Top Five Fantasy Themed Films from my Childhood.

So, I heard the funniest thing...well I found it funny. I overheard someone referring to Easter Sunday as Happy Zombie Jesus Day and I had a quiet chuckle to myself because; A) It was funny and B) it was kinda true if you happen to believe in that. So, I was wondering, that makes Jesus the original Zombie? I can see the books now. And a feature film.

EDIT: I just did a search on the almighty google and found this website. Chuckles. 

Somehow this should lead me onto my top five of the day which happens to be films from my childhood that are fantasy themed. This, unfortunately, rules out any recent films so no LotR* or Pan's Labyrinth.

The NeverEnding Story
This film was one of my favourites when I was young. I watched it so many times and I even went and saw both sequels at the movies. (Yep, both of them, and they were both terrible.)** But the first one was brilliant. I had a huge crush on Atreyu and I am not ashamed to admit that I cried (and still do) when Artex died. I've known men to cry at that scene. Heck, I have the theme tune on my iPod. Oh memories are grand.

Labyrinth
Hoggle, Sir Didymus, Ludo, Sarah, Toby, Jareth. This is one of the most magical films of all time. I remember being terrified of the Fiery things that yank their heads off; so much so that I would hide behind the sofa in the lounge. (This was something I normally reserved for episodes of Dr Who. Those daleks still have the power to terrify me...but not so much as the weeping angels.) Obviously, this is a staple film for those of us born in the eighties but it still has a hold on many now-a-days.

The Dark Crystal
Jim Hensen was a genius - that is a pure and simple fact. This film was beautifully done and I believe that it is a work of art. The story alone is beautifully woven and then you have the puppets that are beautifully designed. Amazing. The only thing wrong is that it leaves you wanting to know more.

The Princess Bride
"Whatever you wish." Wesley and Buttercup are the ultimate fantasy couple in this great comedy drama. And we cannot forget Inigo Montoya. This film has a cult status for a reason and I remember watching it every time it came on TV and it was one of the first DVD's that I ever bought.

Willow
I remember watching this at a friends house when I was young and the trolls that turn into the moat monster were so terrifying to my young mind that I recall having strange nightmares for a week. More than I'd had with the fiery creatures from Labyrinth. Still, aside from the fact that it was filmed in NZ it is and will always be one of my favourite fantasy films.

Let me know what you think of these films. Enjoy!

*Lord of the Rings in case you were wondering.
**Random tidbit - Jack Black appears in the third film as one of the bad guys.

Top Five TV Shows...that I currently watch...

Time for another BEdA blog. I have to say that I am rather impressed that I have made it this far so, if you will indulge me for one moment I will do a happy little dance. ::*::scoots to one side and proceeds to dance somewhat badly to imagined music::*:: Ah, thanks, I needed that.

Anyway, after watching three rather bad films last night I think I need to blog about something that is actually rather good so here goes my top five TV shows that I currently watch. Most will be shows currently airing on the three main channels in New Zealand at this time, if not they are shows that I have ordered from the UK or the US because Amazon is awesome.

Supernatural 
I love this show. I cannot describe how much I love this show but I really, really do. I'm annoyed with TVNZ for screening it at a stupid time and being almost a season behind but thankfully for amazon I am able to get my fix. I have blogged about this show many times before and will probably continue to blog about it. I can't help it. Sam, Dean, Castiel...they are all great characters and, seriously, who wouldn't want a brother that would die for you or help you avert the apocalypse. Not to mention the great soundtrack and the hunting of various nasties.

Criminal Minds
I don't know when I first started watching this but I know that I came to it late. That doesn't really matter because I love the intelligence of this show though there have been many negative comments made about it. I love the fact that the effort has been made not to dumb down any of the characters and that they are all different. How often do you see a show where you can actually feel sorry or empathise with an unsub?*

Bones
This was another show that I came to relatively late. I had kind of watched the first season ages ago but it was when I was in California last year that I managed to purchase the first two seasons and, since then, I have been hooked. It is another intelligent show and the cast seem perfect. I truly felt sorry for Zack and I love the fact that Hodges and Angela are together. And Temperance is hilarious and very intelligent.

The Big Bang Theory
I am not a big fan of comedy to be quite honest. I don't laugh out loud at a lot of stuff but I really enjoy TBBT. It's witty and it is geeky. (Yay for geekiness!) And there are many little jokes there for everyone, not just physicists.

