Movie Mondays

My recommendation of the week is The Artist and not just because it won Best Picture.  I finally got my chance to see it on Friday and I am just blown away!

Personally, I think a lot of people don't realize how important sound is to film.  It can completely elevate it or tarnish it.  This film shows what I would like to believe is a pretty accurate depiction of what the end of the silent film era was like.  Actors got "voice fright" (the voice equivalent of stage fright).  Several careers were destroyed in the dawn of sound because they couldn't keep up with the times, or sometimes because the times could not accommodate distinctive accents. And that's very much what this film is portraying!  George Valentin was the biggest silent movie star in the world and then one day came sound.  That's all I want to say about the plot because I don't want to spoil anything!

Now that I've mentioned the plot, allow me to possibly overstate that this is one of the most delightful films ever thanks to the incredibly, expressive Jean Dujardin and cutie director Michel Hazanavicius. No, but seriously look me into my blog-hidden face and tell me that this:

 isn't the cutest man that ever stood behind the camera (and yes, I've already considered that he's cuter than Wes Anderson)!

Go and watch this movie! Tootles!

Cutie Patootie of the Week

We apologize for our lack of posts, but we have been busy with school. I at least promise to become a better blog poster, but we will not give up our cutie patootie of the week.

We finally got around it, and watched "The Artist"!

And the hype is true! It's all sorts of wonderful and adorable. It truly made me appreciate sound. I think I am going to pay more attention to the sounds in movies from now on.

With that being said, Jean Dujardin is the cutie patootie!!!

That smile, those expressive eyebrows. One of my favorite scenes is when he wants to make his wife smile and imitates whatever Uggie the dog does.

His face is just so expressive, and whenever he grins, he makes me want to smile. Have you guys seen his Golden Globes speech?! He was so CHARMING.

If I could describe him in two words it would be HANDSOME and CHARMING.

My next move is to watch his French films OSS 117, which are two films which are parodies of 1960 spy films, one which includes his fellow Artist co-star, Berenice Bejo!

To add to his adorableness, he can tap dance! I die.

Please, please go watch "The Artist" as soon as you can!!! The emotion Jean Dujardin puts into his part in incredible, especially in a certain scene towards the end.

Jean Dujardin for an Oscar!

Cutie Patootie of the Week

Our Cutie Patootie of the week is Penn Badgley!

Penn first captured some of our hearts as "lonely boy" in the first season of Gossip Girl.

I have to admit that I (Mariela) loved that he was a loner and wanted nothing to do with the Upper East Side. He just wanted to mind his own business and school, and unfortunately (for some of us) he had an eternal crush on Serena, but that's another story.

I have to admit that after season one my crush on Penn died down a bit after he started dating Serena, I just missed lonely boy, and I did not really like the character he became, but alas two things happened: DAIR and Easy A.

Penn managed to capture my heart again as the loveable character he played in Easy A, Todd, an adorable school mascot.

And finally let's talk about Dair, which is probably the best thing that happened to Gossip Girl. If it weren't for the possibility of me watching Dan and Blair together then I would have probably not be watching the show anymore. I just love these two together, I love how supportive Dan is of Blair and is willing to put her happiness before his.

All that Chair fans have to argue is that Blair and Chuck are "meant to be" , but really, do you really want Blair in an abusive relationship that will make her life a rollercoaster??

Dan offers comfort to her and she always feels safe with him. They enjoy the same films and have the same interests. I can just see a lifetime of happiness with these two.

And this last Monday, something Dair fans have been waiting for a LONG time happened!!!! Nichole and I probably texted each other "AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" about a million times. It was epic.

 Dan Humphrey, you are amazing!

Movie Mondays

Yes, tomorrow is Valentine's Day so I thought I'd blog about a film that was about love.  I'm feeling like a non-traditionalist today so my recommendation is Blue Valentine.

It's a great film so don't be too scared to watch it.  It's a realistic film about the courtship of a relationship, but unlike most films it even shows us the hardships.  But of course I can't really talk about the film without mentioning the performances.  Ryan Gosling and Michelle Williams deliver two of the most raw performances of their careers.  The two actors completely immerse themselves and vibe off each other to bring their characters to life.  As tragic as the story of the film is, you can't but find it all so amazingly beautiful.

Now I don't necessarily recommend watching this as a date film unless you're absolutely confident in the relationship.  If you guys fight a lot, step away from this movie!  If you and you're significant other (or maybe you're single) appreciate good cinema then by all means, press play!

