It's a tale as old as time, and one that has warmed the hearts of all ages for over 20 years. Beauty and the Beast is one of those staple Disney classics that will never grow old despite the dozens of times we've popped open the VHS as a kid. But could Disney successfully translate this magic and wonder into a live action remake?
Definitely.
First and foremost, the casting is perfect. Emma Watson stars as Belle, and is simply adorable in the role. She is everything we loved about her Harry Potter persona, Hermione - she's independent, intellectual, and unconcerned about fitting the status quo. Emma's new role comes with a twist that never graced the Hogwarts halls...she can sing, and really well too!
Dan Stevens plays the fearsome yet loveable softy that is the Beast, and the two radiate chemistry on screen, despite his paws, fur and horns. The ballroom dance scene is simply perfect as the two sway to Mrs. Potts singing "Beauty and the Beast." This is the moment that everyone associates with the original, and it is surreal to see the golden dress and blossoming love between the two come to life.
Despite Emma and Dan's outstanding performances, the enchanted objects steal the show. Lumiére (voiced by Ewan McGregor) and Cogsworth (Ian McKellen) are like a minuscule married couple, and I never thought it possible to feel so strongly towards a friendship between a candelabra and clock. Lumiére is the unsung hero of this tale, who sets off from the start to unite Belle and the Beast to break the curse.
As soon as the movie ended, I already wanted to see it again. From the flashy "Be Our Guest" number to the epic ending fight scene, every second of the movie is captivating. This live version brings a whole new life to the animated classic, with little twists for the modern era (LeFou gets a dude!). Beauty and the Beast shows us that beauty is truly in the eyes of the beholder, and is never just skin-deep. Belle also teaches us that there is always something new out there to learn and explore, and we should never settle for a "provincial" commoner's life, pining after jerks like Gaston.
We're only one week in to the new season of Survivor, and I have heart palpitations already.
The show is in its 34th season and features all former players who made some sort of impact that changed the tone of the game. In an intense two hour premiere, we already said goodbye to *SPOILER ALERT* Sierra and sadly, Tony, one of the best players and biggest goofballs on the island. He should've waited until at least day two to start hunting idols and spying on his tribe mates.
It's super early in the season and alliances will change hundreds of times over the coming episodes, but I'm already set on who I think deserves to be sitting in that final three at the live finale in May...
Caleb Reynolds
This guy got completely robbed the first time he attempted to play. After going too hard in one of the challenges, he was medically evacuated and was unable to return to the game. Caleb will be a dark horse this season because no one really knows his playing style. We could have the next Russell on our hands for all we know. Fingers are crossed that this southern boy makes it far and his tattoos grace our televisions for many weeks to come.
Tai Trang
Everything this little man does just makes me smile. He always forms a deep and meaningful bond with the tribe's chickens, and shies away (for the most part) from any sort of backstabbing and confrontation. Even though I could probably pick Tai up with one arm, he kicks a** in challenges, outlasting men twice his size by sheer inner strength and will. Tai came SO close the last time he played, coming in second on season 32, which will give him all the more drive to get the title of sole survivor this time around.
Ozzy Lusth
Don't let the pigtail braids fool you. Ozzy was born to battle the elements on Survivor, climbing trees, diving off ships for tools, all the while being extremely humble about his awesomeness. I was pretty young when Ozzy appeared for the first time on Survivor: Cook Islands, and took the liberty of drawing one of my first TV crushes, which can be appreciated below....not too shabby for a kid, right? If Ozzy can make the merge and still has a bit of jungle boy left in him to win immunity challenges, his fourth time around might be the charm.
Survivor: Game Changers airs every Wednesday on CBS at 8pm EST, which is when you can find me casually shouting at the television while stress eating ice cream.
Throughout history, there have been some reality TV series that definitely killed a brain cell or two, yet we just COULDN'T look away. From Mike "The Situation" ramming his head into a wall on Jersey Shore, to Frankie Gotti stomping up the stairs because he's "got a life!" on Growing Up Gotti.
Still, the one that caused a void in my heart since its cancellation a few years ago is TLC's Here Comes Honey Boo Boo. Television just hasn't been the same without mud fights and homemade "sketti."Never fear - Mama June is back on WE tv with her new show From Not to Hot, which chronicles her revenge weight loss surgery to slim down before attending ex-husband Sugar Bear's wedding in 44 days.
The first episode aired on Friday, 2/24, and picked up right where Honey Boo Boo left off. It opens with Honey Boo Boo aka Alana attempting to pack her own school lunch - a entire box of snack cakes and a full quart of ice cream, surely a nutritious lunch for a growing kid.
