New Year's Resolutions: Pop Culture Nerd Edition

It's almost the start of 2017, which means new beginnings and an overflow of Oprah Winfrey weightloss commercials. Yes, I want to be a better person and do great things like the rest of us this year, but more importantly, I'm already planning ahead for all of the music, books, movies, and shows I want to take in over the next 12 months.

Music     

• NIALL HORAN - Let's all take a deep breath because my favorite member of One Direction is releasing an ALBUM. A few months back, Niall released the single, "This Town," which was pure heaven. The simple melody and vocals suited him perfectly, and I have my fingers crossed that the album will follow a similar style. Niall recently told E! News that he's still in the writing and recording process, but "it should be coming soon."
• FALLING IN REVERSE - On a similar note, another of my favorite bands, Falling In Reverse, just released a heart-wrenching single called "Coming Home" which I can only assume means a new album is coming. The song has a different, more relaxed and futuristic vibe than most of their heavier music, which myself and other fans have come to know them for. I'm all for some chill, emotional songs, but it won't be a Falling in Reverse album without Ronnie screaming about an ex, drugs, and the general stupidity of humanity. 

Movies

• BEAUTY AND THE BEAST - It's a tale as old as time, yet I will forever love Beauty and the Beast. A real-life version of the Disney classic will be released in March, with one of my favorite actresses, Emma Watson, as Belle. Only quick clips have been released over the past few months, but we finally have a full-length trailer to hold us over until the movie officially hits theaters. 

Books

• HARRY POTTER AND THE CURSED CHILD - If there's one obsession that has stayed with me since my grade school days, it's Harry Potter. Over the summer, I got my hands on Harry Potter and The Cursed Child as soon as it hit shelves. However, it's now December and I still haven't touched it. Why? I couldn't just jump into a new Harry story after years since The Deathly Hallows. It just wouldn't seem right. So, I started from book one and am working my way through the series. It's been years since I read them, and the story still holds the same excitement and magic as when I was a kid (as does my undying love for Malfoy). Hopefully The Cursed Child doesn't disappoint.
• GAME OF THRONES - A few months ago, I powered through every season of Game of Thrones and fell in love with everything from the theme song to the million storylines to keep track of. After consulting with several friends about the book series and getting mixed reviews, I decided to give them a try. These will need to wait until after Harry Potter, but I can already see they may very well take until 2018 to finish....talk about small print!

Television

• BEYOND - Every year, Freeform (previously ABC Family) launches a few new series. Some stick like Pretty Little Liars while most fizzle out after one or two seasons. The station is premiering Beyond on January 2nd, and it seems like something I can easily get hooked on. The plot of the show focuses on a guy named Holden who wakes up from a coma after 12 years and needs to figure out what happened to him. In typical Freeform fashion, I'm sure there will be some love interests and sketchy people who you know from the first episode had SOMETHING to do with the coma.

So, if you need me in 2017, I will be binging all of the above while working on my abs and trying to mentally curse out less people on the subway. Happy New Year!

2017 = Concerts Galore

If there's one thing I don't mind spending money on, it's concert tickets.

"$10 for a sweater? Ehhhh gotta think about it..."
"$50 to see my favorite band? *lunges for debit card*"

Since I was a kid, I've always loved the thrill of a concert. My dad took me to my first show when I was about eight to see Shania Twain, and I became obsessed with the excitement of seeing and hearing my favorite artists in person. Over the years, I saw huge productions from artists like Britney Spears, and also gained an appreciation for smaller venues. Standing so close to David Cook at World Live Cafe that he could hear audience members breathing was a surreal experience.

I've managed to keep the passion for concerts alive, and in the span of a day, I recently bought tickets to two shows in 2017 that I'm pretty hype for.

On January 28th, I will be seeing for the third time one of my absolute favorite bands, Falling in Reverse, which features my "tattoo man" Ronnie Radke as the lead singer. FIR will be at The Fillmore in Philly, which I've been to several times and STILL get lost trying to find their parking lot.



I first saw Falling in Reverse at the Electric Factory last Thanksgiving break, and though it was my first concert that involved mosh pits and crowd surfers, it was an amazing night. I've idolized Ronnie since I learned about his story of getting sober and fighting his way back into the music industry. He's one of the best live performers I've ever witnessed, and I can't wait to see what kind of show he's going to put on - he's been posting tons of cryptic pictures on Instagram, which are hopefully foreshadowing some new music!

The beginning of the end

A photo posted by Ronnie Radke (@ronnieradke) on Nov 22, 2016 at 5:37pm PST

On February 13th aka an awkward Monday night, I'll be heading to TLA for my second Jake Miller concert. I first heard about Jake when he randomly followed me on Twitter a few years back. After checking out his profile (and seeing how attractive he is), I listened to his music and was immediately hooked. He's a cross between pop, R&B, and rap and has a slightly younger fan base called the Miller-tary (get it??).

I had the extremely cool opportunity to do a phone interview with him for my college's newspaper, and though he was in the middle of a crowded mall being swarmed by fans, he was the nicest guy and took the time to talk about his music, touring, and how he's lost track of how many hats he owns.

