I just do

I think there are all certain movies that we like to watch. You know the kind of movies when everything on the DVR has been watched they are some of our go to movies because we like them.

I think our go to movies and shows fall into two categories. The first are a everyone in the house favorite like Star Wars, Doctor Who, Edgar Wright movies, Pacific Rim, etc. because they are awesomely awesome. The other category is one I’d like to talk about today.

This category is called the “really again” “again? I haven’t seen it in a long time” movies. Other times they are the

“You like that movie?”

“Yes, I do”

“Why?”

“I just do.”

Today I thought I would share some of my movies that fall into these categories. These movies are not guilty pleasures because it should not be a guilty pleasure to like movies or music that make you feel good. #ThereIsaidit 

I apologize that was probably a bit defensive. But seriously, I don’t think anyone should feel embarrassed because they like the movies, tv shows, and music they do. And for me sometimes there is no reason I like certain things because I just do.

Queen of the Damned. I know, well in my opinion, I know it’s not the best movie in the world. But I like it. This is one of my I just do.

Daybreakers. In 2019 an outbreak has turned a majority of the population into vampires. Ethan Hawke plays Edward Dalton, a hematologist trying to find a blood substitute because the human population is decreasing and he also wants to avoid human extinction. Without enough blood, the Vampire population is being to deteriorate and get desperate to the point of feeding off other Vampires and themselves. PS: 2019 is not too far way guys. PSS: I know it’s just a movie.

I like Daybreakers because it shows the other side of being a Vampire. You know the not so awesome part of immortality. Aka the no sparkling in the sun part. Plus there’s the one gnarly part of the movie where the vampires drink Frankie Dalton’s blood and then they get cured, then the other vampire drink their blood, then they cured, and so on.

Moving away from the Vampires, another movie I like is Fanboys. I was excited when I saw the preview in the movie theater. Then I don’t remember seeing it play in my city, and if it did was it only one day? Seriously where was it? I’m just glad when it came out on DVD, I was able to find it. If you like Star Wars and Sam Huntington, you need to see Fanboys.

Sam Huntington you guys. You know aka Jam from Detroit Rick City? Josh Levison in Being Human. Huntington plays Eric Bottler who reunites with his old high school friends. They decide to take a road trip to break into Lucas Ranch to see Episode I of Star Wars. Who can’t relate to that especially now with the new Star Wars movie only about two months away … sorry I cannot tell a lie. Two months is a long time! 

One of my favorite things about this movie is all the Star Wars references they are not the type of references that are thrown in the movie just to be in the movie. You know what I mean? It’s like when you read a book or watch a show and they throw in an X-Men or zombie reference just because. I apologize that is more of a side rant than why I like Fanboys.

So with the Star Wars references come the arguments. Like when Windows (Jay Baruchel) tells Linus and Hutch (Chirs Marquette, Dan Fogler) “You guys both got to stop perpetuating this myth that Boba Fett is some kind of bad-***. All right? He has a jet pack. So did the Rocketeer. Really cool. When it come time for battle, the man’s Michael Bay - all style, no substance.”

Or when Hutch is having a heart to heat with Eric. “Greatest deed Luke Skywalker ever did was take down the Death Star, right? AS far as I’m concerned, that’s what everybody needs. You need that one bad-*** thing that lets you love forever, you know. “

I just realized they say bad-*** on more than one occasion in this movie. I am not a prude, I just prefer movies that do not have swear words in 98% of it. And if you know anything about me I really don’t curse IRL. Sorry another side rant. The point is, it’s a funny movie and at the heart of it, it has friendship.

Another movie in this category is You Got Mail. Talk about old school. Part of the movie features AOL. Kids back in my day AOL was what the internet was all about. If you were lucky enough to afford a computer more than likely you had AOL. Or Net Zero. Net Zero, anyone?

Anywho. One of my favorite things about this movie is Tom Hanks. And it’s also just a fun early 90s type of movie, IMHO. Speaking of the Hanks family if you have not seen it I would catch up on Life in Pieces with Colin Hanks. As I am watching this show I am thinking, he reminds me of Tom Hanks with some of his mannerisms. But then later I am just thinking Colin Hanks is funny. So is Zoe Lister-Jones who plays Hank’s wife on the show. There is not one scene they have done together where I did not laugh out loud.

