The Hunger Games, Mockingjay Part 1 Review: Jennifer Lawrence IS the Mockingjay

November 25, 2014 / Ajmorse / Leave a comment

If you haven’t read the books, or haven’t seen the latest Hunger Games movie, Mockingjay Part 1, beware there are spoilers ahead.

The last time we saw Katniss Everdeen, was in Catching Fire after she had destroyed the arena and was picked up by the rebellion. In Mockingjay Part one, Katniss is left to pick up the broken pieces of her sanity, and to come to terms with the things she didn’t know existed before: namely, the rebellion and district 13.

In the excitement to remove her from the crumbling wreckage of the quarter quell, Peeta was captured by the capitol. District 12 was destroyed, and the remaining survivors find sanctuary in District 13. Although destroyed on the surface many years ago, district 13 managed to survive underground with the leadership of President Coin, who runs their district with strict military precision.

This is something that’s difficult for Katniss, because she is sick of being told what to do, and where to go, especially when all she wants to do is escape the pain of the people she has lost. She agrees to be the Mockingjay, a symbol of the rebellion, only if Peeta and the other victors that were captured are rescued from the Capitol. The Mockingjay will be promoted in a series of promos to help encourage the districts to join the cause and fight against the Capitol.

What is most noticeable about this movie: the intensity. Everything has been brought up about ten notches. The first two films are mostly told from Katniss’ perspective, which is true to the novel, but for the fist time, we get a more elaborate view of the events that are happening outside of Katniss’ point of view. We see exchanges between President Coin, (Julianne Moore) and game maker, Plutarch Heavensbee (Phillip Seymore Hoffman), and also scenes between Plutarch and Effie Trinket (Elizabeth Banks). There are also, numerous shots of the rebellion that happen in the other districts as well.

Emotions are high; fear, and anger and heartache simmer just below the surface and it’s not difficult to catch the emotion behind the revolution, the need to fight for the right to live. This change in perspective makes sense, as Katniss’ state of mind is not always completely together, and it is clear that there is something larger at stake here.

Katniss is often joined by her old friend Gale, (Liam Hemsworth) and new friend Finnick Odair (Sam Claflin), but she obtains new friends in her entourage; the most surprising (and bad-ass looking) is one member of her camera crew, Cressida (Natalie Dormer) who some might know as Margaery, on Game of Thrones.

If the great cast might not draw you in, how about the soundtrack? Lorde recorded four songs for the film and even Jennifer Lawrence has her own track. Although she claims she is a terrible singer, the song she sings in the film, “The Hanging Tree,” is hauntingly beautiful and almost eerie in the way it lingers in your mind afterwards. There is no other actor alive (I believe) that would be able to play the role of Katniss so well.

“Fire IS catching.”

Here’s a look at J-Law’s awesome singing:

Masterchef Junior Season 2 Episode 3 Recap: Cupcakes, Ramsay’s Mum, and Shepard’s Pie

November 21, 2014November 21, 2014 / Ajmorse / Leave a comment

Tuesday’s episode starts out with a team challenge; the top ten are presented with cupcakes and while they are devouring their delicious treats, they get the bad news: whoever has the same cupcake as them will be their partner in the next round. The task: to make a dozen high quality cupcakes, but they won’t be just standing side by side, it’s a three-legged race!

Source: Fox. Contestant Adaiah, who’s been shaping up to be a top contender.

The teams are: Abby and Mitchell, Sam and Adaiah, Levi and Samuel, Sean and Logan, Oona and Josh.

The idea is to work together on a dozen cupcakes, yet everyone seems to be doing two different flavors. For some of the kids, being tied together is more awkward than others. Joe teases Oona about being tethered to Josh after the challenge is done, to which she amusingly protests with a loud “No!” Ah, well, at ages nine and ten, I still thought boys had cooties too.

In a bit of fun, the judges are tied together as they inspect everyone’s cupcakes. I love how they don’t seem to be taking themselves as seriously this season. They are essentially the teachers, yes, but why not have a little fun, too? And a key part of the entertainment is lightening the mood in moments of stress. I think they’ve got it
down in a nutshell. When asked if being tied together was difficult, Gordon’s like, “Now you know what its like when you are married.” Har. Har.