Seeing Jake has become a sort of tradition for my one friend and I. One year, we waited several hours in the bitter cold to meet him at an album signing, and had to take turns standing next to the heater at a nearby bank. We then waited about six hours in the scorching heat a few months later to get a good spot in line for another of his TLA concerts. He puts on a really good show, and I'm excited to see him perform some of his new music from "Overnight."



Check out the dates for both shows below!

Fallinginreverse.com

A photo posted by Ronnie Radke (@ronnieradke) on Nov 30, 2016 at 10:44am PST

Welcome to #TheOvernightTour. Tix on sale Friday! Bringing my boys @maxgschneider and @spencermusic1! All I want for my bday today is for you to come and have the best night of your life with me. Tag a million friends 🎉

A photo posted by Jake Miller (@jakemiller) on Nov 28, 2016 at 8:59am PST

Finding Dory - Disney's Most Inspiring Creation

Black Friday. A day where we get to trample other shoppers for awesome deals on televisions, clothes, and endless other things we don't need. Do you want to know the extent of my Black Friday shopping? A trip to Target at about 3:00 in the afternoon to get Finding Dory for ten dollars.

You might be thinking "that's it??" Yes, yes it is. When Finding Dory came out in theaters a few months back, I saw it twice in the span of a week and loved it even more the second time. I'll admit, I wasn't crazy about Finding Nemo growing up. I always liked Toy Story and other Disney movies much better. So when this little blue fish made me die of laughter and almost cry several times, I knew she was something special.

If you're NOT familiar with the movie (I promise I'm not judging...too much), here's a quick summary of the plot. The movie starts out with Dory during her childhood, and OMG she couldn't have been cuter with her giant pink eyes that take up half of her face. Dory has suffered from short-term memory loss since she was born, and her parents work extra hard to show her love and praise for her accomplishments.



Dory tries her hardest to make her parents proud but accidentally gets swept up in the undertow and through the pipes, and ends up miles away from her home. Fast-forward a bit, and she meets Marlin and Nemo and starts her new life with them. It's not until she's assisting with Nemo's class one day that memories of her parents start to emerge, and she sets off on a quest to California to find them.

Along the way, Dory manages to befriend Hank, the cranky octopus (septopus, if we're being technical...), Marlin gets imprinted on by the twitchy, cross-eyed bird named Becky, and we meet various other lovable characters like Dory's old pipe pal, Destiny the whale.



But most importantly, Dory is able to find her parents. Despite her choppy memories and lack of confidence in herself, she accomplishes the seemingly impossible goal that she put her mind to. Lessons that her parents taught her as a child keep coming back in flashes, particularly one from her father when she was having trouble lifting a rather large shell. He told her, "There's always another way," and this allows her to assess her difficult situation, take a new path, and succeed.

Dory's mom also told her, "You can do whatever you put your mind to," which is a piece of advice we can all live by. In life, we are constantly questioning our ability to succeed, whether it be starting a new career path, maintaining a quality relationship, or just making ourselves better people. There's always that voice of doubt in the back of our minds, but we need to create a new voice that encourages us and pushes us forward.

Dory may not have had it all figured out when she set off across the ocean with Marlin and Nemo, but she taught me a lot. I don't have to have a set plan. I just need to recognize my overarching goal, take some pretty crazy chances, and "just keep swimming" until I get there.

Just keep swimming, just keep swimming...

Must-See Holiday Movies Because IT'S ALMOST CHRISTMAS

As much as I've been trying to contain it until after Thanksgiving, today I transitioned into full on Christmas elf. I blasted "O Come All Ye Faithful" by Pentatonix in my car, and turned into a complete five-year-old when I spotted Santa at the mall.

So, to keep the spirit going, I've decided to share some of my favorite holiday movies that I have to watch each year before Christmas can officially occur.

1. A Christmas Story

Every year on Christmas day, I obsessively watch the TBS 24 hour marathon without getting the least bit sick of Ralphie's excitement over his new Red Ryder or Scut Farkus' obnoxious laugh. Towards the end of the night, I always need to battle my family for the remote, but complaining that it's the "last showing" and how I "won't see it again for a year" usually wins out.

It's just a story that you can't get tired of. Ralphie is your typical middle-school boy, struggling through class and bullies, and all he wants for Christmas is an "official Red Ryder, carbine action, two-hundred shot, range model air rifle" but his mom keeps putting her foot down, concerned about his safety. In the end, his grouchy but loving dad comes through and gives him the gun, disguised as a present from Santa.



Watching the marathon will forever be one of my favorite yearly traditions. On Christmas Eve, my mom always makes anchovy gravy and fried shrimp, and after dinner, we break out the coffee and butter cookies as Ralphie gazes into the toy store window to get his first glimpse of Red Ryder.

2. A Christmas Carol (George C. Scott version)

There's so many versions of A Christmas Carol out there. Endless actors have done a solid job at playing Scrooge, but the version with George C. Scott is the only one that I grew up watching, and therefore holds a special place with me.

