The Hunger Games Movie Cast - Haymitch Abernathy

My 8th grade classes are reading The Hunger Games this six weeks, and we've been working on visualization. As a part of that process, I'm having them visualize characters according to their traits supplied by the author. However, we are also creating a "Dream Cast" that we would like to see in The Hunger Games movie. A lot of you have criticized my Dream Cast for The Hunger Games movie that my students came up with last year, so I'm sure you will have a lot to say about this years suggestions! Keep in mind that teens do not have any desire to visualize "unknown actors" for this movie. They like big-name stars because it is much easier for them to see the characters in their mind, versus simply creating new person in their head.

This brings me to their first suggestion for our 2010 The Hunger Games Dream Cast - Will Smith for Haymitch Abernathy. Before you say, "heck no, Haymitch is supposed to be white", keep in mind that Suzanne Collins only describes him a few times in The Hunger Games as being "a paunchy, middle-aged man". I don't have my Catching Fire book here to directly quote the other description of Haymitch I remember, but I do recall her mentioning something about him having an athletic figure. That by looking at him, you can tell that he was a strong young man during his time in The Games. So I ask you, why NOT Will Smith? Will is in his early forties, and for some, that is considered "middle aged", especially if you live in The Seam. He played a harsh, yet somehow lovable drunk in Hancock, and I think would be a great addition to The Hunger Games movie by bringing star power AND credibility to the storyline. Smith is traditionally known to pick quality roles, so his selection of the role of Haymitch would greatly tout the script and film as being one of quality. Just think about it for awhile...picture Will as Haymitch, loud, drunk, and troubled. It COULD HAPPEN!

See how Will has naturally graying hair in this picture? With the proper wardrobe and makeup, he could easily be Haymitch. He might have to lay off the weights for a few months, but he could be a perfect Haymitch if you gave him a chance!

Click HERE to see The Hunger Games cast list chosen by Entertainment Weekly fans!

Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater...A New Favorite on My Teen Fiction List!

As a young girl, Grace was drug from her backyard tire swing by a hungry pack of wolves into the cold depths of the forest. All she remembers from surviving that attack are the beautiful yellow eyes of one wolf, who seemed to rescue her from the hungry pack. Grace is mesmerized by the wolves that live in the forest behind her home, and looks forward to winter each year so she can see the enchanting yellow eyes of HER wolf, who lingers near the treeline, always protectively watching over her.

After the wolves are deemed responsible for the death of a local teen, citizens attempt to exterminate the species from the area woods. Grace is racked with worry and grief that her wolf will be shot in the crossfires. She attempts to find her wolf during the hunting expedition, and instead, finds naked and injured Sam - a boy her age who has the same enchanting yellow eyes of her wolf. The connection between herself and Sam is unmistakable, and Grace can't deny the possibility that this beautiful young man and her protective wolf are one in the same.

Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater is by far the BEST teen fiction book I've read in 2010. Sam and Grace's connection to one another is mysterious and heart breaking, and I haven't felt such longing and empathy for two characters since Bella and Edward. I'm doing my best not to compare it to Twilight, but the parrallels are too obvious NOT to acknowledge. Of course there's werewolves, but the similiar conflicts that exist for both sets of main characters are easily compared.

Maggie Stiefvater does an excellent job of bringing complexity and layers to Sam and Grace that are lacking in Twilight. Not that Stephenie Meyer didn't create dynamic characters in her works...she did, but often the problems were sugar-coated. For example, Grace, like Bella, is often left to take care of herself. Her parents are flighty and selfish and she is constantly the "adult" in the household - cooking dinner, washing clothes, cleaning up. Sam points out what Grace already knows - that this is not normal and good parenting behavior, and we get to see Grace acknowledge her anger towards her mother and father and their lack of parental skill. Anger that Bella never recognizes or acknowledges towards Rene.

Sam also has demons in his closet that are put under the microscope - problems that Edward also posessed but never addressed or felt anger. Why did Carlisle sign up a teenage boy for a life he knew was complex and oftentimes filled with tragedy? Sam asks the same question of his maker, Beck, who purposely changed Sam because he was lonely in his werewolf life. Even though Sam loves Beck like a father, he also has to come to terms with the fact that the "father" he loves dearly is also responsible for stealing a normal life from Sam.

To me, Twilight comparisons are complimentary to this book because Shiver evoked the same emotions in me that my initial reading of Twilight did. It's been only 24 hours since I finished the novel and I'm still thinking about Sam and Grace! What will happen in the second book, and counting down the days to its release. I'm definitely a Shiver fan and think that this series will be a huge success in the years to come because of its QUALITY. The first book has already been picked up for a movie by Unique Features. Maggie Stiefvater is a truly gifted writer and each of you should give this novel a chance and see for yourself what a fantastic world Stiefvater has created! The next book in the trilogy, Linger, is expected to hit shelves July 20th. Get on board The Wolves of Mercy Falls fanwagon!

