New Year's Resolutions!!! Because we all have them...

Okay so we're already 22 days into the new year, but everyone has New Year's Resolutions! Some people just don't realize they do. People can just subconsciously set out to be a better person, shed a few pounds, spend more time with people. We are constantly thinking of ways to better ourselves. We don't always succeed, but most of the time we at least try. My high school Spanish teacher, Senor Grover, told us that people are more likely to reach their goals if they write them down and even more likely if they tell others about their goals (something to do with accountability I'm sure). So guess what?! I'm doing BOTH. I already wrote down my resolutions, so now I'm going to share them with you.

 

NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTIONS!

***Tornado Style!!!***

 

*take pictures often/learn about photography (because photography’s sexy)

*journal (let’s leave something cool behind in case I become famous one day)

*write for at least 30 to 60 minutes a day (a Writer should write, right?)

*eat healthier/smaller portions (eat like the French, not the Americans)

*don't fall for people who don't reciprocate (aren't I the optimist?)

*move on with life (let’s try not being bitter but instead be better)

*exercise five times a week (time to get sexy...oops! too late!)

*watch less YouTube (ahh, one of my more prominent vices)

*appreciate others, especially those who appreciate me :)

*save money (Amazon! I still love you and your bargains!)

*get promoted to black belt in Tae Kwon Do (or near to)

*read for fun (crazy concept I know, but people do it)

*make movies (kind of essential for a filmmaker)

*go to sleep by midnight (I can dream, can’t I?)

*eat out less (to help me health and me wallet)

*floss daily (you can't see, but I'm smiling)

*laugh more, love more, live more

*wake up by 9am (on school days)

*blog more (off to a good start)

*don’t swear (what the truck!)

*find the joy around me

*stay true to myself

As you can see some are abstract, some are concrete, but they're my goals for being a better me.

What are some of your resolutions? Have you written them down? Told them to anyone?

Do any of yours match mine? Let me know in the comments. :) Peace.

  

***Yeah, I totally spent precious time making sure this thing had some kind of alignment to it***

Film Review: Winter Break 5/5

Promised Land: 

Another good movie. I thought Matt Damon and John Krasinski gave great performances. Something I didn't expect was how much I enjoyed Frances McDormand's performance (she plays "Sue," Damon's colleague); she had this straight-faced humor that I just love. With the premise of the movie being about a natural gas company (represented by Damon and McDormand) attempting to buy out a small farming community with resistance from an environmentalist (Krasinski), I thought the movie was going to be mostly serious with a few jokes here and there. However, much to my surprise, I felt that the movie had a nice balance of humorous and serious tones (it was funny much of the time; not always funny "haha" but funny in terms of various situations). I left satisfied  and mind-blown after a surprise twist I don't think anyone saw coming...except maybe the people aware of the true story this film is based around, which I clearly was not. My jaw literally dropped.

Click To View "Promised Land" Trailer 

Film Review: Winter Break 4/5

Parental Guidance: 

Oh my goodness. I love this movie. It was a really cute film. Though it contrasted two very different parenting styles, the kids stole the show. I've become a Bailee Madison fan since her appearance in Just Go With It, and after seeing this I will continue to look forward to seeing her growth as an actress as she gets older. The two young boys who play her brothers are also adorable: one has a stutter that will make you swoon and the other boy's behavior is as random as the fact that he's a ginger in a family of brunettes. Marisa Tomei was awesome as a neurotic mom worried about leaving her children with her parents. Billy Crystal and Bette Midler also brought their classic selves with them. 

All together, the cast was great and managed to give heartfelt performances. The film had this overarching theme of being accepted/needed/wanted by one's parents and one's children, but that theme boiled down to a heart-to-heart moment between Crystal and Tomei; it left an impression on me--and definitely my mom.

Basically, this a predictable Hollywood flick. It's not exactly groundbreaking, but I loved it just the same. For me, it was about the actors and all the laugh-out-loud moments throughout. I go to the movies to be entertained, and this did it for me. If you're looking for an artsy film that will blow your mind and kill off the main characters, go find one. Just don't disrespect this one.

Click To View "Parental Guidance" Trailer 

 

Film Review: Winter Break 3/5

The Guilt Trip:

I thought this movie was just "okay." It was definitely a much slower paced film that didn't pick up until around two-thirds of the way through. Barbra Streisand accurately portrayed a certain kind of mom: the chattering, somewhat annoying mom. I found it really funny in the opening scene of the movie when she kept calling her son, Seth Rogen, and she asked him if he needed any underwear and that she'd get him some: MY MOM SO DOES THAT! "You can never have enough underwear," Mom always says. Needless to say that part amused me. To reiterate, Streisand's annoying behavior dragged out for a long time. Then the tension that builds from their road trip culminates in an extremely harsh argument between Streisand and Rogen. I felt a bit uncomfortable watching because of the intensity of the argument and the reality of some of Streisand's remarks. After they make up, things are fine. Definitely a few funny moments, but the "so-so" quality of the movie doesn't improve to "okay" until the very end.

Rogen's character brought his mom on this trip to secretly have her meet her long lost love since she's been single for decades. Eventually, she discovers his plan and they go to meet him. To prevent spoiling the end, I won't give specifics, but the end is a bit predictable...except for one detail. This detail at the end totally moved me; I started crying in the theater. Shut up! I'm a hopeless romantic: we can't help it. It was beautiful and beautifully connected the exposition with the resolution. It redeemed the movie to some degree, and that, my friends, is why it was "okay."

Click To View "The Guilt Trip" Trailer

(***If you're just dying to know what this redeeming detail is, message me and I'll tell you.***)

Film Review: Winter Break 2/5

Les Miserables:

Alright, my mom really wanted to see this movie. All my friends really wanted to see this. I didn't really have a strong desire either way (please don't hate me). It was definitely a beautiful movie cinematically speaking. The cinematography was beautiful. Production design, costuming and makeup, cast, visual/special effects, everything was wonderful....It just didn't do it for me.

It was just sooo depressing. I know what you're thinking, "Becca, it's called Les Miserables....The Miserable Ones...." Yeah, yeah, I know. But two-and-a-half hours of depression is a lot. I lean more towards happy movies (rom-coms, comedies, Disney, etc.) or movies that are mostly happy with some sadness (basically your dramedies and cancer movies, and as I'm typing I realize how bad that sounds but think about it: A Walk to Remember, Griffin & Phoenix, and A Little Bit of Heaven are all super sweet/tender movies...even though some people died of cancer).

Also, all the singing involved was exhausting to watch. I know what you're thinking, "Becca, IT'S A MUSICAL!" Yeah, yeah, I know. And I'm totally down for a musical. I love me some Sound of Music and High School Musical (no judgements please) and ALL Disney animated features. I like having more dialogue interspersed with the songs and songs that are easy to sing along to (I love singing to movies; I'm not good at it, but I do it anyway). HOWEVER, I will note that I can like musicals of the Les Mis variety in which it seems like every single line of the film is sung. Example: RENT. I liked that musical movie adaptation, and they sang practically the whole time. Maybe I liked it more because it was modern. I don't know; it's all just preference.

Essentially, Les Mis was a beautifully done picture, it just wasn't for me.

Click To View "Les Miserables" Trailer