So the morale of the story, don’t let anyone have the power to make you feel like you are weird for liking certain movies or tv shows. As Felicia Day says “Embrace your weird.”

Random thoughts about things I’ve always wanted to say from a movie or show

Have you ever said to yourself after the fact, I wish I would have said this? Or stare at a blank Twitter screen and try and think of a play on words? It happens to me a majority of the time. Usually when it comes to a blank computer screen after about 5 seconds I say aloud, “I’m done!” Because once I start to over think it, it’s not funny anymore.

There are some things I have been able to say because of timing. I shared one in my last blog in which my husband said my face lit up. And I replied I am a warrior and an assassin my face does not light up.

There was a Scott and Ramona moment my husband and I shared a while ago.

Me: I’m going over here to read for a while.

Husband: Then I’ll be all alone.

Me: You’re not alone. You’re just having some idiotic dream.

Husband: Does that mean we can make out.

Me: …

Wait a minute! Most of my perfect timing happens the most when I am with my husband. I guess that is what happens … wait for the cheesiness … when you marry your best friend … there it is.

Perhaps I should take a cue from The Doctor and make cards for when there are other occasions. So I thought I would share some of those waiting for the right moment quotes in no particular order, and mostly just because I like these quotes.

Today. Today … At the edge of our hopes, at the end of our time, we have chosen not only to believe in ourselves, but in each other. Today there is not a man nor woman in here that shall stand alone. Not today. Today we face the monsters that are at our door and bring the fight to them! Today, we are canceling the apocalypse! – Stacker Pentecost, Pacific Rim

I am not sure when I would use this outside of the apocalypse, and after a slow motion walk into the room. Maybe as a go get them team speech? I love that speech. Let’s face it I love Idris Elba.

I do admit there are some of his movies I have not seen. For example any movie where he plays the villain. I think he is an amazing actor but after watching Luther my brain just cannot accept him as a villain. Not gonna do it. I made the mistake of watching Losers once, don’t get me wrong IMHO Chris Evans was hilarious in it. But I kept believing Idris Elba’s character was going to be like I’m just kidding guys I was doing a double, double cross. See my brain can’t do it. Denial.

Okay it’s another Stacker Pentecost quote, but you guys Idris Elba. It’s a really good one for an “I’m not messing around moment.” One: don’t you every touch me again. Two: Don’t you ever touch me again. Now, you have no idea who the hell I am, or where I’ve come from, and I’m not about to tell you my whole life story. All I need to be to you and everybody on this dome is a fixed point. The last man standing. I do not need your sympathy or your admiration. All I need is your compliance and your fighting skills. And if I can’t get that. Then you can go back to the wall that I found you crawling on. Do I make myself clear?

My interest in what you are talking about is low to moderate. –Vork, The Guild

In the context that this quote is used it is funny. I like Vork. He is my spirit animal. Well Vork is my spirit animal when I am grumpy. Oh and when I need to channel my dry sense of humor. Codex is my introvert but still kicks butt spirit animal. Admiral Ackbar is my spirit animal when I am suspicious. You know that I got a feeling someone is watching me moment. I’m not the only one that gets that feeling. Right? *She ask nervously.*

I don’t want to be just one thing. –Four, Divergent

Okay I have not read these books, but who could have missed the previews when the movie came out. I have never said it out loud. But I often think this when someone says oh you’re a Trekkie, a Whovian, a nerd, a this, a that. I like a lot of things, hence the “I don’t want to be one thing.”

In the words of Delenn from Babylon 5 – “Then I will tell you a great secret, Captain. Perhaps the greatest secret of all time. The molecules of your body are the same molecules that make up this station, and the nebula outside, that burn inside the stars themselves. We are star stuff, we are the universe made manifest, trying to figure itself out. As we have both learned, sometimes the universe requires a change of perspective.”