Enjoy. Tootles!

Cutie Patootie of the Week

It was officially announced this week that House would end on its currently airing, 8th season.  I must admit, I stopped watching a few seasons ago, but when I heard the news I was a bit bummed.  I guess I'm gonna the ability to tune in and see how cute Jesse Spencer looks and sounds.  Oh yeah, Jesse Spencer is our Cutie Patootie of the Week if you didn't already guess by the above photo.

Besides acting, Jesse is musically talented.  He plays violin, piano, guitar, and bass.  Did I miss anything?  All I can play is a doorbell, so my hats off to this cutie.  Oh and to make me feel even lesser, he can sing! He's a former choir boy!

Either a House reference or he's a Doctor Who fan!

He is also fluent in French and I don't know about you, but that's uber attractive! The fact that he can sing and speak French makes me think he should post some French YouTube videos, a la JGL.  You like the idea don't you?! "Oui oui!"

Look at those eyes!

He's also one Australian! His accent is something I can't help but die over every time I hear it.  An Australian accent is definitely in my top 3 of favorite accents!  My favorite accent is a Scottish accent, a la James McAvoy, which brings me to my final Cutie fact.  James and Jesse used to be roomies!  Oh to be a fly on that wall!

You can currently catch Jesse on the final season of House, airing every Monday at 8.

Book Worm Wednesdays

Here's to one of the raddest books written by one of the raddest authors I've ever read.  The Land of Laughs written by Jonathan Carrol.  The book is about a man's obsession with his favorite author, a man that brought the words he wrote to live.  If you know the book, you know that's the exact way to describe it without ruining it.  It also has one of the best endings ever (purely satisfying).  It's one of the most vivid and somewhat haunting books out there.  My best advice is to just go with it! 

Can I have another moment to just say how rad Jonathan Carrol is?  The man can flip your world upside down and make you love every second of it! 

Movie Mondays

This week I thought I'd recommend a personal favorite.  It was the one movie I had a hankering to watch last week and it's called Ghost World.  Yes it is based on the graphic novel by Daniel Clowes.  I love this movie because it feels insanely real.  I'm not gonna lie, for some reason I relate to the female lead.  Who am I kidding.  In my head I am a cynical mess that would love to speak every truth as it comes to my mind no matter how weirdly, bizarre or harsh it may be.  I'd love to wear masks for no reason at all, but if you've seen my twitter profile I clearly do it already.  I have crushes on the loner types.  And finally, I sure as hell would love to make out with Steve Buscemi! Just putting it out there.

It's one of the best movies ever made about a teenage girl, and you can quote me.  Specifically you can quote the fact that I didn't call this a teen movie because it is so far from it!  It stars Thora Birch and Scarlett Johansson and it is incredibly funny(it's actually very understated.  I also recommend it if you dislike extremely pretentious people!

Book Worm Wednesday

I'm sorry for skipping Movie Monday this week but I've been up to my knees in pain, snot, flem, coughs, and the incredible need to sleep and drink something every 20 minutes.  In other words, I've been super sick y'all and I still am, so I will make this quick.

 My recommendation of the week is The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky.   It's one of the best books I've ever read.  It's such an intimate book and it doesn't really let you escape.  Once you're in, you're in, whether or not you like the ride.  People, mainly teens, tend to make decisions that aren't always smart; who am I kidding? The choices are more often then not stupid.  The important thing is that we have the ability to make them, that we aren't just watching and letting it all pass us by.  But is it really so bad that we watch?  Charlie, the narrator and wonderful protagonist of the novel must understand this and it is a really addicting journey thanks to the style of the author.  I shall say no more because my words will never do the book justice.

P.S. I shouldn't have to say this unless you've been living in a cave but the movie adaptation will be released this year and it stars Logan Lerman and Emma Watson.  It shall be interesting to see how the book plays out on screen; I'm more than intrigued.

Cutie Patootie of the Week: Andy Whitfield

This week's Cutie Patootie just recently past away. Andy Whitfield died on September 11, 2011 of cancer. He was 40 years old. Andy Whitfield was a great actor that died too soon.

If you don't know who he is, you should watch Spartacus: Blood and Sand. I recently discovered this show and fell in love with it. Andy Whitfield plays a Thracian who becomes a Gladiator after defeating his executioners, 4 of them, at a Gladiatorial game. Andy's portrayal of Spartacus is magnificent. He shows the right emotions of anger and passions for his wife. I love the look in his eyes before a battle. Andy Whitfield makes you believe in Spartacus.