The top three groups had the best cupcakes: Sam and Adaiah, Abby and Mitchell and Sean and Logan.

Sam and Adaiah’s cupcakes are chosen first. They made an orange honey bosom cupcake, and a vanilla cupcake with raspberry. Abbey and Mitchell also impress with their cupcakes. They made a Mexican hot chocolate cupcake and a peanut butter cup cupcake.

And also in the top three again: Sean and Logan, who impressed the judges with their culinary skills. They made lemon basil cupcakes and a chocolate raspberry cupcake with a creative candied sugar on top. The cupcakes are gorgeous; they really do look like a work of art. Logan says that, “Sean really brought it with the presentation, and he
brought it with the flavor.” They also are the only ones that had a cupcake with a filling in it.

Source: Fox

Naturally, Sean and Logan win the mystery box challenge and gain an advantage in the next round. Their cupcakes really were quite stunning.

Gordan Ramsay’s mum stops by for a visit. When asked about her son’s success, she chalks it up to trial and error. I love it! For the next challenge, Sean and Logan get to choose from Gordan’s three favorite dishes that his mom used to make for him: fish sandwich, chicken curry, and Shepard’s pie. And Ramsay’s mum will stay as a guest judge.

I personally don’t think this is completely fair, as Gordan grew up in the UK, and the stuff that he was eating as a kid isn’t necessarily what kids in America would eat on a regular basis, but then again, these kids are adventurous little cooks and aren’t intimidated by a little bit of curry.

Sean and Logan choose Shepard’s pie for the next challenge.

Surprisingly, Oona struggles for the first time. Most of the kids, it seems, have never made or tasted Shepard’s pie before. It is heartbreaking especially to watch Oona, who is nine years old going on thirty, and claims that she has never done so badly before.

Levi, Abby, and Samuel come out strong, although, Samuel seems to stretch the limit a bit by deconstructing the Shepard’s pie, when they clearly said to elevate it, not take it apart. Mitchell also struggles which is tough to see, because we know that he is a top contender. Sam also breaks down when he accidentally makes his potatoes too runny. Graham is quickly there to offer encouragement, but he doesn’t seem to bounce back.

Adaiah and Levi have the strongest dishes again, while Mitchel and Sam get sent home. It’s getting more and more difficult to watch the kids get sent home, especially when we are just getting to see their personalities. And the worse part: watching them cry, because I hate to see them cry.

You can tell it’s also hard for the judges, too, but they also encourage, and their words of advice are uplifting for the heartbroken kids. And yes, they should be proud to be in the top ten best junior cooks in America.

Next episode the top eight make fried eggs and it looks like we are getting into the best and brightest. Not surprising that some of the oldest kids on the show are some of the last in the competition. They seem to have the advantage of consistency so far.

Here’s a peek at next week’s episode:

Interstellar Review: A Movie that Thrills with Theoretical Science

November 18, 2014November 18, 2014 / Ajmorse / 3 Comments

My boyfriend asked me why I haven’t written up a review of Interstellar yet (which we saw in I-Max a few weekends ago) and to be honest, I didn’t know where to begin. There are a few things I am sure of, however, and that is one, Interstellar has imprinted itself forever in my memory, and two, nearly three-hours of I-Max will make you sick.

Yet despite the motion sickness, Interstellar is a movie that just begs to be talked about. There are a lot of themes and topics to digest: mortality, life and death, cowardice, good vs bad, theoretical science, time, love and fifth dimensions. And that doesn’t even include the incredible worlds you will see.

****Mild spoiler’s ahead. I discuss a summary of the plot, and highlights. No major plot points spoiled.

Source: Paramount

But first, a brief summary:

Interstellar is about Cooper, (Matthew McConaughey) a retired pilot and engineer, and his family, who are farmers, or trying to be. Their world is dying, old ways are written out of history; the world needs food, not scientists. And while the farmers are planting and trying to grow food, blight and drought are killing the crops, and the dust storms that arise are killing the people.

Prompted by a mysterious message, (which turn out to be coordinates,) Cooper and his daughter, Murphy’s Law, or “Murph,” (Mackenzie Foy,) stumble upon the secret remnants of NASA.