Yes, it's the same story as all the others, but there's something about his portrayal and delivery of Scrooge that adds a new dynamic to the character. You still dislike Scrooge, but there's a comical sarcasm that Scott brings to the scenes that makes you want to like him and actually root for him.

He plays greedy and mean well, but joyous and apologetic even better. When he wakes up on Christmas morning after his visit from the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come, he leaps up and down on his bed yelling "Merry Christmas to the world!" The scene gives you the urge to leap around your house doing the exact same thing.



A Christmas Carol is my Christmas Eve tradition (yes, I manage take a break from A Christmas Story). I'll usually start the DVD a little after 10pm, this way by the time Scrooge wakes up on Christmas morning, it's after midnight and actually Christmas in real time.

3. The Polar Express

I'm going to be honest...when this first came out, I wasn't a fan. I thought it was very lengthy and that the storyline was slow. Man, was I stupid. A few years ago, I decided to give it another shot and by the final credits, ended up on my couch in tears surrounded by empty chocolate wrappers. Needless to say, I was pretty touched.

First off, the music is absolutely beautiful. It's a similar melody that plays in the background for many of the scenes, and it's perfect for the setting and storyline. Several songs are extremely catchy, including the hot chocolate one on the train, and "When Christmas Comes to Town."

My absolute favorite is Josh Groban's "Believe" that plays through the final credits. I never got chills like I did the first time I heard it - from the lyrics to the melody, it's an all around wonderful song for the entire year.

"Believe in what you feel inside, and give your dreams the wings to fly. You have everything you need...if you just believe."



The storyline managed to give me chills as well. The main boy is getting older and is starting to question the reality of Santa Claus. It's not until he gets to the North Pole and physically sees him, that he fully believes. The boy receives the first gift of Christmas from Santa - a bell from his sleigh. Only people who truly believe in Santa can hear the bell's chime.

Over the years, his friends and little sister stop hearing the bell. This part depressed me to no end because I remember (spoiler alert) when I realized Santa didn't exist as a kid. However, the boy continues to hear the chime even as an adult. Moral of the story - no matter how old you get, you can't lose that magic and excitement of childhood. Reality will set in, there will be responsibilities. But through it all, you can't stop believing in happiness and dreams.

There's so many other great movies that if I kept going, Christmas would be over. So I'll leave you with quite possibly the greatest holiday song of our time...

Obsession of the Week - Pentatonix

One night after an exceptionally long day at work, I was watching some music videos on NickMusic. After one forgettable pop song after the next, my mind was drifting elsewhere until one line caught my attention...

"I've heard there was a secret chord, that David played and it pleased the Lord..."

"Hallelujah" has always been one of my favorite songs since I first heard it in Shrek as a kid. Over the years, endless people have covered it, but this version by the acapella band, Pentatonix, was different.

I always enjoyed listening to Pentatonix around the holidays, and that was it...until this song. The video is simple but captivating. It starts off with one of the lead vocalists, Scott Hoying, singing the first verse and staring into your soul through the camera. Each member then follows suit and crushes each of their own solos. Meanwhile, Kevin Olusola makes it sound like there's an entire drum section behind the band using only his voice and body.

Hands down, the best part of the song is Mitch Grassi's solo towards the end. His voice is absolutely beautiful and managed to give me goosebumps the higher he sang.



Over the next week, I listened to the song any chance I got - before work, before bed, before going out. etc. My dad quickly jumped on the Pentatonix train as well, and also had the video on repeat. One night, inspiration struck - the band was going to be in Philly on Sunday, Nov 13th, so I offered to take him as an early Christmas present. After the shock of my offer wore off, he was all for it and I purchased tickets within the hour.

Pentatonix was quite possibly one of the best groups I've seen live. It was easy to forget that there wasn't a live band behind them because you still felt that thump in your chest from Kevin's percussions and Avi's insanely deep voice. They sang everything from Michael Jackson to Justin Bieber, and threw in a few original songs like "Sing."

Pentatonix live at Liacouras Center in Philadelphia Nov 13th
From L to R - Kirstin Maldonado, Kevin Olusola, Scott Hoying, Avi Kaplan, Mitch Grassi

Towards the end of the show, they mentioned the great Leonard Cohen, and the entire crowd went nuts because "Hallelujah" was finally next. It sounded even better than the record and tiny Mitch with his enormous voice managed to bring out the goosebumps once again.

As part of their encore, they sang the eerie "Light in the Hallway" but took it a step further. The entire arena was asked to not make a sound, while Pentatonix huddled in the center of the stage and performed the song without microphones. They sounded exceptionally beautiful, and managed to keep hundreds of people engaged with just pure, raw talent. 

Their Christmas album, A Pentatonix Christmas, is out now and they'll also have their own NBC special on December 14th. Only 29 days away?? Let the countdown begin. 

Niall's New Direction

When Zayn quit One Direction, I was (for lack of a better term) a mess. Yes, I was in college at the time and not some hormonal teenager. But when the band whose music got me through endless hours of commuting, calmed my nerves before my very first job interview, and made me crack up after a long day with their stupid video diaries on YouTube, I was bound to take it pretty hard.

