My Review of The Five-Year Engagement: The Topping on the Wedding Cake

The Five-Year Engagement. Could be a fun movie, right? i haven't seen a chick flick in such a long time. I might as well check it out...

I hadn't expected to see The Five-Year Engagement, but it happened to be playing at an inexpensive theater near my house. At first, I had trouble choosing between seeing this movie and seeing Dark Shadows, a film in which Johnny Depp plays a vampire waking up in the 70s.
You might wonder why I decided to see any movie instead of one that starred Johnny Depp, but The Five-Year Engagement was rated R, and as a 17 year old, I was excited to see a rated R movie in theaters without my parents. 
Besides, the movie seemed worth watching. Its previews were funny, and when I compared its trailer to the trailer for Dark Shadows, this movie’s trailer seemed funnier. No offence to Tim Burton and Johnny Depp (both of whom I love dearly), but I could use something different.
And so that's how I ended up watching a romantic comedy about two people who somehow managed to remain engaged for five years without either marrying or breaking up.
The movie centers on the lives of two fiancés who are madly in love with each other, but who struggle to stay together for various reasons.
This couple is played by none other than Jason Segel, famous for his role on “How I Met Your Mother” and Emily Blunt, who appears in movies such as “The Devil Wears Prada”. Both actors perform their roles adequately. I could definitely feel the chemistry between the two, which is essential for a romance movie. 

Jason Segel  (not really) working the bunny suit. 

The Five-Year Engagement is a typical slice-of-life comedy. While most of the movie was fairly predictable, there were a few unique moments. For example, it was entertaining to see Jason Segel's character, Tom Solomon, don a bunny suit not once, but several times during the movie. And even I was shocked when a young girl shot an arrow into the leg of Emily Blunt’s character, Violet, and when Rhys Ilfans did super cool ninja-like jumps during a chase scene. However, my favorite part of the movie by far was when Tom's brother (played by Chris Pratt) sang a beautiful song in Spanish to his new wife (played by Alison Brie). While no other scenes stood out as particularly interesting, the movie portrayed scenarios that could occur during anyone’s life and wrapped it all up in a beautiful happy ending. *spoiler alert* They finally get married at the end. 

I want my hubby to sing me this at my wedding.

the Proposal :)

My biggest complaint about the movie is that it had too many unneeded scenes. The movie is over two hours long, so it was hard to sit through scenes that added nothing to the plot and had little comedic affect.
For example, I did not need to see Jason Segel and Dakota Johnson have sex in about six different positions for ten minutes. I'm sure this scene was supposed to be comedic, and maybe I'm just not old enough to understand the humor, but it was a very painful ten minutes. I mean they could have at least replaced Segel with a super attractive stunt double during that part... just saying.
Even though the movie had several unnecessary scenes, it did manage to fit in all of the classic elements of a romantic comedy. The girl cheats on the boy; the boy cheats on the girl; they get back together. They both have to make unfavorable sacrifices to be together. Hmm… where have I seen that before? Oh yeah, everywhere.
The movie was a standard chick-flick, but I must admit that it was adorable. I liked the moral of the story: while some believe that people only have one soul mate that they are destined to be with, this movie illustrated that people can have successful relationships with multiple people, they just have to keep their minds open and find someone who is willing to make it work. 
I would recommend this movie to people who enjoyed movies like Bridesmaids or other wedding movies.
Thank you Mirichan for the edit.

My Favorite Alternative Rock Music Videos of the NOW

Summer has started once again, and I am stuck at home waiting endless days for my volunteering job to start... It doesn't start for another month. 
I've been SO bored that I've contemplated buying a gun and shooting... my walls. 
So today, when I was in one of my lazy, bored shlumps I decided to start watching music videos On Demand. 
I automatically went to the Alternative Rock category and started watching the music videos there. I became so enthralled by some of the videos that I decided to share them. Con todo el mundo!!! Aka with the rest of the world. 
I hope you'll enjoy my favorite music videos. Some are funny. Some are catchy. Some are thought-provoking. And some are just plain weird! Please enjoy these. Whether you're sitting at home bored out of your minds. Or you're just looking for something entertaining. I invite you to take a look into these rock music videos(which happen to be in no particular order).
1. It's Nice to Be Alive- Ball Park Music

I really like this music video. The song is all about being grateful that you live in the world. And the music video reflects that. The music video shows the band members as they realize that the world is about to end. They get to work doing all the things they can manage to cram in before the world ends. It's really fun to watch and quite crazy!