I am not sure if this blog as a point. It’s all just random thoughts. But I guess if there is a morale to the story. It is as The Doctor says, 900 years of times and space and I never meet anyone who wasn’t important. So like what you are going to like … to thine own self be true.

Favorite Fictional Couples

I have written about my favorite bromances, so today I thought I would write about or maybe in this case ramble about my favorite couples in fiction. They are my favorite couples not necessarily because of the love story but just the stories itself. These are from both movies and books. I apologize in advance for any spoilers. However, knowing me most of my information will be short because I don’t want to go on, or do I?

Beth Fremont and Lincoln O’Neil from Attachments by Rainbow Rowell

For those of you who have not gotten around to reaching Attachments. First off, why not? Rainbow Rowell is a talented, witty, and honest writer. Go get you one Attachments, or any of her books, because they should be on your TBR list. Attachments is a love story in which boy meets girl, well sort of. Lincoln works in the System Securities department at The Courier. As he is reading their emails, which in his defense is his job, he begins to fall in love with Beth. Without giving too much away Beth does notice Lincoln but when she first does there is another person in the picture. I like that it’s a love story, but Rainbow Rowell does an excellent job building Beth and Lincoln characters that you don’t just fall in love with them together but as individual people.

Scott Pilgrim and Ramona Flowers from the comic series and the movie.

Fours words … Scott and Romona, eh?

Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark from The Hunger Games trilogy.

I read The Hunger Games trilogy before the movie came out. I do have to say the movies do hold up, and brings the story out of the page. (In my humble opinion.) I won’t go into the summary to much because I can imagine by now everyone has read the books or seen the movies. Which I can imagine is not easy to make the reader of the books happy, which trying to find a balance of making a movie that can stand alone for people who have not read the books. Katniss and Peeta are another great example of how we fall in love with two people both individually and together. I enjoy that Suzanne Collins makes Katniss her own person. Although she is going through being a teenager phase, Suzanne Collins does not let Katniss’s love life define her. And without sounding bias, I am in love with Peeta. Not like that, I know he is fictional, but I can’t help it I actually like the nice guy. (I did marry one after all. Nice guy … not fictional character.)

Amanda Price and Darcy from Lost in Austen.

I know for some people Jane Austen might be one of those either you like her or you don’t. If you don’t that’s okay. What I like about Lost in Austen, it’s for everyone. Okay that sounds kind of vague. Lost in Austen reminds me of when I was a kid there were chose your own adventure stories. It’s been so long I am not sure what if that is what they are called anymore. Anywho, you read the story and at the end of the chapter it says to go into the room, turn to page 22 or if you want to continue walking keep reading. (Man I wish I could remember a name of a book like that, that I read.) Lost in Austen is also funny because it reminds me of me or anyone else I know who gets so absorbed by the story that you can’t help but laugh or cry with your favorite characters. Amanda Price works at a bank and to escape the everyday life she reads Pride and Prejudice over and over and over. She reads this book so much, somehow her and Elizabeth Bennet end up in each other’s lives. Hopefully this doesn’t spoil it too much. The story ends with Amanda and Darcy falling in love and it rewrites Pride and Prejudice in a manner of speaking.

Olivia Dunham and Peter Bishop from Fringe

Dunham is played by Anna Torv and Bishop by Joshua Jackson. He’s her lobster. Oh and if the internet can hear my small voice … yes I would love for Anna Torv to play Ms. Marvel. Let’s make it happen internet. I can so picture it. And I am biased about Joshua Jackson because I always preferred Pacey to Dawson. There I said okay? Anyway. Olivia and Peter are meant to be. I don’t mean in a cheesy way. Just they have the kind of love where when you know, you know kind of love. One thing I love about the Fringe series is that Peter respects Olivia as a woman and her career. He does not try and flirt with her because he knows it will not work, and when they do end up together it will be real. If you have watched the series you know that it’s not a boy meets girl, boy falls in love with girl and timing is not right. It’s more like a boy meets girl, boy falls in love with girl and timeline is not right because of another Fringe event. Darn you Folivia and your vagenda! (If you want to know what a vagenda is, watch Fringe you won’t be sorry.)