To my surprise, the remaining four kept going. I got to see them in concert yet again, and openly fan-girl over their album Made in the A.M., which was just as good and possibly even more creative than any of their previous albums.

However, all good things must come to an end, and Harry, Liam, Louis, and Niall went on a hiatus for an unspecified amount of time. While most fans panicked, I was okay with the whole thing - just look at bands like Green Day. They can go five years without touring, recording, or having fans knowing what they're up to, then come back with music that's better than ever.

So far during the break, each member has started to branch out and work on his own project. Louis and his son Freddie are cuter than ever. Liam just signed a recording contract with Republic Records. Harry is doing random photo shoots and embracing his inner sixties hippie with a brand new hair cut. And finally, in the midst of various golf sessions, Niall just dropped a new single out of NOWHERE that is pure perfection.

"This Town" suits Niall to a tee. While he was never the 1D member to belt out high notes and falsettos, he held his own with a strong but sweet voice. The song has a simple melody and a catchy guitar rhythm, which is what always showcased him on the band's albums in songs like "Don't Forget Where You Belong" and "Change My Mind."



In a recent interview with Ryan Seacrest, Niall talked about how he's working on a FULL album, that will have a very similar vibe to "This Town" with more soft melodies and acoustics. Even though the album is not quite finished, I'll be camping outside my local Target waiting for it to be released if anyone needs me...

Green Day - Even Better With Age

Every morning before going to middle school, I would eat my Frosted Flakes and watch music videos on MTV. One particular morning, I stopped dead in my tracks, spoon in one hand, backpack in the other. There was this dark haired, tattooed man on my television screen singing something about walking alone and a boulevard. I was immediately drawn in to this band, who looked so unlike anything that I was listening to at the time *insert cute, blonde boy band members here.* Thus began my love of Green Day.

Fast forward 12 years and a few albums later, I'm driving in torrential rain after working from 4:00am on a Saturday to pick up their newest release in several years, Revolution Radio. Did I feel like getting drenched? No. Did I know it would be completely worth it? Yup.

Revolution Radio is everything that I could've asked and more for new Green Day music. It has that 21st Century Breakdown political, angsty vibe, but with a more punk feel, much like their early work on Dookie.

While the whole album is freaking amazing, there's a select few songs that I've been listening to about 20 times a day since the release on October 7th:

"Bouncing Off The Wall"
This song......SO CATCHY! It's been a little while since I've gotten so excited over a song, but when I heard the first verse, I literally squealed like a teen girl because it was just SO good. While the lyrics talk about Satan, bombs, and idle threats, the melody makes you want to blast it in your car on a sunny day with the windows down, which is simply genius on their part.

"Ordinary World"
Two weeks ago, I saw Green Day live at the Tower Theater in Philadelphia as part of their small venue tour. After the supposed encore of "American Idiot," only Billie Joe walked back on stage with his acoustic guitar. With no introduction, he starts singing this song, and it was such a perfect and intimate moment with the crowd. Fans were screaming and carrying on around me, but I was so entranced by his performance and delivery of the lyrics, it was like they weren't even there. "What would you wish if you saw a shooting star in an ordinary world?" Ugh, perfect.

"Still Breathing"
This is one of the few songs that I heard before the full album when they released a lyric video for it. Much like "Ordinary World," the lyrics are extremely inspiring and something that I can relate to at this point in my life. "Just shine a light into the wreckage, so far away..." Even though we may be going through some difficult times and hardships, we're still alive and there's always a light trying to break through the darkness. When it comes to life struggles, Green Day gets it.



As if this wonderful masterpiece of an album wasn't enough of a treat, Billie Joe is starring in a movie called "Ordinary World" (I'm going to assume the song is in the soundtrack...) which hits theaters Friday, October 14th. Unlike his extremely cool and still attractive true self, Billie Joe will be playing a washed up rocker trying to get his life back together. If his acting is even 1/5 as good as his musical talent, we're in for a treat.

How I Found Myself at Warped Tour 2016

Let's rewind to a few ago in the awkward high school days. I had braces and was primping my side bangs to be juuuust right to meet Justin Bieber at a Jingle Ball concert. Never in a million years did I see myself in the middle of a moshing crowd at Warped Tour. But that's just where I ended up yesterday and I had the time of my life.

Ever since I can remember, I've loved all the pop stars - N*Sync, Jesse McCartney, Bieber. Yet in 6th grade, I discovered Green Day. My dad bought me "American Idiot" as long as I promised I'd stay away from drugs and not turn into a gothic weirdo. I continued to obsess over all the pretty boys, but behind the scenes, my love for heavier music (and tattooed men) grew stronger.

Over the years, I discovered bands like All Time Low and We the Kings, and felt more at home with music than I ever did before. About a year ago, some friends introduced me to Sleeping With Sirens and Pierce the Veil, and I instantly related to songs like "Go Go Go" and "King for a Day." History was made when I randomly clicked on a YouTube video of a song called "The Drug in Me Is You."