2. Simple Song- The Shins

This music video is very entertaining. It's really crazy and fast-paced. It tells an interesting story in five minutes, and I really enjoy it. I couldn't draw my eyes away from the screen. It centers around three grown-up kids and their relationships with their father. It is really well done. The camera angles are perfect, and the story is enlightening. It tells of their relationship when they were younger and when they were older. And I just absolutely love it. 
3. Not Your Fault- AWOLNATION

Although I don't really like this song, the music video is really cute. It takes us on a trip through the sea, on land, and in outer-space. The video is an adorable stop motion of the band which reminds me of Chicken Run and other childhood favorites. It also vaguely reminds me of Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer. Regardless its a cool video.
4. Paddling Out- Miike Snow

This is probably my favorite video. It goes as number four because I didn't want to scare ya'll away. This music video is insanity at its finest. And I find it to be particularly intriguing. I don't know why I enjoy it so much, but its great. It's about a guy who suddenly ends up in outer-space and meets up with aliens who change him into this "perfect human", but they changed other people into the perfect human, and it's just plain weird. 

5. Every Teardrop is a Waterfall- Coldplay

This is yet another cool stop motion. I don't really like this song, but I enjoy the magic of the video. It's fun to watch and cool to see all the work put into it. I have a soft spot for stop motions because I actually made one myself which you can check out here: Awesomeness!
6. Houdini- Foster the People

This music video is SUPER crazy. Haha. And really well acted. If Foster the People are game for it, they should make a movie and follow up this story line. It's amazing what corps will do for the money.
7. Anna Sun-Walk the Moon

This music video is really catchy and has a lot of coordinated dancing which makes me super happy. So it wins for that. It's also really colorful and "the vibrant colors give your body an experience that it will never forget".(That last part was taken as a direct quote form my sister)

Well those are the seven videos that I can think of right now which I specifically enjoyed. Until next time, have a great summer. :D

My Review of Snow White and the Huntsman: A Grimm Tale

Snow White and the Seven Dwarves. We’ve all grown up accustomed to the childhood movie, Disney’s first ever full-length animated film. 

Snow White and the Seven Dwarves

We watched Snow White run off into a scary forest and befriend little friendly creatures and dwarves. We watched the evil queen fall to her demise and the handsome prince rescue Snow White from a deep sleep.
This year, another Snow White film has come out, but it has taken an entirely different spin on the classical tale from that of its various predecessors. This time, Snow White is a live-action film that is meant to be taken seriously. It is probably the first Snow White film that wasn’t made for little kids.
While this version doesn’t really follow the Brothers Grimm fairy tale or the Disney movie that it was based off of, Universal Picture’s Snow White and the Huntsman has an interesting plot and an on-par cast.
In this Snow White which came out in American theaters on June 1st, director Rupert Sanders was able to add a dark twist to the classic story. One could argue that this made it more similar to the Brothers Grimm version of the tale. Regardless, this made it an interesting watch.
The story is about a girl named Snow White, the daughter of a king. When the king’s wife passes away, the king falls for a beautiful woman, Ravenna, who turns out to be an evil witch. Ravenna marries the king and then kills him. She takes over the kingdom and locks Snow White away in a tower.
On the day Snow White comes of age, the evil queen asks her magical mirror to tell her who the fairest one of all is and the mirror replies, “Snow White.” In order for Ravenna to gain immortality, she needs to consume Snow White’s heart.

Don't you wish your mirror
turned into this?

