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[jeaninelo]

            Over the weekend I went to see now you see me. Ever since the trailers came out I have been very curious about this movie and glad to say it wasn’t disappointing.

            The movie uses some very cool visual effects that at the same time are simple. For the magic tricks I kept trying to figure out how they did it, which to me increased they joy of the show; however, there was a bigger trick I kept trying to figure out, more on this later.

            The performances of the four horsemen was pretty fantastic, bringing both curiosity and laughter, but each has their own strengths. Let’s start with the leader and cockyness of the group, Daniel Atlas (Jessie Eisenberg), his character positioned himself as the leader probably because out of the four he is the one that shines the most and is not as old as Merritt (Woody Harrelson); it was always a pleasure seeing him on screen and it leads to the point that Jessie is becoming a pretty great actor that not only has been nominated for an oscar but we are going to see him winning one in the future. Merritt provided the comedy and the “old wisdom” of the group, with very funny remarks and silly acting but at the same time having some pretty good insight into what they were doing. The other two were a bit more of assistants I believe, Isla Fisher playing Henley Reeves she was definitely the distraction of the group and Dave Franco as Jack Wilder being the rookie. Morgan Freeman was a pretty good anti-hero, you might call him, and always seemed to be a step in between the cops and the horsemen. I wasn’t too happy with the performance of Melaine Laurent and felt her character Alma Dray was pointless and dry, only there to make a romantic interest to Dylan Rhodes (Mark Ruffalo) which wasn’t necessary. Mark keeps being on a roll after the Avengers with a very complex character that led the cop side of the story to interesting levels, always trying to play catch up and be ahead.

            Now, I was told by many people that they didn’t see the plot twist or the ending coming; which led me to constantly try to think through the whole movie, something I believe it would’ve happened either way but with some extra incentive I went in trying to figure the whole plot…..and I failed…mostly. It is true what they said the whole movie, the closer you see the less you will notice. Wont reveal anything,  but there were three tricks successfully called one, the ending I got close but not enough. All this to me is very good because it made me feel like part of the experience, part of the movie, and to me that is a successful move from a movie.

[jeaninelo]

I really liked this movie. I didn’t expect it to be so funny, but it really is. Cooper and Lawrence do a really good job of playing people who are struggling. It could have been really too dramatic and possibly really depressing if they had played it differently, but they did such a good job. Part of that I’m sure is the writing.

I’ve read some reviews of the movie asking, “how can this movie be funny? These people are really struggling”. I get it, they are. But c’mon. There’s funny stuff going on here. Early in the movie Cooper’s character Patrick is running and Lawrence (Tiffany) keeps ambushing him and he goes “How do you know when I’m running?” There’s a lot of funny stuff going on in this movie. Life is funny, just because it’s a movie and story about people who are dealing with serious issues doesn’t mean it can’t be amusing. 

Chris Tucker was a surprise. First seen very early in the movie I was like, “hey! That’s Chris Tucker!” For a minute I thought maybe he had just made a cameo for some reason, but he keeps popping up in the movie and he really is funny. He’s not being the “Rush Hour” Chris Tucker. He’s just being a normal, funny, dude. I might have to buy this movie. All the acting performances are good and the story is pretty good too.

Don’t have much to say that’s bad. There were a couple continuity errors, which were only slightly distracting and oddly blatant for such a professional movie. The one story complaint I have is that Tiffany and Patrick meet early in the movie, and then its pretty clear that she’s interested in him. But, at the very beginning anyway, I kinda felt like I didn’t understand why she was interested in him. Their first encounter was so short and kind of uncomfortable. I think I would have liked maybe one more scene with them before it became obvious that she was interested. Just seemed to happen really quick, which I guess is how things happen for real sometimes. I just feel like her feelings for him were kinda unexplored. But maybe not, I don’t know. Overall I would say I really liked this movie, and would defiantly recommend it.