Falling in Reverse? Ronnie who? Oh, I like his voice. Bad Girls Club? OH this is catchy......

Summer of 2015 was consumed by the task of finding a post-grad job, all the while watching FIR videos in between cover letters. "F*** the Rest" soon became my life anthem - "and I know in my heart if you reach for the stars, all the things that you dream will indeed get you far" - and surprisingly, I learned a lot about life from Ronnie Radke, like how you can get your life together and make dreams happen no matter what you've been through and where you're coming from.

Fast forward one year, and Ronnie's picture is proudly hanging in my cubicle (much to the concern of my middle-aged coworkers) at my first big girl job. Still just as inspired by him as 12 months ago, I knew I had to attend Vans Warped Tour this year when I saw that FIR would be there. After some planning, my friends and I decided that we would adventure from Philly to Long Island, NY to go.

After almost 3 hours driving, my 1st official NJ bagel, and only getting slightly lost once, we arrived. I knew the day was going to be different and exciting just from the line to get in, with some guy selling sunglasses so fans wouldn't get "face f**ked" by the sun.

We immediately found the giant wall schedule to plan our day and figure out when/where each band was performing. Ronnie wouldn't be on until 5PM so there was plenty of time to work around that.

Kellin Quinn - Sleeping With Sirens

Throughout the day, I got to see We The Kings, Against The Current, and another of my top bands, Sleeping With Sirens. SWS was my 1st experience of the day dodging crowd surfers and enduring screaming fans. I'm used to One Direction and Bieber fans, but this was a whole new level. One girl next to me was SCREAMING at the top of her lungs how much of a "sexy beast" Kellin Quinn is. And while I completely agree with her, the ear drums of everyone around her begged to differ. Though when he sang "Go Go Go," I may just have been louder than her.

Around 1PM, we heard that Falling in Reverse was doing a photo op at their tent at 1:30PM. That's all I needed to hear. My friends and I booked it to the tent, only to find out you needed some sort of minuscule red ticket to meet them. We were kind of bummed, but decided to hang around. Even if we couldn't get a picture with Ronnie, we could get some sick shots of him from two feet away, which is exactly what we did.

I think my love for him grew even more yesterday. While waiting in line, I see Ronnie flying through the parking lot on a bicycle. He stops by the fence near his tent (he was on the other side), gets off the bike, then spends a solid few minutes looking completely lost, trying to figure out how to get through the fence with said bike. Finally he gives up and rides away, leaving the poor guy at the merch table to let us know he'll be "fashionably late".....get it??

Ronnie Radke - Falling in Reverse

About 10 minutes later, Ronnie arrives, and I got some amazing pictures of him in between meeting those lucky fans with the stupid red tickets. All the while, my friends and I are still in line, hoping against hope that we can just float through and meet him anyway. Sadly with about 3 people in front of us, the time for the meet and greet was over and Ronnie was out. But I couldn't even be mad...just look at him!!

Even though FIR wasn't performing until 5PM, we were at the stage and ready to go by 4PM, We stood in the back while Yellowcard performed, and the second they were done their set, we powered though the crowd, almost making it to the front barrier.

Despite getting kicked about 20 times and aching shoulders from lifting crowd surfers, I had the time of my life watching Ronnie. He is one of the best live performers I've ever seen, and being that close was an extra bonus. He sang all FIR's hits, including "Alone," "Rolling Stone" (and yes, I belted out the rap part), "Bad Girls Club," and "The Drug in Me is You."

By 5:30PM, I was ready for an Advil and shower, but was so content with life. I saw in person the guy who I'd been listening to non-stop for the past year, and who had inspired me during a pretty difficult and confusing time. Warped Tour wouldn't have been the same without Falling in Reverse, but even if they're not there next year, I'd do it all over again.

Ronnie Radke at Vans Warped Tour - Nikon Theater at Jones Beach
(and a security guard who was not having anymore of the crowd's sh*t)

Freeform Summer Premieres - Hooked Already

June is my favorite time of the year. Summer is here and Freeform (previously ABC Family) has officially begun to stress me out with all of their summer premieres. WARNING - lots of spoiler alerts below as I freak out about how suspenseful every show has been so far.

Lets start with the newest show, Guilt. I'll be honest, I wasn't too sure what to expect. It looked interesting from the commercials, and it did not let me down. It's your typical Freeform show - a brutal murder, attractive men, and about 20 possible suspects. Guilt kicks off with the murder of a young girl named Molly after a wild party while abroad in England. Now everybody from her jealous roommate, to Molly's beautiful Irish brother, to a perverted old professor is on the watch list as possible suspects. Only two weeks since the premiere, and I'm hooked. Also, Cal from "Titanic" plays a creepy lawyer in it, which is pretty awesome. Guilt airs each Monday at 9pm EST.