The queen fetches her brother to get Snow White so that she can take her heart immediately, but Snow White escapes. She ventures into the Dark Forest, and a huntsman is sent after Snow White to bring her back alive. Snow White eventually befriends the Huntsman, and together they meet a whole cast of magical creatures. She is also reunited with her childhood friend, William. And together they go forth to destroy the queen and once again restore the crown to its proper heir.
I liked this movie because it was always busy with new adventures cropping up around every corner. The movie moved from event to event at a breathtaking pace and kept me on the edge of my seat.
I also liked the wide range of characters introduced in the movie, ranging from the seven dwarves (who could actually be taken seriously) to the Forest Spirit (which also made an appearance in Princess Mononoke). 
The actors also for the most part did great jobs in their roles. After all, what would you expect from an award winning cast? 
Kirsten Stewart, who I despise for her role in Twilight, did not disappoint me in this movie. She sucked as much as I expected her to in her role as Snow White. Her character remained emotionless even when exacting revenge by killing off the witch who stole her father’s life, which is representative of her acting. She generally lacked emotion throughout the film. One prime example I can give of this is when she is giving a rallying speech to the town’s people to get them to rise up against the evil queen. I did not feel any emotion in it at all. She was just devoid of expression, and even made me yawn.

Charlize Theron as the Queen

However, Charlize Theron’s portrayal of Ravenna more than made up for Stewart’s disappointing performance. Theron played the most fantastic evil queen ever. Her acting was breath-taking, and I thought she performed the best out of all of the actors by far. She captured the entire essence of a faulted, power-hungry witch. I would love to see more of her acting in other movies. She actually won an Oscar for her previous performances, and I can see why. She does a great job shifting into character and making that character’s whole life believable.
Chris Hemsworth was awesome in this movie. Instead of wielding a hammer like he does in Thor, he wields an axe as the Huntsman. I really appreciate his prevalence in this movie because he is so great to look at. He is just one hot hunk of a man. 

Sam Claflin. Snow White's "Prince"

Sam Claflin plays the handsome prince. While he isn’t as awesome as Chris Hemsworth, he does an alright job in his role as the worried childhood friend of Snow White, William. Claflin is new to film, and is best known for his role as a missionary in Pirates of the Caribbean: On Strangers Tide. Claflin is a budding actor, and still needs to work on becoming a memorable character, but I’m sure he’ll get there eventually. He has potential.
Now that I think about it, I feel that this movie was cast based off of the actors’ looks. The huntsman needs to be really brawny, strong, and brazen so why not hire Hemsworth? And of course, whenever a pale white girl is needed, it’s Kirsten Stewart to the rescue. Haha. 
The dwarves were the only exception to this casting trend. They were played by normal sized people whose appearance was digitally altered to look shorter. These actors include Ian McShane, Bob Hoskins, Ray Winstone and more. 

The Huntsman and a few of the dwarves

Many “little people” are in a frenzy about this because they don’t get many opportunities for big roles, and this one was taken away from them. It’s tough being a little actor in the big world. 
Still, I really enjoyed the performances of the dwarves even if their size was all a lie!
The CGI in this movie was magnificent. I loved how all of the fairy tale creatures were brought to life. That was definitely my favorite part of the film. I loved seeing the sprites come alive in the friendly forest, and the majestic beauty of the dark creatures in the Dark Forest. It was all so beautiful and surreal.

This captures the beauty of the scenery and the
horror of the outfit. Oh my!

The scenery was also very beautiful throughout the movie. Much of it was filmed at Marloes Island, a tropical island that is bountiful with natural beauty.
The costuming, however, was disappointing. Snow White wore pants underneath her dress. I didn’t think that girls wore pants underneath their dresses during the middle ages. Also, the costumes did not match time period that the movie was set in. Everything about the costuming was incorrect. I was especially annoyed at the ease with which Snow White was able to do things in her armor. Armor is supposed to be big and bulky(aka Hemsworthy), the opposite of what Snow White was wearing.
The movie was interesting for the most part, even though some of the scenes were unnecessary. I loved how Universal Pictures took the fairytale and turned it into something to be to be taken seriously. For the most part, the actors played their parts well, and the CGI and scenery were both breath-taking. I am quite pleased by this take on Snow White. It has its fair share of adventure, action, magical creatures, and kissing but no real romance, and I would mostly recommend it to preteens.