Eclipse Pics From Walmart New Moon DVD

The Walmart version of the New Moon DVD apparently features the stills from Eclipse I've posted below. I wouldn't know, because I bought the TARGET version of New Moon and would be crucified if I bought yet another version of New Moon. (The iTunes version I also own, but don't tell Donnie!) Enjoy the pics! June 30th is going to be an awesome day in Twilight history!

Why the long face, Alice? Could an army of newborn vampires making their way to Forks be the reason you are so sad?
Outdoor wear for fighting newbies!

Bella's wig is awesome.

Riley. Pissed.

Riley turning into a vamp, perhaps?

Serious Riley.

Hot, scowling Jake.

Riley and Bree Tanner...apparently we will know more about her on June 5th!

But They're NOT Dating...

Rob and Kristen photographed arriving in London on Tuesday, and check out their matching shoes! How cute is that? Rob is looking hot, as usual. They are both so young, but I really think they make an adorable couple. ;)

Photoshop my face on Kristen's, and there you have it...BLISS!
I seriously used to have a pair of black Adidas in 8th grade. Not sure if they were the Sambas, but they were all grungy and cool. I also listened to Pearl Jam and Nirvana religiously, but washed my hair daily. I wasn't that committed to the grunge movement.

Heidi Montag...Sad, Sad, Sad!

Heidi BEFORE plastic surgery dominated her life... Heidi after she had her infamous "ten procedures in a day".

Before Lauren Conrad left The Hills, I was a big fan of the show. Before Heidi became a fame-whore, she was one of my favorite characters. I thought she was spunky and ornery and seemed like she knew how to have fun. Of course the "Spencer Plotline" changed both Heidi and the show and I had to stop watching it. It was too sickening (whether a real or fake storyline) to watch a girl radically change herself for a jerk. I'm sure if someone followed me around with a camera during my dating days they would have felt the same way. I dated some real doosies and even chose said douche bags over my good friends. We've all been Heidi a time or two in our lives, so I can't judge her for choosing her man over her friends. It happens to the best of us. However, I find it truly disturbing what the girl is now doing to her body. I'm not blaming Spencer or even want to act like I know what is going on in that relationship, because who am I to judge relationships when I have my track record? Yet it's hard to miss the changes taking place in Heidi. Her plastic surgery is just plain sad. What is she doing to her beautiful face and body?

She's scary to look at, and I'm wondering if her desire to have a baby in the last episodes of The Hills was just a contrived storyline. Do plastic surgeons tell girls what happens to their boobs after they have babies? When your milk drops, your boobies TRIPLE IN SIZE, and that happens whether you choose to breast feed or not. The milk comes anyway, and it affects your boobs by stretching and engorging them to capacity. Her poor chest will be so PAINFUL after having a baby because it looks like the skin in her chest area is already stretched to capacity. Good luck having babies, Heidi. You may have already done much more damage to yourself than mother nature ever could've!

Katniss Everdeen from The Hunger Games is in the Building!

Katniss Everdeen, ready to entice young minds to read The Hunger Games and LIKE IT!

Perhaps the Capitol loaned Katniss Everdeen an iPhone for the day? Ha! Love that my bathroom mirror is dirty. My husband was too embarassed for me to take my picture. He's no Peeta!
How do you make a Katniss Everdeen costume, you ask? My mother made the tunic out of a men's shirt and I paired it with leggings and my Uggs. The wig was loaned to me from a friend, but I put a headband around the front because the wig had some crazy bangs going on! The bow and arrow are from Walmart.

Katniss Everdeen made an appearance in my classroom this week for our introduction to The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. I had so much fun dressing up like Katniss, but the wig was a bit itchy! My students think I've lost my mind, but I really think (and hope) that showing up to class as Miss Everdeen, District 12 Tribute, piqued their interest in the novel. They certainly have been paying attention, but maybe my threat to shoot them with my fake arrows if they nod off is the reason! Anywhoooo, here's my Katniss Everdeen costume!

'The Forest of Hands and Teeth' by Carrie Ryan

The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan is officially on my "must read" teen fiction list. I can't wait to go to school on Monday and "Book Talk" this novel with my 8th graders! It took all of two days; reading the book during every spare moment I could find, even taking it in my purse so I could read at stop lights, but I managed to finish The Forest of Hands and Teeth without having a heart attack! This book is one of the best teen fiction novels I've read in a long time, and I'm not the only one who thinks it's a great read.