Sugar Bear then visits Mama June with some exciting news - he's getting married. To whom, we have no idea, but June figures if he can get back in the game after their divorce, so can she. With the help of her sister Doe Doe, June gets herself on some dating apps, and quickly snags a date to a local all-you-can-eat buffet with, quite frankly, the dullest guy on earth.
As we know from Honey Boo Boo, June is a straight shooter who tells it like it is and doesn't give a damn what people think. Seconds after sitting down, she lays it all on the line, asking if he's been married and other questions most would save until at the least the third date. Long story short, June's date bails half way through, leaving the show's producer to chase him down in the parking lot.
Even though June's body transformation isn't rumored to take place until the end of the season, we still get to experience all the familiar wonders of Honey Boo Boo, and maybe even a healthier recipe for the infamous ketchup and pasta combo know as "sketti."
Every time I go in Target (which I have to admit is a lot...), I spend some time in the movies/books section. For a solid few months, I'd see this weird grayish book with a strange girl on the front floating in midair. One day, I skimmed through the pages, came across pictures of some creepy man with no pupils and a dog with the head of a girl, and immediately put it back on the shelf.
Shortly after, I saw a commercial for a new Tim Burton movie about a headmistress and a home of weird kids, one of whom had a working mouth on the back of her head. I love Burton's work, so when I realized it was an adaptation of the book I was too chicken to look at, I decided it couldn't be THAT bad and gave Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children a shot.
My first impression wasn't great. I almost quit/dropped the book before the first chapter even began. On one of the introductory pages, there's a picture of a girl, which I later learned is the lead female character Emma Bloom, covered in shadows and basically staring into your soul.
Still, I pressed on and I'm so glad I did. The story centers on Jacob Portman and the special bond he and his grandfather, Abe, had throughout his childhood. Abe tells Jacob tales of the home he stayed in as a child, where there were children with special abilities, including an invisible boy and a girl who could levitate.
Jacob assumed these were fairy tales, until he makes the journey to the long abandoned children's home and enters the "loop" - the same day repeated over and over for eternity. This particular loop is on September 3rd, 1940, the day before all of Abe's friends, the peculiar children that Jacob assumed were fictional, die in a bomb explosion from the war. In this loop, they are perfectly safe and never age.
Jacob befriends the invisible boy, Millard, and finds more than a friend in the girl who can create fire with her hands, Emma Bloom. Emma also happened to be in love with Jacob's grandfather when Abe was part of the loop, which isn't awkward at all......
Going into this book, I didn't know what to expect. I don't deal well with stories that involve creepy kids, but the peculiar children are fantastic. They each have their own special ability, and work to help Jacob recognize his own talent, which is unfortunately the ability to see dark shadow creatures called hollows.
The second and third books of the series are waiting on my bookshelf, and I can't wait to see what happens to Jacob and his peculiar friends as they battle hollows and protect their loop.
Discovering new bands is one of my favorite things in the world.
About a month ago, I bought a ticket to The End Is Here Tour. Naturally, I was hype to see the one and only Mr. Ronnie Radke of Falling in Reverse and stupidly didn't pay attention to who else was on the tour.
A few weeks ago, I decided to take a look at who the supporting groups were to get familiar with their music and not be completely lost during the first few hours. I already semi-knew Issues and their song "Never Lose Your Flame," which has been blasted on repeat in my car countless times.
I had heard of the name Motionless in White, but knew nothing about the band. After a quick Google search, I was severely questioning what I had gotten myself into. These dudes were like nothing I'd seen before, except perhaps Marilyn Manson. The tattoos I could easily get past (have you seen Ronnie's forehead?), but it was the eye shadow and full-face makeup that was another story.
Still, I pulled up their page on YouTube to check them out, and ended up spending an entire lunch hour playing one video after the next. I was still kind of freaked out but simultaneously mesmerized by this band. Their sound, appearance, and lyrics combined was something new for me, but deep down I new I found something special. I quickly learned that they're fellow Pennsylvanians, which is where the song "570" gets it's origin. The lyrics just hit home for me...
"And when I'm facing a wall I do not quit, cause if you mean it, you will make it."
I listened to Motionless non-stop from that day until the concert on Jan 28th, and was possibly just as excited to see them as Falling in Reverse. Their stage setup was pure perfection and something out of The Nightmare Before Christmas. There were pumpkins and glowing candles that gave the illusion of trespassing upon a haunted church. Even the drum set had a pumpkin head emblazoned on the front.