NASA’s plan to save the people on earth is to look for other worlds to live on and Cooper is just the pilot they need. Cooper finds himself traveling across Interstellar space with Dr. Brand, (Anne Hathaway) to see if the scientists that traveled on before them have found livable worlds.

It’s been more than a week since I’ve seen the movie, yet the visuals and certain scenes are etched forever in my mind. They encounter a black hole, a smoldering glorious bit of CGI that could be a character by itself; frozen landscapes and on one world: waves as tall as mountains.

While the scientists face many obstacles in their near-impossible task to find a sustainable world, their real enemy is time: Albert Einstein’s theory of relativity. They maintain their ‘present time,’ but meanwhile, their loved ones on earth are growing older, having babies, getting married. It makes sense: it takes time to get places because they are so far away, and while they maintain their present age, their loved one’s lives pass on without them.

Source: Paramount: Cooper and his daughter, Murph, look to the sky as they stand in front of their farmhouse.

I did find a dummy version of Einstein’s theory of relativity here, and even then it is several pages long. Much of the science in Interstellar is based on scientific theory.

Take the black hole that Cooper and Dr. Brand encounter, for example: it’s the projection of a formula developed by Kip Thorne, an astrophysicist, whose math was used to create what is conceived to be the most accurate simulation of a black hole. More details on his involvement in the movie and the science behind Interstellar can be found here, at wired.com. He even has a book on the matter appropriately titled, The Science of Interstellar.

Einstein explained it best this way: “The more massive something is, the more gravity it produces. Objects like stars and black holes do this so powerfully that they actually bend light and pull space and time with it.” (wired.com)

The giant black hole they encounter is called Gargantua and certainly lives up to its name. Without this incorporation of theoretical science, the movie would not exist, as time and gravity is so important to the overall story line. With this in mind, Gargantua could be a character in the movie, and because of the incredible graphics, it certainly gives you the impression that it is alive in some way.

Source: Paramount: The black hole, “Gargantua.”

Like Inception, there is so much to digest in this movie. All the mind-bending twists and turns, the confusion of time; its only major flaw is its length, (it is nearly three hours long,) and the pounding score when scenes get intense.

The length of the movie did not bother me; I love a movie that makes you think, but there were some moments where the score in the film was too loud, especially near the end. It was not necessary (I thought) to express the urgency in the film with loud, pounding music, you could already feel that through the character’s emotions, the quick cuts to each scene and the dialogue. But I imagine this will be something that will get cleared up before it comes out on DVD. Inception’s score was much the same way.

Despite that, however, there isn’t a movie out there right now that is in any way like it. You can definitely see the complexity and the richness of many years of scientific research played out on the screen. And the emotion behind every action, every character’s choice is heartfelt and true. This is one of Christopher Nolan’s best.

And once you see Gargantua on the big screen, you’ll know exactly why.

What did you you guys think of Interstellar? Are there certain scenes that stick out more than others?

**Note, I didn’t want too many spoilers in the review in case someone were to stumble on this without seeing the movie. At any rate, if there’s something you want to talk about, leave a comment below!

MasterChef Junior Season 2 Episode 2 Recap: Citrus Pies, oh my!

November 13, 2014November 15, 2014 / Ajmorse / Leave a comment

Why do we love Masterchef junior?

I think there is a key phrase in this week’s episode, and that has to be: “Gordon Ramsay doused in syrup.”

MASTERCHEF: Contestant Oona in the all-new "Junior Edition: Flip It!" episode of MASTERCHEF airing Tuesday, Nov. 11 (8:00-9:00 PM ET/PT) on FOX. CR: Greg Gayne / FOX. © 2014 FOX Broadcasting Co.

The judges kicked off this week’s second episode in good fun – the three that had the best dishes in last week’s episode, (Sean, Oona and Samuel), had a challenge to see how many pancakes they could cook and stack in five minutes. Each kid is competing for one of the judges and whoever wins, gets to ‘save’ their judge from getting doused in syrup.

Although Sean wins the challenge, all judges end up covered in sticky goodness and pieces of pancake get tossed at Gordon Ramsay and get stacked on top of Joe’s bald head. Pancakes do seem to make a good hat, by the way.