Before Andy Whitfield became an actor he studied at the University of Sheffield, and to major in what you may ask. Well, Andy studied to become an engineer. He was definitely smart, always a good thing. After graduating he moved to Australia. There he attended Screenwise Film & TV School for Actors. He had minor roles in Australian tv shows. His first big role was in the Australian movie, Gabriel.

Andy Whitfield was an amazing actor that had just began his career and would have accomplished many more things. He had 2 children with his wife Vashti Whitfield. I recommend that you watch him in action in Spartacus: Blood and Sand. The new season Spartacus: Vengeance started this last week. Andy Whitfield was replaced by Liam McIntyre. Let's hope that Liam does a great job at portraying Spartacus just as Andy Whitfield did.

R.I.P. Andy Whitfield (17 July 1971 - 11 September 2011) Beloved Husband, Father, Engineer, Actor, and Model

Book Worm Wednesday

Let's talk about books!  I am not a voracious reader, but I do do it.  I have a weird relationship with books.  There will be months where I cannot concentrate and months where I want to do nothing but read.  I am currently in the latter phase and I am trying to squeeze in as many books as possible.

I'll begin with the last book I read, mostly because it isn't a genre I'll write about too often and only because I don't read it too often.  So here it goes:

My Boyfriend Wrote a Book About Me.  Hilary finds her ex-boyfriend's name in the discounted fiction section of Barnes and Noble, only to find out the book is all too reminiscent of her relationship with the author.  Kyle (said ex and author) completely immortalizes his, quote-on-quote, "fat-assed girlfriend."  Hilary recounts her hysterical and sometimes painful past with gay ex-boyfriends, cats, cancer, and broken vajayjays.  The catch?  You can find this book on the nonfiction shelf.  My disclaimer is that you might find yourself saying TMI, but at the end of the day, this is the true story of a woman that didn't know she was trying to find herself.

Movie Mondays

I think there is obvious information being poured into my posts.  I love movies.  I love them with a burning passion, always have and always will.  So I thought I should start a segment where I recommend and discuss them.  I'll start off easy and engage myself to answer the age old question: are you an Audrey or a Marilyn.  Okay, it's not really an age old question, unless you think Mad Men is age old.

I am an Audrey!  Believe me, there was totes a time when I thought I was a Marilyn, but it was an uneducated answer.  I was supposed to love Marilyn, right?  Because growing up it seemed that everyone did love her.  I grew up for a few years not knowing who Audrey Hepburn was (or Marilyn).  So I educated myself.  I watched movies and I basically lost myself in a world where Holly Golightly plays "Moon River" and Jo gets what I would love to believe is the first full fledged geek to chic makeover in movie cinema.  I became an Audrey.  I won't knock or anyone that adores her because I've been there, but I'd love to hear a different answer the next time that I ask, "why do you love Marilyn?" other than "because she was gorgeous" or "because she's sexy."  Are we clear?

Here are some of my favorite Audrey quotes:
"Nothing is impossible, the word itself says I'm possible."
"If I'm honest I have to tell you I still read fairy-tales and I like them best of all."
"The most important thing is to enjoy your life--to be happy--it's all that matters."
"I was born with an enormous need for affection, and a terrible need to give it."
“The beauty of a woman is not in the clothes she wears, the figure that she carries, or the way she combs her hair. The beauty of a woman is seen in her eyes, because that is the doorway to her heart, the place where love resides. True beauty in a woman is reflected in her soul. It's the caring that she lovingly gives, the passion that she shows & the beauty of a woman only grows with passing years.”
“I believe in being strong when everything seems to be going wrong. I believe that happy girls are the prettiest girls. I believe that tomorrow is another day, and I believe in miracles.” 

My first recommendation is Funny Face.  It's a truly delightful film; it's lots of fun, which is what a movie should do for you.  It might just be my favorite Audrey film and it also stars Fred Astaire! Enjoy, tootles!