Next we have my personal Freeform favorite, Pretty Little Liars. I've been a die-hard fan since day one, and as crazy as the show has gotten, I still need to find out what happens week after week. Right now, we're in part two of the fast forward season, in which we see the girls several years after revealing that Charlotte, Aly's brother turned sister, is "A." They thought the whole nightmare was behind them but SURPRISE, it's not. The girls are now dealing with "A" 2.0, Hanna got herself trapped in a deserted shed in the middle of the woods, Aly's fiance is trying to kill her, and Aria and Ezra are sneaking around together (which I'm pretty hype about.) PLL airs every Tuesday at 8pm EST.

Finally, lets talk about The Fosters. This was always the Freeform show to cover heavier topics, like coming out as gay at a young age, death, and issues in the foster care system. However, the premiere last Monday was beyond anything they've ever done. I sat there for the full hour hugging a pillow for dear life. The topic of the premiere was gun violence in schools, and with everything going on in the world today, it just really hit home.

To summarize, Nick got extremely jealous because he saw Mariana kissing her ex, and went crazy by burning down his dad's warehouse and bringing a gun to school. The entire school was on lockdown, and I had such a nervous stomach watching the terror on their faces, and the relief Steph and Lena expressed when finally reunited with all of their kids. Next week seems to be a similar situation, because Nick is now lurking in the Foster's house with the gun. The episode will air on Monday at 8pm EST.

Freeform will be airing another new series called Dead of Summer on Tuesday, June 28th. Just from the title, I think it will fit in perfectly and provide more heart palpitations for the next few months.

Star Wars: The Force Awakened Me

Whenever people used to mention "Star Wars," I automatically went "OH the movie with the little green guy right??" *insert shocked/judgmental face here*

I have to admit, I never understood the hype. Friends always had to explain the difference between Star Wars vs Star Trek, and I used to look at the light saber club on my college's campus like they were aliens from a strange planet.

But when "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" was released, I decided to suck it up and watch the first six movies. As I currently sit here next to my stuffed Yoda and C3-PO pen, it's safe to say I've had a change of heart.

I started out with the original trilogy after wrapping my head around how Episode 4 was technically the first movie. I absolutely loved C3-PO and R2D2 from the start. Through the more complicated plots in the storyline, they provide some comic relief and interact like an old, robotic married couple.

The original trilogy was enjoyable - Luke's obsession with Princess Leia, the sarcasm of Han Solo, and the many intelligent words of Chewbacca. However, I enjoyed the prequels (Episodes 1-3) MUCH better.

First off, I am absolutely obsessed with Yoda. He's such a little bad*ss for being only 2 feet tall! In one scene, he comes swooping in with an entire army of stormtroopers behind him and it is the most epic thing in the whole series. He's also full of words of wisdom, and I've become a fan of the quote "Do or do not, there is no try."

I also enjoyed the main characters in the prequels. Feel free to judge, but Anakin Skywalker aka pre-Darth Vader is pretty darn attractive.

It was also interesting to see how everything from Episodes 4-6 came to be. Spoiler alert - we see how Anakin becomes Darth Vader to protect the love of his life, we have some context as to why Yoda is in exile in a hidden forest, and we gain some insight into the situation that Luke and Leia were born into.

I have to admit - I never understood Star Wars, and thought it was about robots and space battles. And while this is true, it's more so about family, love, support, and adventure.

May the force be with you.

American Idol Finale: Best Moments

"We say goodbye...for now."

Ryan Seacrest closed the finale of American Idol with those few simple words, causing every household in the country to question what the heck he meant. After months of build up of how this was the last season EVER, he left us hanging just like before every commercial break for 15 years.

As an avid fan since day one, I was thrilled this might not be the end. January just wouldn't be the same without the enjoyment of horrible auditions. But whether the show comes back in one year or ten, they ended this season with a bang.

First off, this was a better final two than they've had in years. Trent Harmon and LaPorsha could sing circles around some contestants from recent seasons. I have to say, I was pretty bitter that Dalton Rapattoni finished third. His elimination was happening just as I walked in the door last Wednesday, so it took about 10 minutes of screaming at the TV before I even took my jacket off. Hands down, he was best performer of the season, and not bad to look at either.

Days before the finale, I was telling anyone who would listen that they should bring back as many past contestants as they could. Idol must have heard me because they didn't disappoint. This was the first season where they didn't do corny weekly group numbers, but they made up for this in one night. And I loved every second of it.

Past winners and Top 12 contestants all came together to create some interesting yet unforgettable performances. Guests included everyone from Justin Guarini and Ruben Studdard to David Cook and Jordan Sparks. William Hung even ran out on stage, much to the surprise of Ryan Seacrest, to sing his anthem "She Bangs."

One of the highlights of the show was a medley by the Idol who inspired all the rest, Kelly Clarkson. Her segment was filmed a few weeks earlier when she guest judged, since she was set to have her baby at the time of the finale. She sang hit after hit, and ended the performance with the Idol classic, "A Moment Like This." Absolute chills.

The dream team of the original three judges also made an appearance. If you've followed the show since the beginning, it was exciting and even emotional to see Simon Cowell, Paula Abdul, and Randy Jackson together again on the Idol stage. Apparently, they weren't expecting Simon to make it, so that was a much welcomed surprise for everyone. Looking back, it's crazy to hear some of the harsh comments he said to contestants, but Idol would not be the same with him and his brutal honesty.

