no feelings. Nice try Damon. And even though I am pissed at Damon for this and for so many other things (Lexie, HELLO!) I can't help but feel for him. Damn it!!

Of course Caroline will be fine. I just know it. How can she not be? Haven't we had enough? Tyler's dad? Probably not as good. Uh-oh.

Bonnie feels like she should let Stefan know that if Damon (or himself I imagine) steps out of line one more time she'll take them both out. Yikes! Am I the only one that saw a bit of challenge in Stefan's eyes? Like "I dare you to try." Just checking.

Elena is home with her crap. And Damon has met her at the door. He has a speech. It's a good one. About how much he has changed. About how much he has let his human feelings take over his life. About how Elena's feelings for him have helped make him a better person. He leans in for a kiss. Just a kiss on the cheek of course. But wait. There's more. Oh crap. Now they're making out. I can hear even amounts of cheers and boos from where I sit. Jenna for one is unapproving and insists that Elena come into the house.

Time for more shiz to hit yet another fan. A seemingly confused Damon walks away from the Gilbert house. Jeremy finishes off the vile of Anna's blood & the bottle of Elena's pain pills and then crawls into bed. Elena sneaks up on Evil Uncle (dad) John and he gives his best explanation for trying to kill the love of her life using her own mother (and co-hort) as his excuse. Elena quietly listens and goes about her business putting away the dishes (including a stack of knives). Just after Evil Uncle (dad) John offers his help, she looks at him and then proceeds to chop off his fingers. Including the one with the magic ring. Then she puts the very same knife into his gut.

John: Katherine?

Katherine: Hello John. Goodbye John.

Wait? What? That was NOT Elena that WHOLE TIME?? Starting with Damon on the porch!?!?

Elena walks into the house, telling Stefan that her crap is missing but stressing again how much she loves him. As she gets inside she hears a noise. THE END

CRAP!!!! 4 freaking months now. This is really going to suck. And not in the good way.

Bloody Summer - Details

True Blood
The new season starts Sunday, June 13th! And if you want to refresh your memory on all the crazy shiz that went down in Season 2 the DVDs will be available May 25th. You can pre-order from Amazon here. Also to be released May 25th is the 2nd volume of the Official True Blood Soundtrack also available for pre-order here.

The Vampire Diaries and Moonlight on The CW
The Vampire Diaries will start their encore run of Season 1 starting May 27th (thank gawd!!) and the very next week it will be followed by reruns of Moonlight (which was canceled in 2008 by CBS). There are 22 episodes of The Vampire Diaries and only 16 of Moonlight so we'll have to see how they work that out.

Eclipse
Needless to say there is a TON going on surrounding the release of Eclipse on June 30th. Here is a breakdown:

May 20th - Muse debuts their video for the first single off of the Eclipse soundtrack on MTV

June 5th - Release of The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner: An Eclipse Novella by Stephenie Meyer (pre-order here)

June 8th - The Twilight Saga: Eclipse Soundtrack available for purchase.
I am almost more excited about this than I am the movie. Here is the track list:

1. Metric- Eclipse (All Yours)
2. MUSE- Neutron Star Collision (Love Is Forever)
3. The Bravery- Ours
4. Florence + The Machine- Heavy In Your Arms
5. Sia- My Love
6. Fanfarlo- Atlas
7. The Black Keys- Chop And Change
8. The Dead Weather- Rolling In On A Burning Tire
9. Beck and Bat For Lashes- Let's Get Lost
10. Vampire Weekend- Jonathan Low
11. UNKLE- With You In My Head (Feat. The Black Angels)
12. Eastern Conference Champions- A Million Miles An Hour
13. Band of Horses- Life On Earth
14. Cee Lo Green- What Part of Forever
15. Howard Shore- Jacob's Theme

Available for pre-order here.

June 29th - release of The Twilight Saga Eclipse: The Official Illustrated Movie Companion (pre-order here).

New Series: The Gates
Starting June 20th ABC will be showing a new vampire series called The Gates. It looks like it could be fun even though the vamps don't initially appear to be as sexy as those I've become accustomed to (see Angel, The Vampire Diaries, The Twilight Saga). However, star Rhona Mitra has played a vampire before on Underworld: Rise of the Lycans so at least she has earned her fangs.  Check out their site here for more info.