[jeaninelo]

Count me with those who loved it. I think this is a great film, and  a great and faithful adaptation of the novel, which is not necessarily the same thing. I've never seen the two oldest versions of GATSBY, but the Luhrmann films stands head and shoulders above the beautiful but curiously empty Robert Redford/ Mia Farrow version. Visually, this GATSBY is just amazing, something even its harshest critics have been forced to allow. This is a dreamscape, everything bigger, brighter, noisier, drenched in life and color... but that's perfectly appropriate here, since the entire narrative is couched as Nick Carraway looking back on a formative time in his life, and dreams are always more intense than reality. Golden ages are never as golden as we remember them.             There are a lot of Fitzgerald's own words in this GATSBY, in the dialogue, in the voiceovers, in the frame, and that's more than okay with me. There's never been a more lyrical writer than F. Scott and that lyricism is captured here. The performances were also terrific. Carrie Mulligan's Daisy made me understand Gatsby's obsessions in a way that the Mia Farrow's Daisy never did; I would be have been obsessed as well. I will confess, I had my doubts about Leonardo diCaprio going on. The central flaw with the Robert Redford GATSBY is Redford himself. A fine actor, certainly, but far too handsome, graceful, self-assured, and in command of every scene to be convincing as Jay Gatsby. Robert Redford is one of the golden people, and Jay Gatsby is desperately TRYING to be one of the golden people, to aspire to everything that comes naturally to Redford, and that distinction is crucial... and ultimately as one of the things that sank the Redford film. I was afraid the Luhrmann version would suffer the same way. I've liked Leonardo diCaprio ever since I first saw him in THE QUICK AND THE DEAD (a guilty favorite) as The Kid, but in that, in TITANIC, and in all his major roles, he's comes across as cocky, brash, self-assured, handsome, with a swagger to him that suggests that he knows who he is and is unafflicted by doubts or fears... all of which is the antithesis of Gatsby. He wasn't here. This is a new, mature Leonardo, as I have never seen himself before, and he does a great turn here. The Kid and Jack and all of those vanish, and there's only Gatsby... trying so hard, dreaming so fiercely. And at the end, it broke my heart, the way the novel always does ever time I reread it, the way it did the first time I read it, back in the early 70s. Going into the movie, I reall did enjoy the book, so I was hoping for the movie to be just as good. This is a book that has vast personal meaning to me, one that has affected me deeply. The romantic in me identifies strongly with Jay Gatsby (and sometimes with Nick Carraway). I know what it is to chase after that green light. So I will not pretend to be disinterested. But I love the book, I love the story, and I loved this movie. Go see it.

[jeaninelo]

Iron Man 3 marks the start of Marvel phase 2 and you will be pleased to hear that there is no hangover here following on from last years Avengers Assemble huge success. When Tony Stark’s world is torn apart by a formidable terrorist called the Mandarin, he starts an odyssey of rebuilding and retribution. Relying on his instinct, intellect and iron suit, Stark puts it all on the line as he struggles to control his personal anxieties and an enemy that knows no bounds to protect those closet to him.

If the iron man films have been anything, it’s that they have been consistently good(acknowledging that Iron Man 2 is the weaker link her and with this latest film, it may also be the strongest so far. Writer and director, Shane Black, has managed to rejuvenate and pump refreshing adrenalin filled life into a franchise that could have been difficult to do following on from the success of last years Avengers.

Robert Downey Jr continues to play the flamboyant, genius, billionaire playboy philanthropist as charismatic as ever and is the complete embodiment of the franchise. Always entreating continuing the banter and the gags in the way the franchise has always delivered but this time showing a little more vulnerability than before. The rest of the cast are good especially Gwyneth Paltrow and Guy Pearce but Ben Kingsley is nothing short of sensational as the Mandarin. Some of these characters have so much pf their background and history tied into their comic book past, it’s brilliant to see that they all bought fully to life with plenty of depth on the big screen.