My Review of BBC's Sherlock: The Show of the Century

On May 25th at 11:30 pm I embarked on a four day, 8 hours and 40 minute long journey into the world of Sherlock Holmes, consulting detective extraordinaire. I had heard about the show from various people, some of whom happened to be obsessed with the very show, and had decided that I wanted to see what all the fuss was about. Only a few seconds into it, and I was completely drawn in. Only a few seconds into the show, and I had become “sherlocked.”

He only wears this twice for a few seconds.

Everything about this show (or series of films as the producers prefer to think of them) is stunning, from the famed series that started it to the costuming like the famed cap Sherlock is often caught wearing. This show, in only those first few seconds, became my favorite show ever. 
The first season of Sherlock aired on British television in July and August of 2010. It comprised of three magnificent 88-minute episodes, each playing out an intricate mystery that Sherlock had to solve. 
The season ended in a cliffhanger with Sherlock’s life in danger. Fortunately, the next season was already out when I began to watch, so I could bypass the wait and see what happened to this ever in-trouble protagonist. The second series broadcasted in Britain in January 2012. This was also only three episodes long and also ended in a nail-biting cliffhanger. Unfortunately for me, I need to wait until 2013 to find out WHAT HAPPENS NEXT. An almost impossible task. Without Sherlock life is… boring. 
So, as I noted before  the series Sherlock is quite accurately based off of the book series, Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. The interesting thing about it is that it is a modernized version of the series. Aka Sherlock and his friends companions use cellphones, cameras, advanced microscopes, etc. Every “ancient” thing in the book is modernized. For example, nicotine patches instead of a pipe and a blog instead of a journal. “The whole soul of it is the same and true to the original Sherlock stories. It just has this modern twist with taxis and London busses and this huge expense. The more modern things around the more it works, really,” stated Sue Vertue, the producer.

Doesn't it just look magical?

Sherlock lives in modern day London, England, at 221B Baker Street (to be exact). And if you haven’t been to England this show gives you a taste of what it’s like to be there. Apparently, they wanted to “fetishize” modern London. You get to look at the Crowned Jewels and China Town and the underground. All the while investigating murders with Mr. Holmes and his faithful companion John Watson.
Sherlock Holmes is played by Benedict Timothy Carlton Cumbertach. Now that name’s a mouthful. Benedict(for short) brings character to the cold Sherlock Holmes. He gives a cold, lifeless man emotions. His acting is fluid. Now, Holmes is famous for his ability to solve mysteries using logical deduction, forensic science, and disguise. He is also partly famous for making enemies because he generally lacks feelings for others. He doesn’t really understand empathy and isn’t very good at getting along well with people because of his general disregard for their feelings and because of his egotistical views of them. 
“It’s a wonderful combination of playing a hero who is a faulted being. There’s an awful lot of him that’s dangerous and perverse and interesting and just great stuff to get your teeth into as an actor. But he’s also an A-class hero.”-Benedict Cumbertach, Sherlock's actor.

Sherlock in the Palace dressed only in a sheet because he didn't feel like changing.

But Sherlock is still human, and Benedict brings the human-like qualities out of him. He brings out both the chilling detective and the human in a very complex character. He also happens to make Sherlock very adorable and lovable despite his cold demeanor. His use of gestures, movement, and facial expressions brings out what really goes on behind the cold façade Sherlock wears. Also, Benedict creates the character through the use of his voice. Sherlock has much to say on everything, and it would be boring if it came off as a lecture, *yawn*, or as a wondering squabble of words. Benedict’s voice adds an intimidating urgency to everything Sherlock says, captivating the audience with every word, and fascinating the listener every time he speaks. He creates the excitement of Sherlock like many other great actors couldn’t.