Cutie Patootie of the Week

The pick for the week is Matt Lauria! I have a confession; I didn't watch Friday Night Lights until after it ended.  But one day last year, the lovely Yvette Nicole Brown tweeted about the entire series being on Netflix.  A few days later I officially had nothing to do because I was done with finals, so I finally took up several years of recommendations and gave the show a chance.  I was hooked in about 5 minutes!  No show has ever done that for me, not even my favorite show Community.  I've fallen in love with so many characters and it has had so many talented cuties (I'm looking at you Zach Gilford)! But those men were Panthers.  In the fourth season the Lions get full focus, and Matt Lauria's character Luke is the first I fell for, which in turn makes me a Matt Lauria fan!  He's super talented y'all!

Let me just mention before I forget, his character lied about where he lived not to impress a girl but to play football for a great team, so that he could go to college (definition of cute)!  He also bought a girl gummy bears, and invited her to the car wash, which led to other things, but hey he was a complete gentlemen! Okay enough about Luke.

For some strange reason, I can't find much information about Matt Lauria other than he went to the University of North Carolina School of the Arts(intelligence), he's also a musician and director(talented), and married(tear).  So I propose that Matt Lauria is an extraordinary conman or the rest of the world hasn't fallen for his charm yet.

You can currently catch Luke Cafferty, I mean Matt Lauria on a multi-episode arc on CSI. Or watch Friday Night Lights on Netflix (you won't regret it)!

Tea Party Time!

If I had a tea party, and could invite anybody, this would be the guest list:

Who wouldn't want Zooey invited to their tea party? This girl was made for tea parties! She could be in charge of creating DIY headbands and once that was done she could lead us all into singing '60's tunes! Plus she shares my love for Judy Garland.

She is Elle Woods for heaven's sake! Plus I think we would need a mommy persepective in the group. She could share cute pictures and stories of her kids. Along with sharing with us mommy wisdom for us to use in the future. Plus she has the cutest mommy fashion.

Nobody is denying Zooey and Reese aren't funny gals, but you can never go wrong with more funny, especially coming from Amy Poehler. I find her laugh infectious and I am sure she would say the most hysterical things! And for some reason I feel that she would start a tea party dance party. Jean Ralphio dance up on me! Parks and Recreation reference!

Kate Middleton, Duh! A tea party would not be complete without REAL royalty. Just look how proper she looks in that picture. I look nothing like that when I am doing homework. She could teach all of us real British tea party etiquette that even Queen Elizabeth would approve of.

Rachel Bilson. The last spot was a toss up between Leighton Meester and Rachel Bilson, it was a tough call but after seeing Rachel's rap video, it just had to be her! We would totes (totally) gossip about Adam Brody, and convince her to return to his arms! (kidding...a little) And we would also all play dress up and she could give fashion advice. Fun!

For you enjoyment:

By: Mariela

Cutie Patootie of the Week

It's back! The first Cutie Patootie of the Week this year will be Tom Sturridge.  It is shaping up to be quite a monumental year for Tom Sturridge.  He and girlfriend Sienna Miller are engaged and with child (future toddler fashionista?)  I don't think it's too early to add Tom to the cute dad list!

Does anyone else see a little Paul Rudd here?

Aside from his killer style Tom is an actor. In the past Tom Sturridge has appeared in films like Vanity Fair, Pirate Radio, Being Julia, and a squirrel favorite Waiting for Forever (well not necessarily, I, Nichole, am not a fan).

That lip pout is obviously a English thing because I swear that Ed Westwick gave me that look!

This year Tom will also appear in what may be the biggest film of his career thus far, the adaption of On the Road.  We wish him the best!

P.S:
"He really pulls off what I like to call "the willderness look". He is sure going to look adorable carrying that baby with his amazing beard. Big cute dad alert!" -Mariela

Behold the wilderness look

A Quick Update on my Resolutions

I'm actually proud to say that I have attempted some of them.  Yes, only some!  The Driver's book just isn't my thing, but on the bright side I still have 360 days to try again. 

 First off, I haven't entirely cleaned my room, but I started making organized boxes out of cardboard and believe me, my desk is thankful!  Cardboard isn't exactly cute so I made dictionary art boxes.  I've been obsessed with dictionary art so I definitely had fun choosing images (I made an Audrey Hepburn box for my headbands and a Snow White box for my desk).

Second, I am running!  I'm not gonna say that I enjoy waking up super early to do it, but if I don't do it then, then I won't do it all.  My trick is to sleep in my running clothes (exercise pants and a baggy T-shirt); I make less excuses when I'm already dressed.  I'm not exactly fast, which is good because I'm not doing it for speed.  I'm trying to start off with the Couch to 5k plan, and that's going well for now.  I'll keep you guys posted with more.

Tootles!