• A New York Times Best Seller


• A Junior Library Guild selection


• An ALA Best Books for Young Adults selection


• Named to the 2010 New York Public Library Stuff for the Teen Age List


• A Borders Original Voices finalist


• #4 on the IndieBound Kids' Indie Next List for Spring 2009


• A Chicago Public Library Best of the Best Book


• Selected for the 2010-2011 Texas Library Association TAYSHAS High School Reading list

So yeah, this book is definitely a must-read and you don't have to take MY word for it, obviously! The book is post-apocalyptic, dystopian novel with zombies, romance, and nail biting suspense. If you loved The Hunger Games, (but with zombies called The Consecrated) then this book should be right up your alley. ON the author's site, they also mention that the book has been opted for a movie by Seven Star Pictures, and will supposedly star "an A-List actress"...I wonder who could play Mary? I'm hoping the movie is really being made, but I'm not sure how it can keep a PG-13 rating, given the fact that there's quite a bit of blood and gore going on in certain parts. The book is so creepy, which a great reason why it will make a cool movie! Here's a synopsis from author Carrie Ryan's website:

In Mary's world, there are simple truths.

The Sisterhood always knows best.

The Guardians will protect and serve.

The Unconsecrated will never relent.

And you must always mind the fence that surrounds the village. The fence that protects the village from the Forest of Hands and Teeth.

But slowly, Mary's truths are failing her. She's learning things she never wanted to know about the Sisterhood and its secrets, and the Guardians and their power. And, when the fence is breached and her world is thrown into chaos, about the Unconsecrated and their relentlessness.

Now she must choose between her village and her future, between the one she loves and the one who loves her. And she must face the truth about the Forest of Hands and Teeth. Could there be life outside a world surrounded by so much death?
Ryan's companion to the book The Dead-Tossed Waves is also on shelves and has already had great reviews. I ordered my copy today and can't wait to start it! There's a third book in the works, as well, but I'm not sure about the expected release date of that one, nor do I know the title. Check out the book trailer for the Forest of Hands and Teeth for some enticing visuals!

Behind the Scenes and Sneak Peak of Eclipse!

Watch this video more than once and you can see so much stuff that the stills and movie poster don't offer! What I'm getting from this behind-the-scenes portion of the video is that David Slade is dark, but is taking Eclipse to the level it needs to be...an army of newborn vampires just wouldn't fit in to a cheery meadow scene, now would they? Eclipse looks to be fast-paced and full of action, which after making it through New Moon, I think the fans are looking forward to the change of pace. I have high hopes for you, Mr. Slade - don't let me down!

I loved Chris Weitz's adaptation of New Moon, but let's be honest and say that he had the hardest material to work with - breakup bullcrap. Miserable, twitchy Bella just isn't what we love about the Twilight Saga. Gasping, greasy-haired, "I have a hole in my chest! A big gaping hole in my chest! Bella is why New Moon isn't a fan favorite and Eclipse is. Forlorn, screaming-like-she's-being-murdered-in-her-sleep-Bella is also why I find myself watching the first fifteen minutes of New Moon and then skipping to Italy. Watching New Moon takes me all of thirty minutes, people, and possibly another half and hour longer, depending on how much time I have to watch and rewind Edward strutting through the school parking lot.

So after the trial that was New Moon, I'm all for action as long as Slade doesn't cut the romance and Edward-sleeping-over and vice-a-versa scenes with Bella. Catherine Hardwick focused on action only, and to me, that's what made Twilight a theatrical failure for fans of the first book. The first book will always be my favorite, and I tolerate the movie, but Twilight in the hands of Chris Weitz would of been something to write home about! If Summit gave him the dough to remake Twilight, would you pay to see his version in theaters?

EW Gives 'The Last Song' a "B"....What the Heck?

I say "what the heck" because I'm shocked! I figured that since Mylie Cyrus was starring in the flick, the critics would have no mercy on her movie adaptation of Nicholas Spark's best-selling novel. I'm so eager for Friday so I can feast my eyes on Liam! I'm not looking forward to the snot fest that is sure to ensue after the plot begins to develop. Lisa Schwarzbaum reviewed 'The Last Song' and she typically doesn't like a dang thing that I do, so I'm skeptical now that she's basically telling me that it's good. Here is her full review from Entertainment Weekly:

If you know anything in advance about The Last Song, you know that it stars Miley Cyrus. You also probably have an opinion about her. She is, after all, the formidably successful teen Disney Channel hatchling who heads a global pop culture empire that now stretches from Hannah Montana mania to a line of Walmart clothing. But in order to get the most out of The Last Song, it's best to tune out your awareness of Cyrus' celebrity. Or the fact that this mild, girl-oriented tearjerker has been written specifically for the young star to expand her thespian range, in a story machine-welded by indefatigable best-seller churner Nicholas Sparks (The Notebook) and coscreenwriter Jeff Van Wie.