Sherlock’s sidekick and London’s confirmed bachelor is none other than Dr. John Watson. John Watson, through a series of events ends up sharing a “flat” or apartment with Sherlock and ends up becoming Sherlock’s investigative partner and best friend. Sherlock and Watson’s relationship is often mistaken as romantic. And is often shipped by the many fan girls of the show, myself included, as a romance. In the end Watson gives up trying to explain they aren’t “together together” because he gets tired of it. Watson loves Holmes, sadly unromantically, and looks out for him whenever he gets into trouble. 
“They are a perfect foil for each other. In a way John is like Sherlock’s moral compass. Because Sherlock’s mind is so genuinely brilliant he doesn’t stop to consider the whys and wherefores or the rights and wrongs of what is. John is kind of like his moral barometer, and he’s a more decent person than Sherlock because he’s more normal. You know, Sherlock is generally extraordinary.”-Martin Freeman, the actor who plays John Watson.

Martin Freeman as Bilbo. :)

Martin Freeman will also be playing Bilbo Baggins in The Hobbit later on this year. He actually was nominated for a BAFTA(British Academy of Film and Television Arts) Award for his role as Watson on the show. He takes the ordinary man and makes him extraordinary. He plays the man alongside Holmes who is supposedly “normal” and uses this to convey just how special a normal man is and just what a normal man has the capacity to do. To that I say, “Well done, Freeman, well done.”
“I think there’s a friendship instantly between Martin and Benedict, and they’re not at all like the characters the play at all really but the relationship between them really informs a much pricklier on screen relationship, because obviously Sherlock’s a quite cruel man at time, and John’s got to put up upon that at times. You won’t buy that and enjoy that unless you feel it in every scene and every heartbeat, that there is that proper underlying warmth, that real proper solid friendship, and that friendship really has happened between Benedict and Martin, and the value of that you get on screen.” – Steven Moffat, executive producer.

Moriarty is the most boss villain ever.

Now in every series there must be a villain. And the main villain in this show is played by the one and only Andrew Scott. Jim Moriarty is an insane genius. He is the same as Holmes in most every way except for the fact that Holmes “plays on the side of the angels” while Moriarty gets to enjoy hanging out with the devil. Andrew Scott captures the whole psychopath feel and look. Everything from the way he speaks (definitely the super weird way he talks) to the look in his eyes echoes the crazy that must be going on inside of Moriarty’s head. He gives the insane man a frightening brilliance. I would be scared to meet him in real life even knowing that he was only acting. He actually won a BAFTA beating out his friend Martin Freeman.
“Moriarty in a way is what comes to define Sherlock as a hero.” –Steven Moffat, executive producer.

Ms. Adler

Also, I’d like to make note of Sherlock’s only possible love interest, Irene Adler. She plays a villain as well. Although not a raging psychopath like Moriarty. She is played by Lara Pulver. I’d like to share one of my favorite quotes by her. “I would have you right here on this desk until you begged for mercy twice,” Irene told Sherlock. xD
“They’re clearly made for each other, and that’s an interesting thing to play with.”- Mark Gatiss, actor and writer, referring to the relationship between Irene and Sherlock.
And those are really all of the characters that I wanted to talk about. Una Stubbs adds much of the comedy relief to the show through her portrayal of the feisty, old Mrs. Hudson. And did you know that the co-writers Mark Gatiss and Lisa McAllister play Mycroft Holmes and Mycroft’s assistant Anthea, respectively? Interesting fun fact.

From left to right: Watson, Sherlock, and Mycroft.

FrAside from their stellar acting, Gatiss and McAllister did amazing jobs at screen writing the show. They made it funny, serious, sad, frightening, and bold. Never have I watched a detective show that so related to the viewer and tugged on all of their emotions. I even cried at one point because this show really lets you get attached to the characters, like no other detective show really does. It’s a show about a person, about his life. This is all about Sherlock. Which is why it had such a fitting name. It’s a show that investigates facts in cases, but it also builds up a story line revolving around one man’s life and his struggles within. It’s captivating because of the man the story centers around. Never will there be another man like Sherlock Holmes. Everything from the way he thinks to the way he acts has never been seen before.