House
I love Hugh Laurie and the snarky doctor that he plays. Unfortunately, I haven't been following the latest season as much as I would, usually, but the first seasons were amazing. It was something a little but different and, even though it is somewhat formulaic, it is an entertaining watch.

Honorable mentions: Doctor Who, Cougar Town, NCIS, NCIS:LA, Eureka, Warehouse 13, The Walking Dead (A lot of these are shows I don't get on my 3 channels so I have to wait to order them online.)

It's another short list today because I've had one of those mornings. I slept in, cut my ankle shaving, forgot to leave one of the vats off to get changed and had a blood nose to top that all off. I think I might need to indulge in some chocolate...or a good book. And a nice cup of tea.

 

*Unsub = unknown subject - look at me with all the terminology.

Top Five Zombie Movies...

I am currently watching the latest installment of the Resident Evil films and I was thinking about what I think are the top five zombie films of all time, which led me to make that my topic for today. Plus, it is a rather easy entry as I have another one of those lovely headaches that seem intent on making my life rather interesting.
So, for the sake of my laziness, I'm going to dive right in.

Shaun of the Dead
But wait, I hear you say. Didn't you use this in you post yesterday. Why, yes I did but it is a classic and it fits into the the world of zombies because there are zombies in it. Plus it is a homage to Dawn of the Dead etc and it is a freaking good film.

Dawn of the Dead (The Remake)
This made zombies scary again. Instead of the slow, comical zombies demanding brains we have fast, vicious and damn scary zombies that are hungry for your flesh. Also, the ambiguous ending makes for good entertainment.

Zombieland
This is also a comedy but it is brilliantly done. It lightly pokes fun at itself as a film and at many other things, which I love. I also love the fact that the male lead is nearly as neurotic as myself with all his rules. The way in which this was filmed also adds to the enjoyment. 

Braindead
Peter Jackson is one of my idols and this earlier film of his is one of the first 'horror' films that I saw. This film explains how the people became zombies, though it comes about in a rather funny way. It is great to see Peter Jackson's work pre- LotR just to see where he came from .

28 Days Later
This is a stark and gritty film which I find absolutely brilliant. The scenes that Danny Boyle managed to get of a nearly deserted London are amazing and Cillian Murphy was perfect in this film. I know that they're technically not zombies and that the humans are infected by a rage virus but it's a damn good film and it's my list so it made the cut.

There are many other great zombie related mediums out there: The Walking Dead, The Crazies and Dead Space to name a few but as this was just films there you have it.

Now, I'm going to get back to my movie viewing. Until tomorrow my dear readers.

Five tunes - the good kind of earworms

I often get music stuck in my head. Most of the time it is good music and, every so often, it isn't. I've already talked about the songs that annoy me so here goes a list of songs that I find catchy at the moment. These are all ones that are in the charts on iTunes as I have to make sure to limit my choices otherwise I will go on and on. As a disclaimer or a side note all these will come from the New Zealand iTunes store cause...well...that's where I am.

I've also gone to the extra trouble to provide video clips from YouTube incase you wanted to see how amazing these songs are. Warning: there is some bad language; you have been warned. Enjoy. 

F*** You/Forget You - Cee Lo Green
Simon Pegg tweeted about this song last year and I instantly fell in love with it. The lyrics are witty and the beat is catchy plus it is a fun song. It is upbeat even though the subject matter is quite, um, serious...that's not the word I am really looking for but I'm sure you catch my drift. Even the video for it is beautifully done. And, let's face it, I find myself humming it for days on end.

Have You Ever Seen the Rain - CCR
I'm adding this just cause I am thrilled that it is in the charts. I have been a fan of CCR since I was knee high to a grasshopper.* My favourite of theirs was Looking Out My Back Door for a long time or Bad Moon Rising but this song is still amazing and the vocals are such a change from a lot of the music that is coming out at present. (No auto tune makes me happy.)**

Use Somebody - Kings of Leon
I love Kings of Leon and this song is definitely my favourite. It's gritty and juts very raw. Plus some of the covers of this song are amazing. It is a beautifully written song.

Raise Your Glass - P!nk
I love P!nk. I love the sound of her voice, her 'honeybadger don't give a sh*t' attitude and her strong lyrics and this song is no exception. I could listen to this song all day. Then I'd be sick of it but I'd still recognise it for the good song that it is.

Little Lion Man - Mumford & Sons
I have to admit that I hadn't heard of them until very recently but this song got stuck in my mind and I love it. It's got an agressive tone but that makes it great to sing along with and the actual music itself is a bit different which makes it stand out in my mind.