So forget all that. Just know that The Last Song stars a dark-haired up-and-comer in the role of a sullen teenage girl named Ronnie. Ronnie and her kid brother have come from New York City to spend a summer in an atmospheric Southern beach town with their divorced father. (Likable-dad player Greg Kinnear plays Dad.) Ronnie's relationship with her father is pretty awful, but their communication gets better after she meets a nice, cute guy named Will (Liam Hemsworth), whose niceness makes Ronnie nicer, too. And that's good, because before this melodrama comes to its sand-and-surf conclusion, Ronnie, Dad, Will, and just about every single resident of this atmospheric Southern beach town will experience character-building challenges and heartrending sadnesses. These are guaranteed to result in tears, for the sad fictional people on screen as well as for the satisfied real people watching in movie theaters.

And here's the revelation: Miley Cyrus is a really interesting movie star in the making, with an intriguing echo-of-foghorn speaking voice, and a scuffed-up tomboyish physicality (in the Kristen Stewart mode) that sets her apart from daintier girls in her celebrity class. As Ronnie, turning moods on a dime the way girls her age do, Cyrus sustains a perfectly believable demonstration of post-high-school, precollege female longing. She shows anger, vulnerability, defensiveness. And she anchors a serviceable idealized drama about how a loving relationship between a father and daughter paves the way for that lucky daughter to one day find adult love. B

More Eclipse Movie Stills...

Fight scene! What's with the zipper jackets? Is this what you wear to kick newborn vampire ass if you're a Cullen? Are they shooting a Gap commercial afterwards? What the hell is going on with Jasper's wavy mane?
Learning the legend of the Quiluetes and wasting her precious time with Jacob, when she could be leg hitchin' Edward.
Is Jacob looking a little pastey to anyone else? THE WIG still pisses me off, but Edward's v-neck is fits nicely!

New Eclipse Paperback Book Covers!

I obviously have a love affair with books, so the release of these new paperback covers for Eclipse are like a new pair of Manolo's to some of you! I have a copy of every New Moon and Twilight covers...my excuse is that I teach 8th grade Reading and can use them in my classroom, but even if I didn't teach, I would buy them! Check out these cool images of Bella, Edward, and Jake. Pretty cool.

Edward is the apple of her eye, I guess?
I like this one! Bella is lookin' hot, and I like the dueling hot boys in the background.

New Novella from Stephanie Meyer!

Stephenie Meyer must know that my birthday is June 6th, because she's releasing her new novella, The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner the day before my big 30th birthday! I predict this isn't the last book released by Meyer in the upcoming year. Even though she has be quoted numerous times as "taking time off", writers NEVER quit writing. I bet she has a few more books up her sleeve and will release one this time next year and another during the release of Breaking Dawn, which hasn't even begun filming. Twilight Saga fans know Bree Tanner as the newborn vampire spared by the Cullens after they defeated Victoria's newborn army. She was spared, but the "Volturi don't give second chances" and she was killed by Felix for violating vampire laws. Here is an excerpt from MTV.com's coverage of the new novella! I can't wait to devour it!

An “Eclipse” Exclusive:
If you’ve only been watching the “Twilight” movies or read the first two books, don’t be shocked that you have no idea who Bree Tanner is. In fact, don’t be upset if you read “Eclipse” and still have no idea who she is. Tanner is a character introduced a startlingly short amount of time before she dies in “Eclipse” and could be considered (to everyone except Stephenie Meyer) to be a throwaway character.

A Short Life:
Tanner is only introduced 10 pages before she is killed off in Victoria’s war against the Cullens and the Quileute werewolf tribe. However, of all the newborn vampires discussed in “Eclipse,” Tanner was one of the few to be named and introduced to the readers. Unfortunately, it didn’t take very long after she was turned into a vampire for her to meet her end … again.

Dramatic Death Scene:
It turns out Tanner isn’t the best newborn vampire among them all, and she isn’t a big fan of killing innocents and drinking their blood. She tries to join forces with the Cullen clan and adapt to their “vegetarian vampire” lifestyle, but ends up being killed by Felix on the orders of Jane, a member of the Volturi guard (played by Dakota Fanning in the film), in the final battle.

Newborn Vampires:
A big part of the story in “Eclipse” surrounds the bad-girl vampire Victoria creating an army of newborn vampires in the Seattle area so she can wage war on Edward Cullen, who killed her beau James way back in “Twilight.” When a vampire is first created, it is at its strongest, so Victoria went around recklessly creating vampires so she could have an extremely powerful army behind her. Tanner was just one of the fatalities.

Seattle:
The trouble with the first-person perspective of “The Twilight Saga” is that the reader can’t read what is happening firsthand beyond what Bella Swan sees with her own eyes. Much like “Midnight Sun” gave (some) of the details behind what happened elsewhere in “Twilight,” “The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner” will show what happened in Seattle with Victoria during “Eclipse.” But since much of “Eclipse” is devoted to the characters wondering what exactly was going on in Seattle, seeing it through the eyes of a secondary character like Tanner is a smart companion piece to the book.