And that’s what makes this show so interesting. It creates characters that have never been seen before. These characters are realistic and believable. Sherlock, for all we know could have existed in the world. But there would never be anyone else like him. He is a captivating man, and the writers make sure that there is this connection between him and the audience. He is able to draw everyone in. And the casting, the writing, and even the music and film score created by David Arnold and Michael Price  create a depth to all of the characters that us viewers can immediately latch onto and relate to.

Sherlock going to his "mind palace."

The camera work helps in this too. Switching form third person to first person, and taking us inside of Sherlock’s fast paced mind.
“You show the scene at the dead’s body line and then you can do it form another point of view, from several points of view, and you can dissect that. You dissect that visually and you let the audience see how Sherlock thinks. And then we can look at how Sherlock sees things. So we use the 5D with the stills images to go closer to things. Then we shoot the same seen from a different point of view for Sherlock, so if he walks into the room we shoot it from his point of view. So that, the first time you see the scene you don’t notice Sherlock’s actually scanning the whole place or looking… We just wanted it to feel very natural and explain a little bit about how he does it.”- Paul McGuigan, the director.

Sherlock's Deductions.

So, if you haven’t seen this show yet, I suggest you put it on your bucket list. It will be one of the best shows you have ever seen and well worth your time. Because when you watch this show, you are leaping into the world of the most interesting man alive (even though he most often claims that his life is boring, like right after he harpooned a pig). 
With just the right amount of comedy, character, and drama, everything about this show puts it on the top of my list. It’s a unique new take on an old favorite. And gives us all the reasons to celebrate in our “normal” lives.
Here you can watch the episodes of the show online for free: Sherlock Episodes
Here you can buy the DVDs with the episodes on them: Season One and Season Two
If you are interested in buying the soundtrack, here it is: Sherlock Soundtrack

Here you can look at information about the show: http://www.sherlockology.com/

And a special thanks to Rachel  for the edit.

Say What? Franz Ferdinand Unveils New Songs

Franz Ferdinand recently played four new songs on their tour in Limerick, Ireland. These are the first songs they have released since 2009 when they released their album Tonight. And they will be on their new album that will be coming out sometime during the summer.

If you have never head of Franz Ferdinand before, here's some background information to keep you current. They are a Scottish Band that originated in Glasgow (the largest city in Scotland). Alex Kapranos is the lead singer and guitarist. Bob Hardy strums the bass guitar. Nick McCarthy plays the rhythm guitar and keyboard and also sings background vocals. And last but not least, Paul Thomson sets the pace by playing the drums and percussion, while also singing background vocals.

The band's second single, and my favorite song by them, "Take Me Out," topped the UK charts at number three. After, their album titled Franz Ferdinand also reached number three on the UK charts. The band's second album You Could Have It So Much Better, made top ten on the Billboard 200 in the US and reached Platinum status. In the UK, the album topped the charts. After this achievement, their most recent album Tonight: Franz Ferdinand(they clearly have a knack for naming albums) was released in January 2009 and made top ten in the United Kingdom and the United States, so you can see why these songs might be a big deal. The band is internationally famed and has won many awards. This album is expected to attain the same success as the previous ones.

Here are the new 2012 songs:

Right Thoughts

Trees and Animals

Fresh Strawberries

Brief Encounters

The songs sound really cool. While I can’t really make out the lyrics because of the poor audio, the actual music sounds great, and I can safely say that I am really looking forward to this album's arrival. This year is churning up a lot of great new alternative rock music from older favorites. For example, the Killers are releasing a new album later on in the year and Jack White recently released a new album. I am so excited to hear the bands' new songs. I can't wait to see what new rock music this year brings.


While the songs are clearly not out yet, if you're interested in getting the other albums here's the link: Buy Me!
And I'd like to thank Miriamchan for the edit.
Thanks for reading.

My Review and Bio of Imagine Dragons: A Brilliant, Newly-Discovered Band

Imagine Dragons

The Imagine Dragons does not only have an amazingly epic band name (which is an acronym for something unknown), but also really free-flowing, captivating music. I first heard the music on my radio. “It’s Time” was playing, and I really enjoyed that song so I went onto Spotify to listen to their other music. I developed a new found love for this creative band. So I will be reviewing some of their music and giving a little bit of info about the band itself. Enjoy! 