Motionless in White did not disappoint. They played the songs I had grown to appreciate, including "570" and "America," and I was able to belt out the lyrics back at the lead singer, Chris "Motionless" Cerulli. He had on his signature makeup, plus some glistening leather pants that most women couldn't dream of pulling off like he did.
A giant pumpkin man even graced the stage and my inner child deemed him the best part of the night.
Motionless basically solidifies some changes I've made over the past few years. All through my teens, I was up to date on the latest boy band crazes and rocked my hot pink UGG boots. Something shifted when I hit my twenties, and I discovered how happy the color black makes me and how truly amazing tattoos look. Yes, I still stalk the solo careers of One Direction members. But there's just something about the angst and inspiration of metal/punk music, and guys like Chris and Ronnie screaming in my ears at 8am on a crowded subway that gives me the energy to go out in the world and kick some a**.
Check out Motionless in White's latest single, "Eternally Yours" below...it's freaking amazing.
This week, I ignored my inner old lady who despises public places packed with kids. Instead, I embraced my inner five-year-old and saw Sing, which was one of the cutest, most inspirational animated films I've seen in a while. The movie follows the determined little koala, Buster Moon, as he attempts to save his theater from closing with one last production - a singing competition.
Sing is exciting, comedic, and tugs at your heartstrings no matter what age you are. Below are five reasons to get your butt to the movies ASAP to see the cutest movie of 2017:
1. ACTION
For an animated film, there is no shortage of adventure. From car chases to robberies, you will find yourself fearing for the lives of those cuddly animals. Mike, played by Family Guy's Seth MacFarlane, gets mixed up with some tough grizzly bears despite his tiny size and soothing Frank Sinatra-inspired voice. The mouse narrowly escapes capture and being eaten alive several times, speeding away in a sleek, red convertible with his new girlfriend by his side.
2. ACCENTS
Ever hear of an Australian gorilla? You have now. Johnny has the sweetest accent ever, not to mention the voice of an angel and insane piano playing skills. Unfortunately, he has no choice but to get caught up in his dad's gang of robbers, all of whom have beautiful accents as well, despite their criminal backgrounds.
3. LOVE Sing captures love in every shape and form, from caring for family members to romantic love. Rosita, voiced by Reese Witherspoon, wants to audition for Buster's new theater production, but is hesitant to put herself before her family of 25 adorable piglets. Even after Buster's warning that all participants need rest to prepare for rehearsal, Rosita pulls an all-nighter and fashions a machine that makes breakfast, does laundry, and gets her kids ready and out the door for school. She is able to go for her dream while making sure her family is still well-cared for.
On the other hand we have Ash, voiced by Scarlett Johansson, who is the definition of girl power and revenge packed into a tiny hedgehog body. Ash and her boyfriend audition together for Buster's production, but only she makes it through to the next round. After discovering the boyfriend with another hedgehog, she calls it quits, and releases all of her hurt and anger into her first solo track. Ash finally realizes her full potential and is able to love herself and recognize her own talent.
4. MUSIC
As the title of the film suggests, Sing is full of amazing songs and vocals. The standout performance comes from Meena the elephant, played by the amazing Tori Kelly. Meena has a beautiful voice, and is constantly told this by her family. However, she suffers from stage fright and extreme shyness, which makes it almost impossible for her to perform in Buster's production. After the koala gives her some words of wisdom, Meena is able to gain confidence and ultimately steal the show.
5. HOPE
If you've ever had a dream that seemed downright impossible, you can relate to Buster Moon. When he was young, he fell in love with the atmosphere of the theater and knew he wanted to open one of his own someday. With help and encouragement from his father, his dream came true. However, none of his productions were successful and his theater was under severe threat of being shut down. Buster's determination, drive, and support from Meena, Johnny, Rosita and the rest of the performers allowed him to make his theater better than ever, and keep his dream and passion alive.
Bottom line, if you believe in something and work hard enough for it, anything is possible.
In honor of the world's favorite redhead releasing new music for the first time since 2014, I present to you my five favorite tear-inducing, I-need-a-pint-of-ice-cream-asap songs of the wonderful Ed Sheeran.
5. Thinking Out Loud
When I first listened to the X album, this song was one of the standouts. From the first line, Ed sings about how he will love this woman until they are very old. They won't be as active or young looking, but will still appreciate the little things that made them fall in love years ago. His lyrics make the listener want to find that same never-dying affection, and though the radio played this song to death, my non-existent future husband better prep himself to hear this at the wedding reception.