Unseen First Life:
Unfortunately for Tanner, the world will never know what happened to her before she became a vampire. She was introduced into “Eclipse” after she was a newborn and “The Short Second Life” will start off the same way. There is a chance of flashbacks telling about her life before becoming a vampire, but the way Meyer described the novella on her Web site made it seem as though Tanner was the narrator solely so the reader could see what went on in Seattle, not to learn her past.

In The Movies:
“Eclipse” director David Slade at least had more of a heads-up than fans and retailers did about “The Short Second Life,” and he cast 14-year-old Jodelle Ferland in the role. Slade and Ferland, as well as Bryce Dallas Howard (Victoria) and Xavier Samuel (Riley), were given advance copies of the book to read so they could have a complete knowledge of what went on in Seattle for the film.

The Last Song Author Featurette - Check Out Will! Hot!

A group of my 8th grade girls and I are going to see this film on Friday. I'm excited to see if it remains true to the novel, and for some odd reason, Greg Kinnear reminds me of my own father. I'm sure I'll be bawling like a big ole' baby by the end of this thing, but I really do love the story. If you come from a home with divorced parents, you can easily identify with Ronnie's plight. I also love that Will's character is a hottie. Can't wait to see the volleyball scenes, that's for sure! I particularly love the scene in this featurette where he is hosing off Ronnie after a day of mudding. Oh my!

This video just has a few more scrumptious shots of Liam Hemsworth. Mylie is a lucky girl!

The Last Song by Nicholas Sparks...Oh, Yeah, and My Hatred of Book Snobs!

Anyone who reads this blog regularly knows that I by day, I'm an 8th grade Reading teacher. Hence, the innumerable teen fiction reviews and Twilight-obsessed posts - 8th grade girls are to blame for my love of Edward Cullen! I had two students basically force me to read Twilight, and I will be forever grateful for their insistence. When my students ask me to read something, I obliged because throughout the school year they are reading works per my request. I have a group of girls that have become Nicholas Sparks addicts. I don't usually purchase Sparks books for my classroom because of the "adult" situations that sometimes crop up, (hello, did anyone read the scene in which Ally and Noah reunited from The Notebook? Too HOT for teens!) but this group have been buying their own copies and reading them during our independent reading time. These girlies challenged me to read The Last Song, so picked up a copy and did so over the weekend.

As for my review of the book, I enjoyed the story and can appreciate why my teens love it so much. It's a story about discovering true love, mending bridges with parents, and understanding why family and love is the only thing that matters in this world. It also helps that Mylie Cyrus is staring in the movie version of the book, which I think is the main reason many of my girls picked it up. No matter what turned them on to the book, I'm just excited that they are reading and sharing their opinions about what they read with one another. The story is simple and oh, so sad, but I love any book that makes my students discuss and rehash.

This brings me to my second point I'd like to discuss in this post: Book Snobs. I've talked about Book Snobs before in my posts concerning Twilight and books that aren't considered "good literature" by the elitist Book Snobs. What is a Book Snob, you may ask? Well, if you're a BS, you slam all mass-market fiction and label most best-selling authors as "crappy writers" or producers of works with "no literary value". Book Snobs insult, degrade, and rarely promote any book that isn't labeled a classic or a work that has won literary awards. Book Snobs usually have never written a novel, and if you are a Book Snob critic who is also an author, more than likely that author has only written works that are research-based or non-fiction. I rarely hear authors of fiction slam other authors of fiction because, well, they have first-hand knowledge of how hard it is to produce but how very EASY it is to critique. What makes my blood boil more than anything is when Book Snobs are TEACHERS who openly share their opinions of books that are not "worthy" to read with their students.

While browsing Barnes & Noble last night, I picked up an educational text written for teachers of literacy. Granted, this book wasn't written by a well-known author in my field, but what this author said about mass-market fiction really upset me because her opinion is being openly shared in schools everywhere. In her defense, I will totally butcher the quote that infuriated me since I do not have the book in front of me to directly quote what she said about popular books. The statement said something to the effect of "I read excerpts from mass-market books written by authors like Nora Roberts and James Patterson, so students can see how these books are not well-written." First of all, middle school students are smart and intuitive. They are not going to disagree with their teacher's opinion if they realize the intended result of the presented lesson should be them agreeing that the writing being shared is "bad". Just like adults in a room full of Book Snobs, most of us are non-confrontational and will keep our mouths shut if a Book Snob is slamming a book we happened to enjoy. Teens are no different than adults in that regard, and if their teacher is telling them that a book is poorly written then they will agree. Teens don't like to appear stupid to their peers or teachers, because the figure, what do I know about well-written books compared to their teacher who has her degree and has read tons of books?