Anyway, as winner of the challenge Sean gets to pick what the other kids will be making: Citrus pies. AND he gets to pick another competitor to sit out of the challenge with him. He picks Mitchell because he knows that Mitchell is good at citrus pies and would have made it to the next round anyway.
I think its adorable that these kids at such tender ages are so confident at making certain things. And the creativeness is high: key lime pie, raspberry lime, grapefruit, blood orange; but like any competition, I get nervous just watching these kids work.

Will they get their pies done in time? What if it turns out wrong? And the terrible thought: What if they go home after this challenge?

I hate to see them cry.

Samuel over-complicates with his multiple flavors, Adaiah wows with her blood orange pie, and Oona once again impresses the judges with her consistency. It’s a shame because the kids that don’t get a lot of face time are either in the bottom four or are just average and skating by. While last episode I was uncertain about these new batch of kids, their personalities are definitely starting to shine, and who doesn’t love Oona, right? And Logan, with his Dad who’s a politician, and that goofy grin and bow tie.

Levi shows his brilliant baking skills with his key lime pie, and Abbey who is the youngest in the competition, makes a phenomenal blood orange pie, which she creatively tops with jelly beans. I thought it was a daring move, but Gordon seemed to like it.

And while we were just beginning to see their personalities, Natalie and Jessica were sent home. And just last episode, Natalie was a top contender. I’ve seen other competitors go home because of baking challenges, and I guess this is no different. Not every great cook is a great baker, too.

I didn’t agree with the judge’s decisions – I thought Josh’s pie was worse than Jessica’s,
but I guess they thought pecans didn’t really belong on a cream pie. Poor girl.

Next week, it looks like a three-legged race, and another chance for the top ten to prove what they can do. While the pancake challenge was fun, and the three-legged race in next week’s episode looks equally enjoyable, I think it is time to remind the producers that these kids are cooking on an ADULT level, so how about a few more adult challenges, eh?

It’s amazing to see what these kids can do when faced with the ability to let their imaginations run wild. Ah, well, there’s still several more episodes to go! Who would have thought: a raspberry lime pie? Sounds fabulous!

I’ll be tuning in next week for more delicious confections, that’s for sure!

Here’s a peak at the new season:

NEW READS: Featuring Author, K. Starling’s book, In Beauty’s Veins

September 20, 2014September 20, 2014 / Ajmorse / Leave a comment

I have been offered a great opportunity. One of my former classmates and friend, K. Starling, has self-published her own novel, In Beauty’s Veins, and has agreed to do an interview with me!

The opportunity will give us some insight into self-publishing, her writing process and of course her work of fiction, which is drawing me in with its incredible world and great characters.

Taken directly from the back of the novel itself, In Beauty’s Veins is a story about friendship, forgiveness and finding hope in dark places against all odds.

Five years after she is torn away from everything and everyone she knows, Daphne is tired of her fruitless search for a lost friend. Leaving her homeland in the Atwin Counties, she arrives in the merchant town of Halfawaise ready to open a medical practice. However, her medical training is unusual since she is a Healer, a being out of Atwin superstition that the local medic denies ever existed. The town is immediately suspicious of the newcomer when she forms an unlikely bond with the town pariah, a girl long suspected of murder, and their suspicions only grow when a local man is savagely attacked by another Atwin legend – a vampyre.

Struggling with a language and culture not her own, Daphne slowly reveals the secrets of her dark past to three young women with their own conflicted agendas, all the while trying to prove her worth to the skeptical town of Halfawaise.

Look for a review and my interview with K. Starling two weeks from now, Saturday, Oct 4th!

You can also find K. Starling’s book on amazon.com, HERE.

I am very excited about this! 🙂 Hope everyone is having a great Saturday!

Part 3: Endtown (a short story)

August 14, 2014 / Ajmorse / 2 Comments

Author’s Note –

I’m posting this tonight a little later than I thought, but I am very proud of how this story is going – it took itself in a direction that I hadn’t planned on, but is exciting!

If you haven’t read Part 1 and 2 that I posted the previous Thursdays, read them Here, and Here. Thanks for stopping by! Enjoy!

The train appeared on the track, rushing closer, growing bigger. Just as Genevieve was about to open her mouth to let Gaven know, there was a rush of heat, and white light and the front of the train exploded in the darkness.

