Let's Talk Movies: 50 Shades vs. 9 1/2 Weeks

This won't be a super long post. I did see 50 Shades a second time. I enjoyed it sooo much more the second time around! I really noticed a few scenes that reminded me of Twilight! I love that. Jamie is growing on me. I think he has mastered the one arm shirt removal LOL!

You all might be reading one more post about 50 Shades since I'm planning to see yet again! I. CANT. WAIT.  

***UPDATE: I did not end up seeing it a third time. I started to write this post long ago but just go too busy. If you can believe it I do not own the DVD yet! Nor have I watched it at home either. 

My sister in law suggested that I watch 9 1/2 Weeks and see how it compares to 50 Shades. I think it was like the 50 Shades of the late 80's. Personally, I feel 9 1/2 weeks was raunchier than 50 Shades. How is that even possible? There is a red room of pain in 50 Shades for crying out loud! Well, it is possible folks. 

Mickey Rourke then (two thumbs up)

Mickey Rourke now...

9 1/2 weeks

Kim Basinger- Timeless beauty. She plays Elizabeth. Mickey Rourke- not so handsome now but boy he was pretty handsome in his younger years. He plays John. The plot: Kim has an affair with a man she barely knows. They have hot intimate times but this leads down a slippery slope. He is playing this game with her. I totally did not like the ending. I was mad at John (Mickey). There are a few follow up movies but it is with different women. Of course the movie was from 1986 so there are some dated things, like the music, the movie magic, the fashion. Here is why I think this movie is raunchier: the sex scenes! Yes, they only show her in the nude. That is nothing new. BUT.... all the heavy breathing, all the "passion" seemed a bit naughty. I was almost embarrassed watching this! 

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50 Shades of Grey I wont go into extreme depth about 50 Shades since most of us have seen it and it is more recent. I also wrote a previous blog post on all my thoughts on the movie. I will say I think 50 Shadesis "sexier" than 9 1/2 weeks. 

Personally, I think Henry Cavill should have played Christian. He is perfect. Look at that he is superman and Mr. Grey! Can the combination get any better? 

Let's Talk Makeup: NCLA Nail Wraps

See this nail picture on the right? I love those nails. I thought I would try to recreate them. I found the picture on pinterest of course. After a little investigation I found these are transparent nail wraps from NCLA. This particular style is called Leather and Lace and costs $18.00. I thought these would be the perfect nails for seeing Fifty Shades of Grey. I even got my nails done since I normally have short nails. I wish I could give these wraps a good review but I just cant. They did not stick on my nails. They did not even last the night. I got so frustrated I peeled them off. Even after filing down the edges the sticker was still lifted! Sally Hansen wraps have never let me down before. I was expecting the same from this brand especially since they are double the price. I say skip out on these and head to your local drugstore and grab the Sally Hansen kind instead. 

Let's Talk Movies: 50 Shades of Grey

On a hiatus or not, what kind of blogger would I be if I did not have something to say about the 50 Shades of Grey phenomenon -movie!?!  At first, I will admit, I was not interested in seeing this movie at all. Was not interested in advanced tickets, making a shirt, trying to show my love for the books/movie like I do with other releases. Not until two days before it was supposed to come out did I get excited to see it. I did not see it on the early Thursday screening like everyone was so happily posting all over facebook. I was not a happy camper about that lol. Let's get to the movie, shall we? Overall, I liked it. I was not in love with it but I did like it. Dakota Johnson as Ana stole the show. She did an amazing job! I was not expecting that from her. But, Jaime, Jaime, Jaime... He did not do it for me. I was not thrilled that he would be 50 from the beginning. He reminds me of Justin Timberlake. No offense to Justin, I love that man. But when I think of the Christian Grey - Justin Timberlake should not come to mind. I need a more dominating man. A little bigger and not so boyish. Oh well. We can't get everything we want! I am looking forward to seeing the movie a second time. I feel like the first time I was waiting and scrutinizing and comparing everything to the book. The second time I watch it I just want to see it for a movie - a plain ole movie. 

The Soundtrack! It is a must buy. I love it, even the older songs on there. Really, the key to having a good movie is having a badass soundtrack. I'm sure I've said this before. Between The Weeknds voice and Beyonce's Crazy in Love mix that soundtrack has been on repeat in my ears!

Let's talk about how awesome it is that something that started out as Twilight fan fiction from a woman with an idea now has become a million-billion- dollar dream come true! I loved the books before they were even popular. Met E.L. James at a signing where the tickets were only $25 bucks! Not only did she sign all the books but she actually spoke to us and was a normal person. Love it or hate it, it is still the hot ticket. Can't wait for the next 2 movies. Laters, baby!

Phrases that stay with you...