The literary expert author also went on to slam authors (that I grew up LOVING) like John Grisham and Michael Crichton (God rest his soul). This slamming of entertaining and popular fiction just BUGS me. Why in the world would you make teens feel that only dumb people read mass-market fiction. Why would you slam a book that they might have enjoyed? I just don't GET IT. I've experienced this backlash of popular fiction after I began sharing my love of Twilight with other teachers in my field of study. I was completely appalled when some teachers told me that they think the book is "crap" and would never promote that "type of reading" to their students. WHHHHAAAATTTTT? You would possibly demean and slam the only book one of your students might have enjoyed? What does that tell a student? It tells them that they are a horrible judge of literature and maybe that this reading thing just isn't for them if they only book they like is "crap."

Book Snobs are a group of people I hate with a passion because they turn people off to reading. If you genuinely think that only good books were written 100 years ago, or to have subject matter that doesn't deal with love, science fiction, or humor, then Book Snob, you suck! Keep your sucky opinion to your sucky self and stop telling my students (and myself) that they suck because they like stuff that you feel sucks. I've read tons of literary classics (most English majors are required to do so), and I have many favorites in that genre that I come back to time and time again. I will read literary award winning works, and find the value in them, but most of them are hell to get through and are not books that I gravitate towards and end up loving and recommending. The Last Song might not be nominated for any literary awards, but it is keeping my 8th graders noses in books, which in itself is a huge accomplishment and doesn't SUCK by my students' standards.

Oh, and here's to hoping The Last Song movie doesn't suck! The trailer made me cry (because I know the ending) and I will probably being seeing it with a slew of 8th grade girls! Bring on the tissues!

REMEMBER ME? Uh, Heck Yeah!

I'm just going to say that Entertainment Weekly is on crack for giving Remember Me (the new flick with Robert Pattinson) a grade of D-. I was blown away by the movie, and didn't expect such depth and drama out of a film I was only going to see because of the eye candy. I'm not going to go into plot too much because I might spoil the dramatic ending of the flick, but Rob plays Tyler Hawkins, a guy battling several demons - mainly the loss of his beloved brother to suicide and his work-a-holic father who neglects him. He orchestrates a "chance" meeting with an attractive blonde from one of his classes, who also happens to be the daughter of the cop who through Tyler in jail after a bar brawl. Tyler doesn't expect to fall in love with Ally, but soon finds he can't control his heart, no matter how burdened and messed up it may be.

Even though my love for Pattinson was cemented with his New Moon appearance, I saw him in a totally different light in Remember Me. He is a good actor...no, check that, a great actor and it's sad that he won't get the credit he deserves because he was in a pop culture phenomenon movie. I see him having to travel the long, difficult road that Leonardo Dicaprio had to endure after his role in Titanic. If I do recall, Leo wasn't taken seriously as an actor for quite sometime after his Titanic success (no pun intended).

This film was surprisingly well-written, full of delicious scenes (Rob plays the bad boy SO WELL), and had some extremely heart-tugging, tear-jerking moments that left such an impression on me that I'm still mulling them over long after leaving the theater. I'm not sure teeny-boppers will understand the importance and poignancy of the ending, but Remember Me is a great film to see over your Spring Break if you want to be pleasantly surprised. LOVED IT, LOVED IT, LOVED IT....and hated to see it end. You'll know what I mean after you see it. Trust me.

FULL ECLIPSE TRAILER!

Oh, Edward. How I wish to see you on the big screen in June. *SIGH* Enjoy the full 1:33 of Edward, Bella's nappy wig, and of course, Jacob with his shirt off...he's legal now, ladies, so I can finally say "Yummy!" without feeling like a totaly creep! ;)

ECLIPSE 10 SECOND TEASE!

I've already ranted about Bella's wig, so I won't go there, but OMG! I'm so freakin' ready for this movie! I'll have to admit, I'm rereading Eclipse for the fifth or six time right now (I've lost count), and it is still my favorite of the four. What I'm getting this time around is what a brat Bella can be, and I didn't really pick up on that too much before. I know people (feminists and such) are annoyed by Edward telling her what to do, but she really does treat him like total crap in parts of Eclipse. I'm TEAM EDWARD all the way, so I know I don't share her fondness for book-Jake. However, I do have a certain soft spot for Mr. Lautner. I wonder if I will be cheering Bella on (in the movie version of Eclipse) to sneak out to see Jake. The book Jake (in my head) still isn't as hot as Taylor. I'm not sure why I can't MAKE book Jake as hot as movie Jake, but it's like the image I created for Jake the first time I read the series is seared into my brain. I can't shake the annoying Jacob I'd conjured up during my first read through. It sucks. I would much rather picture Taylor Lautner trying to put the moves on Bella then the Sophomore-esque Jacob I'm projecting. I read Eclipse and think Bella's big ole' idiot for being "torn" between the two. June 30th can not get here soon enough! Tear me in two, boys!

