Tag Archives: Warm Bodies

Fangirly Crush of the Week: Nicholas Hoult

Posted in Crush of the Week by

NicholasHoult_620_012213Not all crushes are created equal. In fact, I’d say that 85% of our crushes are based on tepid admiration or a need to recognize male excellence when we see it. This week is not one of those crushes. Right now, we’re all about the star of Mad Max: Fury Road Nicholas Hoult. And I mean, all about. We consider it an egregious oversight that it’s taken so long for Hoult to be offered his rightful placed among our esteemed Fangirly Crush coterie. A surprise, given that his most recent roles have really displayed his beauty to best advantage… Be warned, the following images have reportedly caused spontaneous ovulation among susceptible individuals (ladies and inclined gentlemen)…

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Obviously, celebrity has treated him well but to us here at Fangirly, Hoult will always be the cute little baby-brit who made us laugh, cry, and sort of care about Hugh Grant in About a Boy.

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So we salute you, Nicholas Hoult. Rest assured that if yo shakin’ it, we’ll watch yourself.

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-Whitney

Run-On Sentence Reviews: Warm Bodies

Posted in Movies, Run-On Sentence Reviews by

WarmbodiesIn what I am pretty sure is the first zom-rom-com, this retelling of Romeo and Juliet pairs zombie and human girl and they try to save the human race and it is pretty funny while still maintaining a sweet love story and and it has a really great soundtrack that I have become obsessed with and I’ve seen it twice so…

Verdict: Go See It!

–Ellen

Mixin’ it Up: February’s Playlist

Posted in Mixin' it Up, Music by

justin-timberlake-grammys-2013-performance-watch-video-jay-z-jpg_105011I love my car, I really do.  It is practical and in pretty good condition.  If I had to have one complaint it would be that it came out the year before they started putting iPod jacks in cars, but after they stopped installing tape decks.  This puts me in quite the pickle for what to do about music, because I can’t do radio.

My solution to this quandry has been to make a mix CD (or two, or three) every month, just to keep things fresh.  The mixes are usually a mix of new songs and old favorites that I want to listen to that month.  While it can sometimes be a pain, it is also kind of fun to sit down and reflect on what is jiving with me.  It also ends up being like a sort of musical journal entry, because I can go back to my May 2012 playlist and be taken right back to that month.

I thought I may as well write about some of my top picks for each month, because I like to think I have somewhat good taste and it is certainly eclectic enough to strike a chord with a wide range of people.

“Thrift Shop”  Macklemore & Ryan Lewis Feat. Wanz – Yeah, I know.  Me and everyone else on planet earth.  But just in case, this one hasn’t ended up on your radar yet, you need to change that.  I have been listening to this while walking to my office from our parking garage and I have a really hard time not dancing.  I sneak in some moves and let people think I am moving to fight off the cold.

“All For You”  Sister Hazel – Whatever, don’t hate the playa, hate the fact that 90’s music is awesome.  This one came on my Pandora last week and I went and downloaded it right away.  It’s happy.  If you don’t end up singing and/or bouncing along to this song, you need to get over yourself.

“Boys and Buses”   Hayden Panettiere – Something you will quickly learn about me is that my TV/movie viewing dictates a lot of my music discoveries.  If you told me last year that I would be downloading a whole lot of country music, I would have laughed in your face, but that’s just what happens when you watch a whole lot of Nashville.  I enjoy the lyrical simplicity of this one.  Yeah, Juliette.  Boys and buses, DO have a lot in common.

“Brooklyn We Go Hard”   Jay-Z Feat. Santogold – Another download that came about after hearing it on TV, this one coming from the trailer for the upcoming 42 (the Jackie Robinson movie).  Side note:  As an extremely white girl, do I need to feel weird about blasting this in my car and bopping my head like I’m gangsta?

“Silver Springs”   Fleetwood Mac – Confession: this song was a blind spot in my Fleetwood Mac listening until it popped up on the recent covers album, Just Tell Me That You Want Me, being covered by Lykke Li.  While I discovered the song through that cover, nothing is going to compare to Stevie, right?  Right.

“How Come You Don’t Want Me”   Tegan and Sara – I just got this album (Heartthrob) and I am liking it quite a bit. I picked this song specifically because haven’t we all thought this at one point?  (It’s also a really good song).

“I’d Rather Go Blind”   Etta James – I may be weird, but there is nothing sexier to me than old school R&B.  There’s something about it that just…  just… just watch this dance to see what I mean without making things awkward.  This is a perfect of that languid, sexy, vibe that I’m talking about.  I’d rather go deaf than never get to listen to Etta James again.  (See also “Sunday Kind of Love”)

“Shelter From the Storm”   Bob Dylan – Let the record state that I do not like Bob Dylan.  His voice and general attitude usually annoy me, but when I heard this song in Warm Bodies I reluctantly fell in love with it.  There was just something about a zombie playing it to express to his human crush that he would protect her that really got to me.  (Another reason to not like Bob Dylan is that apparently he won’t allow YouTube play his music, but Vimeo got him somehow even if it isn’t the version I like).

“Suit & Tie”  Justin Timberlake Feat. Jay-Z – You guys, I love Justin.  Did you see him at the Grammys?  He is just so… cool!  Then Jay-Z just ambles up and does his thing and then goes and sits back in the audience with Beyonce.  No biggie.  I know that a lot of people are disappointed with this song, but let’s respect it for what it is: a pretty dang infectious hook with JT’s swagger.  I’m all in.