Until next time. Enjoy the tunes and let me know what you think or what your favourites are.

*Yes I know this is impossible but I love the saying and for some strange reason I always imagine the grasshopper from an old Disney short...at least I think it is a Disney short.
**I'm not against auto tune but it is over used at the moment. Or so I feel.

My Top Five Disney Films (Animated) and kidney stones...?

If you are starting to think that I am somewhat jinxed or cursed or just really unlucky I don't blame you but I'm just going to stay as optimistic as possible. The reason I say this as because I am currently trying to flush out a kidney stone - doesn't that sound sexy. What this basically means is I am trying to drink as much water as possible while hoping it doesn't get any worse otherwise I'm in for a trip to the hospital. (Which would make it the third trip in the space of 18 months.)

Enough of my moaning though. I've got a steady supply of water and other liquids and I want to hit this list. I'm a huge Disney fan and I have been for a long time. There is something magical about Disney that makes me smile and makes me want to draw. One of my dreams came true last year when I finally got to Disneyland in California where I regressed in age to about five.* I could seriously live there and be quite happy. This leads me to my top five (animated) Disney films.

Aladdin
"Riffraff! Street rat! Scoundrel! Take that!" I loved the story from a young age and Robin Williams turn as Genie was pure comedic brilliance. And Iago was annoying and funny. I just loved this movie and, let's be honest, who doesn't dream about escaping the life they have for something new and different. Every character in this film wants that with the exceptions of Rajah and the Sultan.





The Black Cauldron
This was one of Disney's darker films that I remember scaring me a little as a child. (No where near as much as Alice In Wonderland scared me when I was younger**) Based on Lloyd Alexander's Chronicles of Prydain it had some lovely scenes and the visual art in this film, although darker, was still quite beautiful. I'd recommend reading the books as well.

Treasure Planet
It's a space western. Actually it's a futuristic version of Treasure Island. And I really loved it. Jim has always been a character that I liked - always wishing for something more and pushing at all the boundaries available. Plus, who wouldn't want to give solar surfing a try.

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
If anything deserves to be in a top five list it has to be Snow White. The ultimate classic Disney film and a pure work of art. Plus it has Dopey and he has always been a secret favourite of mine. He is adorable. And we cannot forget the evil Queen in this film. She is terrifying and brilliant.

Tangled
This is my new favourite Disney film for two reasons: Rapunzel and Flynn. I saw it twice in the theatre, once in California and the other time here in New Zealand and I am just waiting for it to come out of DVD here. (Though I might have to buy it online.) It is beautiful, funny, witty and just amazing. The art alone is stunning. Then the character development is spot on. The chemistry between Flynn and Rapunzel is classic. I could really go on and on about this film but you have to just go and see it to understand.

And, because it's Disney and I can't narrow it down here are some honorable mentions: Beauty and the Beast, The Sword in the Stone, The Rescuers, The Emperor's New Groove, Lilo and Stitch...ah crap I'm about to list so many more...I'm guessing you get the drift.

Anyway, enjoy. I'm off to drink a lot of water. Until tomorrow, take care and watch some Disney!

*I'm not kidding. I put my hair up in high ponytails and jumped around the park. I was worse than a child on a sugar high. I had also had a wee bit of caffeine which could explain it?
**I now have a strange obsession with all forms of Alice In Wonderland and would definitely recommend the Disney version and the Syfy mini series for two unique looks at Carroll's world.

Top Five Fictional Werewolves - and technology is still hating me...

I'm at work as I write this but it has been a slow morning so I feel that it is okay that I am doing this. I've been up for quite some time and I can tell you that I have learned a couple of things in the last couple of days; Most importantly, I have learned that leaving a Yoda backpack sitting up in my room is bad. I don't know who got the worse scare, myself or the Yoda backpack.

Another thing that I have learned is that I quite enjoy doing this top five thing. If I had the time or patience I would try and figure out how to do polls on my blog just to see what happens. I might look into that after BEdA has finished.

In technology related news I somehow managed to kill my printer. I had 25 pages left of my manuscript to print when it just stopped. So far the score stands at technology three - JJ zero. It's a good thing I have a sense of humour otherwise I would be a sad little mess on the ground. Anyway, enough of my babbling let's get down to business.*

I was going to do a post about fictional bad guys but I thought I would leave that for later on so here are my top five fictional werewolves.**

Ginger - Ginger Snaps
Aside from the fact that this is one of the best films I have seen the character of Ginger going through the stages of the change (both as a werewolf and that awkward change from 'little girl' to 'young woman') is brilliant. With her sister watching on in confusion, worry and fright as Ginger sprouts hair in funny places, starts growing a tail and then fully turns into a serious lycanthrope. This is one film that I would recommend to anyone above the age of 16. (Hey I've got to pretend to be sensible.)