There are s few unexpected twists and turns along the way, some of which you will see coming and others not so much making it all the more satisfying. Nether the less Iron Man 3 is undeniably entertaining and infectious, always fun and completely charming throughout. Despite a sluggish middle that seems to get bogged down slightly and some of the one liner gags do come across as slightly tacked on, the script is sharp and fresh full of fast paced action and fantastic special effects. The main set piece being the gripping assault on the Stark mansion that combines visuals, action and suspense perfectly.

There are plenty of references thought about ‘New York’ and The Avengers plus with the post credit sequence and promise that ‘Iron Man will return’ it looks like Marvel have plenty more up there sleeve. However, whether or not this will be just as an Avengers appearance or another stand-alone Iron Man film remains to be seen. Still, that said, Iron Man 3 manages to be the perfect combination of action, comedy and drama topping off a fine trilogy for Marvel.

[jeaninelo]

Field assignment on Obesity

For my first field assignment I decided to do it on obesity in the U.S. I feel like every where I go I always either see obese kids and or bese children, so i thought it would be cool to write my field assignment on it. The best part about the field assignment for me was doing the interviews because i was able to ask them whatever I wanted pretty much. My favorite interview would have to be the LA fitness personal trainer I talked to.She gave me a lot of insight on how many people are unhealthy but they think they are. Or how people go to the gym and she trains them, but they eat like crap and drink all the time.  I think the reason why people are  overweight  is not just the lack of exercise, but all the crap they put in their bodies.No one is perfect and eats amazingly 100 percent of the time, but If you want to stay healthy its important to not eat a cheeseburger and fries every day, but throw in some chicken and veggies every once in a while. Especially in California since we live in a state of fast food on every corner of the street so of course it is easier to go their instead of going to the grocery store and actually taking time out of your day to make a healthy conscious dinner. I think if people make little changes in their life they will eventually keep the momentum going and might even start to see results if they incorporate exercise. People think they have to run every day, or have an intense work out, but that not for everyone. Just something like a 30 min walk a day can make a huge difference. 

[meraydoughly-blog]

Let me start out by saying that I have never been into sports and I don’t really know much about them. With that being said, I decided to do my first field assignment for this class on a co-ed soccer team for the city of Glendora.

I went with one team on the league that had been winning...

[jeaninelo]

im sure ur paper is amazing just like u :o)

[genavie0-blog]

For my first field assignment I wanted to choose a topic that I was interested in. I also wanted to pick something that was affecting a lot of people so I chose divorce and the effects it has on children as my topic. I also chose this topic because my mom’s best friend is going through a divorce...

[jeaninelo]

I really like this topics. divorce is so high in california and its cool you researched into it

[jeaninelo]

The Best Mug Cake EVER

I have been experimenting with different mug cakes every since I heard about them about a year ago. None of them have been winners. They were either too chewy, too dry, or not sweet enough. Well, I continued experimenting, and thought why not add some decadent Nutella into the mix. I modified the classic mug cake recipe, added Nutella, and a little more milk and oil than I had been using before. The results were beyond amazing. Finally, chocolate mug cake perfection, with a hint of Nutella flavor. This mug cake maybe a little high in fat, but it is the perfect decadence to help fulfill a chocolate craving after dinner. And the best thing about this dessert is that it’s quick and easy, and you can have it ready in under 5 minutes, start to finish.

I made these quick desserts today for my father and sister-in-law. They were the perfect thing to make for unexpected company. Thanks to my sister-in-law for posing as my hand model today showing off the ooey gooey goodness of the mug cake. She has beautiful, youthful hands, and the steadiness of a surgeon so I could get the perfect shot. If only she was around all the time. Sigh.

4 tablespoons self rising flour 4 tablespoons white granulated sugar 1 egg 3 tablespoons cocoa powder 3 tablespoons Nutella 3 tablespoons milk 3 tablespoons olive or vegetable oil

Method

1. Combine all ingredients in a large coffee mug. Whisk well with a fork until smooth. Microwave on high for 1 1/2 – 3 minutes. (Time depends on microwave wattage. Mine took 1 /2 minutes.) Top with whipped cream and a little chocolate sauce if desired.