4. Give Me Love
An immediate favorite from +, there is so much passion in this track as Ed's voice intensifies with the progression of the song. By the end, he is belting out the same line over and over - "Give me love" - and there's so much longing behind that simple repetition. On the album version, if you listen past the song, there is a bonus track tucked away at the very end called "The Parting Glass," that is simple and hauntingly beautiful.
3. Lego House
This is a classic Ed Sheeran track that I can never get sick of. The melody and lyrics are absolutely adorable. He sings about caring for a woman and doing everything in his power to make her happy and comfortable - "And if you're broken I'll mend ya, and keep you sheltered from the storm that's raging on." *swoon*
2. All Of The Stars
As the ending credits track for the movie The Fault in Our Stars, this song has caused millions of actual tears to shed onto theater seats and popcorn. It's the perfect summary for the story of two teens who fall madly in love despite the odds and their deteriorating health. Spoiler alert, the boy passes away because of cancer, and the girl must learn to keep living while holding tight to his memory and the hope of seeing him again.
1. Kiss Me
One of Ed's lesser known tracks but by far my favorite, "Kiss Me" describes that magical instant that you fall in love with someone. One particular verse gets me everytime - "I'm falling for your eyes, but they don't know me yet." I guess chances are slim that I'll hear that from any guy at happy hour this weekend...
It's still unclear when we can get our hands on the new Ed Sheeran album, but hopefully it's filled with more swoon-worthy lyrics about falling in love that average guys have virtually no chance of living up to.
It was about a month ago. I was in the kitchen when I heard it. That beautiful, magical theme song from Harry Potter coming from my living room television. I bolted into the other room like a crazy lady.
Harry Potter? Where?!
To my disappointment it wasn't my favorite boy who lived, but a trailer for J.K Rowling's new movie Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. At first I wasn't pleased.
This isn't Harry Potter. They can't use the same theme song!
But after some research, I soon discovered that Fantastic Beasts takes place in the same magical world, with connections to Harry, just seventy years prior in New York. Needless to say, I had to see it, and this week I finally got to the movies to feed into my wizarding world obsession.
While the original Harry Potter series will always be my true love, I thoroughly enjoyed Fantastic Beasts. The story centers around Newt Scamander, a British wizard who travels to New York and accidentally sets his suitcase full of magical creatures loose on the city of Muggles, or No-Maj's as the American wizards call the non-magical community.
Eddie Redmayne plays Newt, and he is absolutely adorable and charming (despite his Hufflepuff colored scarf...). His mission in life is to rescue various creatures in the wizarding world who most deem to be dangerous, not unlike our old Hogwarts friend Hagrid with his love for dragons and hippogriffs.
Many of the creatures that find their way out of Newt's case are actually taught to Harry and his friends in Hagrid's Care of Magical Creatures classes. These include a rather clingy bowtruckle and a fuzzy little niffler that you can cuddle with AND set loose to collect gold. Think PetSmart has any??
In addition to the creatures, Fantastic Beasts has a few more links to the world of Harry that fans have become so familiar with. Many times, Rowling mentions how Dumbledore defeated the powerful wizard Grindelwald years before. It has always been a sort of fun fact about the headmaster that no one elaborated on until now.
In Fantastic Beasts we see Grindelwald (played by Johnny Depp) firsthand, masked as another wizard, trying to control the young Credence who just learned about his magical abilities. In one scene, Grindelwald places a necklace upon Credence's neck with a triangular pendant symbol on it - the Deathly Hallows. I guess Krum was right in wanting to fight Xenophilius Lovegood for wearing the symbol at Bill and Fleur's wedding.
Voldemort's loyal supporter, Bellatrix Lestrange, is also touched on in the film, or rather her ancestors. Spoiler alert, the leading female character Tina, played by Katherine Waterston, starts to fall in love with Newt. However, a picture of a young woman is spotted by Tina's friend, Queenie, in his room. When asked about her, Newt explains how she is a Lestrange, and how she was a friend of his at Hogwarts. Queenie warns him that the Lestrange's aren't the best wizarding family to be involved with, so it's clear that they supported the dark arts years before Bellatrix even existed.
For me, Fantastic Beasts had everything - action, comedic relief, a love story, subtle connections to Harry, and a cute British lead. Rumor has it that Rowling is creating a series of movies, and if it's going to consist of another eight, I'll need some time to track down a niffler....