Elena - Bitten (Also various other titles from Kelley Armstrong's brilliant Women of the Otherworld series)
First, she's the world's only female werewolf. Second, she was bitten by her own fiancee.*** Third, she is constantly hunted by mutts because she is considered a trophy prize. Actually, this series is brilliant in the way it portrays werewolves. They aren't cursed in this series and many of them enjoy the transformation where they actually resemble wolves not walking nightmares.

George - Being Human (UK version as I haven't seen the US version)
I love this series and I love all the characters but since this is about werewolves I'm going to stick with George. He's sweet, confused, angry and all those emotions you expect with learning that you are no longer the same person you were and that you change into a howling monster at every full moon. Then there is the fact that he has no control over it. Just look at the intro to episode 2 in season one when Mitchell is doing the voice over. Brilliant.

Oz - Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Seth Green is a favourite actor of mine and his turn as the 'so-laid-back-he's-nearly-falling-over' werewolf Oz is hilarious and sweet. The fact that he was turned by by his own cousin gives it an extra comedic twist. What is really sweet is his courtship of Willow and their little dance that they play around each other. 

David - An American Werewolf in London
This is a more tragic portrayal of a werewolf and also another favourite film of mine. The idea of being haunted by your own victims is interesting as well. What stands out to me is the image of David as the wolf running through the streets of London and through the London underground. (All places I am familiar with.) And the ending is almost heartbreaking in a way. Plus the music in this film is pretty wicked with every song referring to the moon in someway.

Well there goes my list of fictional werewolves. I still don't know why I put fictional in the title but I quite like it so I am going to leave it there. I best be getting back to work as well.

Let me know who your favourite werewolves are.


*For reasons unknown Flight of the Conchords' Business Time is now playing through my head...
** Compared to real werewolves...sigh...I know how that reads.
***Does that term work for males and females? I'm confused.

Oh the headache...

I was going to do a really good entry today about something amazing but I have been fighting this headache for the last couple of days so I thought I would do a brief entry if that was okay with you all. My original aim was to do a blog entry 'top five' for every day of April but my computer died and now that I finally have one back I get a headache that seems intent on disabling me for the weekend. So, this goes to show that not everything goes to plan...if anything actually does.

That is why I am posting this now in case I forget or fall asleep and miss the deadline for today.

But, because I feel somewhat guilty but not doing a top five so I will do a mini one...top five reasons headaches suck:

1. They make listening to anything almost unbearable - children's laughter becomes nails on a chalkboard or beautiful music sound like a flock of seagulls strangling cats. 
2. Your head feels as if it has doubled in size or just one section of it though when you look in the mirror it still looks normal size. 
3. You never know how long they are going to last so you think you can manage through but every so often these little bastards turn on you then you turn into a blithering idiot because you can't think straight. 
4. When they do finally go away you've lost half a day or a whole day. Nothings been accomplished and you didn't even enjoy the time off from doing nothing cause your head was in all kinds of evil places. 
5. And finally, a headache is not an excuse for everything...;o)

Until tomorrow my dear readers...

Technology hates me and my top five sci fi films...

We interrupt this broadcast with an important announcement - I finally have my computer back. This is the good news. The bad news is the fact that they had to wipe everything because the hard drive was corrupted. For those keeping score at home this is twice in the last two months that computers have deleted my life from them. Before you say anything about an external hard drive I'll have you know that I have one but it was too late in both cases.*

I can only assume that this means technology hates me. Though I have to admit, my first computer was brilliant. It was a Dell Inspiron and worked beautifully until it died. **

Anyway, let's get down to business. Today's top five is going to be my favourite Science Fiction films. I happen to love sci fi with a great passion. I'm a passable Trekkie, love Star Wars and am somewhat obsessed with Firefly. So, let's dive straight in: ***

Oh, before you ask, Star Wars won't be appearing on this list because it is more than just a science fiction. Just in case you were wondering.

Event Horizon
This film was one that really scared me the first time I watched it. There is no alien per se as everything tends to come from the mind of the crew but the whole idea of going into a hell dimension just creeps me out. Plus, Sam Neil as Weir...I still get shivers every time I watch it.