Perfect for a Chai Latte

United Supermarkets carries the Silk brand of almond milk that I've been using to make my tea lattes. I'm not good with dairy, and this almond milk is a delicious and low calorie alternative. The vanilla kind is even yummier than the original, so look for it if you are a fan of that flavor. Almond milk has tons of nutrients that are heart-healthy, so for those of you who attempt to "eat clean", this stuff is awesome!


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Awkward Family Photos Blog...LMAO!

As if the peopleofwalmart.com didn't give me enough to laugh at, now the blog, http://awkwardfamilyphotos.com/ is killing me each night! The picture above is just a small tidbit of the plethora of awkwardness this site has to offer.

Robert Pattinson, How Do I Love Thee?

You can sling me over your shoulder anytime, Rob....

NEW MOON Deleted Scene!

How many of you are ready for the New Moon DVD release? Stupid question! Target recently released this deleted scene to promote it's DVD release of New Moon in March. I'm stoked about the special features and CAN NOT wait until March. Do you know how many release dates I'm anxiously awaiting? I guess that just means I have MANY interests, right?

Mockingjay is Too Many Months Away!

Alright, forgive my cheesiness, but it really is too many months away for me to endure without complaint! At least the New Moon DVD release in March and the Eclipse release in June will pacify me for awhile. I also think the new seasons of Glee and True Blood will be starting soon, so I'll have plenty to keep me occupied. However, I can't help but anxiously wonder what will happen to my beloved Peeta. My students will begin reading The Hunger Games in March and I'm sure I'll have a slew of fans to read Catching Fire and discuss with me Peeta's fate before school is out in May! What would really satisfy me about the world that is Panem, District 12, and The Capitol would be some FREAKIN' HUNGER GAMES MOVIE NEWS! What the heck? Why NOTHING?! I know I've posed this question before, but it really is ANNOYING, the utter lack of information for this project. At least we now know the new title for the third book, MOCKINGJAY, and have a cover to drool over until August 24th. Let me know if you hear anything about the movie, peeps!

A few tidbits from Publisher's Weekly about the third (and final) installment in the awesome Hunger Games series:

Anticipation—and speculation—have been building ever since fans closed the page on the cliffhanger ending of Catching Fire, the second in Suzanne Collins’s bestselling Hunger Games trilogy. What will happen in book three? And what will it be called? Though the plot twists are top-secret, the book’s title has just been revealed by Scholastic: Mockingjay. It will have a one-day laydown date of August 24, 2010, and a first printing of 750,000 copies. (The cover, and title, refer to the hybrid birds that are an important symbol—of hope and rebellion—throughout the books; the mockingjay appears on the jacket art for all three volumes in the series.)

Scholastic will not be distributing advance copies of Mockingjay, though it did create ARCs for the first two volumes. (In keeping with the embargo, media outlets won’t be receiving the book in advance either.) According to a Scholastic spokesperson, because this book, which concludes the series, is so highly anticipated, the publisher wanted to give fans the chance to discover the ending at the same time and prevent spoilers."

Argh! It's hard to wish for August 24th to get here already (because I will be wishing away my summer break), but I need to know! This is about as bad as waiting on Breaking Dawn...let's just hope Mockingjay won't let me down like that little doosey of a final installment did! Oy Vey!

Must-See Movie: SHUTTER ISLAND

The previews for Leonardo Dicaprio's new movie, Shutter Island, in no way made me want to see the production. I'm a huge chicken and scary films are not my forte. My husband is a fan of Dicaprio and wanted to see it Saturday evening, so being the good wife that I am, I begrudgingly agreed to accompany him. I can't tell you very much about the film without screwing up what makes the movie AMAZING, but let's just say that the previews do not do this film justice. IT WAS MIND-BENDING AND, AND, AND.....JUST WOW!!! If you have the chance to see the film, take it. Trust me...it's that good!

ANTICANCER by David Servan-Schreiber

Cancer scares the crap out of me. Both of my maternal grandparents died from this terrible disease and my fraternal grandmother is currently battling cancer as I type. It's a disease that effects all of us in some way, either through people that we know enduring the illness, or God forbid, we face the disease ourselves someday. According to the statistics on the role genetics plays in certain cancers, I SHOULD be scared but I'm doing what I can to ease my fear of CANCER. Even though I'm known for my fondness of fiction and teen literature, I love reading nonfiction, particularly in the categories of health, fitness and medicine. While browsing through my mother-ship, Barnes & Noble, I picked up David Servan-Schreiber's book, ANTICANCER,the 2nd version and 2010 re-print of the 2008 original. I found myself sitting in the aisle, reading his work for nearly an hour before I gave in and bought the book! (My butt was going numb, so it was either by the book or give the old lady reading the Paula Dean cookbook the evil eye until she forfeited her comfy chair.)