THEY were trying to rustle through the broken pieces in the darkness, lit only faintly by the burning embers of the wreck. Everything smelled of soot and burnt meat.

“There weren’t humans on this train was there?” she thought with horror.

“No,” said Gillian as he flipped over a burnt piece of wood. “The trains are used for cargo.”

In the darkness, Gen could see the faint outline of his dark cloak. He was the same age as Gaven, but where Gaven was muscular and tan, Gillian was pale, black-haired and gaunt. The three G’s the others sometimes called them, and other things…but Genevieve was just happy to have friends. Being dead could be a lonely thing sometimes.

Gaven came to stand by her then and she looked up at his shiny eyes. He grabbed her elbow suddenly as a figure stepped out from the darkness in front of the simmering embers of the train wreck. She had momentarily forgotten about the rest of the train, but its tail end still waited in the darkness, white, silent, and expecting.

“Oh, in-between-ers,” a voice hissed as it stepped closer. “This night just gets better and better.”

“Don’t come any closer,” said Gaven as he took a step forward. “We are not here to fight you.”

“What are you here for then, if not to sabotage our plans?” said the voice, dark and raspy.

Gillian came up to stand on the other side of Genevieve. “We are here for answers,” he said. “There is no place for you here, demon.”

The figure laughed and Genevieve felt a chill in her heart. She could never be this evil. She felt a sudden feeling of hopelessness. Maybe she really was just a little girl after all.

“I can feel your hopelessness, your distrust,” said the figure. He lowered the dark hood that he wore. Besides a chill, he stank of fire and fish. His face was all white, his eyes were completely black. He had no hair, and a thin black slash for a mouth. “Tell me, how goes your revolution?”

“Our business is none of yours,” said Genevieve as she held Gaven’s arm. “What are you doing here?”

The figure tilted his head towards the cold wind that blew through the trees and stirred the ash at his feet. A glowing piece of wood glowed orange and then caught on fire. He studied his claw-like fingernails. “I don’t waste my time talking to children. I wonder…does your master know your here?”

Genevieve remembered the first time she had met their master.

The thing they never tell you when you are saying your goodbyes: how quiet death is. For a long time she felt like she existed, except there are no formal introductions to the places you wake up in. In Sunday school she learned it this way: You go to Heaven if you are good; Hell is for the sinners and the unclean. But what she didn’t know, was that there were places that existed for the In-Between. Limbo wasn’t just for those who slept and never woke up.

Limbo was the place you went if you weren’t quite good enough. Limbo was for the punished who’d repented. It was for the few stranglers of the Great Fall, back when Lucifer had tried to make a claim to earth and all its inhabitants. A war they were still fighting, actually. Some from the Great Fall were trying to make right what they had done. Some were sent there because they weren’t quite done with where they had been. Some thought that it was a place to be alive again, but Genevieve wasn’t so sure. Neither Angel or Demon, the “In-between-ers” were neither living or dead. They possessed the skills and strengths of an Angel and Immortality but they weren’t all-seeing like some, and they had the limitations of a human body.

Genevieve felt like a broken record sometimes, living a life that she had a few times before. Moments never change, regrets still exist and living life like a human constantly reminded her how fragile and stupid they were sometimes. She was sick of making the same mistakes over and over again.

But the man they called Master gave them a purpose. They were the insiders, helping to fight a war that the Angels struggled with. They could blend in, they could be the eyes in every corner.

She vaguely remember Heaven, as a warm place as she was fighting for life. She remembered struggling to breathe, twisting her arms around in the murky river, trying to kick at the thick, car window. Between bursts of unconsciousness, she felt warmth surround her and then there was nothing. She woke up in a white room. There was no smell, no breeze, nothing. Just an ever present fog and the feeling that she had forgotten something, left something behind.

She wore a hospital gown and sat up on a bed that you normally see in a doctor’s office when you are getting a check-up. A man approached. He wore dark rimmed glasses and had a Clark Kent type of feel, and a presence about him, a strength. His eyes were not natural either, they were a wide blue-almost purple, and his ears were pointed at the tip. He wore a white lab coat. When he was closer, Genevieve could see the tops of feathered wings poking over his shoulders.

“You’re awake,” he said. “Good.”

“You’re an Angel,” she said, and was surprised to hear her own voice. It had felt like a long time.