After 15 years of memories jam packed into two hours, Trent Harmon was crowned as the final American Idol (for now!). I think most people, including the judges, assumed that LaPorsha would win. She received constant positive feedback and her would-be single "Battles" had a much more Idol finale sound to it than Trent's "Falling." But Trent deserved it. He battled mono all through Hollywood week and improved his voice and performance every single round.

After Ryan's infamous "We say goodbye, for now," the Dolby Theater went pitch black. As someone who has so many childhood memories from the show - meeting the Season 10 contestants with my dad, screaming at the television when Chris Daughtry went home instead of Taylor Hicks - I hope Idol comes back soon, revamped and stronger than ever.

A Friends Reunion? Oh. My. GOD.

"How you doin'?"
"He's her lobster!"
"Smelly cat, smelly cat, what are they feeding you?"
"We were on a break!"

Do any of these sound familiar? Hopefully they do. These are some of the best lines in comedic history that all originated from one amazing show - Friends.

Ten years of Ross, Rachel, Joey, Chandler, Monica, and Phoebe. Ten years of an incredible bond between six outstanding characters finding their way through life in New York. And of course, ten years of coffee from Central Perk.

Fans rejoiced on Sunday when the group reunited to honor the legendary director, James Burrows. After all this time, the bond between the cast appeared to be just as strong as ever.

The only friend who couldn't make it was Matthew Perry, since he is in London performing in a play. But NBC didn't let Chandler fans down. Perry was shown on video to introduce the remaining five.

The entire cast looked great and all aged extremely well. Matt LeBlanc could still pull off Joey's "how you doin'?" line and make girls swoon.

During the interview, the cast discussed how there was constant support for each other. During the first season, they all watched the episodes together and gave each other constructive feedback. Courtney Cox mentioned how the three girls had lunch together every day for ten years.

Lots of fun facts were revealed, including how Jennifer Aniston and Cox actually auditioned for opposite roles. It was later decided that the other was better suited to play Rachel/Monica.

A few cast members were able to choose a favorite episode amongst the hundreds of amazing ones filmed. Cox enjoyed "The One With the Blackout" while Aniston liked the flashback shows with "Rachel's pre-nose job."

James Burrows had a big hand in always taking the comedy of Friends a step further. In one episode, Ross ends up in the hospital after getting hit in the face with a hockey puck. Joey is sitting next to Ross, bringing the puck to his own face to see what the experience was like.

According to LeBlanc, that hilarious action was all Burrows' idea. Now it's hard to imagine the scene without it. He said it's a "little sort of seed he gives you" to make every moment the best it can be.

Towards the end of the series, David Schwimmer took a hand at directing some episodes, which were just as strong as the early seasons. He said Burrows "graciously took me under his wing."

Thank you, James Burrows, for giving us ten years of laughs, life lessons, and tears when Rachel finally got off that plane.

Grammy's 2016: Best Moments

Last night, I nestled in front of the TV for three and a half hours of music, fame, and much deserved recognition. As usual, the 2016 Grammy Awards did not disappoint - there were unbelievable performances, touching tributes, and of course, the yearly beef between two stars.

It's safe to say that one particular female dominated the night - Taylor Swift. First, she kicked off the show with an intense performance of "Out of the Woods," powering down the stage in a stunning, glittery pants outfit.

But the first five minutes weren't the end for her. Taylor received "Album of the Year," one of the most coveted awards, for "1989." While her win wasn't that surprising, her speech definitely was. She spoke about how females need to take credit for their accomplishments. Men will try to take the spotlight away, but they must stay strong while fighting for their dreams.

At a first listen, it's a very touching, empowering speech. Dig a little deeper, and it's clear she was referring to the wonderful Kanye West and the lyric in his new song - "I feel like me and Taylor might still have sex/Why? I made that b**ch famous." Lovely, right? Props to Taylor for standing up for all her hard work.

Possibly my favorite performance of the night was surprisingly, Hollywood Vampires. I'm not too familiar with Alice Cooper, but I love Johnny Depp. From Edward Scissorhands to Sweeny Todd, we've seen Depp in all sorts of makeup and costumes. But in my opinion, he never looked better than at the Grammy's, with his tattoos and guitar *insert swoon face here.* It should go without saying, he was one of the most talented artists in the room last night. The guy can literally do it all.

Justin Bieber had a great night, winning his first every Grammy award and performing the song that got him back on the charts, "Where Are You Now" with Skrillex and Diplo. After Adele's snoozefest of a performance, Bieber was a breath of fresh air. His voice was on point, he had a ton of energy, and wore the sharpest cheetah print jacket. I was probably the only female in America who was sad when he took it off...

This was a solid year for the Grammy's. Lady Gaga paid tribute to her idol David Bowie, Sam Smith looked cooler than ever with his weightloss and newfound beard, and The Weekend slayed the stage with his flawless vocals. But the best part? Taylor giving it right back to Kanye. 