Have you ever read a book or watched a movie that touched you in a way that you took something away from it? Maybe a saying, a thought, a phrase, old sport? Well, it seems the more I read and the more I really enjoy something a little piece of the character stays with me. Some of my favorites are:

1. Twitchy palms- Mr. Christian Grey
2. We aim to please- again, Mr. Grey 
3. Old Sport- Mr. Gatsby (or DiCaprio LOL)
4. Do not disappoint- Mr. Rawlings
5. Appearances are everything- Mr. Rawlings
6. "Butteflying." Will & Lake
7. I love you to the moon and back- OMG, I can't remember which book that is from ! HELP!
8. Soookie- Mr. Bill Compton- you have to say it with the proper accent and exaggerate the O  :)
9. May the odds be ever in your favor- Hunger Games
10. 

What are some of your favorites? Maybe we can compile a pretty good list! 

Anyone remember any sayings from Mr. Cross?

Entwined With You by Sylvia Day

WOW. I waited a while to read this book. I preordered it a long time ago. I forgot how spicy these books were. Gideon, oh, Gideon. I liked you from day 1. I was a little nervous to start this one because I heard it ended with a cliffhanger. I think it just ended with more to come. A healthy cliffhanger, no anger really. If possible, I fell in love with Gideon even more. Right now, if I had to choose between Christian and Gideon-I would so choose Gideon! That says a lot. I cant believe I just wrote that. I'm not going to write what the book is about. Too many of my friends have not read it yet. I devoured this book in 5.5 hours in 1 sitting.

My All Time Favorites!

I think it is about time for me to make a list of my all time favorite books. These characters ALL made my book boyfriend list. I have either reread them already or am willing to reread them again. I mean I love them so much I have some sort of memorabilia, either a bracelet or pendant or something-I KNOW, how dorky. :)   I would recommend these hands down without any reservations.Well, some may come with a bit of a warning... I thought I'd organize this list in order of me reading them but I'm not sure if I can remember the order exactly. 

1. The Twilight Saga: This is the series that started it all for me. Yes, it is YA. Yes, the movies are debatable as well as the actors chosen to play the characters. However, I fell in love with these books way before the movies came out. I just had to "compartmentalize" one from the other. I reread these books numerous times, maybe 5-6? New Moon was my least favorite (because Edward was gone!!).

2. The Dark Hunter Series: This series was recommended to me by a good friend for a LONG time before I actually read it. When I did, WOW, I fell in instant love with all of the Dark Hunters. This series mixes Dark Hunters, Were Hunters, and Dream Hunters. There are about 23 books in this series! I have read 19. I really hate waiting a long time for the next books to come out. Unfortunately, sometimes an author that writes a lot of books kind of becomes predictable. I don't want to feel like I'm guessing everything that is going to happen and like I have discovered their formula. I guess I kind of lost interest towards the end. However, a very good series and I have a very special place in my heart for Acheron and Talon. I reread only Acheron, (not the sad parts) 3 times.

3. The Black Dagger Brotherhood Series: This goes without saying. Even though there is romance this is a bad-ass series. There are 12 books in this series. I love all of the brothers. If I had to pick a favorite, ugh, I think it would be Wrath, John Matthew, Blay and Qhuinn... oh and poor Phury, no one likes him.  I cant choose just one! I reread this series twice and listened to the first 4 books on audio for a few times too!

4. Fifty Shades of Grey Trilogy: What else can I say about this that hasn't already been said? I loved Christian before the world became obsessed with this "mommy porn."  Before the craze I already loved Christian. We have our moments, it's a love/dislike relationship now. However, we did see E.L. James in the flesh and she signed all 3 books for me! I reread this series 5 times... Dont judge me hehehe. I normally don't pick celebrity actors for my favorite characters, I've only done it once... But my Christian is definitely Channing Tatum. I mean once I read his name could possible be associated with this series, it just got stuck in me head! :)


5. The Experiment In Terror Series: This is totally out of order. This is my current favorite. Again, there is not much I can say about this series that I haven't already said. I mean, I wrote 7 blog posts about this! And I did not even review each book individually! I reread this series twice, reread the last book 3 times and I probably will reread it again. I'm kind of on a Dex & Perry binge right now. The first time you read a book (or at least when I read a book) I might go super fast because I need to see what happens. The second and third time I can savor all the details. There are 9 books so far... a few more coming out soon. Definitely an all time favorite! A warning for this series is that the first book, Dark House, can take you a little while to get into. STICK WITH IT! (yes, I used shouty capitals like Mr. Grey) You will be glad you did! I tried reading this book once and did not give it a chance. It sat...in the cloud...forever. Then I gave it a second chance and pushed through the first few chapters and BAM! Now it has become my fav!



6. The Hunger Games Trilogy:  Like the series above, it was hard for me to get through the first book. It too, sat in the cloud for a lonnnnngggg time. I saw the movie first and then was intrigued to read the books. That rarely happens for me. I like it the other way around. But, holy crow! These books are amazing! I laughed and cried. The hangover I felt after finishing this series was serious! I didn't read another book for months! Yes, it is YA. I havent reread it yet but will be in September to prepare myself for the next movie. Stick with this one too and you'll be glad you did!