2. Top with whipped cream and chocolate syrup. Enjoy!

[gutierrezsm]

Meet Buttons.

Buttons is a Pekingese/Shih-tzu cross.

His nose is so short that he has to face plant into the floor to smell things he finds interesting, and he likes to sit up on his back paws to be held when he is sleepy. Overall, he’s pretty darn adorable except for the fact that his mouth opens up half his face like a furry bear-trap and absolutely everything needs to end up in his mouth.

Everything.

It has earned him the name Monster in our house.

If you want to know a little more about him, you can see a gallery of him if you [click here] and then hit that picture of him on the website.

Read More

[jeaninelo]

your dog is so adorable!

[genavie0-blog]

The Backstreet Boys received the star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame two days after their 20th anniversary. I was so excited that I could be part of that with them. I will always and forever remember that day. I was also really lucky to get as close as I did. 

I have been a fan of the Backstreet Boys since 1997. I was 7 years old when I fell in love with them. I can still remember the day I got their Backstreet’s Back album like it was yesterday. I am 23 now and my love for them is still going strong. They have gotten me through my ups in my life as well as my downs.

Last year I got to meet 3 of the 5 boys (A.J, Kevin, and Howie) at Disneyland after they filmed the Disney Parade. I also got to meet Nick before the taping of their Jimmy Kimmel performance in 2009. I am now on a mission to meet Brain, so my childhood goal of meeting all 5 members will be completed.

On Monday, April 22, 2013, the Backstreet Boys were immortalized on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

The Backstreet Boys received the 2,485th star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on Monday and I was wouldn’t have missed that for anything in the world. Their star is located between Boyz II Men and The Osmond which is ironic because the first song they ever sang was a Boyz II Men song.

There were so many fans there and from all over the world too; I even met two girls who traveled all the way from Belgium. After the ceremony I heard that there were almost 1,000 fans all there. We were all there for the same reason and that was to show how appreciative we are to them and their music. There were also many crowd sing-a-longs to some of the Backstreet Boys most popular songs.   

Each member of the Backstreet Boys gave a speech and each couldn’t hide their emotions. One of my favorite things that was said during the speeches was said by my favorite Backstreet Boy A.J. McLean. He said “I love you guys. And aside from my wedding day and the birth of my daughter, this is hands-down the best day of my life.”

I wanted to get a picture of the star but there were just so many people there. I must go back soon though. 

Im so0 sad i couldnt go with u that day. BSB over nsync anyday

[genavie0-blog]

Director: Jonathan Demme

Synopsis: A young FBI cadet must confide in an incarcerated and manipulative killer to receive his help on catching another serial killer who skins his victims.

Starring: Jodie Foster, Anthony Hopkins, Ted Levine,

This is one of those films that everybody should have seen but I hadn’t so I decided it that it was time to watch it.

This is a fabulous film, even though it’s over 20 years old, you don’t feel any age with it at all. I haven’t read the books so I don’t know how much was changed in the adaptation to the film but I would assume it was done superbly because it’s fantastic. Very simple and elegant, nothing essentially over-complicated but so thrilling and full of suspense. I love the way it was shot, subtle things like people talking directly to the camera when talking to Clarice to see her point of view. The whole thing was mesmerizing.

The cast in this film is superb. Jodie Foster is great, she handles the balance in her character so well, being out of her depth but wanting to prove she can handle it. Going against what she told about Lecter so she can further investigate the case. Ted Levine was fantastic as Gumb he was so unstable and intense, he was wonderful. But Anthony Hopkins was just fascinating. He was quite haunting with his eerie calm; you couldn’t take your eyes off him. He has a delicious menace weaving throughout the whole film and it makes for a truly stunning performance.

To say Anthony Hopkins makes this film makes it sound as if the rest was just so-so but I really did love it all even the scenes he wasn’t involved in but his performance really is something else. Honestly there is no reason that anybody should be waiting as long as I did to see this film! 