American Idol The Farewell Season: Contestants to Watch

"THIS...is American Idol!" For 15 seasons, we've gathered around the TV to hear the always energetic Ryan Seacrest say those four magical words. We've seen 15 years of ordinary people like Kelly Clarkson become worldwide superstars. And of course, 15 years of some "interesting" contestants...we all remember William Hung, right?

Sadly, this year is the Farewell Season, and we must say goodbye. I can't say I'm surprised the show is ending. For the past few years, the winners have been forgettable. When discussing with family and friends, we have to Google past contestants to even remember who competed ("that guy with the hair won right??").

However, I think this year will be different. Last week, the judges narrowed the contestants down to the Top 24, and a few are some of the best performers the show has had in years:


Dalton Rapattoni - Hands down, my absolute favorite from the second he walked into his audition. From the flowered boots to the eyeliner, I knew he was something special. Dalton is unlike anything the show has seen - he takes all types of songs (everything from "The Phantom of the Opera" to N*Sync) and makes them his own style of pop/punk. Keith Urban predicted he'll make it all the way to the end, and I completely agree.

Shelbie Z - This girl has one of the strongest voices the show has seen in a long time. In the Showcase round at the Dolby Theater, she crushed "Baracuda" by Heart, and sounded just as powerful as the original artist. Shelbie also has a great story - she used to work as a hairdresser, but decided to take a shot to achieve her dreams.

Trent Harmon - This poor guy went through all of Hollywood week, the hardest part of the whole competition, with mono. He could barely stand up, and had to perform during group round as a solo artist for the safety of other contestants. I was first intrigued by his dedication, but also ended up loving his voice. He'll definitely be one to watch. If he's that talented with mono, imagine what he sounds like healthy.

Thomas Stringfellow - I have to be honest...Thomas caught my attention because of his unique last name. I mean, it's just so fun to say. But when he performed "Story of My Life" by One Direction during the Showcase round, right after his girlfriend of one year broke up with him, I knew he was much more than just an interesting name.

Lee Jean - Lee is one of the few contestants I remember well from the auditions. For being so young with a guitar almost as big as him, I was very impressed by his talent as he sang "I See Fire" by Ed Sheeran. He was a force to be reckoned with all through Hollywood Week, singing another huge hit "Stitches" by Shawn Mendes. If Lee keeps up his energy and chooses youthful songs that showcase his voice, he'll go very far.

Will any of my favorites make it through? Hopefully. But if anyone needs me on Wednesday and Thursday, you can find me frantically voting for Mr. Rapattoni.

Goodbye to 1D (for now!), hello to Zayn.

Last week was a roller coaster for One Direction fans. They're still recovering from the band's current hiatus, the birth of Louis Tomlinson's son Freddie, and rumors that the hiatus is actually a breakup. Throw in their most emotional video to date, plus Zayn's first solo video, and fans may just combust.

On Tuesday, January 26, the band released the video for their song "History." The song itself hints at the hiatus, ensuring fans that "this is not the end" and "we can live forever." Touching, right? This is nothing compared to the video.

As a self-proclaimed directioner since the pre-tattoo days of polo shirts and varsity jackets, I felt overwhelmed within two seconds of the video. The group stands on the XFactor stage looking like absolute babies as Simon Cowell smiles up from his seat, moments after creating One Direction. Knowing what would become of these guys who hardly knew each other is enough to give anyone chills.

The video goes on to show clips of their career - the boys waving to fans, performing sold out concerts, and just being the goofballs that the world fell in love with over the past five years.



A very welcome treat (besides Niall's new glasses) is Zayn's inclusion in the video clips. He was a huge part in the band's success, so it only makes sense that he's shown....whether he actually liked the music they made or not.

Ironically enough, Zayn dropped his first solo song and video for "Pillowtalk" only three days later. Coincidence? Who knows. But it got people talking.

The song is unlike anything he did with 1D. As the name hints, it's about sex - something that many 1D songs touched on but in a family-friendly way. (What did you think "tonight let's get some and live while we're young" meant??)

I didn't know what to expect with Zayn's solo career. Out of all the 1D members, he was by far my favorite singer. At the end of each track, I could always count on him to go crazy with the high notes and runs. I was routing for him to be successful after he left the band, but I wasn't sure I'd enjoy his style of music.

After staying up until midnight on Friday to take a first listen, I was pleasantly surprised. Yes, it's different and more R&B, but it still has a touch of pop to it, much like the route Nick Jonas has taken since leaving the Jonas Brothers.

The music video is a bit much, full of mostly naked shots of Zayn's girlfriend, Gigi Hadid, However, it does tie in perfectly with the song's theme, whether fans want to admit it or not.



While I can't speak for all One Direction fans, I'm happy for both the remaining four boys and Zayn.

Niall, Harry, Louis, and Liam managed to revamp their sound and create "Made in the AM," something that is just as good (or better) than anything that came before. Zayn realized what kind of music he's passionate about, and did something about it.

Whether they all end up having solo careers or if Louis becomes a soccer dad driving Freddie to practice, I'll support my boys no matter where they go.