He sat down in a desk chair that seemed to have appeared out of nowhere. “Sort of.” He eyed her over a manila folder that had also appeared in his hand. “First time driver, huh?”

Genevieve blinked at him. “I’d rather not talk about it.”

He rolled back in his chair as he looked at her. “Let me put it this way for you. Heaven is not quite ready for you, you’re too good for Hell, and you were too young to die. Sixteen…” He shook his head then. “You are supposed to have the whole world in front of you. What if I said you could make a difference for others instead?”

That was how it had started.

The demon was still looking at them. “Your Master doesn’t know, does he?” He grinned, and Genevieve shuddered. His teeth were filed down to points, for gnawing on flesh.

“What are you going to do?” said Genevieve.

He looked the three of them over. “You’ll never know.”

To Be Continued Next Thursday…

Race Weekend in Upstate New York!

August 8, 2014 / Ajmorse / Leave a comment

Here’s some Friday randomness for you:

Was out to dinner tonight with the boyfriend at the Blue Dolphin, which is a cute family Greek restaurant in Apalachin, NY, when right next door in the hotel parking lot we see…

Dale Earnhardt Jr’s number 88 car!It is race weekend in Watkins Glen, NY, which isn’t that far away from my hometown, so it isn’t that rare to some NASCAR stuff around town – but here I am close to Binghamton, NY and I have never seen so many race cars just hanging out in parking lots before.

Here’s the car we saw in the Wegman’s parking lot today:

Matt Kenseth’s number 20 car!

Just thought I’d share for all of you followers of NASCAR out there! Hope everyone has a great weekend!

Happy Writing!

Guardians of the Galaxy review: More please!

August 4, 2014August 4, 2014 / Ajmorse / 2 Comments

I went and saw Guardians of the Galaxy last night and wanted to write-up a quick review. And yes, I am listening to Blue Swede’s “Hooked on a feeling” while I type this up. 😛

Beware, spoilers ahead!

I have read so many mixed reviews of this movie. One’s calling it a space opera, with too much going on, going as far as comparing it to Star Wars. Another review says it’s a great film with a lot of heart, bringing back the true hero in cinema. Me? My thought when the movie was done: I want to see this again!

But there is one thing I want to make clear: it’s not Star Wars. It’s not even close to Star Wars! It’s in its own universe in fact! Like ACTUAL universe, with galaxies and planets and characters and spaceships that don’t exist in Star Wars, so who in their right mind would think that it would even serve as a comparison?

That being said…just because it’s not Star Wars, doesn’t mean it’s not a great film! I love this movie…its going up on my top list of all time favorites and I’m pretty sure after it comes out on blue ray (which I’m sure, sadly, will be a billion years from now) it will be watched over and over again like I do with Lord of the Rings, Princess Bride, Star Wars, and Harry Potter. It beat out Inception and even some beloved and cherished chick flicks of mine. That means something.

Why I love this movie so much?

The characters.

Abducted as a child, Peter Quill, grows up to be a thief. When he decides to double-cross the person who raised him, he meets other thieves and bandits with their own agenda. A genetically altered raccoon named Rocket, and his friend, Groot, a plant humanoid who can sprout flowers from his hands, among other things. Then there’s Gamora, a fierce assassin who’s been turned into a weapon by the evil Thanos…and then there’s Drax, the Destroyer, who wants to kill Gamora’s father, oh, and the guy also working for him, a very creepy, Ronan. Drax also has a problem understanding metaphors. (But more on that later.)

Together, this hodge-podge group find themselves trying to defend the galaxy, to save everyone from the very weapon they stole in the first place. I can see why Marvel had some misgivings about this story, but it works. The chemistry between the characters is fantastic and it is their differences that make them unique and interesting.

It’s a movie with a lot of heart.

Rocket and Groot are best friends, and the interactions between them are at the heart of it all. I love seeing characters with vast differences coming together as a central unit, defeating all odds together. Both Groot and Rocket are computer generated, but it is so easy to forget that, when you see the emotion playing across their faces.

Most of the time, you’ll find yourself laughing…it is a comedy after all. But there are also tender, heartfelt moments that grip you amongst the laughter. It makes you remember that these characters want you to know they matter, and that there is more to them then who they used to be and they show that through friendship, loyalty and sacrifice. There’s a lot of good here.