“Yer So Bad”  Tom Petty – I’ve been on a Tom Petty kick lately.  Well, really, for my whole life, but I’ve been digging into some of the B-Sides and this one is my current jam.  That strum in the chorus gets me rocking out every time and I love “Yer so bad, best that I ever had.”  Once you get past all the divorce and suicide, it’s a pretty sweet song.

Whew.  Click on the links and watch some videos (official and fan made).  What is your current jam?  I’m also interested in recommendations.  Aside from all those I have just listed, I am downloaded every song that is featured in Warm Bodies and I am loving all of them.  Check out the music and the movie.

– Ellen

The Book Was Better: 10 Books to Read in 2013

Posted in Books, Choice Picks, Movies by

When I was kid, my mom used to try and get me to read (age-appropriate) books before their respective adaptations came out. This is how I read Matilda, James and the Giant Peach, and The Baby-Sitters Club.  While I recognize that some of those are more respected than others, I still like to maintain that rule.  This is why I have compiled this list for both my sake and yours, dear reader, so that we can be ahead of the game.  Together.

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Warm Bodies (February 1) – As you can tell from previous posts here, we are pretty intrigued by this one.  Also, I happen to have just finished reading the book.  The film looks like it will be more comedic than the novel was, but I will be intrigued to see how much of the fairly deep commentary on death and life they maintain here.  Especially deep since everyone is wanting to compare this to Twilight.

Beautiful-creaturesBEAUTIFUL-CREATURES-poster1Beautiful Creatures (February 13) – As you can tell from this list and in case you haven’t already noticed from the general climate in pop culture, Young Adult novels are all the rage. It seems that no book or series can do even remotely well without getting snatched up.  Not that I am complaining, because even though my young adult days are technically over, my bookshelf is still full of them.   I have just started reading this one and have heard generally good things about it, so maybe I will write a follow-up. 

tumblr_lyu0lbflJz1qdop7jo1_r1_5002936Romeo and Juliet (February 14) – No, seeing one of the several dozen adaptations does not count.  Maybe you read it in high school, maybe you didn’t.  Either way you are going to feel so pretentious reading this in your local Starbucks.  Then think of the delight you can get when you tell all your friends the ways in which this adaptation is sure to stray from Shakespeare’s original tone.  I have to say, I am excited to see a Juliet that is actually close to 14.  

TheHost478The-Host-PosterThe Host (March 29) – Hold the phone.  I already know what you are going to say.  Yes, I realize that this is written by Stephenie Meyer.  Yes, I realize that she also wrote Twilight.  But I’m going to tell you to give this one a chance.  I found it to be a pretty compelling sci-fi/romance that was set in an interesting and unique world, so maybe try it out before the movie (potentially) makes it worse.  

gatsby-posterGatsby_1925_jacketThe Great Gatsby (May 10) -Did you read this one in high school, too?  Did you hate it/not get it?  I am going to suggest that re-visit it before Baz Luhrman’s behemoth colors your perception.  I have my high school junior research project to thank for my attachment to this novel.  Nothing like pouring over academic journals discussing green lights and yellow cars to endear me to Fitzgerald.  

leaf-men-william-joyce-paperback-cover-artepic_movie_poster_1The Leaf Men (Epic) (May 24) – The only picture book to be featured on the list, this was a family favorite when we were wee children.  It makes me upset that they felt that they needed to change the title and distance  the movie from the book, because it implies a certain lack of fidelity.  I also understand, though, that it is hard to maintain said fidelity with picture books (see Where the Wild Things Are, Cat in the Hat, etc.)

World_War_Z_posterWorld_War_Z_book_coverWorld War Z (June 21) – I have the opposite problem with this adaptation.  I read this book some time ago but there is no way that this movie is going to stay true, seeing as how I don’t recall Brad Pitt (or his character) being in the book at all.  In cases such as this, I just wish that they would call the movie something else entirely and admit that it is a stand alone zombie movie.  

City_of_Bonesmortal_instruments_posterThe Mortal Instruments: City of Bones (August 23) -This is another one that is sitting on my eBook shelf awaiting me.  I know that a lot of people love this series, but I have to admit that the trailer is not doing a whole lot to get me excited about delving in.  Maybe someone who is a fan can tell me if the movie seems like it will be capturing the book that you know and love.

Enders GameMV5BMjE0Mzk0Nzk1Nl5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTcwOTA2MDU4OA@@._V1._SY317_CR128,0,214,317_Ender’s Game (November 1) -I do this weird thing where EVERYone tells me that read this book, see that movie, or watch that TV show, and it just makes me want to do anything but do that.  That is my current relationship with Ender’s Game.  My New Year’s resolution is to get over my weird thing and read Ender’s Game before November 1 and maybe watch Gilmore Girls.  But that’s a big maybe.

Catching-Fire-PosterCatching_fire_c-330The Hunger Games: Catching Fire (November 22) – If you haven’t already gotten on board this bandwagon, there is nothing that I can say that will sway you otherwise.

Did I miss any that you are excited about?  Anybody want to convince me to read one sooner than the others?

-Ellen