[jeaninelo]

 This movie has always creeped me the hell out ! its so insane and its such a classic

[jeaninelo]

Vampire Diaries Addict

I never thought I would be so addicted to the series Vampire Diaries after watching just one episode on Netflix. I totally thought it was going to be some dumb show about vampires, and it turned out to be a show I cannot stop watching. I on season 3 already and I have only been watching the series for a full 2 weeks now.             The show manages to reinvent the devices and make them its own. Multi-dimensional characters, great acting and excellent continuity contribute to a compelling viewing experience.

This show could easily have degenerated into an annoying teenage melodrama, especially since the first season has focused on setting up a love triangle between a seventeen year old human girl and two centuries-old vampire brothers. Somehow, despite its premise, the actions and reactions of the characters have managed to stay believable . Even the non-supernatural storylines manage to surprise you (the teenagers don’t react the way you expect TV shows to write them and the relationships are surprisingly mature, open and real).

The series unfolds like a great book that starts out a tad slow and takes a while to build up to the “good stuff” only to sweep its readers away through a fantastic read. Patient viewers will appreciate “Vampire Diaries” for taking the time to “tell the whole story.” Many of the early episodes introduce a lot of information and character development that enhance the later episodes.

 All of the characters In the show are all so different, and all are super attractive which isn’t a turn off at all. The writers manage to mix so many issues like grief/bereavement, child abuse, child neglect, divorced families, classism… into their storytelling. There is ever a dull moment in any of the episodes. Numerous vampire citizens and guests reveal facets of a fascinating culture all their own. Interesting, for example, vampires don’t seem hung up on race concerns.

[jeaninelo]

The Practically Perfect Cookie

My friends and I had a girl’s night last night and made some delish cookies and I thought I would share them for my blog today. After much experimentation and perhaps a few cumulative inches added to staffers' waistlines, we created a cookie with all those assets. Our recipe makes 40 medium-sized cookies.

Ingredients
2-1/4 cups flour


1 level teaspoon baking soda


1 level teaspoon salt


3/4 cup white sugar


3/4 cup dark-brown sugar,

packed
2 sticks (1/2 lb.) sweet butter, at room temperature


1 teaspoon vanilla extract


2 large eggs


1 12-oz. package Nestlé semisweet chocolate chips

  

Procedure
Preheat the oven to 375° F.

1. Mix the flour, baking soda, and salt in a bowl and set aside.

2. Use a stand-type electric mixer to mix the two sugars briefly at low speed. Add the butter in small gobbets, mixing first at low speed and then at high. Beat the mix until it's pale, light, and very fluffy.

3. Add the vanilla at the mixer's lowest speed, then beat at high speed for a few seconds. Add the eggs, again at the lowest speed, switching to high speed for the final second or so. The eggs should be well beaten in, and the mix should look creamed, not curdled.

4. Add the flour, baking soda, and salt, one-half cup at a time, mixing at low speed for about one minute, then at high speed for a few seconds.

5. Scrape down the bowl's sides with a spatula, add the chocolate chips, and mix at low speed for about 10 seconds. If need be, scrape the bowl's sides again and mix for a few more seconds.

6. Put tablespoonfuls of the mix on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake until the cookies are pale golden brown (nine minutes in an electric oven, 10 to 11 minutes in a gas one). Remove and let them cool on a rack.

Enjoy.