The Imagine Dragons is an Alternative rock band from Las Vegas, Nevada in the US. Their musical inspiration is both life experiences and the city they live in. Viva Las Vegas! Their first gig was actually in a Las Vegas Casino. Since then they have come a long way, releasing four EPs (more music than a single but less music than an album) and gaining widespread popularity for their free-styling music. 
Dan Reynolds is the leader of the four-member band. He was first contemplating being in the FBI, but his father convinced him to become a musician. Wayne Sermon plays the guitar for the band. He graduated from Berklee College of Music in Boston. Daniel Platzman, also a graduate from Berklee, rocks out on the drums. Ben McKee, another Berklee graduate who  actually started off playing violin, completes the band as bassist. All of the members have known each other since childhood and have been working in the band since at least 2008. They released their first EP, “Imagine Dragons”, in 2009.

They just put out their newest EP called “Continued Silence” on February 14th, Valentine’s Day. I learned about them a few weeks ago, and I just decided that with its wide spread popularity, I would check it out some more and write a review about it.
The EP consists of six songs, all around three minutes in length. The most popular song by far on their extended play is “It’s Time.” This song has actually become number ten on the alternative rock billboard and number twenty one on the rock billboard. Its widespread success is probably due to its whimsical sound and due to its beat which stands out against other rock music. This is because the background for the music is composed of hand-clapping and foot-stomping and lap-slapping. It has a laid-back and chill tone (yes that is possible). And the lead singer has a really nice clean voice that I just love listening to. This song brings out the best in it. Here's the music video:

The song even has a great meaning that I know others can relate to. That is the mark of a great song. Here are the lyrics: LYRICS! Not just about clubbing, sex, and drinking as you can see. It’s about him finding his place in the world and having other people understand his place. He knows he needs to start really improving himself, but he’s scared of the road that lies before him. I don’t know if anyone else sees that, but I’m absolutely positive that it does have a deeper meaning, and I approve of that.

Another song on the EP that I really enjoyed is “Demons.” It’s a really beautiful, truthful song. It has a nice sound, and once again I must commend Dan Reynolds’s voice. This music was actually featured in a recent trailer for “The Words.” It’s amazing that they are gaining such recognition. With such well thought-out, meaningful lyrics and such a unique, new sound I can say that they truly deserve the fame. "The Words" trailer:

I really hope that they come to Florida where I live because I would love to see them live. From what I’ve heard, they are really good live. Also, because they aren’t very well known I’m sure that the tickets would be cheap. >D
I suggest you check out some of their other songs like “Radioactive” and "On Top of the World.” They all are really fun, and they all captivate the listener. Also, everyone should be able to relate to the songs. So, while they may not have killer guitar playing or great drum work, they are definitely something to look at. Especially if you are a fan of the bands Fun!, the Beatles, the Shins and Arcade Fire. So enjoy!

If you are interested in buying their songs: Get them here!

Special thanks to Miriamchan for the quick edit.

Special thanks to 

My Super Review of The Avengers: When Movies Unite to Bring Justice to the Cinema

Ever since I was a little kid I wanted to be a superhero. I wanted the whole shebang. I would wear tights and a mask and, of course, a cape, and I would “fly” around my house defeating the evils that it held. 

Not me, but close enough.

Now that I’m older, I have accepted the fact that I will never suddenly be able to fly or be able to pick up a car or be able to talk to animals. Still, this hasn’t quelled my interest in superheroes.
So, when the movie “The Avengers” was first announced, right after the premiere of the “Incredible Hulk" in 2008, my nerdtastic radar went flying. A movie in which most of my favorite superheroes united to kick evil’s ass? Was is true that there would be something as fantastic as this? Yes, and I went to see it yesterday, coming out of the theater with tears of joy at the justice that had been dealt.