What drew me in to Schreiber's work (a dedicated scientist and doctor) wasn't his premise (that diet can affect cancer cells) or his credentials, but the fact that he himself had been diagnosed with BRAIN CANCER fifteen years ago and is currently cancer-free. A feat he attributes to the diet and other methods detailed in the book.

David Servan-Schreiber, post surgery at the age of 31

BRAIN CANCER is a bitch. Sorry to put it bluntly, but it is a very deadly cancer. I know this from personal experience. My Nana, Mary, was diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor during my seventh grade year and passed away by November of my 8th grade year. To say it was a traumatic event for my family would be a gross understatement. The operation and treatment of brain tumors and cancer is barbaric and extremely painful for the patient to endure. Just knowing that Schreiber was able to overcome the odds and THRIVE for the past fifteen years was is an outstanding accomplishment in my eyes. I HAD TO READ MORE about this scientist and his findings. Finishing the book, I've vowed to completely change my diet and outlook on food. Food should be the "medicine" we give our body to function and flourish, not a means of entertainment or an outlet for stress relief. If you want to know what "super foods" help your body to fend-off cancer, and you want to pack your lunch with them each day, then checking out ANTICANCER is what you need to do NOW to protect yourself and your family.

David Servan-Schreiber today and cancer-free

The book doesn't claim to be the CURE for cancer, but the methodology behind it is sound and backed with Schreiber's own scientific findings. Cancer isn't a disease that discriminates, but I do want to give my body (the only body God will provide me this go-around) with the best defenses against this horrible disease.

ECLIPSE Movie Stills!!!!

What a wonderful Valentine's Day gift...Eclipse movie stills! I wasn't expecting to see anything from Eclipse for at least a couple of months, but this just might get me through until a trailer finally emerges. Even though I'm not disappointed in the images (enthused is more like it) I have a few beefs about certain aspects of the wardrobe and makeup. Here they are, in no particular order:

1. KStew's Wig - nearly as bad as Jacob's Twilight wig. Why in the HELL did she chop her real hair for The Runaways? The 80's mullet is easily found in every Halloween costume shop, but long Bella hair is hard enough to duplicate with extensions and down-right IMPOSSIBLE with a wig. The wig sucks. I'm sure this is the best Eclipse makeup and wardrobe could do with KStew's mutilated mane, courtesy of The Runaways. WTF.
2. I Will Miss Rachelle Lefevre - the images of the supposedly "new and improved" Victoria are not holding a candle to Lefevre's Victoria. Bryce Dallas Howard is going to have to pull out all of the stops to impress me, and so far, the curly-ass wig isn't cutting the mustard.
3. Edward & THE Bed - This isn't a beef...this is a "Hell Yeah!" for Eclipse fans. We all know about the wrought-iron bed in Eclipse. No, nothing R-rated went on (Steph isn't a fan fiction author), but A LOT went down dialogue-wise in the scene. Terms of marriage were established and big events discussed. They better leave EVERY MORSEL of the scene from the book in the movie. Every word. Every kiss. EVERYTHING!

We know where this is going...nowhere, but we can enjoy it while it lasts. THE BED SCENE with too much conversation, but hey, I'm looking forward to it!

Grabby Edward, take one.

Bryce Dallas Howard, you better not screw this up! No pressure, though. Do vampires get perms?

Just a hunch, but I don't think there's much acting going on in this still. You don't eat face when you act....just sayin'

Edward is lookin' good. Still not over the wig. WHYYYYYYY????

Edward is grabby, take two. I like it.

You can grope my muffin-top anytime, Edward. Anytime. It looks like you also have a bit of light reading going on over in this corner.

The wig doesn't look too bad in this scene, but the image of Rob on a bed is distracting me. Helloooooooo, biceps.

Yum. (Rob, not Kristen's nappy wig.)

If you look really quickly, it looks like he's making out with Jacob. I'm sorry, but I hate Bella's wig. I'll just focus on Rob's mouth.....there, that's better.

Another beef I didn't mention? Bella's skinny jeans. I hate them. I don't know why, but I do? Is it ironic that something labeled as being "skinny" makes people (who actually ARE skinny) look not so skinny?

Click on this one and when it enlarges you can see Bella's engagement ring! Awe! How cute!

Maybe we should print these images and make a flip book?

Edward. June 30th. Too long.

Take IT OFF! TAKE IT OFF! Nothing like wearing a flannel shirt to turn on your man!

I wish I knew how to photo shop better than a preschooler...I would totally but myself in KStew's spot...sans crappy wig.