It ties in with the other Marvel films

Remember that weird, creepy white-haired guy at the end of the second Thor movie? The one they gave the aether to? He’s here. Taneleer Tivan, or The collector, he’s also called. He’s the buyer Gamora had for the orb. But there’s also Thanos, the big bad that’s supposed to crop up in the third Avengers movie, or so I heard.

I also read how people are surprised that Marvel is becoming a brand, like Disney or Pixar with a certain expectation when it comes to their films. I can see why. They do it so well! To me its fantastic the way all these films are beginning to tie into one another…it feels like a sequel that never ends.

We’ve got great action and fight scenes

It’s incredible and great to watch. And there’s lot of color. The world outside seemed kind of dull to me after watching this film. Very cinematic.

It’s funny

The banter between the characters in itself is amusing, but there are also jokes and dancing, oh, and music. And there’s some amusing scenes when Drax has some trouble understanding metaphors. It’s amusing, but English majors especially will appreciate the humor – I know I did.

The music

We finally get to understand why we’ve heard Blue Swede’s “Hooked on a feeling” over and over in the trailers. Peter Quill listens to a cassette tape over and over with hits from the 80s and earlier eras on them, a gift from his mother…and really the only thing he has to remember her by. There’s also “Spirit in the Sky” by Norman Greenbaum, and “Cherry Bomb” by The Runaways, and “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough,” just to name a few. The soundtrack in this movie is really what makes it different from the other Marvel films. It certainly reflects the uniqueness of the characters themselves.

And overall, this is just a very great film. Perhaps, it is my obsession with a great story and characters, but I’m pretty sure I fell in love with this movie last night.

And will probably be seeing it more than once in theaters! (Because I’m a nerd like that.) 😛

What did you guys think of the film?

A Short Story: Endtown

July 31, 2014August 7, 2014 / Ajmorse / 2 Comments

I decided what I am going to do for my a continuing post…and that would be, a story! Originally I was going to post the story on Fridays, but upon observation, I think Thursday is the best night to do so. A lot of people are busy Friday nights, (myself included,) so instead, I’ll leave Friday night to the miscellaneous posts, the randomness that is me, etc. 🙂

This is a story that I started several weekends ago, inspired by the street lights I can see from my office window. For some reason, the town we live in has this sort of grugdyness feel…as if it has lived its heyday, and has let itself go. There are still a lot of nooks, and sweet spots to find, but they are like the diamond in the rough, difficult to see against all that grey.

Anyway, here goes. It has no name yet, for now…we will call it…

“Endtown”

The train rattled, a rata-tat-tat, a rata-tat-tat, ending with a drawn out horn as it whooshed past. The girl standing under the street light turned towards the sound. She could see the train’s cars flying past in between the distant buildings, a blur of colors, grey and blue and a burnt red all blending together. One minute there and the next gone. She tossed a ball up and down in her hands, up towards the street light, which turned everything in the darkness a pale sort of yellow.

She leaned down and squinted at some writing that someone had chalked onto the sidewalk: a hand with the middle finger sticking up all done up in orange and pink. Underneath the drawing someone had written in white chalk in capital letters: UP YOURS.

“Ridiculous,” she said as she paced back and forth. “So angry,” she muttered. “So…undisciplined.”

“You of all people should know,” said a hissing voice next to her elbow, with a faint laugh.

The girl jumped. “God! You scared the shit out of me!”

She looked down at a green and white striped snake who was stretched out on a blue garbage can. “Of all the forms you could choose, and you come to me like that.”

“Oh, forgive me your great worshipfulness,” hissed the snake. “Next time I’ll come as a chipmunk…or a kumquat.”

“A kumquat? What the hell is that? Anyway, it feels like I’m talking to the garbage can. I’m sure it looks like it, too.”

“Hey, if cans could talk,” said the snake, with a slither of his tongue and a wink. “I wonder what they would say?”

She looked across the street at a run down convenience store. It was a white square building, with a faded coco cola sign out front. “Probably something like it stinks in here.” She noticed that the neon sign was supposed to say Jerry’s, but an R was missing. “Have you heard from the master tonight?”

“Not a thing. I thought that is why you called this meeting?”