Angela Chase and Jordan Catalano from My So-Called Life

Ah, if ever there were a picture of teenage angst in regards to teenage love, Angela’s picture would be in the dictionary. But who can blame her? Have you ever seen Catalano lean? Angela and Catalano are not the only reason I like My So-Called Life I enjoy the series because it was ahead of its time. It was fictional but discussed real issues such as teenage drinking and sex, and discussed a number of issues in a honest, relatable way.

Raleigh Becket and Mako Mori from Pacific Rim

Okay this one is not a love story in the traditional sense. Which is why I wanted to end the blog this way. I can best describe way I like their story by quoting Guillermo del Toro, which is still my favorite quote of all time.  “I wanted to show that men and women can be friends without having a relationship. Theirs is a story about partnership, equality and a strong bond between partners. It’s important for little girls to know not every story has to be a love story and for boys to know that soldiers aren’t the only ones to triumph in war.”

How to tell if you are drift compatible.

After my husband and I first saw Guillermo del Torro’s Pacific Rim, we have found ourselves saying “drift compatible!” whenever we say or think the same things. For example, whenever my husband and I say the words “do you” we say it a la Anthony Michael Hall in The Breakfast Club. 

I thought it might be fun to list items, in my humble opinion, that make two people drift compatible. Some are from my personal life, others are things I have thought about recently. So here they are in no particular order.

• When you say, “check you later” they automatically think “alright, alright, alright.”
• Whenever you discuss or mention Doug Jones, the other person knows exactly who you are talking about. You even share the same favorite funny seen in Hellboy when, Abe and Hellboy are sharing a beer and discussing their women troubles. “You’re in love. Have a beer.”
• While watching the premier of J.J. Abrams, Star Trek, both of you geeked out when you saw Noel Clarke. And at the same time said Mickey! While looking around to see if anyone was excited as you were to see a companion.
• When you hear that someone has not seen Doctor Who, you or your significant other say “you’ve never seen Doctor Who?” in your best British accent. Saying it in that accent is a result of seeing Revision 3’s “Welcome Back, Doctor Who” one too many times on YouTube.
• Speaking of YouTube, one of the other videos you’ve both seen together a billion times is Portlandia’s Battlestar Galactica - One More Episode. Edward James Olmos and James Callis make a guest appearance. Ron Moore also makes a cameo, however not in the way you would think.
• You both said Whaaat! When you realized it would be the last time you would see Scott Wilson play Hershel in Too Far Gone. Yes admittedly one of you did have to comfort the other because while Beth and Maggie began crying that started the water works.
• You both feel like Rob Gordon in High Fidelity when everyone starts talking about The Walking Dead, Sherlock, and Doctor Who because you liked these shows first. Which makes you feel like a hipster for saying don’t infect my beautiful shows with your main stream. However, secretly you both need others to watch so the TV networks can keep the show going for as long as it can. The only reason you know the term “infect it with your main stream” because you’ve both seen Soundly Awake’s Hipsters On Valentine’s  Day a bunch of times. Okay let’s face it you both go on YouTube one day binges, but there is no judgment.
• Your significant other can recognize a Bear McCreary musical compositions before knowing it is him. Like when you watched season 1, episode 1 of Defiance, and heard the theme music the other person says that sounds like Bear.
• While watching the entire Star Trek series (yes all of them) you both say at the same time hey it’s Kate Vernon (aka Ellen Tigh)! Or, hey it’s Rick Worthy (aka Number Four)! But when watching Battlestar Galactica, you both say hey it’s Sam Witwer! Or, when Roslin was getting chemo you both say, isn’t that Kira (Deep Space Nine)?
• Whenever the computer messes up, acts strange, or you see a news article about another advancement in robotics or technology - your significant nods in agreement when you say “Skynet.”

I smile when I hear the word Toronto because I know my husband will say “in Toronto” a la Brandon Routh in Scott Pilgrim vs the World. Because its moments like these when we make a reference the other one gets, we simply look at each other and know we are thinking the same thing … drift compatible.