7. The Existence Trilogy: Oh, Dank. I love you! This was an unexpected read for me and it was wonderful! It is YA. I pretty much love anything by Abbi Glines. She is a great author who writes really memorable stories and characters without making you feel like she is using a formula. I read this series 2 or 3 times. I too suffered a Dank hangover. I feel like this series may not get as much publicity as some of her other works, probably because it is YA, but I think it is just a great read.

More Experiment in Terror

Yes, I'm still writing about this. I just finished rereading all of the books. I just cant get enough of Perry and Dex. If you haven't checked out my other Experiment in Terror posts, click here. You may not want to read this if you haven't read them yet. Instead of reviewing the series (I've already done that) I'm going to share who I would chose as the characters. I normally do not find celebrities who can live up to the images of the characters in my head or heart. Even as much as I love Channing Tatum, I would have never seen him as my Christian Grey, but hey, when the thought got put out there it started to make perfect sense... BUT! I think I have found celebrities for these guys. On EIT website, there are photos of a supposed Dex and Perry, but they don't do it for me, sorry. Before I post the photos and my thoughts I just have to say I love this series. I love how real Dex and Perry are. They have normal people problems. They love each other and they have issues. I feel like how many great love stories we experience, either in real life or through books, where there is always heartbreak and reunion?!? I wish there wasn't heartbreak but sometimes I think you don't fully realize what you are feeling or how strong it is until you experience some heart break. I'm sure there are many times when people don't need to feel that, I just wonder if it is as intense as those who know what it feels like to be without that other person. AND, even when Dex is trying to win Perry back, it is realistic. It is not over the top Christian Grey, where he is so overprotective and buying the whole world for her. Dex is more REAL. OK, enough of the heavy stuff. I just really love reading this series. 

SOOOOOO....... Here is my Dex. I was torn between these 2 handsome guys: either Chris Pine (on the left) ( I know he has blue eyes and Dex has brown) and James Marsden. (on the right)

My Perry would be Emma Stone, just because she is qwerky (is that even the correct way to spell that!!) 

Now, even though I do not like Maximus, AT ALL!! I could not help but think of David Morrisey, especially his role in The Reaping with Hilary Swank. The southern accent in that movie and the "good, southern gentleman" role he plays in that movie reminds me of Maximus to a T (wow, how old is that saying anyway lol) Yes, Maximus should be younger, hotter and have red hair, but what can I say, his speech just reminds me of this guy too much. 

OK, after considering that Maximus is supposed to be hot lets try Ewan McGregor. Although he has reddish hair he is not built like a rugged cowboy (my own mental image not necessarily Karina's exact words) nor does he have a southern accent (I think he is from Scotland, like Gerard Butler)... To me Ewan is "handsomer" more handsome than David. 

OK, that is all for now. Again, I will say, if you have not read this series, please do us all a favor and read it. You will be pleasantly surprised! And I will be a very happy woman to have someone else to share my Dex crush with.  :) 

50 Thoughts on 50 Shades

Not really 50 thoughts, maybe just 5 he he. After reading Lover at Last  I was at a loss and didn't know what to read. Yes, I have 500 books on my kindle so it wasn't for lack of material. I just was having a book hangover. I was being a brat and didn't want to read anything else since I knew it wouldn't be good enough the same as Lover at Last. So, I bet you are wondering what I did about my dilemma. I reread one of my favorite trilogies, 50 Shades. I love my Christian Grey. HOWEVER, while I did enjoy rereading them for the 5th time (I know, pathetic right!) it made me think of a few things:

1. Grey does not exist to the everyday person and we don't want him to! Really, if your partner tried to dictate every thing you do from food, to sleep and where you can and can't go, we would not go for that, no sir! I don't care if they made 100k an hour...
2. Someone as inexperienced as Anastasia was sure willing to try all sorts of "kinky fu#%ery." I think it takes normal people some time to open up to these things, not just a week or so.
3. Did you swoon over Grey and the things he said and how eloquently he spoke to make you feel all warm and fuzzy inside? Yeah, me too. Remember, most men do not talk like this! This is coming from a woman author. 
4. Anastasia wants to change Christian, and does in some ways- all in 3 months-ish. Got him to stop his "kinky fuc&ery," break all of his rules, stop being friends with Mrs. Robinson (ex-gf and now "friend"), proposed, married and pregnant... I mean, really! Yes, people change. Yes, this is fiction. Yes, I love Grey. No, I don't think this makes sense in any way, shape or form.
5. I think we all have some Grey in our life. It is just up to us to see it and recognize it. We may not think of them as Grey qualities. In the real world we'd call them stalkers, nagging, insecure, overbearing...I'll stop there... 

I know it sounds like I am bashing Grey, but I'm not. I'm just looking at it through another perspective. I think my "in-love" phase with Grey is over. Now it is just love and appreciation for what it was, the first 4 times I read it.