Pandorum
I finally managed to get a hand on this film a few weeks ago and, for the same reason that I enjoyed Event Horizon I enjoyed this film. The enemy isn't clear and it goes to show the power of your own mind. And the atmosphere of space being empty and unknown makes for a great story.

Serenity
Okay. This is a firm favourite mainly because I loved Firefly. It is the crew and the sense of family that actually make this film brilliant. Plus Whedon's witty script. All I have to say is I 'aim to misbehave'.

Alien
The ultimate sci fi. With a tag line like "In space, no one can hear you scream," you know you're in for a great ride. It is chilly, atmospheric and scary. Not to mention the fact that it brought our attention to the fact that women could be heroes. Ripley is the ultimate heroine and she kicks arse!

Aliens
I had to add this one as well because it is very different to the first film. This one ups the ante and introduces some great characters. Hudson anyone? Plus the fact that the colonial marines are no real match for the Aliens...

There are so many other films that I could add to this list so here are some of the runner ups:

Blade Runner, The Matrix, Back to the Future, The Fifth Element, 12 Monkeys, Terminator, T2 ... damn it, this list is far too long. I've mentioned it before but narrowing a list down to five is flipping difficult.

Hope you are enjoying this as much as I am. Also, if you have any requests please let me know.


*Insert sigh or swear word here.
**Add a wry chuckle here.
*** I could have made a science fiction related joke here but I held back. Are you proud?

Why daylight saving sucks (and evil earworms) - Day 3 BEdA

So, daylight savings has officially started in New Zealand so we have, kinda, gained an hour sleep in. While to many this may sound wonderful and lovely to me it just signals the fact that it is getting closer to the middle of the year and that my brain will take a week to figure out what the heck is going on. Once I get used to it I'll be fine but at the moment it sucks. It feels later than it is and I have yet to go around and fix all the clocks. And that extra hour makes me feel groggy as ever so as I begin to write this I am brewing up some strong coffee to aid in my waking up process.

This leads to my list of five for today. Well, I could do it on why daylight saving irks me so but I thought I would make it about something as equally annoying...peppy pop songs that get stuck in your head or evil earworms as I like to call them.*

Hold It Against Me - Britney Spears
I have nothing against Miss Spears...in fact I don't really care about her but this bloody song just annoys me. I blame the gym that I go to. We were doing a kettle bell class and this was one of the songs and, for some stupid reason, it got stuck in my head but only two lines from the chorus. These two lines have nearly been on constant replay in my head for the last few days and it is so frustrating because I don't think it is a good song.

What the Hell - Avril Lavigne
I'm sorry but this song...do I really need to explain? Sure I was young when 'Complicated' came out. I know all about angst blah blah blah but this song. That chorus has just gotten stuck in my head and, to me, it annoys me to no end. The thing is, I liken this song to a movie trailer. All the best bits are in the chorus. I guess because it is so peppy.

Baby - Justin Bieber**
It's the damn chorus. And the fact that this is manufactured pop. Once again, nothing against the boy but really..."baby baby baby oh" Plus my five year old niece is in love with him which freaks me out more than anyone could ever know.

(Baby) I Like It - Enrique Iglesias
I have never actually heard this song in its entirety mainly because the chorus puts me off in about 2.5 seconds flat. I know that other people like it but to me it is kind of a chorus only song. In fact I think every song on this list is a chorus only song.

Your Love is My Drug - Ke$ha (Or any song by her)
Put aside the fact that all her songs are so auto-tuned you can't tell if it is real singing or not these songs, especially 'Tik Tok' and all have the same kind of 'melody' (and I use that term lightly). So, does this need an explanation?

There are thousands of other songs that I could have added to this list and I'm sure there are ones on this list that you like. I'm not saying that they are bad, per se, but that they become annoying quite quickly and the radios play them until they are so firmly entrenched in our poor little brains that we might end up going crazy.

Also, these are what I like to call chorus songs. The only part that is memorable to me is the chorus and that is the part that becomes trapped in your brain.

On a side note - 'Friday' by Rebecca Black isn't on this list cause it isn't a song...really...and that song is already getting enough flack from the rest of the world. I just feel sorry for the poor kid since she wanted to sing so badly that she sang anyold song plonked into her lap.

Anyway, tomorrow will bring a more positive list. I promise. For now I'm going to listen to some classic rock to get these songs out of my head. Zeppelin anyone?



*Not to be confused with either the Ceti Eel or Khan Worm from Star Trek and Supernatural respectively.
** You can replaced this with nearly any of his songs I assume, I just don't know that many of them. Honestly.