“My job was to watch this small town. Watch the train, watch the exports, watch the people, and yet…nothing. I haven’t heard from anybody in weeks.”

“Have a little faith Gen,” said the snake. “That’s what we are here for.”

She folded her arms across her chest, as the wind rustled a chunk of brown hair by her face. Freckled, blue-eyed and dressed in a red t-shirt and shorts, she felt trapped by her boyish figure, by the fact that she never could grow up, no matter how much she wanted to. She scratched at the sweat that had gathered at the back of her neck.

“It must be on the train,” she said as she swatted at a fly that flew in front of her face. She watched with wide eyes as it buzzed in front of the snake who swallowed it down with a big gulp.

“You’re disgusting,” she said as she turned away. “I can’t believe I spend time with you.”

“You love me,” said the snake. “I just know it. Anyway, tell me about this town. Any diamonds in the rough?”

“Some. There was a baker who gave me an extra doughnut in my box yesterday, but he thought it was for my mother.”

The snake gave her a side-long glance. “How are the live-in parents doing?”

“Fine.”

He wasn’t stupid, he knew what she wasn’t saying.

Genevieve scratched at an itch on her nose. She wriggled her shoulders. The itch was spreading. It felt like the time she had gotten poison ivy when she was at summer camp.

“Can we go get a coffee or something?” she said as she scratched at the freckles on her arms. “I can’t stand under this street light anymore. I feel like a hooker.”

The snake snorted. “You’re breaking out in hives again, aren’t you?”

“I am not.”

“You worry too much.” He flicked his tail toward her and managed to poke her in the side. She glared at him.

“Stop that,” she said.

“I don’t think snakes drink coffee.”

“Change then,” she said and she was already walking down the street. She heard a grunt, and then there was the sound of footsteps behind her.

She looked down at her mentor’s blue tennis shoes, jeans and then up to his blonde-silver hair. His brown eyes twinkled with mischief. “So, where are we going?”

The only thing open was a 24-hour diner that promised the best fried chicken this town has to offer! “That’s promising,” muttered the girl as they walked inside. “And there’s a KFC next door.”

“They are hardly the best,” said their hostess, as she grabbed their menus. She had long, silky brown hair and smooth skin. “Will you guys be having dinner? We have a separate dinner, dessert and breakfast menu. ”

The man standing next to Genevieve scratched at his head. “Haven’t decided yet. Why don’t you give us all three.”

Over pancakes, sausage, and bacon they talked about the master’s plan.

To Be Continued…

The Princess Bride, Ginger ale and chicken and stars soup

July 23, 2014 / Ajmorse / Leave a comment

My last post was too long ago! I was house sitting for my mother last weekend and between working and errands, I think I’ve tired myself out. And although I slept nearly twelve hours last night – I know twelve! (I could probably sleep forever if my boyfriend would let me,) I have a terrible sinus headache today and I’m feeling just plain lousy.

Feeling “under the weather” made me think of all the things I used to do when I was sick and the foods that I would like to eat when I was a kid. (Something that hasn’t really changed now that I am twenty-six).

First things first: Choice of entertainment – The Princess Bride.

It was a movie that I always used to watch when I was sick and I still do. I’d alternate between the princess bride and the Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring. The music that plays during the shire scenes in the beginning is so relaxing and calming for me. As for The Princess Bride, well that’s a given. It has everything for someone who just wants a good story before bedtime: romance, adventure, fantasy, humor, sword fighting and great characters.

Drink of choice: Ginger Ale.

Whether I’m suffering from the stomach bug, or a terrible head cold, ginger ale is calming on the stomach and refreshing. When you’re told to drink lots of liquids to feel better, why not have it taste good?

Food of choice: Chicken and Stars soup.

You know the Campbell’s chicken and stars condensed soup that the Progresso commercials say are not adult food? Yeah, that’s the one! haha 😉 But there’s nothing like some good saltines and butter and this hot soup when your head is pounding or you’re just ready to go to sleep.

Well, now that I’ve made myself all nostalgic and wishing Mom was here to sooth all ails, I’ve got a question for you all.

What do you like to watch/eat/drink when you are sick?

It’s all about comfort here, people. And these are definitely my comforts when I am ill. Hope everyone is having a great week so far.