[jeaninelo]

Guest Speaker in My Reporting Class:

            Doug Spoon was a guest speaker tonight in my Reporting 2 class. He came to our class to discuss journalism and different facts about him self. He worked for a newspaper for 35 years and loved every minute of it. He would cover all different types of stories while working for the newspaper. He did everything from the Olympics, to Basketball and Baseball games. The most exciting game he could remember watching is back in 1988 at the Dodger World Series. Spoon says it was such an amazing moment when the star pitcher of the Dodgers hurt his foot and came out during the last inning to pitch one more time and got a home run and he won them the game. When he was younger he write 4 times a week in the sports column. Spoon has a love for local history, and has been for as long as he can remember. Some things he likes to do for fun is watch sports, ride his mountain bike, and before he hurt his foot he used to love to play tennis. Today he is a teacher at Cal Poly Pomona. He is in the communication department and teaches the reporting classes. He also runs the Poly Post, which is the local Campus Newspaper. While doing that newspaper, he also is the Editor of the Menifee online newspaper named Menifee 24/7. While having 2 kids of his own, and 3 step grandchildren he seems to be a very busy man, but can still manager to do all of these things. His son Darren is following right in his dad’s foot steps by being an sports columnist at the newspaper Spoon use to work at. After talking to our class you can tell he has been to a lot of really cool places and have seen really amazing games. I am glad I got the pleasure of meeting him tonight and learning about all of the different fun facts he shared with us.

[jeaninelo]

Scary Movie 5 review.

The last Scary Movie was in 2006 so there was quite a gap between the two, however as the film franchise follow no order or structure in anyway then it didn’t really matter at all. There were a few casting changes with Anna Farris no longer playing the lead which she had done so for all the past films. I knew what to expect from this film, in terms of a ‘film’ it would probably be crap, but i enjoy these type of films and the past ones always provided me with comedy moments i still quote to this day. This instalment took the piss out of horror films in recent years such as paranormal activity, cabin in the woods, the upcoming evil dead and other films like black swan and inception and rise of the planet of the apes. If you enjoy random comedy that makes no logical sense, then you would like this. It provides laughs to you and the cast of actors helps, although i would have liked to see more of Terry Crews as he has a lot of comedic potential in him. And the lack of Leslie Nielsen who sadly past away a few years back was missed. As he made the 3rd and 4th film what they were and it was his comedy timing that made them outstanding. The funniest moment for me was a 10 second clip. A monkey (planet of the apes) uses the toilet, reads then walks off. Then comes back picks up the poo and throws it at the mirror. Crude humour, but made me laugh like a mad man. Dont know why. But yeah, see the film, dont see it, i really couldnt care. I just wanted to let people know what i thought of it.

[genavie0-blog]

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

This is a story about two lovers who’ve had their minds erased of the memories they had created together after their relationship became miserable. Joel (Jim Carrey) and Clementine (Kate Winslet) are like the opposites of each other. Clementine’s an open book while Joel bundled up his thoughts inside his journal. Still, they loved each other and their relationship was adventurous. But they weren’t really open to each other’s thoughts and feelings that’s why their relationship came to an end. Clementine was the first one to have her mind erased in Lacuna, a clinic where people go to erase the memories they’ve had with people they don’t want to think about ever again. When Joel went to see her, he was completely shocked to see Clementine looked as if she doesn’t know Joel, Joel grasped the fact that Clementine went to Lacuna to obliterate Joel out of her life forever. Resentful to what Clementine has done, Joel did the same thing and had Clementine erased out of his life but during the process—wherein he must reminisce all the reminiscence he had with Clem in order to easily tract the memories and delete them once and for all—he realized that he is still in love with Clem and he’s regretting what he has done. In his memories, he was running away with Clem in his deepest memories so that they won’t be able to track his memories with her.

This is one of my favorite movies. This first time I watched it I was completely lost, but after the second time I understood it. Jim Carrey is amazing in it. It is a beautiful love story, and a beautiful, dreamy movie. The soundtrack is pretty good too. If you haven’t seen this movie, I suggest you watch it. 

[jeaninelo]

ive been wanting to see this..now im going to

[meraydoughly-blog]

This week I decided that I wanted to write about something personal. I have been working with a nutritionist for three months now and I finally hit a little goal that I didn’t think I would ever get to. I hit my half way point and have lost a total of 30 pounds. I didn’t put on weight until...

[jeaninelo]

 ur amazing..just sayin