Check out the trailer:

The movie is about the superheroes the Hulk(Strength), Iron Man(Amazing Super Suit), Hawkeye(Archery), the Black Widow(Quick Fighting Skills), Thor(Strength and Powerful Hammer), and Captain America(Strength and Super Shield) coming together to defeat Loki, Thor’s adopted brother. Loki threatens to take over the world because he seeks revenge against his brother for being the better looking one for being the one to become a king and because he seeks power. The superheroes have a rough start together but eventually unite and destroy the darkness!

This movie was exceedingly interesting.


First off, it pays to have watched the other superhero movies because it basically starts up from where they left off. The movie constantly refers to what happened in previous ones so people who haven’t seen them have some trouble understanding the backstory and who the characters are. My friend had to keep asking me who was who and what each person did. While this may have been confusing for her, it still made it a better watch for me. I loved the continuity it brought to the movie because it kicked off from previous films. This made it so much more valid and realistic within the context of the story.

Thor VS. Iron Man FTW

Another thing I really enjoyed about this movie was that all of the super heroes fought each other. In most movies and comics, the superheroes really only fight the villains. I loved seeing all of the superheroes actually attack each other. I got to see how their strengths faced off against one another. Iron Man and Thor had an amazing battle. Hawkeye and the Black Widow fought against each other. The Hulk and Thor beat each other up. It was an amazing sight to behold.
The casting was also really smart. It was great to see the same actors who played the heroes during their original movies reprise their roles in “The Avengers.” Aside from the Hulk who has changed from movie to movie, all of the original actors played their respective superheroes. Disney probably contracted them to return, which was a smart move on its part. Without the original actors, this movie might not have been possible to make. So bravo!

Mark Buffalo

The new man on the scene, Mark Buffalo, melded into his role quite perfectly. And the actors who play new characters like Hawkeye and the Black Widow did a great job. Scarlett Johansson played a really smexy and confident young woman, while also portraying the Black Widow's darker and more hesitant side. She captured the emotions playing through the Black Widow’s mind in a way that the audience could understand. Jeremy Renner (Hawkeye) had a smaller part than that of the other “Avengers,” so I can’t wait to see more of him in the sequel.
I feel a special need to talk about Loki’s actor, Tom Hiddleston. He did a fantastic job of portraying his villain. He showed us Loki's insecurities and captured the facial expressions as well as the stance of the hesitant antagonist. Even the fact that Loki was chosen as the villain was a really good choice. He is the most realistic version of a villain because he shows their weak sides and conflicts.
While the actors are key to this production, the special effects made it over the top. I watched the movie in regular, old 2D but I definitely recommend that everyone see it in 3D! This movie was geared to be seen in 3D because many objects came towards the screen, and the detail really can only be fully appreciated if seen with 3D glasses on.

The fight scenes in the movie were glorious and plentiful. I mentioned this before, but I think that around half or more of the movie is made up of fight scenes. Considering the movie is around two and a half hours long, this was a great feat. And even with all the fight scenes, there was still a solid plotline and story. Never was there a dull moment. The parts of the movie that weren’t action packed were filled with humor and dialogue, which added to the depth of the characters and purpose of the film.

I am so Evil! And Lonely! :(

Another thing that I liked about this movie is that the main conflict wasn’t of good versus evil, but rather of uniting people to fight the greater good. I mean, I would never imagine Tony Stark (Iron Man) agreeing to cooperate with anyone else. Nor would I have even believe that Thor (a God) would stoop so low as to agree to team up with these “mortals.” The movie brought up the concept of unifying to fight for the greater good, a concept that we have a lot of trouble with now-a-days. So while it may seem a little old school, this reminder is relevant to all people regardless of generation.
In regard to the more minor conflicts, this movie does a fantastic job. The movie goes beyond the surface of the characters to the conflicts that exist within each and every one of them. It shows that while these heroes may be “super” on the surface, they aren’t really perfect and have their own little flaws. In the movie, they need to learn how to resolve their differences so that they can actually learn to fight together. Pretty cool stuff if you ask me.
I have no favorite part of this movie because it was all magnificent. The special-effects, plotline, characters, and everything else were stunning and really worth seeing.


Thanks to Miriamchan for the edit! :D
Thanks to Kali for the quick edit!
And Meredith for the motivation!